Linda's Homeschool WebLog
Friday, August 29, 2003
What We're Reading
My son is dyslexic so I'm still reading to him. I didn't want him to miss the Chronicles of Narnia so that's what we're reading this year, to start. So far its going fast... the first novel is making us want to read more than one chapter each day!
The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia #1)
By C. S. Lewis
My son is dyslexic so I'm still reading to him. I didn't want him to miss the Chronicles of Narnia so that's what we're reading this year, to start. So far its going fast... the first novel is making us want to read more than one chapter each day!
The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia #1)
By C. S. Lewis
An article published yesterday about unschooling author, Tamra Orr: For this family, only home school makes grade
This article seems to be a couple years old... well worth reading if you hope to get your children into college: In A Class By Themselves
Here's the Good News...
My daughter decided to return to homeschooling! I am so thrilled I could cry but am trying not to look too excited. I told her to make sure its what she wants because I don't want her bouncing back and forth between homeschool and public school. So far she's sure she wants homeschool... to learn in freedom. She's been home since Thursday and I'll be going to the school Tuesday to return her Algebra book.
What made her change her mind? I think its mainly the structure of highschool... the rules.. the stress and pressure. She could already tell by day two that she's not up to it this year. She didn't want to go on Wednesday but I insisted. On Wednesday evening she convinced me of her sincere desire to quit attending.
I cannot tell you how relieved I am to have her back, as a homeschooler.
I read her the state laws about highschool required courses and asked her to come up with a plan. She's mainly wanting an arts education this year and we're getting her singing lesson CD's and a book and Paint Shop Pro because she enjoys doing graphic design. I'm requiring a journal to keep me informed of her progress. She's planning to do the journal in her word processing program (Microsoft Word).
We'll also be going on vacations, aka: fieldtrips. Now that she won't be tied down to a school, we'll be free to do more traveling. I'm already looking through the Oregon AAA Tourguide for interesting museums, science centers, etc.
...
Meanwhile, I'm having fun working with Aaron. He is still being tutored (by me) in reading, writing, spelling and math. So far he's been very cooperative and I'm pleased with the progress we're making during the first week. Of course its usually later in the year we have problems arise. First weeks are easy.
My daughter decided to return to homeschooling! I am so thrilled I could cry but am trying not to look too excited. I told her to make sure its what she wants because I don't want her bouncing back and forth between homeschool and public school. So far she's sure she wants homeschool... to learn in freedom. She's been home since Thursday and I'll be going to the school Tuesday to return her Algebra book.
What made her change her mind? I think its mainly the structure of highschool... the rules.. the stress and pressure. She could already tell by day two that she's not up to it this year. She didn't want to go on Wednesday but I insisted. On Wednesday evening she convinced me of her sincere desire to quit attending.
I cannot tell you how relieved I am to have her back, as a homeschooler.
I read her the state laws about highschool required courses and asked her to come up with a plan. She's mainly wanting an arts education this year and we're getting her singing lesson CD's and a book and Paint Shop Pro because she enjoys doing graphic design. I'm requiring a journal to keep me informed of her progress. She's planning to do the journal in her word processing program (Microsoft Word).
We'll also be going on vacations, aka: fieldtrips. Now that she won't be tied down to a school, we'll be free to do more traveling. I'm already looking through the Oregon AAA Tourguide for interesting museums, science centers, etc.
...
Meanwhile, I'm having fun working with Aaron. He is still being tutored (by me) in reading, writing, spelling and math. So far he's been very cooperative and I'm pleased with the progress we're making during the first week. Of course its usually later in the year we have problems arise. First weeks are easy.
Monday, August 25, 2003
Today's our first day of homeschooling (formally) for the 2003-2004 school year.
My daughter went to public highschool... not my choice for her but I am determined to allow my children to make their own educational choices. Peer pressure caused her to return to the school scene last year. I will refrain from telling you how badly I feel about that.
My son has had his share of peer pressure, but resists it every time. He has a mind of his own and definitely prefers homeschooling because he doesn't want to be around a lot of other children every day. He had his fill of that in kindergarten for four months and has never wanted to go back.
So here we are, planning another school year. Because Aaron is 13 this year I'm letting him choose what to do in some of the subjects we're covering. Our state law mandates what courses to offer, but gives some leeway on how to cover them.
For example, here's what it says about offering social studies:
My daughter went to public highschool... not my choice for her but I am determined to allow my children to make their own educational choices. Peer pressure caused her to return to the school scene last year. I will refrain from telling you how badly I feel about that.
My son has had his share of peer pressure, but resists it every time. He has a mind of his own and definitely prefers homeschooling because he doesn't want to be around a lot of other children every day. He had his fill of that in kindergarten for four months and has never wanted to go back.
So here we are, planning another school year. Because Aaron is 13 this year I'm letting him choose what to do in some of the subjects we're covering. Our state law mandates what courses to offer, but gives some leeway on how to cover them.
For example, here's what it says about offering social studies:
Social sciences, drawing upon the disciplines of anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology, designed to fit the maturity of the pupils. Instruction shall provide a foundation for understanding the history, resources, development, and government of California and the United States of America; instruction in our American legal system, the operation of the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems, and the rights and duties of citizens under the criminal and civil law and the State and Federal Constitutions; the development of the American economic system, including the role of the entrepreneur and labor; the relations of persons to their human and natural environment; eastern and western cultures and civilizations; human rights issues, with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery, and the Holocaust, and contemporary issues.Today we're going to read over the law and I'll let Aaron make as many choices as possible.
