Current Events

We've added a component to our curriculum last week. In order for Daddy to participate in the learning process he's taken over P.E. and is leading Current Events. Each day J and Daddy select an article of news and answer the 5 W's - who, what, where, when and why. Then they cover the pros, cons and their thoughts on the topic of the article. I love listening to them have these sometimes-deep-discussions. I also have had the opportunity to hear my boy's position on several issues. I am sometimes-quite-surprised.


Recently we joined the YMCA near our house. We haven't exactly been disciplined in our attendance, but I feel the membership will be put to good use as soon as the weather warms. The other thing I like about the YMCA is that their mission is more about community than just fitness. The facility has all the standard exercise equipment, but they also have a teen room (which my kids love), a cafe/social area with wireless internet, homework help and scheduled family activities. Our Y has also reached out to the homeschool community. The programs are still hit-or-miss, but I think that's because homeschoolers are so disparate in their wants and needs when developing their curriculum. I hope the YMCA makes use of daytime schedules and creates programs that we are able to participate in while the district kids are in class.


Having Daddy take over these two areas has freed me up to create systems for monitoring J's progress, research unit studies and gather materials for upcoming lessons. Finding our groove has been the most challenging part of this transition. It's not as if I can take somebody else's system because they're not doing what we do. This individualized learning is crazy.


Dude.