As several of you have asked for progress on our homeschool endeavor, here goes. If today were any indication, I might just go find a bridge to fling myself off. The children are fractious and argumentative. But in all, they have been working hard, and I actually think they are due for a break. Plus there's the time change. I generally find that about a week after the time change, everyone (including myself) falls apart. Mentally and physically. It comes from waking that hour earlier, because our internal time clock tells us to, but staying up an hour later, because the clock on the wall tells us to. Another week will remedy that, and we will feel normal again...as normal as any of us get anyhow.
Homeschool goes very well actually. It's Teaching Textbooks for Math, for everyone, and they are all moving along at a good clip and scoring well. They have a routine of switching off books and computer time, so that while one is doing Math, another is reading and doing their handwriting. I am focusing on smaller bites of work, but with the expectation of perfect execution. It is amazing how well they have responded. For the rest, we are using a literature based unit study, based in the Narnia series. The children LOVE this, and cheerfully do their history and science projects. Except today. Today there has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth, because they just CAN'T (whine here) figure out how to do it. So I gently reminded them of their competence, and told them this was about what they wanted to do, as opposed to what they could do...and I will accept none of it. The whining I mean.
So here is the progress report. All are reading in every spare moment. All have beautiful cursive handwriting. All are scoring well in Math. All are capable of organizing a thought, and commiting it to paper, though not necessarily spelling it well. All are generally obedient, and respond with, "Yes Mom." All do their chores with a minimum of complaining. All are in good physical health, enjoying lots of outdoor time and dancing. Four of five are becoming very good shots.
I should be counting my blessings, and not whining about the occasional off day.
Homeschool goes very well actually. It's Teaching Textbooks for Math, for everyone, and they are all moving along at a good clip and scoring well. They have a routine of switching off books and computer time, so that while one is doing Math, another is reading and doing their handwriting. I am focusing on smaller bites of work, but with the expectation of perfect execution. It is amazing how well they have responded. For the rest, we are using a literature based unit study, based in the Narnia series. The children LOVE this, and cheerfully do their history and science projects. Except today. Today there has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth, because they just CAN'T (whine here) figure out how to do it. So I gently reminded them of their competence, and told them this was about what they wanted to do, as opposed to what they could do...and I will accept none of it. The whining I mean.
So here is the progress report. All are reading in every spare moment. All have beautiful cursive handwriting. All are scoring well in Math. All are capable of organizing a thought, and commiting it to paper, though not necessarily spelling it well. All are generally obedient, and respond with, "Yes Mom." All do their chores with a minimum of complaining. All are in good physical health, enjoying lots of outdoor time and dancing. Four of five are becoming very good shots.
I should be counting my blessings, and not whining about the occasional off day.
3 comments:
Fractious at your house, too, hunh? Mine are off the charts..... It is GORGEOUS here, and they just want to play. Yes, we are doing small bites too, but that leads to back biting, devouring.......
Actually, they are getting through what I have assigned for them, and considering that we have a rambunctious toddler in the home, plus our little girl coming home early today, and having fewer days at school with her new schedule, is adding to the commotion.
I think I see progress, I see it settling in. He's doing much better; we have reduced his playyard to the small square size by removing 2 sections, and use the sections to cordone off the lego playing area from the inquisitive toddler. He seems to like the small space - played for quite awhile this morning while we did chores and school work.
This is one of those days where you would just hang it up and call a friend and let them run wild and free for a few hours.
Oh well, they are making do with running with each other, hollering and whooping in the yard.
I on the other hand, am a slug. I finally have about an hour to do some sewing, and all I want to do is nap........
My sister has noticed a pattern right now too. She has committed to the Wed. night women's group and one of her children rebels the day after. She is with him daily 24/7 basically and when she leaves for a mere 2 hours, he reacts. The math gets troublesome and his attitude about his studies becomes a "bone of contention" and it is ugly. She struggles with his demands and her guilt about ever leaving the home. It is interesting that the other two do not react- it is just this one's personality. Funny, she sometimes wants to threaten him with day care!
She has now gone to the "block" system for daily work like our high school- three subjects for 90 mins. and then alternating the next day with 3 other subjects. She actually doesn't take 90 mins., but she has given herself permission not to be so "academically" driven to accomplish instead of integrate and learn. This year has been a blessing because of this. She still accomplishes the same amount of work but has more time to engage with each of her children about both school and life.
One real blessing that she has seen is that her daughter (homeschooled for 4 years) who is now a freshmen in public high school is better equipped than her other friends who have always been in public school. They are dealing with peer pressure and increased academic pressure and their attitudes and behaviors have changed since September. It is an interesting "aha" moment. This is what she draws on when the third child (the one who freaks when she leaves).
Next year she will probably have 4 at home (K, 2nd, 4th, and 7th grade) all boys. She is so organized but wonders if everyone is really getting it. She always thinks that she is not doing enough and whether or not her education that she is providing is going to meet "standard" if she spends time allowing her kids develop their talents. She is getting over that quickly now though.
Also- as a footnote- she has felt that God has been saying "adoption" for the last two years but does not know what that means.
We have adopted siblings and understand that life and its challenges and wants none of it, yet God is challenging her to at least think.
Oh- new ID- I switched from blogger Who am I kiddin' to Wordpress.
I'm impressed Scraps.
Lisa S.
Adoption Under One Roof
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