Poor Neglected Blog

I don't know why I don't write more here. I want to, I think about it, but the thoughts never make it onto the page.

So, here's where we are right now.

Harry: knee deep in American history. He's reading the Joy Hakim books this year. Sometimes he does the worksheets and sometimes he just tells me what he's read. Language Arts is a combo of MCT and WWS. He's not a fan of writing--I'm pretty sure he'd rather have a root canal, if he knew what one was. But through both of those he's becoming a better writer and learning not to hate it quite so much. Science--ah, my old nemesis. We were using Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding. But...there's always a but. It wasn't getting done. So instead he's working on the science-related Boy Scout merit badges. Right now he's working on Reptiles and Amphibians and Gardening.

As for Math--he loved Math Mammoth. Unfortunately it doesn't go up through PreAlgebra. So he's been trying out different programs in the hope that something would work. We're lucky in that we use a charter school and they I'm able to check out and try some of the main programs. He tried MUS but neither of us like it. Next he'll use the Art of Problem Solving. I'm hopeful about this program. Since he's in 6th grade he has plenty of time to go through it slowly and really understand what he's doing. Until we get the AOPS books though, he's using Khan Academy. That's been interesting. I'm finding some holes that are good to get patched up and he's enjoying himself. So it's a win-win right now.

Sam: Oh Sam. The kid that doesn't realize that he's actually the smartest kid on the block. Unfortunately. So I'm still spending a lot of my time showing him that he knows more than he thinks he knows. So, for instance, he's been working on part of the whole in Math Mammoth 4. You know, what is 1/4 of 60 and problems like that. When they're presented like that, he has no problem. But when they are word problems, it gets trickier. Like I said at the beginning of the year--this is the year to build up Sam's confidence. To give him the tools he needs to know that he can do anything.

He's working on California history this year (4th grade, of course) and reading about American history. I have him doing a lot of art projects because that is what he feels like he excels at. Which is fine, but at some point our house will be declared a museum instead of a house, I think. He's doing belt loops and pins for his science, which has been very interesting. He's working on the Science pin and Astronomy pin. Language Arts is MCT. He has an aversion to writing too, but for different reasons than Harry. Sam just has too many ideas trying for space on his paper.

So...we're all fine. Things are working and we're in a groove. Annika's at school and while I have my little grousing issues, she's doing well. She's in a 2/3 combo class and it pulls the second graders up a bit. Which I think is part of my good feelings for her in school. She's being challenged every day and in a class of incredibly good kids. It's a great situation for her and makes me a bit nervous for next year.

Emma joined the charter school's Early-Admission Kindergarten program. That way she can go to classes once a week and have fun there. She has arts & crafts, math, and cooking. She's the youngest at the school but thinks she owns it since she's been tagging along with everyone for so many years. She really looks forward to her days there, and honestly so do I. Our house is so quiet. Harry, Sam, and I use that time to go in depth in math since there aren't any distractions.

Maybe I should write smaller updates more often. If you've gotten to the end here, congratulations!