Cypress Valley Academy - Homeschool Blogger

Anyone in New Mexico?

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 15:58:00 -0500

We are entering a new phase in our homeschooling journey. I am not quite sure what to call it...maybe "travelschooling"? Well, it sounds better than homeschooling transients, right? LOL!

My dh works as an engineering contractor, so every 12-18 months we all go together on the next job contract.

Soon we will be leaving for Hobbs, NM. We are going to spend the year or so studying the desert, plants and creatures of the desert, the local geography (including caves since we'll be close to Carlsbad!!), and astronomy. Of course, we will also be working on all the foundation subjects, but I am really excited about the opportunity to learn in a very real way about things specific to each area we will go to.

Our Public School Experience

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 17:03:00 -0600

I should have known something was up when we went to register. The principal took me into his conference area and very seriously explained that they'd have to test my daughter to make sure she was on the 2nd grade level. I looked concerned for a moment, but he clarified that it would be the 'end of first grade' test for reading and math. I laughed at that. He wasn't amused.

The first week went by smoothly, mostly excitement and trying to adjust to the public school schedule (I never did manage that for some reason). The following Tuesday things hit a sour note. My 7yo brought home a stack of graded papers that were literally covered in purple (not red!) markings. So much that you could barely see the work my dd did. Every mistake was circled and corrected and the number and letter grade was written at the top.

My dd cried when she saw the D's and F's. I will admit that it upset me to see her so bothered. Who in the world grades 7yo children so harshly? Well, to answer that, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, that's who. They are extremely strict on small children to have perfectly formed letters, perfectly spaced words and the biggest thing of all: YOU MUST WRITE EVERYTHING IN A COMPLETE SENTENCE. Everything. Even if the question isn't in a complete sentence! And you will get the problem wrong if you don't answer in a complete sentence. Even if you got the answer right!

Now what kind of logic is that? It made me realize that grades don't mean anything at all. She would get all the answers right on her science and social studies papers, yet she would get a D or F because of grammatical errors. I don't remember being graded that harshly in college!

Anyway, I thought, well, she's just getting used to things. It will be better next week.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

I made the bracelet!!

Tue, 10 Jan 2006 11:03:00 -0600

I don't know why I was putting it off for so long. Fear of failure, maybe, but I think it turned out great! I wore the bracelet to the park yesterday and got many compliments. It only took a couple of hours to make, but not bad for my first time, I think : )

Brandy Arsuaga

Well, that was interesting!

Mon, 9 Jan 2006 23:19:00 -0600

We decided to let our 7yo daughter try public school after a couple months of asking. She started public school September 17th and by late November she had had enough. We finally withdrew her the day school was scheduled to begin again after the Christmas break.

It was a very interesting experience. Over the next few days, I'll be recording my thoughts about our experience for posterity (haha!).

Suffice it to say that she and I are both very glad to be homeschooling again!

When Friendships go Sour

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 07:36:00 -0500

Have you ever had someone you call a friend change over time? Yes, I know that is normal for people to change, but this time it's for the worse.

It has taken me a long time to realize this friend is really not my friend. I don't think someone who never misses a chance to insult you (especially indirectly) could be considered a friend. Someone who will give you the silent treatment for no apparent reason, repeatedly, is not really a friend.

You may be wondering why I am writing this on a homeschooling blog. It is because this friend is also a fellow homeschooler. I don't really have anyone IRL to share this with, so I am just typing my feelings out here.

Finally!!

Sun, 31 Jul 2005 16:05:00 -0500

Finally!! I found this game! Our homeschool support group has a chess day twice a month and one of the moms brought this chess game. It has the legal moves for each piece printed on the actual piece! My almost 4yo ds was even able to play an informal game of chess with his friend Max. I think this is a great idea and I am looking forward to learning how to play chess myself! I can't wait until it arrives!!

Testing the photo insertion...

Thu, 21 Jul 2005 18:27:00 -0500

Here's a small sampling of our homeschooling collection. Pictured is my dd (complete with injured foot <see previous entry>) and our mini Dachshund, Heidi, and our ants in the ant habitat. In the back is my lovely ribbon collection

Brandy

First ER Visit

Thu, 21 Jul 2005 17:20:00 -0500

Well, we got to try out the Cy-Fair Medical Center's ER this afternoon. DD was playing chase with our mini dachshund and the dog's tooth made a 4" laceration across the top of her foot where the foot bends with the ankle (like ankle to ankle over the top). I wiped it and the edges were apart and all I could see was white down below : / So we loaded up in the truck.

They didn't stitch it because it was a dog tooth that did it, for fear of trapping any infection inside her foot. So they glued her cut together and put steri-strips all over it. I have to change the dressings twice a day and she has to take Augmentin for 10 days.

Never a dull moment!

I thought it was a joke...

Wed, 20 Jul 2005 11:41:00 -0500

I used to roll my eyes at people who talked about the 'gay agenda' in public schools. Growing up in Texas, we didn't hear much about homosexuality, so I never gave it much validity. But here it is in the NEA's own words:

http://www.nea.org/annualmeeting/raaction/index.html (You can find the section about half way down the page. Bolding mine.)

Among other new business items passed during the last RA session:

A measure requiring NEA, through its Health Information Network, to promote research and resources on women and heart disease, the number one killer of women.
An affirmation of NEA's support for the "education of current and former prisoners."
Encouragement of NEA member participation in Operation Iraqi Children, which brings school supplies to students in Iraq.
A measure committing NEA to develop a strategy to counter new attacks on curricula and practices that support gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered students and staff in public schools.

Wow, it's true.

Brandy

Creating school space

Wed, 13 Jul 2005 16:50:00 -0500

Well, I finally decided what I want done with our extra room upstairs! It has only taken me 2 years and 7 months to decide, LOL! After we get the train table and computer out, I have to shampoo the carpet. Once that is done, I am going to have dh put up a bunch of cabinets and shelves, and maybe see what kind of neat built-in he can create out of the closet space. Whew, that was easy!

I just love seeing pictures of other homeschoolers' school rooms! Hopefully in the near future I will figure out how to add photos to the blog!