Sunday, January 25, 2015

This Week in Learning {Week 20}

Tyler from last Monday's nature hike. He was impressed with the big rocks he found.


I almost didn't do a post for this week. I sat down Friday evening and was really uninspired to process our week. I wrote a little and then hit delete.

Now that I've sat down and planned out next week, I feel like I can attempt This Week in Learning. It wasn't a bad week. It's just that it is winter and my mind says hibernate and my heart says more warm weather and sun, please. : )

I think that I will change my format a little and avoid a listing of what we did and just concentrate on my thoughts for the week.

Interruptions seems to be the game lately. There is flexibility in homeschooling but as kids get older there is a lot less of it. I feel like we are a little behind where I would like us to be at this point in the year. I know if this is true after the end of term 2, which is in two weeks. I need to remember to say no to some of the interruptions. I also need to get back to errand running on the weekends and evenings. This is really hard to do in the winter when it's dark so early!

Caleb is getting further and further behind in Writing With Skill. We are halfway through week 12 out of a 36 week program!!!! We have completed 20 weeks of our 36 week school year (we also didn't start this program until around week 4). Who writes a 36 week program and expects it to be done in a year anyway? Each week has 4 days of lessons. Some days are quick and others could take an hour easily. I only schedule 30 minutes so we get behind this way. We also keep having interruptions to our day which then only leaves us 3-4 days a week we can work on this program. Caleb enjoys this program, but he would get burned out if we did it 5 days a week. I'm not sure what to do about it. I need to really pour over the lessons and evaluate. What can be skipped? If it can't, then I will have to use something else for Tyler. I hate programs that we become the servant of instead of the master. I don't see us using book 2 next year as planned . . . . and not just because we aren't ever going to finish book 1.

Tyler's handwriting is back to the way it was before vision therapy (really poor). His vision therapy is over. Doctor said said in November to come back in six months . . . . which is too long to wait to see what the problem is. This is my reminder to call the eye doc next week.

Lucy, now 13 weeks. Trying to look innocent!


I think Tyler is ready to attempt written narrations (again). The handwriting thing is really the only thing I have been waiting on. His oral narrations are seeing much improvement lately.

Our local homeschool group had a book sale this past week and I did find some books on my list. This was a happy surprise!

I had Caleb skip reading chapter 6 of The Century For Young People. I picked it up to read (which I haven't done every week!) and it was a little too much (for me at least)!  We read a chapter in another book about WWII instead. It was based on war strategy and not on how everyone was killed. We did discuss how the crimes that were committed were unimaginable and should be left there.

I decided against Tyler reading Augustus Caesar's World after reading it for two weeks. I personally didn't like it. It was well written it's just the subject. Tyler wasn't enjoying it either. Story of the World is a favorite of Tyler's and there really isn't any need for an additional book. Problem solved! Of course, I purchased this book a couple of years ago and have yet to actually use it. Hopefully it will sell.

Our goals for the upcoming week include making sure math lessons get done. I need to go through and count lessons (for both boys) and see how math is looking. Attempting a written narration for Tyler! Make sure I'm getting the oral narrations that the boys are suppose to give. Work on helping them to improve on those. 

Caleb from our nature hike last Monday.
 

1 comment:

  1. I really like reading your thoughts, and I think when we write our thoughts it helps others too.
    Interested to read about Tyler's experience with WWS and I totally agree that we are not to be the servant to the curriculum.
    I was fascinated the other day to read about vision therapy and handwriting, I've been talking with my boys wondering if that is the problem.
    Yeah for book sales

    ReplyDelete

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