Sometimes when I sit down to plan out the homeschooling week everything falls into place. Sometimes I sit and fiddle with it for what seems like forever and I'm still not pleased. Sometimes there's that one kid who throws a kink in an otherwise smooth knot.
Ah, moy malenki Mishka.
Liza and Alyosha's schedules came together like a dream. In fact, I'm excited about them. Liza is learning about ancient Greece so I'm going to assign Padraic Colum's The Children's Homer for extra credit. She's learning about cell mitosis for science, something I've spent a ton of time working on. Alyosha is still deep in the Revolutionary War and he's beginning astronomy for science (The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way!)
Good stuff, right?
Yes, I was impressed as I wove together the threads of their homeschooling week. Then I got to Misha's.
Humph.
Misha is finished with the first quarter of OM1. Now it's time for him to take his review of the alphabet and begin putting the sounds together to form words. This is something he is ready to do. The problem is that Oak Meadow, being Waldorfy and artsy, suggests, for example, drawing seven little dogs and making word families from these dogs. The problem is that Misha hates to draw. Part of it is his fine motor skills, part of it is probably boredom--he's just not a sit and draw type of kid. Getting him to draw the pictures in his Main Lesson Book of the letters is stretching what he is willing to do.
I'm sensing that we're going to run into resistance.
I'm thinking of deviating from OM and instead using a more visual learning program, such as The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading or Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. I've already added to the math with a first grade Spectrum math workbook because he just wanted more...perhaps we'll have to just try different things and see what works.
One thing is for sure--we need to finish his scarf. It's cold outside!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
I adore Thanksgiving. It's kind of like Christmas without the pressure of gifts. I am also truly enjoying a week off from classes. I still have to study like mad because there are only three weeks left of the semester, but I have no class and the kids don't have classes or lessons this week.
It's a bit like a vacation, only with homework.
I'm working on loading some Russian podcasts onto my iPhone for the kids. Later this evening I think we're going to go downtown to see the lighting of the Christmas lights. It looks like it's going to be a good day.
It's a bit like a vacation, only with homework.
I'm working on loading some Russian podcasts onto my iPhone for the kids. Later this evening I think we're going to go downtown to see the lighting of the Christmas lights. It looks like it's going to be a good day.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Completely Off Topic
Because of family feuds completely unrelated to me we are not having a big family gathering this year for Thanksgiving. As I enjoy a quiet Sunday morning with a cup of coffee and season 5 of 'Friends' on DVD I'm struck more than ever with relief about this fact.
I need to disclaim that I truly do love my family. They are a colorful list of characters (as am I, obviously) but I truly do feel affection for nearly all of them. For the most part we get along (before mentioned feud aside) and, while dysfunctions abound, we normally get together several times a year and enjoy each other's company. This is no easy feat, as my mom is one of eight (six living) and so there is a seemingly endless amount of aunts, uncles, and cousins. I joke that we're really a small tribe.
However, there is one thing that never fails to cause me an enormous amount of stress (and I'll admit here that most of this stress is internal and related to my obsessive compulsive habit of overthinking EVERYTHING): the family prayer.
My family is made up of a motley crew of Christian beliefs. There are some church-on-the-occasional-Sunday-and-Christmas-and-Easter Christians. There are more fundamentalist Christians. Some are elders of their churches. Anyway, the obvious point is that my atheist family is in the extreme minority. And, really, that's okay. Anyone who is an atheist in America, particularly in the Midwest, understands that they are a minority. You deal with it. I tend not to think of someone as Aunt Millie Christian and I assume they don't think of me as Cousin Sasha Atheist.
However, this all goes out the window when it's time for the blessing.
For several years we had gatherings at an aunt and uncle's house. My uncle would lead a prayer while everyone stood in a circle around the food, holding hands. As I was a guest in their house I complied, even though I felt uncomfortable.
Now, I understand that most Christians will not understand my discomfort. I also understand that other people who are religious minorities might not feel the same way as I do. However, *I* find prayers to be awkward. I don't care if other people pray, I just don't like to feel obligated to participate.
Then we moved our gatherings to neutral settings (restaurants, shelterhouses, etc). This, coupled with the fact that my kids are getting older, really upped my discomfort of prayer. It's one thing to be expected to be a respectful guest. It's another thing for a prayer to be expected when we're all guests. I've tried to head to the bathroom when the prayer circle is forming (they wait for me, plus the kids are still herded into the circle). I've tried to lag behind. But it never fails that we always end up in a circle.
I tried to stand quietly and just list in my head things I'm thankful for. But that, honestly, not only made me feel fake but also bred resentment. I don't like to feel fake. I don't like to feel coerced. I resent being in a circle listening to proselytizing while the food gets cold. I tell my children to feel confident in who they are, to be proud of their beliefs, but I wasn't practicing what I 'preached'. I don't like feeling like a hypocrite. I also resent that these aren't just quick "Thanks for the food" blessings. There are lots of "Jesus"'s and "Our Heavenly Father"'s and, you know, I'm hungry. I have four kids. The food is usually cold (not to mention picked over) by the time the Big Guy and I get to eat anyway.
I googled, trying to find out how other atheists handle this situation (after all, we know we're minorities). There were inevitably some replies--a few from atheists but usually from Christians--that were very dismissive. Be tolerant, they said. If you don't believe in God, what harm does it do you to pray? It's not like you believe in one god but are praying to another.
The only way I can answer this is to say that *I* feel uncomfortable. I feel like tolerance, especially with regards to religion, is a one-way street. Tolerance would be, in my opinion, Christians choosing to pause and say a prayer while I quietly prepare my plate (or eat it, depending on the circumstances). It would be intolerant of me to demand that nobody pray at family gatherings because I don't like it. I don't want *anyone* to feel uncomfortable--myself included.
I thought that perhaps coming out as an atheist would help. The Big Guy helpfully pointed out that maybe people don't realize I'm an atheist. It's perfectly obvious to me, of course, but maybe my family's vision is just clouded with the assumption that they are religious, I was raised in a (quasi) religious household, that even though I don't attend church that doesn't mean I don't *believe*. Fair enough. Over time I've made it clear that I am not only atheist but really rather wary of religion.
But then...
Last month we went to a buffet style restaurant for an uncle's birthday. The Big Guy had to work so I took the four kids and treated my mom as well. I went and got Seryozha a plate of food and when I came back--they were praying. All four kids, heads bowed, as another uncle lead the table in prayer. I will not mention the gnashing of teeth if I were to tell the children in my family what I thought of religion (and I wouldn't. It's disrespectful. Again with the tolerance both ways thing--tolerance is not just me making concessions).
And that was the last straw.
I still don't know quite how to handle the awkward before-meal prayer (which has grown to overshadow the rest of the event) so instead, I will sit back and be thankful that there is no get together this year.
I need to disclaim that I truly do love my family. They are a colorful list of characters (as am I, obviously) but I truly do feel affection for nearly all of them. For the most part we get along (before mentioned feud aside) and, while dysfunctions abound, we normally get together several times a year and enjoy each other's company. This is no easy feat, as my mom is one of eight (six living) and so there is a seemingly endless amount of aunts, uncles, and cousins. I joke that we're really a small tribe.
However, there is one thing that never fails to cause me an enormous amount of stress (and I'll admit here that most of this stress is internal and related to my obsessive compulsive habit of overthinking EVERYTHING): the family prayer.
My family is made up of a motley crew of Christian beliefs. There are some church-on-the-occasional-Sunday-and-Christmas-and-Easter Christians. There are more fundamentalist Christians. Some are elders of their churches. Anyway, the obvious point is that my atheist family is in the extreme minority. And, really, that's okay. Anyone who is an atheist in America, particularly in the Midwest, understands that they are a minority. You deal with it. I tend not to think of someone as Aunt Millie Christian and I assume they don't think of me as Cousin Sasha Atheist.
However, this all goes out the window when it's time for the blessing.
For several years we had gatherings at an aunt and uncle's house. My uncle would lead a prayer while everyone stood in a circle around the food, holding hands. As I was a guest in their house I complied, even though I felt uncomfortable.
Now, I understand that most Christians will not understand my discomfort. I also understand that other people who are religious minorities might not feel the same way as I do. However, *I* find prayers to be awkward. I don't care if other people pray, I just don't like to feel obligated to participate.
Then we moved our gatherings to neutral settings (restaurants, shelterhouses, etc). This, coupled with the fact that my kids are getting older, really upped my discomfort of prayer. It's one thing to be expected to be a respectful guest. It's another thing for a prayer to be expected when we're all guests. I've tried to head to the bathroom when the prayer circle is forming (they wait for me, plus the kids are still herded into the circle). I've tried to lag behind. But it never fails that we always end up in a circle.
I tried to stand quietly and just list in my head things I'm thankful for. But that, honestly, not only made me feel fake but also bred resentment. I don't like to feel fake. I don't like to feel coerced. I resent being in a circle listening to proselytizing while the food gets cold. I tell my children to feel confident in who they are, to be proud of their beliefs, but I wasn't practicing what I 'preached'. I don't like feeling like a hypocrite. I also resent that these aren't just quick "Thanks for the food" blessings. There are lots of "Jesus"'s and "Our Heavenly Father"'s and, you know, I'm hungry. I have four kids. The food is usually cold (not to mention picked over) by the time the Big Guy and I get to eat anyway.
I googled, trying to find out how other atheists handle this situation (after all, we know we're minorities). There were inevitably some replies--a few from atheists but usually from Christians--that were very dismissive. Be tolerant, they said. If you don't believe in God, what harm does it do you to pray? It's not like you believe in one god but are praying to another.
The only way I can answer this is to say that *I* feel uncomfortable. I feel like tolerance, especially with regards to religion, is a one-way street. Tolerance would be, in my opinion, Christians choosing to pause and say a prayer while I quietly prepare my plate (or eat it, depending on the circumstances). It would be intolerant of me to demand that nobody pray at family gatherings because I don't like it. I don't want *anyone* to feel uncomfortable--myself included.
I thought that perhaps coming out as an atheist would help. The Big Guy helpfully pointed out that maybe people don't realize I'm an atheist. It's perfectly obvious to me, of course, but maybe my family's vision is just clouded with the assumption that they are religious, I was raised in a (quasi) religious household, that even though I don't attend church that doesn't mean I don't *believe*. Fair enough. Over time I've made it clear that I am not only atheist but really rather wary of religion.
But then...
Last month we went to a buffet style restaurant for an uncle's birthday. The Big Guy had to work so I took the four kids and treated my mom as well. I went and got Seryozha a plate of food and when I came back--they were praying. All four kids, heads bowed, as another uncle lead the table in prayer. I will not mention the gnashing of teeth if I were to tell the children in my family what I thought of religion (and I wouldn't. It's disrespectful. Again with the tolerance both ways thing--tolerance is not just me making concessions).
And that was the last straw.
I still don't know quite how to handle the awkward before-meal prayer (which has grown to overshadow the rest of the event) so instead, I will sit back and be thankful that there is no get together this year.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Save for the Big Guy hitting his injured thumb, causing him some awful pain (I don't remember if I mentioned it but he nearly cut the tip of his thumb off last week at work), it was a pretty good day. I studied psych some (I have an exam tomorrow) and thought about studying anatomy and physiology, although I think I held the book in my lap as I watched television more than I actually studied.
(and now I'm sucked into the 365 crockpot blog...thank you, J!)
I need to get into the habit of planning a menu. Between my hectic schedule and the Big Guy's, the kids beg to have something besides frozen pizza (I wish I were kidding). It's unfortunate because both of us like to cook--we just don't have the time/energy. I think I can overcome this by planning better and using the ol' crock pot.
(and now I'm sucked into the 365 crockpot blog...thank you, J!)
I need to get into the habit of planning a menu. Between my hectic schedule and the Big Guy's, the kids beg to have something besides frozen pizza (I wish I were kidding). It's unfortunate because both of us like to cook--we just don't have the time/energy. I think I can overcome this by planning better and using the ol' crock pot.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Next Week's Schedules
Liza
Week 11
| | English | Social Studies (Crete) | Science | Math | Russian |
| Monday | Define each vocabulary word. | Read Day 1. Add the island of Crete and the Cycladic Islands to your map and label them. Include the Aegean Sea. Use the Usborne Encyclopedia to help you. Research Knossos online and write a paragraph about an aspect that interests you. | | Lesson 37 | Lesson |
| Tuesday | Use each vocab word in a sentence. | Read and summarize in writing the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. | Read about phototropism | Lesson 38 | Practice |
| Wednesday | Write 5 sentences in which you shade the subject of each sentence blue and the predicate red. See the rules in the “Sentence construction” section of your EM. | Draw a large and very complicated labyrinth. Start by following the directions for a classical three circuit labyrinth. Then expand it. | Read about gravitropism | Lesson 39 | Practice |
| Thursday | | Read Day 4 and 5. Research Minoan goddess worship online. Write a full page describing what you found out. | Complete project C—study plant hormones | Lesson 40 | Practice |
| Friday | | Draw a picture of Icarus and Daedalus. Write a poem about what you imagine their adventures with flying was like. | Complete lesson 11 test questions | Lesson 41 | Practice |
Alyosha
Lesson 11
| | English | Social Studies | Science | Math | Russian |
| Monday | Each day read “Johnny Tremain”. Look up words you do not understand. Take plenty of notes so you have information for your essay. Write definitions for your vocabulary words | Read “Spanish Explorers” | Read section on ponds | Lesson 42 | Lesson |
| Tuesday | Make an outline from the notes you’ve been keeping. Refer to the “Outlining” section of your EM. You might use a web to get your ideas down on paper before organizing them into an outline. Use each vocabulary word in a sentence | Research two of the southwest missions in California, Texas, or New Mexico. Write short reports about what you learn and draw a picture of the missions you pick. Include information on the founders, history, and activities of the mission. | Read section on rivers. Answer the questions. | Lesson 43 | Practice |
| Wednesday | Begin composing topic sentences for each of the major paragraphs in your outline. You will fill out these paragraphs to complete your report next week. | Read “French Explorers”. Look at a map and find the Appalachian Mountains. Can you see that they form a barrier between the area of the British colonies and the lands to the west? | Read about lakes. Visit one in your area. | Lesson 44 | Practice |
| Thursday | Review the four kinds of sentences in the “Sentences” section of your EM. Identify the sentences in your syllabus. | Choose one of the extra credit options in your syllabus and learn about it. | Read about water pollution. What threats to the water supply exist in your community? Try to think of at least two. (Hint: how much rain have we gotten this summer?) | Lesson 45 | Practice |
| Friday | Do the sentence exercises listed in Grammar #5 in your syllabus. | Finish reading the week’s readings. Imagine what might have happened if the French had won the French and Indian War. How might your life be different today? | Read about the water cycle. Complete #1 and #2 listed in that section. | Lesson 46 | Practice |
Misha
Week 11
Week 11
| | Language Arts | Math | Science | Social Studies | CW | Music | Crafts | Russian |
| Monday | Read “The Valley of the Weavers”. Draw Vv in MLB | | Read “The Story of the Root Children” | Read UILE pgs. 114-115 | V | Singing Recorder | Knit | |
| Tuesday | Read “The Wreath of Birds”. Paint Ww | Review four processes using tangibles. | Go on a nature hike. Notice ways humans and nature interact. | On Map 2 label the two bodies of water. Trace the Nile in blue. Trace in red the dotted line separating upper from lower Egypt. Shade the Nile Valley green and the Delta red. Do map key. | W | Singing Recorder | Knit | |
| Wednesday | Read “The Extraordinary Crossroads”. Draw Xx. Finger knit and paste the ‘x’s over the x in MLB | Teach how to count from 61-70. Count piles of 10-70 items. | Choose one way that human beings and nature help one another. Draw a picture of these interactions. | Color a picture from Egypt coloring book | X | Singing Recorder | Knit | |
| Thursday | Learn poems for V,W, X. | | Explore together ways we can help preserve nature. Refill bird feeders | Draw a map of your room, making sure to mark directions. | VW | Singing Recorder | Knit | |
Also this week, Misha and I will begin reading The Seven-Year-Old Wonder Book.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Enjoying a rare few moments when I'm (nearly) alone
Seryozha is still here, watching "The Land Before Time" on the computer via Netflix. He's actually not a screen-watcher so "watching" is a relative term. He seems to be spending more time talking to the screen than he does paying attention to what's on it.
The older kids are all at their Saturday Russian class. The Big Guy is usually working so it was nice to send them with him today, leaving me in semipeace for a brief time.
Homeschooling last week went very, very well. Liza learned about ancient Africa and photosynthesis, Alyosha continued reading Johnny Tremain, learned about biomes, and plants in the New World. Misha is *almost* done with Oak Meadow's alphabet review/Term One. Yesterday he worked on sounding out words with the Big Guy. He learned about how animals survive in winter, giving examples of animals that hybernate, migrate, and save food (as well as those who don't prepare at all). He learned how to use a compass (I used the one on my iPhone) and we're deep in a groove of knitting, singing, and playing recorder.
I'm doing some preplanning for winter for both little boys. I've been so out of the cooking habit--with the Big Guy's work schedule and my nursing courseload we eat pizza a lot--but the other day I started some beef stew in the crock pot before I left for my Thursday classes. It was so delicious that I'm going to have to get into the habit of using the crock pot. My mom was a you-cook-roast-in-the-crock-pot type and I don't care for roasts so I'll admit that I underestimate the wonders of crock pots. I do have a vegetarian crock pot cookbook that I need to drag out (well, it's sitting on the kitchen counter with my other cookbooks, but you know what I mean).
As Misha and I head into second term I would like to add History Odyssey (a modified version--I loathe History Pockets in all of its contrivedness and don't plan on using it, although I have it somewhere, probably at the old house). At the very least I'd like to start reading SWB's Story of the World as some sort of supplement. I just don't feel like OM's social studies is quite meaty enough for Misha.
I'm also planning a lot of great songs, crafts, and baking for the little boys and I to do together. Since starting preschool Seryozha has definitely decided that he wants to be more involved with 'schoolwork'. Seryozha adores preschool.
The kids' Russian teacher is leaving the beginning of December to teach about an hour away. Part of me is so sad to lose her but I'm also fighting burnout as my own fall semester is coming to an end--I'd just like a break from some of my responsibilities. I have 11 days vacation coming up for Thanksgiving break and then almost a month off between fall and spring classes, so hopefully that will give me time to recharge. I'm starting to feel like I have this semester mostly in the bag--I have A's pretty much clinched in Psych and Exposition and Persuasion, Algebra I have to get a C or better (although I currently have an A) and an A is within reach in Anatomy and Physiology (you can't really say, I have an A right now because it doesn't matter, all that matters is if you have the points at the end). But I'm tired and ready for new classes.
The older kids are all at their Saturday Russian class. The Big Guy is usually working so it was nice to send them with him today, leaving me in semipeace for a brief time.
Homeschooling last week went very, very well. Liza learned about ancient Africa and photosynthesis, Alyosha continued reading Johnny Tremain, learned about biomes, and plants in the New World. Misha is *almost* done with Oak Meadow's alphabet review/Term One. Yesterday he worked on sounding out words with the Big Guy. He learned about how animals survive in winter, giving examples of animals that hybernate, migrate, and save food (as well as those who don't prepare at all). He learned how to use a compass (I used the one on my iPhone) and we're deep in a groove of knitting, singing, and playing recorder.
I'm doing some preplanning for winter for both little boys. I've been so out of the cooking habit--with the Big Guy's work schedule and my nursing courseload we eat pizza a lot--but the other day I started some beef stew in the crock pot before I left for my Thursday classes. It was so delicious that I'm going to have to get into the habit of using the crock pot. My mom was a you-cook-roast-in-the-crock-pot type and I don't care for roasts so I'll admit that I underestimate the wonders of crock pots. I do have a vegetarian crock pot cookbook that I need to drag out (well, it's sitting on the kitchen counter with my other cookbooks, but you know what I mean).
As Misha and I head into second term I would like to add History Odyssey (a modified version--I loathe History Pockets in all of its contrivedness and don't plan on using it, although I have it somewhere, probably at the old house). At the very least I'd like to start reading SWB's Story of the World as some sort of supplement. I just don't feel like OM's social studies is quite meaty enough for Misha.
I'm also planning a lot of great songs, crafts, and baking for the little boys and I to do together. Since starting preschool Seryozha has definitely decided that he wants to be more involved with 'schoolwork'. Seryozha adores preschool.
The kids' Russian teacher is leaving the beginning of December to teach about an hour away. Part of me is so sad to lose her but I'm also fighting burnout as my own fall semester is coming to an end--I'd just like a break from some of my responsibilities. I have 11 days vacation coming up for Thanksgiving break and then almost a month off between fall and spring classes, so hopefully that will give me time to recharge. I'm starting to feel like I have this semester mostly in the bag--I have A's pretty much clinched in Psych and Exposition and Persuasion, Algebra I have to get a C or better (although I currently have an A) and an A is within reach in Anatomy and Physiology (you can't really say, I have an A right now because it doesn't matter, all that matters is if you have the points at the end). But I'm tired and ready for new classes.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Cold Medicine Is Making Me Sleepy
Ah, well. Such is life.
Our homeschooling week was a good one. Liza finished reading The Phantom Tollbooth and Alyosha finished The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Misha added several rows to his scarf--he's really taking off with knitting! He got his cast off, although my husband and I are currently having a disagreement about whether or not he should be allowed to play hockey.
Alyosha's hockey started. His gear makes him--a skinny nine year old--as big as I am. Granted, I'm short, but I'm also fat. I'm going to take him to the arena's free skate shortly so he can practice on his new hockey skates. At practice my mom had a bit of an anxiety attack, worried that hockey is too dangerous. I said, "Mom, I put his gear on him. It took me a half an hour. That child could jump off a roof and he would bounce." My anatomy and physiology professor is one of the hockey coaches so I sat with him and studied and he introduced me to a Russian family, which was very nice.
Adventure camp was fun. The kids had a scavenger hunt and made corn husk dolls.
Seryozha started preschool, which is an adjustment for him. He came home, nursed, and promptly fell asleep in my lap.
I've decided to supplement OM1 with Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World. OM1's suggestions (for the first quarter, at least) are to work on cycles (daily, monthly, yearly) and read fairy tales. This is certainly not bad but I feel like Misha needs more. I've gone through SOTW with the older kids so I'm quite familiar with it. I don't think we'll do the activity guide (I have it somewhere...I think at the old house still) but I do have History Odyssey that I might use to flesh it out. I'm not sure yet. I don't want to overload Misha's homeschool day but I want to make sure he's getting enough.
Tomorrow afternoon I get to go to a banquet for my mom's work. It's a big deal and I'm excited. The next Saturday my friend and I are going to Washington, D.C. to the Rally to Restore Sanity. I'm VERY excited about that.
Our homeschooling week was a good one. Liza finished reading The Phantom Tollbooth and Alyosha finished The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Misha added several rows to his scarf--he's really taking off with knitting! He got his cast off, although my husband and I are currently having a disagreement about whether or not he should be allowed to play hockey.
Alyosha's hockey started. His gear makes him--a skinny nine year old--as big as I am. Granted, I'm short, but I'm also fat. I'm going to take him to the arena's free skate shortly so he can practice on his new hockey skates. At practice my mom had a bit of an anxiety attack, worried that hockey is too dangerous. I said, "Mom, I put his gear on him. It took me a half an hour. That child could jump off a roof and he would bounce." My anatomy and physiology professor is one of the hockey coaches so I sat with him and studied and he introduced me to a Russian family, which was very nice.
Adventure camp was fun. The kids had a scavenger hunt and made corn husk dolls.
Seryozha started preschool, which is an adjustment for him. He came home, nursed, and promptly fell asleep in my lap.
I've decided to supplement OM1 with Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World. OM1's suggestions (for the first quarter, at least) are to work on cycles (daily, monthly, yearly) and read fairy tales. This is certainly not bad but I feel like Misha needs more. I've gone through SOTW with the older kids so I'm quite familiar with it. I don't think we'll do the activity guide (I have it somewhere...I think at the old house still) but I do have History Odyssey that I might use to flesh it out. I'm not sure yet. I don't want to overload Misha's homeschool day but I want to make sure he's getting enough.
Tomorrow afternoon I get to go to a banquet for my mom's work. It's a big deal and I'm excited. The next Saturday my friend and I are going to Washington, D.C. to the Rally to Restore Sanity. I'm VERY excited about that.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Me
We're battling a cold at my house. Seryozha was up all night long, feverish and wanting to nurse. Although it is morning and I would normally have been up for a couple of hours I'm sitting, groggy, on my bed.
I'm hitting my stride at mid-semester. Anatomy and physiology, while never easy, is fitting together and I've realized a good study strategy. I just received a 104/100 on a math exam, which is a huge deal for me. My others classes are also going well. I have a psychology exam Tuesday and three papers due in my Exposition and Persuasion class Thursday so I need to remember to fit those in this week (because of the nature of a&p and because I have math twice a week it seems like those classes overshadow the other two).
In addition, the kids are getting into a groove of me being less "present". This is hard for me because I've always been such a hands-on parent who strives to be present. I've really had to learn to let go and to allow other people to take on larger roles in the kids' lives and that's okay. I'm learning that, particularly perhaps in a large family, that I have to make decisions that are not only best for each individual person but best for us as a whole and that those changes can be fluid and flexible and I don't have to be tied down to any one choice that I made for one child even though something else would work better for a different child and whatnot.
In homeschool news, Liza and Alyosha still love Adventure Camp. Misha may be taking a homeschool hybrid class at a local private Montessori school, which I think will be good for him. He ends up getting left out of a lot of fieldtrips because of his attention issues and stuff. Seryozha should be starting a three-day-a-week preschool here soon; it's only one hour and fifteen minutes three days a week but should give me a chance to have some one-on-one school time with the older kids. He is just such a busy sort of boy that, as soon as I get Misha focused to do his work, I'm up to get him off the ceiling or something. Then I've lost everything I've done with Misha. I think this will be good for everyone.
I'm hitting my stride at mid-semester. Anatomy and physiology, while never easy, is fitting together and I've realized a good study strategy. I just received a 104/100 on a math exam, which is a huge deal for me. My others classes are also going well. I have a psychology exam Tuesday and three papers due in my Exposition and Persuasion class Thursday so I need to remember to fit those in this week (because of the nature of a&p and because I have math twice a week it seems like those classes overshadow the other two).
In addition, the kids are getting into a groove of me being less "present". This is hard for me because I've always been such a hands-on parent who strives to be present. I've really had to learn to let go and to allow other people to take on larger roles in the kids' lives and that's okay. I'm learning that, particularly perhaps in a large family, that I have to make decisions that are not only best for each individual person but best for us as a whole and that those changes can be fluid and flexible and I don't have to be tied down to any one choice that I made for one child even though something else would work better for a different child and whatnot.
In homeschool news, Liza and Alyosha still love Adventure Camp. Misha may be taking a homeschool hybrid class at a local private Montessori school, which I think will be good for him. He ends up getting left out of a lot of fieldtrips because of his attention issues and stuff. Seryozha should be starting a three-day-a-week preschool here soon; it's only one hour and fifteen minutes three days a week but should give me a chance to have some one-on-one school time with the older kids. He is just such a busy sort of boy that, as soon as I get Misha focused to do his work, I'm up to get him off the ceiling or something. Then I've lost everything I've done with Misha. I think this will be good for everyone.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
We had a wonderful homeschooling week. Lizavet' and Alyosha went to a nature group Tuesday through the local homeschool group. They made campfire bread, played with other kids, and whittled things out of wood. They absolutely loved it.
Russian class today went very well. Saturday is their group Russian class and their head teacher, Vera, is a wonderfully strict Soviet woman. To please her is somewhat difficult and to receive a compliment from her is very high praise so it was wonderful today when she repeatedly complimented Liza on her accent ("Your mother teaches you well," she said to Liza in her very thick accent, "You speak Russian like you live there.")
I keep thinking I'll venture downstairs and get out the OM binders and plan for next week but, alas, the stairs are many and my energy level is low. I picked up The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at the library the other day, I think that will be a good October family read. Misha and I finished the second book in the Tales from the Odyssey so I picked up the third one as well. He received "Aragorn's Quest" on Wii for his birthday and now wants me to read him The Hobbit so I'll add that to his list.
Russian class today went very well. Saturday is their group Russian class and their head teacher, Vera, is a wonderfully strict Soviet woman. To please her is somewhat difficult and to receive a compliment from her is very high praise so it was wonderful today when she repeatedly complimented Liza on her accent ("Your mother teaches you well," she said to Liza in her very thick accent, "You speak Russian like you live there.")
I keep thinking I'll venture downstairs and get out the OM binders and plan for next week but, alas, the stairs are many and my energy level is low. I picked up The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at the library the other day, I think that will be a good October family read. Misha and I finished the second book in the Tales from the Odyssey so I picked up the third one as well. He received "Aragorn's Quest" on Wii for his birthday and now wants me to read him The Hobbit so I'll add that to his list.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Serioque says 'Hi'
We've had another busy week. Liza has showed a lack of enthusiasm about Oak Meadow this week--she's learning about the Ancient Israelites. This includes readings from the Bible and she is less than interested. I told her that it's important to be familiar with the Bible--for cultural literacy's sake if for no other reason--which seemed to appease her but she's still ready to be finished with this section.
Misha turned seven years old. We all went to a Chuck E. Cheese type restaurant for dinner on his birthday and he had so much fun.
I'm still struggling to balance my homeschooling mother life with my full courseload life. My initial thinking was that I would study while the kids studied--this worked well when I was doing my less complicated prerequisites. Now that I've moved on to the more intense math and sciences it is more of a struggle. For the first time I'm academically challenged and this in itself takes some getting used to. It's not just about churning out a paper or memorizing information--I have to learn this material and be able to apply it. How that fits into teaching 6th grade math has been a process.
I do have to say that Oak Meadow has been wonderful, however. The levels that Alyosha and Liza are doing (5th and 6th grade, respectively) are very much self-teaching. I plug their week into Homeschool Tracker each week, print it out, put it in our homeschool binder, and for the most part they are able to complete their own work. Misha's work (first grade) is still obviously reliant on me to facilitate but it is so gentle, which is perfect for both of us. I do add to it somewhat--I have him do copywork every day to help with his occupational therapy, I add Russian for all three (they will begin their lessons with Larisa again today after a month off, plus they have Russian classes on Saturdays with several children), and I assign a lot of free reading.
Last month the older two kids took part in a paleontology class through the homeschool group, which they loved. We visited the apple orchard, had a couple of family gatherings at the park, and played outside for hours. Ballet started again for Liza after a few weeks' break and all three older kids have been a part of a character-building group a neighbor has put together for the kids on our block. She and her family are of Baha'i faith and the class focuses on topics like cooperation, inclusiveness, and friendship. It's funny--I thought that Misha would get bored (he's a flighty sort and it can be difficult to keep him on topic but he enjoys the class most of all.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Busy Week
It's been a busy week for us. Misha's elbow is healing. We took a field trip with the homeschool group to the apple orchard, which was fun. Alyosha finished Hatchet, Liza finished The Halloween Tree, and Misha and I finished the first volume in Tales from the Odyssey.
Misha will be 7 on Friday!
Misha will be 7 on Friday!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
My Poor Little One
My little Misha broke his elbow. He now has a bright orange cast from his shoulder to his wrist. <3
Monday, September 13, 2010
Tipperty Toes
The smallest elf. He's a lesson in red, watercolor painted by Misha.
I'm nursing a cold so my lovely husband is making this tremendously wonderful cream of chicken soup that I love. Just the anticipation of eating it makes me feel a little better. A little.
Even with a my cold we've had a productive day. Liza is reading Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree (we've read this before but she loves to read it every autumn. It's a children's book but really quite creepy. She read about ancient Egypt and wrote definitions for her vocabulary words (note to self: the children's dictionary is no longer sufficient for her. I must dig out the collegiate dictionary). Shortly I'm going to take her to the library (trying not to breath on anyone) so that she can gets some books for a research paper she is going to write about mummification.
Alyosha read about Jamestown and the journey to America aboard the Mayflower. He wrote definitions for some of his vocabulary words (I only assign him half on Mondays; he will finish tomorrow). We read a chapter from Hatchet. He did a worksheet from his Saxon book; we still need to do his lesson.
Misha painted the picture of the elf. We had Circle Time (Seryozha joined in), did his language arts lesson in OM1 (we drew Ee in his main lesson book) and copywork, and we played with these wonderful acorns I found at Michaels. I use them for math manipulatives. We added and subtracted with them. It's all review but is good for him. We read another chapter about the Cyclops in his Odyssey book.
We still have our afternoon block to do but I was enjoying a quiet moment eating baba ganouj (one of the best batches I've made) and toasted pitas. I have my first exam of the semester tomorrow--math--so I really must get the kids involved in their studies so that I can do some studying of my own.
The weekend was quiet and rather enjoyable. Saturday began the new semester for the kids' Russian class. There are several new children, four of whom have lived for the last three years in the Ukraine. Another group of siblings speak only Russian at home. Then there are some children from last semester and, of course, my three biggers (Seryozha sometimes plays with Masha, a little girl his age, but otherwise has no interest). Then Liza's semester for dance company (a performing arts troupe she's a part of) began as well.
Yesterday my husband had to work all day so my mom and I took the kids to the park for a family member's birthday. It was very enjoyable, a nice gathering before the cold comes.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
This week Liza reviewed Mesopotamia, which I think is one of the most fascinating times in history. She made a clay pot, which looks like this:
Misha and I completed the nature table.
I've downloaded Homeschool Tracker and have been entering the kids' information in it; I will post their schedule for next week so that people can see how it works with Oak Meadow.
Yesterday Liza and Alyosha went to a Paleontology Club with the local homeschool group. I got to meet the mother who is organizing a mother's classic literature group that I've joined, so it was nice to put a face with the name. That reminds me, I need to find my copy of Orwell's 1984. I took the little boys to the library and park. We emerged tired and loaded down with books about autumn.
I signed up for spring 2011 classes. These are my last prerequisites before I can apply for the nursing program. I'll be taking anatomy and physiology 2, chemistry, microbiology, and algebra.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Week One is in the Bag
I'm avoiding anatomy and physiology in lieu of working on next weeks' homeschool schedule for Misha. Last week went better than I could have expected. He used his hand weight 100% of the time, which was the goal (to give some background, he has epilepsy and some other issues and his hands shake. His occupational therapist gave him a hand weight that he is supposed to wear when he writes. Not only has he traditionally not liked to write but he hates the weight, which is heavy--to him--so a 100% is tremendous). Oak Meadow is an excellent fit for him and he did the extra copywork I asked of him without complaint--in fact, by the end of the week he was enthusiastically copying letters and carefully circling the ones he thought were best. He loves the math gnomes (I'm making them from wooden peg people and felt, I'll take pictures when I can) and carries the multiplication gnome everywhere he goes.
Liza and Alyosha had good weeks as well. Liza reviewed the Stone Age (she's done all of that before with Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World) and she really loved the flexibility of OM6. She likes choosing her own assignments from a list of possibilities. Saxon 7/6 seems to be a good fit as well. In addition, she studied Russian and read several chapters from The Cricket in Times Square. Ironically I'd stopped by Goodwill and found a large stack of (what I consider to be) children's classics and that's the first free reading selection of the school year for her.
Alyosha learned about the first (white) people to settle America. While I'm not a fan of Christopher Columbus he did read a book about him and also Marco Polo. Eh, at least OM5 handles the issue without making Columbus seem like a demigod. So. not. a. fan. Saxon 6/5 seems to be working out for him and his free reading selection is Hatchet (yes, he studied Russian too).
Seryozha's vocabulary went nuts this week. He is repeating everything including, I'm sorry to say, jackass.
Liza and Alyosha had good weeks as well. Liza reviewed the Stone Age (she's done all of that before with Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World) and she really loved the flexibility of OM6. She likes choosing her own assignments from a list of possibilities. Saxon 7/6 seems to be a good fit as well. In addition, she studied Russian and read several chapters from The Cricket in Times Square. Ironically I'd stopped by Goodwill and found a large stack of (what I consider to be) children's classics and that's the first free reading selection of the school year for her.
Alyosha learned about the first (white) people to settle America. While I'm not a fan of Christopher Columbus he did read a book about him and also Marco Polo. Eh, at least OM5 handles the issue without making Columbus seem like a demigod. So. not. a. fan. Saxon 6/5 seems to be working out for him and his free reading selection is Hatchet (yes, he studied Russian too).
Seryozha's vocabulary went nuts this week. He is repeating everything including, I'm sorry to say, jackass.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Nothing is ever as good as it seems
I spoke to the principal of the school with the music program and it is, well, underwhelming. There is a private Montessori school here that I love--if they had two openings it would be a tough decision for me but this decision? Easy.
So a'homeschooling we'll go.
So a'homeschooling we'll go.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Decisions, Decisions
Yesterday at Seryozha's birthday party I got a phone call from Dr. L, who is the older kids' violin teacher. She is on the school board and wanted to tell me about this program at one of the area elementary schools. It's a pilot program that includes violin lessons in the curriculum, as well as free violin lessons after school for students. This is an amazing opportunity since Liza wants to go to Juilliard School; I can afford only to send them to a half hour lesson each a week.
We have always homeschooled. While I'm old enough that the black and white thinking of my mid twenties has passed, I'm still skeptical of public schools. I support them because I feel that society owes it to its children to provide a free education; I'm pretty socialist in a lot of my leanings, but I don't feel that the American model of education is terribly effective or even positive for most children.
However, I'm also not about to ignore something that could be a great opportunity simply because it's "school". That would be silly.
Dr. L feels that Liza and Alyosha are gifted musically and thinks that they would thrive in this program (she also thinks that they would make the program look good and, since the idea is to expand it throughout the state, this is important). She urged me to contact the principal and interview her, telling her that I was sent specifically by Dr. L.
So I don't know what to do. School has already started and the kids have never been in school. They have expressed interest since they are seeing the neighborhood kids going to school, although I figured that this would die down once we go the homeschool year underway and their days were busier. I guess that I'll just wait and see how the interview with the principal goes.
We have always homeschooled. While I'm old enough that the black and white thinking of my mid twenties has passed, I'm still skeptical of public schools. I support them because I feel that society owes it to its children to provide a free education; I'm pretty socialist in a lot of my leanings, but I don't feel that the American model of education is terribly effective or even positive for most children.
However, I'm also not about to ignore something that could be a great opportunity simply because it's "school". That would be silly.
Dr. L feels that Liza and Alyosha are gifted musically and thinks that they would thrive in this program (she also thinks that they would make the program look good and, since the idea is to expand it throughout the state, this is important). She urged me to contact the principal and interview her, telling her that I was sent specifically by Dr. L.
So I don't know what to do. School has already started and the kids have never been in school. They have expressed interest since they are seeing the neighborhood kids going to school, although I figured that this would die down once we go the homeschool year underway and their days were busier. I guess that I'll just wait and see how the interview with the principal goes.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Disregard all that was said...
Because I decided to go with Oak Meadow after all. I've been looking over the first grade curriculum for H and I love it. For a kid like him I think it will be perfect. I'm excited to look over the fifth and seventh grade curricula as well, which is where I've decided to place A and L, respectively.
For the just turned 2 year old S I'm going to begin using Slow and Steady, Get Me Ready. Right now he is eating blueberries and growling at me like a monster.
For the just turned 2 year old S I'm going to begin using Slow and Steady, Get Me Ready. Right now he is eating blueberries and growling at me like a monster.
Monday, August 16, 2010
The road to hell and all...
Remember several weeks ago when I wrote that I would be buying a packaged curriculum for the kids this school year?
Yeah. That didn't work out.
Almost a month off of school for me and a complete lifestyle change for all of us (from a home on 17 acres in the country with dairy cows to a townhouse in the city) has renewed my sense of purpose and I've been busy making plans for homeschooling. I reread (and reread again) The Latin-Centered Curriculum and it really spoke deeply to me. Using only my iPhone, as we hadn't yet gotten Internet set up at our new place (this happened today, which is why I'm able to blog), I tried to glean as much information online as I could about LCC. I've done this before but it seems, to me, that you really absorb something when it's truly time for you to do so. I can read and intellectually understand something all day long but it isn't until it fits right in with where I am in life that I have that 'aha' moment. Such is the case with the multum non multa philosophy.
I have decided to use Oak Meadow first grade with H (6)--with his issues it is a better fit than the more rigorous classically inspired curricula at this point.
For A (age 9) I will use:
When I'm done writing the years-worth of lesson plans (something I've never tried to do all at once before) I'm going to print it and the various other pages I've made (scope and sequence, book lists, et cetera) out, take them to Office Depot, and have them spiral bound. I've always been a 3-ring binder type who ends up with the seams all busted and stuff falling out all over the place--I'm going to simplify and beautify this year.
Yeah. That didn't work out.
Almost a month off of school for me and a complete lifestyle change for all of us (from a home on 17 acres in the country with dairy cows to a townhouse in the city) has renewed my sense of purpose and I've been busy making plans for homeschooling. I reread (and reread again) The Latin-Centered Curriculum and it really spoke deeply to me. Using only my iPhone, as we hadn't yet gotten Internet set up at our new place (this happened today, which is why I'm able to blog), I tried to glean as much information online as I could about LCC. I've done this before but it seems, to me, that you really absorb something when it's truly time for you to do so. I can read and intellectually understand something all day long but it isn't until it fits right in with where I am in life that I have that 'aha' moment. Such is the case with the multum non multa philosophy.
I have decided to use Oak Meadow first grade with H (6)--with his issues it is a better fit than the more rigorous classically inspired curricula at this point.
For A (age 9) I will use:
- Hawthorne's A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales, Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare; progymnasmata (Classical Writing Aesop); Narrative; Copywork; Recitation for English Studies
- Lively Latin for Latin
- Famous Men of Rome for Classical Studies
- Story of the World 3 for History
- The Young People's History of the United States and select reading material for Modern Studies
- MEP for arithmetic
- REAL Science Earth and Space for Science
- tutors for Russian and Violin
For L (age 11) I will use:
- Progymnasmata (Classical Writing Homer); Harvey grammar for English Studies
- Lively Latin for Latin
- The Children's Homer for Classical Studies
- Story of the World 4 for History
- The Young People's History of the United States and select reading material for Modern Studies
- MEP for arithmetic
- REAL Science Earth and Space for Science
- tutors for Russian and Violin
There are still some things I want to fit in, such as Religion (you may have noticed, if you are familiar with The Latin-Centered Curriculum, that I've modified Christian Studies). I have some very good books about various world religions and I would like to study this. I've read the claim that one needs to be familiar with Bible stories in the interest of cultural literacy and, while this argument has its merits, I believe that we need to have a familiarity with the stories of all major world religions. Also, I need to weave in Artist and Composer study, which should be somewhat easier after the class I took in Music Appreciation over the summer.
So the task I have will be to schedule everything so that we can schoolwork done when we have errands (for example, H has therapy and sees the chiropractor on Monday mornings, the older kids have violin Monday afternoons) and how my husband can manage on days that I am at class (I literally pull all-day classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays this semester). This is certainly possible--the older kids especially are at an age where a lot of their work can be done independently. Other work they do is rolled together (for example, Science, Russian, and Modern Studies). It will just take some planning.
When I'm done writing the years-worth of lesson plans (something I've never tried to do all at once before) I'm going to print it and the various other pages I've made (scope and sequence, book lists, et cetera) out, take them to Office Depot, and have them spiral bound. I've always been a 3-ring binder type who ends up with the seams all busted and stuff falling out all over the place--I'm going to simplify and beautify this year.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Nearing the End
I just turned in my final paper for sociology. The end of the semester is right around the corner. I've made it and my 4.0 is pretty much assured. I have several last minute things to wrap up but the pressure, by and large, is Off.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Homeschooling
For those who don't know me, I homeschool my four children. My daughter is 11, and my three sons are 9, 6, and nearly 2. They have never gone to traditional school. I have always felt strongly that homeschooling them is in their best interests for a multitude of reasons (I won't get into all of them there but the reasons range from purely academic to social--my kids are free thinkers in a very conservative area). Those feelings have not changed; the amount of time and energy I have to put into homeschooling has changed.
Every year except this one I spent most of July and August rereading The Well-Trained Mind, researching curriculum, piecing together every subject and filling in gaps. I really love this time, as it's a chance for me to breathe in and just plan. I love to plan and organize. I'm good at it.
This summer, however, I've taken 10 credit hours (in 8 weeks, oy) as well as Russian tutoring. I don't have the time or energy to micromanage homeschooling right now and I have 12 credit hours (anatomy & physiology, concepts in mathematics, psychology, and exposition & persuasion) coming in the fall (I'm toying with the idea of adding microbiology, so you might try to talk me out of that in the interest of sanity--microbiology just looks so interesting!) so fall doesn't look to be any less hectic.
I've decided to rely, for the first time, on a boxed curriculum. I've always pieced together a neoclassical curriculum and will still add in Latin, Russian, and violin (foreign languages are non-negotiable here) but I've decided to rely upon Oak Meadow for the rest. I'm actually pretty excited about this and I hope it works well for us.
Every year except this one I spent most of July and August rereading The Well-Trained Mind, researching curriculum, piecing together every subject and filling in gaps. I really love this time, as it's a chance for me to breathe in and just plan. I love to plan and organize. I'm good at it.
This summer, however, I've taken 10 credit hours (in 8 weeks, oy) as well as Russian tutoring. I don't have the time or energy to micromanage homeschooling right now and I have 12 credit hours (anatomy & physiology, concepts in mathematics, psychology, and exposition & persuasion) coming in the fall (I'm toying with the idea of adding microbiology, so you might try to talk me out of that in the interest of sanity--microbiology just looks so interesting!) so fall doesn't look to be any less hectic.
I've decided to rely, for the first time, on a boxed curriculum. I've always pieced together a neoclassical curriculum and will still add in Latin, Russian, and violin (foreign languages are non-negotiable here) but I've decided to rely upon Oak Meadow for the rest. I'm actually pretty excited about this and I hope it works well for us.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Priorities
I'm not normally a proscratinator. I do work better under some level of pressure but I am not, by nature, someone who puts off work that needs to be done. Except for today, that is, when I have several things to do for each class, including writing a paper, reading a chapter, and doing a quiz for sociology and writing a midterm paper about Russian Nationalism and Rimsky-Korsakov for music appreciation. What was I doing instead of my paper?
Playing Super Mario Brothers 3 with H, my 6 year old son.
Now it's midnight, a time when I normally really buckle down and get work done, and I've got my bed littered with papers, schoolbooks, and little boys (we sleep in piles at my house). I shall conquer this sociology paper.
Playing Super Mario Brothers 3 with H, my 6 year old son.
Now it's midnight, a time when I normally really buckle down and get work done, and I've got my bed littered with papers, schoolbooks, and little boys (we sleep in piles at my house). I shall conquer this sociology paper.
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