TJ is getting ready to turn FIVE! 

How did that happen?

That means he will officially be a kindergartner this year. And we have some great plans for school this year!

For our core curriculum we’ll be using something new…

Simply Classical by Memoria Press!

I am a firm believer that every kid should be able to learn at his own pace, and when I went searching for a “just right” curriculum for this year, Simply Classical kept showing up on my radar. It seems to be the right “next step” for us, perfect for little guys that are learning to sit still for lessons, who need to strengthen skills, and who need to incorporate therapies into their school days. It moves at just the right pace for our boys.

We spent a few weeks in June going through Level A, and made a list of activities we want to continue throughout the year, mostly fine and gross motor skills. I love that they’re built right into the daily lesson plans!

We’re just now starting with Level B, and already TJ is loving the predictable structure to our days and likes to watch me check off our daily assignments. (And Noah is joining in wherever he can… we’ll probably recycle Level A for him next year when Tyler is focusing more heavily on phonics.)

Honestly… Classical education was not a method I had planned on using. My first impressions of it involved heavy academics and tons of rote memory. But the more I see it in action, especially in the younger years, the more I like it. It involves lots of classic picture books and great children’s literature, simple and uncluttered workbooks, slow and steady phonics instruction, and lots of discussion and interaction. Yes, there’s memorization, but it’s important things like the Lord’s Prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and our address. Simply Classical also has a four-day week, which works great for us since it leaves one day for field trips, therapies, (or just a day off!) and spreads the schoolwork out throughout the year. And the simple daily framework lets me beef things up for TJ or simplify them for Noah… and it also lets me add in fun projects, extra activities, or things I find on Pinterest.

Because Pinterest. 😬

Anyway, I’m hoping to share our adventures with this curriculum… hopefully I can be more diligent about blogging this coming year!