Homeschool Friday

The week began with something new on the homeschool front.  Silje was trying to convince me that we should skip school on Monday, since it was Valentine’s Day, so that she could watch all the cartoon specials.  She said we could just catch up on another day.  I had to try to explain to her that we don’t just skip school on a whim.  Sometimes, the family needs to make a trip to the big city, like yesterday, and we work around that schedule.  However, we don’t ever skip school for the purpose of becoming a television drone.  I would have delayed if she suggested a day of crafts, or for preparation for one of her extravagant concerts…since it was a holiday and all.  In the end, we had school in a coffee shop, so it was a fun treat that day.

We started something new, inspired by The Year of Miss Agnes book we had been reading, and have now finished.  The teacher in there gave each of her students a book for words.  Each time they asked how to spell a word correctly, she would put it in their book so that they could look it up later.  It’s like having a personal dictionary of most commonly used words for each child.

So we pulled out a blank composition notebook for Silje, and I had her write one letter of the alphabet on the top of the first 26 pages to organize the words.  She is quickly filling her spelling dictionary, and she’s not allowed to spell a word wrong once it is written in there.  Not only does she love the idea, but Knut thinks I’m a genius.  Double bonus.

We are quickly approaching the ‘problem’ of running out of curriculum this year.  I saw it coming, and tried to slow down and add supplemental materials from the library as we go along.  She has less than a month left of math for the year.  She only has 6 readers left, which she could quickly finish in a week, discussions, projects and all if I let her.  The reader problem is easy to fix with a library card.  She’s been reading 2-3 extra books in between each reader, and I’ve given her much more poetry to read as that is her current favorite.

The math however, will quickly become a problem.  I have run out of ideas for supplementing the material.  She’s simply going through it too quickly, and hates extra busy work in this subject.  I’ve been debating whether or not to continue with Saxon math, or to move to the Math U See program instead.  After much inner turmoil, I’ve finally decided that it’s not the Saxon math that I dislike, as much as the teacher handbooks that go with them.  I feel that they’re redundant, and unnecessary.

I love the feedback I’ve heard from Math U See, but I’ve already bought the manipulatives for Saxon math through 3rd grade, and I’d have to buy a completely different set of manipulatives for the other program.  I could research for a few more months, but I hate the idea of Silje being without any math work from March until September.  That’s half a year wasted.  So I found a place I could buy just the math workbook, instead of the complete 2nd grade package including the teacher’s manual.  So when Silje finishes up her math for the year, we can move seamlessly into 2nd grade math.  I’m sure I can handle this level without the manual, and so far am confident with this decision.  I’m going through the workbooks now, and already have ideas on supplementing this material.  We’ll be just fine.

I have also made the decision to set science aside until this summer.  There are so many projects in there, and so many things we could do that I really think David would enjoy, but he has a hard time concentrating on right now.  I’m sure that given a few more months, and with the option to do the reading and projects outside in nice weather, he’ll be much more likely to join us in this subject.

For science, we’re supposed to be studying astronomy.  I figured that maybe I could do something like whoever gets their section of the garden weeded gets to stay up late to look at the stars with us.  I’m praying that will work, because I just hate weeding.

At any rate, the month we took off for Christmas was so tough on the kids, and I know we won’t make 3 whole months of summer without any school.  I’ve heard many families say they leave science for summer, and I thought that maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea.

I’ve been so much better being on top of piano practice and Chinese lessons.  Those 2 most often get dropped on busy days.  Silje is still learning to take her time and do things right the first time. She knows that when her work is done, she can play with her siblings or have free time.  I don’t “grade” her work yet, but make her fix all of her mistakes and insure she gets every concept in subjects before we move on.  If it’s pretty evident that it wasn’t a matter of not understanding, but just too much haste, I’ll make her redo the assignment.  That’s been happening more often then lack of understanding.  I’m trying to teach her that the fastest way to get work done is to do her best the first time. 

For those things like piano, or writing in a journal, where it’s difficult to “grade” I have to set the timer.  She loves the timer because it’s so objective. 

I’m learning so much about teaching this year, it’s exciting.  I’m sure, like always, when David starts school full time I’ll have to learn a whole new set of rules!