September went quickly.  It also went very smoothly!  Praise God!

I was seeing early on that my son was taking on responsibility for his work and he was finding a measure of satisfaction in the curriculum materials' layout.  He's found some motivation in recieving grades on tests and writing assignments.  Without my nudging at all he's discovered he enjoys working diligently to pay himself with a good grade outcome. 

Tests and grade-keeping is not something we've done in the past to any extent; our state doesn't require it and to this point I've seen no need for it.  I think he's at the right stage for these things to be useful to him personally so I'm glad they came about when they did.

In a previous post I mentioned how he did on a science test (poorly).  I prayed God would help me help him to turn that into a learning step.  He had another science test for which he had to study (also a new concept to him) and this time he pulled all the elements of preparation together and payed himself with a grade of 100%!

All core subjects are going swimmingly and our days are flowing nicely!  God is good!

I love today's scripture verse.  Of course it'll change so I'll post it within because I think it's a good one that can relate to blogging/journaling.  And, it's certainly one that I should remind myself of whenever I post something!

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  Ephesians 4:29/KJV

Amen?  Amen!

We have certainly kept ourselves from being idle around here!  Schoolish stuff is going remarkably well.  We're blessed, praise God!  This is the best year ever.  Previous years were also "best" years but this one is a "new stage" year.  Kind of like that feeling children have about Christmas coming!  That twinkly, wow-something's-different, excited feeling!  I'm seeing my son (11 yrs.) develop and mature; take on responsibility for his education; and take delight in those things himself!  We've always had lots of discussion and laughter in our learning but this year even that is slightly different.  Sometimes it's "mom/son" and sometimes it's "mom/maturing young man".  Fruits!  Fruits of labor!  May I shout it from the rooftops!!  Oh, God is so good!

A brief rundown of the academics:

Math:    Smooth.  Smiles and discovery.  Things once thought difficult and frustrating are now producing lightbulb moments and comments like, "I just discovered a new trick to this" and "I proved myself right!"  Mom sighs a sigh of welcome math relief!

Science:     The first module was packed with names and facts and dates... tough stuff to plow through at times but no complaints.  Confused himself on the multiple answer section of the test which lowered the "grade" but no one cried, lol.  This helped him understand better how to use the study guide and companion disk to prepare for testing what he's learned throughout the modules.  Fun experiments and demonstrations.

WriteShop:    Loves it!  He's really enjoying the process of learning to polish his writing skills.  This subject flows so smoothly I think he enjoys this better than science now!  The teaching-end layout of this curriculum is a little back & forth = confusing the first week to two weeks but now that we're on the third week it's making more sense on my end of things. 

Bible:    Going just fine.  We've had plenty of good discussion and application regarding the lesson's content.  He's finished the first unit and I took a peek at unit 2 - I think he'll find it a bit more interesting and be able to relate better.  Like many he finds the old testament stuff about sacrifices and such a little boring because he can't relate to it.  He did get the connection, however, that Jesus took that on Himself for us and that is why we don't need to do those things anymore; that God no longer requires it of us.

We did get to add in some art instruction last week and I'm slowly getting stuff into the tracker in that regard.  Hopefully music and art will be blended in by the end of this week.  And I don't want to forget a history study we've got planned either!

We've also been enjoying (immensely) the info we're learning via the BNU course Backyard Astronomy.  Wow, that's been really fun for me especially, even if it has taken more of my time than I expected, lol.  We've spent some evenings in the pool lounging and soaking in the night sky to do our assignments!  How cool is that?! 

We worked on only four core things this week:  Bible, math, science, and creative writing -- but it surely was a full week.  It was full of fun, full of laughter, full of promptness, full of showing responsibility, etc.  To be sure, it was full of blessings!!!

My son, the archetypical math-hater, breezed through the subject with smiles and an A on a self test.  (I don't track grades but I definitely saw a sparkle about his self esteem regarding his accomplishment so the Homeschool Tracker software will be tracking those grades for me... and for him!)  He also did well with his Bible study and the review test for it.  For both of these subjects we're using Alpha Omega so the tests and grading is built into the curriculum.  So far I think it's appealing to his maturing independence to guage his "intake" with "outcome".  ;-)

Although he was the deciding factor for going with Apologia's General Science curriculum (and I had silently hoped for that decision for years)... I admit to being slightly apprehensive about the appearance of it all - to him.  There's a bit of reading to be done and many experiments (though he loves that sort of thing)... and there will be tests.  But guess what -- not a smidge of fuss over all that reading!  I preread the first module to get a taste for the writing style and talked up the fact that it's coversational.  He's expressed several times this week how much he enjoys reading this book!

He likes to create stories and has quite an imagination for it.  I think that's why he's become so particular about writing style in what I ask him to read or suggest he read.  With that in mind I chose WriteShop for a creative writing curriculum.  He's learning fast from this material.  I purchased it with great hopes and once it was in my hands I had even higher hopes.  Now that we're implementing it... we're both already appreciating fruit!  Next to math-hating, writing by hand comes in a close second to things detested by my boy, lol.  There's not an unheard of amount of writing to be done daily but I expected, kinda, sorta, to hear complaints.  Not one!

I've asked him each day once he finished everything that was to be done (including chores) to assess the subjects and the day as a whole.  The word "fun" came up several times.  He's been a happy camper all week... and that sure makes me feel good!  I know that God is blessing us and I praise Him for this most excellent week!

Now that we've got these main subjects figured out - how they go, how much time we should spend in them, etc. - we'll be able to add our other goodies back into the mix.

The International Astronomical Union has decided that Pluto doesn't meet all three requirements set up in order to be deemed a planet outright.  The three rules for being a planet are: 

1. Must have enough mass and gravity to gather itself into a ball.
2. Must orbit the sun.
3. Must reign supreme in it's own orbit, having "cleared the neighborhood" of other competing bodies.

Unlike, say, Jupiter, Pluto "shares the outer solar system with thousands of Pluto-like objects.  Because it has not "cleared its own neighborhood," and is now a dwarf planet.

76 years Pluto's been considered a planet and now it's something less. 

In addition to demoting Pluto, the new rules make Ceres (heretofore known as an asteroid) and 2003 UB313 dwarf planets.  So now we have 8 planets and 3 dwarf planets in our solar system.

For all that's out there, with these newly ruled on requirements for being a planet, we may just end up with too many "planets" to bother caring much about the distinction. *shrug*

We love science and we love sky-gazing so this has been interesting to us.  I think it will throw alot of secular public school textbooks and teachings out the window.  In that regard I don't see this as "progress" but more chaos in the making.  It won't bother our homeschool progress at all though!  :-)  We can easily discuss and make changes to the discussion, lol.  It doesn't hurt that we'll allow secular scientists to make their new discoveries and rulings and such all while knowing God is at the helm and always has been.  He doesn't care, I don't think, what we call a planet or not - they're all His creations!  And it, once again, goes to show... science is always playing catch-up with itself... it's the nature of that game.  76 years from now it will be something else that needs rectifying in their minds.  No matter.

http://www.nationalacademies.org/headlines/20060824.html

Rosetta Stone is often spoken of as one of the best language learning curriculums out there - not just by homeschoolers but also companies that need their employees to learn languages in order to conduct business.

The drawback for some homeschoolers is that it is pricey.  I've only played with their demo cd - have wanted to purchase but the cost gets in my way.  From what I've heard and what I've discovered by playing with the demo cd I do believe it's worth it's price - if a person can come up with it, lol.

I've read that some homeschoolers are fortunate enough to have found their libraries carry it and offer free access to the public.  Gosh, I'd love it if our library did that!!  (Kind of doubt it'll happen though.)

So... for those whose libraries don't offer it and can afford to lay out the money - Rosetta Stone is having a "sale" until August 31st. 

Homeschool Editions for level 1 are $179

Homeschool Editions for level 2 are $229

A level 1 and 2 set are $299

You'll also recieve free shipping and a free headset microphone for use with the programs if you order by August 31st.

You'll need to input the promo code HED86 when ordering from this link:  http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe641c73776d057d7716-fde817787067007473137570-fefb1772746c02  or you can order via their toll free number:  1-800-788-0822 -- be sure to mention the promo code also when ordering by phone.

If you'd like to see a demo of how Rosetta Stone works you can do that here.

JenIG asked the following:

1) Are you the worst homeschool teacher you know?  Or do you feel pretty confident in what you are doing?

I do feel pretty confident, praise God!  Maybe I'm fairly brassy but I've always gone into the teaching/facilitating stuff with the belief that I can do what I'm setting out to do.... because God is in it.  I'm not saying there haven't been (or won't be) times when I have to reapproach the runway, lol, to get something to take flight, but I start out knowing and believing God will get us to the destination.  I thank the Lord every day that He blessed me with that thinking not only for homeschooling but life in general.

2) What do you work on the most in your 'classroom'? Academics or Character Training?

Character training, definitely!  Without good character the academics are wasted.  (That is one reason why public schooling is a wasteland.)

3) What is your chosen method of Homeschooling-- and are you happy with what you're doing? Charlotte Mason-- Classical-- Textbook-- Unschooling-- Unit Study-- Car Schooling--  Ecclectic --  or something else?

Eclectic.  Over the years we've employeed aspects of alot of the methods you mentioned and, for us, it's the best way to arrive at "exactly what works for us" each and every time.  I'd feel as though I were limiting myself and my son if I resigned us to one methodology or approach.  Yes, I'm happy with how we're accomplishing education.

4) How many kids are you homeschooling right now?

One - he's my only. 

5) Were you homeschooled as a kid?

No.

6) When did you first learn about 'homeschooling' and what was your initial reaction? (horror? were you skeptical?  love at first sight?)

Early '80s is when I started to feel God leading me in the direction of homeschooling.  I had no children at the time and honestly didn't think I'd ever even be a mom, but my family at that time were all in the school district in some capacity or another and boy, did I learn everything I missed as a public school student!  I knew that I had truly taken Nothing with me from my school days and then to know the business end of it too.... whew.  There was a moment that was like flipping a switch and I knew that I knew, in my heart, if God ever granted me a child he/she would never step foot into that God-less institution. 

LOL, I was relieved to realize that God would provide me a way that was comfortable to eductate any children I had!  When I did become a mom (10 or so years later), knowing that we'd homeschool, it was one less parenting worry on my shoulders from the moment my son arrived!  Looking back on it, it puts a huge smile on my face to know how very blessed I was in that God prepared me early on.  He began fitting me for the job early on.... I just love that!  And, I pray for it to be the case of every Christian mom!

******

Those are my answers... now get to blogging your own... and let JegIG know that you have because she's turned the tag into a contest with a goodie you just might be interested in winning!  :-)

Not the one in particular that I am antsy to put my hands on but... some things I've ordered recently came in.  Today it was two boxes... one had some math and Bible things in it... and one was the set of four Kingdom Series books.  These look great!  I'm excited to have them and have high hopes for them. 

I can't wait for the Apologia science to come.  I've thought that was the science I'd want to go with at this level since before my son could read!  He had no idea of this, though.  To my delight when I showed him a couple different science curriculums he chose Apologia! 

While the materials dribble in I might give a thought or 100 to cleaning out some shelf space for the new stuff as well as finally breaking down and getting rid of some things that have been with us for quite a while... and no longer of use to us.  (It's hard to let go of learning type materials, isn't it?!)