Posted in Homeschooling
|
Because we're getting ready to leave for an extended trip to the US, I realize our school year is just about over. Yes, we will bring stuff with us, and yes, we will have days of doing schoolwork while in the US, and yes, I have some plans for field trips, nature studies, etc. but our formal, do-it-every-day schooling is pretty much over for the year.
I usually do year-round schooling, so this end-of-the-year stuff is more for record-keeping purposes than for the way I see my children's on-going education.
But, enough rambling! I was thinking back on this school year. We have made much progress! Both my older children have effectively switched over from an American math program to Singapore math. Both children have learned the rules of basketball and have mastered riding a bicycle. We have enjoyed reading so many books aloud. This is by far our favorite together activity. They have memorized the names of all the books of the Bible in proper order, Psalm 23, and the Lord's Prayer. They will soon complete the Ten Commandments. They are learning to have their own daily quiet time with the Lord, each according to his or her own ability. Both have learned to swim fairly competently, and are continuing swimming lessons to be water safe.
My daughter has discovered the joy of writing, has ambitions to publish a book, has written some lovely poems, short stories, and even a chapter book, and started her own blog. Her understanding of English grammar is strong, and always improving. She enjoys notebooking, and has an ever-growing interest in history, branching out from her long-time love of ancient Egypt to the American Revolutionary War, as well as the Civil War. Her interests are so wide and varied that she can't decide whether she wants to be a singer, writer, fashion designer or archeologist. She loves her piano lessons, and practices with complaint, though she sometimes needs to be reminded. We enjoy listening to her practice as she can play a number of songs quite well.
My son's progress has been amazing. He has gone from telling people last year that he couldn't read to reading at grade level this year. He picked up his first chapter book without being assigned to do it, and stuck with it until he had read it through. He has progressed from missing at least half of his spelling words each week to missing only a few--major progress there! And he has made such a huge success of his math, that he would be at the top of his class were he in a public school classroom! No mean feat in Singapore, a nation that prides itself on turning out math and science scholars. He also wants to start a blog, so he's showing interest in writing of his own initiative too. He says he wants to be an inventor, creating things to make life easier for everyone. He loves our membership to the Singapore Science Center, and enjoys exploring all the exhibits there on every trip.
My littlest one is "writing" notes to us, and then asking us what she wrote, a sure sign that she is reading ready! She can form quite a few letters by herself already, and puts them down in a string on the paper. She can spell and write her own name, as well as a couple of words that are similar to her name. She loves to look at books, is trying to speak in Mandarin, though she usually strings together a bunch of words in a non-sense way, and is an eager and enthusiastic learner in all areas. She has maintained a strong love for animals, particularly elephants, so her school field trip to the zoo was the highlight of the year for her. She says she wants to be an elephant doctor (a veterinarian) when she grows up.
I'm looking forward to starting nature journals in the US, collecting samples of leaves and flowers, sketching plants and animals and insects, and who knows what else.
Yes, I'm grateful. Another year has (almost) passed, and my children have made noticeable, measurable progress. They are growing in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man. |
Comments
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by