Hey Reader,

Fall break is officially over, and I honestly can’t tell who was more ready to get back to class, me or the kids. 😊

Life

Yesterday was our first day back after a week off. On top of that, we welcomed a brand-new student into class.

I walked in with a plan. It was a good plan, too (I’m a teacher, we love a good plan lol).

It lasted about ten minutes.

Hands were up everywhere. I was filling in gaps for our new student so he wouldn’t feel lost, while also reteaching how class runs, because apparently a week off is long enough to forget how everything goes. And the kids were SO talkative. Every time I got them back on track, someone remembered one more thing they had to tell me about their break.

By the end, we’d gotten through maybe half of what I planned. 😅

But here’s what I noticed in between all the redirecting: several kids told me they’d missed having class. And before I could even introduce our new student properly, one of the boys had already scooted over to show him how we did the warm-up first thing and pulled him right into the conversation. He’s going to fit right in. 😊

So somewhere around the halfway point, I just stopped fighting it and leaned into the connection! Those kids walked out the door so full of life, laughing and talking over each other, that I didn’t feel one bit sorry about the content we didn’t get to.

We’ll need an extra day to catch up. And that’s okay!

Homeschool + Math

Here’s what I believe, down to my core: kids learn best from people they look forward to coming back to. The content matters, but the community is what lasts.

You have days like this at your kitchen table too. Maybe the toddler is sick, a friend is over, or the lesson just isn’t happening no matter how many times you start over.

On those days, choosing connection counts, cause it’s the groundwork that makes the next math lesson possible.

A child who feels connected with you will try the hard problem and risk saying the wrong answer out loud. A child who dreads math time won’t, and even the best curriculum can’t fix that.

So here’s something to try this week. The next time a day goes off on the wrong path, set the worksheet aside and do something connected instead. Play a math game together, or just ask your child what they’ve been wondering about lately. Then pick the lesson back up tomorrow, guilt-free!

One extra day costs you nothing, and mastery is more important than a lesson plan or a calendar. 🩷

Grace

I kept thinking about Hebrews 10:24-25 as I watched my class yesterday:

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…” (ESV)

God made us for community. He never meant for us to grow alone. So the relationships we build around the table, whether it’s a classroom full of chatty kids or your own children bent over a math book, are part of the calling He gave us.

So when your plan goes out the window this week (and it might!), give yourself the same grace you’d give your kids. The time you spent connecting was never wasted. ❤️

See you soon!

- Mrs. Holman

P.S. I can’t wait to see how our new student settles in over the next few weeks. Something tells me he picked the right class to join! 😉😆