January 10, 2014

Well... we had a good start and then the week fizzled.  Wednesday was the "math" day.  Thursday we ran errands and I gave up when I remembered that I would be in town most of the evening too.  Today was improved somewhat.

The new format I tried out this week for a check list didn't work for me.  I felt kind of lost.  Currently tweaking it again for next week.

Math - I went back and reread a post I had made last year about the same subject - time spent on math.  Some new posts were added by homeschool parents who have taught math and science on the college/university level.  Their comments buoyed me.  Yes, we need to have a strong base in arithmetic, but it shouldn't take more than an hour each day to achieve.  Today I started to scale back on the number of math problems we do in a lesson.  I'm trying to find the sweet spot where we can maintain previously learned material while doing the fewest problems possible.

A couple of weaknesses we have to shore up.
1) I haven't figured out a way to help her recall of math facts.  Sometimes it's there and sometimes it isn't.  I've looked at Timez Attack a few times.  Someone also mentioned Reflex.
2) She waits for me to explain things to her.  She needs to be able to look at a problem set and figure out how to work that particular set of problems without a mommy review.

Math - disgruntled

Looks like this might be a yearly theme:  Math (March 2013)

Spent a ridiculous amount of time on a math lesson today.  I am disgruntled.

Happy

Happy in a content way.

When you finish a school day and feel like smiling that is a very good thing.  : )

I also want to put in a plug for Prima Latina from Memoria Press.  I tried this with my other girls years ago.  It was the blind leading the blind and I couldn't see the path ahead.  It really helps that I now know a wee bit of Latin and that much of this is review for 11yo (Lively Latin has been our main program).  It is a nice blend of English grammar and a gentle introduction to Latin.

I need inspiration

We haven't  had school for over two weeks!  We could have restarted this week, but I just could not make myself.  Teachers need a break too.

And you know what?  I'm not feeling excited about Monday either.  I'm sitting here with my homeschool notebook trying to look for some inspiration.

Lessons like "Checking division with multiplication" and "Using good and well" aren't quite cutting it.

History, will you save us?  Yes, I think history is the ticket.  11yo loves history.

Climbing Parnassus

Woo Hoo!  Found this at a used bookstore this evening.

Usborne First Encylopedia of the Human Body

Finally finished another book for the donation pile (grandkids :).

We haven't worked on school in over a week.  I'm having serious withdrawals.  I'm sure I'll be cured the first day.  Lol!

Christmas Break

We didn't get to school today (doctor's appointment and more shopping), so I officially called "Christmas Break."  I also informed 11yo that we will start back up after Christmas.  She said, "Un hunh (informal yes)," but I'm not sure if it really registered.

This evening she read more Tales of the Odyssey to me and I read more from the body book and Peter and the Star Catchers to her.

No school?

I'm even more behind than normal on Christmas shopping this year due to the week when we had ice on the roads.  Today that meant that we never got to school.  It feels so .... wrong.  And I'm afraid that tomorrow will be more of the same.

Delivery Woes (update)

For Black Friday Memoria Press offered free shipping.  Trying to save money, I bought the sixth grade curriculum package.  What I didn't pay attention to or worry about was that free shipping meant book rate with the USPS.  The boxes arrived in poor condition and "held together with tape" condition.  Numerous items were missing.  I wrote about it here: Detour Over & Delivery and Delivery Woes.

Memoria Press and I have been in contact and they have been gracious.  They replaced all the missing items and paid for shipping through UPS.  Today the box arrived in great condition and the books inside were pristine.

Before this happened, I believed it was the business's responsibility if the goods were damaged before they reached my home.  But this ordeal taught me something.  If I consciously choose to use a shipping option that is less reliable I am increasing the chances of a loss.  If the company replaces the lost or damaged items, those losses will eventually be passed along to the consumer - me.  I want to support businesses that deal with homeschoolers not hurt them.

I will be carefully choosing my shipping options next time I make an order.

Testing vs. Education

(I am not a writer.  Enough said.)

I've had a headache for several days. It is hard to feel excited about education when you don't feel good.

I've been feeling weighed down with scheduling math and grammar.  How could I possibly reach my goals before standardized testing takes place in May?  The more I thought about it the more discouraged I felt about doing math and grammar six days a week to reach my goals before testing.  As toad would say, "Blah."

The age old "testing vs. education" argument rolled around in my head.  Where should my focus be?  Testing or education?  I know the answer.  I know.  Education.  It should be about education.  Standardized testing is merely a hoop to jump through as proof for lawmakers that its citizens are being offered an education in the most basic of basics (awkward but I'm going to leave it for now).

Does checking off one math lesson or one grammar lesson excite me? No.  Are these subjects necessary?  Without a doubt.  They, along with reading, are the foundations of communication.  Without them we cannot communicate ideas to our fellow beings.  We cannot begin to participate in the great conversation.

It is a shame that some people do not realize that there is more beyond the 3R's.   They do not know what they are missing.  They view school as something to endure.  I was in this category and have the tendency to revert to that perspective.  I am there now.

As I looked at 11yo's standardized test scores from July 2012, I realized that she will do just fine in May 2014 and again in 2017.  And, I reminded myself that no one can truly evaluate a child's academic achievements with a mere 20-30 questions per subject.

If testing is not the driving force in education then what?  What makes me downright giddy when I share it?  Gilgamesh?  Odysseus?  Latin?  Yes!  I barely know them myself and yet I feel ... joy? as we learn of them.  I feel joy sharing things with my children that were hidden from me.  Together I hope we can join the great conversation.

This is education - to share with others what excites you, what you love.