What a good week! 

For the 3^rd straight week, we’ve remained on schedule with our academics and the girls are having a time.  Camille has still been a challenge, but we do our best to work around her busyness.

Rachel is stuck on percentages.  This was the second week of our study of percentages and I got a little frustrated around mid-week.  I thought she was ready to test, but I keep seeing errors on basic concepts.  So, we went back to the beginning.  I think she’s coming around, slowly but surely.  So much for my “plan” for her to be at Pre-Alg by November.  J  That’s okay though.  I know how important percentages are, so I want to be sure she has it mastered.  In L/A, she’s still working independently.  She had her first final test (on book 1) yesterday, and it was okay.  She earned a “C” and most of her errors were from week 1 (section 1).  We’ll go back over it together before moving on to Book 2 next week.  I’m so glad I stopped recording grades on tests and issuing report cards.  Now, I just mark what was missed and use lots of encouraging stickers.  I think it’s taking the pressure off the girls to perform.  Now, they see that my only concern is that they truly understand the concepts that I consider important for their grade level. 

Sarah has done an amazing job on her L/A again this week.  This week, she studied the countries of Eastern Europe (like Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Lituania, Czech Rep., etc.).  I had serious doubts, but she spelled ALL her countries correctly on Friday AND can locate them on the map.  She thinks it's cool that she can spell words that look so foreign to her at the beginning of the week.  She amazes herself with these spelling challenges.  In math, she’s breezing along in Delta, and rarely makes less that 100% on her work.  It’s so hard to praise her good work when Rachel is close by…jealous.

In Science, we’re well into our study of the solar system, and Sarah now says Science is her favorite subject.  They made a cute diorama of the solar system on Thursday.  Each planet is colored and hangs from a thread in their proper position from the sun.  They enjoy the activities of CGC and look forward to doing Science each day.  I especially love the way God (and scripture) are incorporated into EVERY day’s activities. 

History has been my favorite – again.  This is so strange for me.  In school, I hated history, and I never dreamed I’d look forward to learning history.  We are almost finished with our study of the Vikings.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the book “The Vikings” by Elizabeth Janeway.  It’s such an exciting story of the Ericksons and their explorations.  I’m not sure that I appreciate her claim that they are the "true discoverers of America" though.  I feel the Native Americans are constantly being overlooked with credit always going to the Europeans.  Anyway, I’m pretty passionate about this study.  Beautiful Feet is fantastic!!!!!  I can’t wait to continue with it for the years to come.

Rachel is finally going to start counseling sessions again next week.  It’s long overdue.  Now that her focus problems have been discovered, we still have so much to work on with self-esteem and confidence.  Our church has a christian counseling center that’s awesome.  She’ll start on Thursday.  Of course, she’s pouting about it.  In her mind, she is the only kid in the world who had ADHD issues and needs counseling.  She just wants so badly to be “perfect” like she thinks other kids are.  I still haven’t made a final decision on Rachel’s schooling for next year, but I’m heavily leaning toward Hsing thoughout high school.  I’ve sought the Lord’s guidance, and I believe this is what He wants me to do.  It’s because of personal self-image issues that I keep thinking I could be more useful doing something else each day.  It’s like I can’t do enough to feel validated.  Perhaps I need to start counseling sessions myself.

My aunt is still in ICU, but at this point, she is still on the ventilator, but stable.  My mom is coming home Monday, then we’ll probably go back in a couple of weeks.  Thanks for your prayers.  It seems that her decline has stopped.  Now, for the improvement…..

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Posted by babymakers

That is great that you are going to continue homeschooling!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was never interested in history either until I started to homeschool.

I also wanted to point out that you have made a good decision to skip report cards. The only reason they do it in school is because that is how they communicate with the parent how the child is doing. Obviously, you don't need that because you already know. Grades also help teachers see how students are doing because they could not really keep track of 30 students at a time so they keep a paperwork record. You obviously don't have that problem either. So, it's a great time saving and encouraging decision.

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