Sep. 8, 2008
First Week of School in Review...
Posted in Educational Pursuits
Art print courtesy of www.allposters.com; Country Panel IV, Schoolhouse, by Warren Kimble
We 'officially' began our school year last week. It has been the most organized and smoothest flowing school year yet. It is the start of our fifth year of home educating our children, and I can breathe a sigh of relief, because I FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT. Thank goodness!! No more self-doubt, no more self-recriminations, because I have cracked the code of home educating and from here on out we *will* have smooth sailing.
*sigh*
Well, that was a pleasant dream while it lasted.
I'm still not quite sure where I went wrong. Books for the entire year *before* the school year begins: check. Schedule for each child, complete with projects and activities: check. Weekly schedule free of all outside distractions: check.
So how do I go from there to here, which is giving the boys the morning off of school so that I can totally re-write Piper's schedule for the year? Well, maybe it began with the fact that as I watched him work diligently and with minimum dinkage time* last week, his work day went about two hours longer than I had planned. And we hadn't even incorporated all of his daily subjects yet. *wince*
I thought maybe it was just the first day, you know? That maybe, just maybe, he used more dinkage time that I had seen (they can be pretty sneaky at 14 about dinkage time; I know I was). Maybe it wasn't the schedule, maybe it was him.
Well, the next two days didn't get any better. So I did what any good mother would do: I panicked. If you were visiting my blog last week on Thursday evening, you maybe saw a real-time conversation happening on my cbox in the corner, whereby a fellow blogger took time out of her busy evening to talk me down off the rooftop. Thank you, my friend. She was not alone in her encouragement, sympathy, and practical advice. Another dear friend popped in and gently pointed out the truth to me as well. Thank you, as well. You are dear friends that I have never met in real life, but are the reason I blog.
What they gently pointed out was that maybe, just maybe, I had Planned Too Much. *gasp* The bottom fell out of my world for a few moments, not because I would have to pick through curriculum Already Purchased, but because It Had Happened to Me: I ignored my inner voice about how our home school works best and instead I was seduced by the curriculum this year.
I was floored.
*That* was what happened to other people! *That* would never happen to me! I *know* what is best for my children. I don't waste money on curriculum only to not use it, I don't overschedule my children, and I will never lose our vision for our home school.
Well, you know what they** say: Never say Never.
I'm not quite sure how it happened.
I got the catalogs last spring, and piled them up until I had a free weekend. I made my list, and checked it twice. I felt the impending pressure of high school on my shoulders. I repeatedly answered the question "Are you sending him to a real high school?" by well-intentioned (cough) inquisitors. I re-checked the curriculum catalogs. I purchased a high school curriculum book. I purchased another one. I made Jigger's schedule first and took a looooong time on it as an avoidance technique (by the way, in the interest of, well, interest, it's [you guessed it] interesting to note that Jigger's year has never started off better, or with more projects and fun things; he's completely pleased with his year, as am I). I let Piper's books sit untouched, unexplored, and pretended the whole mess didn't exist until about three days before the start of our school year. Yep, three days.
Can't see where I went wrong, can you?
*sigh*
I guess I got caught up in the false delineation that is high school. No, there really is no difference in how you educate your child from one level to another. Or at least, there shouldn't be. I simply wanted to make sure I was hitting all of their (see 'they' below) high school requirements In Addition To mine. Not in place of, in addition to.
So, now that I see the lunacy that was my life last week, I'm going to put the brakes on this school before we make ourselves miserable. The boys will clean out the truck this morning and dig up their archeaological dig while I attempt to revise Piper's school year. And while I feel properly humbled by my set-down, I'm grateful it happened too. I'm grateful I have the knowledge and freedom to change this before it gets ugly, before he hates school, and before I go mad. Home educating our own children is such a blessing, and today I am feeling blessed indeed.
*dinkage time= time spent dinking around avoiding current duty set before him (as an aside, my Faithful Readers, I can't imagine where he got that trait from, can you?)
**they= a collection of snooty people who do everything right, all of the time; also commonly referred to as 'smarty-pants.'
Comments
Sep. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by sonoranstamper
One wonderful thing about home educating is that we can 'start over' and we haven't lost anything!!! We can adjust, shift, and move things around and not lose a beat. We are continually 'educating' our children, maybe just not in the 'classical school room style'. He is learning, from you, to be flexible and, even though you may have panicked ~ he he he ~ he's also learning how to 'recover' and move on!!
THAT, I believe, can't be taught in ANY book!!! Those epotimize the words 'train up a child in the way they should go....' It doesn't say 'educate a child...'
You have intelligent, gracious children who are very well trained ! :} How do you think they got that way? You and your hubby!!! DON'T FORGET THAT!!!!
Way to keep on keepin' on, my friend!!!
((((((((HUGS)))))))))) from QC!!!
Robyn
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Sep. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Mommyto3inAZ
What a wonderful way to spend the morning of Our Blessed Mother's birth---giving a gift to your teenager! I'm so proud of you for adjusting this so quickly, my how you've grown young lady!!!!!!
Love you
T
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Sep. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Sandpiper
'Dinkage time', I think I like that term and I might have to borrow it! At least you have come to your realizations before you got too deep into the school year! Better to re-evaluate now, before everyone is grumpy!
I hope this week goes better for you!
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Sep. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by solidrock
Awe...been there...more than once. Bless you! And here I am this year on the opposite end with my gals finishing way too early in the day. But I realized that we had not yet added in Art and a few other hobby things. So I am going to leave it be. ( the schedule)
I am changing a few things. We are taking a walk every morning as the weather is so beautiful. We all benifit. I am also trying to back off and let the gals do more of the science experiments without me.
Now my 17yo is a different story. He will take FOREVER to do his school, skip assignments, ect. It has been a struggle from day one and prayer by prayer for mom. ( ME)
So my friend I am praying that this week you will find joy in the journey! That with prayer and tweeking you will find what works for your family. It is okay to throw out the schedule if it is binding and not working! I hope you have a wonderful week this week!
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Sep. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Keri
This is humorous!
We homeschool moms have a hard time fitting so many subjects into a day!
I usually end up skipping one subject each day.
Usually art or spelling!
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Sep. 8, 2008 - Hugs!
Posted by ThreeLittleLadies
How is the revision coming? I pray the Lord would give you wisdom in this reconstruction, and that it would work well this time.
Carol
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Sep. 8, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em>
Posted by loobylou1971
I am forever changing things around. We can only live and learn by our mistakes.
That is what is so wonderful about home education - we can start over again if we do it wrong, and that is a very valuable lesson for our children to learn - that us parents get things wrong sometimes too.
Hope it goes well for this week.
Lou x
Edited by loobylou1971 on Sep. 8, 2008 at 5:39 PM
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Sep. 8, 2008 - Loving the Student More Than the Studies
Posted by 40winkzzz
I know I should post something really profound and encouraging here, but it's late (actually, it's early) and my vocabulary has gone to bed, as should I. I will say that you had me fooled almost all the way thru the first paragraph. I will also say this: Good for you! You remembered that the Student is more important than the Studies. I have a very hard time remembering that sometimes. (Not that I pile on too much work, necessarily, but I often fall into making the "studies" a god and lose sight of what it's really all about.) I think you have probably encouraged a lot of people by taking time to post this. Thanks!!!
As for me... We're "doing school", but not full-tilt yet. I don't have our studies very organized or planned out yet; I have some plans but am winging it on other things, which i don't like. It is such a busy season right now for us and I just haven't had time to pull my act together. Plus it just takes time for my ideals to be tested against the reals, if you know what I mean. (Well, of course you do-- that's what your whole post was about.)
I have been pretty disciplined about staying out of the blogosphere during the day. then I make up for it into the wee hours. Not a good thing. Small wonder I don't get up until 8 or 8:30, even though my 'plan" says 6:30...
Edited by 40winkzzz on Sep. 9, 2008 at 12:56 AM
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Sep. 9, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em>
Posted by callmekate
You know, today was our first day of school. Middle son did great. Oldest son slept late (after repeated warnings) dragged his feet and had a lousy attitude. Youngest daughter was sweet until she had to think (oh, goodness) then things went downhill from there. Husband announced he was off to bed (he's working those night shifts, remember) and looks at me like he wants me to join him - um, sorry, I'm busy.
The reason I'm telling you all this? You just wrote the blog I had thought about writing. But I've decided that tomorrow is another day. We ended our day today by going to the beach. That made everything all better.
I hope things improve quickly (and they will, I have faith in you and we both have faith in God!)
May the Lord give you a blessed week and peace of mind!
Kate (who is much relieved in her heart about Todd and very much appreciates your comments and prayers!)
Edited by callmekate on Sep. 9, 2008 at 2:22 AM
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Sep. 9, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by blessedwith2angels
Don't you love the *well intentioned people* who ask you, "Are you sure you know what you're doing? Do you have any experience in high school?" etc. Smarty Pants is a good word for them.
I had a family member tell me a few weeks ago that I should put both kids back in school and get a job. Ummm... I was a teacher.
Hope this school week is going much better. :)
Pam
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Sep. 10, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by mojmommy
It happens to all of us at one time or another. The great and wonderful thing is you caught it!!!! You are also willing to adjust and that is what makes you a GREAT homeschool mom.
Be blessed,
Chasity
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