The Ozmerican Life

The end of the school year is coming. I think. I'm not really sure when my school will end or really IF it will end. So I guess this is maybe just a recap of what we have learned and where we are.





Somewhere early along in the year, I ditched my former organization technique (early, like week #2!!) of typed weekly assignment lists with all cooresponding worksheets organized by day. Yeah, that was just too much organizing. Yes, I know....is there such a thing as too organized. In just this one instance, yes there was. Even though I had the best layed out plan...things would come up, or something would take a little longer or shorter time to grasp.

I reorganized the kids work in big binders according to work book or unit of study....way more efficient. Every morning I grab the next page from each subject and make a hand written list of everything the kids need to get done that day.

That simple little list made an entire worlds difference in our day. The kids go right in after breakfast and start working. They know what to expect because they can see it. As they finish, they check things off their little list and then I recheck them as I have made sure they're done properly.



This is where we work. We had a little redesign half way through the year. An organized house is a happy house. It's TRUE! We got a cool calendar and the kids have fun marking off the day and putting up the weather in the morning, and then change it at lunch and then change it again at dinner...we do live in MN afterall!!



We love our whiteboard, especially with Jentzen who started school along with us in January. We write his letters up there and he loves to erase them and match the bigs with the littles.

And another bonus, the kids get to go to school in their jammies if they want. Ava is my little go getter. She runs into the school room in the morning and often times has almost all of her work done before breakfast and before 8am.

I love this little rack from IKEA to keep all our pens, pencils, and markers organized. New desk space was needed to keep the kids focused on what their assignments are instead of their brother's or sister's.

Keira likes to maker herself at home on her chair, doing her "school" too. She really thinks she's at the same level as the others...which is quite cute at times and other times a bit trying on mom who's working on getting the real school work done with the others.
But usually she'll opt for more breakfast over a worksheet :)

All in all, this school year has been a success. I'm pretty sure the kids learned a thing or two and I'm pretty sure I still have some of my hair left!!

Let Summer School begin!!