January 3rd

To update our homeschooling journey. We've moved away from Waldorf. I've learned a lot about myself and about what I value.  I still use much of the arts related content and love love love the focus on stories and litrature. However I've found that Waldorf just stays away from hardcore science and facts too much for too long. I don't have children that are interested in the sciences heavily, so I've been a bit light on that side of their education. In addition, I was appaled by some of the main material used in Waldorf schools for grades 4,5,6,7,8. I do not agree with much of the emphasis on myth and legend as if they are fact. While I realize some of this is which auther you read, I find overall the emphasis for our family is just tooo tooo tooo much on myth and legend.

So what do we do now. We still use block crayons and wet on wet watercolors. We still use a picture and creative retelling of the 'story' written in the students hand. I still follow much of the general subjects covered in a traditional Waldorf school. I have veered away from math and science and grammer being a main lesson and add them into our weekly routine. In addition, we attend a secular co-op (since we are agnostic) and are loving all the great families! Fiona is getting her science work from a parent who is a doctor and teaches college level chemistry. In other words, she really gets science.  I teach art history there (a forte of mine from college).  Fiona has been taking her history lessons from History and Our House. Mr. Powell is a great instructor and we really enjoy the lessons. Fiona also is using Aleks for daily math problems. When we have a new lesson, I give that to her and she also completes portions of the workbook Math-U-See 

Other than that, I have daily read alouds for Fiona and Anya. Fiona has a book to read for each Main Lesson block. We still do main lesson blocks throughtout the year, and Anya also has math work and natural sciences in addition to weekly poems and fairy tales. Whew!

Fiona is also very lucky to be involved in the Power of Dreams program. She is playing the viola, see her first concert ! In addition, Anya started ballet in the fall and will continue through winter. Both Fiona and Anya are swimming, Fiona to keep in shape for HWAC swim team and Anya is learning by leaps and bounds...she want to be on the team this summer too!

So, in addition to that, I've been teaching art to elementary (grade 1-8) children at my home studio. I am also teaching at Ewe-Nique Knits. I've been toying with the idea of a blog about the classes I teach and my own art adventures and will post a like to this when I set it up