Continuing Speech Therapy

Last week I was contacted by the kids' old school mainly because I left last year telling them I was still intending to keep the children in their speech therapy sessions.  They listened and inquired if I was going to bring them in this year.  I have to admit, I'm very impressed by their willingness to help my kids and to work with me and my families decision to homeschool.  I also have the opportunity to put the kiddos in extra curricular classes at their old school which would include PE, Art and Music.  I've been thinking and praying about this option all summer and I believe this would afford the kids opportunity to relate and socialize with their former and new class mates on a regular basis.  In their speech therapy, the therapist puts them together with kids out of their class to help with their 'being brave' work.  Since they're not in a 1st grade class per say, I thought that maybe if they were in the extra classes it wouldn't make them feel nearly as awkward when paired with their classmates.
SM kids need plenty of opportunities to 'be brave'.  My children had progressed a good deal last school year and family and friends were voicing they could see a significant difference in their attitude.  I'm hoping all the opportunities this year, especially with me being at a lot of them, will help settle their anxieties.
I have to report my pride.  The kids have been asking to 'be brave' when we go out on errands.  I will negotiate with reward cards or a candy bar if their efforts are turned into audible words strangers can hear.    The last few days when practicing they have been twice as loud as normal.  I've upped the ante and told them they have to 'be brave' to two people or say "hi and bye" to one person on our outings to receive rewards.  They've even been as loud and ambitious when out with their Father too.  It's a small gain, but I'm counting anything that looks like a giant one.
On a side note, I want to express my pleasure in the curriculum we're using.  We're on our second month of using My Father's World and on Friday the kids had to listen to and then draw the story they heard.  The story was of a fisherman, his boat and fishing lines getting tangled.  The fisherman leaned over to untangle the lines and fell in and then he sent up a balloon distress signal.  This story was meant to help the kids remember the bodies of water in the region we will begin to study.  They were able to recreate the bodies of water on paper and then we learned a way of labeling them.  It was incredible to see the light in their eyes turn on when I compared their drawn maps to the globe.  They kept asking if these places were in "real life"?

On Exploration Day we saw these two yellow finch .

In science this past week we've been studying rain, clouds, thunder and lightening.  We've read many books on the subject and now they've even been introduced on how hail is made.  They can answer questions intelligibly on how clouds are made or how you can tell how many miles away the storm is.    I'm amazed how fast they are picking up their vowel sounds and learning how to read.  I've read to them since they were babies and it's hard to tell if they just are remembering words they've seen over and over or if they can really sound the words out.  I think it's a mixture of all the above but leaning more toward calling it a growing ability to sound it out.  It's exciting to see them become critical thinking little people.
It's such a blessing to be able to be home with them and I'm so grateful that I've been given this chance to teach them.  Such a rewarding experience even on the days when they're being challenging and there have been a few so far.  They're all teachable moments.  Everyday we're gaining so much and looking forward to what tomorrow will bring.
Be encouraged, stay positive and look for the blessings that each day may bring.

 this post is linked to Homeschool Highlights in MFW at Discover Their Gifts or 2ladybugsandalizard