Summer... Summer... Summertime....

As previously confessed here on this blog, we do NOT take a real summer break. In Mrs. Kastner's Klass we just keep plugging along almost ALL summer, occasionally taking a few weeks off in August. "Sooooooo," you might ask, "what do you DO all summer then?"

Math

1. Math: We finish our math curriculum. Some homeschoolers just get through as much of the book as they can in a school year. I (the QUINTESSENTIAL penny-pincher) prefer to work cover-to-cover, getting EVERY cent out of the curriculum I purchased. So we finish our math books. Often I allow them to take off on their own working at their own pace once summer comes. (Noah POUNDS it trying to finish because he knows that means more time to play Xbox once he finishes Math. Jeremiah just takes his time. Elijah has to be forcibly encouraged to do ANYTHING even Math which he is GREAT at.) Once they are done with their Math books that is one less school task they have to complete each day (until fall comes and bring a brand new book... hee hee hee!). 

Reading

2. Reading: We always have to keep on reading.  This year I started a summer reading program. I gave the older two boys a "Summer Reading List" filled with classic books I had recently stocked my library with (from the $1 section at Target!  OHHHHH do I get GREAT deals there!).  They both just finished Oliver Twist and are now independently taking on The Jungle Book (Noah) and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Jeremiah). I gave Elijah and Hannah blank lists to fill in a specified number of books they read this summer. I will admit that I had to offer a monetary reward (well actually it is Gamestop $$$ for the boys and Barbie $$$ for the princess), but for the FIRST time ever, I have caught BOTH of my older boys doing the Jami/Jodi (walking around the house while still reading a book). I welled up with a tear in my good eye!

Fun Fonix

3. Mechanics: This is what I call the bare bones things they need to keep up on in the summer. All my kids pretty much ROCK at math; therefore, this is typically something in the language arts family. (The irony of this fact is NOT lost on me.... the former Grammar Teacher with the English minor.... but my boys just do NOT enjoy reading, spelling, grammar, etc... *sigh*) This summer Noah and Jeremiah are pounding away at some spelling while Elijah and Hannah are doing some phonics work.


4. Bible: We never stop teaching the Word either. We are currently reviewing several passages of scripture we have memorized over the past few years while we take a walk through the Bible. In fact last week, I found a GREAT book for this purpose.... before we were just kinda doing it on our own... this book helped us get a framework to work from.

5. Martial Arts: John is still working to start his Christian Martial Arts ministry Rising Sons Martial Arts. He is using a form of Martial Arts called, Christjitsu. Our 4 kiddos and 1 neighbor kid are his cornerstones. They haven't done Christjitsu since before we went to Georgia as they train outdoors and the heat has been pretty dangerous lately, but typically they do Christjitsu 2x per week.


6. FUN STUFF: We keep on learning through fun stuff in the summer too. Our trip to Georgia to see my brother graduate from basic training was FILLED with learning adventures:  


*first airplane ride for Elijah & Hannah
*first terminal train and monorail ride for many 
*first getting separated in the airport and watching mommy BREAKDOWN in front of tons of people as well
*the graduation ceremony was CHOCK FULL of history and instruction

Tanisha & Dustin took the kids to the Zoo. 

We are also SOON planning trips to the museum and the domes now that mommy finally got her new driver's license (worst DMV photo EVER! I'd rather go to jail then show a cop my ID!)


So anyways.... before you start feeling too bad for those poor Kastner Kids who have to go to school ALL summer long, remember that a lot of what they do in the summer is FUN too (yesterday I read on FB: reading is like dreaming with your eyes open!) and don't forget that all year long the Kastner Kids get to go to school in their pajamas!

Stay cool everybody! 

Flavors....

I've been doing a lot of thinking about homeschooling lately.  A few months ago, due to an open enrollment/school choice opportunity, we REALLY prayed hard about putting the kids in traditional school. Recently I've faced some challenges to my homeschooling choice.  Because of that I wanted to take a second to share a little of my philosophy on education.  It is CLOSELY tied to my philosophy on choosing a church, determining your convictions, living ALL of life!

See as a former teacher, I believe I have a unique perspective on homeschooling. I'm sure to some I am a bit of enigma... "Why in the world did you spend time and money getting a degree in teaching only to choose NOT to send your children into the traditional educational system????"

The best analogy I can come up with is:  ice cream.  My philosophy on choosing the right church for your family, determining what convictions you will hold to, living your life, making the correct educational choice for your children.... they all come back to ice cream.

The reason there are so many different flavors of ice cream is because there are so many different "flavors" of people. Not everyone likes chocolate... not everyone likes nuts in their ice cream... not everyone likes fruity ice cream.... therefore a MYRIAD of flavors exist so we can all be happy.

This fits churchs:  not everyone likes raising their hands in worship... not everyone likes the American Idol worship experience... not everyone likes quiet and reserved... therefore a MYRIAD of denominations exist so we can all be happy.

It also fits education. I believe that as parents it is OUR job to evaluate all of the educational opportunities available to us and choose the best fit for our children and our family. There are a MYRIAD of educational choices: public school, private school, religious school, military school, virtual schooling, homeschooling so we can all be happy.

I really and TRULY do NOT believe that EVERYONE should homeschool. I believe that as the world's best experts on Noah, Jeremiah, Elijah, and Hannah Kastner, John and Jami Kastner are charged with the responsibility of evaluating all the choices available and determining what is the best educational option for those 4 children. For right NOW, actually for the 2012 - 2013 school year as well... homeschooling is the best option for the Kastner children.  Only God knows what the future brings for them.

I challenge ANYONE who might read this blog to open your mind and evaluate ALL of the options available  for your child/children. Then make a prayerful decision based upon what is best for YOUR child and family.  God bless!