It's Been Awhile Since I've Written a School Update

C will have her 8th grade year completed by January or February, as usual, and I have already chosen part of her 9th grade curriculum. She has completed 76 lessons, and 18 tests in her Saxon pre-algebra. She has been averaging a B for math, although yesterday she got a C on her test. I took half off on 2 problems because she didn't fully reduce the answers, although she had the correct answers, which dropped her grade from a 90 to an 85.

She does 2 lessons per day in her Easy Grammar. They take her all of maybe 5 minutes, and are, frankly, a waste of her time to do, and my time to grade, but it covers the legal requirements for covering grammar. : )

She is doing very well with Apologia's Jump In writing. She doesn't LIKE it, but there will never be anything involving writing for this girl that she will like. We have completed the first 3 chapters, an opinion, a persuasive essay, and a cause-and-effect-persuasive paper. She actually wrote the persuasive paper twice. Once for school, and once in a different, very limited word count, to send in to the local paper's Letters to the Editor. Now we are taking a "break" and doing Jump In's writing plunges for a couple of weeks. You would think that would be easy, but for this child, it is like pulling teeth. Ironically, E was upset that SHE couldn't do writing plunges, so at her request, she is now writing on C's assigned topics, too. At least one of my children enjoys writing.

Social Studies....well, that is MY favorite subject of the year, maybe because we have spent 8 weeks studying the Holocaust. This year we are using something I stumbled into by accident, and that no one I've heard of uses: Perfection Learnings "Literature and Thought". (Sorry, if I knew how to insert links that actually worked into my blog I would, but they never work...google it if you're interested....I HIGHLY recommend this program.) Anyway, this program consists of short, 4-6 week studies of certain historical eras/events using actual literature from that period, letters, documents, personal narratives, newspaper articles, poems, etc. It combines History and Literature, and yes, more writing, into one subject. Yes, we could have gotten this done in the 4-6 weeks it is supposed to take, but because of how in-depth we have gone, we have spent longer. Each chaper, or "cluster" as they call it, has several short pieces of literature, with vocabulary words, and comprehension and analysis questions. But there is also one MAIN question that is to answered throughout the entire cluster, and at the end, instead of a test, she writes a paper to answer the overall question. There are also tons of suggested further reading (and funny, with my fascination with the Holocaust, I already own much of it, LOL), and websites for further research. C and I have spent hours watching videos of actual liberation footage, interviews with many of the victims and authors, and extra rabbit-trails. In addition to the topics in the book, we have had to learn about atomic bombs and the after-effects of nuclear war, due to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Yesterday we were discussing other instances of genocide, and got on a roll gathering information about the UN. Which has an excellent website, for any of you interested. Who knew? LOL And of course, I happen to have numerous books on Rwanda and Darfur, too, you know, for anyone wanting to do further reading. Anyway, this program has been wonderful...everything I'd hoped for when I found it and more. We will finish up the Holocaust this week, and after a week or so break, we will be studying the Constitution. Not as fun, maybe, but I can't think of a better time in history to be studying and learning about the foundations our country was built on and supposed to be following.

Go figure...I just rambled so much about HISTORY that I am making this too long. That pretty much leaves science. This year, C is "unschooling" science. For those of you that aren't homeschoolers, this means she has no formal textbook, and follows her own interests. Considering we are a very sciencey family, and cover a variety of science topics in our day to day life, we aren't having a problem with this. As I've already posted, C took 6 enrichment classes over the summer at our local community college. 4 of them were science classes, and one was a babysitting/first aid class, which would constitute as a "Health" class. She is also helping E and I do Abeka's 5th grade science this year. (Which is my all time favorite science text ever, and I'm loving getting to do it again with a second child.) I'm amazed at how much C remembers of this book from when we did it 4 years ago. We are currently studying geology, which coincides perfectly with C's ongoing interest in rocks. I let both girls choose and order several items from Home Science Tools this year, and the first thing C chose was an entire kit about rocks.

Well, my original intention was to post a brief update on both girls' progress so far this year. I should have known I'd never keep it brief. Sorry, E, but I'll get to your school update at a later time. I WILL mention that E is FLYING through BJU Math 4 with, as always, straight A's. Her spelling, while no where close to perfect, has steadily been vastly imroving, too, and her cursive handwriting is gorgeous. She can't print worth a hoot, though, still looks like a first grader's printing. It's embarrassing, so we just stick to cursive. ; )

Hope all my readers are doing well, and hopefully next time I post I will be a GRANDMA....the baby is due in only 9 more days!

Just Another Reason I Love Homeschooling...

We have been busy all week. Sunday, E and I cleaned the house top to bottom while C volunteered at the animal shelter. She's going on Sundays now alone, because that's the day they have the least help, and they've decided C is mature and responsible enough to work there without me having to be there every single time. E and I still plan to go, but only every 2 or 3 weeks.

Monday, I decided not to do school because it was more imperative to buy jeans that actually fit C. I had new shirts for her birthday, but there is no way I can buy jeans without her trying them on. She had none at all. All of us hate shopping, unless it's for books, but we managed to get C 3 new pairs of jeans, 8 bras, and a pair of tennis shoes. E got one pair of jeans, a pair of sweatpants, a pair of shoes, and a much-needed haircut. I got a pair of tennis shoes, one bra, and some much-addicted-to Bath and Body Works shower gel, lotion, and body spray.

Tuesday was C's birthday. She asked for blueberry muffins for breakfast and then opened her presents. I have never liked having to make children wait for their gift-opening. It makes no sense to give them things at the end of the day when they will have no time to enjoy them. I then made her brownies (not ONE of my children have ever asked for cake.) Then we waited for Dustin to get off work, so he and April could join us in having a birthday dinner at Olive Garden, and then they came over here to the house to play games with C and E.

Wednesday I figured we'd had 2 days off school so we might as well continue taking it easy. Both girls did math, and C wrote her final draft on her persuasive essay and 2 pages in Easy Grammar. Then we took the dogs to the vet so Lucky could get her nails trimmed, and Shadow could get some ear medicine.

Thursday was the one nice day this week with nice weather. C had asked to go to our local state park for her birthday, but every day this week has been cold and rainy, except yesterday. We did our grocery shopping, came home, and the girls did school while I vaccuumed. Then I had to take April to her doctor's appointment....only 4 more weeks till the baby is due! As soon as her appointment was over the girls and I took off for the park, where we hiked a trail, played at the park, stopped and explored several areas, and hiked some more. The weather was GORGEOUS, and the trees are turning their beautiful fall colors. We couldn't have asked for a nicer day.

Today the cable company was supposed to come fix whatever was causing me to not have internet, but they called and asked me to check it an hour or so ago, and they got it fixed without having to come to the house. I have most of my chores done, and will soon be waking the girls up to start school and the rest of our chores. My husband has decided to cook supper for us tonight, so I'm off the hook there. We might actually get a full day of school in.

So what is the reason on my title that I love homeschooling? The reason is that I can't IMAGINE being able to get all this other stuff done if my daughters were gone all day and doing homework all evening! I love my girls, and I love spending time with them, and working one on one with them, knowing how they are doing and what they need to work on with every lesson, in every subject. I know when I need to sit and work with them, and when I can assign them something while I clean house or take a bath. I love knowing they are months ahead in their lessons and we can just take most of the week off to get things done that NEED to be done or are just for fun. We couldn't have gotten clothes that were needed, we couldn't have gotten the haircut, we couldn't have enjoyed C's birthday, it would have been rushed, and we couldn't have spent the whole afternoon and evening enjoying nature on the one day this week that the weather cooperated, and C couldn't be gaining valuable experience working at a no-kill shelter weekly. I simply don't know how we could do all that we do if my girls spent most of their waking hours not home, and spending their evenings doing homework.

This is our fifth year homeschooling, and I love it more and more, for SO many reasons. This week is just one example of many that it is what is best for our family.

Happy 14th Birthday, C

From the moment C was born, I realized what true love was....the love that never fades, only grows. The love that I would do anything to save this girl from pain, I would die for her or her little sister without thinking. This oldest daughter of mine has been a blessing for 14 years. She is a joy to be with, to talk to. She has become a beautiful young woman, both inside and out. She works hard helping not only me, but everyone on the street. She gives of her time and her energy to do for others, from the littlest neighbor child, to the elderly, to every animal she sees. I enjoy every minute with her, whether we are just talking, or playing games, or working, or doing school.

C, until you have your own child you will never have a clue how deeply I love you. You are a joy and a blessing in my life. I hope you can have a wonderful birthday today.