: Homeschooling Adventure

This Fall marks the beginning of a new adventure here in our household. As many of you know, (and maybe some of you keep trying to forget), we're going to be giving the Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA) a try.

People keep asking me if it's a homeschool program. No. And yes. Yes, they will be at home to learn as opposed to going to a brick and mortar building; however, unlike my homeschooling counterparts, I did not have any say in what curriculum I'll be teaching. As in any public school, the curriculum was chosen for me and I have to teach it. That is the main difference. OHVA uses the K12 curriculum. It includes all the subjects taught in school, with the exception of Library and Physical Education. Everything was sent to me and we'll also be given a computer and printer, as well as a monthly stipend towards our Internet access. My girls will still be undergoing all the same tests that their peers in public school will be undertaking as well. I should also mention that all of this is free.

That being said, I'll be attempting to keep a running record of this first year. Will we like it? Will it be a huge flop? Who knows and only time will tell. I had considered starting a new blog specifically for this new adventure in twin parenting, but the thought of maintaining two doesn't really appeal. Besides this new journey will be part of our parenting adventure. With twins. It belongs here on these pages just as much as the tales of their antics and quirks.

I hope you'll continue to read along with us as we explore this uncharted territory. Maybe you've considered teaching your kids at home and want to see a glimpse of what it might look like. Maybe you're already homeschooling and want to compare notes. Or maybe you just want the joy of seeing our daily follies on the computer screen so you can turn to your family and laughingly say, "Manda's got herself in a pickle now."

Whatever your motivation may be, please read on my friends. Stay with us and read on.

It's Here, It's Here! (No, not the new phone book)

It came today.  The delivery of K12 goodies I've been waiting for has finally arrived. And there is excitement at our house, let me tell you.

Okay, so it's me who's excited more than anyone else. But, come on. There was new school stuff! Curriculum and supplies! Manipulatives! Organization to be created from the mass of chaos, people. I was in my home turf and feeling giddy as a...well...as a school girl, I guess.

I have an extreme love for organizing things. I do. It's like I purposely seek out closeted, cluttered messes just so I can have the sheer joy of making it all neat and tidy. And it has to be my work, mind you, not someone else's work. No thank you. So even though their first grade Art kits came in nice boxes with everything lined up just so, I still had to Manda-ize it by putting all the tempera paints in Rainbow order (is there any OTHER way to do it, I ask you? Who doesn't love them a little Roy G Biv? This gal is his biggest number one fan).

OCD, much?
Maybe.
But slap whatever label you want on it, I still love it.

There were boxes and boxes to be unpacked and put away. Somewhere. Everything had to have a space in a place that seemingly had no space for all many 'everythings' involved. Cupboards and drawers were opened, scrutinized, and cleared out. With nary a glint in my sentimental eye, stuff that had been horded or just stashed because I didn't know what else to do with was trashed.

Space was needed and acquired. Success.

Looking around this evening, I am happy with the results. A place for everything: student & teacher books lined up on the work shelves; manipulatives put away; anything extra stored away; the boxes, once full of the awaiting chaos that every organizing-addict so loves, broken down and ready to be stored.

I'm in heaven, remembering the days of getting my own classroom pulled together and ready for another year. Those twilight days of the summer when I had one foot in the school year already, anticipating the year (and its struggles), and the other foot planted firmly in those last lingering days of freedom. Ready, yet waiting.

And truth be told, the thrill of this new adventure is a very welcome companion.

And then there were 4

Somehow this year is drawing to a close.

Somehow, through the turmoil and chaos that has been "This First Year", the end of it is in sight.

Where it all went, those countless days in between the 'First Day' and these nearly last ones, I cannot say.

Days that were happy. Some that were sad. Days filled with  accomplishments. And days where the only "good" thing they could say about it was that I added another check mark to our calendar.

Slowly the days have all ebbed away to this point. Four more days.

Just four.

Just.

This is always the best part of the school year; when you are nearing the end.

You can look back and almost not see the negatives.

The day-to-day struggles seem diminished somehow, by the bright light that is "End Of School".

And to be honest, I'm a bit melancholy about the whole thing. You probably knew I would be. Hells bells, if I'm being honest, I probably knew it too. I'm semi-sad to see this first stage of their learning adventure draw to a close. No matter how stressful things got, I was always able to say, "This is the first part of their adventure. They're on their way!"

Sure, it wasn't the peachy-keen picture I'd hoped it would be for them. But it's theirs, nonetheless. And we've met some pretty spectacular people along the way.

But even as this "First" draws to a close, a new adventure awaits just over the horizon. First grade at home. They're excited to begin it. I'm anxious just to see how it goes, and excited to dust off my 'Teaching' hat once again.

Four more days.

Four.

And then. Oh my. The places we'll go.

Together.