All around everyone is in the hustle and bustle of the first day of school, but not in the Lilly house! We’re doing the “NOT first day cheer and challenge!” That’s right! This, our third year of A Beka DVD school, iswell underway! In fact, we have just mailed our first 6 weeks grade reports to A Beka Academy. So, for us, we did our first day pics and cheer long ago, have waded through the challenges of a new year, and are now buzzing through each day with routine.
Those who follow our blog experienced K5 and Mrs. Reese with us last year – What a joy! No one can take the place of Mrs. Reese, but as AbiNoelle reluctantly admitted after Day One of First Grade: “Well, Miss Howe is more fun than what I thought she would be!”
Even with the first six weeks being mostly review, AbiNoelle has been engaged by all the new procedures and unique additions like Spelling, reading books, digital media, speed drills and even some new concepts such as subtraction and place value.
Her phonics and reading skills are growing by leaps and bounds and she is doing so well in the Giraffes reading group, except for the fact that she had rather be in the Elephant group, because “That is my favorite animal and I don’t much like Giraffes.”
Of course, along with cheers for all the greatness of First grade, comes the moments of challenge. For one, the time schedule of First Grade has lengthened compared to that of Kindergarten. This presents a challenge for our VERY ACTIVE AbiNoelle, but with Mommy’s determination and some fun incentives, she is adjusting and still managing to complete her school day by our lunch time goal. Go, AbiNoelle!
Another challenge has been the new task of Arithmetic Speed Drills. Who knew that for someone who has no problem with addition combinations and can memorize with ease poetry and large portions of Scripture, that subtraction combinations would cause a stumble? It’s not so much the concept, but just the speed of memorizing the facts that seems to bring much hesitation. AbiNoelle works hard every day to answer each combination accurately, but that minute timer just seems to get the best of her! However, we have seen a few successes and she has been so proud to put that sticker on her paper when she completes all the problems within the timer. No doubt consistent success is just around the corner! So with a cheer and a challenge we are moving on through First grade and learning lesson #1 – that part of education is facing the challenges, striving for better, doing your best, and accepting the outcome.
Homeschooling with a MISSION 
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