Musing Grace

• Dec. 10, 2009 - Win an ipod:)

• Dec. 10, 2009 - Loving December!!!

Christmas is approaching so quickly!  I love this time of year and am really enjoying all the fun activities December holds.  Today I asked the kids to write a bit about their favorite part of Christmas.  Here is what they wrote (verbatim): M (dd 12, special needs): "My Favorite thing about Christmas" I like to open presents to get more stuff.  I like driving round look at Christmas lights.  I like having a party with food and present. B (ds 6): My favorite thing about Christmas is it is Jesus Birthday.  I like celebrating because I love him.  I also like presents. Here are a few pics from some of the things we have done this month to get us in the Christmas spirit: Navy bean helped me bake Apple Cinnamon bread for the teachers at B's tutorial: We went to the Grand Ole Opry to see the Rockettes Christmas show: Of course we had to decorate this tree!!!: Daddy helped the kids decorate red velvet cupcakes to take to the family: We made a huge mess bringing out the decorations: And all of this wears poor little Navy bean out:

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• Dec. 9, 2009 - Hello? Motivation...are you out there?!?!?!

I don't know if it's the holiday season or what, but my motivation to get our school work done is missing.  I remember feeling the same way last year.  Last year we ended up taking off almost a month around Christmas time.  Thus, we had to extend our school year too far into the summer for my liking.  So, I am determined not to let that happen this year.  It is SO hard though when all I want to do is prepare for the holidays...shopping, baking, wrapping, decorating.....all sounds so much more fulfilling than math, language, and history.  But, I am forced by default to be the grown up here so we are plugging along.         Yesterday B had his Christmas party at his tutorial.  They went all out as far as food goes.  Everyone seemed to have a good time.  Well, with the exception of little Navy Bean.  I do not know what was wrong with that child but she whined the entire time we were there.  So that was fun.  Oh, it was also fun cleaning up the plate of food B spilled after trying to hold his plate and drink while moving a stool.  Yes, I had told him to set the plate down first.  No, he did not choose to listen.  Also fun was finding a huge chunk of melted ice in the pocket of my jacket.  Must have fallen in while I was attempting to carry two plates, my two year old, and three drinks down a flight of stairs.  Good times, good times.  Fortunately the kids were oblivious to the chaos.  Here they are chowing down on some of the great food:        Well, guess it's time to get back to work.  It's 11:30 and we have only gotten through spelling, language, and reading.  And if you see my motivation will you send it back?

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• Dec. 2, 2009 - Science gone bad

Over the summer I participated in a "Science in a Bag" swap with about 20 other local hser's.  For those of you unfamiliar with this type of swap, you simply make x number of bags (depends on how many participants) of your assigned experiment.  All of the other participants do the same and when you get together everyone gets one of each different experiment.  Anyway,  I diligently put together my bags and was so excited to see what we would receive in return.  We met at the library to swap out our experiment bags.  I came home with a giant box of goodies.  My goal was to do one experiment per week.  Ahahaha....that is just NOT happening.  Okay, here goes my gripe list: 1. Many of the experiments require a "sunny spot" whether it be for growing seedlings or a sun clock.  Problem is, there is not many sunny spots mid-winter in TN. 2. Many experiments take several days to weeks to complete.  Really?!?!  Maybe it's just my kids, but interest is about zilch after a few days. 3. Some experiments require the use of live, creepy, crawly beings including flies, spiders, and crickets.  I, for one, approach these creatures armed with a shoe...not a glass jar. 4. Of the experiments we have tried, over half have been unsuccessful.  So, either I am just an inadequate science experiment conductor or they are just flawed.  I stand by the latter. 5. The term "Science in a Bag" is fallacious for several reasons.  The most prominent being that there are additional supplies required.  So, it isn't really an experiment in a bag.  It is part experiment in a bag and part search around the house and hope you can find stuff that's not in the bag. 6.  Did I mention that we have had several failed experiments.  Let me detail the most recent for you. Today's "simple experiment" was to show that the entire Earth is a magnet utilizing a needle. two styrofoam balls, and a bowl full of water.  All you were instructed to do was to put the two balls on each end of the needle, and (keeping it steady in the center of the bowl) let it fall freely into the water.   Apparently it was supposed to show the northern magnetic field (okay, I forget exactly what it was supposed to do as I threw it away in anger...but you get the point).  Then we were to mark a dot on the end that pointed North and we would see that it pulled to the North everytime it was freely dropped in the water.  Oh, really...is that it?  Because when I did it all we had was a needle with two balls bobbing around aimlessly.  See....even the kids look befuddled:             Okay, i'll admit it.  This has been posted in frustration.  The next time you fail at a first grade science experiment, check your dignity level and it is likely you will write a similarly embittered post on the evils of science bags:)      On a lighter note, I would like to start adding a quote of the day. Kids always say funny things and I never think to write them down.  So, everytime I post I will write down a "funny" from one of my kiddos.  Today's quote comes from B following one of my many singing performances throughout the day: "Mom, if you ever had a band it would be called 'The Really Bad Singers'".  Thanks bud.

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• Nov. 30, 2009 - Science notebooking...

This year we are using Apologia's Exploring Creation with Astronomy for Science.  We are loving this book!!  We are working pretty slowly through the book, reading about a chapter per week along with a variety of  relevant read alouds.  B always picks out books on space from the library (by choice) which tells me he is really engaged in this years topic!    Here's a peek at the notebooking we've done so far this year:    From M's notebook:                                                                              From B's notebook: From B's notebook: B's tutorial uses Apologia and most of what you see above is "homework" we do throughout the week.  This is our first experience notebooking.  The kids enjoy making all of the mini books and looking back over all the work they've done....what a great way to get that review in!!!

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• Nov. 30, 2009 - Monday is half over!!

For that, I am VERY happy.  Today doesn't seem to be one of our "on" days.  We got a late start to school.  No good reason for...I was just enjoying my coffee and the kids were playing together.  Yup, playing....there was no fighting, whining, beatings involved.  And, come on, who wouldn't take advantage of such a rare opportunity?  We finally did get started around 11.  M was off from the get go.  We read a chapter from SOTW and did some map work.  We began spelling and this is where things went downhill...and fast.  After the first word M told me she felt "like she was in another world".  I asked her to tell me more about that, but that darn Autism simply doesn't allow for a great conversation.  I am always at such a loss at times like this.  Is she faking it to get out of work or is she truly feeling "weird"?  I decided to go with the latter today as she recently started on a new ADD med.  and I don't know how it may be affecting her.  It may be making her feel different but, with her lack of ability to verbally express her feelings, I just don't know.  I guess i'll be making a call to her psychiatrist today.  Anyway, she has been on the couch while B and I did school.  Navy bean decided to join us and got out a few of her pre-school bags.  She did a little beading and an alphabet match puzzle.  B still has some work to do, which I guess I should encourage him to do rather than posting on my blog:)  Here's a few pics of how our school day is going..... This is B doing some copy work from FLL: Here's Navy bean intensely beading: And here's M.....what am I going to do with this girl?!?!

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• Nov. 29, 2009 - Who knew i'd EVER read history for fun!

• Nov. 25, 2009 - Homeschooling is to Autism as food is to the body...

It's a necessity.  Well, for our family anyway:)  And just like food, it's a necessity that I take great pleasure in!  The only regret I have is that I did not take my dd's education into my hands sooner.  Here's a little background info.: -M attended a special needs pre-K program at a local school.  This was prior to her Autism dx, therefore no intensive Early Intervention programs specifically geared towards Autism were provided. -M went on to a special needs K-3 classroom.  Yup, you read that right.  My little 5 year old was put into a class with 3rd graders!  In fact, her recess was spent not at the Kinder playground, but with the general upper grade population.  As there was only one other Kindergartner (a boy) at recess with her, she had very few friends and played by herself most of the time.  I know this because I spent several recess periods stalking the school with my mom.  Oh yeah, complete with binoculars and all:)  -M cont. in special education for the next two years.  I will admit that she did have one amazing teacher that worked well with her.  This, I have found, is extremely rare. -We moved out of state M's 3rd grade year. Although we had a diagnosis of Autism at this point, the school did their own testing and found that she was "educationally retarded".  Great, yet another label.  Again she was placed in special ed., no inclusion. -I attended IEP meetings religiously.  I pushed for at least partial mainstreaming.  I introduced the Theory of Mind concept to the IEP team in hopes of improving her social skills.  I begged them to monitor the friends she had after one fellow special needs 3rd grader told my dd she had been molested and called our house to say she was drunk.  All to no avail.  The problem with an IEP is that there is simply NOT the staff to apply it.  Once I realized they were just filling out paperwork as oppossed to truly dedicating themselves to a plan for M, I pulled her out.  Now, for those of you considering homeschooling your Autistic child, let me tell you, it's a challenge.  Every. Single. Day.  In fact, it was so much of a challenge that I actually put her back in ps for a year.  Looking back, I know that I had simply not prepared enough, was not connected with other homeschoolers, and heartily doubted my abilities.  When I decided to give it another go, about a year later, I had researched all types of curriculum, connected with a local homeschooling group, and felt confident I could do a better job than the ps.  One thing that confirmed my decision was the work my dd was bringing home from school.  She was bringing home math worksheets with double digit addition.  These were corrected by the teacher and graded as A's.  I couldn't believe how much she had improved!  She couldn't even add at the start of the year.  Upon inquiry, I discovered that she was using a calculator for allof her math work!  WTH??!?!?!  Apparently they didn't have the confidence that she would ever learn to add.  Granted, it's been a S-L-O-W process, but she IS learning how to add at home.  Yes, we are using a first grade curriculum and she is 12, but who cares!  She is learning....more than I can say for what she was doing there! My point, to those of you hsing or considering hsing your special needs child, is to just hang in there.  Progress may be slow, but it will come.  There is no one that can teach your Autistic child like you can.  Although frustration may arise, your child knows that your love is unconditional.  I think that comfort and security provides our Autistic kids the BEST environment for learning.  No bullying, no harassing, limited external stimuli, the list goes on and on.  We as parents can implement an IEP without all the formality.  We know our childs learning style.  We know when they have had enough and need a break.  We know when they are "faking us out":).  So, in honor of Thanksgiving, I would just like to say how thankful I am for the opportunity to hs my Autistic dd and her brother and sister.  Life is pretty darn good.

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• Nov. 21, 2009 - Our little schoolroom

Well, now that I have figured out how to post pictures, it's time to show off our little schoolroom.  And when I say little, I mean LITTLE.  However, I still managed to squeeze in 3 desks, two computers, a small bookshelf, and two sets of workbox shelves:)  Yes, it is crowded but it does the job.  The kids seem to focus so much better when we are in their schoolroom.  Last year we worked at the dining room table and it was a nightmare.  Everything was scattered all around the house and I felt like I was constantly looking for supplies.  The fact that the kids would get up and wander around everytime I had to go searching for something didn't help either.  Anyway, here's where we do school (this was taken in August and we've added a few poster, etc, since then).  I am happy with our little space for now, but look forward to the day that we can convert a portion of our garage into an extra room!!!  So here's what it looks like now:

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• Nov. 21, 2009 - Woo hooo.....

I did it!!!  I figured out how to put pictures in my blog...thank you forum people:)  This is from Indian Days celebration last week!  Can't wait to start including pics in my posts.....

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