Posted in Kings Highway Homeschool
I recently learned there are two ways to homeschool - water skier or deep sea diver.
Water skiers skim along and cover lots of material very quickly but not very in depth. Deep sea divers plod along exploring deeply but not covering much ground.
My boys are definitely deep sea divers which in part are mom inspired but they are starting to dive a little too deep LOL Let me explain:
Water skiers skim along and cover lots of material very quickly but not very in depth. Deep sea divers plod along exploring deeply but not covering much ground.
My boys are definitely deep sea divers which in part are mom inspired but they are starting to dive a little too deep LOL Let me explain:
For a bit of a break from the actually school books this summer, I decided to change things up a bit. I have been making a FUN lesson plan for a Mexico Unit study that loosely goes with the Highlights Top Secret Adventure packs that grandma has so graciously paid for and sent the kids BUT IMHO the Highlights are too easy and lacking in actual learning quality AND I have 3 ds not one so what do I do??? I decide that wouldn't it be great to go along with the same concept but add a bit more information and it include some additional reading (in Top Secret you are a spy in a foreign country trying to solve a case of who stole a missing treasure and as you travel you learn about that country).
I made the boys case folders and start seperating out what I want them to do where and thought it would be nice to have a lapbook to go with it. Of course 1ds reminds me that we ALWAYS have a celebration at the end of our country unit studies and I think that maybe they can prepare some of the items along the way for that celebration as well. And of course we need some crafts too so... Okay yes, a little overboard but the kids are LOVING it (who wouldn't? lol) and I have finally figured out how to organize it in a way that doesn't make me crazy and the kids are learning LOADS so in this particular case I don't mind the deep-sea schooling. Remember too, that this was supposed to be a "break" of sorts (at least for me LOL)
So here is where my frustration comes in. Today ds is doing his mission on the animals of Mexico. There are 8 animals (which IMHO was more than plenty) that they are to read about and write a brief but interesting fact about what they learn (having them learn to research certain things for themselves).
Well, last night I am playing around with a Jacobs Ladder fold -- the paper flips on itself -- hard to explain but really cool. Ds sees this today and asks if he can use this to present his animals in his "spy" lapbook. I say fine. A little later he comes to me and asks if he can add 3 more animals. Why? because there will be 3 blank spots on his Jacob ladder if he doesn't and informs me that he already knows what animals and they are all from Mexico and that he already knows what information he will write and just needs pictures!!! okay she saids a little miffed that ds has researched 3 additional animals and not just gotten the job done but I secede and go online to find the requested animals but ds is not satisfied with the first pictures so I must look for a few more until I realize that I am just falling into the deep sea trap. I put my foot down and say NO -- 3 more that is it & these are what I am printing. Ds realizes that we are going too deep too. BUT is the work finished today???? NOPE not yet anyway and I'm worn out!
On one hand, what the boys come up with EXTRA to do is really terrific. It shows pride, interest, enthusiasm and a desire to learn more. However, on the other hand it wears us all out, makes our studies go tooooo slow and it is discouraging for me not to see things crossed off the school planner. I'm beginning to wonder if I need to put my foot down or what? So this deepsea underwater diver is going down and needs an oxygen tank LOL
© Copyright 2008 Jacque Ward http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/wacque/
