Assalaamu Alaikum

I am Mariam :o).  I live out in the "boonies" of Richmond, VA.  This is my
first year of homeschooling.  There of course have been lots of ups and downs but mostly "ups", alhamdulilah.  I won't include my breakfast menu (grin) nor my lunch menu but it is usually make it yourself (that is a really bad habit of mine.  I am trying to get us to spend more quality time together).  My home  is a mess, but notice I typed HOME so that in itself should say a lot.  My motto used to be "A clean home is a happy home with a happy family".  But I know that this is not really entirely true.  I used to be very disciplined about my house having a lemon-clean scent.  Oh well.....as long as my children are happy, my husband is happy, and most of all if I am happy then I won't worry about that load of dishes that need to be washed, or.....Ahem, housework is hard when you are homeschooling and you have a toddler, and when you have
the internet (hehehehe).

This is my first year of homeschooling my two daughters.  One is in the 5th
grade and the other is in the 7th grade.  I can honestly say that I have spent well over $1300 on homeschooling materials.  YIKES!!  At first, I was VERY structured and used to "freak out" if we were  off schedule and if we did not get everything done for the day, week, etc.  I have calmed down a lot, a lot , a lot...compared to before.  I have also found that I did not need all of those textbooks and we really do not use them all anyway. 

We mostly stick with Math (Saxon 54 & 87) and  Language (Silver, Burdett,
Ginn) on a daily basis.  I really like these two publishers.  I have found out
that for reading, history, and science that I really do not need any
textbooks, just the library!  It is more interesting for the girls.  That way
they can both read and research whatever interests them.

I really believe that you do not need the textbooks for science, reading, and social studies and I am kind of disheartened by the fact that I spent all that money on the textbooks.

My youngest daughter will do math drills using the worksheets available
through the internet.

Regarding history, after much soul-searching and lots of questioning (mostly UmmSulaimaan hehehehe) I agree with UmmSulaimaan on her viewpoints regarding teaching history.  Teach their Islamic history first and then, basically, worry about everything else.  We do not want to corrupt our children's way of thinking about their religion and their culture.  Did I mention that I love history?  I do, I do.

For this coming term, Inshaallah, that is really what I want to do:  cover our Islamic history.

I just made up a few guidelines for Writing and Geography though because the girls, especially my oldest one, becomes very bored, very easily.  As long as my daughters follow the guidelines that I have written down for the two above  then we are okay.  (See my previous posts on "Writing Everyday" and "The World is Yours to Discover".)

We try to go to the library every two weeks and make a special trip to the downtown library in Richmond because of the variety and huge selection of books to select.

I have just integrated the Arabic and Islam into our curriculum.  We start
Arabic first thing by just going over the short surahs, memorizing,
understanding the vocabulary, and then have a vocabulary comprehension and surah comprehension at the end of the week of what we have learned.  I am not a native speaker of Arabic and my husband's (who is a native speaker) work schedule leaves very little of quality-quantity time.  I plan on getting some kind of Arabic Language course once I can budget money for it.  I want to try the Medina course that is available through Arabesq.

After Arabic, we have Math and Language.  My oldest daughter works alone and my other daughter and I work together to make sure she really comprehends what is being taught.

Lunch time comes around and we pray, have lunch, and then cover Quran by reading, writing, and discussing the surah or ayat.  We will then cover a hadith in which the girls will read, write, and discuss the hadith.  I am new to studying Islam so we are all learning together, Inshallah.

For reading, the girls will read a library book and have a book report for me  at the end of the week.  I have made up a story-mapping chart that I try to get the girls to use to check their comprehension.

Then we have Social Studies/Geography.  My daughters will pick a country to research and write about following guidelines that I have set for them.  They are currently studying about France using the resources found on Arabesq and the library. 

As for science, we are now studying about the human body.  We are using resources from the internet and from the library.  I plan on purchasing some brains from somewhere.  Any ideas?

Oh, I forgot about spelling, we use Wordly Wise 3000.  I am very satisfied and happy with using these workbooks.  They are also very inexpensive and beats having to find vocabulary words each week.

Also, somehow, I plan on including sewing, cooking, and other home-ec at some time.  Inshaallah.  I need to take this whole thing in gradual increments.

Well, that is basically it for my homeschooling day.  I am still a worry-wort
and have the occasional panic attacks (standardized tests, Am I really doing a good job?  Are my kids really learning?)

My goodness, I did not realize that I just rambled on, excuse me for that.
Anyway, that basically it for homeschooling.  Am I considered an unschooler?  I have no idea.  I am not really structured anymore.  But only Allah (swt) knows if I will once again change my mind....YIKES.

Okay, that's it, I need to get a life....

Jazak Allah Khair,
Mariam Abdullah