The Creation - Our first week of Kindergarten

Liberty and I had an amazing week as we started our journey together as teacher and student.  The first 10 days of our curriculum is designed to introduce all the letters of the alphabet and the numbers 1-7.  Since Liberty already knows all her letters and numbers, we have been able ease into our new schedule and only spend about an hour a day on her lessons.  This week we will kick it up a little and finish the intro unit and head on to our first real lesson.

The theme for this intoductory unit is "The Creation."  Each day we have read from the book of Genesis and studied how God created the world.  Part of the lesson included learning the first two verses to the hymn "This is my Father's World."  Admittedly, I don't recall ever having heard this hymn despite being in church most of my life.  Not to mention, I can't really sing at all.  So, instead of butchering what I was sure was a beautiful hymn, I headed to YouTube to find a decent version of the song.  There were some amazing videos to choose from.  The one Liberty and I have been listening too is embedded on the left.  Check it out if you get a chance.  It is SO good.

I wanted the first day of school to be really special for Liberty.  Scott and I decided to buy her a new pencil box filled with school supplies and give it to her on the first day.  One of Liberty's love languages is definitely getting gifts.  This gave us an opportunity to bless her and give her some special things that are reserved just for school time.  Her favorite item was a new pair of orange Fiskars with flames on the handles.

Liberty's new pencil box

Our school day starts at 11:30 a.m.  after we eat lunch.  We start off each day by putting the date on the calendar.  Liberty loves doing this.

After the calendar we go right into our lessons, which last week consisted of coloring numbers for each day of the creation and making a creation story book.  We will complete both of those projects this week and I will post pictures.

I knew adjusting my mindset for my Kindergarten expectations would be a little challenging in the first couple of weeks.  Even though we have been planning to homeschool for years, I have never actually done it.  The only way I know how to do school is sitting in a classroom with a teacher lecturing at the front, so I wasn't sure what it would look like when I sat down at the kitchen table with Liberty on our first day.  The first few days I felt a little worried that we had spent less than an hour a day on our lessons and that most of that time was spent coloring!  Then, by the end of the week I realized that no child in the public education system was learning about his/her Creator during the first week of school.  None of them learned the words to an amazing old hymn. And, none of them got to spend 8+ extra hours a day with their mommies and siblings.  We didn't spend a lot of time on traditional school activities and I didn't stand over Liberty and lecture, but by all our standards this was a great first week of Kindergarten!

Liberty's first day of school outfit