Just Another Homeschool Blog

Ahem.

2012-01-05T05:35:00.001-08:00

This is not my main blog.

Just thought I'd clarify.

Especially since I can't figure out how to rearrange the order of appearance on my profile page and this one comes up first and I realized that THIS must be why I don't get very many comments anymore! People come to my homeschool blog because it's first on the list and see that it's rarely updated and then they click away before they realize that all of the REAL GOODS are on my REAL BLOG. You know, the one where I talk about puppy obsession and harassing my pre-teen on Facebook.

I am freaking hyper this morning and I haven't had any coffee AT ALL. Maybe my body is weird (duh) and reacts opposite to caffeine?!? THIS COULD EXPLAIN EVERYTHING.

A report card to myself

2011-10-04T05:25:00.000-07:00

I hesitate to write this, but...

The year is going excellently!

SHHHH!!!! Don't tempt the Gods and read that out loud! Knocking on wood and throwing salt over my shoulder and looking for a spot to spit as I type this...

But seriously, I'm happy. We're not perfectly timed like a digital clock; checking in and out, ticking this off and filing that. We run loosely and freely. There are issues to cover and details to complete for sure; but those details are most definitely not dictating the flow of our lives.

Justin is slowly wading into algebra this year. Don't tell him, but he's actually doing well with it. He doesn't like to admit that he's able to retain information (one of his favorite phrases) but that kid, on a good and happy day, can learn anything. He just needs to give himself more credit. I keep hoping that the "drive to learn for learning's sake" will kick in. Sometimes, I can see it taking hold, only to slip back again and be hidden behind the "I hate school" mantra. He's a tough cookie to figure out, but he always insists that he never wants to go to public school again. This is a question I pose to him whenever he claims that I am asking too much of him or presenting him with too much work. I remind him of the homework that would take us all into the late evening hours, should he be in public school. I remind him of the earlier bedtime and early alarm clock wake ups that we would all be enjoying, should he go to school. And then he usually grumbles and plods through whatever I've laid out for the day. :)

Evan is still Mr. Active. He likes to stand up to do his schoolwork and sometimes does his best stories while he dictates as he walks in circles. No joke. His mind works way faster than his hand can keep up, so I have him dictate to me, and then have him copy the work afterwards. His spelling and writing abilities are slowly catching up to his grade level and he continues to do well at his math and reading comprehension. I keep meaning to look for a good health/human body curriculum but haven't found something as of yet...

Corinne reads well above her age level. What level does she read at? I don't know. Don't really care. I just know that she is ABLE to read. And that everything we're doing with her seems to be working. I don't set any age restrictions to the math or reading or science that she receives. If the boys are doing it, and she's interested? I pull her onto my lap and she learns alongside them. And she RETAINS it. Not all of it and not perfectly, but WOW. She remembers! It's interesting to think of what she'll be doing when she is Evan or Justin's ages...

And, with that, I have to jet so that I can take them all to our homeschool co-op where they will do a writing class, 2 different history classes, P.E. (run by me!) and a reading/art class. The group has gotten larger lately and there are tons of kids that my children are becoming good friends with. Basically? Our school year (and family year) is off to a fabulous start!

And so it begins...

2011-08-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

Evan and Corinne in our "spaghetti garden."

And yes; we've made a LOT of spaghetti this August...

Run-on sentences and improper punctuation, but it's 4 am and I'm tired...

2011-07-13T01:56:00.001-07:00

Every year we do this homeschooling gig, I learn more and more about the educational system and fall more and more in love with our current lifestyle. I am so happy that we are able to provide this option for our kids. I remember school. There were some great times. There were some crappy times. But mostly? Mostly I felt unimportant and not as worthy as the other children. High school sucked but for the extra curricular activities. SUCKED.

This girl's valedictorian speech reminds me, once more, that the cookie cutter system available by public school isn't a good shape for my family. My children are thriving and learning and living just fine in our home. I cannot imagine sending them back to someone else for their education! I simply can't. It kind of breaks my heart a little. I try to be flexible and open to the possibility that one or more of them will want to try public school out someday, but it actually sounds quite foreign. Isn't that interesting? I've become more used to homeschooling. Even after my own public education and the 4.5 years we had our kids in public! 16.5 years of public school combined, and I am more loyal to home education!

Wow. I really am exhausted. This will NOT be a brilliant post, heralding the remarkable abilities of me as a home educator. Let it be known that I do a good job. I DO. And I know that I can do AT LEAST as good of a job as a public school system can do. Naturally, my goal is to do BETTER, but since I don't believe in report cards (never have!), you can't prove or test my theory.

Or can you?

Corinne is reading SO WELL and doing math way above what I know other kids her age are doing. And she's doing it independently.

Evan still struggles to put words onto paper, but the words fly from his brain! He has such an imagination! I want this year to be the Year of Imagination for Evan. I want to nurture his creativity. I want to let his talents be the front-runner for everything I offer him to learn. Geography, creative writing, art, history... Why didn't I do more of that last year? I tried, but didn't place enough importance on it.

Justin picks up what he's interested in and surprises me with the knowledge he can retain. Who knew that a big box of National Geographics would inspire him?

Yawn. What was I saying? I really am tired. Need sleep. Can't write anymore...

My New Mission Statement

2011-07-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

It's summertime. My kids don't deliberately "do school" in the summer because

a. I am lazy

and

b. they would kill me. Truly.

But my 5 year old, who has never been "to school" but loves homeschooling, has been working like a maniac this summer! Reading all the time, asking to do Freerice.com, randomly sitting at her desk to work on writing and math workbooks and on and on. Just a moment ago, I helped her tug out the big box of Math U See manipulatives and she is currently stacking and counting and building and LEARNING without an agenda.

That's what I hope to accomplish this year: Learning without an agenda.

I think I'll make it my mission statement....

Reason #2,768 to love the freedom of homeschooling

2011-05-05T12:57:00.001-07:00

"Mom, can we focus on genetics and biology for the rest of the school year?"

He loves it and I am happy to oblige. Off to the library we go!

Photo post!

2011-03-27T19:47:00.000-07:00

It's addictive, really. Buying curriculum... speculating about the brilliance that will be absorbed next year before this year is even over. Speaking of which, It's Spring Break this week!!
Finger looming. She LOVES it. Patterns, fine motor skills, etc.
You go, girl!
Museum of Science and Industry never fails to entertain and educate my family...
We enjoyed the regular exhibits AND toured the Body Worlds exhibit! It was really interesting, but Evan was grossed out when he realized that they were REAL human bodies...
The plethora of dioramas made up for the ickiness. He ADORES miniatures. He's probably pretending to wage a war in that shot.

RSA Animate's video on Changing Education Paradigms

2011-03-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

Thank you Deb for sharing this link! What a cool video!

March Madness

2011-03-22T12:24:00.001-07:00

Things we're loving:

Corinne at age 5 is reading! Yes, reading, reading. Thanks to brilliant genetics (ahem) and programs like Starfall.com, All About Spelling and Frontline Phonics Readers (we bought this program about 9 years ago and I highly endorse it for little ones!), she is an avid reader. Amazing, actually. No bias.

She's also spending a lot of time on her finger loom, sewing a pillow at homeschool club, learning bits of clocks and money and just diving into all things kindergarten. I have no doubt tthat she learns more than I realize. Since I don't do a formal "record" of my kids' academics, it's a bit difficult to "gauge" her school level, but I'd put her at about the K-2nd grade levels for most of her abilities. Considering she would only be eligible for preschool due to her birth date, I'm really pleased with how she's progressing!

Evan is nearly 9 and has shown a HUGE improvement in the past year. His reading comprehension is the largest area that I am excited about. My heart nearly stops whenever I walk in on him just reading, JUST FOR FUN. This from the child who hated books about 2 years ago!

He continues to be an extremely imaginative writer and just took on the beginning of his first "novel" entitled "The Battle of Normandy Beach." Honestly? It's pretty darn interesting! I ignore the spelling and grammar and encourage the imagination because his vocabulary is far above his spelling ability. He is doing the Excellence in Writing through a homeschool group to assist the development of expanding ideas and utilizing all parts of the English language. It's extremely exciting for me to have a fellow writer in the house. :)

I recently started him on Teaching Textbooks, level 5 for Math. It is a cd-rom math program that I resisted for a long time because it just looked too expensive for something that a workbook could teach. But we borrowed it from a friend and Evan has responded REALLY well to it. (as have all the other children in our homeschooling group). Soooo... I do believe I will be buying the set for him for this year and for next. (And for Corinne for levels 2-4 as well! She likes to sit with him and shout out the answers! Yikes.)

He just finished his American Heritage history book from Abeka (though we're not Christian, I like the layout. We just skip the proverbs!) and I would like to have another formal history curriculum for him but I think that the Story of the World that we have is just a bit above his language comprehension right now. Anyone have any other Abeka history books they want to sell?? He's doing a study on Martin Luther King Jr. from library books for a while. I may just have him pick out important people to study for the remainder of the year.

GEOGRAPHY! This kid is a wiz. As in, WOW. We are working on the capitals of all the states now as he's memorized the states quite a while ago. Evan responds really well to flashcards. I want to get some anatomy and world geography flash cards for him for next year. Again, anyone want to make a few bucks by selling what they have?

Justin is 12 and does a majority of his work independently now. Yay! He is on book 2 of Life of Fred and I cannot speak highly enough about this program. We both enjoy it, and it's a great supplement for a math curriculum. We don't use a formal curriculum and so his Fred books are actually in conjunction with several workbooks that we have bought online and through book stores. I hope to find something of a higher level for him next year and am considering the Teaching Textbooks for his age, too. It seems to be harder to find homeschooling curriculum over 6th grade without searching online...

He is on book 2 of Story of the World and still enjoying its layout. I have been lax in testing or quizzing on this book but we are doing a group class that centers around the 2nd book and I find that this is a great way to supplement and reinforce what he's already read.

Justin also uses several books from FlashKids and Spectrum that are just fabulous. I especially like the color and texture of the FlashKids books (really important for Justin's comfort level issues). He is plodding through the Fearless Writing Essay workbook; it's only been slightly bloody over that book. (Though I have finally found a topic he wants to write about: Dungeons and Dragons! THANK YOU GOD!) I like the layout of this book and intend on purchasing some of the other topics as well.

I am truly happy with all of their academics this year. Without a report card to show to family and friends, it's difficult to explain how much they've learned. It seems that we all desire a checklist, report card, letter grade, etc. as "proof" of how intelligent or educated our children are. However, the longer I homeschool, the greater my belief is in the LACK of a checklist of evidence. My children are the evidence! They are thriving and writing and reading and building and creating and playing and HAPPY.*

What report card could tell me more than that?

*(Not counting the pre-teen angst...)

A little update

2010-12-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

Poor little homeschool blog. So neglected...

As Christmas gets closer, I am so grateful for homeschooling. We have been doing some basic review of math, just to stay on top of things. Evan's been reading about people from the Revolutionary War era and Justin's been doing a study on the history of classic American toys. I got the book at the TAGIE awards and was absolutely serious when I said I was going to do a study with the kids through it. Justin is making a timeline and all sorts of things to go with it. It's pretty interesting stuff.

Corinne is just a reading phenom. Dick and Jane is almost too easy for her, but we've got several other phonic-type books that she likes to read on her own that are filling in the spaces until I can find another progressive type of reading series. I have never been solely responsible for teaching any of them to read! Justin knew how by kindergarten but I guess I figured that preschool had something to do with it. Evan struggled until first grade and I assumed that it was my fault. I think I am really REALLY accepting that each child will learn at their own pace, regardless of what their parent tries to force down their throats. That said, I need to keep up with Corinne so that she remains INTERESTED In reading!

We have paper snowflakes everywhere right now. It's crazy how involved Corinne can become in an art project. For a while it was beading, beading, beading. Now it's cutting intricate designs. I wonder what's next?

Well, the kids have a h/s friend over right now and they're playing some sort of top-spinning game that involves a lot of laughing and smack-talking. I am going to browse the internet while it's still peaceful in the house. Merry Christmas!

Braggity brag

2010-11-04T14:13:00.001-07:00

Corinne's counting by 12's. Holy shit. She's really DOING it and I don't really know how to stop her...

Also? Evan is a geography genius. I'll have to record him with his cards. It's amazing.

Today

2010-11-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

Evan's reading Beowulf.

At age 8.

After needing special reading help in first grade.

I am happy and content.

Random pics of what's been up...

2010-10-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

Game day of Life, Rummikub and Apples to Apples...
Working on her new PictureIt books.

Good Stuff

2010-09-17T06:15:00.001-07:00

We were walking through the Field Museum yesterday and every other exhibit heralded a remark from one of the boys on something they'd just read in Story of the World. "I just read about that!"

Justin had to stop walking near the jade exhibiti to explain to me the differences between the dynasties of China and how long each one was, etc... It took him over 10 minutes! I nearly cried.

When Evan finally got to see the Lions of Tsavo and explained to me why they were maneless, I smiled with pride.

We spent over 5 hours at the Field Museum and never even got to do my favorite sections on the Americas and Native Americans. THAT'S how long it takes for my kids to read every plaque, investigate every diorama, discuss every cool exhibit, and watch every interactive movie. I told the kids we'd have to go back again soon so that we could go through those sections. Justin remarked,

"Really? But I practically have the entire museum memorized!"

HA. If that truly were the case, I'd be sending him to college today. But it is somewhat true that he knows much of the museum's information. And THAT? That is why I love homeschooling. Having the chance to become familiar with the educational information at top-notch museum sounds like a pretty damn good way to learn, don't you think?

Chicago Free Days!

2010-09-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

One of the BEST parts of homeschooling are the free days at museums!! We went to the Museum of Science and Industry yesterday (it was free all week) and had a BLAST. Hardly anyone there, and we used the parking lot off of the Space Center which has hourly parking so we saved a ton on parking $. The kids loved the Coal Mine exhibit which we hadn't been to before. I forgot how neat it was! And they never tire of the Idea Factory for children.

The new Weather exhibit was also really cool. Justin especially enjoyed the interactive choice stations where he had to put out forest fires and create avalanches and such. Corinne just loved all of the buttons and knobs that made stuff react. DON'T miss the light box room!! We spent a good 10 minutes in that tiny booth listening to the speaker and watching the world change around us with the absence of certain lights.

The best thing for me at Science and Industry is that there aren't a whole lot of extra charges once you enter. Other museums charge an arm and a leg for all of their shows and such which are what make the museums interesting to begin with! It's frustrating with 3 kids to see everything we can't do when there are additional charges of 5 or 10 bucks a person just to see a movie...

ANYWAY. Hope you can take advantage of some of the empty spaces at the museums this September. It really is the best time to go!!

Free Days in September 2010:

Museum of Science and Industry:
September 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28

Adler Planetarium:
September 13-17, 21 & 28

Field Museum:
September 15, 16, 21, 22 (We're thinking about going on the 16th!)

Shedd Aquarium:
(free general admission only)
September 13,14, 20, 21, 27,28

First week in Photos...

2010-09-03T03:01:00.000-07:00

Grade 3 and eating bacon. He's apparently on the Atkins diet. Doesn't he look thrilled to be starting school?!?

Bedheaded preschooler who just couldn't figure out the "P" in sign language for this pic and opted to do her age instead...

6th grade! How did THAT happen?

Quietly reading a new Avatar the Airbender chapter book.

Exploring our new Math U See blocks. Looking forward to actually doing some MUS work soon!

No photo collection would be complete without one of my kids mock-stabbing someone/thing. Such sweet children...

Sigh. What is up with the silly faces?!??

Seriously?

Brat.

Evan's been doing really well this week! I am so impressed with all that he's retained.

Little Miss Unschooler. She likes to work when no one asks her and wherever the mood may strike. It's nice that she can just do page after page of reading and math work, with very little instruction, and get it CORRECT!

Some new modeling clay led to an impromptu art break. 1 hour of art for Justin is like 3 months for other kids. I was AMAZED and was definitely not going to stop him so that he could start on his math! Go Art!

Evan's Blue Man Group. Only it's a solo act.

Justin's art is.... a ball of death! Fabulous.

Corinne's clay creations included hearts, food, people, a frog and a princess with long, green and yellow hair.

One of the best things she's been doing this summer has been beadwork. She makes necklaces, bracelets, "dream catchers" (I use that term loosely. Think outside of the box, here), etc. She's gotten really good at making complex patterns, threading the beads, and tying knots.

We now need more beads, though. We're running low!

Each of her babydolls got a teeny, tiny bracelet, too.

Oooh La La!

First day!

2010-08-30T05:50:00.000-07:00

First day...

First official day today. We attended a science class last week and did the IMAX movie, too. That totally counts as education.

I'm making bacon and eggs with toast to celebrate (yay...) and then we'll be doing some review work together and then, hopefully, finishing before noon.

PLEASE let them go with the flow and not fight the process!

I'm off to cook and teach. Wish me luck!

Deep breaths...

2010-08-25T06:11:00.000-07:00

Had a moment of chest-clutching anxiety this morning when I remembered that I am responsible for their education! Holy shit. That's like, deep.

Then I relaxed and recalled the line from the IMAX* Hubble movie we watched with hundreds of other kids yesterday: "...Billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars within them..."

Suddenly, wondering whether or not my kids are exactly matched with other kids their age wasn't so pertinent. The grand scheme of life and the universe can have that affect on you...

On that note, we are going to the zoo today to enjoy the empty exhibits (public school is in full swing in Illinois) and mid-seventies weather. I can guarantee that all 3 kids will learn something new, see something interesting, get exercise in the fresh air, bond with family, learn the value of a dollar, and endless other life experiences. We'll bring some papers I put aside for a lovely day such as today and maybe even cover a couple of scout requirements. It's a good day to be a homeschool family...

*Randall 15 IMAX theater in Batavia, IL ROCKS. Highly recommend it to all homeschooling families to contact them and get on their educator list for discounts to their brilliant movies. Email me if you need help finding their contact.

Where we are beginning from... and our plans for the year.

2010-08-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

I was starting to freak out a bit regarding the upcoming school yera. I mean, it was AUGUST and I didn't have ANYthing planned yet! So I sat my butt down yesterday and got the first week done for both boys. Yay! Corinne is SUPER easy (she's 4, for crying out loud) but I will have a plan book for her, too. I don't want her to feel left out so we'll have things like "reading time" and "math cubes" and such on a sheet for her to check off. She's just a happy little unschooler, anyway. She reads the digraph words I have on the fridge without any effort, picks up Dick and Jane and the Phonics books we have without any issues... It's quite fun to teach her, actually!

This year our curriculum and plans include:

Justin:

Story of the World I, II, III. We will be using #2 for the IEW group effort through our homeschooling group. We'll be focusing on the Middle Ages for arts and activities. Hopefully a Renaissance Faire or two will be fun field trips!

Life of Fred I, II. Good word problems for math. Some of it is below him, some of it is above. We'll just have to fit it into what works for him. But I'm liking the layout of the chapters so far.

Painless American History. I haven't actually purchased this one yet. It's on my list! We loved Painless Life Science and Painless Algebra (which we are also going to be continuing this year, at a verrrry slow pace!)

He picked out some Grade 6 workbooks from Barnes and Noble that have decent worksheets for the filler time...

Rereading Painless Life Science (just to get a better grip on it)

I want to have him start off by studying the Revolutionary War because there is a reenactment at Cantigny Park in Winfield 2 weeks into our school year. I know he loves those!

A better focus on classic works of literature (which he may have issues with... Ugh.)

I want him to accomplish several merit badges for Boy Scouts and so many of them have great ideas that will work well with a school curriculum!

For Evan:

Focus on SPELLING and handwriting. Big time. His reading is finally closer to that of kids in his age but his spelling leaves a lot to be desired.

Math U See. I have several levels for both him and Corinne to browse through and figure out where each one falls.

He will be fishing in Canada with Pat and grandpa for the second week of school so we will be starting off with the leftover curriculum from second grade as a refresher. I will send a workbook or two that can be done in the car and traded in for a treat if completed before he gets home. He'll be doing some reading and writing on Canada the week before he leaves (I have the spelling list with things like "grandpa, walleye, adventure, etc.") to help him understand that all of life is educational!

I need more ideas for Evan... This year is more difficult for me for him and I'm not sure why...

For Corinne:

Math U See. We have all of the levels up to Delta. She has to fit into one of them!

Piles and piles of letter and number work.

I've made some of the magnetic cards that we are sticking onto the fridge for word recognition. Right now we have digraphs. Soon we'll do rhyming words and then the sight words that just don't fit into any category. I then plan on making a pocket board thingy to make sentences and stories out of. Should be fun!

We will be doing a lot of the same stuff we did last year. Lots of hands-on math, learning to read, tons of art projects and just enjoying preschool education.

For all of us:

I HAVE to get the ants for the ant farm. Geesh.

Field trips to Springfield (with Grandma!), Science and Industry, Field Museum, Renaissance Faire, Zoos, Cantigny Park, several war reenactments, Naper Settlement, etc.

I see a year of better cooperation between kids and teacher. Without Patrick sleeping during the school day, the stress level of getting things done by noon won't be there and the pressure of keeping them quiet will be GONE. Thank you God for the new job!!

Poor little blog...

2010-06-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Poor little neglected homeschooling blog. I'm sorry. You just wanted a LITTLE bit of attention, didn't you? Well, I've been BUSY, damnit. Busy reorganizing the shelves and desks. Busy trying to find the Math U See programs for Evan and Corinne for less than an arm and a leg. Busy, busy, busy! And I don't need you giving me flack!

Sorry. That was uncalled for.

Here's what the schoolroom/office looks like after 2 days of cleaning:

And the black shelves are beautiful too. Everyone has their own shelves and curriculum all lined up and now no one is allowed to touch ANYTHING because I just want it to be organized and pretty for a few weeks, for crying out loud.

Oy.

I managed to buy the Life of Fred for Justin and the manipulatives for Math U See for Evan and Corinne but am having a hard time finding their booklets for a cheap price. So I am spending a ridiculous amount of time searching for books on the internet and by the time I actually find the stuff I want, I'll be sick of it. Maybe I should look for curriculum I DON'T want? That could have a better result...

A list of love...

2010-05-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

Loving: America, the Story of Us on the History Channel. Really well done with interesting graphics. All of the family has been watching it on our dvr this week!

Loving: planning for the homeschool geography tour. Each kid/family is working on a different country and we will host an open house for the families and neighbors to come see that homeschoolers really DO do school! Our country is Iceland. It's pretty interesting, even if they DO eat rotten shark meat... We're making a volcano and flag and translating phrases and bringing in a sweet treat and whales and fish (toys!) to hang up around us and, and... Man. I'm goofy excited about it!

Loving: FreeRice.com Did you know that they now have other subjects on their site?!? Evan has been earning thousands of grains of rice while he practices his multiplication problems and grammar. Justin did some vocab work, too. He started at level 1 and grudgingly got several levels up. Evan is loving the idea that he is feeding someone with multiplication. "FINALLY! Finally there is a REASON for math, Mommy!"

Loving: getting to shop for next year's curriculum. I'm all freaky happy about it, too. My kids aren't quite as thrilled....

Loving: The Borders Summer Reading Double Dog Dare. Kids under 12 can read 10 books by August 26 and bring the form in for a free book (from their list). I think it's valid anywhere, but double check (ha!) the fine print.

T minus 6 weeks

2010-04-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely giddy that school is over in 6 weeks! Like, crazy happy. Endless days with no waiting for friends to get home and play. Long, hot, exhausting but lazy days that stretch into breezy nights spent watching children dashing between the lightning bugs, hoping their parents won't notice the late hour...

Bring it on.

Food with Justin

2010-04-20T05:41:00.001-07:00

Just a note to remind myself about the fun afternoon I had with Justin. He really loves to cook and prepare food (even though he won't eat it) and I absolutely LOVE the churrasco with green chimchurri sauce we made together for our Brazilian day with h.s. club! I wonder what we did incorrectly with the Brazilian cheese bread, though! The dough was very thin and didn't work well using their instructions, so I put the second half of the dough into mini muffin tins and they seemed to hold together better...

A bit of a ramble,..

2010-04-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

When people say "the first year is the hardest! Don't judge homeschooling by the first year!" They mean it. It's TRUE. My kids and I have gone through so many changes this first year, that it's difficult to recognize my first posts on this blog. The challenges are different, the schedule is different, EVERYthing is different!

I think the biggest change this year happened for ME; within ME. My views on not only school and education but the government, the world, religion, my values... EVERYTHING. Everything has been affected by homeschooling. My opinions on what is "important" in life have become very vague. If my children never learn high math but are excellent in literature, what is the big deal? If my scientific child excels in his favorite subject but never reads "the classics", how will that affect his ability to have a happy, healthy life? Guess what? I was in "AP" (Advanced Placement) and Honors English throughout my high school career and I never once covered To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Flies, or 1984! AND I SURVIVED.

One of the best differences though, is how I view what my children are learning. I don't give Evan or Corinne "tests". They just do work or projects and as they learn it, we move along to the next topic. I'll touch back on something again to see if it was retained and, if not, we just cover it again. No big deal. No pressure. They are both the smartest kids in their classes and it SHOWS in their confidence. Evan no longer compares himself to other second graders and thinks that he isn't very intelligent. It broke my heart to hear him say that, over and over, when he was in first grade! He IS smart! INCREDIBLY smart! He learns at his own pace and needs extra help on some topics, but his work is improving incredibly this year. I am extremely proud of his progress. And Corinne continues to amaze me with her eagerness to do schoolwork. Knowing that she would only technically be eligible for preschool this coming fall causes me to wonder at where she would be at, were we to send her off. She is definitely a self-learner and very creative. Some of the artwork and language skills that she manages to piece together, all on her own, absolutely astound me.

With Justin, his work is a bit more complex, so we do some unit work and actual tests. For example, during his Life Science studies, we will cover a chapter, doing the mini-quizzes at the end of each section. I will then make up a study guide for him, covering the key points throughout the unit. We work on that study guide until he and I are both satisfied that the material is stuck within his brain. And then he takes the test. If he gets 93% or higher, he gets $1.50 for his savings. (since we can't do awards for report cards, like lots of parents do). If he doesn't pass the test with an A (hasn't happened yet), he and I will cover the material again until it sticks. (I don't know if he'll still be eligible for the full $1.50 at that point, seeing as how it's never come to that!) Either way, I want him to work on something until he GETS it. Not until a teacher deems enough time has passed and he SHOULD have it. Yes, I know that this is not how "the real world" works. I know that in college or a career, he will have to move at everyone else's pace and retain information in that manner. But guess what? This isn't the "real world" and he doesn't have a career, yet. He is in 5th grade and is one of the lucky few kids that gets to receive all A's for his schoolwork, at his own pace! Sometimes, he breezes through units. Sometimes, life gets in the way and I delay a test for a little while. My point is that I KNOW that he knows the information we learned. I know that it isn't just rote memorization that will be lost once the test is over.

Hmmm. This was a bit of a tangent and I have 3 kids that are hungry... I suppose that I could go back and edit, but honestly, I am beat. The weather may have been rainy today, but we were still incredibly busy. I don't think we were home for more than an hour, yesterday!

Not a drop of Irish in 'em...

2010-03-17T11:29:00.001-07:00

You can't really see, but that red squiggle is a snake that says "No Snakes!" on it and there are several leprechaun traps in the middle of the poster (above the leprechaun's head), just in case you wanted to know. We go all out for St. Paddy's day here. 3 out of 4 of us are even wearing green. Gooooo Ireland!

:)

Seriously, St. Patrick's Day IS a big deal in Northern Illinois, so we did do some stuff leading up to today. Including, but not limited to: several books on St. Patrick's day and Irish legends, listening to Irish music to prove to Justin that there IS more to it than bagpipes and sad songs of war, and... well. That's about it. The poster, too, I guess. Hmm.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Considering we aren't even remotely Irish, I think that's pretty damn good. Oh! Wait! We contemplated making green pistachio pudding, but changed our minds and actually made butterscotch because, well. Butterscotch is tastier. But still. The thought was there.

Now I just need to get them interested in Black 47 (I might actually swoon a bit if I were to meet them. And I am not a swooner) and my Master Plan for complete control over my children will be fully engaged....

Spring 2010

2010-03-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I can't post on this site unless the majority of it centers around photos. So be it. At least it's recorded, right?
BUSTED. He was supposed to be doing his math. He was farting around on the computer. It was NOT educational, despite his attempts to persuade me into believing otherwise.

Best benefit of homeschooling? Playing football with Daddy at 1:00 on a Thursday...

Pippi Longstocking's got nothin on my baby...
It's official; Spring is HERE! Fact proven by Evan's discovery of many, many worms under his basketball hoop. Worms are his second favorite creature. Second only to ants, which we are anxiously awaiting the return of...
He named them all. I believe this one was Squirmy. Or Frank. Pronounced with a British accent. Evan's had a fascination lately of speaking with a British accent. We've been reading all sorts of books on worms now. Did you know that some variations get to be 65 feet long? Yes, I have been dry-heaving a bit over the information overload, too...

Like a lamb...

2010-03-06T02:14:00.000-08:00

A trip to Cantigny Park. I don't know why I forget about this fabulous place so often. I made sure to update my calendar with all of the new outings that are coming up. Everything from symphonies and Big Band concerts on the lawn ($5 a car!) to Lego train shows ($5 a car!) to Revolutionary and Civil War reenactments (I'll let you guess how much those cost... ) Between the First Division museum that my children never fail to be fascinated by, the endless gardens (a few more weeks and we can go to see the tulips and daffodils!) and the McCormick mansion (we missed that this time, but will go back again soon because, again, IT'S ONLY $5 TO ENTER).

Here are a few shots of the tank park outside the First Division Museum. I really appreciate the way that my children respond to my acknowledgments that yes, the guns and big ships and tanks are very cool but that each man who enters a war is someone's son, brother, father, husband and friend. Each man that never comes home is a loss so great that it can't be put into words. I want them to know that war isn't something we should ever forget, but it shouldn't be glorified or made into something exciting and fun. Taking them to museums and reenactments where they can get a tiny glimpse into the realities of war is important. Knowing that their Papa fought in Vietnam but can't talk about it confuses them. Allowing them to walk through the man-made jungle in the First Division Museum and then saying "Now imagine people are shooting at you. Imagine that you don't know where that enemy is. Imagine it is hot and you're hungry and scared. Now look to your right..." and there is a manikin, hidden in the bushes.

It opens up lines of conversation, that's for sure.

ANYway. Pictures. Here ya go.
Justin's favorite tank. Not sure why, but I'm sure he'd be willing to explain the details on it that are so interesting. He knew 90% of the tanks there, including information that wasn't on the placards.
The Mountain Climber award goes to.... Evan! He surpassed even his monkey sister. Up and down, in the slushy snow (42 Farenheit! Hellooooo spring!), he fought battles and fended off the enemies while his siblings clambered after him.
Yep. I was there. Hello, Me.
No idea how they got on THAT one...
Everyone finally had their own stick to shoot me with. Sweet kids.
Doing his math in a laundry basket...

Why yes. That IS Boba Fett on a blue Jell-O box. But what is it that Iron Man is leaning against?
Ah. Of course. A free sample from Kotex. Naturally.
My crafty moment of the month: Her expensive tights from Gymboree that I splurged on (when on sale) for Christmas 2008. The dress still fits (I bought it BIG) but the tights kept falling off her tush. So I cut off the feet and sewed them up. Then I cut off the tush, saved the elastic material and stitched it into the new seam by the thigh. Voila! Instant, homemade "Babylegs".
Our venture into origami resulted in a pig, a bat and a cat. I think we're going to make the frog that I used to make when I was little. It actually jumps! We used to do frog jumping races with dozens of origami frogs... Good memories.

Recent stuff

2010-02-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

"I want to bake lots of stuff, Mommy." says Justin. Ok, kiddo. Here's the pretzels we made. YUM-MEEE. We've also gotten REALLY adept at making homemade pizza and working on the homemade bread ideas...
Poor little homeschooled girl... Allowed to dress herself any which way she likes and to play in buckets of water to see which animals float... Also, the Barbies are welcome to visit in the water but must be naked or else Mommy gets mad. Ever try to dry a Barbie wedding gown? It's not a pretty picture...
Every day can be pajama day, if you want it to. Which we do on Monday, Thursday and Friday as we have nothing pressing on any of those days. Also, it's much easier to do your physical fitness in comfy pj pants than jeans...
Corinne is liking her new math games from the library book I borrowed. Mostly just reminders about using dice, bundles of ten and matching different types of numbers together. I think I'll make another set of cards with Roman numerals on them, too...

We are soooo glad that February is almost over. With March comes the possibilities of outings and field trips. Spring break is right around the corner and I know that we all need a week off of the handwritten stuff. Evan has been working harder with his multiplication tables and spelling, thanks to some short books from the library that group certain types of words together. He is basically learning new words each week without having the stress of "Spelling Tests". Justin alternately has fabulous days and horrendous days. There doesn't seem to be much of an in-between for him. Though he DID do wonderfully on his science test today! After that, though, the day went downhill and FAST. I think he was just eager to move onto his Birthday stuff, though.

Tomorrow will find us at the library getting the second book in The Hunger Games and then at our homeschooling group meet-up. It's been a while since everyone's been healthy enough to get together and we really miss the other families! We're doing a study on China which is an interest of Justin's. I think we'll also bring Evan's National Geographic map of China that has been taped and re-taped...

Update

2010-02-16T15:35:00.000-08:00

And so the cycle of ups and downs continues. Today's ups:

~ made bundles of ten popsicle sticks for Corinne and encouraged Evan to be the teacher. She did really well and figured out the whole "2 bundles = 20 sticks" idea and it helped to reinforce Evan's math skills without making him feel like he was doing "babyish" work.

~ Justin studied for his 3rd chapter test out of his Life Science book. He continues to do well with the break-downs and seems to be retaining the information from week to week. I continue to like the layout of this book and hope that I can figure out a way to get him to like the Algebra one better.

~ I made several math skills sheets for Corinne for hands-on activities. I think I will encourage Evan to continue to be her helper or "leader" so that he can feel more confident in some of our school activities. Most of the time he feels defeated, even though the work I give him is completely within his skill level and abilities. It's frustrating for us both...

Downs:

~ Ugh. PMS for Mommy means less than adequate patience for Evan's daily brick wall of resistance to all things school-related.

~ A cousin's husband unexpectedly passed away last night and this leaves me feeling reminded at just how short life is. I then begin to wonder at the purpose of education and all of the miniscule details that we think are necessary for life. That frame of mind is not conducive to a fabulous teacher.

~ I took my wedding ring off today for the first time in AGES. Nothing's wrong! I am just worried that the gold is way too worn around the diamonds (I already had one of its teeny ones in a baggie) and I cannot afford to replace the diamonds. So, it's in a hiding spot until we have money (HAHAHAHAHA) to fix it.

~ The pantries are empty and my pockets are, too. Waiting for Friday and payday...

Bizzzeeeee!

2010-02-04T16:06:00.000-08:00

Very, very busy.

Trying to crush the darkness of February. Trying to create literary geniuses. Trying to cook food that is moderately healthy. Trying to defrost myself over the heating vent.

Succeeding and failing in all of the above. Will again post soon. Still teaching. Still alive. Still hanging in there...

Ghetto Spelling

2010-01-21T18:54:00.000-08:00

"Mommy, how do you spell 'eyeballs'??" Evan asked me as he filled in the MadLibs "plural noun" line.

"Break it down, hon. How do you spell 'eye'?"

"E. Y. E. ??"

"Yep. Now how do you spell 'balls'?"

(from the office, before Evan can respond, Patrick exhibits reason number 1,784 why he is NOT the teaching parent...)

"N.U.T.S. !"

Nothing but class over here, folks. Straight up, hardcore, CLASS.

Kinda getting the hang of this...

2010-01-19T22:13:00.001-08:00

The lessons for Justin are planned for the next 2 weeks (He does well with a firm plan of what is expected of him every day and likes to get most of it done as soon as he wakes up). He is LOOOOVING his Painless Life Science and will be starting the Painless Algebra book next week.

Evan's stuff for the next week is loosely inserted into a folder (he does better with a less rigid schedule). He is improving on reading due largely in part to his love for the Jigsaw Jones book series. His imagination never fails to astound me and his new love for all things athletic is pretty cool, too. I mean, how many 7 year olds do you know that can do over 100 sit-ups?

Corinne's desk was freshly cleaned off and I noticed just how much writing and math work she has been doing without my knowledge. She is well past the pre-school stuff and almost past the kindergarten curriculum! I am amazed at just how quickly she is absorbing the concepts behind the reading/writing process and the mathematics that she comprehends is also something to make me shake my head in wonderment. Is she really only 4 years old? Go Baby Girl!

We have Corinne's ballet class tomorrow morning, so I have the boys' schoolwork all packed up and sitting beside the front door so that they can do some of their work while she tiptoes around in her ballet slippers. (they each have a clipboard and clicker pencils. Ultimate in Coolness, apparently). The boys may grumble about having to go to ballet class, but they no longer feel as though being homeschooled isn't the same as being "schooled." It's nice to watch them help each other out and BE with each other on a daily basis. It's just nice to be with my kids every day and not feel rushed on our time together...

I kinda sorta almost feel like I have a handle on this homeschooling gig...

Which, of course, means that very soon, something will fall from the sky and disrupt all of my diabolical plans. Until that day, I plan on appreciating this moment of organized chaos in our school routine...

Should I be worried?

2010-01-16T17:56:00.000-08:00

So, after our trip to the Museum of Science and Industry last week, Evan's mind is still filled with information on cloning, DNA and genetics. His brilliant idea tonight was as follows:

"Mommy! I had this great idea! You could take a human cell and put animal DNA into it and make a mixture of the two! Wouldn't that be cool? You could mix black bears, wolves (which I am, Mommy) vampire bats, and cheetahs! And then the animal-humans would attack the scientists and EIGHTY scientists would be killed and the animal-humans would escape!"

Ummm... Should I be worried? And also, doesn't this sound familiar?

Maybe I'm raising the next H.G. Wells?

A cozy, happy morning...

2010-01-07T08:52:00.000-08:00

It's 10:52 am. Most of the schools near us are closed today or will be closed tomorrow. You know, a few (or 12) inches of snow and they get all wimpy about opening their doors. ;) My kids have been doing their work since they got up and are taking a late breakfast break of bacon and eggs and a kid tv show. This break follows Evan's own P.E. regiment (I do believe he can do over 100 sit ups and 50 push ups. HE'S SEVEN.), Justin's cookie baking break, several chapters of Jigsaw Jones read by Evan on the couch (in our jammies) and 15 minutes of absolute bliss where I stood by the stove frying bacon, listening to Justin explain a worksheet to Evan while Corinne colored paper doll clothing. All of this happened before 11 am and includes the two youngest kids following me into the snow drifts at 8 am to "help" clear the fluff off of the driveway before it piles up to my waist. And even though the house is quite messy and the laundry is beginning to form legs of its own and I probably won't get a shower in before the baby that I watch in the afternoons comes over, I am quite happy in my cocoon...

Today? Today is a good day.

Off and running!

2010-01-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

Justin did half of Monday's work tonight before bed so that he could have more free time tomorrow.

Love it. LOVE IT.

2010-01-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

I am really excited about a new book I picked up at a Borders that was going out of business. It's called Painless Life Science and seems to be written in such a way that Justin can cover a chapter a week and we can do a review and/or test at the end of the week to see how much he retains. It was 40% off (score!) and looks to have enough chapters for the rest of the year's curriculum. Plus, I was able to read the first few chapters and understand it without "knowing" everything. To me, that means that Justin will be adequately challenged without being overwhelmed. As I looked for a link for it, I saw that the author has several other books in the series. I am DEFINITELY going to keep it in mind when I look for new curriculum for the kids! I'll let you know how it works out!

Crud.

2009-12-30T14:03:00.000-08:00

I am in a desperate need for someone with some Mozilla Firefox experience!! I had about 45 bookmarks for homeschooling sites alone (not to mention an additional 20-30 for personal use) that are now GONE from my Bookmarks on Firefox!!! AND!! I can't even put bookmarks on anymore, so I am screwwwwwed for finding my good sites for printing worksheets and such! HELP!

Really, if anyone knows ANYthing about this, I need the help. What did I do wrong? Do I have a virus? Can this be fixed for free (because otherwise? I can't do anything about it...)???

Crud. I had so many plans on getting ahead on curriculum and lessons for January and now I'm stuckstuckstuckstuckstuck.

Homeschooling Physics on a Budget 101

2009-12-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

"Ok, guys. Listen closely... That sound you heard when the champagne cork popped out? That was the pressure from the fermented alcohol that your mother is going to ingest!! What do you think causes it?"

(Dang, I look ragged...)

See? Every thing is a possible learning tool. Just a little creativity and a glass or two of wine goes a long way...

The End

2009-12-04T18:54:00.000-08:00

Oy. Today was not one of those stellar days. Today was not a day I felt all rosy and content in our little homeschooling family. Today, I yelled and stamped my foot and acted like an all-around child. Today I showed them exactly how to NOT behave. Sooo... a learning experience? Right? Yep. We're calling it that and we're calling it a day.

Thank God today is almost over. I am off to put together a few projects for next week so that we don't have a repeat of today on Monday.

After I have a glass of wine, that is...

23 days and counting...

2009-12-01T23:09:00.000-08:00

The paper chain has been made. The countdown has begun...

This is what it really looks like...

2009-11-19T07:12:00.000-08:00

Day 1 on making our First Thanksgiving Diorama. Justin is in the background writing an essay about 1621 while Corinne and Evan were in charge of artistic properties...

A little break for self-expression. I had no idea he knew how to put a pick in his hair...

Recess!
Just a cute shot of Corinne matching her numbers, opposites, and other card games. Evan likes to play with her, which is wonderful on so many levels...
My kitchen table. Math, art, spelling words, and Raisin Bran.

The almost completed diorama! We want to put a garden, fire pit, and more people in. Wait a minute... Is that a... ninja? At the 1st Thanksgiving?Yes. Yes, it is.
What does "sour" mean, Mommy?

Lapbooks and Journal alternatives

2009-11-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

Journals are a pretty big deal in our public school system. Every day, for every grade, my boys were supposed to journal. Only problem was? Neither ever actually WROTE much down! I wonder how many countless hours were wasted, 10 minutes at a time, day after day, as my children stared off into space?

When I began homeschooling them, I tried to follow the journal routine. Many, many days of frustration on all of our parts as I attempted to force them to record something trivial about their lives. Finally, I stepped back and realized that the process of journalling is supposed to be relaxing. I also realized that the main point of writing in a daily journal for public school was about sentence formation, imagination, and penmanship. NONE of which were being accomplished by my children in their forced one-sentence pages!

I heard about "lapbooks" from a very organized mother in our homeschooling group. She directed me towards many online sites where you can print out EVERYthing you need, right down to the smallest details. I printed out a few pieces, here and there, and then realized that my ink on my printer is VERY expensive and that all of those color pages were sucking it dry!

Enter the scrapbooking supplies!! I used to scrapbook a LOT when the boys were little. Sadly, the joy of it was lost somewhere along the time that blogging came into my life. One can only have so many outlets, you know? For homeschooling, though? The extra scrapbooking supplies have been a lifesaver! All of the colored paper, stickers and cutting supplies are PERFECT for the lapbooks! I lugged it all out and began laying out designs for the boys to fill in. Basically, I ask questions, leave space for artwork and graphs, and direct the boys in learning certain aspects about the topics they're studying. For Justin, who abhors anything with the word "art" attached to it, asking him to design a cover for his Energy lapbook wasn't "art". It was just another step in the project. Submarines and Airplanes by Justin

For Evan, who needs extra help on reading and writing but loves to draw, the lapbooks offer variety and a break from something that he doesn't feel he is very good at (writing/spelling).

Another way I've found to encourage Evan and Corinne's imagination, spelling, and writing skills is to offer them small booklets to fill in. Using colored pencils and his own creativity, Evan has written about 4 different short books! He can do one page a day or 4, there is no limit or requirement needed. Arachnid Wars by Evan

Even Corinne has benefited from making these booklets and is currently writing a fantastic story entitled "Princess Wars." (Can you tell she's a girly girl who has older brothers?)

Check Cubed

2009-10-29T19:25:00.001-07:00

What a nice day. Really! A really nice, easy-going, much-accomplished day.

Everyone's lists completed from start to finish?
No crying or complaining about the validity of the work assigned?
3 children actually learned something NEW and held the material from the day before?
Quality of work of all 3 was outstanding?

Check! Check! Check! CHECK!

Between the above and the fact that my kids fell asleep watching Finding Nemo to the sound of the rain on the rooftop, tonight ended on quite a lovely note.

I'm all geared up for tomorrow, when Justin learns that Daddy will be doing the P.E. training class (Navy style) again. I do believe he thought it would be a one-time deal. Heh. I need to remember this happy place of peace when he's fighting the work-out again. (Yesterday was a day I just cannot retell. It's too painful to recount my son bucking the physical work we were asking him to do!)

Crossing my fingers for another Good Day on Friday...

A slow morning...

2009-10-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

How many times do I say "Evan" ? How many times do I say "Keep working!" or "Focus!" ??

First person to answer correctly gets the privilege of coming over and being a teacher for a day! You lucky, lucky person!

Note to self:

2009-10-04T17:44:00.000-07:00

Be prepared for your monthly week of communing with the universe and all its wondrous glory. Because having your period and NOT having the school week planned out isn't the best combination. Maybe "winging it" isn't a good choice when your hormones are on a trampoline and the mortgage is due.

Just a thought.

Chilly fingers are hard to type with.

2009-09-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

Brrr!!! We were supposed to go to a local petting zoo and playground for our weekly homeschooling meetup, but it is REALLY cold, and we are REALLY tired. So instead? We are doing our work in jammies drinking coffee and hot chocolate. After we do our schoolwork, there are peanut butter cookies begging to be baked by 3 little kids.

Corinne and I have already spent an hour doing sweet watercolors. Fall scenes, ballerinas, dragons, everything. Very random and very tiny, cute pictures. Rediscovering my love of painting and drawing has been a big plus for me. And it's been showing the kids that EVERYONE does art. That's a big deal for the boys. They aren't as imaginative when it comes to arts and crafts as I'd like, and I think being able to just paint or draw SOMEthing helps you in other areas. I.e. I have a 10 year old boy whining behind me that he caaaaan't just "write" a paragraph about dolphins without having specific instructions!

Coffee. More. Coffee.

Ahhhhh....

A few lessons learned

2009-09-20T22:32:00.001-07:00

Lesson 1: If Mommy hurts her neck doing something that was meant to be helpful but ends up being not a brilliant idea (like, say, she does a backwards somersault for Cub Scouts even though she's 33....), it's ok to skip the math pages that Evan doesn't understand. It's ok to have him read 10 books to Corinne instead, especially since his reading skills need lots of encouragement. It's ok to cop out of one or two subjects when the teacher (ME!) is screaming in pain. We can make it up later on (most of the work got bumped back a day and I've just reassigned the missed work to this week, instead).

Lesson 2: Poker is great for number recognition, money skills, and encourages critical thinking. Also, Justin will be in good form for his college dorm days since he kicked my ASS on Thursday!

Lesson 3: They ARE learning. A LOT. A lot, a lot. No less than they would in public school. The material they are working on may be simultaneously on higher levels AND lower levels than public schools offer, but they are on THEIR levels. My kids are learning what they don't understand yet, and we're focusing on what they need to improve upon. And it's being done without hours and hours of time at p.s. and then hours and hours of exhausted arguments over homework. Homeschooling IS working for my family. I can see this and it's extremely encouraging.

Lesson 4: Sometimes Mommy is too ambitious. Sometimes I need to step away from the curriculum and exciting projects and remember each child's learning style and speed and just let them absorb it a little more slowly. Sometimes a 7 year old just needs to run laps around the house when printing out ANOTHER tricky word is just too overwhelming...

Lesson 5: My kids are so much happier. SO much happier... It's kind of sad, actually, to think of all of the years that we forced our square-pegged Justin into the circle-shaped schools. It just wasn't a good fit and his edges are still a bit banged up from it. With a little bit of work, we can sharpen them up again. I like having a square-pegged boy.

Lesson 6: I love these art sites for kids!

Some pics. Some captions. Enjoy.

2009-09-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Baking brownies in the afternoon, just because we can! My kids are excellent egg-crackers and I've been making a conscious effort to have them read the boxes or cook books as we bake. Corinne and Evan are already grasping the whole "fraction thingy" much earlier than I expected!
Not brownies, but one of the biggest perks of homeschooling: home-baked breakfasts without the rush to get it down the hatch and get out the door. Today we made baked French toast and it was HEAVENLY to eat it with my children at 9:00 am. It baked while Evan did spelling. If that's not a perfect way to start a school day, then I don't know what is!
Best $1 I ever spent at a clothing/toy sale is this floor desk. Evan does 90% of his work here...
Her handwriting is going to quickly surpass Evan's. I'm keeping that fact on the down-low, though... Can't be beat by a PRESCHOOLER, you know!

Guitar Hero TOTALLY counts as music appreciation. Ok, ok... I know. I'm working on something a little more educational. But, for now? This will have to suffice.
I dug out my good old Discovery Toys to find other preschool stuff for Corinne to occupy herself with while I'm working with the boys. She is adoring the shape sorter, even though most of these foam pieces have cat teeth marks on them...

Both of the boys are working on lap books right now and I'll update more about that once they're finished. I'm finding that they are a great stand-in for the traditional book reports or class projects that children would normally work on in a public school classroom. Plus, they're perfect to use as a marker for that question every homeschooler hears: "What did you learn this year?"

Oh Crap

2009-08-31T15:43:00.000-07:00

Corinne (age 3 years, 10 months), as she colors the shapes in her preschool book today:

"Circle, circle, triangle. Square, square, rectangle. Hey Mommy? Where's the Crapezoids?"

The child made me pee. Just a bit.

First Day!

2009-08-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

Pre-School

2nd Grade

5th Grade

No tears!

Work done with effort and CORRECTLY!

The sun is shining. The breeze is blowing. And we were finished before noon.

Here's to the rest of this school year going as smoothly as today went....

Hope and Plan and Pray

2009-08-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

It's more than just a date on the calendar. It's a feeling and rhythm in the air. Tensions change, the clock is ticking and the hourglass is nearly empty. Every activity is done with a frantic need to have a Really! Fun! Time! before the opportunity slips away.

Each year, the scramble to secure the proper supplies and paraphernalia associated with the Back To School Season stresses the heck out of me. The fact that we are homeschooling this fall instead of "going to school" doesn't eliminate that stress. It's just taken on a new face!

Remembering why...

2009-08-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

I have read several "back to school" posts lately that are reminding me of why I believe in homeschooling. Complaints of gifted kids not having the opportunity to continue to grow. Worries of children who have continued to learn all summer (and not having the "summer slide" effect) who will be bored out of their minds when the material presented next week is well below their knowledge levels. Stress over children who need that extra push (but not an aide) not getting the extra time it takes to learn what's being taught...

Though I'm nervous about the initial start-up of this school year, I am more cemented in my belief that this WILL be the best thing for my kids. I have to be positive about that, or the whole system will crumble around us!

~~~
On a slightly different note, I was recently asked what was "Wrong" with our school system that I didn't want to use it. "It's not a bad school," I said "It's just not the right choice for our kids, right now." I think the question (which has been asked of me time and time again, and I've only been doing this a short time!) unnerved me because the mom was someone who is in our school district. I didn't want to give the impression that I hate our school district, because I don't! There is a very great chance that our kids will attend public school in this district again, and I am (moderately) ok with that.

But the funding HAS been cut. The classes HAVE grown. The ISN'T any help available for my children's individual needs. What can I do about that? How can I ensure that my very different kids who fall on different ends of several spectrums receive the education I feel they deserve? How can I add extra learning experiences to their day after they've spent 7 hours at public school and have an average of 1 hour (or more) of homework a night?!?

I want them to enjoy learning. I hope they remember this school year as the best year of school, ever!

Pre-game motivation

2009-08-07T07:34:00.001-07:00

The desks are cleaned.

The old papers are filed away.

Review sheets are awaiting their dusty brains.

Flip books on dinosaurs, sharks and the US government are freshly glued but empty of information.

We are heading to my parents' home tomorrow to search through my dad's vast collection of history books.

I just need some school supplies and printer ink and I will be READY TO TEACH.

Still gotta convince Patrick that Evan deserves one more chance. Once that last hurdle has been crossed, I will feel confident that we can DO THIS. I will feel confident that we can not only DO this, but do it well.

Deep breaths....

2009-08-03T16:52:00.001-07:00

Well, after being on the fence for a few weeks, it appears that Evan WILL be staying in homeschool this year. I had just gotten used to the idea of him returning to public school when he changed his mind and convinced me to let us try homeschooling for 1 more year.

And now? Now I'm.... undecided. I know that it will be 1000% more difficult with Evan here. He isn't as willing to go with the routine that works for me, Justin and Corinne. He and I don't always click quite as easily when it comes to discipline and schoolwork. We'll see... I am planning on writing up some "contracts" for the entire family to sign. Something along the lines of "I promise to work hard, to ask questions without whining, and to treat homeschooling like REAL school in that the work must get accomplished." The parent contracts will have words such as "I promise to remain patient. I promise to not focus on the negatives of homeschooling but to support myself and my WIFE (Pat's contract) in this important endeavor..." yadda yadda...

We need to commit to this. Either we're in or we're out. The goals for the year must be known and posted on the wall. What do we all want to accomplish this year? Where would we like to be at come May, 2010? How can our entire family benefit from homeschooling? How can our entire family contribute to our goals?

Taking a few deep breaths. Gearing up for the heavy stuff. I have started reorganizing the office/school space and hope to have a BRILLIANT first month. We WILL have fun! We WILL learn and discover! And we WILL do this without horrendous arguments or emotional breakdowns (me...).

Deep breaths....

Wait. Scratch that.

2009-06-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

We may be diverging from our original path here. Evan and I are in the midst of many conversations about where he will be learning next year. Let's just say this: it could go either way at this point.

And I'm ok with either direction.

A, B, C...

2009-06-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

Hey, guess who's reading?

You guessed it! Corinne!

Thanks to Starfall.com. I swear to God, she was only mildly interested in her letters and putting words together before I started showing her the site. I had used Starfall before for Evan, but it just didn't work for our schedule back then. But for Corinne, right now? She is INTO it. Between Starfall, Webkinz Jr. and JumpStart, she is really grasping the letter sounds and word chunks! She actually read the first 2 stories on the introduction to reading section on Starfall!

I hadn't realized before how many areas there were in the Starfall site. I do believe that this will be a good place to visit with Corinne and have Evan "help" her so that he can strengthen his reading skills. The words just don't come as easily for him as they did for Justin. But I think that by being the "teacher" for Corinne, he can benefit from the site without feeling like he's re-learning stuff from his old first grade classroom.

Science giveaway!

2009-06-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I have a new giveaway for a fabulous chemistry set on my other blog. Click on over to try to win the Chem C1000 for your budding scientists!!!

2009-06-07T10:52:00.001-07:00

Another topic I want to cover next year and could use some brainstorming help on:

How ALL People are Different, which makes us ALL the same.

I want to discuss different handicaps, body abilities, mental capacities, etc. I want to talk about languages, religion, ethnicity, etc. I want the kids to get a better picture of what it means to be "different." I hope that this will reinforce my mantra of "Everyone has something different about them. Some of us have our differences on the inside and some on the outside."

Any ideas for field trips/projects/good books/topics will be greatly appreciated!

A little update.

2009-05-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

Poor little homeschooling blog. All alone and neglected. Waiting for me to update with any tiny little post. Waiting for a tiny nod of attention...

Things have been... ok. Justin is still doing great at homeschooling. He takes his work, does it with little complaint, and completes most of the work correctly the FIRST TIME through. We're using his math and spelling books from public school to finish out the year and he has done so much better on them than he was doing on his own. Having the ability to have things explained more than once and not moving on until the information is more secure is definitely good for him.

Evan... Well. Evan is still struggling. He and I haven't found the proper way to communicate regarding school work. I don't feel comfortable using an unschooling method with him or anything much looser than what we're doing. I just want some basic work to be accomplished at the end of the day. That's all! The arguments he has been giving me every morning are painful and only add to the stress of my already overburdened load. Seeing as how public school ends on Wednesday of next week, we are ending at that time, too. And seeing as how public school is usually review work and parties the last week of school, I can't say that our days will be much different, either. In that regard, I don't feel worried about Evan for the rest of the school year. I know that we will have to start from scratch come the fall, anyway, so I am trying to let this one issue roll off my back for now.

My plans for the summer and homeschooling will simply be to make sure that everyone reads every day, and to get some science experiments done. Just wait till you see the chemistry set I was sent to review! If it's anything close to as cool as it looks, the kids will get more science in the summer than most kids get all school year.

I hope to make at least 3-4 lesson plans each week to be used in the fall of next year. I'm hoping to do unit studies that the boys (and Corinne) can do together, but tailored to each child's level. We'll see how that works out. Some of the themes I think we'll be doing will be:

Marine life - sharks, fish, food chains, fresh vs. salt water..

US government - chain of command, bills to laws, what does "freedom" mean?

Human body - how does each part relate to the other, labeling parts, how does the heart work, what does living a healthy life mean?

Dinosaurs - knowing the different times of the periods and eras, how the Earth was formed, what animals evolved into animals we know today?

Civil War era - causes of disagreement, what does "slavery" REALLY mean, living situations of the different classes of people, were the arguments ever really resolved? (reenactment field trip)

Fractions - Having everyone in the family really REALLY understand fractions at their own level, how do we use this in real life?

Geology - how was the earth formed? What makes gems and stones different, what geological features are in our area? (field trip to natural geological formations - Starved Rock, etc.) (field trip to gem museum)

Local history - native Americans' history of Illinois, settlers in the 1800's, their lifestyles and how each side impacted the other.

Piano - I'd like to reteach Justin the piano and have Evan learn the basics on reading music and finger placements.

History of holidays - as each holiday approaches, provide the true history of each one: Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.

More will come to me and I'll update this list so that I can use it next year. If anyone has any ideas (small or big) please let me know in the comments. I would appreciate any help from anyone who has homeschooled the lessons, too!

11 days of school left!

2009-05-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

I feel so extremely lucky that I have such a great homeschooling group in my hometown. Today we played outside with the kindergarten neighbors and then headed to meet at the local church. We made jellyfish (really cool!), watched Billy Nye on Fish, and then studied loads of sea animals that one of the group's leaders had on loan from a nature museum. Bio-cams and magnifying glasses and everything! The kids had a great time. It is STILL gorgeous out and I am off to drink some lemonade and watch the kids swing.

Check out my reviews and giveaways on JAMB!

Adios.

No title comes to mind...

2009-05-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

What a day!

We spent the day at the Field Museum in Chicago. Despite the fact that I didn't realize I had left our lunch bag on the grass beside the driveway until I bent down to get it out of the car, we had a great time. Thank GOD I had $6 singles, a $2 bill and $5 in quarters. We were able to get McDonald's downstairs and drank the juice boxes we had in the Flex's refrigerator.

We were lucky enough to go on a beautiful and uncrowded free day. The kids had lots of questions about everything we saw. In the Ancient Americas section, a museum employee who had gone on excavations to the sites we were looking at was very informative. It was really cool to talk to someone who had helped to pull the artifacts from the Earth.

Justin watched and did just about every interactive show they had. His favorite sections were the Ice Age and DNA. Oh, and any of the gems and minerals they had scattered about the museum, of course.

Evan loved every single diorama we saw. We couldn't pass up a single one! Sadly, the interactive children's area with the "make your own diorama" didn't have the pieces out and available to play with! They were being WASHED. At 3 pm. On a FREE DAY. I was not impressed with this poor planning, but he got over his disappointment even though he had been talking about building his own set-up ALL DAY. :( I'd post a picture of him playing with the 1 figurine they had left (a German shepherd, of all things!) at the ready-made Native American site, but, well, the cameras were in my bag, on the grass, in front of my house. (Thank God for a good neighborhood, right?)

Corinne was most interested in annoying her brothers and getting in and out of the stroller. She succeeded in the first and was able to add "annoy Mommy" to the list.

And now? Now they're killing each other in the other room. I have tons of things to organize and clean and my voice is pretty shot from yelling across the house. Gotta jet.

Old and festering wounds never really go away...

2009-05-08T18:13:00.000-07:00

Through a torrent of tears, he spilled the truth.

Finally.

A bully. One who tripped and laughed at my sensitive middle son. Evan claims it was a regular occurrence. One that happened on the playground. The reason that recess wasn't always a fun topic when I'd ask him how his day had gone.

"That's why I wanted to be homeschooled so bad! I hated that bully! He made me feel so sad inside!"

Tears ran down both of our cheeks.

We talked. I consoled. He released several months' worth of sadness and pent-up emotion. I listened and stroked his sweaty forehead while suffering my own torment. Why didn't he just come out and say something earlier? Because this child doesn't work that way. My baby was in anguish for God only knows how long (he even went so far as to talk about a different boy who picked on him in kindergarten) and I couldn't find the right strings to pull to help him open up.

Once he spills though? It's a lengthy episode. Many problems will be released at once, which wipes us both out.

I am so glad he opened up. I am so glad he is able to make friends in a situation where the adults are able to listen to him. The playground is a fun place for most, but brutal for those who are targeted...

Suddenly, the lights are switched on and many questions about Evan are easier to decipher...

This is what happens when you write in metaphors...

2009-05-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Today? Today has been a leaky boat day.

Many leaks.

I reallllly want to throw an oar overboard.

Tomorrow, can I go for a boat ride alone?

PLEASE?!?

The BEST part? I can't complain to my husband or I'll get the "just quit" response.

Again.

Which really only makes my hopes for this whole situation more defeating.

I feel defeated. By a 7 year old. And a 10 year old who had his own issues. And a 3 year old who only wanted to run with scissors. And glue on the table and mac n cheese congealing on the stove.

I need an extra life jacket...

The Biggest Fish Metaphor Ever Created

2009-04-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

So, there was this lake. Great spot, lots of fish.

All of the parents and children would gather upon its shore to test the waters and exclaim over the variety of fish they would catch. Some days, the kids would reel in tons of marine life: catfish, turtles, bass, walleye... Some days, they would go home empty-handed, but happy from the fresh air and chance to try new lures.

As people began to notice this lake's abundance of fish, more families would gather together on its sandy banks. Soon, the "good" fishing spots became a bit crowded. Many times, hours would be spent untangling one line from another, unsnagging hooks, and anxiously waiting for a good bite that never came.

Some families moved to new fishing spots. But many found that moving to a new spot wasn't suitable for their footwear. Not all banks are sandy and rock-free, you know!

One mother looked at her children and said,

"This fishing spot is still lovely. The view is pleasing and the water is filled with interesting water life. But my children only catch a few fish a day. Sometimes, they come home empty-handed! We can see the fish in the water, but it's hard to cast when so many are throwing their lines beside you."

She was concerned. She could see that they were becoming discouraged over their lack of bites. If they didn't fish, what would they eat? If they didn't learn to fish properly, how would they know to feed themselves as adults?

Day after day, she pondered the situation. They tried to change position on the shore. Perhaps a new fishing pole? A new reel? What could help her children catch their share of the abundant fish?

One morning, her child cast his line so far out that his pole slipped out of his hand and began to float down the shoreline! The mother frantically scrambled over rocks and brambles, chasing the pole on its path into uncharted territory. The pole snagged upon a stump, allowing her to snatch it up from the water. Exhausted, she blew the hair from her eyes and looked around at the new surroundings.

She was standing beside a dock. This dock stretched far into the lake. Tethered to the dock were a variety of boats. She watched in wonder as these boats paddled in and out and noticed something she had never considered; they were fishing from the boats! They were leaving the shore in small groups, looking for the fish! If the fish weren't by the shore or dock, the families with the boats simply tried a new spot! And the most amazing thing was that the children were smiling in the wind and helping to paddle the boat! They were learning to love to fish!!

"How can I do this, too?!?" she wondered. "Is it difficult? Do I need a special license or is this something that only the incredibly rich and privileged can attempt?"

Her surprise was unimaginable when she found her answer; Anyone can fish from a boat. All you need is the courage!

Was she brave enough, though? There was the harder question...

The boats seemed so far out in the lake. Was she strong enough to paddle that far? She then remembered that the children were all helping. No parent paddled alone...

The lake was so big! How could she cover the entire lake and help her children catch every single type of fish available? She then remembered that the crowded lake shore provided no more diversity than her own boat would provide. In fact, her children might be able to catch MORE fish, simply because the competition for each fish's attention would be less when there were fewer lures to look at.

The boats were all alone, though. Wouldn't her children get lonely, so separated from the other people on the shore? She then watched in amazement as the boats gathered upon the lake; showing each other their catches and sharing the best fishing spots. At the dock, more boats pulled in for the day, exuberantly holding up their fish and laughing as the children ran off to play. No more fishing was needed that day! Their families had caught their limit!

Determined, the mother raced back to her children. She would make this work! A new way to fish! A new method to help them love not only the fish they caught but also the process in which to FIND them!! How marvelous! Surely everyone would feel the same way about her discovery!!

The mother and her children began to go boating together. Not wanting to push them too fast, too soon, she encouraged them to learn the ways of boating before focusing on actually catching any new fish. They would throw their poles into the water everyday, and be thrilled with their ordinary bass and perch, because paddling together was definitely an effort. Some days, they needed to return to the dock early. The sun was too hot or the boat had a slow leak that needed patching. But everyday, they faithfully returned to the boat, for the enjoyment they had from the time spent together was too great to abandon for the simplicity of the crowded banks.

Gradually, the mother began to notice small miracles; The boat was springing fewer leaks. Bigger fish were being caught. Her children were leading her to spots that she hadn't even considered to fish in. New species of aquatic animals were making themselves known to the entire family. Even SHE was learning to love to fish!

Others upon the banks were too far away to see the joy that the boat was bringing the family. Not willing or able to take even a short boat ride, they turned their heads in disgust over the leaks and windburn, the choppy waves and strange coves the family was exploring. When the mother would grumble about needing another new paddle to replace the one her child had lost in the lake, the shore fishermen would demand that she give up and "give into reason" by returning to the banks. "After all," they declared, "There is only one way to properly fish."

No.

I am here to tell you that there is more than one way to fish. I am here to tell you that a leaky boat or choppy water isn't a reason to abandon your boat.

Personally? I never enjoyed shore fishing. I mean, it's okay, but I always get snagged on the plant life and there tends to be lots of pop cans littered on the banks. When I'm on a boat, though? I don't even CARE how many fish I catch! I have fun just enjoying the ride!!

Friday at the Arboretum

2009-04-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

Going with the flow...

2009-04-23T21:42:00.000-07:00

Days like tomorrow are one of the reasons that homeschooling appeals to me. We are taking a spur of the moment trip to the arboretum. It is supposed to be beautiful out and, best thing: Friday is a FREE DAY!

Rock on.

This flexibility is something I had back when the boys were little, but had lost a bit due to the scheduling of public school. I adore the fact that we are going to enjoy a little nature and fresh air. I love that the kids will get lots of exercise while having a blast. The math can wait. Monday will still come and the problems will get done then. But Friday is calling to us... All of those newly budding trees and interactive exhibits!
~~~
I did find a way to "encourage" Evan to get his paperwork done without the arguments. Now, before I tell you, just remember not to judge until you've been where I am, ok? Also remember that the idea here is to help him to enjoy learning. And he wasn't enjoying ANYthing before. In fact, we were arguing just like when he did p.s. homework.

What is this magic solution?

By Gum, it's GUM!

Yep. I paid Evan in gum to get his work done. We set the timer with pleeeeenty of time to accomplish each sheet. After each sheet was done in the allotted time, he got a high five and a piece of gum from the Easter basket.

Bribery? No more so than the bribes his public school teachers gave him for good behavior. (paw prints for finishing work which could then be turned in for special treats.)

See? I AM a Genius!!! It has been confirmed.

The remains of the monkey bread that Evan made ALL BY HIMSELF. He read the instructions, measured the ingredients, and did (almost) all of the prep work. It was delicious!

Baby steps

2009-04-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

I am still alive.

Barely.

Hanging on by a couple of threads. Hoping to keep the family on the right track. Feeling that I'm doing the right thing, but wishing I had just a touch of precognition. Just to next spring. Just to make me remember that the daily struggles aren't what matters right now.

What matters is the slow process we've begun in changing the way we look at education.

What matters is that Evan may have fought me on his spelling books today, but he read a Berenstain Bears' book. By himself. Which I had no idea he could do, until he chose it himself for free reading time.

What matters is that Evan tried to teach Corinne to read a book today and they played almost as much as they fought, which is a step in the right direction...

I guess I feel a little vindicated in this one fact; I KNOW my children. And I know them well. I knew exactly what issues Justin would have before we homeschooled him. I knew how he and I would react to each other. And I was RIGHT.

Unfortunately, I also knew exactly how Evan would react to homeschooling. I knew how he and I would react to each other. And, sadly, I was RIGHT. We're like two bull terriers, snarling over a ripped up sock...

Baby steps. Baby steps to finishing work sheets without whining. Baby steps to gaining more respect from him. Baby steps to experimenting with new responsibilities and chores. Baby steps to him actually liking school, no matter what format it is presented in...

Field Trip!

2009-04-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Instead of focusing on the not so good stuff from our venture into Chicago today, let's zero in on what DID go well, ok?

Even though we found the museum quickly, but had to drive around for half an hour before we found a parking garage (at the hospital, which makes me feel REALLY bad!) at least we got to appreciate the incredible beauty that is The University of Chicago on a sunny spring day. The architecture and design in that area is absolutely gorgeous!
The museum was only 7 or 8 blocks away and the kids ran and skipped while my heart had palpitations. Honestly, I don't know how you city parents do it!

The Oriental Institute is a small but free museum. It was worth the drive in MY opinion, but my kids were a little disappointed. Justin was expecting something else. He can't quite explain WHAT he was expecting, but it didn't live up to his imagination. Evan was soooo excited to see a mummy and then, when he finally did? He turned to me and said he wanted to go home because all of "these mummies and dead things are freaking me out!" (This is the same kid who went through the haunted house with the chain-saw guy about 20 times in a row.) Corinne, who had just eaten a huge lunch in the van, claimed she was staaaaarving and had to go hoooooome.

Wait. I said positive only, right?

Moving along.

Oooh! Big Sphinx statue from Mesopotamia!Interactive games about Assyria and Persia...
Ancient Nubian bull (minus the horns).
Justin had the camera at this point and liked this Mesopotamian chariot wheel. My question that we will google later on is this: Why isn't it ROUND?!?What happens when your 10 year old gets ahold of the camera...

Evan's favorite is, shockingly, the spear heads. "Did I blink?" (his favorite question....)

We got home in time (without getting lost!) to enjoy a quick but early dinner and soon we'll be off for more errands and functions than I care to focus upon.... Have a great weekend!

Hey, if you didn't know, I have a cool giveaway on my other site! Check it out!

Boot Camp

2009-04-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

No surprises on day 1 with Evan. We handled everything from a little boy with a "tummy ache" that didn't want to do any work to a kid who solidly refused to do something because "that's not how we did it at REAL school!" Basically, he was straight out of the text book of The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child, by Linda Dobson (excellent book. Check your library. It ROCKS.)

But there were lots of good moments. Though he struggled with his journal writing (as he always has), he was able to think of a good story to write. It was just difficult to get it from his head to the paper. That's something that will only come with lots of practice. He also surprised me with how athletic he could be. We decided to record how many push-ups, sit-ups, arm curls, and jumping jacks we could do so that we can track our progress and "become stronger than Daddy when he's not paying attention!" Dude, that kid can rock on the push-ups. And Justin is really good at the arm curls. But the biggest surprise? Corinne can crank out the sit-ups better than an army grunt after boot camp! Seriously, that girl has got some AB STRENGTH!! (Mommy, however, is a weakling who is feeling the pain....)

While we didn't cross ALL of our items from our to-do list, we did get most of them, and that is a good start. Justin did pretty well with Evan's intrusion into his "space", with just one issue with ME when I insisted he make an attempt at creative writing. Ugh. Anyone have suggestions on how to encourage a child to write, without forcing them? He is insistent that he isn't any good at it and doesn't like it. I am insistent that he COULD be good at it, if only he'd stop saying that he ISN'T! Sort of like arguing whether the word "color" should have a "u" in it or not, you know? Neither is wrong, but neither is correct...

I will be reviewing a new spelling site that sounds promising. I'll let you know more about that, soon!

Gearing up...

2009-04-10T16:41:00.001-07:00

I have the daily plan for Monday all written and organized.

Evan's little desk has everything he's used to having at "school." I want to make this transition as smooth and enjoyable for him as possible. I'm betting on the notion that by using his old workbooks and worksheets that are left from school and similar to what he was used to, that he will enjoy homeschooling, too. I'm hoping that he loves it as much as I have begun to...

~~~~

We will be going to the Oriental Institute in Chicago this week. It's a great museum. Smaller, but just the right size so that you don't leave feeling like you missed something. And, best part: It's FREE.

I haven't been there since junior high (ah, memories. I got my first period there. While wearing white capris... Lovely times...) but I remember the mummies and huge statues. I KNOW the kids will love it. We have reserved several books from the library on the different regions and time periods. I just hope they call us soon, so we can actually study them BEFORE we go! Of course, being that we are making our own schedule, we can always push the field trip back to allow ourselves time to really know what we are going to go see!

I just love this homeschooling thing more and more each day... :)

Random shots....

2009-04-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

Apparently, just the THOUGHT that she will be homeschooled is making Corinne into a super-genius prodigy who does puzzles UPSIDE DOWN....*
Geometry. Still working on classifying parallelograms properly, but he's getting there. I know that this was taught in 2nd grade. Shouldn't he have had it down pat by now? We are doing serious review on polygons and the features that make them what they are.
Finding the volume of a cube was brought into 3-D, too.
"I don't like Art, Mommy." HAHAHAHA. I fooled him into loving art by making it a social studies project...
Just wait till you see the finished products. They are AWESOME!

*For all of you newbies, that was SARCASM in my voice. M'kay?

Like Topsy we grow....*

2009-04-02T05:32:00.000-07:00

And, like that, our "schoolroom" has increased its size by half. Evan will spend his last day as a public schooler on Friday. We will honor the spring break that was scheduled by the school district, and officially restart first, fourth and preschool on Monday, April 13.

Evan is ecstatic. He yearns for his daddy, and I am positive that his emotional needs are not being met without seeing Pat. ESPECIALLY since the rest of us get to see him every day.

So! My family takes on a new direction! It is exciting and a bit daunting, but nothing that we try today is something that cannot be changed, if we decide that this isn't the right lifestyle, after all.

I feel liberated, honestly. When I pulled Justin out, I was TERRIFIED, but with Evan I am confident that there isn't ONE WAY to learn: there are many. We do not have to believe that a traditional school is the only way our children will thrive. I know that Patrick is a bit unsettled with the prospect of his children having a different childhood experience than we both did. But there will be experiences that they will have that we will be jealous of. This I am sure of.

The best thing about homeschooling, as I told Evan the other day? He will be the smartest kid in my first grade!

"I'm the only kid in your first grade, Mommy!"

Exactly. No one for him to compare himself to. He is far too concerned with how much smarter the other kids are in his class. He has placed himself as "average" or "not REALLY smart" simply because he didn't learn to read as quickly as everyone else, and doesn't guess all of the answers correctly. I see huge benefits for his confidence in his own intelligence, if everything goes according to my plans. (muwaaaahaaaahaaaaa!! I sound evil, don't I?)

That said, he DOES have school TODAY. And Corinne has ballet and Justin has some homeschooling buddies coming over to design their own coats of arms from the middle ages. Speaking of which, just WAIT till you see the castle he and I made! Complete with drawbridge, machicolations (it's a new word for our household), and a turret. Verrrrry cool!

*Anyone know which favorite book of mine I quote?

Homeschooling on the road...

2009-03-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, you just have to grab those ideas when they come to you....

I know. The genius of my wording is scary. The flow of words. The smoothness with which I deliver an idea.... Awe-inspiring. And it TOTALLY makes me seem capable of teaching my children Everything They Need To Know.

Excellent.

This was AFTER the conversation I had with Evan regarding Crack. Yes, Crack. With my 6 year old....

"Mommy, Crack is a street drug."

"Um, yes. It is."

"People might ask you to use it, but it's bad."

"Yeahhhh... but I don't think you'll be meeting anybody who will have Crack."

"But Mommy. Crack is a ROCK. But wine is alcohol. Why do you drink alcohol? You drink wine, Mommy. You do."

"Yes, but I am a grown-up and I don't drink so much alcohol that I get sick. I also don't use drugs like Crack or things like that."

"But MOMMY. CRACK is a Street Drug." (said with emphasis because I was obviously not understanding the point of his conversation. Tell me though: Are YOU understanding his point?)

"And Mo-mmy. People on the street GIVE you crack. And it's a rock you find on the street!"

The worry in his voice is obvious at this point. The poor kid adores rocks and dirt. I'm sure that the thought of not being able to play by the street with People who might have ROCKS scared him.. Basically, the kid is confused about what drugs really are, and what a "street drug" is. Too much information, too soon, with not enough answers to his worrisome questions....

Just goes to show how something as simple as drug awareness can go terribly awry in a group setting.

I am not a saint.

2009-03-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

I do not possess super-patience.

I don't have all the answers.

I am not an uber-genius-mom with crafty ideas coming out of every pore.

But can you honestly name one teacher who IS?

There isn't any one way for kids to learn. We ALL know that. Heck, even public schools TELL us that. They give us the tests to determine what "type" of learner we are. Kinesthetic, visual, audio, mixture? Then we are told what our learning type is, but nothing changes in the way the material is presented.

This isn't really a fault on the teachers. I can't imagine having 30 children asking 30 different questions. Each has their own life story, method of learning, personal issues, and health changes to deal with. Each has a speed unto their own of processing new information. It isn't Johnny's fault if he is a super speedy reader, but can't wrap his brain around the math concept from last week. It isn't within the teacher's ability to privately tutor each child on their weak points to be assured that they understand all of the material.

I am slowly knocking down the walls to the resistance for homeschooling Evan, too.

I've presented it to Patrick.

I've mentioned it to Evan.

We've discussed the ups and downs of the new scenario with the desired end results being:

- more family time.
- more time to learn about subjects that really INTEREST each child.
- no pressure for early rising. Each of my children does better with a slightly later bedtime and a slightly later waking time.
- more exercise: recess will NEVER be taken away as a punishment while homeschooling. P.E. is whatever is the most fun for us. And P.E. will never be "stacking cups while half the class climbs the rock wall" (true story.)
- more hands on education - one of my greatest desires is to take my children to every museum until we have the halls memorized. We live 40 minutes outside one of the greatest cities in the U.S.A. and have only touched upon a few of the museums due to the school's schedule.
- more exposure to people of different mind-sets - While our suburban neighborhood is fairly diverse for our area, I will be able to expose them to new cultures through day trips and diverse homeschooling groups.
- I will get to KNOW my kids. I worry for my relationship with Evan, if we DON'T homeschool. I have always said that he and I don't connect quite as much as me and Justin. Not to say that we can't communicate, but he doesn't seek me out the same way as my other 2 do. He is more content to amuse himself or to play with friends, which leads to me wondering "Who IS this kid? What goes on in his crazy little mind?" Because honestly? Evan is FUN.NY. And caring. And he doesn't get enough credit for these qualities....

That said, I have to head off. For while I WANT to teach him at home, he isn't homeschooled yet. So he has tons of HOMEWORK to finish before we can have a movie night in bed....

Yucky homework.

Too much information?

2009-03-22T13:46:00.001-07:00

Ooh! You know what will be fun? More fun than ponies and rainbows and ice cream??

Homeschooling when you have your period.

Yes. This will ROCK.

TGIF

2009-03-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

Today has been another good one. Justin and I had a long conversation as we started our 13 colonies unit in full force. He finished a couple of worksheets, and a timeline. We read over a unit plan I found online that we are using loosely to explore what it was really like in the 1600-1800's. (Big time span, I know. We're picking out what is most interesting to Justin, first).

He has done 2 days of typing and has gone from 11 wpm (on the first lesson, only) to 26 wpm. Big change, already! He has blogged every day, and I am now going to start being a bit more of a stickler when it comes to grammar and punctuation. I HATE poor grammar. Though I might personally make many punctuation problems, I at least understand the rules of the English language. To me, nothing screams of a poor education louder than easily fixed grammar, punctuation or spelling mistakes.

We are off to watch a recorded Planet Earth episode for some down time.

A taste of a possible future...

2009-03-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

Busy day today! Got a taste of what it would be like if Evan were home, too.
Catching up on some math homework at the little kid table...
Working on word recognization. Evan helped make the sentences and Corinne was able to remember a few of the same words. We changed the verbs to see the different ways the sentence could look.
Making a catapult for an Engineering badge for Cub Scouts.
It worked!

Watering our seedlings for Tiger Scouts. The daisies and marigolds are blooming first...

My homework. It still awaits me upstairs...
Red and yellow do make orange, did you know? Also, when you mix green with orange, it looks like a poopy baby diaper, apparently... Nice.
Also, this is what your 6 year old looks like with peeling scabs on his face. He fell while running home from the park. Thank God he didn't break any teeth!

Reading one of the Gregor the Overlander series for a book report.

Making vanilla pudding all. by. herself.

Measuring the house for another requirement for the Engineering badge. He will then draw the floor plan to "scale".

Whew. I am EXHAUSTED. Well, not really. But the dishes only kind of got done and the laundry is really piled up. If you add in the facts that Evan isn't himself yet, and threw a 2 hour tantrum, we read 4 chapters aloud of Junie B Jones (Evan's favorite) and also that Evan and Corinne both had baths, I would say that today is a pretty profitable day.

The kids are all playing quietly. Justin is doing Legos. Evan is spinning in circles, killing invisible Jedi enemies, and Corinne is in her room doing something quietly (let's hope it doesn't involve cutting a doll's hair...)

I am off to tackle that laundry!

A silent and sneaky beginning...

2009-03-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

Spoke with the VP at Justin's school today. She was very kind and understanding. Seemed to be accommodating when I asked if he could still attend his recorder concert and get his workbooks to finish up for this year. I still need to send the formal letter in, but Justin was home today ANYway, as he has a horrible hacking cough that would have been disruptive and not conducive to his own learning.

Speaking of which, we had a decent day at home. DESPITE his incredibly irritating cough (I would not make a good nurse, right?) we still worked through some of his fractions questions and did some division review (which he needed work on, thanks to all of the studying they had done for the freaking ISAT tests...). He also read a basic book on Lewis and Clark, and then did a simple review over that book. We will expand upon more of their journeys and maybe make our own version of the map that they formed. Not sure, yet. We played Scrabble and gave extra points for using a word from the spelling list I found online (all words he would have no problem spelling, but I want to incorporate the basics each week, especially since I don't have his workbooks from school yet.)

We're hoping to attend a homeschool gathering tomorrow, providing that he isn't coughing up a lung. It is GORGEOUS out and all 3 of my kids are inside, looking pitiful. Even Evan seems to be coming down with the dreaded cold!!! This is Not. Fair. It is supposed to be 70 out on Tuesday. All of them should be allowed to be outside, running around. But I have a feeling that this will not be the case...

Ahhhh.... wellllll.... okay, then....

2009-03-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

Justin woke up still feeling groggy and unmotivated. I looked at him and said to myself "This is stupid. If he doesn't want to go to school today, don't make him." I told him we could either do homeschool today or he could tough it out at school. He chose to stay home.

And?

It's been GOOD.

I know, I know. Honeymoon period, and all. But today, even with a headache and feeling drowsy, we worked on fractions (where he figured out what I was talking about when I said to make it a more condensed number!), played a geography game with an inflatable globe, he wrote in his journal, and we hit the library where we checked out a ton of books. He is now enjoying his free reading time while Corinne plays quietly behind me. I am off to cook lunch and hope to continue our discussion on how we wish to begin the solar system unit.

I even managed to do the dishes and laundry, so the house isn't falling apart... YET. Being busy was never an excuse before, and it STILL fell apart repeatedly!

We are extremely busy this weekend, but I am planning on drafting a letter to the school requesting that he attend his recorder concert ANYWAY, if I pull him out NOW.

Crossing my fingers....

My first attempts at "planning"....

2009-03-11T18:00:00.001-07:00

WWW.TheTeachersCorner.net is NEAT. There are printable worksheets that will design quizzes and word scrambles, basic knowledge checking info that they have available or information that I want to use from my own study units.

Since Justin really wanted to start on the Solar System (he loves space, but didn't feel like they got to do enough on it in school), I included a match and find, using the information from the library books I checked out on the solar system. Everything he needs to know for the worksheet is right there in the book. He just needs to find it. I'm hoping that these worksheets will help him transition into a homeschooling frame of mind a bit easier than just being all loose and unstructured. I am definitely for a looser teaching style, but think he is a child that needs help with focus and goals. Probably more of a Montessori style, with saying "by the end of this time period, you should have accomplished A, B, and C. Do them in whatever order or speed you need, but keep on task!"

I've also laid out a tentative plan for ways to incorporate spelling and math into the solar system unit. We're going to make a to-scale model of the system, with interesting information about each planet. He will be allowed to make the planets out of whatever medium he wants and we'll use our math skills to figure out how big each planet should be in centimeters or inches based upon the measurements in our space books.

I've also thumbed through the Webelos Cub Scout book and am loving the idea of dual accomplishments! When I showed Justin how we could utilize most of the requirements for the achievements in the handbook, he was pretty intrigued (well, as intrigued as a 10 year can get when his mom shoves a book in his face while he's playing army men...).

I am reading a book from the library titled "The First Year of Homschooling Your Child" by Linda Dobson. Easy to read. Very empowering. Makes me feel as though I truly am able to pull this off!

T minus 19 days...

2009-03-11T09:55:00.001-07:00

Ok, folks. This is where I plan on recording what Justin and I (and Corinne! She'll be doing some preschool stuff while Justin and I do the more complicated work) are accomplishing. I hope to use this as not only a journal of how we FEEL about this adventure, but also on what is working or not and on ideas I have that I don't want to lose. Handwritten notes aren't always my best bet, anymore.

Please, if you see me scrambling for ideas on a unit or something, I'd love any brainstorms you might have!

Also, let's keep this blog POSITIVE. I don't need any criticism, nor will I allow negativity to remain in the comments. Just an FYI, for any potential trolls.

Wish me luck!