Speaking from the Heart

Can you believe Monday will be the second day of February? Returning from a Christmas vacation, were you able to return to your homeschooling routine? Because we were off for more than a month, we had a hard time of getting back into the groove. I can't say that the kids were the only one who didn't have a good attitude about school. I am just as guilty. My heart wasn't in it. It obviously showed through my actions, and what I allowed my kids to get away with in their assignments. I purposely spent less time blogging this week, and focused my time on teaching. It has made a big difference in my attitude.

Besides helping The Inquisitor with his homework, this will be the last semester that I will be teaching him. He has been accepted to International Baccalaureate (IB) program. He will start 9th grade at the high school. Meanwhile, he will be finishing up his biology and algebra 2 at home. Hopefully, he'll get the high school credit for algebra 2. Because he will get college credit for biology, he will repeat the course in the tenth grade. Over the summer, he will have a list of literature that he has to read, before schools starts in August. As a mom and a teacher, I am preparing him to be more accountable for his assignments. For the next few months, I am more stringent to his assignment deadline. If he doesn't get it done by that time, there will a penalty (i.e. no Playstation 3 time, no fun church activities, etc.).

After my attitude adjustment, I am more prepared to teach Minnie. She still wants to do work on her own and move on. I allow her to do that to certain extent, but I am also requiring her to go over history, science, and reading with me. We will be concentrating on writing this semester. We used Pudewa's Writing Intensive Program last year. We will resume where we left off. Minnie is also reading The Fairy Chronicles series. I am so happy that she, someone who doesn't like to read, is devouring these books.

Both kids got their braces this week. Between trips to the orthodontist and constant pain, The Inquisitor and Minnie managed to complete their schoolwork. Instead of taking off on Monday, we took off Friday. A friend and I took our daughters to the pottery, while our sons stayed at the house and played games on Playstation 3.

Minnie continues with her work from last semester. She finished Daily Grams, and will be starting Shurley English on Monday. The Inquisitor has kept up with Apologia Biology Co-op. Although he will be retaking biology in the 10th grade (IB program), I am making him finish the course. He is halfway completing algebra 2. My goal is for him to finish the course before starting high school in the fall. Besides the two courses, he is doing lessons in Rod & Staff English/grammar. Sometimes I think I am not giving him enough lesson. However, when I see how much time he spends on biology, I realize he has plenty to do.

Things should show down some this week. Maybe we can get more things accomplished

We usually take off in the month of December. This year, I had planned to home school the first two weeks of December. However, after being off for a week, the kids and I have no desires to resume school until after New Year. Although we're not officially having school, The Inquisitor is busy writing his 200-250 word essay on "Are Professional Athletes Overpaid?" for his admission to the IB program. He is also trying to keep up with biology and debate classes. Being off for a whole week for Thanksgiving, has left him behind in biology.

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A child who is lagging in school wishes he was as smart as other kids. At the other end of the spectrum, an above average child wishes he is understood more by his peers. The Inquisitor is the latter child. His hobby is reading. Taking away his reading privileges rates higher than grounding. His constant desires to learn have resulted in an increase of his vocabulary words, and his knowledge in finances, science, history, sports, games, etc. Sometimes it is hard for him to communicate with his friends, because they are clueless . He tries not to let it bother him when his friends look at him as if he is was a geek.

I didn't realize he feels this way. As we were returning home from the IB orientation, he told me that he finally felt a sense of belonging. It will be good for him to attend the IB program for his high school years. He will be surrounded by peers, who are just like him. Some of his future classmates have strengths in history and English, while others like him have strengths in math and science. By the time they graduate, their areas of weaknesses will be in equilibrium with their areas of strength.

As a homeschool parent, I am so glad that I was able to minimize the feeling of being left out for a short while. Now it is time for me to let go of the string, and allow someone to prepare him for his college years. In so many words, The Inquisitor said it is best that his dad and I are around to give him support now, as opposed to four years from now, when he is away for college. What an awesome thought from a 13 year-old.

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It has been four weeks, since I created a weekly syllabus for each child. I am so burned out from teaching and driving around that my desire to teach is not present. The kids are pretty much on their own. I do go over their schoolwork. However, the quality of my teaching can be greatly improved. I need to get out of this mood.

After attending the informational meeting about the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, The Inquisitor is 100% sure that he wants to attend Southeast High School. Having an average of 2 hours of homework per night, and that the academic curriculum is rigorous did not deter The Inquisitor. He likes the fact that he will be earning up to 30 college credit hours, while he is in high school. This means that he will start his first college year as a sophomore.

Before he takes his first steps into Southeast High School, he must apply to the program. This means he has to submit a 200-250 word essay on one of the following topics: (1)Are professional athletes paid too much? or (2)Explain how televison has had a negative effect over the past few years. He also has to have two letters of teacher recommendations.

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As I observed The Inquisitor’s biology co-op class, I noticed the environment in the classroom is no different than the environment in a public schoolroom. There are two types of students in the class, those who are there to learn and those who are there to occupy the empty chairs. I am so thankful that The Inquisitor is not easily persuaded by the non-serious students.

The Inquisitor enjoys the Video Game Animation Computer Class. He is in the middle of creating a cat's maze. The player has to use the arrow keys to mobilize the cat through the maze. I wish I was taking the class along with The Inquisitor. It is up my alley. Maybe this summer, I will have time to learn it and start designing animated clipart for my blog.

My husband and I pretty much have decided to enroll Mark in an IB program next fall. Because the IB program will require The Inquisitor to be disciplined in his study and to manage his time wisely, I purposely assign him extra schoolwork, as well as extra curriculum. I want him to be responsible for his schoolwork, and to face the consequences for incomplete work. He has done an excellent job in keeping up with his assignment. He took it upon himself to turn down a couple of Wednesday play dates, so he can complete his assignment . My little boy is becoming a young responsible man.

Not am I blessed to have one independent student, I have two. Like her brother, Minnie wants to do her assignment on her own. She is about to finish Abeka 4th grade math. We’ll take a break while grandma is here for Minnie’s 11th birthday. Then, we’ll dive into 5th grade math. I am glad that we didn’t start 5th grade at the beginning of the school year. Minnie would have missed lessons on areas and perimeters. Since areas and perimeters are the last 20 lessons of the textbook, She would have likely missed it again in Spring 2009. Minnie also has about 20 more lessons in Daily Grams. Afterwards, we’ll pick up Shurley Grammar and finish Pudewa’s Instensive Writing. Now that Rosie audition is over, Minnie is focusing on Aunt Hattie’s Attic Musical Production for December. She truly loves acting. She can learn her lines in a heartbeat.

Our week has been productive. We’re trying to get everything done, before Grandam’s visit.

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