It is our 4th term here in Australia, the last of our 4 term year. I have made a fairly radical change in our curriculum- although I am happy with what we have done so far this year, I need a change/break. I dont know if it is temporary or long term but it feels right for now. We are using Australian workbooks for Maths, English, maybe Science, and for Australian studies for my son.
And, we continue Latin, and Story of the World, and our study of the Iliad for now. The kids are also getting more time for reading and are doing an hour a day including Hakim's Story of Science for dd12. And, I even managed to squeeze in a research and report assignment the other day.
It feels like plenty! And wow, I needed at least a break from Classical Writing. I just couldnt keep it up with 3 kids. So time consuming too. Time to use that time for other things for a while.
Why did I ever push SO hard. Myself, the kids. I think we can even take it easier, but I am easing myself into taking it easier! My aim (which so far so good is actually happenning) is to get them working independently from 8.30 till 10.30, and again after lunch. I am around if needed, but they dont need me much for their workbooks. Between 11 and 12.30, while I am still fresh, we do our together work- Iliad, SOTW, whatever. Then after lunch they read, and do something else independent.
Whew, I feel as if a load has been lifted off me.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Holidays!
I havnt felt so relieved to be on holidays for quite a while! I do always like holidays though.
I put the kids through some testing on Friday our last day. I used some recommended books I had read about and I will continue the testing next term. The idea is, if they get 80% or above, they are fine to move ahead. If not, they need to have a look at what they need to go over. Genevieve so far is well over 80% and so is Daniel, although Daniel flunked one page because he is weak on Vocabulary. Jared is between 70 and 80% so far. His weakness seems to be translating what he has learned in Maths into a different context. He has been doing Singapore maths- but these questions looked nothing like Singapore maths questions, and he couldn't do some of them- well, he could have if he couldn have worked out what they were asking.
So, so far so good, the testing is helping me get a better feel for where the kids are at in a particular way. Sometimes homeschooling feels like I am operating in the dark- I just dont know how well my kids are doing- or not.
I put the kids through some testing on Friday our last day. I used some recommended books I had read about and I will continue the testing next term. The idea is, if they get 80% or above, they are fine to move ahead. If not, they need to have a look at what they need to go over. Genevieve so far is well over 80% and so is Daniel, although Daniel flunked one page because he is weak on Vocabulary. Jared is between 70 and 80% so far. His weakness seems to be translating what he has learned in Maths into a different context. He has been doing Singapore maths- but these questions looked nothing like Singapore maths questions, and he couldn't do some of them- well, he could have if he couldn have worked out what they were asking.
So, so far so good, the testing is helping me get a better feel for where the kids are at in a particular way. Sometimes homeschooling feels like I am operating in the dark- I just dont know how well my kids are doing- or not.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Latest thoughts
I seem to have been suffering from burnout for most of this year, to some extent. I still feel enthusiastic about homeschooling, but when I get to the schoolroom, I have little inclination to teach anything- I just want them to get on with it. I have even dropped off the read alouds lately. I have been having health issues. I had whiplash for 6 months. That seems to have finally gone although there is a slight issue there. Mostly, i have just been exhausted. I had a wonderful trip east to see my family. My life is going well. Marriage is good. Lots of love in my life.
Who knows how long this feeling of flatness will last. Lately, in thinking about things, and researching our next program for highschool maths, I have been going through a radical rethink of everything. I really want the kids to be more independent, and I want to use more Australian materials. I am feeling the need of a little more security that my kids would be ok if they had to go back to school, and I want to feel not just that they are getting a good education, but that they could actually cope with the local system as well (which is not necessarily the same thing, I realise).
The sequencing of Maths and Science is so different in the U.S. to here in Australia. I think it would be better to stay in alignment with the Australian system, and keep that as my foundation. We can always add to it. We can always use Classical methods. But I would like the content to be more relevent to and congruent with Australian systems.
Since I also want them to be more independent, I am looking at using workbooks as spines, and also making use of a local correspondence school for homeschoolers. We would continue with Latin.
We will see. I have months to work this out, before our new year in February. I just know I need to change my approach somewhat to get the kids to be more independent, so that they can just get on with their work if I need to do somethng else- or nothing, as the case may be. Perhaps we need a year of workbooks then I will be ready to be more 'the teacher' again. I dont know.
Its strange to have such a hange of heart about it all. I still love it, but i dont care if its Classical or anything right now. I just want them to get a good grounding, and I am concerned that with all the high ideals, I have inadvertantly left some gaps-probably not serious, but I dont know. Before we go any further, i want to consolidate.
Who knows how long this feeling of flatness will last. Lately, in thinking about things, and researching our next program for highschool maths, I have been going through a radical rethink of everything. I really want the kids to be more independent, and I want to use more Australian materials. I am feeling the need of a little more security that my kids would be ok if they had to go back to school, and I want to feel not just that they are getting a good education, but that they could actually cope with the local system as well (which is not necessarily the same thing, I realise).
The sequencing of Maths and Science is so different in the U.S. to here in Australia. I think it would be better to stay in alignment with the Australian system, and keep that as my foundation. We can always add to it. We can always use Classical methods. But I would like the content to be more relevent to and congruent with Australian systems.
Since I also want them to be more independent, I am looking at using workbooks as spines, and also making use of a local correspondence school for homeschoolers. We would continue with Latin.
We will see. I have months to work this out, before our new year in February. I just know I need to change my approach somewhat to get the kids to be more independent, so that they can just get on with their work if I need to do somethng else- or nothing, as the case may be. Perhaps we need a year of workbooks then I will be ready to be more 'the teacher' again. I dont know.
Its strange to have such a hange of heart about it all. I still love it, but i dont care if its Classical or anything right now. I just want them to get a good grounding, and I am concerned that with all the high ideals, I have inadvertantly left some gaps-probably not serious, but I dont know. Before we go any further, i want to consolidate.
Friday, August 11, 2006
August already
OK, I havnt been here for a while, but here I am again. I would like to get a bit more savvy about this blogging stuff- when I see other people's blogs I definitely feel ...well, I would like to learn more.
Homeschooling is going well. My schedule and curricula have probably changed since last time I wrote about them. I am now homeschooling Daniel full time as well, so along with Jared, age 10, and Genevieve, age 12, I have Daniel, 12, though he lives down the street.
The Latin Cented Curriculum arrived a couple of months back and I re-evaluated and simplified again.
Here is what we are doing:
Music - Gen-piano and now guitar. Jared- classical recorder. Daniel- guitar.
Maths- all are using Singapore Maths. I have just started supplementing Jared with Modern Curriculum Maths though because Singpaore doesnt have quite enough review for him- and i had it on my shelf. Gen is on 6A, Daniel 5A (we started him all the way back at 3B, poor kid, just because of the way Signapore works) and Jared is on 4B.
Latin- all are doing Cambridge Latin. I would dearly like some sort of help with the drill I would like to include with this, but I am just stumbling along with it- and they do seem to be learning a lot of Latin. Gen is in book 2, and has a tutor. The other two are in book 1 and I am now applying the thumbscrews and insisting they really learn their stuff.
English- Classical Writing is our core program and takes around an hour 4 days a week. Jared is doing Aesop B. Genevieve is ploughing through Homer B and we are really having to nugget out those sentence diagrams, whew they are hard. Daniel is sailing through Homer A- I want to put him and Gen through Diogenes together.
I dont do much separate spelling with them, we work on it as we go, and they all spell pretty well. Sometimes they do a spelling computer program.
Literature- we have started Fagle's Iliad. So far, so good, we are into book 4 now. They usually sit and do something with their hands 9drawing, or a puzzle) while I read aloud, although sometimes i have them read as well. We stop a lot and discuss what I just read, and I am thrilled with their understanding.
Because of doing the Iliad, we are not doing anything else 'Classical' although the Latin teacher, Richard, is always fascinating and I consider the first half of every Latin class to be a Classical History lesson. I now insist the boys sit in on it because it is a rare experience to have someone so knowledgeable and enthusiastic teach your kids.
History- we are doing Book 4 of Story of the World, Modern History,along with the Activity book maps and outlining worksheets. The kids all are making a scrap book of their work, and a timeline. Daniel and Gen put a lot of thought into their design and art- mmm, well, hopefully it will rub off on Jared.
Australian History- we are reading books and watching a documentary called the Colony, where 3 families- an Australian, an English and an Irish- are put into a situation similar to an early settlement in NSW, and they really have to tough it out. One of those reality tv things, but we are all really fascinated, and it definitely gives you a feel for how hard it was.
Then there is Logic with Fallacy Detective ( reading and discussing), Ancient Greek (one letter a week with the Alphabetarian) and Art with Artistic Pursuits Junior High book1- which is a drawing course. These are all Friday subjects. I try and make Fridays Fun.
Wow, it doesnt seem SO simple, does it? We also do poetry for memory work.
At the moment, it is all going well. The kids all go to Drama class and Sport class with other homeschoolers, and Gen and Jared do Scouts, Daniel loves his football. Gen does a watercolour class as well where they paint plants and animals- it is very good.
My kids and I went to the east coast (of Australia) to visit my family last holidays, and had a wonderful time. We saw snow, and it even snowed on us (rare experience here in Australia)and I will try and get those photos up soon. Vish my husband has just bought me a laptop, so when it arrives maybe I can sit in bed and work out how to do all these things I never seem to have time for, like putting pictures on my blog. We will see.
Homeschooling is going well. My schedule and curricula have probably changed since last time I wrote about them. I am now homeschooling Daniel full time as well, so along with Jared, age 10, and Genevieve, age 12, I have Daniel, 12, though he lives down the street.
The Latin Cented Curriculum arrived a couple of months back and I re-evaluated and simplified again.
Here is what we are doing:
Music - Gen-piano and now guitar. Jared- classical recorder. Daniel- guitar.
Maths- all are using Singapore Maths. I have just started supplementing Jared with Modern Curriculum Maths though because Singpaore doesnt have quite enough review for him- and i had it on my shelf. Gen is on 6A, Daniel 5A (we started him all the way back at 3B, poor kid, just because of the way Signapore works) and Jared is on 4B.
Latin- all are doing Cambridge Latin. I would dearly like some sort of help with the drill I would like to include with this, but I am just stumbling along with it- and they do seem to be learning a lot of Latin. Gen is in book 2, and has a tutor. The other two are in book 1 and I am now applying the thumbscrews and insisting they really learn their stuff.
English- Classical Writing is our core program and takes around an hour 4 days a week. Jared is doing Aesop B. Genevieve is ploughing through Homer B and we are really having to nugget out those sentence diagrams, whew they are hard. Daniel is sailing through Homer A- I want to put him and Gen through Diogenes together.
I dont do much separate spelling with them, we work on it as we go, and they all spell pretty well. Sometimes they do a spelling computer program.
Literature- we have started Fagle's Iliad. So far, so good, we are into book 4 now. They usually sit and do something with their hands 9drawing, or a puzzle) while I read aloud, although sometimes i have them read as well. We stop a lot and discuss what I just read, and I am thrilled with their understanding.
Because of doing the Iliad, we are not doing anything else 'Classical' although the Latin teacher, Richard, is always fascinating and I consider the first half of every Latin class to be a Classical History lesson. I now insist the boys sit in on it because it is a rare experience to have someone so knowledgeable and enthusiastic teach your kids.
History- we are doing Book 4 of Story of the World, Modern History,along with the Activity book maps and outlining worksheets. The kids all are making a scrap book of their work, and a timeline. Daniel and Gen put a lot of thought into their design and art- mmm, well, hopefully it will rub off on Jared.
Australian History- we are reading books and watching a documentary called the Colony, where 3 families- an Australian, an English and an Irish- are put into a situation similar to an early settlement in NSW, and they really have to tough it out. One of those reality tv things, but we are all really fascinated, and it definitely gives you a feel for how hard it was.
Then there is Logic with Fallacy Detective ( reading and discussing), Ancient Greek (one letter a week with the Alphabetarian) and Art with Artistic Pursuits Junior High book1- which is a drawing course. These are all Friday subjects. I try and make Fridays Fun.
Wow, it doesnt seem SO simple, does it? We also do poetry for memory work.
At the moment, it is all going well. The kids all go to Drama class and Sport class with other homeschoolers, and Gen and Jared do Scouts, Daniel loves his football. Gen does a watercolour class as well where they paint plants and animals- it is very good.
My kids and I went to the east coast (of Australia) to visit my family last holidays, and had a wonderful time. We saw snow, and it even snowed on us (rare experience here in Australia)and I will try and get those photos up soon. Vish my husband has just bought me a laptop, so when it arrives maybe I can sit in bed and work out how to do all these things I never seem to have time for, like putting pictures on my blog. We will see.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Our new school year
Well, I did say these were sporadic thoughts in the line under my blog heading!
This year is going so well. We are in week 6 of our new school year. Dd is 11 and a half, Ds is 10. I got so bored during our long summer break, that I did oodles of preparation for our new school year. I was, as usual, impatient to begin.
I think being in our 3 rd year of homeschooling (we began back in June 2003) I have lost a lot of those beginners heebee jeebees. I feel much more confident. I know what I want to do, I have read very widely, I know the kids in that unique way that homeschooling mums get to know their kids- what will work, what wont, and how they learn.
We have a good routine and the year started straight into it. Except that I put back our starting time half an hour- I shifted it from 8.30 to 8am. And the kids have to be out of bed by 6.30 am and lights out at 8.30pm. It is summer here though (well, officially beginning autumn but we are having a late summer) and no one has balked at all at the earlier start. It makes such a difference though, to the day.
Here is what we are doing this year:
Dd 11.5, she would be in 7th grade here in Australia, but 6th in the U.S. I tend to follow TWTM mostly, so I go with the U.S. grades, approximately.
Maths- Singapore 5B, 6A, 6B. Caluculadders, and a Living math book.
Memory work- poetry to match our history year, and Latin, so far.
Classical Writing HomerA. Going very well. Using Harveys as well, and this is very refreshing after slogging away with Rod and Staff last year, for both of us.
Latin- Cambridge book 2. Also she attends a Latin class which is still on Cambridge book1- we use the class as revision and to fill any gaps.
Science- Tops Science Beans and Corn for the first 5 weeks. Very successful. Now we are doing Singapore My Pals are Here 6. love it. Nicely presented, simple and doable, but develops good thinking skills.
History- SOTW 3 and 4 this year,I decided. We do 2 chapters a week. She outlines 1 chapter (well, the corresponding KHE pages usually) and writes a report related to the other.
Logic- Philosophy for Kids, and Fallacy Detective
Art and Music appreciation- 8 musicians and 8 artists for the year.
Australian History, using various Living Books.
Classes- Piano, Recorder ensemble, Drama, Sport, Watercolours, Latin, and Scouts.
She is such a bright kid, and her strengths are in languages and art. I want to start French and Greek with her too- but where to fit them in?
Ds10.
I am very happy with his progress and that finally I can get him to write more. He still doesnt like it, but he is getting better. Handwriting is still pretty bad, but he is remembering his punctuation most of the time, yay!
Maths- Singapore 4A and 4B, Calculadders
Memory Work- poetry and Latin.
Classical Writing Aesop. This is working well for him. We are not doing any other grammar this year, this feels like enough. I would rather he solidify those basics.
Latin- Cambridge 1, with me.
Spelling- Calvert.
Handwriting- 1 line a day.
Great Editing Adventures book 1- simple editing. I just have the student book. Takes 5 minutes.
Science- Top, and Singapore MPH4. Going well.
History- SOTW 3 and 4, but he writes one or 2 narrations a week, depending on our time.
Music Appreciation- I have a plan for the year, 2 composers a term.
Art- again, 2 artists a term.
Logic Puzzles- Mindbenders and Sodoku.
Classes- Treble recorder, recorder ensemble, Drama, Sport, and Cubs.
I am SOOO happy with the way things are going so far this year.
This year is going so well. We are in week 6 of our new school year. Dd is 11 and a half, Ds is 10. I got so bored during our long summer break, that I did oodles of preparation for our new school year. I was, as usual, impatient to begin.
I think being in our 3 rd year of homeschooling (we began back in June 2003) I have lost a lot of those beginners heebee jeebees. I feel much more confident. I know what I want to do, I have read very widely, I know the kids in that unique way that homeschooling mums get to know their kids- what will work, what wont, and how they learn.
We have a good routine and the year started straight into it. Except that I put back our starting time half an hour- I shifted it from 8.30 to 8am. And the kids have to be out of bed by 6.30 am and lights out at 8.30pm. It is summer here though (well, officially beginning autumn but we are having a late summer) and no one has balked at all at the earlier start. It makes such a difference though, to the day.
Here is what we are doing this year:
Dd 11.5, she would be in 7th grade here in Australia, but 6th in the U.S. I tend to follow TWTM mostly, so I go with the U.S. grades, approximately.
Maths- Singapore 5B, 6A, 6B. Caluculadders, and a Living math book.
Memory work- poetry to match our history year, and Latin, so far.
Classical Writing HomerA. Going very well. Using Harveys as well, and this is very refreshing after slogging away with Rod and Staff last year, for both of us.
Latin- Cambridge book 2. Also she attends a Latin class which is still on Cambridge book1- we use the class as revision and to fill any gaps.
Science- Tops Science Beans and Corn for the first 5 weeks. Very successful. Now we are doing Singapore My Pals are Here 6. love it. Nicely presented, simple and doable, but develops good thinking skills.
History- SOTW 3 and 4 this year,I decided. We do 2 chapters a week. She outlines 1 chapter (well, the corresponding KHE pages usually) and writes a report related to the other.
Logic- Philosophy for Kids, and Fallacy Detective
Art and Music appreciation- 8 musicians and 8 artists for the year.
Australian History, using various Living Books.
Classes- Piano, Recorder ensemble, Drama, Sport, Watercolours, Latin, and Scouts.
She is such a bright kid, and her strengths are in languages and art. I want to start French and Greek with her too- but where to fit them in?
Ds10.
I am very happy with his progress and that finally I can get him to write more. He still doesnt like it, but he is getting better. Handwriting is still pretty bad, but he is remembering his punctuation most of the time, yay!
Maths- Singapore 4A and 4B, Calculadders
Memory Work- poetry and Latin.
Classical Writing Aesop. This is working well for him. We are not doing any other grammar this year, this feels like enough. I would rather he solidify those basics.
Latin- Cambridge 1, with me.
Spelling- Calvert.
Handwriting- 1 line a day.
Great Editing Adventures book 1- simple editing. I just have the student book. Takes 5 minutes.
Science- Top, and Singapore MPH4. Going well.
History- SOTW 3 and 4, but he writes one or 2 narrations a week, depending on our time.
Music Appreciation- I have a plan for the year, 2 composers a term.
Art- again, 2 artists a term.
Logic Puzzles- Mindbenders and Sodoku.
Classes- Treble recorder, recorder ensemble, Drama, Sport, and Cubs.
I am SOOO happy with the way things are going so far this year.
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