Week 6, 8th

Wednesday (see, only 2 days late)

WOW, what a great time we had with my mom here. We didn't do real touristy things but there was a lot of chicken watching, egg gathering (five of the six now lay consistently) and puppy wrangling. We also took in a guest pug to watch for a week and the chaos was palpable. I don't like guest dog sitting when I'm trying to train a puppy. At all. I really like the dog but not this week, when I've had my mother here and the chickens and home school and trying to keep a puppy organized with a dog (even a cute one) that is in the way and doesn't "do" our rules, messes it up just a bit. It didn't help that husband told me the dog was coming 2 days before then he went to pick it up and came home with it 2 days early from the original time he told me. I think the dog goes home Sunday and I can get into actually seriously training Alice without the distraction of an oversexed old pug or a mother I want to play with instead of paying attention to poop schedules.

School, oh that pesky thing; we did it fine. The Banker was on his regular schedule, more or less, and managed to get through it while we futzed here, played out and were generally distracting in either our presence or not.

Mum left yesterday, as did husband for a quickie business trip. My plans for 2 free days went out the window but it looks like I might get a portion of one today. I just want a day I don't have to go anywhere or cook or clean something, I just want to relax. I don't think that's in my cards but I will continue to strive for it in my head.

Back to school, I do digress, I think it's going well. Banker is managing to keep up with the 2 biggest subjects, history and literature. I have an expectation he complete a week's worth of work in one day on those subjects and he's producing beautifully. I think math is going well, he's mastering the subjects and we are ready to order the Algebra package. I think he's figured out how to learn from the dvd as opposed to watch it and then complete the problems using tools he'd gotten in school. I didn't realize that is why he was struggling through a couple of the lessons. I don't think the Banker thought he'd be learning actual new processes and formulas and got frustrated when the methods he'd learned in 6th grade no longer worked through the entire problems he was being given. Successes, like he's been getting now, breed success and joy and he's back to humming and singing while he does his math and that is always a good thing.

Physics is going well, he is working through the Khan Academy videos then doing followup activities on 2 websites and then he has an iPad book with activities and quizzes that he is working through. Good stuff.

Science continues to frustrate me. At the moment he's working through the Khan Academy astronomy and cosmology videos, taking fabulous notes and discussing the theories with me in reasonable detail. I still feel it's lacking somewhere and is the source of my fretting and worry that I am sending him down a path of becoming a terribly annoying (with just enough knowledge to drive people crazy) drive thru MacDonalds professional. *sigh* *this is a good place to throw in a "you're not breaking him" comment.

He has started to read Divergent, my mum brought it for him with high praise from my niece who is the same age as the Banker. I hope he learns to enjoy books again, he used to and has lost the love of it somewhere...it's a mission of mine to get him back into the sheer joy of books. I would happily let him use a book as a course, read 2001 and get back to me in 2 months... Here's your next subject, honey, and hand him a book.

HEY, wait a minute. That's a GREAT idea. And yes, that just came to me from my fingertips as I type this. Why don't I give him 2001 A Space Odyssey and have him review and research the details as he reads it AS his science class for the rest of this "semester". HEY, I'm going to think about that with a reasonable amount of seriousness today.

The Banker is doing well with his photography, he takes 20 pics on one subject matter. He edits then logs them and puts them in a cyber album. We review them and discuss the voice and feeling of the pictures. I'd like to get him a more sophisticated photo editing program, I'll look for something online I think initially.

He loves the CoOp and is working hard at it. He loves his Volunteering class where he assists the teacher in a 3-4 yr old class. He loves his Art Class and can't wait to show us what he's produced. He has a stronger affinity for the Art than I thought he would, excellent. He loves his Spanish Class and works hard in it. He has a lot of home work, considering it's a CoOp and takes it seriously to complete and complete well. I'm proud of him.

I am doing my CoOp volunteering weekly. I think there are 9 weeks left. I can't even describe my own experience and out of respect to the people who work so hard to make it happen, I am not going to describe it here. There are 9 weeks left. I can do anything 9 times. I can do anything 9 times that results in the Banker, my sweet boy, being so happy and enjoying it so much. This, by the way is why I intend on being a burden to him when I'm older, not that I begrudge any happiness he may experience as a result of this but my unhappiness is the reason I'll show up on his door step with bags in my hand and a drool bucket over my arm..."I'm here, dear...remember CoOp". HAHAHAHAH

I think I'll grade some of the Banker's work from last week (ooops) and de-"my mom is coming!" my house. After that, I think I'll take the damned day off.

/Tracy

Week 4, 8th

MONDAY

Well, it was a very busy weekend. My mother arrives today and I waited until Friday night to start doing anything around my house. You know, silly things like washing bedding and towels so the poor woman can lay down and bathe :)

I'm looking forward to loads of cooking, cocktails and giggling. It's what we do. The Banker is well set with school this time around (we were in chaos when she came down last time in May, I felt like a true failure). He has a much more organized and flowing schedule this time, one of each class, laid out in a relatively cohesive order. He likes the work, completes the work and we seem to have a decent thing going. I hope.

Of course, this morning I started looking online for 8th grade science text/work/project books. I think I found one I might like,


Ready-to-Use Science Proficiency Lessons & Activities: 8th Grade Level

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0130340987/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A1F4CBIOQT8423


I'll have my resident expert, Ms.Zan check it out for me. I always defer to her experience with such things. I think it looks like a good basic resource that we can use to learn, direct and do some hands on work/projects/problems.


I've added an iPad book, Newton's Physics which the Banker is using as a companion to his Khan Physics lessons, in addition to the student extras on physicsclasssroom.com and he's been registered for months with, and gets the problem/s of the day emailed to him from, learnconceptualphysics.com. I think we're covered there :)


I love Ms.Zan's Literature and History lesson plans which I stole, she donated to our cause. The Banker loves those the best, he says they are the most professional of our classes. I like that.


In any event, I think my mother will be impressed with our progress from the anarchy of last year to the more organized this year.


One of my chickens, Alouette, has started to wander the garden to lay her eggs in new and exciting hidden locations. I think it's delightful she's added a playful element to what could be the drudgery of lay an egg in the assigned location, one of us gathering it, then eating it. Really, adding a hunt into the mix is, ok, it's going to be a pain in the a**. The problem is that the girls can jump (!) out of their run and into the yard to wander, forage, eat bugs and generally piss off the blue jays in the area but they can't jump back IN! Husband is moaning and threatening to cover their run with netting but then I can't go in the run, where I actually go and hang out and clean it and rake it. IF he covers it with netting then I have to shrink my bulk down to 3 feet tall and I'm not crawling in ANYwhere for ANYone, seriously.


We have 7 eggs in our little bowl at the moment and plan on having a number of them, lightly fried on homemade bread for dinner tonight when my mother arrives. Nothing says welcome to the farm than, "here, hold the puppy, Hurricane Alice, go hunt for eggs and dinner? oh it's that thing the chicken just squeezed out of her back end, sorry about the sticky butt residue, i'll just go wash that off..."! Hmmm, worth the flight to Texas.


I am not even going to comment on the fact my mother is arriving this afternoon from Ontario, Canada and my husband is flying to Ontario, Canada, tomorrow morning. His company is owned by a company not far from my mother's house. He is going for a week, will be back a week and then both he and my mum fly out the same day, both Canada bound. Different flights/destinations but it'll be weird waving them both off. I told the Banker we are taking the day after that completely and totally off. I said we will do ice cream for breakfast, popcorn for lunch and cookies for dinner that day, in jammies, watching trashy tv. We may even rent a couple of movies and just sit that day.


He's well into his work today, he enjoys Monday. Monday is science, physics, and latin day. He likes the computer and then iPad then computer aspect of the work/information on his first day out of the shoot. Tomorrow is his Literature day so there's more paper and working out of 2 books day, his Nook for his read and then one online exercise. I like the way his schedule is balanced that way.


While he has climbed into his iPad and is reading more about Newton and those laws, I'm off to deal with my final laundry, puppy, chicken coop clean out then dash to the store for limes and yeast and more wine...much much more wine!


/Tracy

Day Five, 8th

So, we went to Orientation at the new CoOp today.  The people are lovely and I'm sure it'll be fine.  

The Banker is going to be volunteering with 3-4 year olds for an hour, go to an art class held in a hallway with 4 other teenagers and then he's taking a Spanish class with about 10 other teenagers.  I, on the other hand, am going to be assisting in the nursery (under 2) then helping in an Early elementary "general science" class for the K-2 crowd then in a phonics type class also for the K-2 age group.

The Banker is a product of both some military drilling from public school but also from his own desire and need for the straight and narrow, rules, regulations and organization.  Sure, I am a hippie but I can't deal with chaos and there's a 'need for order' strip in my head that needs constant attention.  We learned today some people who home school feel their children may be too precious for rules.  I may not survive.

Well, ok, I obviously will survive, I can do anything 12 times and maybe the little kids will be adorable and darling and I will be counting the days until my next encounter with them. 

There is then the set up and take down, the CoOp is at the local church so all the seating /tables /chairs supplies are temporary and need to go up and down each Friday.  I don't really know what I thought this would be, but this isn't it.  Ok, I said it.

I'm sure it'll be fine, I think it'll be good for the Banker.  He saw how shattered I was after the orientation today and started to go down the "I don't have to go here..." road.  Oh, no no no, Banker, baby...that's not what I meant when I teared up in the car... It'll be fine, you'll have a great time.  Guilt from you?  Oh, I'm not having THAT!  We had a chat that I wasn't happy about my having to deal with little kids but that was hardly a deal breaker for him to attend.  

We knew this semester was going to be a CoOp "fruits and nuts" semester, he didn't have to take anything that mattered, this was to get us both out of the house.  I'll be even more honest though, if I am going to be able to get out of the house, I do not (read that in capital letters) want to spend that limited time in the company or care of other people's little children.  

I am absolutely filled with horror for the next 12 weeks of my life as well as all consuming guilt at feeling so negative about this.  After all, I am fully aware this isn't about ME, it's about the Banker.  I am doing this whole home school deal for him.  Life, for me, would be far less stressful if he was in a public school turning into a robot like the rest of them.  I want HIM to have a better life and am willing to do whatever it takes,  however I have to spend time, for the next few months, in order for that to happen, I have to give up a full day a week to babysit.  I feel ill about the whole thing.

Luckily, it'll only be until November (yeah, that seems years away) because we had already decided we would find the Banker a credit course next semester.  I think I'll reopen my One Day Academy folder and revisit that idea. 

I'm going to take the next week trying not to be frantic, judgmental or fret.  I am going to calm down, look at it as a fun diversion and take advantage of any opportunities this affords.  Maybe there's some brilliant silver lining I can't see through my ... "horror" seems a bit extreme.  Trepidation is a better description of what I'm feeling. 

Have I already said I'm sure it'll be fine?  

He finished his History from yesterday and I've given him the rest of the day off to play in Minecraft land (he is going to try the new server through austinareahomeschoolers) and anyway, he's worked hard this week, he just needs to be able to have a great (rest of his) Friday. 

Me?  Oh I'm going to fret and have another glass of wine.

/Tracy

August Preparation for 8th grade, Week 2

I've decided it's time to take some serious school related action.  Real action, not the "fretting and worrying, staring at the ceiling all night long and sure that I won't get it done or that I'm going to break him and ruin his life" action. 

I set a start day of August 13.  That's got to count as serious preparatory work, a start date is very nearly like a list.  If you have a list, you're half way to completion and that's how I'm feeling so very smug.  I don't have a list, but I do have a start date.  Did I mention it's going to be August 13th?

I'm wresting with sending the Banker to a weekly Co-op.  It's local and he's been there once before to shadow FriendA.  I like the idea of him getting out with kids his own age and frankly, since this is a very VERY reasonably priced Co-op, I have little to no interest in what classes he takes. Is that wrong?  Like last year, we were kicking around the idea of having Friday be a catch up or review day.  We rarely used it as such, let's be honest, it turned into TV, movie or go play with friends day.  This Co-op runs for 3 hours each Friday, 10-1.  Even I can wrap my head around those 3 hours.

I just emailed the administrator of the Co-op and said I was interested in the Banker taking Art, Volunteer/Service (babysitting in younger classes) and maybe yearbook?  I was surprised at my nuts and granola choices.  Dare I think I can bring him to the dark/hippie side?  Oh doubtful.  He was slightly disgruntled and asked if there were any REAL classes *that's my boy* so we are trying to get him into a Spanish class.  There, Banker, real.  

I think art is important, especially for a kid like the Banker.  He needs the break from straight line thinking.  Sometimes, much to his abject horror, he is going to have to grab a crayon, or worse a pastel, and simply go with the flow without direction.  It'll be good for him. 

Initially we were looking at high school English, high school Botany and high school Literature.  Seriously?  I bought books for the "big three" classes and fully intend on working through them here.  I was initially just looking for a Science program to put him in, it's the one subject that causes me deep seeded horror.  It causes me to get up, like today, sleeping pills or not, at 4:22am.  I'm starting to fret.  

I managed to catch myself though and rethought the choices.  This is, after all, a Co-op we are just trying out.  I found this one through a friend and although they're terribly happy with it I don't want to overload the Banker with too many high school credit academics just yet, he IS only 13 and this IS the first full year we are home schooling.  Removing him from school for the last third of grade 7 was the dry run for this performance.  I want to continue to investigate One Day Academy or Bronze Door, here in Austin, their reputations are stellar and if we're going to continue on this ride into high school that's the direction I want to go for the big gun classes like Science.  There may be a cost feature to those but this is the Banker's education we're talking about and guaranteed any monthly fee is still going be a minute percentage of what we would have been paying through any public school year in enrichment fees alone not to mention sport, extracurricular, club and additional lab and/or supply costs.

I reviewed the classes we'd chosen, the big 3, and I wisely gave my head a shake.  I think a first foray into a new Co-op should give him the opportunity to work around some other kids, meet some new kids and generally enjoy himself with some work thrown in there.  

We have a heavy course load this year at The Williams School of Everything.  Granted, unlike last year, there will only be one class per subject.  I may have gotten over my fear of gaps in learning and won't be assigning 5 math classes, really, I'm past that.  I will admit though, this year again will be math and science heavy.   

1. Finishing Pre-Algebra then moving into Algebra then intro to Geometry.  

2. Space, Cosmology and Astronomy (the science class that's brilliant in my head but still somewhat lacking on paper or process)

3. American History (thru 1877)

4. World country study (1 per month)

5. Physics

6. English Literature

7. Grammar/Composition

8. Photography (elective, 1/2 year)

9. (pick up soccer wherever we can find it)

10. Computer language/programming/intro to Java

11. Latin

Really, the boy didn't need 3 high school classes piled on top of these.  

I'm going to teach him to cook and he'll do a couple of sewing projects because I need to shake his head up a bit.  I think we'll revisit the mozzarella making.  I may invite FriendA for a combined, one off, culinary class of sorts.

My plan, this week, is to finalize the course list and prepare the schedule.  I will be ready on Monday to hit the ground running, in a perfect world it won't be done while screaming, flailing arms in the air and heading towards the edge of a cliff.

ON a completely unrelated note; there is a bonus to being up at 4:22 am and having culinary skills: 

Dutch baby pancake, for 1

I made a "Dutch Baby" pancake for me, just for me.  No one watched me (I HATE being stared at while I eat) No one commented, asked how I was doing, what I was doing or asked for a bite.  I like eating in the wee hours.  

Plus, it's not bad for one egg, a little flour and a splash of milk.  Sure I put some maple syrup on it but not too much.  Oh and yes, I did eat it all, it's just one measly egg and a little milk and a spoonful of flour, I can't see how it's different from a piece of toast with a poached egg on it and a glass of milk.  Well, except for the volume and deliciousness factor of course.  I'll put the recipe for the "mini" on the food blog:  http://tracyloopers.blogspot.com/   when I get back from taking my limping dog to the vet.  That's another story.

Hey, Happy Tuesday. 

/Tracy