This week has been a challenging one for our family (outside of homeschooling), but I believe even the challenges will end up becoming blessings as more things are finally out in the open where we can begin to deal with them. My energies have not been in schoolwork this week. That being said, we actually did manage to get most of our usual amount of work done…
I’m realizing that I am going to have to find a way to make math more enjoyable for Kathryn, or it will eventually become a big source of discord for us and will begin to hamper her learning. I am clueless about how to do much in the way of living math, but I’m going to have to learn. Even if I don’t manage to include much of that for the remainder of this school year, my focus needs to be different for next year.
Lindsey still likes Switched-On Schoolhouse Algebra. I don’t really know right now how much she is truly learning, but I think she’s gaining some confidence, and just not hating it is a big step in the right direction. I’d like to use more living math for her, too, eventually.
Both girls have been crafty this week, working on their own handiwork projects. Kathryn has been making a sort of patchwork quilt for her dolls by whipstitching together pieces of scrap felt. Lindsey has been working on a cross-stitch she started months ago and then put away for a while.
Keep in mind these are both works in progress!
I’ve decided that the sewing machine and I need to become friends so I can do a few of the projects I have in mind. (I can sew, but need Ken here to fix the sewing machine when I mess it up — which is often. This needs to change!)
Most subjects are continuing on as usual; nothing exciting to report in grammar or literature or history… I think I’m at that point in the year (combined with some added stress beyond school) when I have hit a bit of a wall. I want to plan for next year, but I’m not enthusiastic about the rest of this year. That’s not good, because we have a few months to go. I need to get a fresh dose of something — and soon!
If we can make it to Hobby Lobby tomorrow, we should be able to start working on ocean boxes to go along with our Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day biology study.
One thing we are all rather excited about is that we just started sponsoring a child through Compassion International! In a couple of weeks, we should receive more information about Lucy in Kenya.
Check out what other families have been doing this week at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers’ Weekly Wrap-Ups!
Wife, mama, homeschooler, dog-wrangler. Introvert who finds joy in good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Fitness enthusiast and strength coach. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand.
Living Math – I know there are curriculums out there – but we have loved reading the “Sir Circumference” series from the library. There are lots of math based books to read – ask your librarian. Also – we sing a lot of math songs. Dorky, but my kids can count by 14s!!! Bakers Dozen has a number of great posts on her ‘love’ of math – you can search her site for others – but here is one http://bakersdozen.typepad.com/a_bakerss_dozen_daily_lif/2008/12/math-anyone.html I sure love your site – I look for people who are REAL – and I love that you dont… Read more »
What awesome fun. Having been sick here it’s been a challenge to be motivated to put together homeschool lessons, but sometimes the keeping it simple method is perfect and spurs more learning than a formal plan. We use time4learning and then supplement with various activities, but hey – cooking is always a good one to help convey math lessons.
I’m sorry that it’s been such a challenging week. I hope you’re right and that everything works out for the best once it’s all out in the open.
Congratulations on sponsoring Lucy! We sponsor Nathan in Kenya and it’s been such a blessing.
Don’t get lost at Hobby Lobby tomorrow! Such a fun place. The science project sounds like a neat follow up to your trip to the aquarium. I just learned so much from Cindy West in her HOTM session on Living Math. Mostly it was the freedom in finding we were already doing a great deal of living math – board games, logic, etc. Math is our toughest subject – we’d be having a jolly good time if it weren’t for that 🙂 I heard Susan Wise Bauer once say that doing several types of math is what is best for… Read more »
Jimmie’s Collage is a great source of living math projects.
Your girls projects are great! Ocean boxes sound like fun, can’t wait to see them!
LOVE the handicrafts! They’re doing a great job!
Jessy
I love the girls’ crafts. They’re doing great! Found you through Weird Unsocialized Homeschooler’s Weekly Wrap-Up 🙂
My husband and I decided that we would sponsor a child through Compassion International when he found a new job…which he just did, so we’re going to work on that this weekend. Yea!
This is also the time of year when I want to forget all about the rest of the weeks in what we’re currently doing and plan for the next year. I’m really trying to stay focused on the present this year, but I still catch myself “daydreaming” about new schedules/curriculum.
Found you via the meme at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.
Math isn’t my favorite subject at all….if you find something suitable for teaching it, let me know….(granted, my eldest will only be in 1st grade next year and I can still do that math, it will be tough when she’s older. I can’t remember much algebra)
that is so cool that we are also working on the ocean box for our swimming creatures book!! sweet!
math is my least favorite subject, and always has been. i understand hitting a wall, i did that last year. it was so hard to even want to do school, personally. i do hope you find your balance and motivation again. it can be so very hard to do!! just hang in there, you can do it 🙂
Hi Jamie! I’m looking forward to see what you discover with “living math.” I’ve been reading about a series called “Life of Fred,” for when my oldest is ready for that level. I believe it starts in 5th grade level and you actually “follow” Fred through his life…all the way through high school math. It sounds interesting and is inexpensive (which always catches my fancy : ) I read about it through a free catalog I got from QueenHomeschool. Being CM minded you mostlikely know who they are. I’m still discovering. And don’t worry…you’re a-l-m-o-s-t done with this year. I’m… Read more »
Thank you for taking the time to comment on my blog. It is homeschoolers like you that keep me encouraged in the foster/adoption process.
We’re doing swimming creatures. The ocean boxes are great. I REALLY recommend Crayola’s Model Magic unless your kids are older and quite dexterous. We had a horrible time with regular clay, but they can do the Model Magic on their own. It’s expensive, but it was worth it for me (with a coupon) so that they could do it on their own.
I walk a very fine line with my daughter (age 11) and math. We can get so frustrated. I finally decided to take a break and just work on story problems in her area of ability. And we are drilling the basics. The crafts are wonderfully done. Reminds me that we need to get out our crafts again soon.
The girls’ projects are lovely. I can commiserate with you about this time of year: planning for next year and feeling blah about the rest of this year!
Oh wow, you are one brave mom. Just thinking of homeschooling scares the life out of me, ha. My wife was a preschool teacher before our little guy came (he’s 2) and she is awesome with him. But once he’s a little older and in grade school, we’re a little afraid of certain subjects, math being one of them! 😉
And congrats on sponsoring – we just started sponsoring this week too! A little boy from Haiti and a girl from Africa this week. We think they’ll have a bigger impact on our lives than we do theirs…
Stopping by to say hello :o) Though it’s been a challenging week for you and on homeschooling, the sewing projects that the girls are working on are sure cute, especially that butterfly. Oh how do I know about challenging times with homeschooling, hope this next week proves better than the last. Though I don’t make it around to comment much, I do keep up with ya in google reader, and for what it’s worth- with knowing that bad days or weeks will come to us all- I think you’re an awesome mom, especially with all the newness that you have… Read more »