Endings and Beginnings

Let’s see if I can make this somewhat cohesive.

I think I had left you hanging at the pre-review stage (cleaning / paperwork / etc.).  I’m not keen to leave people hanging, as they tend to get noisy, so let me start there.

I know many of you may not know what a review “looks” like.  Many states don’t require it.  My parents (faithful blog readers that they are) have never seen one.  So, I thought I would share.

Now first, technically, to have a successful homeschool review, you must actually. . .you know. . .home-school your kids. 

Notice one point:  this will only accomplish a successful review; not, necessarily, a successful year in homeschooling.  Some years I feel like I’m just spinning my wheels (like last year), but then some years it’s pretty successful feeling (like this year).

Then, you are given paperwork to fill out.

As a general rule, I enjoy paperwork, but this sheet gives me fits.  There’s not enough room for one, and you may be presented with blank spaces when you are done. . .

I hate blank spaces!  But, Drew is about to graduate and he already has music and art on his transcript.  Plus, there is a little thing about those boxes. . .

Those boxes are filled out by the “reviewer”, the lucky person who “reviews” all your stuff.  They can’t sign the box unless they have work to see.  Drew despises showing his artwork, although he’s highly talented, and it is hard to show his piano skills too. . .  Thus, the empty spaces.

And because the boxes are so small, I generally add another couple of sheets of books used, (but this year I got lazy and didn’t do it).  Those sheets are “gravy” and not required.

Then, there is the small hic-cup that the reviewer is coming to your home.  Which means a quick clean.  And, upon finding out that your reviewer is highly allergic to cats, of which you have 3, a more thorough clean than you truly have time for.

And the reviewer comes over to look at your stuff, and hear you go on about your children, your challenges, and your triumphs.

But, of course, you are totally spazzing about what you may have forgotten, and if that is a wad of cat fur in the corner, or just a really dark corner.

The best part of the day, is the end when you can celebrate the day being over with your most favorite snack in the whole world.

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After the review was all said and done, there was hardly space to breathe as the very next day was a planning meeting for our co-op.  Planning what will be taught next year, and who the teachers will be.

And, at that meeting, my youngest comes up to me with a bloody smile. . .

Because he lost his very first tooth

whilst playing dodge-ball with his co-op friends.

I thought it only appropriate to take his picture after the blood was gone.

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I had also mentioned that Drew is graduating this year.  I had to set a date, so I set it for May 21. . .which, oddly enough, is today.

It’s a date on a piece of paper.  It truly means “nothing”.  Drew is taking his college finals today, but he is not done with his homeschool subjects.  He has another two weeks of those.  We will get his final college scores in a couple of weeks, so it will all come together then.

But, my child won’t walk across a stage (thank goodness, but it is his choice), nor will there be a graduation party, nor any magical differences in the house rules.

The “big difference” will be “next school year” when I will only have to worry about 3 students, as opposed to 4.

That is the perfect transition into our new beginning.

Because, just as I arbitrarily selected Drew’s graduation date, I also selected our closing date for this year (same day, i.e. today).  I want you to know that this is actually unusual for us as we normally close out our year on June 30th and restart July 1st.  I’m hoping it will become evident, fairly quickly, as to the reason behind this departure.

And, because we school year round, that means that tomorrow (Saturday) is the very first day of our new school year.

Here’s the plan.  People are forever asking me what schooling year-round “looks” like.  I always give them an answer that I feel is fairly accurate, but honestly, I’m never quite sure myself.

So, I invite you to join me on a 365 day journey of homeschooling through the year.  And the plan is to honestly identify each of the 365 days, and tell you what occurs on each of them.  I will still be posting, on occasion, other items, but they will be randomly scattered.

One little caveat though.  We are going on vacation.  A mini-vacation tonight and then a full-blown vacation starting Monday.  So there will be a delay in my first week’s postings.

 I’m kind of curious to find out what this next year is going to be like.  Aren’t you?