Well, H has fallen in love with "Johnny Tremain." I'm so glad she is enjoying it so much because it is a book I thoroughly loved when I read it. She will have a book report to write on it once she is finished, which, at the rate she's reading it, shouldn't be too long. Then, at the suggestion of a friend, she will read "My brother Sam is dead" and write a comparison report on the two books. Once we finish that, I will rent the movie "Johnny Tremain" because she has asked to watch it. Maybe I'll have her to write a comparative report on that, too!
On a side note, I have purchased some workbooks for her to use next year. But right now, I will be using them to create a more well thought out plan for next years lessons.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
A Month!
Wow! I can't believe it's taken a month for me to make another post. I have been very busy, though.
Let's see, I quit my job at the hotel so I could be home with my children when they need me. I have started "working" for my husband. Also have applied for a position at a farm that will only be a handful of hours for the day, so there will still be some income. Shoots have increased, too, providing some income; I'm especially excited about that!
But, once again, H has fallen behind on her work. Some days she has worked very hard to get caught back up but on other days...... We have a friend who owns several horses and does lessons, he has offered to provide lessons to her for free! This is something she has been wanting for a couple of years now but it still doesn't seem to be enough motivation. However, we did get her a Johnny Tremain (by: Esther Forbes) to read and do a report on and she hasn't hardly put the book down! At least she's reading!!!
Also, since quitting my job, I have been more able to look at what needs to be done to make this homeschooling thing work...mostly a plan...and have begun to get a bit more organized about it. Hopefully, I'll get a good plan together quickly not to mention a schedule (ewwww, I'm not a big fan of schedules. Unfortunately, they are rather beneficial). Once that is done, maybe next year will run more smoothly.
Let's see, I quit my job at the hotel so I could be home with my children when they need me. I have started "working" for my husband. Also have applied for a position at a farm that will only be a handful of hours for the day, so there will still be some income. Shoots have increased, too, providing some income; I'm especially excited about that!
But, once again, H has fallen behind on her work. Some days she has worked very hard to get caught back up but on other days...... We have a friend who owns several horses and does lessons, he has offered to provide lessons to her for free! This is something she has been wanting for a couple of years now but it still doesn't seem to be enough motivation. However, we did get her a Johnny Tremain (by: Esther Forbes) to read and do a report on and she hasn't hardly put the book down! At least she's reading!!!
Also, since quitting my job, I have been more able to look at what needs to be done to make this homeschooling thing work...mostly a plan...and have begun to get a bit more organized about it. Hopefully, I'll get a good plan together quickly not to mention a schedule (ewwww, I'm not a big fan of schedules. Unfortunately, they are rather beneficial). Once that is done, maybe next year will run more smoothly.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Getting Easier?
In my last post I spoke about some of the challenges I have been facing during my first year of homeschooling. I've learned a lot through this process! Some of the problem has been my daughter being motivated enough to do the work (which was a problem we faced while she was in the public school system, too). Finally, yesterday, I told her that if she didn't start doing her work then I would have to quit my job! She understands that my quitting would mean we would not move from my parents home, something she wants as desperately as my husband and I! She also knows we've been searching for a car and in order to save money we would forget about that ambition. But most importantly, to her anyway, is that she would give up any hope of an extracurricular activity with others due to no money or transportation.
Today, she completed all of the work that has been going mostly undone for the last week and a half! She did it in less than four hours, too. That has me thinking that perhaps I need to begin assigning exceptionally more work.....
On a brighter note, we have found a car, possibly. Keeping our fingers crossed!
Today, she completed all of the work that has been going mostly undone for the last week and a half! She did it in less than four hours, too. That has me thinking that perhaps I need to begin assigning exceptionally more work.....
On a brighter note, we have found a car, possibly. Keeping our fingers crossed!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Challenges
My husband and I decided to Home School our 11 year old daughter this past school year. I never expected it to be easy. I also never expected it to be quite so challenging!
A few things that I have found to be difficult:
1. Motivating myself - I am also working a part time job out side of the home! The schedule changes and prevents a consistent schedule that would be more conducive to motivating myself.
2. Motivating my Student - Since I have an irregular schedule, so does she. Also, she is old enough to complete workbook material, etc... with minimal assistance. She loves her DSi, though. Consequently, it has been taken away :( You would think that would be plenty of motivation! You would apparently be wrong.
3. Finding a Curriculum - This has perhaps been the most difficult. It has been nearly an entire school year and I have yet to find and settle on a curriculum that is at her level but slightly challenging, and within my budget! So far the internet, workbooks, and live experience have been my tools of the trade.
4. The lack of a Vehicle - God bless my daughter for being her. I know she gets frustrated and lonely and my heart breaks for her. About two months into beginning the school year our car decided it was a good time to let us down! We have yet to get a new one. Not having a car has kept us from being able to get her involved in outside activities as much as we'd like, as much as she needs. Thank God for the Black Lab mix, she has kept our daughter active, at least.
5. The lack of a Vehicle - has also prevented us from taking full advantage of all the assistance programs available to home schoolers, such as group activities (which would also help to fill in the gap for relationships my daughter is craving). Thankfully, it is tax returns season. That means problems #4 and #5 will soon be remedied.....now to find an activity she is agreeable to and that we can afford!
6. Feelings of inadequacy - Yes, this has been a big one for me that I did not expect. I knew I didn't know everything I was going to be teaching her, but I expected to be learning along side of her. But things just haven't worked out the way I thought they would and it makes me worry if she's learning all she needs to.
7. Journaling - Most states require you keep a journal or some sort of record of the home school that you are operating. This has maybe been the most difficult thing for me to do simply because it requires me to sit down and take inventory of what I am and am not doing well/at all. Right now, I am not happy with the picture.
Over the months leading up to my decision to home school people stressed to me how hard home schooling would be as though that were reason enough to not do it. Even now, people ask, "Isn't that hard?" as though to say, 'why would you put yourself through that?'
I don't know about you, but I find that question incredibly annoying! Any woman who has ever given birth knows the difficulty level of something is only an indication of how great that event/person/decision/etc.'s value is. The more difficult, the more valuable! I plan to home school again despite the difficulty....because I think my daughter is worth it....and it can only get easier with practice!
A few things that I have found to be difficult:
1. Motivating myself - I am also working a part time job out side of the home! The schedule changes and prevents a consistent schedule that would be more conducive to motivating myself.
2. Motivating my Student - Since I have an irregular schedule, so does she. Also, she is old enough to complete workbook material, etc... with minimal assistance. She loves her DSi, though. Consequently, it has been taken away :( You would think that would be plenty of motivation! You would apparently be wrong.
3. Finding a Curriculum - This has perhaps been the most difficult. It has been nearly an entire school year and I have yet to find and settle on a curriculum that is at her level but slightly challenging, and within my budget! So far the internet, workbooks, and live experience have been my tools of the trade.
4. The lack of a Vehicle - God bless my daughter for being her. I know she gets frustrated and lonely and my heart breaks for her. About two months into beginning the school year our car decided it was a good time to let us down! We have yet to get a new one. Not having a car has kept us from being able to get her involved in outside activities as much as we'd like, as much as she needs. Thank God for the Black Lab mix, she has kept our daughter active, at least.
5. The lack of a Vehicle - has also prevented us from taking full advantage of all the assistance programs available to home schoolers, such as group activities (which would also help to fill in the gap for relationships my daughter is craving). Thankfully, it is tax returns season. That means problems #4 and #5 will soon be remedied.....now to find an activity she is agreeable to and that we can afford!
6. Feelings of inadequacy - Yes, this has been a big one for me that I did not expect. I knew I didn't know everything I was going to be teaching her, but I expected to be learning along side of her. But things just haven't worked out the way I thought they would and it makes me worry if she's learning all she needs to.
7. Journaling - Most states require you keep a journal or some sort of record of the home school that you are operating. This has maybe been the most difficult thing for me to do simply because it requires me to sit down and take inventory of what I am and am not doing well/at all. Right now, I am not happy with the picture.
Over the months leading up to my decision to home school people stressed to me how hard home schooling would be as though that were reason enough to not do it. Even now, people ask, "Isn't that hard?" as though to say, 'why would you put yourself through that?'
I don't know about you, but I find that question incredibly annoying! Any woman who has ever given birth knows the difficulty level of something is only an indication of how great that event/person/decision/etc.'s value is. The more difficult, the more valuable! I plan to home school again despite the difficulty....because I think my daughter is worth it....and it can only get easier with practice!
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