Math is fun...well, it's getting there!

We started with a math tutor with Almond last month. The reason wasn't really that she was behind, but that I was having a difficult time teaching her in a way that was beneficial...and I didn't want her to get behind... Many times I was losing my patience and honestly, she just prefers to do other subjects! My goal is to instill a love of learning, and we were definitely going in the opposite direction! I am trying hard NOT to compare her to my other children or to rely on state test scores or standards as a measure. But I didn't want to get to a place that would be more difficult to get out of later, it that makes any sense. I really wanted to her to feel successful! So far, our tutor has been wonderful! She assessed her on the first day, then started working on concepts that most 8 year olds know. She has given me weekly instructions on what to teach and how, and told me it wasn't a big deal that Almond didn't have her addition and subtraction facts down. (whew, was that a relief!) She has made such huge improvements! Before we were lucky if she completed 3 pages of written math a week...now, she completes at least 8, and practices either addition, subtraction, or multiplication facts each day! I'm so excited for her! She even said math was "kinda fun" and I wanted to share a couple websites I have found with games to help with memorizing facts.

Fun 4 the Brain

Multiplication.com

Have fun with these websites! =)

Sometimes we learn the hard way...

Sometimes it takes a lot of tears and emotions to realize you are learning... That's exactly what happened today with Almond. Fact is, she doesn't like math! I don't know what else to do except be firm about math getting done first thing in the morning...otherwise there will inevitably be something else that will come up, or we will somehow not get to it. Trust me, I've tried everything possible to make math happen! A more gentler approach, different curriculum, unschooling... you name it! So starting today, I held firm boundaries, and whoa! How exhausting! But at the end of the day, she apologized for everything, and we decided will start new tomorrow! Tears aside, it was a very productive day...

I drove Macadamia to high school, and Peanut was the first one up. We got breakfast started, and she told me she wanted to do learning... WOW! So we started discussing "more" and "less" and did a fun worksheet with coloring. She spotted a handwriting practice sheet and asked to practice her "B's". She tried so hard to think of words that started with B... I asked her if she wanted to do some cutting and pasting, and she enthusiastically yelled "yes!" I found a cutting activity with a farm scene along with number cards 1-4 with farm animals. She cut until her hands ached, I helped her finish, then she started going crazy with the glue stick! When it was complete, she told me a story that went with the farm scene, and pointed out her numbers, 1-4...this was all completed by 10 am! To keep busy, she played on the computer, Noggin.com, played dolls and pretend (I had to pretend to be grandma and fairy godmother most of the day), and danced ballet to Bach.



Meanwhile, Pistachio (as usual) got started with learning after breakfast. He read Sounder, and did a few pages in his lit guide, Analytical Grammar, and Algebra. He did complain that he knew everything in the Algebra chapter, so I gave him the chapter test and let him move on...He usually will do math daily, and 1/2 weeks worth of other subjects. He then went on to play the online game, Maple Story, where he insists he learned his critical thinking skills, along with math and improved his reading speed... hmmmm...We unschooled at one time, and this is all they did! lol

Almond did learn a lot, despite the crying and complaining in between... Addition properties: associative, commutative, and zero properties. Astronomy vocabulary was done creating a flip book found at the notebooking2learn yahoo group. She then read The Biggest Bear and enjoyed it!



After lunch, we cleaned the playroom, while listening to a Classics For Kids radio broadcast about J.S. Bach and listened to his music.

We did an oral lesson on pronouns, then read poetry from a Child's Garden of Verses. We discussed rhyming patterns, and she asked to write her own poem (I didn't plan on this), using the pattern aab, aac... So I guided her and this is what she came up with...

The Ant, Cat, and Bear

Today I saw an ant,
That tried to carry a leaf, but can't.
The leaf was eaten by a bear.

Then along came a cat,
It was laying on a mat.
The bear ate honey - the cat didn't care.

I'm so proud of her! Before dinner, we played a game of Go Fish, including Peanut so she could learn her numbers...

Tonight we will do a devotional, discussing what happened today, along with a chapter from Strawberry Girl.

Surprisingly, I managed to cook dinner with baked salmon and stuffing...

Just another typical day in my world!

Ballet Fun!!!

We're finally getting into a "school" routine...it's hard to let the leisure and fun go! Here's the girls in their summer ballet production, Cinderella.

8th Grade Curriculum 2009-2010

History/Literature
Sonlight Core 100, selected literature, using A Brief American Pageant as the history core
Math
Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1
Science
Apologia General Science
Language Arts
Writing/Spelling/Reading/Narration, Charlotte Mason style
Glencoe literature study guides (free resource, here), includes literary analysis, writing, and vocabulary on vocabtest.com
Analytical Grammar
PE
football
hip hop/B-boy dance
Fine Arts
guitar
Composer study
Picture Study with Artist study

3rd Grade Curriculum 2009-2010

History/Literature
Ambleside Online Year 2/Sonlight Core 2 combo, using Child's History of the World as the history core
Math
Developmental Math Level 6,7,8
supplementing with Houghton Mifflin Math, drill worksheets, and flashcards
(free resources here)--finished
1/2010 now doing Teaching Textbooks 4
Science
Apologia Astronomy
Equine Science/Horseback Riding
nature study
Language Arts
Primary Language Lessons
First Language Lessons 2
Writing/Spelling/Reading/Narration, Charlotte Mason style
Cursive (free worksheets from Learning Page.com)
PE
Ballet 2,Lyrical and Jazz dance
outside play
Fine Arts
Composer study
Picture Study with Artist study
3/2010 voice lessons

2 weeks in...and I'm exhausted!

I hate to complain...but I want to be real! Macadamia has started public school. Though she likes it, the homework is extensive. I like to describe it as not fitting into our lifestyle. The afternoons are usually reserved for activities and sports, or just relaxing! Now, I find myself helping with highschool homework...essays on the Renaissance...Algebra 2. And I thought kids went to school to learn.... huh? Go figure! I need more time to adjust! ;)

Cashew started college last week, and learned how to take the Sprinter train. He's acting very responsible, and I'm proud of him! He's taking an independent study math course, and it feels good to know that homeschooling has prepared him for a course like that. It reminds me of a "Teaching Textbook" approach, all done on the computer. Pretty cool...

I'm still working on solidifying curricula for preschool, 3rd Grade, and
8th Grade. In the meantime, we have signed up for the following activities...

Guitar lessons for the boys
Equine Science (horseback riding and horse care) for Almond
Ballet for the girls
Football (Pop Warner)
Math Tutor (Almond)
Library Pre-K Story time (starting soon)

We'll be doing a science co-op as well (very informal) using Apologia's Exploring Creation with Astronomy.

I've also changed my work shifts to the end of the week, to include everyother weekend to allow for more learning freedom during the weekdays when we are at home.

We started some formal learning at home, easing back into it.

Books we are reading...

Macadamia



Pistachio



Almond/Peanut





Mom



That's it for now...just got off a night shift and will need to rest some!

Pictures soon to come!!!

Charlotte Mason Help

Lindafay, from the blog, Higher Up Further In, has developed her own website! If you want to learn more about CM, you don't want to miss this... Her knowledge of CM has been so inspiring and helpful to me, I wanted to share her new website address....

Charlotte Mason Help.com