Molly School

Mr. Munching Mouth and Molly!

Molly has entered Molly School (AKA Nee Naw School)....

My mom was the hardest person to tell that we had decided to home school....what is a 30 year veteran teacher to say to someone that wants to "buck" the norm and go with her gut to ditch the classroom teacher for a  more laid back approach to learning and family centered education.  I know she had her reservations.....I don't blame her.  I still work, we have crazy hours, crazy schedules, 3 busy kids, and so on....but thankfully she loves me and loves her grandchildren and has supported us to the fullest.  I'm so thankful for her and my dad's support in this very difficult and wonderful endeavor.  I fail on a daily basis, I am sure of it....Just this morning I had to apologize to my Emily for losing my cool with her on an issue she was having.  But the part I love about homeschooling is that we are living and learning  in one big sometimes sloppy mess full of ups and downs and trials and triumphs and laughter and tears together.  I think my mom gets my heart now and she recently said to me after a very personal conversation, "All I want is for you to be able to school your children and do it to the best of your ability."  I cannot tell you what that meant to me...because as most know, a Mom will tell you the truth for the most part and sees your many faults, failures, and weaknesses so for her to be able to encourage me through those things, it meant the world.  O.K....now on to the main story......This year our Co-op is on Tuesdays.  Co-op days are busy and rather hectic.  I'm so thankful it is only one day and only 12 weeks.  We get the best it can offer and then it's over!  We get a big long break and do it again for 12 weeks!  Last year my mom took Molly on a non co-op day and Molly would attend co-op with us...which in my humble opinion is just a glorified daycare because our co-op does for the most part split the kids up in age type categories except for fun days, opening ceremony, etc.  So this year my mom meets us at Co-op and attends opening ceremony with us. She and Molly then leave and go to her house for "Molly School."  

My mom loved her preschool curriculum from her teaching years that she bought the ENTIRE curriculum for her own PERSONAL use....it may have even been before Emily was born:)  She had always hoped to use it in someway with her own grandkids.  Well this year she and Molly are using the Land of the Letter People Curriculum together on Tuesdays.  My mom has introduced a letter a week to her, they do a project, practice, use puppets, write her name, sing songs, art time, etc and then eat lunch.  After lunch they go to my mom's part-time job at a private school.  Molly stays with my mom for about an hour until I can come get her.  Molly also comes home with work sheets, fun little games to play and "homework" which she enjoys doing on our school days while the big kids are doing their work.  They really like helping her as well.  

Molly has learned SOOOOOO much.  She knows how to write her name...except she says the "Y" is really hard!  She knows about 10 letters, their sounds, and is learning how to write them.  She points out letters EVERYWHERE!  She will say, "look sissy, it's a noisy nose letter...which is Mr. N.  She may not always get the name of the letter but she knows how it is related to the way Nee Naw teaches it.  If you say the letter though she can pick it out of a line up for the most part.  We are all very impressed.  My mom is of course super creative and probably owns the most stickers out of any 63 year old lady in the world.  She sometimes hides the letter people in the mornings.  Mrs "P" was playing the piano in the church sanctuary one Tuesday morning.   

A plate of "M" food...macaroni, meat, muffin and milk!!!

Mrs. Achoo......Mrs. A covers her mouth though!

Making an M from macaroni

Filling in the B's with buttons!

Apple tree

Mr. N and Numbers!

Mrs. P and popcorn kernels

Some of Molly's homework

Today my mom introduced Mrs. V that wears a vegetable vest!  Guess where my mom and Molly went....the grocery store on a field trip to look and buy VEGETABLES!  I was cutting up cucumbers tonight for dinner and Molly said, "Mommy, I bought those vegetables for you!"

My mom makes a key word page for each letter of likely used words.....

It has been a real blessing....Nee Naw homeschools Molly for one day while I am with the big kids at co-op, then Molly gets to be with us the rest of the week and has fun and educational things to keep her busy and be like the big kids.  It works so nicely and I love the routine of it!