What to teach?

Homeschooling gives us the liberty to teach our children many things, and opens the doors to many new worlds.  I'm terrible in that I'm something of a neophile.  I'm always excited about new things to try.

Lately, it's been Literature, and soon, it will be Writing.  Yes, reading and writing.  Heh.  I've always been terrible at Literature. I had lousy Literature teachers at school and never could fathom the aims and objectives of the subject.  But I'd like my children to grow to love good writing, so I thought I should introduce them to good stuff.  So I've started Sarah on The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.  We've chosen to read the unabridged version published by Simon & Schuster, under the Aladdin Classics label.  I'm still floundering, still trying to figure out how and what to teach her.

I've ordered a set of writing and reading books that should be arriving here soon.  Amongst them is a book called Reading Strands which supposedly will help me to teach Lit.  Hope so.  I never did get it, and don't know if I ever will.  In the set is Writing Strands, which is supposed to be an excellent writing curriculum.  Sarah will need to be able to write good compositions with 'complex sentences' if she wants to do well for her PSLE.  I don't ever recall having been taught how to write.  I just did it most naturally.  But her writing to date has been too simple in my opinion, and not well-organised. Some of her compositions have great introductions, a confused middle section and practically no conclusion.  So I had to get her some help. 

Then, in the same shipment, I expect to receive a new set of Latin texts.  At the moment she has finished with Prima Latina, so I'm starting her on Latina Christiana I. 

My part time helper had a relapse of her cancer and will no longer be working for us.  So this past week, we have had a homeschool break for Major Spring Clean.  I think we'll be taking school breaks every 8-12 weeks for this Major Spring Clean (or Summer, or Autumn, or Winter). And every 4 or so weeks, we'll take another break for minor spring clean.  No more do-nothing homeschool holidays.  But at least the children all chipped in to help.  I'm very proud of them.  They cleaned without complaining, and did quite a good job.  Today is Thursday, I should have finished, but I have not done the kitchen.  Fever has stopped me.  Anyway,  I think I need to do the kitchen another time.

The government has implemented 'cooling off' measures to curb the skyrocketing COE prices lately.  Now, car buyers must pay off at least 50% of their car's price, and the remaining loan can only be spread out over 5 years.  I'm happy.  Hope the car prices come down.  Maybe owning another car after this present one 'dies' might not be such a pipe dream after all.