Mar. 27, 2009 - high school thoughts

I met with our cover's high school coordinator today!  I can't believe it's already time to think about high school credits.  My dd will enter the 8th grade next school year, and she can start accumulating high school credits.  This blows my mind when I stop to think about it.  I think I need to start reading about and researching this uncharted territory.  Any suggestions?

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Jan. 20, 2009 - Giving Grades

Just when I thought I had decided not to post here anymore, something comes up that I need to talk to fellow homeschoolers about - grades.  I recently was informed by my HS administrator that I need to be using the number grading system for my 7th grader as opposed to the letter grading system because of high school transcripts and such.  Well, the only subjects I really have a number grade system are in math and science and that's because of the curriculum (Teaching Textbooks for math) and the teacher (my DD takes science from someone else).  So now I wonder if I need to change curriculum (which I will wait until next year) or just make up grades, if you will.  I consider myself an 'eclectic' teacher, so we don't always use structured material.  For the most part we do, but not always.  So, what do you do?  How do you grade your children?  I will probably go through all of my copies of The Old Schoolhouse magazine, but I thought I'd start here for advice.  If you take the time to read, thank you.  If you take the time to comment, thank VERY much! 

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Dec. 1, 2008 - long time no blog here

My DD has fussed at me for not posting here in so long.  I've already confessed that keeping up with two blogs is challenging to me.  However, today I felt the need to share some of my holiday woes.  You may or may not remember that 1 1/2 years ago my mom and grandmother died on the same day.  It was the most horrific ordeal I've lived through.  But, I have lived through it.  However, now that the holidays are here, well, it's just not easy.  Just a moment ago I browsed through a grieving website and read a few entries from people who are experiencing the same feelings.  In a way it's comforting, but at the same time it's not.  Does that make sense?  This will be the second Christmas without Mom.  It doesn't seem possible.  I wonder if it ever gets easier. 

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Oct. 27, 2008 - Bible study with the kids

I hope you'll forgive me for referring you to my other blog again.  You see, I can't see to navigate on homeschool blogger as quicly and easily as I do my blogspot blog.  For some reason, this system is a great deal slower and not as straight forward (at least in my mind).  So, I blog in more detail and more frequently at www.christyellis.blogspot.com  My recent post there is concerning the Bible study I am doing with my kids on the book of Revelation using the Precept study method.  I hope you take the time to read about it.  I also want to let you know that even though I don't blog very often here, I don't want to give up this site because of the friends I have made along the way.  So, if you'll put with me, I'll keep this one just so I can check in on you, and hopefully you'll check in on me at blogspot.  Thanks!

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Oct. 19, 2008 - trying to win Pilgrim's Progress for the kids

I saw this contest on abundant blessings site and had to enter.  I almost bought the curriculum yesterday when we were at the museum. I held back because it was a bit pricey for me right now.  Cross your fingers that I win!  (I hope I entered the link correctly, it's supposed to give me a second entry into the contest)  *sigh* the initial plug-in didn't work, so I just copied the stuff below.  I wish I knew how to do these things!  Maybe I should ask my DD, she seems to know more than I do. LOL!

 

" target="_blank">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v404/anderklan/pilgrimsprogressgiveaway.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">

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Oct. 19, 2008 - Back from the Creation Museum

Well, we had a wonderful, super duper time at the Creation Museum!  Once again, I'll refer you to my other blog for the details.  www.christyellis.blogspot.com 

I also wanted to let you know about a great website I heard about.  It's like having an online library. 

www.paperbackswap.com  It's free to join.  What you do is post 10 books you are willing to give away.  When you do that, you earn 2 credits to use towards books already posted.  The only cost for you is the postage, which is usually around $2-$3 depending on the weight of the book.  The books you choose are yours to keep or give away if you choose. You receive 1 credit for each book you mail off.  If you buy the prepaid postage option, you get the credits instantly.  Otherwise you have to wait for the recipient to note that they received your book.  I went ahead and bought the postage because I'm impatient.  The first four books I mailed took longer than I wanted to wait!  I've really enjoyed this website, I think it's a great idea. 

Well, that's all for today.  Thanks for checking in.

 

 

 

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Oct. 14, 2008 - preparing for the weekend

We are so excited about our trip to the Creation Museum this weekend!  Even though I'm a little tiny bit anxious about the bus ride, I can't wait to get going.  I sincerely hope that we are able to see as much as we want to while we're there.  The actual tour of the museum is only for the one day, Saturday, but I'll take what I can get.  I have wanted to go there since before it ever opened.  Let's hope that my expectations aren't too high and that I won't be disappointed.  I remember ages ago going to Universal Theme Park in Florida and being completely let down.  Of course I went when it has first opened and some of the bugs had yet to be worked out of the rides.  Hopefully we won't encounter technical difficulties and such at the Creation Museum.  It should be interesting taking this trip with a bus load of strangers.  That in of itself is an adventure for me.  I don't usually do things like this. 

Well, that's all my babbling for now. 

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Oct. 4, 2008 - camping trip

I typed up a rather lengthy post on my other blog.  I hope you'll take the time to read it.  Having two blogs is becoming quite a challenge!  Anyway, here's the link  www.christyellis.blogspot.com

 

BTW, I'm excited to report that the weekend of October 17-18 we are going to the Creation Museum!  A group of people from a nearby city have charted a bus and made hotel accomadations at a discounted price.  The museum tickets are also discounted due to the large group, so we are able to go.  We are very excited about this trip. 

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Sep. 27, 2008 - our spontaneous field trip

We had a really good time the other day on our field trip.  The greenway trail was extremely nice.  The length of it was four miles long, but we didn't walk the entire length.  I'm too out of shape to even try four miles one way!  We came to a couple of bridges on our walk.  The kids played in the creek and found crawdads and minnows.  I even kicked off my shoes and walked in the cold water for a while.  It was a gorgeous day.  My DS was saying on the way home how he was praising God after our day!  Isn't it awesome when the kids praise our God?  I know it must be such sweet music to His ears when his babies acknowledge Him and express their praises. 

I tried very hard to post pics with this post.  I just can't seem to figure out his HS Blogger works regarding pics and videos. If you want to see pics from our field trip, check out my other blog at www.christyellis.blogspot.com 

Thanks!

 

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Sep. 25, 2008 - In my mind I'm gone to David Crocket

No, that's not the lyrics to the song, but close enough.  I think I've already decided in my head to go on fall break!  I'm just not motivated to open the books today.  It's absolutely beautiful outside and I want to go play.  I have yet to decide what Bible curriculum to start, although I'm leaning toward using the Precept study for kids on the book of Revelation.  We had started it at the end of last year and never finished it.  I think we'll probably go ahead and finish that one before I purchase something new.  But since we're going on break next week, I don't want to re-start it just to put it down and have to refresh again once we start back.  I think I've talked myself into a field trip today.  There's a walking trail that I've been wanting to try out once the weather cooled down, and today seems like the perfect day.  I think I'll pack a picnic and take the kids for a good nature walk today.  Tomorrow they will be in their Friday classes and I'll have to go grocery shopping for our camping trip next week.  That reminds me, do any of you have any cool meal ideas for camping?  Now keep in my mind I'm not one to cook over the camp fire, so it needs to be something we can grill or cook in the camper (I know, I really rough it, don't I?). 

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Sep. 22, 2008 - We've already had six weeks of school

It seems like I was just whining to you all about how tough our first week of school was.  Now it's been SIX weeks already?  WOW! Where did the time go?  Next week we will be taking our fall break.  I'm so looking forward to it.  We plan on going to camping up at David Crockett State Park in TN.  We drove up there Saturday afternoon to check it out.  It is beautiful.  We saw a dozen or more deer within 100 yards of us!  It was very exciting.  DD was thrilled.  She absolutely loves animals.  So, we are all looking forward to going up there for several days.  Anyone else going to break soon?  If so, whatcha gonna do? 

I was wondering if you have any suggestions for a Bible curriculum?  We've finished ours more quickly than I expected, and I'm not sure I want to use what I have on hand. 

Well, as usual, thanks for reading.  I'll look forward to hearing from you. 

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Sep. 11, 2008 - child directed learning

I just completed reading HOME SCHOOL BURNOUT by Raymond S. Moore and Dorothy N. Moore.  I'm casually flipping back through the book to reiterate some of the information that was given.  First of all let me say that my desire is for my children to WANT to learn and I'm all for them pursuing their interests.  With that said, I want to admit that I'm not sure how to allow this to happen. For one thing, their interests don't seem to me to be that worthwhile or educational.  All that they really seem to care about are webkinz and TV.  These things are not bad things in and of themselves, they're just not meaningful.  While reading the HOME SCHOOL BURNOUT book, I couldn't help but wonder where these people come from (I'm struggling here trying to verbalize my thoughts and confusion).  OK, let me try it this way, like I said, I'm all for my kids learning on their own.  That's what they need to do.  But HOW do I let them go?  HOW do we get away from books/curriculum and still maintain education? 

A couple of quotes from the book stood out to me:"Our attitudes and general conduct had a greater bearing on our children's development than their knowledge of subject matter", and this one, "Spend more of your mental effort on studying and exploiting your children's motivation instead of always confronting them with books".  This sounds really good and I'm sure it's true, but again I ask, "HOW"?  I've been homeschooling for seven years now.  You would think that I would have a grip on things and stop doubting myself.  But obviously something still is not completely right, or I wouldn't be having these doubts. 

Today my DS is sick.  We started out trying to go ahead with a regular day, but it wasn't working out.  So I finally told him to turn off the computer math and go to bed.  His sister asked if she could take him his laptop so he wouldn't be bored, and I said that would be OK.  So now he has his laptop, and I thought this might be a good time to observe his interests.  At first I was thrilled to notice that he was back doing his math!  This got my hopes up that perhaps he really does WANT to learn.  Well, after he did a few problems he quit that again and asked if he could sign up on the LEGOS website so he could play games. He also asked if he could go on Ebay.  I said yes to both and inwardly felt disappointed.  Do you see what I mean about his "interests"?  If I don't tell my kids what to learn, all they will do during the day is play.  How can that be beneficial? 

I truly want what is best for my kids.  I want them to WANT TO LEARN, but right now I'm not seeing that.  I can't help but wonder if it's my fault because I didn't start out with the "child directed learning" method.  I just don't know.  I would LOVE your insights, and forgive me for presenting to you yet another one of my dilemmas.  Do you still second-guess yourself, or is it just me? 

Blessings to all.

 

 

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Aug. 27, 2008 - and so it begins

Soccer season is here.  Both of the kids are signed up.  Practices have begun.  What have I done?  I have yet to receive the schedules for the kids, but I'm already dreading it.  This year my DD was placed in the U16 group, which means she is on a team of mostly 10th graders!  My DD is only 12 and in the 7th grade.  Needless to say she was pretty intimated when she found this out.  DH and I are not exactly thrilled with the decision that was made by the AYSO peeps, but what are we to do?  They don't have any other teams available for her.  We've already forked out the $65.  We are trying to look at it as an opportunity for her to challenge herself.  I only hope that she can have some fun.  DS on the other hand was placed on an age appropriate team AND he has several boys he knows from the last two seasons.  He doesn't have any problems.  The other concern I have about this soccer season is that DD will be traveling for her games!  I have no idea where, but one of the moms said that last year her daughter played in towns she had never heard of before. GREAT!  This will really pose a problem when DH is at the fire station and I have to be in two places at once.  I'm thinking this might be the last year for soccer, at least for DD.  I wish that we could afford horse back riding lessons for her again.  That was something she really enjoyed (except for the two times she was thrown.  OK, now I remember the real reason she isn't doing that anymore!).  So any of your kids involved with sports?  We have purposely allowed only one outside activity, other than church, because we don't want to be on the road all of the time.  However, this soccer season looks like it will still be more than we bargained for. 

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Aug. 18, 2008 - it works! it works!

I used the Times Tales with my DS today.  I was skeptical, but it DOES WORK! It was so amazing to see him finally 'get it'.  I am really impressed with whoever came up with this method.  Of course, the real test will be for the days to come to see just how well he has retained the information, but I believe he's got it for good.  woo hooo!    He was so excited about that he wanted to show it to his sister.  Also, he just had to call his dad and let him know that he knew his times tables now!  Again I say - woo hoo! 

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Aug. 15, 2008 - It's here!

Well, three days ago I notice that the TImes Tales was being shipped out and that it would take 6-10 business days (that bummed me out).  Well, it arrived TODAY!  So now I have the weekend to look it over and hopefully be prepared to use with my DS on Monday.  I will let you know if it works or not. I have high expectations (due to the reviews I read), so let's hope it works.  Til then...

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Aug. 11, 2008 - update

Well, I've sort of thrown out our schedule.  Really and truly we're following it, but at a more relaxed pace.  I've let the kids choose which order to complete their subjects.  We've decided to do the subjects that are related to them both first, and then they move on to their individual studies.  This does seem to go better.  Today, however, we hit the math brick wall again.  I had to call in reinforcements!  My father-in-law came by the house on his way home from work.  He sat down with DD and went over her mixed and improper fractions.  She says that he helped her a lot - thank goodness!  Of course we'll see tomorrow if she has retained his advice.  DS on the other hand didn't have an opportunity to work one-on-one with his granddaddy.  FIL just firmly told DS that he was going to have to "buckle down and memorize" his times tables.  I just ordered Times Tales from TOS store.  Maybe that will help.  Do any of you have any experience with Times Tales?  I probably should have asked BEFORE I bought it, but it was only $15, so I thought what the heck. 

 

 

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Aug. 4, 2008 - so what should I drop?

Thankfully today (Monday, Aug. 4th) has been a much better school day for us.  Thanks so much for the prayers and encouragement offered.  However, we are still feeling pretty bogged down with the schedule I laid out for us this school year.  I'm conflicted on what needs to be dropped, if anything, or if we should possibly break up our day.  We have never been one for a rigid schedule.  I was hoping to try and change that, and possibly that's why our first few days were torture!  Today we've been more relaxed about what order to things, and it's gone more smoothly.  I don't know why that is.  Anyway, it's 1:30 our time and all of us are really ready for the school day to be over, but we (according to our schedule) have two more subjects to complete.  We're all currently taking a 20-minute break and I'm hoping that will be enough to get us going for the last two subjects.  I wanted to share our schedule with you all to get some feed back as to it's doability (is that a word) in your mind's eye.  Please feel free to offer your total honest opinion.  Here's what I've planned on us doing daily:

Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs:

Bible  - Answers in Genesis material (lots of Scripture reading)

Math - Teaching Textbooks (with DS occasionally doing Times Attack on the computer)

History- Mystery of History  (rotate science on Tuesday)

Reading -  Christian Liberty Nature Readers (usually 3-5 pages)

Art - notebook pages on what they read

Grammar/spelling/writing - Learning Language Arts Through Literature

Latin - Prima Latina

Music - my daughter has piano

PE - whatever exercise I feel like doing with them that day ;) soon AYSO soccer will take this place

Fridays are enrichment classes at our cover which are mostly 'fun' classes this year.

In our previous years, I've combined subjects.  For instance, our Bible curriculum requires quite a bit of Scripture reading, so I've let that be Bible AND reading.  Our Latin curriculum requires a lot of writing, so that was Latin AND writing.  I'm wondering if I should cut some things out and go back to this method.  I just want to be certain that we are covering enough material.  As they grow older I feel that they need more involved.  Is this incorrect thinking on my part? 

I sincerely hope that I'm not boring you all to tears with my insecurities and cries for help.  Hopefully I will be able to start writing about something more entertaining or thought-provoking in the days to come.  I do appreciate the input that I receive tremendously. 

 

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Jul. 30, 2008 - today was not any better

I'm really sorry for writing my about bad days, but it's a way for me to vent, and hopefully receive some more encouragement and advice.  Today my DS and I both ended up in tears!  I just don't think that I can do this anymore.  Math is our nightmare.  I just can't get him to WANT to do this.  His inattention isn't the only problem.  My DD, who is struggling with new concepts right now, also needs my help.  I can't be in two places at once and on top of that, evidently my explanations are not clear enough, because they both have that glazed over look after I've tried to show them how a problem is done.  I bought them Teaching Textbooks in hopes that the lectures would be sufficient to help them through.  At first it was, but now that the concepts are getting deeper, it doesn't seem to be enough.  Math-U-See wasn't meeting the need, either, which is why we changed to TT.  What am I to do? I do NOT want to send my kids to school, neither public NOR private, but if I'm not able to teach them what am I going to do?  If my DD were to go to our public school she would be in the high school building!  Can you even imagine the things she would see and hear?  We pulled her out of 1st grade public school because of things she was ALREADY seeing and hearing!  I don't want to think about it.  My DS would be labeled ADD or worse because he is such a boy.  But if I can't get him to learn, what else?  My DH works WAY too much, so I can't rely on him to come home and do math with them - we've already tried that and it's just not feasible.  I really feel hopeless.  I'm completley disgusted with myself for making my DS cry today.  It was awful.  I just don't know what to do.

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Jul. 28, 2008 - Day One - are we done yet?

Today was the official first day of our '08-'09 school year.  Two subjects into the day and my son chimes in, "Are we done yet?".  Oh brother!  ALREADY? You've got to be kidding me!  He did absolutely fine with the first subject, of course it was PE with a ride on our bikes around the neighborhood, but get him back in the house where he has to sit down and do - God forbid - math!  Of course what makes it worse is that he has to write it down.  Can you believe that I am such a horrible, tortuous mother that I would expect and require my son to show his work and write it down on paper?  I know, it's too much, isn't it?  I should just let him watch TV and play his video games, shouldn't I?  Well, that's what he thinks.  He's nine years old!  When is he going to get that school isn't always fun?  Now I know why I was having those minor anxiety attacks - it was for good reason.  This is going to be a survival of the fittest between my son and I, isn't it?  Well, I'm not very fit these days, so the outlook for myself is not good. 

any suggestions? 

 

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Jul. 23, 2008 - What's my problem?

We still haven't started school.  I've never been this late into the year without having started school.  For some reason I am just not mentally prepared yet.  I have all the curriculum and I've looked it over several times.  All the notebooks are ready, I've got new ink cartridges for the printer.  All is set except for me.  It's even gotten to the point of causing some minor anxiety attacks!  What's that all about?  It's not like this is my first year!  I don't know.  Anyone else ever deal with this type thing?  I'm telling myself that ready or not -NEXT week we are starting.  Today DH made the comment that he doesn't think our DS can read well enough.  I know he didn't intend to berate me or anything, but I always, ALWAYS take it personally when he makes comments like that.  I just told him that I would make it a priority  (insert headache and shallow breathing).

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