First Day of School 2018 (and some lasts)
And, just like that, we find ourselves saying goodbye to the lazy days of summer and at the beginning of another school year. Today was a BIG day at our house. There were a lot of firsts. And there were also a few "lasts."
This year all three children are enrolled at Sequitur Classical Academy. This is our fourth year at Sequitur but the FIRST year that I dropped everyone off at school and came home with an empty vehicle (except for the groceries). It's always so hard to explain our schooling situation. According to the state, we are a homeschool family. But the kids attend "school" four mornings a week. The best explanation I can give is that we have the best of two worlds - classical Christian schooling and homeschooling. The kids are taught their subjects at school four mornings a week, and our afternoons are spent doing schoolwork and projects. Fridays are for finishing up our work and field trips.
Each of the last four years of schooling have brought changes. But the biggest change (for me, at least) came this year. Since we began homeschooling four years ago, this is the FIRST year that I haven't been someone's only teacher, the FIRST year I haven't had to choose curriculum and do lesson plans. This is also the FIRST time in exactly thirteen years and thirty-one days that I've had any amount of time to myself during the day. The kids were asking me yesterday what I was going to do since they wouldn't be here. Mason said I'd take a nap. Hannah Kate said I'd read a book. Well, today I did neither. I totally expected them to ask me what I did today when I picked them up, but they didn't. Oh well. I guess I'll never tell!
This morning I walked them into the building instead of dropping them off in the carpool line. As you can see, the oldest two were trying to keep their distance. But the littlest made sure I was right beside her.
She has been looking forward to this day for so very long. She spent the last month or so counting down the days until she could go to "real" school. Girlfriend doesn't quite understand that she still has no idea what "real" school is - eight hours a day five days a week Fridays included! But still. This is "real" school to her, and this was a very big deal. It was her FIRST day of "real" school.
Eighth grade, y'all. He has only four first days of school left! It was his FIRST day of eighth grade, but it was also his LAST day of middle school (or logic school, as we call it). Next year will be his first day of high school (rhetoric school). For the most part, he was excited to go back today. But that was mostly to see his buddies. Last year was definitely the most challenging by far. It was a big leap from sixth grade to seventh grade. I don't think this year will be quite the leap, but I know there will be challenges. I was reminded of that as we sat at the table for two hours this afternoon working through a logic assignment. At one point he looked at me and said he thought he needed to stop a minute and pray. So that's what we did. God is always so faithful! He has been so good to us throughout this entire journey, and I know He will continue to be. I'm looking forward to a great year with this guy.
And this one . . . well, it was her FIRST day of fifth grade, but it was also her LAST day of elementary school (grammar school). Next year will be her first day of middle school. Every time I pick the kids up from school, I ask them questions about their day. I learned about nine years ago that I have to avoid simple "yes" and "no" questions. And, most of the time, I have to ask them for three detail sentences. Yes. I am serious. You would think they would've caught on by now and would be a little more cooperative so I wouldn't have to take it that far. This is how my conversation went with Hannah Kate after I asked her to tell me about her morning and what she did and what she thought about her new teachers.
Me: What was your favorite part of the morning?
Hannah Kate: I don't have one.
Me: Okay. Well, what was something that surprised you today? Or was unexpected?
Hannah Kate: Nothing.
Apparently, that sums up her day. Basically, math isn't her favorite subject and diagramming sentences gives her the heebie jeebies (I mean, I can't even imagine such!). But she loves science and history. I asked her what she liked so much about history (because when I was in school, history to me was nothing more than memorizing a bunch of dates and events to pass a test), and she said she loves learning about other peoples lives and what they did and how they lived, especially if they had more than one wife. I kid you not. That was her answer when I tucked her into bed tonight. But, hey, I'll take it. In so many ways, she is just like me. But in so many ways, she marches to the beat of her own drum. She always makes beautiful music though, and I can't wait to hear her fifth grade song.
To say that this one was the most excited . . . is the understatement of the century! She was positively giddy in the days leading up to her FIRST day of "real" school. She has been talking about first grade forever! Yesterday she told me, "Mama, I'm so glad I have a grade now!" I mean, you'd think she was going off to college already! She is typically not an early morning girl, and she doesn't like to be woken up. She'd rather wake up on her own when she's ready. But this morning she had no problem jumping out of bed when I woke her up even though it was still dark outside. I'm sure that will last approximately 3.2984 days, but I'm hoping for a couple of months at least.
There's just something about a little girl in a jumper and a Peter Pan collared shirt! She has been so excited to wear her uniform. And the shoes. I taught her how to tie her shoes a couple of weeks ago. She never really needed to know before because she always wore those precious little t-strap keds (and that's what I'd planned for her to wear this year, too). But she found an old pair of Hannah Kate's lace-up tennis shoes and insisted I teach her. And then she absolutely refused anything that didn't require laces. Her little foot and narrow heel don't give us very many choices in lace-up tennis shoes. We had to go to three different shoe stores, but we finally found a pair that fit. And had laces.
She was also hot-to-trot about choosing a backpack. Because that's obviously some kind of rite of passage. I listened to her for months talk about picking a backpack for school. I have to admit she surprised me in her choice. But I think it's perfectly Ellie.
And then, of course, there's this. Ellie has always asked me when am I NOT going to be her teacher! (I just broke the news to her last week that when she moves up to the next Sunday School class in a couple of weeks, I will be her teacher!) Last year during carpool, she spotted Mrs. Mitchell, the first grade teacher, at the beginning of the year. And every time we'd pull up and wait on the big kids, she'd just stare at Mrs. Mitchell. And then Mrs. Mitchell would see her and wave and smile, and Ellie would bust out in giggles and fall back into the seat. Well, here is Ellie and Mrs. Mitchell, her FIRST "real" teacher. Otherwise known as Ellie's new BFF.
This girl has talked nonstop today about FIRST grade. I lost count how many times she told me that she loves first grade. But she did not like the fact that they didn't have any homework. But Mrs. Mitchell explained that first graders don't have homework on the first day. So maybe tomorrow. Oh, and she didn't like the playground either because she thought it was boring. (See how studious she is already?! Riiiiiiiiiight . . .) She has a new best friend, but she can't remember her name. And they have a Cozy Corner in their classroom. But, don't worry. It's not a place for naps. Because "first graders aren't allowed to take naps or put our heads down on our desks. That's what Mrs. Mitchell said." I have a feeling I'm going to be hearing "what Mrs. Mitchell said" A LOT between now and the end of May! And that's just fine with me.
Our schooling journey has been totally unexpected and not at all what I envisioned it would be before the children were school aged. I still have questions and sometimes doubts. But then I am reminded WHY we are doing this.
One of my favorite education quotes is Harvard University's original mission and vision statement: Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life (John 17:3), and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning.
To LAY CHRIST IN THE BOTTOM . . . and I am so grateful for Sequitur and their partnership in the Christian education of our children.
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." ~Philippians 4:8
