positive feedback from the authorities

My children told me yesterday that I was a good teacher.... (does this mean I'm doing something wrong?)
(=

beeeeeeep - beeeeeeep - beeeeeeep - beeeeeeep - beeeeeeep

This is the sound of us backing up. 

As stated in a prior post, I had the kids look-up and write the definitions to their vocabulary words.  As you know, Drew had some trouble and it became apparent to me that she needs lessons on how the dictionary is put together and using it, so we worked on that together.  Wolfie had found his words and written the definitions but I didn't look over them initially.  So yesterday, when they were writing sentences for each word, he came to me first with each word to discuss it first, and each time his definition was way off and we would look-up the word again together and discuss how he came to have his definition rather than the one in the dictionary or thesaurus.  So now I see that Wolfie is going to require just a tad more help than I realized in regards to using a dictionary and/or thesaurus.  Part of me is thinking, Wolfie is thirteen, he should know by now how to use a dictionary, and is this another "epic fail" coming to light on the part of our local ISD.  But, it's okay, it's cool, we are learning where the kids need to start and what to cover, so it's still all good, and it's comforting to me to witness what they are learning.

So yesterday the kids began some independent studies.  Their assignments were to (1) look up and write the definitions to each of their vocabulary words, (2) write their Spanish words ten times each and say the word aloud each time they write it, (3) watch the new history dvd (dinosaurs in the Ice Age) and then journalize about it.  They did pretty good.  Drew also needed some help doing her definitions, and they both still needed to watch the history dvd.  In their defense, they were adjusting to a different schedule as I had put them to bed earlier and then they woke earlier, but maybe still a little too early - they fell asleep when they tried to watch it (both times). 

I got off of work by 5p, and met the kids with dad at the library.  They were all a little lost as things had been rearranged since our last visit.  I had my list of suggested reading and we found our way to the "card catalog" which, by the way, no longer consists of actual cards.  We were there maybe an hour and had found 4-5 books each, then head out for a family dinner.  By the time we got home they were both halfway through their first books.  Drew was reading Lulu and the Brontosaurus, and Wolfie had started with his pick Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid (don't ask, at least he's reading).  They journaled about their books, we even made a video of them critiquing their book, and I would share with you but the lighting and audio turned out really poor.  Maybe after we've all got some practice under our belts, then I'll upload some videos.  They picked out their next books and Wolfie chose Lord of the Flies (better), and Drew chose Only Emma.

Wolfie worked 25 math problems, all simple adding and subtracting 3-digit numbers.  He did fabulous and his only mistakes were one issue with handwriting, his 2 looked like a 7 and he worked the problem that way.  His second issue was close to the end, he wrote the problem correctly but simply subtracted rather than adding.  Today, I'd like to see him work more math problems independently, only moving on to multiplication and division (he hates those, especially division).  While Wolfie worked on his math, Drew and I worked together on her vocabulary definitions.  We have a wonderful, and simple, dictionary that is perfect for her, but she needed more instruction on how to use it. 

We touched on a little art with some photography, their picks for pics below:

(Wolfie's photo below)

(Drew's photo below)

fresh starts

I suppose we actually began our first week of school on August 15th, but it was a fairly slow start as we touched only on history and journaling.  I rented a dvd on our subject, prehistoric dinosaurs, which we watched 3-4 times throughout the week (repitition is key *wink*). By the end of the week Drew and Wolfie were impressing me with all of the information they had retained about our history topic, and of course, had picked out several favorite dinosaurs and facts about them.  They were each given notebooks and we talked about journaling and what I expect.  In short, they are expected to put their name, date, and title at the top of the page (this, simply, because I feel it's important that they have plenty of practice and are comfortable signing their name, and because it is important that they are aware of the current date which is easy to loose track of when you are not thinking about it everyday). Both Wolfie and Drew are very creative and I am encouraging them to show their creativity in their journals.  I feel that if they are allowed the freedom to express themselves in a way they are comfortable, it will encourage information retention; it will also encourage a freedom to express themselves without feeling limited by someone else's expectations (such as, what I have personally witnessed, our school system does in many facets - their motto maybe(?), "Never cease to seize an opportunity to quash the dreams and independence of our youth" ....oh. Sorry.... got a little sidetracked).

Yesterday was Sunday, but I was in the mood, so we did a little homeschooling.  One of the perks to homeschooling is the flexible schedule (and if I'm too sick to work one day out of the week, I won't be spending that time stressing about the kids falling behind or having to race through their assignments just to catch-up).  Initially, they did moan (again) at the idea of doing "homework" which after we discussed it, I came to realize the word "homework" had become a "bad word".  So maybe we'll come up with another word to call it, but until then - it is what it is.

We began with English, both working from the same book, which I believe is considered to be a 4th grade book.  I am comfortable choosing this level because I felt it contain a lot of basic information that Drew will is ready to learn as she enters what would have been her 4th grade level, and Wolfie, who struggles a bit more with this subject, will benefit from the refresher course.  This, of course, also makes things easier for me as we can sit and discuss the information together and at the same time, without the stress of jumping between two separate grade levels (and from the looks of it so far, the competition between the two of them may help them try harder and retain more).  On this day, we kept it short and sweet, starting with Chapter One and touching only on sentence fragments and complete sentences and how to recognize the difference between them.  Sounds simple enough.  We also discussed when during our day that we might hear a sentence fragment and our reaction to it.  After reading and discussion, I read aloud some examples and they identified each sentence privately in their journal as fragment or complete.  Out of approximately 10 sentences, Drew (age 9) got only one wrong, and Wolfie (age 13) got about two or three.  Shocking?  But statistics have showed that boys tend to struggle in English and do well in Math, and girls, of course, tend to do the opposite.  So, cest la vie.  We finished up our English work and both of the children said they felt they had learned something, it was not as painful as they expected and actually quite fun. I did not take grades and do not plan, at this time, to track grades - so they don't have to worry about that pressure for now. 

We moved on to Vocabulary.  Wolfie (8th grade) and Drew (4th grade) have different words that were pulled from lists for their approximate grade levels.  I went over the word lists separately with each of the children and discussed whether or not they were familiar with some of the words, the pronunciation, definitions, and the importance of vocabulary and being comfortable using the words you hear and use on a day to day basis.  On this day, they simply wrote each word 20 times in their journal.  Wolfie's words are: apathy, beseech, blatant, capricious, covet, despondent, docile, flabbergast, irate, loath, melancholy, notorious, pique, unscathed, and vindictive.  Drew's words are: accuse, ambition, brief, confess, delicate, frail, grasp, habit, intend, ordeal, predict, revive, solution, theory, and wit.

And finally, we touched on our Spanish.  We started with numbers one through five and we'll add five numbers to the mix until we reach 30.  From there we will move on to some individual words and short common phrases.  Drew had to show off as she is already well versed in her numbers through ten.  (I remember Drew, about one year old, still in diapers and counting her blocks in Spanish as she stacked them.  As soon as I got the video recorder out, she'd stop - ugh.)  I'm not sure how far will continue with our Spanish lessons as it will depend on our progress and interest level, but I suspect they may go "all the way" - I can only hope.  We also discussed the importance of being bilingual and knowing Spanish.  I think if we venture into some Mexican history and traditions, it would encourage them to embrace their own heritage and be loads of FUN too.  (BTW, my babies are a mix - daddy is Mexican and momma is German/Swiss and Irish/Indian.)

We concluded with a discussion about what I will be expecting from them, and their independent studies.  They were both excited at the comfort level of todays lessons, as well as the quality time we got to spend together.  Both declared Spanish had been their favorite part of the day. 

This type of learning is going to be a lifestyle change as I intend to simply continue our lessons throughout a complete year and any time of day.  The opportunity to learn can present itself at any time, the trick is to recognize it, seize it and respect it.  I suppose our schedule will be somewhat flexible, but I do feel it's VERY important the children have a routine they can count on, so the plan is to still as close as possible to a structured schedule.  I believe routine encourages stability, comfort, self-discipline, and so on.  I am tracking our work on my day planner and hopefully will be fairly consistent with this blog too.

Today we are going on a "field trip" to our local public library to pick out some reading books.  I've pulled titles from several online sources.  I know which books I would like to see them read, but I don't believe I will commit until I've looked at them myself.  I don't want to burn the kids out by forcing a book that they simply aren't interested in or struggling to understand.  So, I'll just let you know what we are reading as we go along.  I have decided they will journal on these books as well because I don't want them to simply read the book mindlessly.  I want them to delve into it and learn to pull out the often obscure messages that can be incorporated into a book.

On another note, I saw one of my aunts this weekend.  In a moment of privacy she, somewhat blatantly declared, "you are going to screw up those kids" and went on to say, "you're their mom so I guess you can do that."  Now, lots of things to take into consideration with this situation.  First, you got to know that she is a teacher, has been most of her adult life, and is currently in the field part-time I believe.  It's her life.  But she also comes from the point of view of a family member who simply loves us, cares for us, and worries for us.  She noted that I am still employed full-time and I have a lot on my plate as it is, and she noted that this is our second year of homeschooling and our first year of doing so without a specific program.  Then, I noted, to myself, that I really haven't spent alot of time discussing the matter, our intentions, goals, and plan of actions with her either.  What could have been perceived as rudeness, took me by surprise, so I really didn't respond much to her accusation.  After sitting on it for a while, I consider that, frankly, homeschoolers would be (uhh) somewhat delusional (is that the right word?) if they entered the world of homeschooling without acknowledging that eventually they would be faced with this sort of (uhm) judgment or opinion.  I just feel, I kind of "get" where she's coming from.  I mean, obviously, I've had time to entertain this idea of homeschooling and adapt to this way of educating my children.  It wasn't an easy decision for me.  I grew up in the public school system.  But I also think I've watched it transform into something I'm not so keen with in many, many ways. Homeschooling, initially, was outside my comfort zone.  I read, researched, worried, and talked about it for at least 3-4 years before actually taking the leap.  And still, I babystepped into homeschooling, beginning with an online public school organization (Connections Academy) before beginning this years more eclectic-esque homeschooling.  As a I have homeschooled, I have learned so much, right along side my children, and homeschooling is certainly not for everyone; the kids have to be somewhat self-disciplined, as does the parent.  Both have to respect the plan and be concerned enough about the childs educational background to put the necessary effort into it.  And a healthy respect between parent and child certainly eases the situation.  Today more and more families are opting to homeschool.  There is so much information available and support groups are everywhere.  I love my aunt and appreciate all of her concern, regardless of how it's expressed.  I want her, along with all of my other family members and friends, to be proud and impressed of me and my children.  I look forward to that day (and it WILL come) when she can turn to me and say, "well, you surprised me, I was skeptical but you all seem to be doing really good."  (LOL) I can hear her now following that up with something like "but they could've got that in the public school system too" - but no matter, I will have already stopped listening (hehe). (=

I want to share this link with you.  It's the Facebook page for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and it's packed with homeschool support and information. 

rogue education

I have learned alot this year from "homeschooling" with Connections Academy. The program was a God-send when we needed it. I have come to realize though, that although it is a fabulous program, there are still key requirements I feel are not being met in the education of our children. Specifically, in educating through CA we are still with a public school and public schools must follow states guidelines for education; guidelines which are based on a fictitious middle-of-the-road child who learns specific skills at specific times. I feel the current public school curriculums push the children through their lessons without providing the opportunity to master each lesson. I feel the school districts have prioritized only those aspects that directly effect the assurance of their funding, rather than assurance of a well-rounded education (which is individualized). While I value and appreciate the teacher, and believe teaching is only becoming more difficult, more underappreciated, and more underpaid, they too, are subject to the politics of the state's requirements as well, and consequently, limited by same. I have seen teachers hand out extra credit "work" with the intention that it would pass children along into the next grade level, rather than holding them accountable for their progress. God forbid we hold back too many children - but we "fail" them still. I was in a comfort zone with the only system of education I was familiar with, but it had become a Catch-22.

I agonized about pulling my children from public schooling. I worried about the extra work load I would have and fullfilling the responsibility (but whether they are in public school, private school, or homeschooled, I still bore that responsiblity). I worried that I might do them an injustice by pulling them out of public school, but continued to feel the injustice of leaving them in public school. I could either sit by and watch them struggle, stress, and fret over their assignments and passing each grade level, or I could step up and make sure they were provided the education I felt would be most beneficial (and the education they deserved). Yes, it would be more on my plate, but I had the kids in the first place. It's my duty as a parent, and simply, I am going to follow through for them. Anyhow, no one knows it all, not even the teachers. Fact is, many schools assign teachers to lead classes on subjects they were never trained to teach. A homeschooling parent learns along side the child, and a home education is all about meeting the child's individual educational needs.

So here's our new plan. Are you sitting down? We'll be homeschooling, by its, uh, truer form, and I never, I mean NEVER, thought I would be homeschooling any of my children, ever! This year we rushed our way through the textbooks in an online public school, which became a baby step towards an actual homeschooling program. Now, we will work our way through the textbooks at a slower pace. We will work year around, and allow the children to master each lesson before moving on. I have already purchased the books off of ebay for about $10-15.00 each, beginning with a repeat of this years textbooks.

She said, She said

The following are excerpts from correspondence between myself and the teachers regarding my math curriculum concerns.

Excerpts from my letter to Drew's teacher:
"Although we were given a little more time to spend on previous lessons, and I continue to give extra work myself in math; I am still very unhappy with the current curriculum." "...I do not feel the kids are retaining the information in math - they are not mastering the lessons before moving on; and I feel they are covering lessons that could wait. Drew's grades do not reflect her actual scores because I go over the incorrect answers with her, explain them to her, and then correct the answer before submitting the assessments. Both children are capable of understanding the information being given to them in order to complete the daily assignments, they simply aren't holding on to that information for long because they seem to be moving to(sic) fast."

"As for Drew, I feel she needs much, much more time spent on 3 digit adding and subtracting (borrowing and carrying over), and small multiplication and division (as well as money and time). I feel these are foundational to all other math and it's really important for her to actually master it before moving on. Otherwise, she will be overwhelmed, struggle just to keep up, and not retain the information for later."

"The most important lessons, in my opinion, are foundational math (adding, subtracting, multiplication, division, and simple algebra), and reading and grammar. If they can master these, they will have better problem solving skills in the long run."

Excerpts from (Drew's) teacher's response:
"I agree completely with you that a great foundation in math is of the utmost importance. CA math curriculum does introduce many skills without a lot of time for mastery. I'm a firm believer in repetition to learn the basic math facts."

"I appreciate you sharing that Drew is not as strong a math student as her math grades reflect. Drew really needs to complete the assessments independently so that I can have a better grasp of what her strengths and weaknesses are. Had she been doing this and we were getting a truer picture of her math skills, then she could have been put on an escalation plan. This would allow me the possiblity of modifying and/or deleting some assignments so we could just focus on the basics."

"On future math assessments, I would like for you to not correct Drew's mistakes and let me see what she is understanding. After I grade the assessments, Drew could then go back and rework the incorrect questions. If Drew does complete the assessments independently and does not make a passing grade I will then readjust her grade to 70%, if she corrects the missed questions. She will need to show her work, how she arrived at her answer and webmail this to me. (make sure to include the unit/lesson)"

(Let me just say here, that as the parent and the "learning coach", I feel I'm in a pretty good position to determine how my child is doing as well as the lessons my child needs more attention with. I also feel, in an online program such as CA, the teachers would take that into consideration and, consequently, my opinion and concerns would carry more weight, and that weight would allow us to cut straight into action as opposed to this process of submitting incorrect answers in order to verify what I am already expressing. I do not want to appear to harsh on CA, as I have enjoyed it so much, and I do realize they are a public school entity and must conform to the same rules and procedures (which may not be what I am looking for in a homeschooling program, rumor has it I am the controlling sort) ;) I do feel I have a fairly accurate understanding of how my children learn, think, and feel; education is an emotional process as well. So, I've pulled my children from our local public schools not only because they have been undergoing dramatic changes in the last two years that I did not agree with nor feel comfortable with, but also because I could see so many children in the public school system losing their power, losing the passion, and losing respect. I didn't want my children to be lost as well. I want them taught in an environment that nutures a healthy self-esteem, encourages their passions, enthusiasm, and love. Okay, okay, I've started rambling and I, in no way, mean to imply that CA is anything nearly resembling my local ISD, so let's move on.)

Excerpt from my letter to Wolfie's teacher:
"I still feel that Wolfie is moving forward in Math way too fast, and he is not given the time to master the lesson before moving on. While he seems to do well with watching a live or recorded lesson, reading the book, watching videos, and understanding the assignment, he is not retaining the information. (I believe his TAKS is going to reflect this as well.)"

"I am extremely confused as to why Wolfie is already studying Geometry, when his focus, I feel, should be long division and multiplication, and simple algebra. I have noticed he struggles in these areas and I feel it's because he wasn't given the time to master it enough to feel good about it, and then move forward. In my opinion, the most important lessons are the foundational math (adding, subtracting, multiplication, divsion, and simple algebra), and reading, writing, and grammar. If they can master these, they will have better problem solving skills in everything else in their lives."

Excerpt from (Wolfie's) teacher's response:
"I've actually already modified the math 7 curriculum by skipping everything in part B that is not required by the state of Texas. My plan is to have students work on that material during the last month of school, because those lessons are foundation topics for next year."

"Though it may feel frustrating that Wolfie is studying Geometry instead of focusing more on basic math skills, our state requires studying in Geometry, Algebra, Data and Statistics, etc. each year. I can make curriculum modifications, but I cannot omit topics that are required in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)."

"However, it may make more senese for Wolfie if we spend the last month going back and continuing to practice the essential skills from Math 7, instead of having him work on the skipped topics. That will give him a full month to reflect and review."

Consequently, I am looking into more homeschooling options. I don't view this as a set back nor a wrong decision; this is all, simply, a learning experience (and I suppose one would be very lucky to find just that right one, on the first try). I also understand, there will be pros and cons to every situation, but I also feel the gravity of my expectations for my child's learning experience. I have sat and watched my children working hard only at keeping up, and never really being allowed the time to "get it" and get excited about "getting it". What then am I looking for in our educational experience? A "program" that allows the children to (1) work at a pace I feel is comfortable and reasonable for them, (2) with a focus on mastering each lesson before moving forward, (3) offers a adequate and well devised curriculum, and (4) affordablity.

I start my search with the following: Sonlight, Winter Promise, Alpha Omega, The Pioneer Woman, A Beka, K12, and North Texas Academy, and I will post more links to more programs as I come across them.

To leave or not to leave, that is the question!

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while, but with the holidays and the way my new year began, I simply haven't had the time (and those who know me personally, understand).

Lately, I've been questioning whether or not Connections Academy is the right program for us. As previously posted, I had touched base with a couple of our teachers to revise the lesson plans for Drew and Wolfie so that they could spend more time on certain math lessons. While the teachers worked with me, I still feel the children continue to move forward on the subject of math faster than necessary. I would rather see them truly master the basic foundation lessons of math and retain that information, than have them move forward into areas quickly, covering plenty of ground but not remembering any of it later.

Consequently, I have been entertaining other homeschooling programs. I have a family member that was homeschooled and continues the tradition with her son; she has given me lots of information and support (I am truly thankful).

But for math, I am really happy with the program and the childrens progress in all other subjects. I could do without some of the ridiculous "trick" questions snuck in here and there. I believe those only promote self-doubt and insecurities; although I understand they may encourage a student to pay more attention to detail, it can be saved for late-middle and high school grades (elementary is just too young for those "games"). Connection Academy's teachers have been amazing! The program itself, is easy to use for everyone. The curriculum and grading system is fine. Therefore, leaving Connections would not be a decision made lightly.

(p.s. I do not, however, have any regrets whatsoever about pulling the children from our local public schools.)