We've decided that our P.E. will consist of training for a 5K in April. J and I will walk-run-walk to get in fighting shape for a fun run. I think we have it narrowed down to the ASH Dash Bunny Run. This run seems like a low key (re)introduction to running.
To be sure, I hate running. We're doing this because he needs to have a goal or he'll put off whatever "it" is and never get it done. I think I need a timeline too. Training for a fun (ha) run has a definite date of completion. There is an open and closing bracket to the goal.
We'll be using the Couch to 5K plan to train. I started on this program a couple of years ago and it was relatively painless. I like that it gives clearly defined goals and doesn't try to get me to do more than my totally inactive self can manage.
Wish us luck!
2/1/2012 Update - I feel that it's just as important to report on the misses as well as the hits in this game. (I'm going with the sports analogy because we're talking about P.E. here, but I promise not to overdo it. Unless it's too late now.) We haven't walked one darn day. I'm going to chalk it up to end of the fiscal year/quarter/month that requires my attention so my life has been unbalanced. Still the decision is in tact and all we can do is get up and try again. I'll let you know.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Rearranging
I work from home. My son schools from home. My family lives at home. That's a lot of activity for one domicile. It's time to rearrange.
A few years ago I got two large stainless steel shelving units that went in my craft room/office. The shelves were to hold fabric when I got organized someday. I've tried. It's a work in progress. Still education waits for no one and my children need a space to learn.
Today we spent time swapping shelves from my fabric-bomb and paper-cyclone hit office to the kitchen. There is so much more room in the kitchen and dining area. I'm able to put my large baking pans and cookbooks on the shelves and still have room for cookie cutters, Christmas china and then boxes of homeschooling supplies.
Last summer my husband and I gave up our master bedroom for my business. I've spent quite a bit of time setting up my workspace. J has helped since he's home with me. I think that's fine because it gives a better grasp of what I do working from home. So now J needs a clean, flat surface to do his work. Enter the dining room table. I think the dining area is the best place for school work that isn't online because I'm able to monitor what he's accomplishing.
Sometimes you have to make things work. Before and after pictures to come soon.
--
A few years ago I got two large stainless steel shelving units that went in my craft room/office. The shelves were to hold fabric when I got organized someday. I've tried. It's a work in progress. Still education waits for no one and my children need a space to learn.
Today we spent time swapping shelves from my fabric-bomb and paper-cyclone hit office to the kitchen. There is so much more room in the kitchen and dining area. I'm able to put my large baking pans and cookbooks on the shelves and still have room for cookie cutters, Christmas china and then boxes of homeschooling supplies.
Last summer my husband and I gave up our master bedroom for my business. I've spent quite a bit of time setting up my workspace. J has helped since he's home with me. I think that's fine because it gives a better grasp of what I do working from home. So now J needs a clean, flat surface to do his work. Enter the dining room table. I think the dining area is the best place for school work that isn't online because I'm able to monitor what he's accomplishing.
Sometimes you have to make things work. Before and after pictures to come soon.
--
Friday, January 20, 2012
Write, J, Write
This week we were going to focus on a journal writing routine. I created three pages of journal prompts and the plan was for him to write 15 minutes a day on a private blog. I didn't want him to worry about grammar or spelling. This is to be an exercise in getting thoughts from his brain to "paper". Back in public school he was tested for dysgraphia, but wasn't diagnosed with it. I think there is something there or maybe his handwriting is a byproduct of the ADD somehow. So I figured typing out his thoughts in the form of a journal about subjects he may be interest in would help motivate him to write.
Not so much.
He writes for 3 minutes and then is done. Or so he thinks. I tell him more detail, but he says that's all he has to say. Alright, Forrest Gump. I don't want to push him too hard because if it becomes a battle of wills he will dig his heels in and we're stuck. I'm thinking about backing off the writing and focus more on reading. It will build his vocabulary (which is already pretty impressive) and he'll get a feel for the structure of the written word.
I'm a big believer in the watch-one-do-one-teach-one method of learning. Maybe we're still on the watch-one part of the equation? I still want to keep the routine of the journaling because it gives me a benchmark, but I think I'll stop stressing about the product.
--
Not so much.
He writes for 3 minutes and then is done. Or so he thinks. I tell him more detail, but he says that's all he has to say. Alright, Forrest Gump. I don't want to push him too hard because if it becomes a battle of wills he will dig his heels in and we're stuck. I'm thinking about backing off the writing and focus more on reading. It will build his vocabulary (which is already pretty impressive) and he'll get a feel for the structure of the written word.
I'm a big believer in the watch-one-do-one-teach-one method of learning. Maybe we're still on the watch-one part of the equation? I still want to keep the routine of the journaling because it gives me a benchmark, but I think I'll stop stressing about the product.
--
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Field Trippin'
Today we went on our first homeschool field trip. The Long Center hosted the Architects of Air exhibit this week and I took both my boys to see it.
Wow. I didn't really know what to expect, but from the pictures it looked like a series of bouncy houses and that can't be bad.
Back to the Architects of Air though.
Inside the dome the light came through the plastic in streams provided by the sun. So we learned a little about solar light. We were so impressed with the the color and design. I think the boys made a connection about how art and science can work together. They still think in a very compartmentalized way as though if you like art you can't also be interested in science.
See those lines are lit by the sun. We're in the red dome, but in other pictures the colors don't come out in photos the same as in real life, which is part why it's so interesting.
I took Z out of school to go on the field trip. That must be why he looks a little green, sick donchaknow. Actually I love this picture. It's on my phone's wallpaper now.
Wow. I didn't really know what to expect, but from the pictures it looked like a series of bouncy houses and that can't be bad.
Outside was a sight to behold, but inside blew me away. Inside are these rooms of color and design. It's meant for meditation and reflection (yeah, I know that sounds very woo-woo). The plastic that shapes the exhibit is .5 mm thick so everyone has to be very careful. We had to remove our shoes and thank goodness I remembered to bring warm wool socks. Some participants had only shoes sans socks, and although it was a lovely sunny day in downtown Austin, it was quite chilly.
Back to the Architects of Air though.
Inside the dome the light came through the plastic in streams provided by the sun. So we learned a little about solar light. We were so impressed with the the color and design. I think the boys made a connection about how art and science can work together. They still think in a very compartmentalized way as though if you like art you can't also be interested in science.
 |
| J looking like a Superhero. |
So that's our first official homeschool adventure. I can't wait to see where else this road leads us.
--
Monday, January 16, 2012
Whew! That Was Exhausting!
The first week kicked my butt.
There I said it.
Of course the timing of beginning to homeschool could not have been worse. You see, I'm a bookkeeper. Yes, I work from home so there is some flexibility, but the work still needs to get done. And January is the month bookkeepers dread. We have to create reports for not only the fourth quarter, but also the year. Then we must produce many forms the IRS requires of businesses including payroll, sales tax, W4's and 1099's. It's always crazy in January and this year I threw a side of homeschooling on my already heaping plate full of crazy.
Even with the difficult circumstance I can say that I really have enjoyed homeschooling. I love knowing exactly what my child is learning. I'm in tune with his lessons and what he's accomplished. That was a major obstacle in public school. It was hard to get information on his assignments. Now that I'm the one assigning the work, I know.
For his part he says he loving homeschooling. He likes that he can double up on an assignment and then take time off when we have an opportunity to school out in the world (field trip, lessons on laptops at a coffee shop). He likes our new routine of eating lunch while watching "Gilmore Girls". I like that we are creating traditions.
There are some things that bug me, but that's a story for another time.
There I said it.
Of course the timing of beginning to homeschool could not have been worse. You see, I'm a bookkeeper. Yes, I work from home so there is some flexibility, but the work still needs to get done. And January is the month bookkeepers dread. We have to create reports for not only the fourth quarter, but also the year. Then we must produce many forms the IRS requires of businesses including payroll, sales tax, W4's and 1099's. It's always crazy in January and this year I threw a side of homeschooling on my already heaping plate full of crazy.
Even with the difficult circumstance I can say that I really have enjoyed homeschooling. I love knowing exactly what my child is learning. I'm in tune with his lessons and what he's accomplished. That was a major obstacle in public school. It was hard to get information on his assignments. Now that I'm the one assigning the work, I know.
For his part he says he loving homeschooling. He likes that he can double up on an assignment and then take time off when we have an opportunity to school out in the world (field trip, lessons on laptops at a coffee shop). He likes our new routine of eating lunch while watching "Gilmore Girls". I like that we are creating traditions.
There are some things that bug me, but that's a story for another time.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
A Bite of the Elephant At A Time
My plan is to introduce another layer of homeschooling each week. The first week it was the core curriculum process. Last week we blended in electives - violin, P.E. and chess club. This week we will start our journal writing.
We've set up an online journal for J to write daily. Back in the day I used a spiral for a similar journaling activity. While he was in a bricks & mortar (b&m) school he used composition notebooks. Something I've decided to modify in our homeschool is that J can type his journal writing. He's been tested for dysgraphia and I was told that he doesn't have it, but I wonder. His writing hand doesn't seem to receive the message his brain is sending. When I ask him questions to test his comprehension, J is able to articulate the answer. What comes out handwritten on the page is not representative of his best work.
I have spent the last week collecting journal prompts, and until he he feels comfortable picking his own topics, I'll will e-mail his subject each day. Okay, I cheated a little and set up a week of scheduled messages to go out one each day. Technology in the (home)classroom, baby. At the moment my goal is for him to exercise the brain "muscle" that gets the thought out of his mind into the written word. He has to write for 15 minutes. He doesn't have have to stay on topic, but he has to write something. Copy a poem, make a list, tell the chicken a story, it doesn't matter as long as he is writing.
If you have an idea for teenage journal prompts, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.
Mama P.
We've set up an online journal for J to write daily. Back in the day I used a spiral for a similar journaling activity. While he was in a bricks & mortar (b&m) school he used composition notebooks. Something I've decided to modify in our homeschool is that J can type his journal writing. He's been tested for dysgraphia and I was told that he doesn't have it, but I wonder. His writing hand doesn't seem to receive the message his brain is sending. When I ask him questions to test his comprehension, J is able to articulate the answer. What comes out handwritten on the page is not representative of his best work.
I have spent the last week collecting journal prompts, and until he he feels comfortable picking his own topics, I'll will e-mail his subject each day. Okay, I cheated a little and set up a week of scheduled messages to go out one each day. Technology in the (home)classroom, baby. At the moment my goal is for him to exercise the brain "muscle" that gets the thought out of his mind into the written word. He has to write for 15 minutes. He doesn't have have to stay on topic, but he has to write something. Copy a poem, make a list, tell the chicken a story, it doesn't matter as long as he is writing.
If you have an idea for teenage journal prompts, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.
Mama P.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Meeting & Mixing, Homeschool Clubs
We attended our first chess club meeting this week. Wow. Getting started was a little crazy because it was the first day back after the holidays and because they were trying a new pairing process. I'm sure the other reason was because there were parents who withdrew their kids over the break and are seeing if the chess club is a good fit. At least that's why we showed up to play.
Both J and I were overwhelmed. There were at least 25 tables with 2 pairings of players at each table (4 kids). While not every table was full there we a LOT of homeschooled kids in that room. It's hard to believe how many people are choosing this path. Close to 100 students were playing chess and even more were on the playground, reading or working on other projects. I was able to connect with a few other moms to talk about possibly creating a co-op or park day type of thing in our area for our kids (all of us had 10-13 year old boys).
I was overwhelmed at the first meeting, but I think both J and I will do much better the next time knowing what to expect. Anything new is hard to assimilate. Knowing that is one of the reasons I'm only introducing a task, activity or process at a time to our routine.
Mama P.
Both J and I were overwhelmed. There were at least 25 tables with 2 pairings of players at each table (4 kids). While not every table was full there we a LOT of homeschooled kids in that room. It's hard to believe how many people are choosing this path. Close to 100 students were playing chess and even more were on the playground, reading or working on other projects. I was able to connect with a few other moms to talk about possibly creating a co-op or park day type of thing in our area for our kids (all of us had 10-13 year old boys).
I was overwhelmed at the first meeting, but I think both J and I will do much better the next time knowing what to expect. Anything new is hard to assimilate. Knowing that is one of the reasons I'm only introducing a task, activity or process at a time to our routine.
Mama P.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Starting Electives
Violin class resumed this week. We're using the same instructor we used when J was in the orchestra in public school. We LOVE Ms. Lauren. She is so enthusiastic and really works well with the preteen-teen set (and let's face it, they can be decidedly unlovable at times). We've set up a music space for J to practice. Daily. Right now they're working on "Hey Jude" by The Beatles.
He started Physical Education this week as well. We've been members of the YMCA before we homeschooled (I used to work there in fact) so we just signed him up for the Fit Start class. It's mostly orientation, but it will get him off to a good start. And us out of the house.
J is enjoying his core curriculum though it's not yet challenging him. That probably because I had him start at the beginning of year to get a gauge of where he was at and to see if there were any gaps in his learning that I needed to address. He's breezing through the lessons right now. Still the whole point is to find our rhythm to this homeschool gig so I'm good with where we are at for now.
I do worry that he's still so very "institutionalized". He asks permission to take a break or get a drink. I did tell him he need not ask me about going to the restroom. In fact, please don't. I know it will take time to lose the idea that he's got this straight line to follow. One of the larger reasons I did choose to homeschool is because I've seen the decline in critical thinking skills with students. I swear some of the students would stand out, look at the sky and drown if someone didn't tell them to come in from the rain. The more I was around it in the classroom with students, the more I became concerned that my offspring's brains were becoming Swiss cheese.
Tomorrow is Chess Club. It should be an adventure!
Mama P.
He started Physical Education this week as well. We've been members of the YMCA before we homeschooled (I used to work there in fact) so we just signed him up for the Fit Start class. It's mostly orientation, but it will get him off to a good start. And us out of the house.
J is enjoying his core curriculum though it's not yet challenging him. That probably because I had him start at the beginning of year to get a gauge of where he was at and to see if there were any gaps in his learning that I needed to address. He's breezing through the lessons right now. Still the whole point is to find our rhythm to this homeschool gig so I'm good with where we are at for now.
I do worry that he's still so very "institutionalized". He asks permission to take a break or get a drink. I did tell him he need not ask me about going to the restroom. In fact, please don't. I know it will take time to lose the idea that he's got this straight line to follow. One of the larger reasons I did choose to homeschool is because I've seen the decline in critical thinking skills with students. I swear some of the students would stand out, look at the sky and drown if someone didn't tell them to come in from the rain. The more I was around it in the classroom with students, the more I became concerned that my offspring's brains were becoming Swiss cheese.
Tomorrow is Chess Club. It should be an adventure!
Mama P.
Friday, January 6, 2012
The First Friday
We only had two class days this week. My one and only student enjoyed his morning lessons and did well on his assessments. The nice thing about using an online curriculum is that J is able to do the lessons independently. That was a consideration because I do work from home and January is a busy month for me.
We are still working on a routine, of course, the "elective" classes haven't even started yet so I'm guessing we're going to have be flexible through this learning curve. Chess club starts next week. He starts back up with violin lessons as well. Dad registered him for a fitness class at the YMCA.
All in all I'd say a great first week.
We are still working on a routine, of course, the "elective" classes haven't even started yet so I'm guessing we're going to have be flexible through this learning curve. Chess club starts next week. He starts back up with violin lessons as well. Dad registered him for a fitness class at the YMCA.
All in all I'd say a great first week.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
And So It Begins
Today was the first actual day of school for my homeschooler. I must admit I really enjoyed the process, though I know the "honeymoon" period will wear off soon. Add to the first that today is also my HSers birthday. My baby, my firstborn is 13-years-old. So how could I be too hard on the first day of school AND his birthday??
I began our routine with morning meeting. We discussed the rough schedule and our expectations for the day. I made it clear that we are in a discovery process and what we do today may not be what our days look like on other days. He seemed to go with the flow.
Our morning meeting ended at 7:45 and we spent the next hour taking care of housekeeping. I had J clean off his desk, make his bed (which he's always been responsible for when he went to traditional school), feed the livestock, unload the dishwasher and sort the laundry. We'll call that portion of the program Home Economics.
We, and by we I mean me, have decided to use an online curriculum for the core subjects. I'm not comfortable saying *which* program yet because how can you have a full appreciate after only one day? I will say that the learning curve is short. I'm cautiously impressed. I promise I will write a full review of the program once I've sat with it awhile. I owe us and you that much.
It took J about 2.5 hours to complete a lesson in each subject, plus an extension lesson in his least favorite subject, Language Arts. I hold a B.A. in Communication so I'm baffled why neither of my children are at all interested in writing. I made my living writing for several years before they were born. How could not one iota of my prose rubbed off on them?
So with Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts out of the way for the day we went for a birthday lunch. The Austin Pizza Garden is a local restaurant in a Texas landmark building that used to be a brewery. Awesome a little Texas History include with the meal.
After lunch the Birthday Boy and I went to get his new smartphone. We told him that if he could keep up with his low-tech messaging phone for the duration of the contract that we would get him a smartphone for his 13th birthday. Who knew time would pass so quickly? So we made good on our promise and got him the same phone I have, which I love. Her name is Betty.
One of the reasons we wanted to take J out of traditional school is because even though he is on a "high tech" campus the expectations regarding use of technology are practically prehistoric. We want him to use a digital calendar (both my husband and I are on Google mail, calendar and docs) and the school wouldn't allow him to use a smartphone. They wanted him to use a written agenda, which had heretofore been a brilliant failure given that J had not written one word in that spiral notebook. Not. One. Word. As Dr. Phil would say, "how's that working for you?" Not so much.
My younger, public school kid went back to his routine, but I think he's still undecided about his school future. We've totally upended Z's matriculation plans so I'll give him props for going with the flow, especially since this boy does not dig change. He's observing his brother's progress. I know he wants to finish the last year of elementary and I'm okay with that since I do love his teachers. I just don't know how ready I am to give him over to the belly of the beast from whom I just plucked his brother. We'll see.
Tomorrow we have more online curriculum and a documentary on World War II ships. He's also going to the grocery store with me. He gets to hold the coupon binder and average prices to help locate the best deal for the money. I feel just like Dr. Seuss letting him know, "oh the places we'll go".
Proximo tiempo.
Mama P.
I began our routine with morning meeting. We discussed the rough schedule and our expectations for the day. I made it clear that we are in a discovery process and what we do today may not be what our days look like on other days. He seemed to go with the flow.
Our morning meeting ended at 7:45 and we spent the next hour taking care of housekeeping. I had J clean off his desk, make his bed (which he's always been responsible for when he went to traditional school), feed the livestock, unload the dishwasher and sort the laundry. We'll call that portion of the program Home Economics.
We, and by we I mean me, have decided to use an online curriculum for the core subjects. I'm not comfortable saying *which* program yet because how can you have a full appreciate after only one day? I will say that the learning curve is short. I'm cautiously impressed. I promise I will write a full review of the program once I've sat with it awhile. I owe us and you that much.
It took J about 2.5 hours to complete a lesson in each subject, plus an extension lesson in his least favorite subject, Language Arts. I hold a B.A. in Communication so I'm baffled why neither of my children are at all interested in writing. I made my living writing for several years before they were born. How could not one iota of my prose rubbed off on them?
So with Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts out of the way for the day we went for a birthday lunch. The Austin Pizza Garden is a local restaurant in a Texas landmark building that used to be a brewery. Awesome a little Texas History include with the meal.
After lunch the Birthday Boy and I went to get his new smartphone. We told him that if he could keep up with his low-tech messaging phone for the duration of the contract that we would get him a smartphone for his 13th birthday. Who knew time would pass so quickly? So we made good on our promise and got him the same phone I have, which I love. Her name is Betty.
One of the reasons we wanted to take J out of traditional school is because even though he is on a "high tech" campus the expectations regarding use of technology are practically prehistoric. We want him to use a digital calendar (both my husband and I are on Google mail, calendar and docs) and the school wouldn't allow him to use a smartphone. They wanted him to use a written agenda, which had heretofore been a brilliant failure given that J had not written one word in that spiral notebook. Not. One. Word. As Dr. Phil would say, "how's that working for you?" Not so much.
My younger, public school kid went back to his routine, but I think he's still undecided about his school future. We've totally upended Z's matriculation plans so I'll give him props for going with the flow, especially since this boy does not dig change. He's observing his brother's progress. I know he wants to finish the last year of elementary and I'm okay with that since I do love his teachers. I just don't know how ready I am to give him over to the belly of the beast from whom I just plucked his brother. We'll see.
Tomorrow we have more online curriculum and a documentary on World War II ships. He's also going to the grocery store with me. He gets to hold the coupon binder and average prices to help locate the best deal for the money. I feel just like Dr. Seuss letting him know, "oh the places we'll go".
Proximo tiempo.
Mama P.
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