Shaking up the system, the plan, the way we do what we do and the Curriculum, again!!!

I know, I know, I know; it's been a while since I updated, not for lack of thinking about it but for sheer lack of anything terribly new and exciting. I've also been terribly busy with other ventures and when I think I have the time and brain waves to sit here and share, something ALWAYS jumps in my way.

I didn't think there was anything worth posting. Well, that changed didn't it; enter the new and exciting.

We've had some major glitches lately. Some incomplete work, some dropped classes (unknown to me) and some "sure I did it..." when really, well, it wasn't done. I'm torn on the level of caring I need to invest on some of it. I mean, I told the Banker on more that one occasion that, if he didn't like something, we could change it out. I suppose I should have said specifically that if he didn't like something WE could talk about it and WE could think about options then WE could change it. I worry that he's suddenly playing with 14yroldboybrain and that combined with my perimenopausalIneedavacation brain doesn't make for the best levels of communication, seriously.

So, after our glitches, yeah, we'll call them that, and after my threats to send him to the worst public school district and the worst high school [[Not my finest mother moment]] we have decided to shake it all up for a few months.

We WERE going to continue through what we've been doing, 4 core and a few electives thrown in, for the foreseeable future. I think the Banker needs to be shaken up so we're going to scrap it! EEEK! *oh and by the way, my "oh my god I think I've broken him" lights and sirens are going off in my head like crazy*

I told him we are going to alter our schedule as follows:

1. Math: he is half way through Algebra using MathUSee. We are going to switch the 1 chapter/wk expectation to 1 chapter every 2 wks and the alternating week will be used to finish working through his World History, so that as well is now bi weekly.

2. English: The grammar, vocabulary and writing books are closed. Reading. That's what takes their place. I have a Life of Pi book project for him to work on and he has book club and whatever other book he wants to read.

3. Web Design: He has started at One Day Academy and is taking Web Design for Teens [which he ADORES]. That will be done as needed. His class is 9-10:30 one day a week and he'll have a few chapters home work. He's already spent hours on the phone with other kids who have taken the same or similar classes and listening to them chat about code is delightful! They're going to take over the world!

4. Language: He is finding a channel on You Tube to teach him a [conversational] language. I think Spanish is first because we have Spanish speaking friends that can help him out.

5. Art: He is spending a few days thinking of something that he would like to learn how to do. He can take the online lessons through You Tube. Painting, drawing, calligraphy, basket weaving ANYTHING that's artistic. I think that area of his brain isn't being stimulated, I look forward to seeing what he comes up with. I'm very curious actually to see what lights his fire, what sparks a passion.

It's SO hard not to suggest but it's surprising watching him crack under the pressure. I am relatively arty and I think he feels he's not good enough, well I know that because he's said so. I don't know how to express to him that it's not that I CAN do anything better than anyone else, it's merely that I DO it. I don't care how it comes out, I have no fear, there's no comparison and if I like how it comes out, great, if not, nothing lost.

I don't have fear to at least try and fail and that's the difference, he has fear. I'm treading lightly here because I don't want the fear to overtake him and stop him from trying.

6. Khan Academy. I asked him to cruise the site and see what strikes his fancy, strikes a passion. We are meeting next week to discuss it. They've expanded so much even since we started accessing the site, there are wonders to be experienced and I want him to have the freedom to try.

The new schedule will be worked by he and I meeting on Monday mornings, like we do now. We will lay out his weekly schedule depending on what other activities I have arranged like field trips, game days or whatever. He will be responsible for the final layout of the week and adherence to the schedule.

I noticed that we started to fall apart when I gave him the freedom to lay out his week without any grand plan and he played it by ear as he felt at the moment and he got a bit lost. It was too hippie of an option. The boy IS a Banker and needs structure and I am going to teach him how to structure himself.

I think planning the schedule together will help him learn how to do it. I think I just jumped the organizational gun on that one.

I'm also going to be checking work as he completes it as opposed to just asking or checking bi weekly. I dropped the ball on that one too.

We are taking the weekend completely off any work and we're regrouping on Monday. I need to keep repeating to myself that he's already more than half way done Grade9 when his contemporaries aren't starting any Grade9 work for another 3 months. It's not a race, it's an adventure. He WILL have all the knowledge and information he needs to graduate and he'll have a great time as he gets there, he has the opportunity to experience more than the public school kids, he doesn't DOES NOT have to pigeon hole himself and it's up to ME ME ME ME ME to be sure he doesn't. I pigeon holed him, bad bad bad homeschooling mother moment. I've realized it though and I'm opening the flood gates, I'll TEACH him how to plan his time so he can have the freedom he deserves and the structure he needs.

I'm worried that I'm fucking this up but we're still on the straight and relatively narrow. I don't think taking some 'book learning' time off is a problem at all. We are too close to the public school system and if it worked, we'd have stayed [D'OH].

I need to R E L A X. He's going to be fine, this is all on me. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.

Thanks for listening :)

yet another revisit to the New List Scheduling idea...

Well, we're rearranging out scheduling and planning yet AGAIN.  Ya ya ya, this is my version of moving furniture around hundreds of times.

I have wanted to wean the Banker off the daily schedule broken down by day.  As part of this  exercise, I want him to THINK about his week, PLAN his time, ARRANGE his schedule and COMPLETE his work in a timely, organized manner.  I think these skills need to be not a special class but an ongoing system of organization that he will use for the rest of his life.  In university, no one will tell him what to do each day, at work, he'll be responsible for completing whatever task lay before him and his honey-do list will look something like this I'm sure.  So, let's get going on this again, kiddo......

I tried the big list system with the Banker and he had a nervous break down, he couldn't cope with one all encompassing list.  He needed his day listed with what classes he needed to complete on any given day so he had a visible beginning and end to his day when he sat down.  He couldn't cope with a list of 12 classes that he had to schedule out on his own so we went back to the full week system.  I've been giving him 5 pages of lists of what his responsibility was each day.  

THEN I had an epiphany and started messing with the subjects on the days.  I stopped putting times and started putting half work split between days. Then I started messing the days around so Monday stopped being math day and Wednesday stopped being science.  I moved subjects around the week and told him it was a general guideline for the day.  THEN I put all the really hard stuff on Monday and then a full day of easy quick stuff, I tried to make it really, really unbalanced and I found he organized the week on his own to balance it out.  There started to be a natural system for completing work based on the general matter of the subjects like he tended to do science, physics and Astro-biology on the same day.  He did world history, world study together and so on.  He organized without even realizing it.  

Way to accidentally change systems...nice stuff, Banker boy!

I held off till last week when I again raised the idea of the List system and surprise, he seems delighted with the idea ;)  HAHAHA  Way to go, Hippie Girl! 

So, this is what his new weekly schedule looks like: 

  

I told you, we're old school, paper, pen and a 3 ring binder.  I like the binder system so that we can flip back and get a real, tangible sense of the sheer volume of work we've done this academic year.

He gets a master list with any special notes about the week so he can do a mental overview.  Then he gets the list broken down into the details.  I think it's visually easy to have a master list he can check off and organize in his head rather than my crazy loopy handwriting where it's broken down.  He does like a smart list :)  He can check off the master list as he completes tasks and has a quick and easy reference to what he needs to complete.  I think it's a pretty balanced schedule.  

We just reviewed the List, talked about expectations and the fact we'll be out playing all Thursday at a Minecraft fest at a library with other home school teenagers (allegedly) and then we may go visit a new home schooling friend to chat and drop hints and tips, as many as I have ??  I mean, c'mon, when did I become the go to person?  ACK!  I don't know what I'm doing but we're doing loads of it ;)

We'll see how well the Banker copes with the list and how well he balances his week.  I have solid faith.  I'll report back on Friday. 

/tracy 

Week 10, 8th

School, it's fine.  Life?  Oh it's ridiculous.

I am in the midst of a whirlwind of drama both self imposed and beset upon.  I'm trying to find my place in the universe while fighting demons that have haunted me for my whole life and trying to determine if it matters whether I matter.  Yeah, light stuff like that.  Everyone around me seems annoyed, anxious or just angry all the time which doesn't help my precarious and infinitely fragile grasp on whatever it is I'm holding on to.

Yeah, school is fine.  The Banker is progressing through, on the whole successful and seemingly enjoying the education process we have established.  He thinks he's learning things, seems engaged and academically content.  He's being challenged and is still humming and singing through lessons, that's got to be good.

He's 13 and going through all the appropriate teen angst that boys do.  He is equally pissy, angry and needy, demanding and withdrawn, silly and weepy.  He needs as many hugs as smacks.  I don't think I've experienced quite so proficient an eye roller either.  It's delightful.  My only saving grace is the coffee chats with dear girlfriends who offer support, commiseration and one hell of a giggle. We aren't the only ones.  whew

He is not as mature as some of his friends in some areas yet he's much more mature in others, it's a precarious place, 13.  He takes games intensely but lightly and is shattered when those around him take it oh so seriously, "...I've never been more disappointed in anyone or anything in my whole entire life" isn't the sort of text one likes seeing your son receive in relation to a game.  It's a GAME!  Take your play seriously or not but don't throw that sort of drama out into the universe, and certainly don't throw it in my house. Watch me not explode, implode or hide a body.  We need to get out more and find more humans to take up more space, it'll help take the edge off some of the expectations I think, I hope, I'll make it.

In other news, I discovered that I'm being stalked online.  Stalked is perhaps a bit intense, I'm being followed and then that which I share, dramatic or funny or culinary or cryptic as they may be are being copied and emailed out into cyberspace.  Creepy? Sure.  Yesterday I would have fallen apart at the supposed betrayal but really, if (I) put it out there you can't expect not to be busted on it.  I tell the Banker daily that there are no secrets and there is no privacy online.  It's there...forever.  I'm now looking at it as a cool, I'm so interesting that my thoughts, feelings and cryptic observations are being copied and sent around the world.  Does that make me famous?  More famous. I'm no victim, I'm a rock star.  

I also had my weep at not belonging where I thought I did, I had an epiphany in the wee hours last night, after a whole life of trying, I can't make people (who I thought just would like me) like me and I think it's about time I stopped.  I have allowed my own self worth to be based on the perceived opinions of other people.  As I said, it's about time I stopped.  I thought a relationship was fixed but it was so horrifyingly clear the other day it hasn't.  I think that stops too.  Look at me being all together.  It's not mental health or direction found, it's exhaustion.  I'm exhausted and can't fight any more. 

I've also been playing a game I shouldn't play.  I've been waiting for a compliment, just an out of the blue, random, you look/smell/sound nice, you did a good job, i liked that, you are good at whatever it is you do.  I was keeping track in days, now it's weeks.  Sometimes you just can't stop, I have 4 months invested and it'll be interesting to see if it ever comes to pass.  See, it all feeds into me thinking I suck and aren't good at anything.  If you have to constantly ask if it's ok and there's no support or joy coming back, it's hard as hell to not fall off the cliff.  But I digress, this isn't supposed to be about me it's about home schooling a very straight line kid when I'm, well, look at me *ugh*

We are going to go to more movies in the next couple of weeks, do more outdoor stuff.  We are going to watch movies from the couch and eat popcorn for dinner.  There will be less online games, more live people chatting.  There will be a review of the sorts of people in our lives and what role they play.  You don't have to do everything with everyone in your life, kiddo, some people you just don't want to play cards with and some you can't imagine going to the mall without.  Everyone has a place and the place isn't always everywhere. 

I'm going to call a little girl who makes me feel happy when I see her projects, crafts and read her stories and I want to tell her so.  I am going to make some bread, supervise some algebra and assign a photography project on feet.

I'm going to divide up the leftovers as dinner and eat a very large mug full of chocolate ice cream at some point in my day. 

So, how about that home schooling. 

/Tracy

Week 8, 8th

Ah, back to the grind.

We are in physics, science and latin today.  New science, the book that he's love love loving.  New Latin, we switched to Wheelock and he's doing a perusal day and it's continue on with the system we have in place for physics.  All good.  I'm going to jump online to some Wheelock links and see if I can find work pages, not worksheets (hahaha) for him to use as practice.

I like how this year is shaping up, I like that the Banker is so into the 2001 book.  I spoke to a friend of mine this weekend and he also suggested the Rama books when we are finished this segment. I hope the Banker continues to enjoy the choices we're making.

I spoke to a local educator friend this weekend about how we're doing and she didn't send any red flags my way, you know along the 'i'm breaking him' theory.  She is going to reintroduce me to friends of hers, also educators, and we're going to see about getting a couple of science projects for the Banker to complete after this Arthur Clarke series we seem to be doing. Two of the friends are science educators here in town and work in or around the Banker's grade level so it ought to be great.  I'll keep you posted on that one.

It's Canadian thanksgiving today, I grew up there.  A friend thought thanksgiving in October sounded like a fabulous idea so she's preparing all the sides for a feast, her mother is roasting a turkey and I'm on bread and dessert.  I made ciabatta, baguettes and rolls already and just pulled a dump cake out of the oven.  All good!

He is working, I am working... I'll update later!

/Tracy

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 3, 8th

Wow, what a Labor Day weekend!

TUESDAY

We had a great 3 days, loads of playing, chickens, puppy time, eggs, friends, cocktails and plans for the future. WOW.

I will be honest, it was hard to get motivated today, I need a day off :)

Alouette is laying 1 egg every 30 hours or so, the other chickens are lollygagging about and resting on her laurels. I'm not above eating them. I think they know it and start to squawk and honk loudly when they see me, in a veiled attempt to lull me into a false sense of thinking they're trying to lay eggs. That's my current theory.

The Banker is working hard today, it's language arts day. I'm trying to ensure we're back on track so we can move into some of the 'elective' things he wants to do. It seemed we were fighting upstream last week and I don't want to feel that way.

I simply removed Mondays classes from our roster this week so there's no trying to make up the classes we didn't do Monday (labor day) sometimes you simply have to play the day away with friends without consequence. I like that.

I am going to download the second Hunger Games book for the Banker to start reading this week, hopefully we'll have a less stressful reading program than we had over the summer. I bought it for his Nook, I hope he enjoys it! I bought the second and third books actually so he can finish the trilogy. My mom told me about some teen book that is all the rage (she's further in the loop than me!), she's bought him the paper book, "Divergent", my niece is a huge fan of that series apparently. We like a little familial pressure to perform ;)

The CoOp starts this Friday and I am dreading it. That's all I'll say about that right now. I don't want to jinx it or send bad vibes to the Banker. I can do anything 12 times, 11 if I catch something and as long as it's not chaos, the Banker will have a great time and that is the whole point there. I may pack a flask. No one need know.

In other news, Pug puppy Alice is a joy, a sheer and utter joy. She hasn't had an accident since she arrived and has rung the bells to go outside a number of times. I can't see an accident happening. She is still very young, 3 mos, so no doubt she could forget or just squat but since the other two are regular bell ringing goer outers, Alice is on their schedule anyway. She does start to charge around the house like mad when she's playing with Lola in the evenings and when I send her outside when she's frantic like that she always produces, like any youngster, having too much fun to want to stop and go to the bathroom. Only a week and I can't remember our house without her in it.

We are supposed to go to a park tomorrow morning but we are blowing that off. I want to get the work this week under our belts. My mother arrives on Monday and that'll give us loads of reasons to divert over the next two weeks so we may as well work while we have the house to ourselves and no diversion to goof off. We can take time when she's here to play.

I haven't made any noises about getting a minecraft play time together, I've been busy playing myself. I have that on my short list of things to do this week, maybe we can do one at the Microsoft store at the Domain in Austin in which case the Banker can cyberplay and my mother and I can shop at my new favorite cooking store there, Sur La Table. We'll see.

I'm cooking a big roast dinner tonight for some reason, 102 degrees isn't going to get me down because sometimes I just feel like roast chicken, mashed potatoes, peas, glazed carrots, gravy and stuffing. Mmmmm. I have a hankering and when the mother has a hankering, everyone eats well ;)

/Tracy

WEDNESDAY

I have a treadmill in my house now.  Hubba surprised me on the weekend with one.  We have an elliptical but I can't use it with my crazy ankle and hip.  When I turned 48, something happened to me and I found myself starting to swell, not unlike a balloon being inflated.  Peri-menopause symptoms, said my Dr.  WTHell? Now, after no change in my lifestyle or intake I'm 2 sizes bigger and rounder and moodier (yes, it was possible apparently) and menopausal and figured a way to help me (enjoyably!) cut a pound or two (other than removing a limb) was to start walking on a treadmill. It's Austin, Texas, it's always too hot for me to walk outside. I walk 1.25 miles in the morning and again in the afternoon. Unfortunately, walking on a treadmill makes me starving hungry and after the walk this morning I walked downstairs and ate half a BLT with cheddar that I made on a half loaf of ciabatta I made, a banana, a glass of milk, a cookie and 14 milk chocolate covered pretzels. Yeah, this is going to work beautifully. *thud*

FRIDAY

It's first day of Co-Op today. I'm trying not to fret.  This isn't about me, after all.  It's about The Banker.  He is taking volunteer hours (which everyone should) he's taking high school art (to mess with his academic brain and loosen him up a bit) and then Spanish (which everyone should, any foreign language).  It's his fruits and nuts semester.  I told him he can do 'serious' class/es next semester at One Day or Bronze Door ($$!)  I'm going to spend 3 hours a week with little children.  I planned this badly but am not going to moan about it anymore.  As long as the Banker is happy, I will be happy.

This, by the way is the moment in time I intend to use in later years as part of my 'becoming a burden' to the Banker.  This story, this experience is why he has to take care of me when I'm old and feeble.  I'd thought about it over the years and tried to determine which moment I could pinpoint as the one moment he owes me for.  This is the one.  It's not that I don't like other people's little children it is that I don't like other people's little wild children.  I am not going to prejudge too heavily today though.  I haven't even met those children.  Perhaps they'll be delightful.

Baby Pug Alice is still doing wonderfully, no accidents and doing well in the crate.  She loves the chickens, doesn't chase them anymore and completely and fully believes Lola is her mother.  I have been really consistent with the crate and feeding and schedules which is why there's been no accidents in my house.  She comes to her name, is relatively obedient, for a little girl, and loves to have a good cuddle.

I have been working her up to almost 3 hours in the crate in the morning then 2 in the afternoon after a play and a feed.  She has to do her longest stint yet today, 3 1/2 hours and I fully intend on using her as an excuse to bolt out of there after CoOp today.  Sure it's lame but it's what I am going to do.  I can't remember a time she wasn't here, crazy little dog.  Lola is doing a beautiful job training her and keeping her occupied at my request.  I can't imagine having a puppy without Lola around to do the actual work.

We had a great day yesterday, changing the subject.  FriendE came with her boys, FriendJ and FriendZ.  True to form the children vanished with laptops and we only saw them when their need for food and drink surpassed their need to do whatever it is they were doing.  Mining emeralds apparently.  Minecraft of course.  I made an enormous platter of sandwiches and chips and sent them away upstairs.  Sometimes I really love my gameroom.

FriendE and I chatted about homeschool things, she'd purchased a book we looked through.  It was nice to have the chat with someone in the same boat.  We both feel overwhelmed and underwhelmed by our science options and choices.  We designed the perfect 8th-12th grade science curriculum, now if someone would merely produce it, we'd be set!

An interesting thing happened as well.  FriendE brought her crochet.  I haven't crocheted for a while, choosing to switch to the much faster and more instantly gratifying sewing/serging and embroidering.  I haven't played with my hooks or sticks since the fire in the craft room.  She had seen a pattern online she wanted to do but wasn't prepared to pay $9 for the instructions.  I agreed.  We deconstructed the pattern, we can do that, and wrote our own version and voila, our own pattern and that poor girl who spent all that time and effort writing her .pdf to sell, well, sorry for your luck, dear.

I had a small epiphany about it actually.  I realized I really do enjoy knitting and crochet.  It's infinitely portable and something I can do in addition to the food and the writing while we are in school mode and in the same room as the Banker.  Something I cannot do with the machines. Hmmm, sometimes it takes a simple question, "hey, do you think we can figure out this pattern so we don't have to pay this girl?" to make you rediscover something you thoroughly enjoy doing.

I'm going to play with my sticks and hooks more again and I'm sort of delighted about it.  I am also completely delighted with my treadmill and am continuing to do 1.25 miles, twice a day, with my headphones on, unplugged from everything except the noises in my head.  I love it.  I may not be able to ever go out or ever be on my own but this machine buys me 30 minutes of 'leave me alone' time and that is never ever a bad thing.

I'll report back on how our day progressed, of course.

/Tracy

FRIDAY, part deux

Sometimes, when we fret and worry about something we've never experienced, it becomes bigger than life.  I am a firm believer that most of the time, the fear of the thing is so much worse than the actual thing.  Well, usually.  Not today.  Today it was worse.  Much, much, much worse.

The Banker had a great time, he loved helping out the little kids for his volunteer hour.  He knew one of the little boys in the class which made them both feel a little more special.  He absolutely loved Art class and got kudos for a job well done from the teacher.  He loved his Spanish class and excitedly told me about the homework he has, the similarities between Spanish and Latin and generally bubbled over about the whole experience.  It warms my heart to see him so joyful about this.

I was in hell.  I thought I would hate my experience but had no idea how much I would hate it.  All my nagging little fears were incalculably multiplied.  I have to do it 11 more times, 10 if I can manage to catch something horrible.  I wonder where I can catch something horrible.  Leprosy? Plague?  I'm easy and don't really care which.  Summarizing my experience?  OH, I.absolutely.hate.it.  For fear of anyone involved potentially seeing this, I won't do any detail, it would be disrespectful and I don't want to do that.  I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings...a blog or my opinion are never worth it.  All I will say on the matter is the Banker is happy and glowing and excited and for that, I will continue to do anything.  I on the other hand, spent 3 hours of my day today watching to run screaming, I'm not being over dramatic here, I literally wanted to run...screaming...

I think I'll go have a little nervous breakdown now, just a little one, in my room, all alone.  I told the Banker how much I hated it.  He knew by my face and my frantic exit from the facility.  I told him how much I hated it with a smile and a giggle of course, you can't take this too seriously and the level of which I hate this is actually comical.  I hope I made him feel better about me hating it.  He does worry.  He was concerned I'd quit and then he would have to.  I assured him I would never quit something he enjoyed so much.  I can do 11 more.  Or 10, there's always the potential for Scabies? Rabies?  Lice?

When I go to my room for my little breakdown, I may actually shed a tear or two, stress tears of course.  Then I'll be over it and will suck it up.

Besides the fear I had/have of breaking the Banker and ruining the rest of his life, this moment in time is the worst home school moment (so far).

/Tracy

Day three, 8th

Well, well, well.  How beautifully is THIS curriculum, plan, schedule, idea, system, setup, idea working?  Yeah, sure, it's day 3 but yeowza!  The Banker keeps telling me how "professional" school feels this time.  *insert happy dance here*  I have to agree with him. 

My biggest worry, ok, not biggest worry because there is the ever looming confidence I've screwed him up for the rest of his natural life, ruined any chances for success, education, joy or happiness of any kind.  Besides THAT sorry I didn't know if we would be able to keep up with Ms. Zan's Literature and History schedule, hers being daily and mine being weekly.  Well, much to my abject delight, the banker flew through the week's worth of Literature, handed me in a beautifully written and need composition book and didn't seem daunted by the taking on of 5 classes in one sitting at all.  *insert yet another happy dance here*.  He said he felt he learned a lot.  He completely loves the formality and organization of it.  Ah, that's my Banker.

He will tackle the 5 classes of History tomorrow, we'll see how that goes. I have a reasonable amount of faith he'll be able to tackle it.  I purposely wrapped "elective" classes on the big work days like math, literature and history.  

He isn't too bothered by the knowledge he's doing in one day what his friend is being asked to do in a week but then it all comes back to the schedule dilemma of many classes for a short period every day or a few for hours once a week.  I think we'll continue on the one subject "stream" per day, he really likes wrapping his head in the one direction and staying in it. 

Today got side tracked a little bit because of some leftover work, namely the worst book report i've ever read, so he started a bit late then there was math on top of the work so he is going to carry over his math test to tomorrow.  I don't think it'll impede the day too terribly. 

The Banker suggested he and FriendH do one of the personal writing options together and I think that's a great idea.  I'll get with Ms.Zan about it, we already know which days FriendH will be expected to do the work.  What a delight being able to peek into other people's children's work load! 

We also helped FriendC and FriendA get some additional information for them to start the same math.  Two of the Banker's friends are starting the program he's 3/4 through and one has completed the next level,  it's lovely to have that resource available.  Friends helping friends.  Yeah, also brilliant.

I am in a tizzy about my various ventures.  One seems to be on the cusp of taking off and I don't want any part of it and am finding it difficult to be motivated.  The other seems also to be starting to pick up steam and I can't dive in until I finish the previous obligations.  Gasp, hardly the crisis of the century but still it's making it a little bit more difficult for me to focus completely. 

When I do get the rugs made and shipped, the setup we have here of us working in the same room, opposite sides is completely and totally conducive to a successful and fulfilling (for me) work space. 

So far, three days in, it's a sweet deal all the way around! 

/Tracy

Day one, 8th

Well, we're here, the first day of 8th grade.  Husband left early (for him) and the Banker is still snoring.  I'm going to thoroughly enjoy this 15-20 minute window of quiet and solitude before I go get the boy up for school. I think 9:30 is an entirely appropriate time to start, he will be done 1:30ish because we figured the days would be about 4 hours long.  They'll be slightly longer at the start while we get our groove on.  Although Mondays are easy for me because he's got online classes for those subjects.  I'm basically a resource to him on cyber days, I'm the manager. 

daily summary page

Unlike last year where I printed him out a weekly schedule, the Banker asked for a planner, like in school where I could write the daily expectation and he could write notes, comments and check off what he'd done for the day.  We couldn't find a planner we liked so we have a binder with filler paper and I'm going to a daily schedule for him, with the big three classes listed plus any additional information he'll need or what my expectation is of the work he'll complete.  This week will be a lot of review, some new work but in the physics and science video classes, he's already 1/3 through them so I want him to do quick reviews to get back in the zone.  I like that we'll end up with a single 8th grade binder that we will be able to use as review and reference and even though no one is checking, proof of what we did.

Everything is in place and we're ready to go.  It's Monday so it's Latin, Physics and Science, which is Astronomy/Cosmology and space, day.  Heck of a way to kick off a year.  I thought it rather brilliant to put some of his favorites first.  

I sold yet another rug so I am certainly going to be spending time moving my writing zone and turning it into a sewing zone for at least this week. I actually paid into the promotional opportunities on Etsy to push the recipes and tutorials so let's all keep our fingers crossed people don't want me to DO anything for them but rather just tell them HOW to do it.  

I'll check back in at the end of today.  Although The Banker has been a royal, colossal, teenager for the past day or so, I'm looking forward to diving into this adventure together.  I really, mostly, think it's going to be great.  The abject horror of being convinced I'd broken him has been replaced with a slow seeping fear of it, I'm calling it improvement. 

/Tracy

UPDATE: 

What a brilliant day. The process worked beautifully, the information was accessible in a smooth and fluid motion.  The Banker took a break and took a walk.  He read outside, he read inside, he worked, took killer notes and completely and totally approved of the requirements for work and of the followup.  We.are.delighted.

When a good loaf goes wild!

OH and look at this ridiculous loaf of bread! I added whole wheat to my standard sandwich loaf and then, well, I must have rolled it differently.  It is a different pan than usual, this one is long and thin.  The Banker moans about sandwich bread being too big.  Really, nice crisis, Banker.  Anyway, I thought this would make it smaller.  I am thinking not.  :)

The recipe, the normal recipe, for my sandwich loaf is here:
http://tracyloopers.blogspot.com/2012/02/white-bread-pictorial-journey.html

Also, by way of an update, here's the girls!  20 weeks in 2 days!  c'mon girls, we're READY for eggs!!  I love these chickens, each one has such a personality and really, I've said it before, there's nothin' like chicken luv. :) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ5Q47X_KNg&feature=plcp

/happy monday!

Day One (sort of)... Eighth Grade

Ok, here we go already.  Is it wrong to not want to start today?  We had such a huge weekend and it's 10:40am and the Banker is still asleep. By the time he gets up, showers, does the enormous pile of chores I have lined up for him and has something to eat, it'll be afternoon.  No one can start a new project, let alone new classes, in the after noon.

Public school doesn't start for 2 more weeks, why should we buck the system?  Who are we to jump into the fray so far ahead.  It's not like we have to get the 'test' information shoved down his throat.  It's not like there's a list, carved in stone, he must memorize to the exclusion of all else.  It's not like we have fill in or busy work to waste time through the year.  We get more done in a day than the public school, even the fussy homework heavy magnet schools, get done in 3, or 4.  Yeah, look at me talking myself around.  Sometimes it's good to be the Queen.

We are still moving furniture, arranging life and schedules, really, truly, it'd be cruel to start when we are so uninspired to do so on a Monday.  Blech. 

I vote we start tomorrow.  Tuesday!  I think Tuesday is a far better day of the week to start anything.  No one likes Monday and who wants to start a new academic year with a day like that?  No, I think Tuesday seems the perfect choice.  Not so early in the week to be a Monday, not so late to be a mid week Wednesday, implying the week is half wasted.  No, Tuesday is the day I'm voting for... all in favor?  Oh, that'd be me.  Motion passed. 

Tuesday, 14 August, 2012 is the day we'll start.  

I'm roasting a chicken, have oatmeal honey bread rising (a recipe I made up) and have a mountain of fresh Hatch chilies on my counter screaming to be roasted, skinned and dealt with.  We have a coop to clean out, a limping dog to nurse back to health and chickens to mark with dye so we can tell them apart.  Yes, it matters.

I just don't think we even have time to start school today, good thing I recognized it early. 

/Tracy

We finished the transformation of studio to classroom writing den. 

Sort of surround pics.  Here's my space, half writing, half sewing space, Yes, I do need to get rid of the creepy head, I can't think with that looking at me.  Phillip holds the bags and then we have all the Banker's school stuff, completely organized.
 

he's already well into it and loves the space, it's nice we don't have to stare at each other over computer monitors anymore. My fabric and yarn stash, although looks chaotic is reasonably organized.
 

From the beads, it looks a pretty great workroom.  I think it'll work for both of us, beautifully.

/Tracy

The organization continues...

After much fretting and worrying about being a massive failure by giving up a part of a room.  It really does look ridiculous when you type it out, doesn't it.  In any event, after too much consideration, I'm doing it.  I'm moving us into the studio. 

That formal dining room turned sewing room and studio is now going to include a 13 year old boy, a desk and grade 8. 

We are knee deep in chaos but he's excited to be 'moving' and I think it's going to be just fine.  I fretted about it all night, as I do, and came to the conclusion if it doesn't work, I can kick his teenaged butt outta my room!  Nothing can't be changed. 

I am downsizing, packing the tee shirts in an enormous, but accessible, box.  The machines are lined up, unplugged but I can use them at a moments notice.  The fabric is in chaos but in one spot, bonus. The yarn, hooks, needles, looms are also in a central location to be accessed at a whim.  

Loretta (my mannequin) is in the kitchen at the moment and keeps freaking me out. You'd think you would stop jumping out of your skin when you already know there's a headless mannequin in the corner of your kitchen but no, not really so much.  The surprise just keeps on coming.  I think she'll ultimately live in the studio with us but at the moment there's not exactly a flat spot for her to park her naked self. I covered her with shawls because I think a naked mannequin might be a distraction to a 13 year old boy, just a thought of course.

I have another mannequin, Phillip (don't even ask).  He will  also live in there with us.  He wears the purses/totes and bags I make and will continue to do so.  I am not going to give up sewing by doing this move, I just hope to focus it more. 

I've been asked to do video tutorials and to offer patterns as well as recipes for sale and for free.  I can make .pdf files while my son explores the universe in the same room.  I can talk to him about life and the lessons he's learning.  I can be available, current, interesting and interested.  I hope to be better.  I want to be better. 

The Banker is upstairs transferring his Lego world from an old wooden teacher desk we have up there to a wonderfully unorganized clear plastic tote, I think he's twitching but I told him he can organize later, today we dump and move on. 

I used the desk when I did investigations from my house, back in the day, and there are still investigative files in there.  I kept them for the requisite 10 years but I think we're pushing 20 now so perhaps it's time to shred.  You think? 

We did it... SWEET!  Banker and I moved all the furniture (including that desk from upstairs) on our own, it's a rockin sweet location.  Look how beautiful and pristine...  

Enter the Banker...computers and snack food and voila, science class on a Sunday afternoon.  You cannot tell me this isn't the best possible way to learn.  I am joyful about this.

Science this year is all about Space so he jumped onto Netflix to watch some documentaries about various space landings and propulsion.  Yeah,  on some days, as much as I think I've ruined his life on other days, I am beaming with pride and hope and confidence.

The other side of this room, however, will take me the rest of my life to organize.  I'm pretending to be working but need to get back to it.  Chaos can only be enjoyed for so long before it just gets really really old. 

/Tracy

We set up our space

The new school year is imminent. 

We spent today getting school supplies, 10 composition books, pencils and new dry erase markers. We came home and set up our space.  I like our space, so far. 

At the moment, our classroom is our kitchen.  We have a dining room table in the living room and the formal dining room in the house has been my studio for a few years.  I have my fabric, yarn, mannequins, sewing machines, embroidery machine and serger set up in there. I'm thinking about moving our school into the studio.  I already have decided that I want to spend more time dedicated to the art of writing, writing about food and all things crafty.  I can happily and easily write while the Banker works this year.  I can't sew while he works, I can't get into it because I feel the need to be more available to him.  More available than sewing in another room makes me.

I'll be honest, I still resist moving us in there because it feels like an enormous failure on my part. A failure that the sewing didn't generate the income it was "supposed to".  I think I put too much pressure on myself and judged failure where there was none.  Husband hasn't said a word, I think he truly just wants me to find what it is that makes me happy and wants me to hang my hat there long enough to let it make me truly happy.  The supposed failure is self imposed.  My jury is still out.

In the interim, we are set up, organized and ready to go.  We are going much greener this year.  Banker is writing questions and answers in the composition books, we aren't going to print work sheets, he's a teenager who is eager and willing to work.  He has the entire world available at his fingertips and can research and dive into anything that strikes his fancy.  He is free to explore and learn... and doesn't require busy work.


  

We are going to have an introductory week, a brief review of each class on the day we intend to study it.  We will make decisions about how and what we'll study and a generic plan for the semester.

The Banker is going to a CoOp this semester, 3 hour each Friday.  He's been confirmed for the classes he's taking, Volunteer/Service then High School Art then Spanish.  Brilliant.  I have to assist in class rooms, we'll see how that goes.  I don't mind the time but I am not sure I have the desire or interest to be a successful assistant.  If I'd been on the ball and registered him earlier, I'd be teaching a class.  The thought doesn't delight me, I'll be honest.  I will give it my all, of course, and do the very best I can.  I'll revisit the CoOp decision in December.  I still think I prefer the idea of One Day Academy but won't make any blatant statements until after we give this a go. 

We are going to spend time with MsZan tomorrow, which always delights me.  Banker can spend some live time with FriendH.  I'm really looking forward to it.  Then, apparently we're back to it. 

/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

SUMMER - ITS AUGUST

HI!  we're BACK! 


Well, here we are facing the 8th grade.  We are facing it in my kitchen, without supervision, state or federal guidelines or requirements.  Ya, it's crazy free and although that could ultimately be my undoing, I'm trying hard to stay on the relatively straight and virtually narrow.


It's been a party crazy July.  We visited with loads of friends and had loads of friends here to play.  I wish we'd had any sort of vacation, I am truly burned out.  Truly.  I'm trying to pretend the time we've been off schooling full time has been easier or freer or relaxing.  It's stressful and as much as I sing the praises of total freedom, it's totally exhausting.


I'm sucking it up though, August 1st already, and forging bravely ahead.  Ok, not so bravely but I am at least facing in the direction of the path we intend on walking. 


Firstly, the chickens are enormous!  They are getting red neck hangy thingies (yes, that is the technical term) and their little combs are coming in and starting to turn from pale pink to pale red.  The nesting box is completed and attached to the coop.  They aren't afraid to come into the yard anymore and wander around eating green grass and bugs.  Walter (the pug) will happily wander with them and he looks as though he's pecking in their herd but in reality he's looking for chicken poop.  Lola (the boxer cross) is too bouncy for them and wants to play with them.  The girls, Edna in particular, has no interest whatsoever in playing with Lola and when she pecks her face, Lola responds with an immediate herding of said girls into their pen.  It's delightful to watch.  I giggle at the dog herding the chickens when the chickens don't want to be herded and voice their opinions loudly.  I never know who to root for.


The Banker failed miserably at reading all summer.  I failed at nagging him.  I will take the blame on the lack of reading, it was on me to harass him more regularly.  I'm ready to start again there. 


Poor kid had to learn a painful lesson about how friends grow apart and that people you thought were your inner sanctum can turn into people you don't need that close.  I told him it's part of growing up, his herd will grow and shrink, inhale and exhale.  He'll have to make choices and decisions and sometimes those decisions are made for you.  Welcome to life, kiddo. 


He made a couple of bad online decisions and we have had to spend time talking about some of the people he is spending online time with.  I think we're dealing with a bit of an Eddy Haskell type kid and I'm wholly unimpressed.  He was almost cyber bullied, definitely threatened (pathetic little attempt honestly) but I was furious...I managed to keep my tongue and wait, the moment passed without incident but I am on constant watch now.   It's been an interesting social time for him. It's been quite a learning curve and there's been some difficult times.  He's worked through it relatively unscathed, so far.


On the whole he's a good, hard working, happy kid.  He's easily and deeply affected by meanness though, toughness will come with time and experience so I have to spend time smiling and nodding as much as I sometimes want to smack other people's children. 


He succeeded brilliantly at working through his pre-algebra this summer.  We did pretty well at our 'one chapter per week' plan.  Sure we took some weeks off, it is summer after all and sometimes constantly party mode will reek havoc on an academic schedule.  He's finishing up chapter 18 and isn't struggling with the work or content all.  I said we were going to speed up to either 2 chapters a week or 3 chapter in 2 weeks and he's good with that. 


He did a Shadow a Scientist program at University of Texas and loved it.  He spent the day with an Astronomer and is in email contact with the professor about subsequent visits and programs he can be involved in with them.  Brilliant.


We are starting to think about the schedule and classes for 8th grade.  I have most of my classes listed, just some details to work out for a couple of them.  I am still trying to decide whether to enroll the Banker in a Friday coop program.  I would have to go and assist for 3 hours a week at the same facility (not in his class) and I really don't know if I have it in me to do that.  I don't want to be selfish but I sort of don't want to give my time to it.  I have a few days to think about it and am going to fret pretty consistently about it.  I want to put him in one day academy but when I raised the idea with husband, he balked at the monthly fee.  I'm sure I could push him through and if I cut down on grocery costs I'm sure we could swing it.  


I've done some major soul searching in terms of what I want to do for me.  I had long conversations with my 'originals' about my struggle with deciding how to focus my time and my talent to something for me.  I've been feeling very lost inside this life I'm living and realized I need to take time and effort purely for me.   I keep a small herd of the trusted and true, the friends who have known me since before I was someones mother, they know who I truly am on the inside.  I am currently an avid cook, recipe creator, crafter and mediocre saleswoman.  I feel as though I've played at doing a number of things moderately well.  I don't want to do a bunch of things moderately well, I want to do one thing, and be brilliant.  I want to pick one thing that I love to do just do it.  I want to do it on purpose and with purpose.  It's been a hard decision, well hard in that it took time.  When I finally sat down in a quiet room with a piece of paper and a pencil, yeah, I went old school, I realized I wanted to do just that.  I wanted to write things down.  I'll keep doing what I love to do but I want, and need, to write it down.  I'm going to suck it up and try desperately not to be so very afraid of what I write down.  I'm going to write it for me, write it often and finally pursue the writing career I've been walking around for years.  Not an unfortunate side effect is the fact i can do it sitting at the same table while the Banker is "doing" school on his laptop directly across from me as opposed to me trying to cook or sew, my other massive passions. 


I have to prepare mentally for the implied disappointment from my family when I don't write a best seller right off the mark and I have to prepare for not being believed as "doing" anything but I am going to try hard to forge ahead and do what it is that I have wanted to do forever.  It's now or never in my heart and soul. 


So, with me set (insert hysterical laughter here) my biggest concern for 8th grade is science. I am struggling with a plan for science for the Banker.  I worry about science.  I spoke to a friend who said she'd give me science ideas.  I need to get hold of her. Perhaps I should write that down.


I am going to try to keep it straight and simple for him this year.  We are not going to take a million subjects in the hope we hit on the facts he needs to have put away in his head for later years testing and college placement.  That format is too squiggly, we need a nice straight line for the Banker.  We have 8 classes lined up and one of them is art.  I need him to explore his creative side.  It's an important side.  We are going to break the year into 2 semesters for his "elective" classes.  He has chosen photography as his 'art' class and I will have him pick another art for his second semester or he can delve more formally into photography, way to keep a squiggle class organized.  We will see which direction he wants to take it. 


He has shown a sudden interest in cooking and interviews me constantly when I cook.  He's taken on the meal planning, shopping and cooking of the odd dinner for me.  He's brilliant and has a knack.  He's unafraid when it comes to measuring, tasting and trusting his own culinary instincts.  Impressive for 13 years old. I don't think he'd cook for anyone else but me, just yet, but I hope to foster this love in him and maybe we can incorporate a culinary arts portion to his academics this year.  


I feel relatively confident in my initial academic plans for the Banker and as per usual am racked with the perpetual fear I'm breaking him emotionally and of course, am fighting the solid belief my plans for myself are ridiculous and embarrassing.  Other than that, we're ready to go. 


/Tracy