I was sure this week wasn't going to amount to much...but today made up for the slow pace. It seems like I can pretty much count on one really good day a week. JT seemed to be more interested in learning today. We worked on fractions and decimals. Since we have finished our 3rd grade math and decided not to start the 4th grade material at all this year, we started really going deep into the fractions. I have a hard time knowing when he is really paying attention. That drives me nuts! He'll tell me that I should know he is usually paying attention when he looks like he isn't and isn't when he looks like he is. So today, he looked like he wasn't, but when I put problems on the board for him to work on, he did them perfectly. I had him take mixed numbers and turn them into improper fractions and back again. Then we took fractions and converted them into decimals. I really want him to have a good grasp on some of these concepts before he gets to the higher level math. I feel like too often the math curriculum in our country doesn't allow kids to really 'get it' before they move on. Then they drag the same stuff out again the next year. A preliminary look at our 4th grade math text shows me that we will only need a few months to cover the material for next year. In fact, it might only take 2 based on the lack of new concepts being introduced.
Another great thing happened today. I had been dreading the composition assignment for this test packet. The last one took us a week to really get around to doing. Today, I helped JT think through what he was going to write and left the room. When I returned in 10 minutes, the first half was done! With a little praise, he completed it in one sitting! This is pretty much unheard of around here. So, I laid on the praise pretty thick and he had some free time for an art project. Hopefully whatever magic happened today can be recreated the next time I say the words, "composition"!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Technology Downsides
Tonight I am blogging over dial up. Our house is located in a very rural area. Our only option for high speed internet is wi-fi. Tonight it stopped working. My husband called the provider and they told us there has been a fire where their equipment for the wifi system is housed. They have no idea how long it will be down. Apparently they don't believe in having a redundant system.
Fortunately for us, we use the homeschooling option PACyber offers. I really only need to log in one time a day to count for our school day. The rest of our time is spent in a more traditional setting. JT does take one virtual class right now on Thursdays. Hopefully they will have worked out the problem by then or we will have to find an alternative location. But it really made me think, what if we were signed up for virtual classes? Would it be our responsibility to find a way to attend those classes? I have been playing with the idea of switching to a new school that might involve regular attendance online. Maybe I need to rethink that possibility. At the very least, I need to find what the policy would be in those situations.
One other thing, this week I have started spending more time on JT's Spanish instruction. We have only been playing with it off and on from time to time. Today I made a whole pile of labels for all sorts of things around the house. I'm hoping that the presence of these Spanish words will indirectly plant them in his mind. I am looking for some good teaching materials for our foreign language for next year. If you know of any, please send it to my comments.
Fortunately for us, we use the homeschooling option PACyber offers. I really only need to log in one time a day to count for our school day. The rest of our time is spent in a more traditional setting. JT does take one virtual class right now on Thursdays. Hopefully they will have worked out the problem by then or we will have to find an alternative location. But it really made me think, what if we were signed up for virtual classes? Would it be our responsibility to find a way to attend those classes? I have been playing with the idea of switching to a new school that might involve regular attendance online. Maybe I need to rethink that possibility. At the very least, I need to find what the policy would be in those situations.
One other thing, this week I have started spending more time on JT's Spanish instruction. We have only been playing with it off and on from time to time. Today I made a whole pile of labels for all sorts of things around the house. I'm hoping that the presence of these Spanish words will indirectly plant them in his mind. I am looking for some good teaching materials for our foreign language for next year. If you know of any, please send it to my comments.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Learning to Write
This week I have been attempting to teach JT how to put together a decent composition. He has had many composition assignments from the school. Generally, these assignments have been things like, "My Pet" or other journal-type writings. I wanted him to learn how to do some research and put his thoughts together on paper. I told him to pick one of the people we learned about in his history text last week and write a short biography on that person. JT chose Robert E. Lee.
We started out finding some good information online and a book from the library. I gave him the pack of index cards and told him to write a separate idea on each card. He needed a little direction throughout the process. Next we sat down and I helped him split his cards into groups. Then we worked together to write an outline based on the cards. At that point I said, "Number your cards in the order that matches your outline and then you will need to write the report." He needed some encouragement and then a little pushing to get through this part. Today he wrote his last paragraph for the rough draft. Tomorrow we will look for spelling mistakes. Monday he is going to type up the report.
This is not a major report. It will have 5 paragraphs total. I just really wanted to help him know that learning the material does you little good if you don't have the ability to share what you have learned. I think more kids need to learn this process earlier in their schooling. It often isn't until late middle or early high school when these skills are taught. It requires a slightly different way of thinking. I hope by beginning early, JT will have it easier when he reaches college and needs to be able to communicate in this way.
Now if he'd only stop fighting me when I ask him to write in cursive!
We started out finding some good information online and a book from the library. I gave him the pack of index cards and told him to write a separate idea on each card. He needed a little direction throughout the process. Next we sat down and I helped him split his cards into groups. Then we worked together to write an outline based on the cards. At that point I said, "Number your cards in the order that matches your outline and then you will need to write the report." He needed some encouragement and then a little pushing to get through this part. Today he wrote his last paragraph for the rough draft. Tomorrow we will look for spelling mistakes. Monday he is going to type up the report.
This is not a major report. It will have 5 paragraphs total. I just really wanted to help him know that learning the material does you little good if you don't have the ability to share what you have learned. I think more kids need to learn this process earlier in their schooling. It often isn't until late middle or early high school when these skills are taught. It requires a slightly different way of thinking. I hope by beginning early, JT will have it easier when he reaches college and needs to be able to communicate in this way.
Now if he'd only stop fighting me when I ask him to write in cursive!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Less Structure
I'm trying to find the perfect balance between freedom and structure in our schedule. I think at the beginning of the year we had a little to much routine. Then I slumped into chaos for a bit in November. (see my Nov 27th post titled Slacking Off) When we came back to school after Christmas break I had designed a new schedule (back to extreme structure) that quickly became just another decoration for the classroom wall. How much is enough?
This week felt like I should have spent more time working in the classroom. At least it felt that way as it was happening. When I started to think about the big picture of this week, it seemed we had covered much more than I thought.
Monday was a day where we had less than our usual time in the classroom since my other son was sick and needed some attention from me throughout the day.
Tuesday JT began his immunotherapy for his allergies. We will be spending about 1 to 1 1/2 hours a week in the pediatric allergy department for the next 10 weeks. I packed a big bag of school work and hauled in from the parking lot to the complete opposite end of the hospital. I was glad I took it along. We probably covered more materialwhile waiting than we would have in the same amount of time in the classroom. Captive audience! Since we will be going back every week, I will need to save reading and worksheet assignments for that morning.
Wednesday JT went with my father for the day. What a great day for me! I had a meeting in the morning at the bank, but when I came home, the house was empty. Just me and the cat for 4 hours. JT spent the time with my dad learning how the stock market works and doing some "pretty hard math!" (according to my son). They also took a trip to the farmer's market. Education AND a great break for me. We are going to try to work this into our regular schedule. I think it was good for JT to have the time away from me and still be in a learning environment.
Thursday we had a full day of school! First one this week. We played our weekly spelling review game. I give JT a word to spell. He draws elaborate battles on the white board. If he misses the word, I get a hit. If he gets it right, he gets one. The rules always seem to go in his favor no matter what. I don't care as long as he's spelling the words! We also have started serious work on times tables. JT has never memorized his multiplication facts. He figures them out in crazy ways every time, but the delay is getting in the way of harder math problems. Today we set up a new game to work on that one too. We did some science, geography and he had his virtual class at 1pm. He's also currently working on a report on Robert E. Lee. He collected notes Monday and Tuesday. Today I helped him write his outline. Tomorrow he needs to start the writing of at least one or two paragraphs.
Looking back at the things he's done this week I realize we only probably spent 2 hours of our time on things that are actually a part of the curriculum provided by the school. All the rest are things I have put together from other places. I feel he is learning so much more than he would have in a brick and mortar school this year. He has bursts of responsibility where I can see in a few years this might become a little easier. If I keep it low key and allow him to enjoy himself I think we are going to accomplish a lot together.
This week felt like I should have spent more time working in the classroom. At least it felt that way as it was happening. When I started to think about the big picture of this week, it seemed we had covered much more than I thought.
Monday was a day where we had less than our usual time in the classroom since my other son was sick and needed some attention from me throughout the day.
Tuesday JT began his immunotherapy for his allergies. We will be spending about 1 to 1 1/2 hours a week in the pediatric allergy department for the next 10 weeks. I packed a big bag of school work and hauled in from the parking lot to the complete opposite end of the hospital. I was glad I took it along. We probably covered more materialwhile waiting than we would have in the same amount of time in the classroom. Captive audience! Since we will be going back every week, I will need to save reading and worksheet assignments for that morning.
Wednesday JT went with my father for the day. What a great day for me! I had a meeting in the morning at the bank, but when I came home, the house was empty. Just me and the cat for 4 hours. JT spent the time with my dad learning how the stock market works and doing some "pretty hard math!" (according to my son). They also took a trip to the farmer's market. Education AND a great break for me. We are going to try to work this into our regular schedule. I think it was good for JT to have the time away from me and still be in a learning environment.
Thursday we had a full day of school! First one this week. We played our weekly spelling review game. I give JT a word to spell. He draws elaborate battles on the white board. If he misses the word, I get a hit. If he gets it right, he gets one. The rules always seem to go in his favor no matter what. I don't care as long as he's spelling the words! We also have started serious work on times tables. JT has never memorized his multiplication facts. He figures them out in crazy ways every time, but the delay is getting in the way of harder math problems. Today we set up a new game to work on that one too. We did some science, geography and he had his virtual class at 1pm. He's also currently working on a report on Robert E. Lee. He collected notes Monday and Tuesday. Today I helped him write his outline. Tomorrow he needs to start the writing of at least one or two paragraphs.
Looking back at the things he's done this week I realize we only probably spent 2 hours of our time on things that are actually a part of the curriculum provided by the school. All the rest are things I have put together from other places. I feel he is learning so much more than he would have in a brick and mortar school this year. He has bursts of responsibility where I can see in a few years this might become a little easier. If I keep it low key and allow him to enjoy himself I think we are going to accomplish a lot together.
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