Week 8

This week I didn't open the curriculum. We schooled everyday, but the curriculum has been very repetitive for Ethan's level. Instead, I had him build a solar powered hoist for small objects, learn division, start reading the Twin Towers, and work in his workbook. I think the key to homeschooling is the balance of keeping growth and opportunity high while providing stability through familiarity. Ethan is a bright child, I want him to learn more of his passions, spend as much time reading as he wants to, yet to have good clear handwriting, and be able to understand the basics of working within structure, even if it's a limited experience.

We are all doing better this year than ever before. I modified our schedule to help reduce my stress and keep us happy.

Monday- Oak Meadow, nature studies, music
Tuesday- Guitar Lessons with me, Workbooks, exploring building/enginnering and other subjects like metaphysical studies, Art
Wednesday- Oak Meadow, Pioneer Studies, Baking
Thursday- Workbooks, Art, ASL or Spanish
Friday- Oak Meadow, Field Trip, Book Report

The areas I am still weak in are nature studies and book reports. I started this last year and never mastered it. Everything else comes easily. I love reading but loathe writing about it. I love nature but don't care to do much beyond walk and enjoy it. I need to find a meaningful way to connect us to these subjects.

And that's our update. We are in week 8 of the year. Things are going well and Ethan will test in January to asses and tweak what needs tweaking. We may move into another grade level if he does well enough. And then again we may not.

All areas of their skills are improving except Ethan's drawing skills. They still stink. But I love his little stick figures regardless. Avery's art is much more stylized and appealing. However, this is common between most girls and boys up to about 3rd grade.

And then Nahni just does what she does, read, follow us, sing and dance, and pout whenever she doesn't want to join in. She is a joy.