Nov. 22, 2009 - Listening Therapy is Over - and Successful!
Ten weeks ago, my daughter was still struggling to read Dick & Jane books. She wrestled with words like "this" and "then." If she asked me what a word spelled and I told her, she would remember it the next time she saw it but not the third time she came across it. Even though she enjoyed writing, she couldn't spell much of anything, nor could she read back what she wrote because it was so badly spelled. When I asked her a question, she would often disappear into a blank stare for close to a minute before answering.
Much of this stemmed from an auditory processing difficulty.
Last Friday, I watched her work on the beginning of a phonics curriculum with a tutor during the last session of her Listening Fitness Therapy. She read about 40 words on cards, one after the other, no problem. She had to stop and sound out a couple of the words, but most were as easy for her as they would be for me. Then she worked on spelling several simple words - again, no problem. She could sound them out and use the right letters for the sounds. Last night she read half of Dr.Seuss' One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish to me, easily recognizing many longer words. And the blank stares are gone.
If I didn't understand some of the science behind the Listening Fitness Therapy, I would think this was a miracle. In only ten weeks, she has accomplished things we've been working on for 3 years. We still have some ongoing work to do at home, including using Anna Buck's Anna's Sound Bits phonics/language arts curriculum. But now I'm expecting she can succeed instead of continuing to struggle in her schoolwork.
What a blessing to find the right key to unlock my child's learning. I am beyond thankful!
Nov. 21, 2009 - Change # 1
I have always been a girl who likes structure. I like knowing what is going to happen and when it will be happening. I have previously been of the thought that I was a flexible person. I mean, my goodness, I used to be a pre-school teacher, you need to be flexible in that line of work. Something happened, though, from that life to the life that I am inhabiting now. I think maybe it is old age or, gasp! peri-menopausal related. Whatever the reason, I do not like going with the flow anymore. I am just not good with it. Surprises are not my best friend.
This love of structure carries over into our learning time. Now, when I say structure I do not mean every subject has its own handy-dandy time slot (I am not that far into OCD land, not yet anyway.) My version of structure comes in the form of rhythm. Our learning time has a flow to it minus the timetable. Our days start with Morning Time, math, reading and writing, lunch, a big break then more learning time. This was our day BC (Before Cancer.)
Since our little life bump, I am not finding comfort in structure. Structure is no longer my friend. Structure is stifling to me now. Structure has become synonomous with suffocation. I don't want structure anymore. I want freedom. I think that just might be my word for 2010: freedom.
I want the freedom to start my day off with doing yoga without those niggling little voices whispering that this is really the time for Morning Time, not Mommy Time. I want the freedom to be able to play a game with my kids in the middle of the morning without those blasted voices reminding me that we should be really doing reading right now, not playing around.
I have been thinking about this for awhile. Two weeks ago when I was told that the drama was all over, I mistakenly thought "Yay, we can go back to the way life used to be." That week we went back to our structured days of learning and I thought my head was going to explode. It all seemed so foreign to me. By the time lunch time arrived, my head was pounding and I was knee-deep in frustration.
i attempted to do this again the following week but I bailed after the second day. I knew that I could not do school like this anymore, well, not for awhile anyway. I spent the rest of that week figuring out how I was going to manage this. I mean, the kids had to learn. I was definitely not going to send them to public school, so I needed to come with a plan on how to loosen up our days.
I think we may have figured it out. I told the kids that each day they can decide when they want to do school. If they want to do it in the morning, then we will do it then. If something pressing pops up in the morning, then we can have our learning time in the afternoon. We can even do it in the evening if that would float their boat. Our new motto is that learning has to be done every day ( that will never change) but when they do that learning, that is up to them.
Now, we are fresh into this new motto but, so far, it is working out very well. It has finally dawned on me that we are not morning people. I have tried so hard to be a morning person but it just isn't flying. The kids do not do well in the morning either. They need some time to ease into their day. So the last few days have seen them starting out with playing (both inside and outside) and then we spend a bit of time with our Morning Time. Mia has been starting math just before lunch and then the learning has been continuing after lunch.
The neat thing about this is that our days will not always look like that. Everyday will be different. Every day will be fresh! new! alive! I will never know what to expect from one day to the next. You would think after our rollercoaster ride of the past four months, that this kind of life would scare the liver out of me. Quite the opposite. I find it very refreshing. I am looking forward to this coming week and to all of the surprises that await us. I am looking forward to next week's freedom.
Nov. 20, 2009 - Praying in Colour
I was talking to a friend on the weekend about how my life now seemed like an emotional rollercoaster ride. She suggested that I start 'drawing my prayers." She said that she had begun to do this and it had added depth to her prayer life.
This concept comes from a book, Praying in Colour. I looked at the website and was immediately intrigued. Drawing your prayers just makes them more visual and is a creative way to pray for those that are important to me.In the simplest form. This could just be doodling or, for those who are creatively hinged, they could be masterpieces.
You can use this concept to pray for one person and include all of your concerns on that one drawing, or you can bring all of your prayer needs to that one creation. It can also be used in helping you to memorize Scripture, as a visual aid.
As always, I am drawn to the 'next new thing.' I know, I am fickle. But this idea intrigues my creative side. Right now, that side of me is aching to break out and I think praying in colour might help, at least for now.
Nov. 19, 2009 - Relaxed
I have been thinking during the last few weeks about how I want our schooling day to turn out. I know, this is nothing new. I have gone through this thinking process a few times (understatement) in the last few years. My problem is that I know how I want things to go but the voices in my head (or other people's voices) make me go back to our original way of schooling. The simple and plain truth is that I am not happy with how we have been doing school for quite awhile now. I will explain how I want things to change at a future date. For now, I just want to tell you about our day yesterday. We had a great day and it went smoothly without me having an overwhelming urge to pull out my hair.
For starters, I let the kids sleep in yesterday. They were all up by 8:30 and watched a video (we just got them from the library) while eating their breakfast. After the video, we read Hamlet, A Christmas Carol and These Happy Golden Years (Wilder book.) Then the kids decided that they would like to watch another video. Crazy woman that I am, I let them. By this time it was 11:30. Mia and Rocky did their math lesson then we had lunch.
After lunch, we did some fraction things with Rocky then the two older ones did their reading and spelling. We read The Sword and the Circle. Afterwards, we looked at a Janice VanCleave experiment book that I had found at the library. Mia decided that she would like to do some chemistry experiments. I went down into the deep abyss (aka the basement) to get all of our chemistry books ( I just can't let the experiments stand on their own, we have to have spines as a jumping off point. It's just ingrained in me.) We looked at a few pages of the books then we did three experiments. The kids then wrote out one of their experiments a la WTM.
That's it! That was our day! It was so relaxing and calm. This is how I want our days to be all of the time. Now, we didn't get to grammar or writing. We have to work on that. Anyways, I thought I would just share what a great Prairie school day looks like, at least, imo.
Nov. 17, 2009 - Counting down until Thanksgiving Break!
School has been going pretty good this year. Right now I'm behind on grading papers, but tonight or tomorrow night I'll get caught up with that. I'm almost done making assignments until Thanksgiving break. I'm going to have the kids do school on Monday and somewhat on Tuesday. It will be more of "holiday school". We'll be shopping for food items, reading Thanksgiving books and watching holiday movies, but it will also be a catch-up day for my high schoolers if they need it, and they probably will.
Nov. 17, 2009 - At A Crossroads
Last week was a rough week for me. I would have to say that last week was the worst week that I have had since the whole cancer thing began. It was rough because I couldn't understand why I was feeling the way that I was. I couldn't understand why I was crying all of the time. My cancer was gone. I came away from it relatively unscathed. I should be delieriously happy. Why, oh why, then, was last week a week of endless tears.
In addition to the tears, I felt at odds over everything. I knew that I was at a crossroads in my life. The cancer has changed me. How could it not? I have been changed on many levels--physical, emotional and spritual. I knew that I had a choice: i could either ignore the changes and go on with life the way that it used to be or I could take the steps toward changing things in my life.
If I ignore these changes, then the cancer was all for naught. There was no purpose for these last four months. It would all have been a waste.
If I go down the valley of change, I have no idea what those changes will look like. I know that I have changed, but I don't know how that will all look in my life. I don't know what to do first. I am at a loss and that scares me. I don't want the last months to be for nothing. I want my experience to mean something, not just for me but for those around me but I don't know what all of that means. Hence, the tears and pleading prayers of last week.
I was feeling pretty desparate last Friday. I felt all alone. God, in His extreme Grace, sent friends to show me the way out. Three friends called me that day and the clouds started to lift. I began to make sense out of my craziness. The next day, I talked to a friend that I hadn't talked to in 2 years. Another friend came out to the farm to visit. These talks were like being covered in a warm blanket on a dreary cold day. God gave me a pillow Sat. night to rest my weary head by having another friend call me that night. This friend had gone through cancer last year. Talking to her soothed my soul.
It seems that what I went through last week is normal. Who knew? I'm not insane after all! The more my friend talked about her cancer, the more I relaxed and could feel myself getting stronger. All of my tears and sense of unknowing is part of the cancer experience. I am learning that regardless of how major or minor your cancer is, you are obligated to go through all of the experiences. It seems to be mandatory.
This past week was just another process of grieving. I still don't know how this is all going to play out in my life. I don't know in what form these changes are going to take, but I do know that I do not want these last four months to be for naught. I want them to mean something. I want, need, for there to be changes in my life. I still have that scared feeling but now the excitement is starting to edge it out. I am looking forward to see what God has in store for me.
Nov. 16, 2009 - Book #48 -- Catching the Fire
I read the first book ( Hunger Games ) in this trilogy in September. I went into that book thinking that I would not like it as it was set in the future and I just don't like those kind of books. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I actually liked it. That book caused me to think about it for days after I turned the last page.
Now the second book in the series is out. Catching the Fire by Suzanne Collins was just as good as the first one. In this book, there is an uprising of the people against the Gov't. This uprising is all because of Katniss and her ways of rebellion that were shown during the Hunger Games. Before the uprising turns into a full blown revolution, Katniss needs to be taken care of, controlled.
I feel little let down, though. When I finished Hunger Games, I knew that the next book was already out so I wouldn't have long to wait to read it. But who knows when the third book will be published ( 1 or 2 years?) That is a long time to wait. A very long time.
Nov. 9, 2009 - Dickens-isms
Mia and I are reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens this month. I stumbled upon this site yesterday and decided that I would use some of Dickens' quotes in starting a commonplace book for Mia. I think I have talked about this type of book before. It is a book solely for quotes, songs, poems, or Scripture verses that speak to you. Some people use a Commonplace book for figures of Rhetoric, others use it for examples of the virtues or the Great Ideas. For now, I just want Mia to use this book to put in quotes that speak truth, beauty and goodness. She will use these verses for copywork and use her best writing. I haven't decided if I will have her do it incursive (she is still a bit shaky with this) or printing. I am hoping that if I get her started well, she will be able to do this on her own without any prompting from her mom.
Anyway, I want to use the Commonplace Book for some quotes from Dickens. There are many to choose from so we might do a few a week until we are done his book of Scrooge. Here are some interesting ones that I copied.
A wonderful fact to reflect upon that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.
An idea, like a ghost, must be spoken to a little bit before it will explain itself.
A day wasted on others is not wasted on one's self.
I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order and diligence, wihtout the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.
In the little world in which children have their existence, whosoever brings them up, there is nothing so finely perceived and so finely felt as injustice.
Life is made of ever so many partings melded together.
Whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried I have tried with all my heart to do it well; whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself completely; in great aims and in small I have always thoroughly been in earnest.
Nov. 8, 2009 - Book #47 -- Tell Me Pretty Maiden
I think I have found an author who is fast becoming a favourite. Rhys Bouwen is author of many books. These books belong to three different series. I have read books from two of her series (Her Royal Spyness and Molly Murphy) and have enjoyed them all. I keep picking up Bouwen's books at the library, meaning that I stumble upon them, I don't order them. I always feel like I have just met up with an old friend when I come upon one of her books on the shelves.
The most recent book that I have read of Bouwen's is from the Molly Murphy series' Tell Me Pretty Maiden. It is set in the 1900's. The main character is a female detective with wildly boisterous friends that always help her to solve her cases. This book, as with all of Bouwen's books, is chock full of action and is all tied up in a neat bow at the end. These books are definitely full mysteries but, oh! they are delightful fluff
Nov. 6, 2009 - What We Did This Week
This is our first weekly report of the school year. Why? Well, this is the firs week that we actually did something on consistent level. We actually did full days for the entire school week. Wahoo! It felt so good! I was thinking of continuing the survival mode of schooling that we have been doing since our little cancer bump but last weekend I had this overwhelming need to get back to life full tilt. So we did! We had an awesome week, too!
Math
We have been doing math for the past two months but it has been hit and miss. Mia is working on rounding numbers and applying this to division. Long division has been the thorn in our side as of late. It is hard for Mia to remember all of the steps as well as remembering when to multiply or subtract. Today, though, she did two sheets of her MUS book and she did them all on her own without pleads of help to me.
Rocky is still working with fractions but this week it has flowed over to time and money. He has done very well with this. I think our little foray into living math last week helped him in understanding what fractions were all about.
Missy is doing very well with math right now. I was a little concerned last year as she still didn't know her numbers. It wasn't for lack of teaching, either. She knows her numbers very well now as well her tens. I am doing the happy dance in my heart because I honestly didn't think she would ever get this. She is able to recognize the higher numbers as well. We did some adding this week with help from the abacus. We also played Swim to Ten, a Right Start game.
Language Arts
We had a major breakthrough with Mia's spelling this week. She wrote a story today about King Arthur. She wrote it on her own and did not ask for any spelling help. She was able to figure out the words by finger spelling, a strategy that is taught by Bartons Reading and Spelling. This program is worth a fortune but it is worth it! I have seen such progress in Mia's spelling and Rocky's reading. We have picked up Classical Writing again. I am enjoying this program. It is challenging but fun. This week our model was a fable by Joseph Jacobs. MIa diagrammed and marked sentences for parts of speech. She is doing very well with her diagramming. I think with more practise the marking will come along, too. We have finished Little Women this week. We had our 'end of the book' discussion today and talked about the themes of the book. I am very impressed with Mia's thought processes. She remarked that she thought Jo was a female version of Peter Pan because she didn't want to grow up. Mia also started a paper on the book. This is her first attempt at this sort of thing so I am giving lots of input to help guide her. The paper is simple enough, she is to discuss the characteristics of the four March girls. This is initiating her into writing an intro paragraph and how to support that paragraph.
We aren't doing grammar for awhile yet so Rocky didn't have too much work this week. He has started reading The Magic Tree House books. I am so proud of him. Last year at this time, he couldn't even read Level 1 readers and now he is able to read simple chapter books. What is even better is that he is proud of himself as well. He is on lesson 4 of Level 3 of Bartons and he is getting close to the teaching of the spelling rules. This will be a great challenge for him. Rocky is also doing more copywork. His writing is very sloppy so I have had him rub out the illegible letters and attempt them again. This has brought many tears and hissy fits this week. I think I have won the Mean Mom award of the week. If it means that I will have a son who can write so that you can read it, then I gladly accept the award.
We are still plugging along in teaching Missy the letter sounds. The problems she had with numbers last year are alive and well with her letters this year. We are moving very slowly. I am going to order a program that will, hopefully, help her with phonemic awareness but this program is so expensive and we just can't afford it right now. So we plug along with my feeble attempts.
History
We are now learning about King Arthur, Knights and Castles. Rocky loves this era so he is in his glory. We read about what makes a knight, what a knight wears and how they all came to be. The kids wrote narrations as well as stories about King Arthur. They also wrote Codes of Honour for themselves in true scroll-like fashion. We read some puzzle books on knights. My kids really like these Usborne books. We are also reading The Sword in the Circle by Rosemary Sutcliff. I have never read this book before but I am thoroughly enjoying it. The kids are liking it, too, but it is a bit over the head of Missy. She doesn't have a clue what is going on, but she hides it well.
Morning Time
Missy is memorizing The Castle Builder by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Rocky's poem is Bed in Summer Robert Louis Stevenson and Missy completed Singing Time by Robert Louis Stevenson today. We are still in the middle of Hamlet for our Shakespeare reading. For Greek Myths, we read The Tale of Arachne (Missy), The Gorgon's Head--The Wnder Tales (Rocky) and Baucis and Philemon--Age of Fables (Mia.)
Read Alouds
Missy and I started Matilda by Roald Dahl this week. Missy and I both love Dahl books. Matilda is one of our favourites. Yes, I know that the parents are nasty and it is wrong for Matilda to get revenge on them but it makes my heart sing when Miss Honey comes to give Matilda the kind of life that she should have had with her parents. I feel the warm, fuzzies with this book.
I am still reading The Return to the Hundered Acres Wood with Rocky. Nothing or no one can replace A.A.Milne but this book does well, considering. Rocky doesn't care who writes it as long as it about Pooh.
Mia and I started The Christmas Carol by Dickens today. We aren't going to have book discussions for every book so this is our 'just enjoy it' book.
We have a new family read aloud. We finished The Magic Half by Annie Barrows on Wed. The Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder was next on our list. The kids and I have been able to have some good discussions on bitterness after reading about this book's Mrs. Brewster. That woman is the epitome of bitterness.
Miscellaneous
We bought Model Magic this week and the kids have had great fun in making all sorts of creations. This has been our art class as I am not ready to do anything formal yet. Mia also started her art class at the Art Gallery. She is making stamps for this class. She thoroughly enjoyed it. We were able to do some baking, exploring, nature walks and we saw the most amazing sunrise yesterday. There is nothing like a Saskatchewan sunrise (or sunset) to nudge you to give thanks to the Lord for his awesome creation.
I am going to do something really nasty. This post has taken me way too long to write and it is past supper time so I am going to press SEND without editing. Please forgive me. I promise I won't make a habit of this but I can hear the herd rebelling up above me.
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