Worst Homeschool EVer

Neil wants to go to "real school" (Jesus, I WISH they wouldn't call it that!!!!) He DID say "it's not that I you're not doing a good job, Mom".... (whatEVER... give up the best years of my life... yada, yada, yada....) He wants friends. (WhatEVER.)

Now on the other hand... I WOULD get a whole lot of time to do whatEVER I wanted to do each day... AND I'd get about 30% of my house back to normal use... and I'd get rid of a load of paper.... hmmmm Still, they ARE ungrateful little bastards all the same.

I'm not sure he will go through with it, but I told him he has time to make up his mind. He'd like to be able to go spend a day at school... which might be possible... however I did warn him, that if he did that it would probably be at the fourth grade level but that he'd go in to school next September at the fifth grade level to a different teacher. I don't see much point in sending him to spend a day with the fifth grade at the END of fifth grade because I'm sure he'd go into panic mode with the jump in academics. I may approach the school and see if he could go for an hour before the end of the year.  We've had our share of great teachers, imaginative teachers, dedicated teachers... I am still friends with most of them...  Gene's third grade teacher had a huge impact on me and my assumption that a good student was automatically college bound... and therefore a good parent would consider no option other than a four year college.  Gene may not be cut out for that.  Cathy opened my eyes to that possibility (and she wasn't referring to Gene specifically, but to the assumption that that was the only goal for a caring parent.)

Gus continues to do well... extremely well. His teacher is amazing. Gus LIKES her. (That in itself is amazing... he's not one for a whole lot of willy nilly "liking".) I am starting to think that he was not ready in kindergarten or first grade and I'm sure his speech issues didn't help. But these guys are doing crazy things with him and he is taking off. Like... in leaps and bounds... like if we miss a night of reading I feel awful for the window we are missing... he's progressing that fast. He has the potential to be the first of my boys to actually be a "reader". (Imagine). So, the thought of Neil going to school.... well it doesn't seem so terrible after all. And think of the reading I could do...

Neil's Day

Wednesdays are going to be funky... Gene has late start but Gus has early release. Don't ask why... there is no logical reason for this. I would have to guess that it has something to do with fucking with the poor-all-suffering parents.

So... here's the line up. Trent and I get up at 6 a.m. and have breakfast. (This I LOVE... we never got to have breakfast together "before". Trent always grabbed his coffee and ran, usually on the phone already dealing "with his day" before snapping his seat belt....) So, we have breakfast and this week Gus has been joining us 'cause it puts him in a great mood to have breakfast with Dad without his siblings. Then Trent leaves at 6:30 a.m. , Gus's bus is at 7:30, I get Gene up at 7:50, and leave with Gene at 8:50, back home by 9:30 to start school with Neil. Gus gets home at 1:20.

Kind of a cluster...

BUT, when I got home today Neil had already completed his math for the day. We started History right away because we are learning about the Vikings and Neil was really wanting to get into more Viking stuff (lots of weapons, burning and pillaging for those Vikings... what's not to love?) We ended up making a paper Viking Long Boat and then creating a Diorama for the boat... Lots of tape, paint, scissors and paper AND the HOT GLUE GUN (nothing says "fun" for the boys more than the HOT GLUE GUN... I have to capitalize it cause mostly the boys have to shout it's name.... Bring out the HOT GLUE GUN in our house and the party's OWWWWNNNN.)

Gus's last day Homeschooliing

So, we've made a decision. Gus will start at Crescent this Friday. Monday is a holiday, so starting him Friday with a long weekend and a short week next week may make the transition a little easier. He cannot wait to go. He is insisting that he get the bus on Friday. I don't really know how I feel. Conflicted might be the most honest description. On one hand, I have felt really frustrated that I haven't been able to help him enough. He's made some great progress in some areas.... but in reading and writing... I only took him a little way and then we stagnated. On the other hand, I am ashamed to say that I feel kind of relieved that someone else is taking over. It's not my problem anymore... and that feels like a huge weight's been lifted from me. Trent and I both spoke to him about his needing to stick with school... this isn't a trial run. Our little Gussey being well known for the volatile nature of his likes and dislikes!! Trent and I have agreed though, that the fact that we are sending him back to public school does not necessarily mean that public school is where he is going to stay until he graduates. One thing I have learned throughout this process is that one size does NOT fit all, when it comes to education. I doubt we have come to the end of our quest for lifelong academic happiness for Gussey.

Oh and... because I am oh-so-smug... what did I do on his last day. We tried to have school. I can't believe all that I have NOT learned. This was a perfect day to just "take a day" and make it a really positive party-day all about Gus and fun and school and and and No, I turned it into a one-last-argument.... I'm still learning...

Gus wants to go to school...

Gus has campaigned and campaigned to go to school. I think that we have done well with him, his reading is way better than when we started last April, but his writing really hasn't improved. His math is wonderful. He "gets" math with very little effort. The writing issues drove me to stay up many nights since Christmas trying to come up with ways to help him, cajole him, inspire him... and in trolling the net I found something called dysgraphia. I so do not want to find a nice, neat little lable and then feel like my job is done. But, I am considering involving the local school district a little and seeing if they can assess him. Then, I am tempted to let him try school. Trent commented that "that's fine, but he can't change his mind once he goes... if he signs up then that's that".... and I know all the reasons why this is "reasonable"... but part of me thinks "really??? really??? cause you know he's like all of EIGHT years old... can we really allow him go back with those kinds of restraints... this is a new school, new teachers (which might actually work to his advantage), new schedule... REALLY?? He can't be allowed change his mind? Bearing in mind that he never chose to stay home, he would've gone to the local school if we had placed him.... Really?? Trent and I have some talkin' to do.

Better

The afternoon improved greatly!!! Gus is fab with his reading but his writing is such a struggle. The ironic thing is that I wouldn't be putting this pressure on him if HE didn't want to go to school. I bet his writing will take off some time in the next six months... (maybe) But in the meantime I'm working on his vocabulary, his reading, his comprehension... all the stuff that will make writing so much easier for him. The mechanics don't seem as important as this other stuff. He gets SO mad and so down on himself that it is really sad (it also makes me extremely pissed off when he loses his temper on letter number three... ) I can't see him being ready to go to school, but maybe it would be better to let him. It could be so bad for him though, if he feels in any way behind or slow.... Crap! Why can't he just be happy at home. We started school at 8:30 a.m. and were done by 1:00 p.m.. Whats NOT to like??

Week two... after Christmas break

Second week... rough start... I knew I had it too easy last week! It's only noon on Monday so there is time to turn the day around. We did well until about 11 a.m. then the boys struggled to stay focused and Bay threw a fit because... well... actually I'm not sure why she threw a fit. I still really like History of the World. The boys are loving the Vikings and now I know what the Battle of Hastings was all about...

Good Start

So far, so good. We are on day four back to school and it's been surprisingly smooth. I wondered if it would be like starting over after our break, but it hasn't been. Both boys have been on task and even focused. We bumped History ahead a few centuries to study the Middle Ages... (more weaponry, war, guts, invasions) and the boys seem to like it. Gus still wants to go to school this year, so he is working on writing. I really wish we could keep him at his own pace, but if he insists on school then he has to get his writing closer to grade level. I'm not sure it's even possible, but he is motivated so we may as well try. I've discovered facebook... and I like it. Just what I need, another reason to be on the internet....

Cluster

Tuesdays are tough starts. I'm used to getting Gene up, taking Bay and doing the school run. (Buckley was SO easy... Gene got himself wherever he needed to go in terms of school or school sports). Tuesdays, however are the exception. The rest of us have to be up and gone with Gene too. We are all at Tuesday School in Port Angeles. The boys love it when they get there, but it is a cluster to get us all up, dressed (often changed and dressed again in the case of Neil and Gus), lunches made (for SIX - see how fast a loaf of bread disappears), car packed and out the door before 7:55 a.m. Thankfully, Tuesday's early start is followed by Wednesday's district wide LATE start. Thank YOU little baby Jesus lying in the manger.

Back to school, reluctantly, of course...

It seems like only yesterday we had school. Gus asked me tonight if we could have "one more free day". It's so funny, cause for all that we do, by comparison with what he would be doing in school... why do they care whether we "do school" or not. It's not like they do a solid 5 hours.

Gus just told me that "I love Santa.... he's the nicest guy in the world... well God is, but Santa is the second... d'you think Santa knows God?" Gus has been more sensitive (in a good way) lately. A few days ago he asked me if my cough was better. I said that yes, it was was much better and he said.... "Good, then my wish came through... cause that's what I wished for my birthday".

Playtime

Whether of not homeschooling is the right choice is such a tricky issue. How do I know if I am teaching "enough" or the "right" way or the "right" stuff...? Interestingly tonight both boys chose activities while the TV was on (I know... maybe tomorrow night we'll keep it off!!!) BUT, Gus sat for at least an hour (with few breaks) playing with legos... with no instruction or suggestion from anyone. He didn't talk, he just built vehicles... Neil had been watching TV and then told me he just decided he "wanted to draw" so he got out the art stuff and sat at the table (again totally independent, completely selfdirected) and drew and colored pictures. This seems important to me and maybe they would've done it anyway... but I think that they seem to do stuff like this more often since we started homeschooling.

Rain

How can school compete with a flooding ditch. Gus and Neil were both outside digging around. Gus had three changes of clothes...

Class Interrupted

Our history class was interrupted this morning when Bay came running in yelling that "Siwi took my puppy". The boys sprang to action and chased Siri (she had taken the puppy and ran outside...) all over the back field. Siri (obviously) loved all the attention. Bay stayed at the back door yelling encouragement to the boys and shooting guns...

Balance-shpalance

We seem to be a little "all or nothing" these days. Just when I thought that balance is the key... we have a day that goes well, where "haphazard" seems to be the best way to describe it. At one point today after NOT having Gus write anything... Gus asked me to LET him write (at a time when I had neither the time nor intention of having him write....) Maybe the hands off approach and zero pressure (as opposed to my recent approach of zero-tolerance) actually might work. Today we were as close to Unschooled as you could be... and it was great AND they each did lots of math... and they both tried to recite a poem I've been reading to them AND they both painted without fighting AND they played together at Gene's game... Why ask why....

AND to top off this extraordinary day it looks like we might be able to hope for a better America... Obama is going to win....

Homeschooling

Our first official day of Homeschool. Everyone was pretty enthusiastic (I know that this will change.....) We started a very cool history book called The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer. It is a read aloud history book for elementary ages. I love it and the boys seemed to. Again, time will tell... One of the hardest things for me will be not only doing what "I love"...