Tight schedule in hand, banker asked for a weekly schedule with A and B days, you know, like school. In my lame attempt to buck the system, we have Day1 and Day2 *hahaha* I have put us on a 4 academic day week with the extra day (which can come anytime in the week) as our "field trip/cool thing/make up/catch up/club meeting/go play with other home schoolers/get the hell out of the house or else we'll burst into flames" day.
Connor wanders into the kitchen at 7:48am. He's never slept this late! He's very annoyed with himself for coming down so late. I assure him he's not wasted the day and that sometimes, 12 year old boys need to have a little sleep. He's unimpressed. The banker doesn't DO late.
I tell him he might look taller.
Let’s take the day off! It's an AISD holiday!
So, that's his schedule for the week. We will see how he copes with the workload. It's a reasonable amount of work I think and it should take him through to about 12-1 then he can work on extracurricular things like he wants to look into Mayan civilization and he wants to look more deeply into some of the physics of space units.
I tell him he might look taller.
*bingo* he grins and wanders away, "oh right, Ms. Zan said you grow when you sleep".
This is the schedule we have agreed to try for a week, notice the inclusion of the "worksheet". He's not ready to go cold turkey, I pick my battles.
ENGLISH LITERATURE (Classic read *Sherlock Holmes* and book report – every 3 wks)
TRUMPET (30 mins)
LATIN (book, notebook, online)
This is the schedule we have agreed to try for a week, notice the inclusion of the "worksheet". He's not ready to go cold turkey, I pick my battles.
EVERY DAY
ENGLISH LITERATURE (Classic read *Sherlock Holmes* and book report – every 3 wks)
TRUMPET (30 mins)
LATIN (book, notebook, online)
DAY 1, FRIDAY 10 FEB
ONLINE SCIENCE (T4L & Khan)
T4L; chapter 3 plus Plants worksheet
Khan Academy; Scale of Earth and Sun
ONLINE MATH (T4L & Khan)
T4L; chapter 8
Perimeter, Area, Properties of lines, Angle measure, Application of properties,
Polygons
Khan; review of any of the above
T4L; chapter 3 plus Plants worksheet
Khan Academy; Scale of Earth and Sun
ONLINE MATH (T4L & Khan)
T4L; chapter 8
Perimeter, Area, Properties of lines, Angle measure, Application of properties,
Polygons
Khan; review of any of the above
WORKBOOK ENGLISH
1 chapter, complete
WORKBOOK HISTORY
1.5-2 chapters
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (iPad textbook)
Chapter 1, read, review, complete activity
ONLINE SOCIAL STUDIES (T4L & Khan Civics)
T4L; Chapter 11. African American Struggle (plus worksheets)
ONLINE ENGLISH (T4L)
T4L; Chapter 1. Prefixes and Suffixes
WORKSHEET SCIENCE (notes)
*to be supplied*
WORKSHEET MATH (HOLT)
Chapters 8-5 to 8-11
ONLINE PHYSICS (www.physicsclassroom.com)
1-D kinematics, Newton’s Laws
*follow up on Khan if required
FIELD TRIP: TEXAS HISTORY MUSEUM and IMAX MOVIE 9:30am
1 chapter, complete
WORKBOOK HISTORY
1.5-2 chapters
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (iPad textbook)
Chapter 1, read, review, complete activity
DAY 2, MONDAY 13 FEB
ONLINE SOCIAL STUDIES (T4L & Khan Civics)
T4L; Chapter 11. African American Struggle (plus worksheets)
ONLINE ENGLISH (T4L)
T4L; Chapter 1. Prefixes and Suffixes
WORKSHEET SCIENCE (notes)
*to be supplied*
WORKSHEET MATH (HOLT)
Chapters 8-5 to 8-11
ONLINE PHYSICS (www.physicsclassroom.com)
1-D kinematics, Newton’s Laws
*follow up on Khan if required
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14
*daily reading expectation remains on field trip days*FIELD TRIP: TEXAS HISTORY MUSEUM and IMAX MOVIE 9:30am
DAY 3 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15
ONLINE SCIENCE (T4L & Khan)
T4L; Chapter 3, Characteristics of plants *continue from previous spot
Khan Academy; Scale of Solar System
ONLINE MATH (T4L & Khan)
T4L; chapter 8. Regular polygon angle, angle measurement of polygons, congruent and similar polygons, symmetry/reflection
WORKBOOK ENGLISH (1 chapter)
WORKBOOK HISTORY (1 chapter)
T4L; Chapter 3, Characteristics of plants *continue from previous spot
Khan Academy; Scale of Solar System
ONLINE MATH (T4L & Khan)
T4L; chapter 8. Regular polygon angle, angle measurement of polygons, congruent and similar polygons, symmetry/reflection
WORKBOOK ENGLISH (1 chapter)
WORKBOOK HISTORY (1 chapter)
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (iPad textbook)
Complete chapter 1 activities (if any) move to chapter 2
ONLINE SOCIAL STUDIES (T4L & Khan Civics)
T4L; Chapter 11, Women take a Stand (and worksheet)
ONLINE ENGLISH (T4L)
T4L; LA extensions, chapter 1
WORKSHEET SCIENCE (notes)
*to be given*
WORKSHEET MATH (HOLT)
Chapter 9; Lesson 9-1 to 9-4
ONLINE PHYSICS (www.physicsclassroom.com)
Vectors & Momentum
*follow up with Khan on either, as required
*Drive to pick up M for a sleepover!*
Complete chapter 1 activities (if any) move to chapter 2
DAY 4 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16
ONLINE SOCIAL STUDIES (T4L & Khan Civics)
T4L; Chapter 11, Women take a Stand (and worksheet)
ONLINE ENGLISH (T4L)
T4L; LA extensions, chapter 1
WORKSHEET SCIENCE (notes)
*to be given*
WORKSHEET MATH (HOLT)
Chapter 9; Lesson 9-1 to 9-4
ONLINE PHYSICS (www.physicsclassroom.com)
Vectors & Momentum
*follow up with Khan on either, as required
*Drive to pick up M for a sleepover!*
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17
Let’s take the day off! It's an AISD holiday!
So, that's his schedule for the week. We will see how he copes with the workload. It's a reasonable amount of work I think and it should take him through to about 12-1 then he can work on extracurricular things like he wants to look into Mayan civilization and he wants to look more deeply into some of the physics of space units.
If nothing else, it's organized *shudder*
We had our first academic crisis today. He was doing an online unit about triangles and area and perimeters. He came into me with his notebook, with pages of drawings and notes and asked me how to complete an equation he couldn't get.
CRISIS! I don't DO MATH!
CRISIS! I'm going to BREAK HIM! RUIN HIM!
OH NO! I shouldn't have taken him out of school...I can't do trapezoids!
He came into my studio (I'm artsy fartsy, remember) and found me making him a fabric covered, padded, school use, bulletin board. It's cute fabric. I bought it years ago when I was making chair covers for his 2nd grade teacher. It's a double thick square of rather heavy cardboard, a medium batting is stapled on it then some muslin and then this fabric. It's ugly on the back but hey, it's hanging on a door. I think I may add a criss-cross of ticking or something so we don't have to pin in we can slide things on... I'll wait and see.
We had our first academic crisis today. He was doing an online unit about triangles and area and perimeters. He came into me with his notebook, with pages of drawings and notes and asked me how to complete an equation he couldn't get.
CRISIS! I don't DO MATH!
CRISIS! I'm going to BREAK HIM! RUIN HIM!
OH NO! I shouldn't have taken him out of school...I can't do trapezoids!
He came into my studio (I'm artsy fartsy, remember) and found me making him a fabric covered, padded, school use, bulletin board. It's cute fabric. I bought it years ago when I was making chair covers for his 2nd grade teacher. It's a double thick square of rather heavy cardboard, a medium batting is stapled on it then some muslin and then this fabric. It's ugly on the back but hey, it's hanging on a door. I think I may add a criss-cross of ticking or something so we don't have to pin in we can slide things on... I'll wait and see.
But anyway, look at this cool fabric! I hung it on the door beside his desk with his overall schedule and a list of his home expectations. School is school and home is home and I need to be sure he gets that...I'm not his teacher/guidance councellor/director/manager or anything once we close the books...I'm his artsy fartsy crazy cooking wine drinking mom!
Oh right, the trapezoid. Calculating area.
Connor looked at me...this was one of those moments. If I sucked, failed or crumbled, his faith would waver and we can't have that.
"No problem...let's go see where we can find the answer. This is what's so cool about this, kiddo, if you're stuck there's examples here *khanacademy.com* that will not only tell you but show you how to do it".
SCORE!
He has been using khan for a year now as some supplemental fun *ya, he does math and physics for fun. Banker man didn't realize he could use these resources to get a second helping of instruction while he was working through problems.
SCORE!
He is working hard through his program today, the schedule seems to be working. He asked if he could read an additional chapter after his "The Scale of the Earth and Sun" unit this morning. Um, yes, you're allowed to continue to enjoy what you're learning, kiddo. What a crazy concept.
I served him up snacks while he worked. He raises his hand to ask me for milk and when I bring it to him, he yells, "PDA! PDA!!" hahaha goof. For those not in the know PDA is school speak for "personal displays of affection". He's working hard, laughing hard, looks relaxed as heck and is funnier and more chilled out than he's been in a while. Could all this be part of this??
I served him up snacks while he worked. He raises his hand to ask me for milk and when I bring it to him, he yells, "PDA! PDA!!" hahaha goof. For those not in the know PDA is school speak for "personal displays of affection". He's working hard, laughing hard, looks relaxed as heck and is funnier and more chilled out than he's been in a while. Could all this be part of this??
We are heading out to meet friends for Happy Hour this afternoon. I'm looking forward to some normal, we usually HH on Fridays with friends near the school and I'm not going to give that up. It's important, for a while, to do normal.
I think he's going to get this, I think we're going to do fine. Well, as long as I don't break him.
**ADDENDUM**
Well, Hell. he finished all the work, exercises, stupid worksheets and problems, including taking pages of notes for each subject which he's asked me to check and done all the quizzes and gotten 100% on each...by 11:30! He went and read for an hour and it's only 12:30. He didn't start until after 8.
Ok, I'm going to fret now.
Do I dump on more work? Will I dumb him down? Is he over gung ho and will it level out? Will he retain any of this information? Do I just leave it and wait to see how the rest of next week goes?
Breath in, breath out. I cannot possibly break him in 2 days of home schooling. Seriously. Can I?
I'm going to go fret now, just a little, just for a little while.
**ADDENDUM**
Well, Hell. he finished all the work, exercises, stupid worksheets and problems, including taking pages of notes for each subject which he's asked me to check and done all the quizzes and gotten 100% on each...by 11:30! He went and read for an hour and it's only 12:30. He didn't start until after 8.
Ok, I'm going to fret now.
Do I dump on more work? Will I dumb him down? Is he over gung ho and will it level out? Will he retain any of this information? Do I just leave it and wait to see how the rest of next week goes?
Breath in, breath out. I cannot possibly break him in 2 days of home schooling. Seriously. Can I?
I'm going to go fret now, just a little, just for a little while.
I would like to offer my observation that he did not look at all broken tonight. Echoing the teacher that told him today, "Good luck through your adventures." No matter what, you're both going to learn so many things that you wouldn't have otherwise.
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