Feb. 1, 2008 - THoroughly better THursday
Either I'm just plum getting too old for all this or I really have a child who has to be literally watched over 24/7!
I was SO hoping (and there have been times) that I could just set up a day or a plan for small son and he would just breeze thru his studies.....leaving me to pursue MY interests. I had that goal for my 'golden' years of 50 and beyond.
THAT has come and gone......a year ago.
Sigh.
Now we're hoping he at least can hold down a job by the time he's 30 and get his own place.
I figure I'll be WAY old and too tired to care by the time I get to 'pursue my interests'!
All this said because we DID have a MUCH better day yesterday, but it was ONLY b/c I literally held this child down, MADE him talk to me, read, do his work.....I tell ya, it's like .......it's like.......well, my Daddy used to say 'pulling hen's teeth', but I sure wish I could think of a more apt analogy. Me giving birth to an elephant? Something like that anyway. Some of THE most difficult work I've ever done.....and I've done PLENTY of hard work in my time, physically, emotionally, intellectually. This beats 'em all!
I really AM going to sit down with my Charlotte Mason books and see what she has to say about these things. I know the weekly study this time is about "The Will"......and I've read that part before......can you spell "S-T-U-B-B-O-R-N" with a capital "C" for small son's name? I slipped somehow years ago and am sure paying for it now.....readers.....beware for your own!! Shape that will NOW, while you have time. You WILL pay for it later if you don't!
SO.....if someone makes any kind of inference that what we do as home schooling mom's is a trifle 'fluffly' or makes out like you don't "WORK"......send them to ME, I'll straighten 'em out! Or better yet......in keeping with the humility of Christ.....just know in your heart what a real trooper you really are!!!
THAT being said, I am proud to say that we came the CLOSEST to finishing one complete day of school, doing ALL subjects I had listed, than we ever have in recent memory. Here's how it looked:
Bible - read Gen. 6. At this point, I think it's time for some 'feedback' about what he's reading in his Bible version, so I also required him today to write down in his own words what's happened so far. Now, I realize that's covering an awful lot.....but I was curious to see what he'd come up with. Well, he came tearing into the laundry room shortly after starting school and blurted out "God made everything and man got evil but then he found Moses". Let some theological wizard argue with THAT. He actually THOUGHT I was going to let him just narrate orally, but I made him go write SOMETHING down at least.....he wrote "Moses was a ritgus man". Sigh. At least he got that part, eh?
Story of Mankind - says this book is 'boring'. Made him read it anyway. I almost agree.....axis partners? Eewwww.
Copywork - Did Lesson 20 spelling words. Honestly. Beautiful. Looks like art.
Poetry - "A Late Walk" by Robert Frost
Art - asked him to draw a picture from something he read yesterday. His choice. He was surprised, but after thinking just a little while, he drew a sled and then a child on one from "Snow Treasure".....at least he's paying attention!
Reading - Hobbit, finished chapter 2
Math - watched dvd for Lesson 14, did 3 worksheets
History reading - "Snow Treasure", chapter 4
Nature Study - I read to him the next section in "the skies". He's really fascinated by this. I hope he sort of takes it and runs with it on his own sometime.
School of the Woods - I read this one to him since it's off the computer. Finished 2nd half of Chapter 1
Discussed 'teaching' as opposed to 'instinct' and also applied much of what we read to HIM.
Science - Again, I read this to him since it's on the computer. We got to page 20. It is about astronomy. Kind of neat that this goes with his Nature Study.
French - finished introducing the alphabet pronunciation and went over the 7 'question' words. Also at dinner, I started 'naming' different things and making up short sentences with the question words in them. He was impressed and started repeating me (immersion?) and I was impressed with myself that I remembered so much! A little 'brush up' and I might be fluent again. I DID catch myself writing what he did in French afterwards. Huh.
All in all a VERY productive day. Now if only today would be as good. Half his school days.....huh.
Denise aka The Domestic Angel
Comments
Feb. 1, 2008 - What a week!
Posted by HeatherC
Hi, glad to see your week has slowly been getting better! I seem to have some of the same problems with my dd, some work that she COULD do on her own, she seems to think she needs me right there to get it done! Sometimes difficult when I am trying to help the younger kids with something, but we are working on it. Hope you have a great weekend! We are covered in snow, so not doing much!!
Blessings
Feb. 2, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by curiouscat
wow that looks like a really good day! we hardly EVER get the whole list accomplished for the day ;) You've inspired me to keep at it.
hugs
Denise
