Weekly Wrap-up

(From my post on the ivillage homeschool message board, where I've been a member for 4 years now...)

We're wrapping up our first week of the new year today. This is our first year where I've actually mapped out my own lesson plans, and have structured our school time. Prior to this we were *very* relaxed hs'ers. After a lot of reflection, talking to dh, and listening to dd, I decided it was time for us to try something different.

For the most part, the week went well. The kids are enjoying the TOPS Primary Lentil Science, and are both using it together and helping each other out. They like having the freedom to go pick any activity they choose each day. It was a LOT of prep work for me to have all of the experiments ready to go at a moment's notice, but it's definitely been worth it to have that flexibility.

A. is blazing through Singapore Earlybird 1B. I remember that Natalie had done the same thing with these books. We just go until he stops asking to do more, LOL! He's doing 6-8 pages/day. I've also started him on Handwriting Without Tears. His concentration when he's forming his letters is so cute. Sometimes I'll hear him under his breath saying "Focus, focus" - I think he's been listening to me talking to dd!

N. and I had a harder time this week. Actually, the first three days in a row she ended up crying during handwriting and math. The first day, I tried to just let it go (not let myself engage in it), but the second day I found myself bringing up the option of ps. I hate doing that, but it really showed me the desperation I'm feeling about where some of her abilities are at - mainly with writing and reading. Day three was worse. She takes forever to finish her writing (in handwriting or math), and her whole overall attitude during these subjects is just so negative. Slouching, pouting, slamming her pencil down. I hate it. I told her that if she's going to fight me on this stuff, than I rather she fight someone else (ie. a teacher) on it so that she and I can enjoy our time together.

The reality is that she's just like me and dh were as kids (daydreamers, easily distracted), and I have a pretty good idea how things would go for all of us if she did go to school. I imagine she'd have an even harder time keeping focused with all the distraction of a full class of kids, wouldn't get her work finished during school, and then I'd *still* have to fight her on it at home in the evenings, when that would be our only time together. Dh and I agreed that ps isn't the answer. Dd and I had a more calm, rational talk Wednesday night about the importance of both Attitude and Effort. Apparently some of it sunk in, because yesterday went MUCH better. She did her two pages in HWT without complaining, and even self-corrected herself on a couple words and went back and re-wrote them before I even looked at it! For math, I noticed she was having trouble focusing again, even though she was determined to get it done. After only getting four problems done in five minutes, I offered to do the writing for her if she told me what to write - she ended up finishing the next 15 problems in under five minutes! Why it is that holding a pencil, or the act of writing, is blocking up everything else is a mystery to me, but if we can work around it, then I will.

We have parkday with our hs group at a local lake today. Two days ago it looked like summer had abruptly come to an end, so we're now trying to soak up all the remaining rays of summer sun we can find!