We were both moving slowly yesterday and it was challenging getting back into the swing of it. I woke at 4am ?! yesterday but managed to sleep through to 8 today. We had colossal thunder storms in the wee hours last night. I was joined in bed by the dogs and the 12 yr old and we laid and watched the lightening and listened to the wind and rain. It was cool.
I reviewed the way I reworked his schedule and I am happy with it. I think I evened it out nicely He has 7 courses a day. I broke up and swapped science between Astronomy and DNA, 2 days each. I broke up his new Math, 3 days of the video lesson and 1 day of the other program he does... shakes it up and keeps the brain moving. I reworked his environmental science and physics, 2 days each. I think it's more balanced for him. Social studies is online 2 days and in a workbook 2 days, like his English and Language Arts.
He slept until 10:09 yesterday and I went and woke him up. FriendZ says he will grow while he sleeps but sometimes you just need to get the party started. Today I woke him at 9.
He really likes the MathUSee program. I am thrilled already I bought it. I think we will go through the honors level, we'll see how it goes.
I did put 'Reading' in on a daily basis, 45 minute slot, scheduled in. He finally stopped finding excuses and finally took his Nook upstairs and started into The Lord of The Flies. I assigned it as his English Literature Class. He read about an hour, came down with a huge smile on his face and announced he loved it, so far. Yay. It's been hard to find books he adores lately. He hasn't had to read what was assigned before, as opposed to school that let's them read books way below their levels or comic books for their reports. Any assigned book has been read together, in class, through an audio book. Really? Way to stupid them down, again. Still.
Husband is out of town so it's very quiet, easy and fluid. Dinner is whenever we want and put away long before the 7:30-8 it usually has to wait for husband. It's quiet in the evening, and I can completely relax without the feeling I'm being judged. Ya, it's in my head but it's still there and very real for me so it's a nice break for me. I'm sure he's enjoying his family free time this week too so it goes both ways.
I am going to keep this daily/weekly schedule with these classes for 3 weeks before I even consider changing anything around. I really don't think I'll change it at all. The end of the year is looming already, 6 weeks maybe? So I don't see the need to shake anything up too much. I am, however, going to talk to the Banker about a single, summer long, project. I want him to have one thing he's responsible for over a break like a giant book or keeping a garden and log or something. I will think about some ideas to offer up before I raise it.
He did thoroughly enjoy using my camera over the week in the desert. FriendZ suggested we think about using the experience and interest as a sort of art class and I think that's a great idea. The one thing this curriculum is lacking (as the public school did to!) is a creative aspect. I think creativity is so very very important, especially for someone like my Banker. He needs to get off the straight and narrow every once in a while and dive into creating something just because it's wonderful to do so. I offered up cooking, baking, sewing and the yarn arts but he's just not been so interested. I need to encourage this photography thing without forcing it. I think I'm going to print some of his shots out and maybe frame them in the house as a silent but mighty, "wow, this is something you need to do more of!" :) Again, we'll wait and see.
I will admit I am starting to think about next year already. I am going to check the local school districts for the mandatory knowledge stuff and then work from their adding on the courses that will give him that, more of that and add on the stuff that he'll love and will help him work toward whatever direction he wants to go. I need to take some time off thinking about it though and go with the flow myself.
I may talk to FriendZ about having Banker and her son do one class together next year. It might be a good experience for them to have one in common same so the boys can maybe do some work together on a joint project, I'll have to think it through some more before I suggest it. I may talk to FriendC about the same thing, different kid, different leanings so a completely different type of project would work there. I think each would benefit from working with and having responsibility with another same grade student. One is far away so it'd be something remote and one is close so it could be something they could do in person. At the moment it's just floating around in my head. I don't want to do any more than one joint project, I like our solitary academics and I think the Banker does too. The two friends I was going to approach have very different interests and strengths and I think that's good thing for all of them.
Banker is working hard, singing away, humming bits he doesn't want to make up words to and is generally a happy happy guy. I baked fresh bread yesterday and made him a batch of rolls which he's been nibbling on semi perpetually since he sat down.
Today, it's all good and I have no feelings whatsoever of breaking him.
/Tracy
No comments:
Post a Comment