Socialization - what is enough?

I have been mulling over the issue of socialization the past few days, namely: Am I doing enough? 

As a natural introvert and home-body, I have to consider this more purposefully. Cutlet also seems to take after me in this way, so I don't want to raise a child who is nervous or fearful around other people. I know it will always be more difficult for him to break down the communication barrier; therefore I must ponder such things.

How much time should be devoted to this "subject" each week?

What is the ideal way to allow my kids social interaction?

Is a group dynamic more effective or important than spending time with just one or two?

How do I help them when there are difficulties in making friends?

But, really, should such a high priority be placed on this issue?!?

If I had a choice, would I rather err on the side of socialization (a lack thereof) or of education? Granted, an education actually encompasses all aspects of life, including the social aspect. And doesn't Charlotte Mason encourage us to employ a liberal education? This, to me, speaks of having small bites of everything, a smorgasbord if you will. So, if this is the case, should there be such an overbearing emphasis on the subject matter of socialization? Should having a social life take up more time than learning to read or studying great works of art or calculating numbers or studying the Bible?

Only by the help and guidance of the Lord can I rest assured that my children will get exactly what they need.

Train up a child in the way he should go,

and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Proverbs 22:6

My Spanish language ponderings

Something I have been concerned about for a good while is teaching my children Spanish. I am a regular gringa (white girl) who grew up in Texas, but with a love for foreign language (especially Spanish). A childhood friend of mine, an Argentine that I played with regularly for the year while her father was stationed in Texas, was my first exposure to Spanish. She spoke no English then. We were both 4 years old. I am convinced this was critical in my formative years for language acquisition. 

Jump ahead 12 years to high school where I took my first formal Spanish classes. (That’s a LOT of good learning years I missed out on!) After these 2 years of introductory Spanish, I could give a laundry list of other classes and opportunities I had that helped in my fluency and comfort in speaking the language well; however, the fact of the matter remains that I was an adult before I was able to finally consider myself fluent.  I don’t want this for my little ones! And now that I am homeschooling, I have the say-so (and the wonderful gift of wherewithal) in educating my children to the best of my ability and to their benefit. I am still trying to figure out how to help my little gringo children learn (and love!) to speak a foreign language… In future reflections I hope to record how this journey is progressing.

First Grade, here we go!

So this is my first year of homeschooling a la Charlotte Mason. Cutlet is 6 and has just begun 1^st grade. We did Kindergarten last year using My Father’s World, a combination of Classical, Charlotte Mason, unit studies & traditional methods. I was glad to get my feet wet with a curriculum that was all planned out for me, although I found myself toward the middle of the year tweaking and adding and adjusting more and more. In the end, it seemed the curriculum I had bought was more of just a general guideline for me to follow. I was grateful for that; however, I also felt even more strongly that the purer form of Charlotte Mason was calling my name... so I stopped altogether.

This was mid-summer. I was beginning to get nervous about the struggle to finish the curriculum before I should be starting the next one. I had to re-think... to re-plan... to remember what my goals and philosophy of education were. And that it is all for the benefit of my children, not just to finish a curriculum package. I also must admit that the peer pressure of everyone else getting their children ready for school kept me working toward getting our school year going sometime in the fall! 

As it were, a late-summer move and early fall vacation pushed our start date back until October 2.  I wish we could have started earlier. I was ready in my heart, but my house was nowhere near in order! (And my brain just cannot function if my house is out of sorts).

So we are beginning our 2^nd week of school now. Our first week went incredibly smoothly (insert BIG surprise here…along with a sigh of relief and thanksgiving!), and we all enjoyed ourselves too! {BONUS points!}

I know many bloggers had their Week of Homeschool Schedules posted back in August. Oh, how I wish I could have participated! But, alas, life has given us a different set of circumstances. And so now, I give you... (drum roll, please!) the amazing (using your best circus announcer's voice) Bishop Bairn Academy... SCHEDULE!!!! (cheer, please!) 

TUESDAY

Old Testament (read stories from the Bible)

Spanish (my own thang! Posts on this are coming soon)

History (alternating weeks between World History & Church History)

Math (Singapore 1A)

Poetry (A Child's Garden of Verses, one or two poems every day)

Copywork

P.E.

Reading (Simply Charlotte Mason's Delightful Reading)

Geography (Paddle to the Sea)

WEDNESDAY

Artist Study (Simply Charlotte Mason's Picture Study Portfolios - currently: Giotto)

Spanish

Literature (alternating Parables from Nature and Aesop's Fables)

Math

Poetry

Copywork

P.E.

Reading

Folk Music

THURSDAY

New Testament (read stories from the Bible)

Spanish

World History

Math

Poetry

Copywork

P.E.

Reading

Handicraft (still working on some ideas here. Currently: baking!)

FRIDAY

Composer Study (classical music - currently: Debussy)

Spanish

Literature (Aesop's) alternating with Natural History (Burgess' Bird Book)

Math

Poetry

Copywork

P.E.

Reading

Art (using Drawing with Children)

SATURDAY

Nature Study

Spanish

Literature (Just So Stories) alternating with extra time for catch-up lessons

Math

Poetry

Copywork

P.E.

Reading

Music (hymns - currently: For the Beauty of the Earth)