Ah, summer summer summertime!
Day one of our summer schedule feels fine. We did nothing school-y and instead spent the day at Ikea with FriendC and her brood then Banker and I hit JoAnn fabric and came up empty, I was looking for some fabric to make outdoor cushions for the wicker chairs in the gazebo but nothing lit my fire. I loaded up on the usual Ikea stuff, kitchen gadgets, tea towels, a garlic press (I've never owned one!) and new bedding for our room. Nothing says summertime like a bright green duvet cover with bubbles! oh husband will be delighted.
Banker says he is going to do his math and English on Wednesday this week. One chapter in the preAlgebra and some grammar, easy indeed.
I need to "file" all the grade 7 regular year school stuff. I have copies of each weeks schedule and some graded work, there's not too terribly much paper to deal with, luckily. I haven't decided what to do with the notebooks, file them or just add a new heading GRADE 8 in the books, I'll have to think about how big I want my ecological footprint to be.
I feel a little lost but have solid faith we'll find our summer groove in no time at all!
/Tracy
Showing posts with label completed work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label completed work. Show all posts
Monday, May 21, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Day ONE HUNDRED
Wow. What a great day yesterday we had. We didn't do any work but I got to spend time with grown up friends while the Banker visited then entertained. There was laughter emanating from my relatively destroyed game room for hours and hours. I chatted and visited. I commiserated and got some support from friends on some decisions. I made plans for next week. It was a grand day.
In school related news.
I am discontinuing Time4Learning today. It filled a gap, gave the Banker a curriculum to leap to from jumping the public school ship. I think it's too young for him now, it's time to move on. I am cancelling it today.
I am ending formal school this week. Math and English will continue through the summer, so will reading. He is going to have to read Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn and Uncle Tom's Cabin this summer. Luckily, FriendA has to read them too so they can moan together. I offered dinner and a "book club" review when they finish each book, that met with some support. I love a plan.
FriendE and I were brilliant yesterday. As we sat at the table talking about Texas education and Austin schools ... we suddenly realized Texas is 24th and has a "D" grade in education for the country, so we researched who had the best and came up with Massachusetts as the solid winner. We searched the MA education agency and schools and found fabulous links to the books, curriculum and plans for their 8th graders. Oh hello, yes, we'll be utilizing THAT information. The Austin 8th grade curriculum links are password protected. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? What's so secret about what you're teaching our 8th graders?? MA's 8th grade curriculum, online books and resources provides passwords and user names. Wow, way to support the youth of America. I will absolutely be utilizing out of state resources, the local ones are sad, archaic and apparently so secret that parents aren't to be trusted viewing them, or WORSE, letting the children see!
I have a really good feeling about 8th grade. I have solid plans and solid plans to get more information from friends and online. I think it's going to be great.
I haven't broken the news to Banker that this is his final "formal" week of 7th grade just yet but I am telling the home school mothers around me so they have a head's up. I'm all about the village :)
This is our remaining work day this week, we played all day yesterday and are playing all day tomorrow. Husband is off work and I decided to embrace it. We are all going to a 12:30 movie then FriendK and her son are coming up for a visit. I will throw the boys upstairs and she and I will drink wine, look at chickens and relax and visit. I'm really really looking forward to it. Really.
I'm going to make bread today, make smoothies, and I am actually going to sew something! I want to make a "mug rug" and dammit, I am going to! We used to call them mini place mats but now they have a hip cool name. Bigger than a coaster and smaller than a place mat, I can put my coffee and a small plate or just a pile of chips on it. It'll soak the condensation ring from the cold drinks and just look pretty under my hot ones. Banker and his microscope can move to the other side of the room, I am taking my studio back! After I make a couple, I am going to invite FriendA to come and make some for her mom, her house and her life. She needs to sew more anyway.
Ok, there's a day, there's a plan and husband went to work and Banker is still asleep. I am going to enjoy the complete and total silence for just a few moments.
*seriously, how DOES he do that?* as I was about to press "Publish" the child appeared on the stairs. Ok, so no silence today but that's ok, we have work to do.
/Tracy
In school related news.
I am discontinuing Time4Learning today. It filled a gap, gave the Banker a curriculum to leap to from jumping the public school ship. I think it's too young for him now, it's time to move on. I am cancelling it today.
I am ending formal school this week. Math and English will continue through the summer, so will reading. He is going to have to read Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn and Uncle Tom's Cabin this summer. Luckily, FriendA has to read them too so they can moan together. I offered dinner and a "book club" review when they finish each book, that met with some support. I love a plan.
FriendE and I were brilliant yesterday. As we sat at the table talking about Texas education and Austin schools ... we suddenly realized Texas is 24th and has a "D" grade in education for the country, so we researched who had the best and came up with Massachusetts as the solid winner. We searched the MA education agency and schools and found fabulous links to the books, curriculum and plans for their 8th graders. Oh hello, yes, we'll be utilizing THAT information. The Austin 8th grade curriculum links are password protected. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? What's so secret about what you're teaching our 8th graders?? MA's 8th grade curriculum, online books and resources provides passwords and user names. Wow, way to support the youth of America. I will absolutely be utilizing out of state resources, the local ones are sad, archaic and apparently so secret that parents aren't to be trusted viewing them, or WORSE, letting the children see!
I have a really good feeling about 8th grade. I have solid plans and solid plans to get more information from friends and online. I think it's going to be great.
I haven't broken the news to Banker that this is his final "formal" week of 7th grade just yet but I am telling the home school mothers around me so they have a head's up. I'm all about the village :)
This is our remaining work day this week, we played all day yesterday and are playing all day tomorrow. Husband is off work and I decided to embrace it. We are all going to a 12:30 movie then FriendK and her son are coming up for a visit. I will throw the boys upstairs and she and I will drink wine, look at chickens and relax and visit. I'm really really looking forward to it. Really.
I'm going to make bread today, make smoothies, and I am actually going to sew something! I want to make a "mug rug" and dammit, I am going to! We used to call them mini place mats but now they have a hip cool name. Bigger than a coaster and smaller than a place mat, I can put my coffee and a small plate or just a pile of chips on it. It'll soak the condensation ring from the cold drinks and just look pretty under my hot ones. Banker and his microscope can move to the other side of the room, I am taking my studio back! After I make a couple, I am going to invite FriendA to come and make some for her mom, her house and her life. She needs to sew more anyway.
Ok, there's a day, there's a plan and husband went to work and Banker is still asleep. I am going to enjoy the complete and total silence for just a few moments.
*seriously, how DOES he do that?* as I was about to press "Publish" the child appeared on the stairs. Ok, so no silence today but that's ok, we have work to do.
/Tracy
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Day Seventy Eight
My mom is in town.
This is one of the extreme bonuses of this home school experience. My mother flew in from Canada last night. We didn't have to worry about the time, the homework or schedules. We didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn, make lunches, drive to school. We didn't have to plan our day around the school board, look at a clock or think about a schedule
Sweet.
The Banker did his social studies day, albeit a lighter load than usual but he still did some work. He read for a while then we got to hang out with my mom. We hit the local store, he sat at the bar while she and I cooked. It was memories happening. It was family. It made me very very happy.
The girls are getting crazy big, they spend every day out in the Gazebo and back into the garage at night. I think they are getting a little big for their brooding box. Husband says he'll finish the coop on the weekend and we can do the girls first overnight, safely outside, at the end of next week. Weather permitting of course. They are kind of scaredy cats and do run into their crate when the wind blows. I love them.
It's Ladies Who Lunch day tomorrow. Friends are coming from far and wide to visit, cocktail, visit, eat a little, play a little and I am so very excited about it. I made copious amounts of bread and rolls and then roasted off two enormous Peameal roasts. Sandwiches for all tomorrow, mountains and mountains of them. The wine will flow. The weather is supposed to be fantastic. No sit down this time around for the Ladies, it's wander and visit cocktail lunch day. I think the head count is 10 women and 10 children, all fun, all chaos. Fun. Life. Joy. Laughter. I cannot wait.
FriendC and Ms. Zan will both be here. Ms. Zan doesn't make it out here too often but the trips are highly and excitedly anticipated. Banker's 13th birthday is next week, they have a gift for him. He's going to explode. I'm so excited for him. I'm excited for us, to have such wonderful people in our lives for so many many years. These women have known him since he was 9 months old. I will never worry for his safety or care because he has these people to turn to should he ever need. The family we were lucky enough to pick.
The Banker does have to do a little school in the morning but I already told him he can blow off most of the day to help organize for friends and family and then entertain children.
This is the stuff of memories, this is the stuff of life and this is the reason I do this. The quality of Banker's life has been so enhanced by that which we have altered. I owe a deep debt to my friends who have been shining examples to me, over the years, of what a successful home school experience can, and should, be.
Oh and we hardly feel broken at all.
/Tracy
This is one of the extreme bonuses of this home school experience. My mother flew in from Canada last night. We didn't have to worry about the time, the homework or schedules. We didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn, make lunches, drive to school. We didn't have to plan our day around the school board, look at a clock or think about a schedule
Sweet.
The Banker did his social studies day, albeit a lighter load than usual but he still did some work. He read for a while then we got to hang out with my mom. We hit the local store, he sat at the bar while she and I cooked. It was memories happening. It was family. It made me very very happy.
The girls are getting crazy big, they spend every day out in the Gazebo and back into the garage at night. I think they are getting a little big for their brooding box. Husband says he'll finish the coop on the weekend and we can do the girls first overnight, safely outside, at the end of next week. Weather permitting of course. They are kind of scaredy cats and do run into their crate when the wind blows. I love them.
It's Ladies Who Lunch day tomorrow. Friends are coming from far and wide to visit, cocktail, visit, eat a little, play a little and I am so very excited about it. I made copious amounts of bread and rolls and then roasted off two enormous Peameal roasts. Sandwiches for all tomorrow, mountains and mountains of them. The wine will flow. The weather is supposed to be fantastic. No sit down this time around for the Ladies, it's wander and visit cocktail lunch day. I think the head count is 10 women and 10 children, all fun, all chaos. Fun. Life. Joy. Laughter. I cannot wait.
FriendC and Ms. Zan will both be here. Ms. Zan doesn't make it out here too often but the trips are highly and excitedly anticipated. Banker's 13th birthday is next week, they have a gift for him. He's going to explode. I'm so excited for him. I'm excited for us, to have such wonderful people in our lives for so many many years. These women have known him since he was 9 months old. I will never worry for his safety or care because he has these people to turn to should he ever need. The family we were lucky enough to pick.
The Banker does have to do a little school in the morning but I already told him he can blow off most of the day to help organize for friends and family and then entertain children.
This is the stuff of memories, this is the stuff of life and this is the reason I do this. The quality of Banker's life has been so enhanced by that which we have altered. I owe a deep debt to my friends who have been shining examples to me, over the years, of what a successful home school experience can, and should, be.
Oh and we hardly feel broken at all.
/Tracy
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Day Seventy Seven
We managed to get it all done yesterday. Yay us.
The Banker got his work mostly done then we moved, together, into errands, laundry, a tiny tidy and a toilet clean. We both worked, we both played, not a bad deal at all. I made a killer chicken divan for dinner. Husband even came home a little early to eat with us, which resulted in Banker being told to be quiet too many times while we giggled while we ate then he got moaned at then husband collapsed in that stupid recliner (how can someone hate a piece of furniture? I do!) and fell dead asleep. Banker was upset, he has an idea in his head of how every evening will be different and it never is. I am torn between trying to try to help fix it or just move dinner way early again. I get that you're tired and fed up when you come home from work, hell I did it for years and years, and not a nice office job with set hours. I just never kicked my dog or blamed him for a crappy day when I came in. I'll have to think about this one.
I asked Banker to spend some time with the girls outside, for fresh air. They are getting so big! He wanted to have some time online playing Minecraft with his friends.
I told him to work it out. He did. Way to multi-task baby!
Computer on lap, chickens in the hand. Sweet multitasking, dear. The chickens are sweet, they look hungover as they are part fluffy, part feathered with oversized feet. They don't like to eat their feed from the ground and prefer to be hand fed. I think I broke the chickens! :) They all love to be held and cuddled, except Martini. She is the largest and has taken over Punk duty from Chicken. Chicken and Edna (Flossy) are the cuddlers of the group. Alouette will sit with me for long periods of time and fall asleep on my arm. I sing to her in French. Peck and Sunny are indifferent to me but love Banker and FriendA.
Today is math day, and it was going to be "move all that Lego" day but really, we LIVE here. I want him to move it when we have the 10 children (oh kill me now) over for lunch on Thursday so it doesn't get destroyed or mess up my house too badly up there, but certainly not because his grandmother is coming to visit. I remember when I was a kid, it was a mad dash to clean, tidy and remove all evidence of anyone living in the house before my Nana arrived. Now, she was a hell of a gal, she'd call it like she saw it and had no, seriously, NO, filter when it came to offering her opinion of ANYthing. I watched my mother wither many times when Nana would describe the chaos, anarchy or filth (??? hardly!) of our home or anything inside it to all and anyone who would listen. I'm not going there and my mom has too big of a filter (directly of course :)).
Is my house pristine? Oh heck no. There are piles of who knows what on every flat surface. There's Lego, books, blankets and a million pillows everywhere here. I keep finding socks on most floors but pushed to the edge and corners of course. There's boy stuff, man stuff and me stuff everywhere. We live here.
I have clean toilets, clean linens and clean bedding for mum as well as all the brandy, vodka and wine she can drink. Her carpet is vacuumed, her TV works and she has hangers and empty drawers. There are new batteries in the remotes for her TV and overhead lamp/fan. Yeah, I'm good. I'm going to cook big and thoroughly enjoy having her here. I'm not going to fret over a spider web or some dust. She does have enough of a filter and lives 1,684 miles away so if she hates anything, she'll wait patiently and complain about me/it when she goes back. I won't hear about it so we're golden. Also, cocktailing and eating sounds better than steam cleaning then worrying if it's good enough. HEY, maybe SHE can vacuum tomorrow?? Oh yeah, I'm a lovely daughter.
Back to school. It's math day but if he's not completely done by the time I need some assistance or by the time we need to go, he can finish it tomorrow. Oh and for those keeping score, no, he hasn't finished his book yet. I told him we'll reevaluate how we pick the classics when he finishes this one, I'm sticking to my guns and need to find a better literature system. I want him to read these books but I do not want it to be painful. I'll think of something I'm sure.
On a side note, I got up at 4am, snoring spouse and back of my head fretting were the culprits. I've been having dreams that disturb me a bit. They sort of go against what I think I would do given the same circumstance. Maybe letting my alter ego have at it in the wee hours takes the edge of the drudgery for me? Who knows. At least there's familiarity, the same dream for months now. In any event, I have loads of coffee, loads to do and think the excitement of the Banker seeing his Nana 'live' for the first time in 4 years will keep me going nicely.
It's 6am, is it too early to start cooking?
/Tracy
The Banker got his work mostly done then we moved, together, into errands, laundry, a tiny tidy and a toilet clean. We both worked, we both played, not a bad deal at all. I made a killer chicken divan for dinner. Husband even came home a little early to eat with us, which resulted in Banker being told to be quiet too many times while we giggled while we ate then he got moaned at then husband collapsed in that stupid recliner (how can someone hate a piece of furniture? I do!) and fell dead asleep. Banker was upset, he has an idea in his head of how every evening will be different and it never is. I am torn between trying to try to help fix it or just move dinner way early again. I get that you're tired and fed up when you come home from work, hell I did it for years and years, and not a nice office job with set hours. I just never kicked my dog or blamed him for a crappy day when I came in. I'll have to think about this one.
I asked Banker to spend some time with the girls outside, for fresh air. They are getting so big! He wanted to have some time online playing Minecraft with his friends.
I told him to work it out. He did. Way to multi-task baby!
Computer on lap, chickens in the hand. Sweet multitasking, dear. The chickens are sweet, they look hungover as they are part fluffy, part feathered with oversized feet. They don't like to eat their feed from the ground and prefer to be hand fed. I think I broke the chickens! :) They all love to be held and cuddled, except Martini. She is the largest and has taken over Punk duty from Chicken. Chicken and Edna (Flossy) are the cuddlers of the group. Alouette will sit with me for long periods of time and fall asleep on my arm. I sing to her in French. Peck and Sunny are indifferent to me but love Banker and FriendA.
Today is math day, and it was going to be "move all that Lego" day but really, we LIVE here. I want him to move it when we have the 10 children (oh kill me now) over for lunch on Thursday so it doesn't get destroyed or mess up my house too badly up there, but certainly not because his grandmother is coming to visit. I remember when I was a kid, it was a mad dash to clean, tidy and remove all evidence of anyone living in the house before my Nana arrived. Now, she was a hell of a gal, she'd call it like she saw it and had no, seriously, NO, filter when it came to offering her opinion of ANYthing. I watched my mother wither many times when Nana would describe the chaos, anarchy or filth (??? hardly!) of our home or anything inside it to all and anyone who would listen. I'm not going there and my mom has too big of a filter (directly of course :)).
Is my house pristine? Oh heck no. There are piles of who knows what on every flat surface. There's Lego, books, blankets and a million pillows everywhere here. I keep finding socks on most floors but pushed to the edge and corners of course. There's boy stuff, man stuff and me stuff everywhere. We live here.
I have clean toilets, clean linens and clean bedding for mum as well as all the brandy, vodka and wine she can drink. Her carpet is vacuumed, her TV works and she has hangers and empty drawers. There are new batteries in the remotes for her TV and overhead lamp/fan. Yeah, I'm good. I'm going to cook big and thoroughly enjoy having her here. I'm not going to fret over a spider web or some dust. She does have enough of a filter and lives 1,684 miles away so if she hates anything, she'll wait patiently and complain about me/it when she goes back. I won't hear about it so we're golden. Also, cocktailing and eating sounds better than steam cleaning then worrying if it's good enough. HEY, maybe SHE can vacuum tomorrow?? Oh yeah, I'm a lovely daughter.
Back to school. It's math day but if he's not completely done by the time I need some assistance or by the time we need to go, he can finish it tomorrow. Oh and for those keeping score, no, he hasn't finished his book yet. I told him we'll reevaluate how we pick the classics when he finishes this one, I'm sticking to my guns and need to find a better literature system. I want him to read these books but I do not want it to be painful. I'll think of something I'm sure.
On a side note, I got up at 4am, snoring spouse and back of my head fretting were the culprits. I've been having dreams that disturb me a bit. They sort of go against what I think I would do given the same circumstance. Maybe letting my alter ego have at it in the wee hours takes the edge of the drudgery for me? Who knows. At least there's familiarity, the same dream for months now. In any event, I have loads of coffee, loads to do and think the excitement of the Banker seeing his Nana 'live' for the first time in 4 years will keep me going nicely.
It's 6am, is it too early to start cooking?
/Tracy
Friday, April 6, 2012
Day Fifty Nine
He's been futzing around not finishing his Literature book, he goes out side to read but stops, "to save for later". Bull, my dear. Yesterday, granted, it was a long day and I had plans to be gone early so he was trying to be sure he was completely done everything so he could play the whole time I was out, which he did. Still, when I say something needs to be done, it does.
I wonder if my contemporary home school people have the same due date issue. I think it's the only consistent thing we've faced. I get that there isn't the threat of a failing grade, or of telling his mother ?! I wonder whether I overlap and take personal things away, restrict online play until due items are submitted? On one hand it makes sense on the other it muddies the mother/teacher/guide line and I don't want that line muddied. I guess to some extent it has to be just by fact I am more than one influence on him simultaneously now.
If he got a bad or late grade in public school would I punish him somehow here at home with extra chores or work or restrict his "screen" access? I don't know, he didn't have them. How sad is that?
The other, being eaten by an ant moment; I noticed he wrote his name in crazy spelling on everything for the past week or so. It bugs me for some inane reason, no rhyme or reason, your name doesn't have a K or any Z's so leave them off... oh and add back the vowels, you're not gangsta enough to pull this off.
Ok, two things, spelling of his name, and everything actually. He added "do Gernal" for the bring forward of his journal entry for the week. Really? it's up my nose. I quietly pointed out that paperwork in this kitchen is all school related and as a result I will grade it, schedule alterations and notes included. I don't care whether it should bug me, it does.
Now that I've sat and thought about it, I am going to muddy the waters. You don't hand something in on time, no "screens" until said item is completed, handed in AND graded. Don't want some shoddy piece handed in to satisfy a criteria. It has to be done AND it has to be good, sorry Bucko.
I'm the mom so I can be the meanie, at my whim. He's a preteen so he'll think anything I do, think or determine is irrational and stupid anyway, added bonus. I'm the teacher so I also have carte blanche to be persnickety (his 5th grade teacher horrified him with that tidbit) and demand the most unreasonable completion dates and answers to questions, (full sentences when when you look at the wording of the question, a single word or number is still a grammatically correct option, she bugged me, but I digress) I can, frankly, do whatever I want to do and having the mother and teacher hats on I should drive home the fact that as wonderful as the Banker is, as hard working and as dedicated...he isn't going to win.
Spell properly and kiss your screens good bye until I have a book report in my hands...a book report that is complete, well thought out and that is representative if your skill and talent.
It's going to be a charming moment when I share that little tidbit with him.
We are going to take a break during the day at some point to run to the store to find Easter and birthday cards for husband as well as a little birthday present for him. Husband is the hardest person to buy for, he has everything he wants, he just goes out and buys it...I have a couple of little ideas so we'll check them out.
I think I'll drop the 'no screens' bomb on the Banker when we get back, no sense wandering stores with a hissy preteen. Then I anticipate a particularly quiet rest of the day. Maybe later I'll flip around my new Netflix account and find a fabulous movie to watch on my iPad out side in my lovely new seating area ... ahh, that sounds nice. Add wine to the shopping list and bingo, happy mother!
ADDENDUM:
Threats by mother: 1
Happy "LOOK how hard I'm working to get that book report to you" child: 0
/Tracy
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