School Days, School Days!

I started this blog as a way to journal certain events about our family. I try to keep a written journal, but what I like about blogging is that I can also insert pictures and do not have to worry that a fire or other disaster will destroy the journal. Let's just hope blogger stays around! :) Today I am going to document a little about Brailyn's 2nd grade school year. I am a little later than I had hoped to be posting this post. Brailyn has been home-schooled since she was in Kindergarten. I have been home-schooling off an on since the fall of 1992. We take it a year at a time and pray about it and do what we feel is best for that child that year. Brailyn decided that she wanted to go to public school for her 2nd grade year. After much prayer and discussion, we signed her up. I was worried because Brailyn is a very tender-hearted, sensitive girl and I did not want the wrong kind of teacher to crush her spirit in any way. What can I say? I am her mom! Plus, I think all home school moms worry that maybe we are not teaching everything we should and that it is possible that our child may be lacking in one area or another. So, school started and the test began.

What can I say? She had an amazing school year! Part of that is because she had Ms. Durden......the best teacher ever (IMO). Tyson and Jordan also had her when they were each in second grade. I had worried that maybe she had lost her excitement and motivational teaching skills, but she has not! She is a Christian and has an amazing talent to fill each moment of the day with learning and fun. Full of energy! She makes a teaching moment out of any thing! What a wonderful opportunity for a child to have a teacher like this. I have captured a few of the activities and events of the year in the many pictures below:

Reading Festival:

Halloween party:

Brailyn was chosen out of all the 2nd graders to be the star in the Winter Concert. The 2nd grade teachers told she was chosen because she was the best reader in her grade! Talk about validation as a home-schooling mom. Well, I guess Brailyn had something to do with that. LOL She was the "grandmother" and we had to make her look like a grandma. I think she is a cute grandma!

A little powder goes a long way:

They also sang some cute Christmas songs:

The class Christmas party:

They also had a "pajama" party right before Christmas break. They went from class to class (between the four 2nd grade classes) and listened to stories. They finished in the library where we sang Christmas carols and had cookies and milk. Then we went home:

They had a Dolphin Dash fund-raiser. They got pledges for donations for each lap they ran:

They had some field trips. Here was one to Tree-Hill Nature Center:

Museum of Science and History:

Krispie Kreme Donuts (before going to MOSH):

They had Award Ceremonies each quarter. Brailyn made all As all year with only one B in the first quarter. She also overcame some of her shyness. I think going to school this year was a great decision for Brailyn:

Her teacher chose her to be "Student of the Month" when the value was "self-control." This was April 2010:

There are other events I could not document (other field trips, events, etc) but I think idea has been shown here. The year came to a close. This was the end of the year party. Brailyn and a friend are playing "hand" games. They are so cute:

Brailyn, your mom and dad are proud of all you accomplished this year. Keep up the good work and stay happy!