So this happened today. I mean, I knew it was coming. But I can still hardly believe it! I have a 7th grader and a 4th grader in the house!
Yeah, he was thrilled and so cooperative this morning during "first day" pictures!
So here are my thoughts about 7th grade . . . I never, ever thought school was "hard." Sure, I had to study sometimes. I had a lot of homework sometimes (I'm looking at you, Mrs. Williams, and 5th grade!). But I did it, I enjoyed it and I didn't think too much about it. Middle school was, hands down, my very least favorite. Ever! I was the most awkward middle schooler. Ever. But maybe we all are? Maybe I still am?!
Anyway, 7th grade was the year when I was so glad I wasn't an incoming middle schooler (I'd already been there a year). It was also the year I remember as the "hardest," even though school never was hard for me. I think I grew up a lot that year. I had braces. But everyone did. I hated wearing my glasses, but I couldn't see without them and didn't get contacts until 9th grade. So I sat on the floor in the front of the classroom a lot. I didn't mind that either. I tried out for the cheerleading squad and didn't make it (that actually happened at the very end of 6th grade). I never tried out again.
I took pre-Algebra, which seemed so grown up. I mean, it wasn't "math" anymore. There are those teachers at every school in which their reputation precedes them. Mrs. Klein was one of those! She wore tape on her fingers because the chalk dust aggravated her skin. Funny thing was she didn't even use the chalk board. She used pages and pages and pages and rolls and rolls and rolls of that transparency paper stuff on the overhead projector. I can still hear her little bell. Of course, that's only when somebody hadn't taped the clapper to the side of it. I can't even tell you how many times that happened. But you know what else? Mrs. Klein was an awesome teacher! She is one of the main reasons I always did so well in math and loved it.
And then there was Mrs. Flemister. I always though science was a fluff subject. Until 7th grade. I think that's the first time I ever had to actually study for a test. Mrs. Flemister knew her stuff, and she knew how to teach a class. She was also someone I really and truly respected. She was the kind of teacher who respected her students. She treated us like mini-adults. Of course, in 7th grade, we all thought we were grown.
There are a couple of grades I've circled in my head as those that scare me now. Seventh grade is one of them. But don't you tell Mason that! I'm going to be honest. I think this year is going to be a challenge. I mean, we're going to read The Odyssey and The Iliad. Mason is also taking a foreign language this year - Latin! There's just something about 7th grade that seems to be the bridge - or maybe even a leap! - from immaturity to maturity, from grammar school to higher school, from kid to teenager. And that's where we are.
Last night at bedtime, I spent a little extra one-on-one time with each child. I think Mason is nervous about 7th grade, too. I told him that he'd already completed SEVEN YEARS of schooling. He has SIX YEARS left until he graduates. He's OVER HALF WAY DONE with school! And, after this year, he'll have only FIVE YEARS left! I mean, I can't believe it either! And it's not that I want to be reminded of that. I just wanted him to try to understand just how much he's accomplished and how far he's come! And that he can do this 7th grade thing!
And then there's this one who was just absolutely giddy about the first day of school (even though she tried her very hardest to hide it because that might not be the coolest thing in the world).
I have such near and dear memories of 4th grade! It was, hands down, my very favorite grade in elementary school. My teacher was Mrs. Jones, and I was absolutely thrilled. First of all, I thought she was absolutely gorgeous! She had "Farrah hair" (as I called it), and she was the kind of girl who would be the cheerleader and homecoming queen. Her class was FUN. That's the year I got to pretend I was Princess Diana for my autobiography report. And her handwriting was just beautiful! I can still see it today! I always loved the way she wrote her cursive J's (she never wrote in print) and tried my best to write mine just like hers. My very best friend was in my class, too. It was just a great year! And that's exactly what I'm expecting for Hannah Kate, too.
Not only was today the first day of a new school year, but it was also the beginning of our third year homeschooling! It doesn't seem like it's been three years! Mason and Hannah Kate are still attending Sequitur this year. But both of them are going four mornings a week instead of two mornings. And then we'll do class work and such at home in the afternoons.
Honestly, I was pretty excited about the "new" schedule. That means I'll get to focus on Ellie girl - just the two of us - those four mornings. She doesn't even remember having one-on-one time with Mommy. And it's been a very long time! As if my 7th and 4th graders aren't big enough, Ellie starts kindergarten! But we are going to take our time with that. I don't plan on starting our curriculum together for another two weeks or so. I just want to adjust to our new schedule and enjoy the time as much as possible right now.
One of my favorite parts of homeschool is the curriculum we use. I just have the best time every summer ordering all of our books and materials. And then I organize our school shelf for each child. It's just a beautiful sight! I didn't take a picture of that, and I'm really too tired right now to get up and do that. But I did take a picture the day the big kids' books arrived, and I separated everything out. Yes, indeed!
This morning during my quiet time, I asked the Lord to give me a verse for our new school year. I'd already been thinking about it and had even written down several possibilities yesterday. The last thing I did before I got up to cook breakfast was to check the "verse of the day" on my Bible app.
Anyway, 7th grade was the year when I was so glad I wasn't an incoming middle schooler (I'd already been there a year). It was also the year I remember as the "hardest," even though school never was hard for me. I think I grew up a lot that year. I had braces. But everyone did. I hated wearing my glasses, but I couldn't see without them and didn't get contacts until 9th grade. So I sat on the floor in the front of the classroom a lot. I didn't mind that either. I tried out for the cheerleading squad and didn't make it (that actually happened at the very end of 6th grade). I never tried out again.
I took pre-Algebra, which seemed so grown up. I mean, it wasn't "math" anymore. There are those teachers at every school in which their reputation precedes them. Mrs. Klein was one of those! She wore tape on her fingers because the chalk dust aggravated her skin. Funny thing was she didn't even use the chalk board. She used pages and pages and pages and rolls and rolls and rolls of that transparency paper stuff on the overhead projector. I can still hear her little bell. Of course, that's only when somebody hadn't taped the clapper to the side of it. I can't even tell you how many times that happened. But you know what else? Mrs. Klein was an awesome teacher! She is one of the main reasons I always did so well in math and loved it.
And then there was Mrs. Flemister. I always though science was a fluff subject. Until 7th grade. I think that's the first time I ever had to actually study for a test. Mrs. Flemister knew her stuff, and she knew how to teach a class. She was also someone I really and truly respected. She was the kind of teacher who respected her students. She treated us like mini-adults. Of course, in 7th grade, we all thought we were grown.
There are a couple of grades I've circled in my head as those that scare me now. Seventh grade is one of them. But don't you tell Mason that! I'm going to be honest. I think this year is going to be a challenge. I mean, we're going to read The Odyssey and The Iliad. Mason is also taking a foreign language this year - Latin! There's just something about 7th grade that seems to be the bridge - or maybe even a leap! - from immaturity to maturity, from grammar school to higher school, from kid to teenager. And that's where we are.
Last night at bedtime, I spent a little extra one-on-one time with each child. I think Mason is nervous about 7th grade, too. I told him that he'd already completed SEVEN YEARS of schooling. He has SIX YEARS left until he graduates. He's OVER HALF WAY DONE with school! And, after this year, he'll have only FIVE YEARS left! I mean, I can't believe it either! And it's not that I want to be reminded of that. I just wanted him to try to understand just how much he's accomplished and how far he's come! And that he can do this 7th grade thing!
And then there's this one who was just absolutely giddy about the first day of school (even though she tried her very hardest to hide it because that might not be the coolest thing in the world).
Not only was today the first day of a new school year, but it was also the beginning of our third year homeschooling! It doesn't seem like it's been three years! Mason and Hannah Kate are still attending Sequitur this year. But both of them are going four mornings a week instead of two mornings. And then we'll do class work and such at home in the afternoons.
Honestly, I was pretty excited about the "new" schedule. That means I'll get to focus on Ellie girl - just the two of us - those four mornings. She doesn't even remember having one-on-one time with Mommy. And it's been a very long time! As if my 7th and 4th graders aren't big enough, Ellie starts kindergarten! But we are going to take our time with that. I don't plan on starting our curriculum together for another two weeks or so. I just want to adjust to our new schedule and enjoy the time as much as possible right now.
One of my favorite parts of homeschool is the curriculum we use. I just have the best time every summer ordering all of our books and materials. And then I organize our school shelf for each child. It's just a beautiful sight! I didn't take a picture of that, and I'm really too tired right now to get up and do that. But I did take a picture the day the big kids' books arrived, and I separated everything out. Yes, indeed!
Truth!
It made me smile. Really big. I have a feeling I'm going to be going to this one a lot!