Friday, April 25, 2014

Spring School

*1*
School.
We rock, of course we do! This, even thought it's spring. The 50 mph winds are good incentive to stay indoors, right?
First Form Latin is challenging for Flower, but once she figured out that she could use the text for reference when answering the questions, she chilled out a bit. Total review for Cub, but he is reveling in the fact that he totally gets it this round. I'm actually feeling less intimidated myself!
Notgrass American History. The text is mainly review, but a bit more detailed, and the pictures are just amazing. Flower loves the workbooks, which are a combo of games and detail.
We finished "Asia" in MP's Geography II. 
More Perplexors has been a fun challenge for all of us. We've been stumped a few times and have decided that they really needed 1 more clue in a few of the puzzles. Math just keeps on flowing.
I've upped the Rosetta Stone German requirement to two lessons a day (mainly because I am determined to actually finish level 1 this year!)- 4 if they want to play MineCraft. Flower plans ahead and just does 4 at once.
VP Bible cards are slowly getting memorized.
The kids started listening to Henty's Lee in Virginia by Jim Hodges. Cub agrees he's racist. Tons of comments and questions regarding slavery and what makes a good slave owner (um,not being one). Flower is fascinated by the concept and it's aftermath and watched The Help twice last week.

Oh yeah, almost forget to mention that Cub will be performing Joseph and the Tecnicolor DreamCoat for Drama Camp. I am hearing LOTS of singing 'round here!

Flower firmly believes that "Kitten-ology" is justifiable spring coursework!

Feeche has 1 more week of college classes and has successfully transferred to a state school for fall. He has tons to cram in before then, including the landscaping job he loves. Spent one afternoon working and came home worn-out and muscle weary!

*2*
Cub has been deep into Hunger Games this week (along with a study guide by Progeny Press -review to follow) that he is really enjoying,  This surprises me because study guide, activity guide kind of guy he is not. But he's been dying to read this series and the study guide was my one requirement. Actually, it's good as far as dystopian lit goes. Great premise (esp for history lovers) and redemptive qualities throughout (one of the hallmarks of truly good dystopian lit vs. straight-out tragedy).

*3*
 Friday, April 25, 2014 from 2:00-3:00p.m. EDT
My NASA loving gang will be there. 

*4*
Feeche is hitting the campaign trail in a few weeks. He'll be hanging with some of his Peach State peeps, working hard to get another state official elected (and drinking copious amounts of coffee along the way). Love these opportunities, made possible by connections we made while bringing TeenPact to our state. Bill Shatner's philosophy of Saying Yes brings it's own rewards. 

*5*
FollowingEzra.jpg
I read Following Ezra this week, by David Fields -Meyers. A bittersweet account of life with an autistic child. A touching reminder that outcomes aren't assured, but faithfulness matters. As one reviewer states, Love and dignity are woven throughout. That.

*6*
Reviews of the Week include one of my Homeschool MUST HAVES
I love this curriculum 
as well as the curriculum company who just re-released it, Roman Roads Media. They are a company to keep your eye on. Stay tuned for my review of The Greeks!
and a fun new find: 

I guest posted over at Sandbox to Socrates this week: Peace of Mind Pedagogy as part of their series on Why Classical. They also have a great series on Why Homeschool, along with a terrific article on Taking Courage, Homeschooling a Child with Disabilities by one of my Territories Homies. There is a newsletter to sign up for and lots of other cool things happening, so you'll want to keep an eye on what's going on over there!

*7*
Several years ago Clay expressed his concern in seeing and hearing about homeschooling moms who were weary and discouraged, some to the point of quitting. “Karen,” he said, “The whole future of western civilization rests in whether or not homeschooling moms stay encouraged!”
I was taken aback! My husband is rarely given to hyperbole and this, he assured me, was a real and true concern. He went on to paint a picture for me of the past 30 years of homeschooling and the hundreds of young people we have personally known who grew up, married, and are successful as parents and in their chosen professions. He pointed out the growing numbers of faithful second-generation homeschoolers in his synopsis. He then observed that the modern church, for the most part, has failed to realize the importance of homeschooling and the powerful force for revival and reformation it has been, simply by raising children, by God’s grace alone, to live simple, believing lives. Instead, he reminded me, the church is often at odds with us, in part, because homeschooling, for all its growth and success, is still counter cultural in evangelicalism, and, when its tremendous potential for genuine mentoring is seen, even threatens the staff-laden machinery that is the local church. And in the middle of the gender wars that are central to so much of conservative Christianity today, the importance of homeschooling moms gets lost in the shuffle. They become discouraged, after thoughts that they often are, and are tempted to throw in the towel." ~ The Joy of Relationship Homeschooling, when the one anothers come home

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2 comments:

rednanasteph's place said...

After reading this I went to the Notgrass web site. Oh my gosh!! How far they have come in the last 10 years. I wanted to buy everything!!! Of course I have no one to use it with!!

rednanasteph's place said...

So Now I went and looked at the book about relationship homeschooling. Where was that book when I needed it!! Oh y gosh. I would love to buy that also. My years of homeschooling have passed, but I guess the love of it has truly not passed.