Raymond E. Jones
We love you Grandpa- Go be in peace.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Weekly Report
I hate sick weeks. We really didn’t get much accomplished, but I’m satisfied that we did somethings. It kind of felt like an unschooling week. Hmmmm….I’m not sure I liked it, or possibly I don’t like that maybe somewhere deep down I did.
Math- Saxon Lessons 44-45 and Test 8. We are still struggling with subtraction/borrowing. Xan always forgets to change the number he borrowed from. I think I’m going to do lessons 4 days and then some kind of living math on day 5. I’ve kind of already been doing this, but I’m going to plan it out a little better. I’m also going to go through the lessons from the week and have him re-do the problems he missed on that day. I always make him fix his errors right after his lesson, but I think this will be a good way to reinforce it. Xan also managed to do a multiplication puzzle despite not feeling well.
Logic- Logic Countdown 2 pages of analogies this week. He’s gotten really good at these.
Grammar- 3 daily grams w/ diagramming. We didn’t get a chance to use the new Montessori grammar box, maybe next week. Rod and Staff 5 worksheets for Lessons 15,16, & 17.
Spelling- Spelling Workout F Lesson 10.
Writing- KWO outline and retelling from his science reading on Atoms.
Science- See above. You know you’re a homeschool mom when your kids are sick and you use the opportunity to turn it into a science project. I had some agar and Petri dishes lyying around so we mixed up the agar and had all the sickies, and me, the not sickie, contaminate it to compare the germs. I also swabbed the kitchen sponge just for the heck of it. It’s too early to see anything really, but I’ll keep you posted.
History- I swear one day we will make it out of Ancients and into the Middle Ages, but today is not that day. We managed to make our Greek theater masks and I think they turned out lovely. I forget how fun projects can be.
P.E.- Xan managed to make it to football practice one day this week before he got sick. He also was able to work on his strength and flexibility exercises.
I hope everyone else had a great week, and here’s to your good health!
Math- Saxon Lessons 44-45 and Test 8. We are still struggling with subtraction/borrowing. Xan always forgets to change the number he borrowed from. I think I’m going to do lessons 4 days and then some kind of living math on day 5. I’ve kind of already been doing this, but I’m going to plan it out a little better. I’m also going to go through the lessons from the week and have him re-do the problems he missed on that day. I always make him fix his errors right after his lesson, but I think this will be a good way to reinforce it. Xan also managed to do a multiplication puzzle despite not feeling well.
Logic- Logic Countdown 2 pages of analogies this week. He’s gotten really good at these.
Grammar- 3 daily grams w/ diagramming. We didn’t get a chance to use the new Montessori grammar box, maybe next week. Rod and Staff 5 worksheets for Lessons 15,16, & 17.
Spelling- Spelling Workout F Lesson 10.
Writing- KWO outline and retelling from his science reading on Atoms.
Science- See above. You know you’re a homeschool mom when your kids are sick and you use the opportunity to turn it into a science project. I had some agar and Petri dishes lyying around so we mixed up the agar and had all the sickies, and me, the not sickie, contaminate it to compare the germs. I also swabbed the kitchen sponge just for the heck of it. It’s too early to see anything really, but I’ll keep you posted.
History- I swear one day we will make it out of Ancients and into the Middle Ages, but today is not that day. We managed to make our Greek theater masks and I think they turned out lovely. I forget how fun projects can be.
P.E.- Xan managed to make it to football practice one day this week before he got sick. He also was able to work on his strength and flexibility exercises.
I hope everyone else had a great week, and here’s to your good health!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Some pictures of what we've been up to...
Well now that I'm here...
After 8 weeks of school, all I've got to post is this: Random thoughts from my homeschool journal.
From 8/26/09
So I'm seriously considering making some minor to major changes in what we use in our homeschool and how we homeschool. I completely see the validity in the approaches of a classical education, but I don't think that some of these things are beneficial. At this point I'd really just like to throw caution to the wind and follow a Classical/Charlotte Mason/Montessori /Interest Led/ Project Based type of homeschooling. More of a holistic approach.
Right now Alex is doing his lessons like a good boy -Rod and Staff, Saxon, Spelling Workout, Daily Grams...but I'm seeing him doing his work to get it done. Is he retaining it? Is he enjoying it? Is he learning anything from it? I don't think so. He just does it to do it and get it out of the way. That's not what I really want for him.
Charlotte Mason and Classical actually have a lot of the same basic philosophies: Narration,Dictation,Copywork, Whole or Living books and Classical Literature, starting Latin young and in addition to another language. Some points of difference between the two lie in the amount of time spent on individual subjects, science, nature study and art and music, and grammar. In the end, their goals are the same however: to produce adults to know how to think, be creative, and resourceful.
An update on these thoughts- well we are still doing the same things mostly, although we'll be using a Montessori Grammar Box to supplement with Rod and Staff. At 5th grade, it's hard for me to justify not doing the important academic basics. Sometimes school just has to be hard work.
9/12/-9/19/09
Played 2 hours of football at football camp, made playdough, and walked with mom for 60 m.
9/28/-10/03/09
Free Reading-
Goblet of Fire
Art Projects-
Gods/Goddesses Book
Mosaic Coasters
Masks
Map (see "Pages" book)
Art Appreciation-
Usborne Sticker Book
Winslow Homer
P.E.-
Football Game Saturday @1
From 8/26/09
So I'm seriously considering making some minor to major changes in what we use in our homeschool and how we homeschool. I completely see the validity in the approaches of a classical education, but I don't think that some of these things are beneficial. At this point I'd really just like to throw caution to the wind and follow a Classical/Charlotte Mason/Montessori /Interest Led/ Project Based type of homeschooling. More of a holistic approach.
Right now Alex is doing his lessons like a good boy -Rod and Staff, Saxon, Spelling Workout, Daily Grams...but I'm seeing him doing his work to get it done. Is he retaining it? Is he enjoying it? Is he learning anything from it? I don't think so. He just does it to do it and get it out of the way. That's not what I really want for him.
Charlotte Mason and Classical actually have a lot of the same basic philosophies: Narration,Dictation,Copywork, Whole or Living books and Classical Literature, starting Latin young and in addition to another language. Some points of difference between the two lie in the amount of time spent on individual subjects, science, nature study and art and music, and grammar. In the end, their goals are the same however: to produce adults to know how to think, be creative, and resourceful.
An update on these thoughts- well we are still doing the same things mostly, although we'll be using a Montessori Grammar Box to supplement with Rod and Staff. At 5th grade, it's hard for me to justify not doing the important academic basics. Sometimes school just has to be hard work.
9/12/-9/19/09
Played 2 hours of football at football camp, made playdough, and walked with mom for 60 m.
9/28/-10/03/09
Free Reading-
Goblet of Fire
Art Projects-
Gods/Goddesses Book
Mosaic Coasters
Masks
Map (see "Pages" book)
Art Appreciation-
Usborne Sticker Book
Winslow Homer
P.E.-
Football Game Saturday @1
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