But I have to speak out about Ron Reagan Jr. speaking at the DNC on stem cell research.
I am all for Stem cell research, especially in the area of Alzheimer's research and cancer treatments. My father is dealing with both. I think that an amazing amount good can come out of using stem cells to help heal people. I don't think the Democratic party has a monopoly on this train of thought. I am sure that the current administration agrees.
BUT
where I think we both split off from the Democrats is where these stem cells should come from.
See the Dems want to use the remains of aborted fetuses. After all they are just going to be thrown away. Why not use them? Why not clone those cells and make more stem cells? (let's not tell people that by cloning the cells, we are actually cloning people.) Then we could help people. As a benefit, it gives some righteous purpose for the women who chose to have these abortions. Now instead of just making the hardest, most heart wrenching decisions of their lives they actually could get some good out of it. Hey..Maybe to go along with their Planned parenthood T-shirt they could get "I saved an old fogey's memory" card to frame as a memento since we are on this slippery slope of degrading one of the most personal and devastated decision that any woman has had to make.
I'm sorry but an abortion is a terrible loss of life. It is a horrible thing for a woman to have to physically endure and have to chose to do. There is no "good' that can come out it except a woman who has not been emotionally and physically damaged.
However, you don't need discarded babies for stem cell research. A richer source of stem cells is thrown away by the thousands every day but the press doesn't report on it. Stem cells are found in the umbilical cord blood of healthy, born babies and thrown away at your local hospital where those researchers are clamoring for fetus cells.
God has provided a miracle within a miracle. It's ours for the taking but we throw it away. Instead our politicians would rather take God's miracle though a tragedy and try to make another miracle in it's stead.
Stem cell research and non-cloning of human fetus cells are not mutually exclusive but the Democrats don't won't you know that.
FYI: three out of four of the ZooBoys stem cells have been banked for future use or donation. 6 years ago, ZooDad and I realized that it was a very cheap insurance policy for our boys.
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
One week to go
There's one week until school starts. Our county starts back very early. I know what you're thinking. Aren't you a homeschooler? Why do you care when school starts back? You can start whenever you like."
Yes, I know all that. But, we still try to start when the schools start. That way we are done by the end of April. Plus cub scouts start back next week and our therapy schedule will change to accommodate all the schooling families that really, really, really want our early afternoon spots. (Which doesn't annoy me as much as it probably should. We are flexible.)
So I'm running about trying to finish planning, fix up the "schoolroom" and type up my chem lessons. And plan for cub scouts since I'm bear cub co-leader. It is a busy beaver time of year. Unfortunately I don't feel much like being a busy beaver.
Crack that whip... and get to work girl
Yes, I know all that. But, we still try to start when the schools start. That way we are done by the end of April. Plus cub scouts start back next week and our therapy schedule will change to accommodate all the schooling families that really, really, really want our early afternoon spots. (Which doesn't annoy me as much as it probably should. We are flexible.)
So I'm running about trying to finish planning, fix up the "schoolroom" and type up my chem lessons. And plan for cub scouts since I'm bear cub co-leader. It is a busy beaver time of year. Unfortunately I don't feel much like being a busy beaver.
Crack that whip... and get to work girl
For Liz
This is an old picture. Let's see, when was this taken? September last year maybe. Matthew was fishing at the farm pond. The pond had been dangerously low for a couple of years and we really didn't think any fish could have survived. But Grammie took them fishing. He caught this fish the first time his hook hit the water. Cane pole and a worm on the bank of a little pond.
Darn big fish for such a little guy. Last week he caught a smaller bass. that one was only about 14 inches long. He also caught a dozen brim.
Imagine what he could do if he knew something.
Here's recent shots of the younger two.
I made that Nemo cake by the way. Tootin' my own horn.
Darn big fish for such a little guy. Last week he caught a smaller bass. that one was only about 14 inches long. He also caught a dozen brim.
Imagine what he could do if he knew something.
Here's recent shots of the younger two.
I made that Nemo cake by the way. Tootin' my own horn.
Monday, July 26, 2004
Moving
I actually do have things to do. I have my Chem lessons to write. Laundry is screaming at me. I could use the sleep. The kitchen needs mopping. I have an order to place by noon tomorrow. there are countless little things to catch up on.
So what am I doing?
Moving my blog back to Blogger.
Why
They have a spell check and new features. ( at least to me they are.) The spell check thin is important. I have typing issues.
But it is a whole lot of trouble for something no one ever reads.
oh well.
cue music...
It's been too long since we took the time
No-one's to blame, I know time flies so quickly
But when I see you darling
It's like we both are falling in love again
It'll be just like starting over, starting over.
I actually do have things to do. I have my Chem lessons to write. Laundry is screaming at me. I could use the sleep. The kitchen needs mopping. I have an order to place by noon tomorrow. there are countless little things to catch up on.
So what am I doing?
Moving my blog back to Blogger.
Why
They have a spell check and new features. ( at least to me they are.) The spell check thin is important. I have typing issues.
But it is a whole lot of trouble for something no one ever reads.
oh well.
cue music...
It's been too long since we took the time
No-one's to blame, I know time flies so quickly
But when I see you darling
It's like we both are falling in love again
It'll be just like starting over, starting over.
By the way my old stuff can be found at Zoo full of Boys if you are curious. I won't delete and start new if I ever go back again. You better be worth it Blogger.
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Happy Birthday to Me
What a stinky birthday! I turned 34 today which in itself is not that bad. But my darling helpmate, husband and father of my children...had to leave today for a business trip to Tampa. Of course, I had less than 48 hours notice and no time to take dress shirts to the cleaners. So iIspent my birthday morning washing and ironing shirts....and the rest of the day as a single mom.
Oh well.
The part that really reeks is that my darling man will be home late Friday evening....very late. Friday marks our tenth anniversary.
Then to keep myslef entertained, I visit one of my favorite education blogs, and the writer and guests are bashing my son's disability. Unbeknownst to me, my son apparently has a made up, "fad" disorder that would go away if we just taught him some "maths." I should let our Department of Social Services know. Curently they are paying $2000.00 a month for his therapy under the Medicaid Deeming Waiver for Disabled and Special Needs Children.
Where can I learn more about these curing "maths" because I'd rather have him functioning like a normal kids and not have to wrangle insurance and spend 4 hours a week heading to therapy.
Welcome to my party! Woohoo!
Oh well.
The part that really reeks is that my darling man will be home late Friday evening....very late. Friday marks our tenth anniversary.
Then to keep myslef entertained, I visit one of my favorite education blogs, and the writer and guests are bashing my son's disability. Unbeknownst to me, my son apparently has a made up, "fad" disorder that would go away if we just taught him some "maths." I should let our Department of Social Services know. Curently they are paying $2000.00 a month for his therapy under the Medicaid Deeming Waiver for Disabled and Special Needs Children.
Where can I learn more about these curing "maths" because I'd rather have him functioning like a normal kids and not have to wrangle insurance and spend 4 hours a week heading to therapy.
Welcome to my party! Woohoo!
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Nothing to Say
I've been a busy little beaver here. No time for my poor neglected blog. I've been running around doing all the stuff I had to do. A to therapy, van to the body shop for estimates, grocery shopping, laundry.
Oh, I took my Dad in to get new glasses. They should be ready today and I'll pick them and drive those over to him so the little gnome can see again.
I'm busy working on my chemistry program and planning the school year. Two friends have brought their used books over for me to take to the book sale 2 weeks from now. The place looks like a book store. Well, more than it normally does. LOL I cleaned out my under-the-stairs closet that stores part of our school stuff. I sent the stuff not being use this year upstair to the holding bookshelf and then cleaned out the Zooboys' personal bookshelves. I still need to cull through and see what is good and what I can get rid of. (like Franklin books that ZooDad bought.) I'm debating on transforming out dining room into a school room of sorts. Part of me says "woo hoo go for it." Part of me however knows that we won't use it that much as aschool room anyway. I think the happy medium is to redecorate the way I plan to anyway and then make it homeschool friendly. I'd love to put a couple of dry erase boards and a few posters. I think I can do tha and still keep my dining room. (Well, the fact that the mahogany high boy, buffet, and dining table will stay will have to stay will force that a bit.) i just hope my table and chair will hold up to daily use. if not, oh well. It's only furniture.
Oh, I took my Dad in to get new glasses. They should be ready today and I'll pick them and drive those over to him so the little gnome can see again.
I'm busy working on my chemistry program and planning the school year. Two friends have brought their used books over for me to take to the book sale 2 weeks from now. The place looks like a book store. Well, more than it normally does. LOL I cleaned out my under-the-stairs closet that stores part of our school stuff. I sent the stuff not being use this year upstair to the holding bookshelf and then cleaned out the Zooboys' personal bookshelves. I still need to cull through and see what is good and what I can get rid of. (like Franklin books that ZooDad bought.) I'm debating on transforming out dining room into a school room of sorts. Part of me says "woo hoo go for it." Part of me however knows that we won't use it that much as aschool room anyway. I think the happy medium is to redecorate the way I plan to anyway and then make it homeschool friendly. I'd love to put a couple of dry erase boards and a few posters. I think I can do tha and still keep my dining room. (Well, the fact that the mahogany high boy, buffet, and dining table will stay will have to stay will force that a bit.) i just hope my table and chair will hold up to daily use. if not, oh well. It's only furniture.
Friday, July 16, 2004
Crabs Don't Have Tails
My oldest two Zooboys are down on the farm spending a week with Grammie and their Great Uncles. I'll have to share their stories later.
That leaves me with the two youngest Zooboys. A (3) has a major speech diisorder called apraxia. It make conversation very hard for him. He was over 2 before he first said "daddy" and almost 2 and a half before saying "Momma." However, he had a huge language bloom a few months ago. He started putting words together and then making 4 and 5 word sentences. Pronunciation is still way out there but *we* understand a good bit of what he says.
One of the first ways he learned to communicate was by telling Knock-knock jokes. His oldest brother was into bad Boys' Life jokes and shared them with us each new monthly edition. Andrew just picked up on it. Even now, to get your attention he will say "knock-knock."
I say all that to tell you this little story. Yesterday we were out and about. We happened to stop at a red light in front of Red Lobster. Here's the conversation that took place. Please understand that I am translating for him so I am not typing how he actually pronounces things.
A: Momma, What’s that?
M: That’s a lobster.
A: No…that’s not a lobster. That’s a crab.
M: No, it’s not a crab. It’s a lobster.
A: It IS a crab. See! (holds up hands making pincher movements.)
M: lobsters have claws just like crabs do. But lobsters have a tail. Crabs don’t have a tail.
A: Ooooooooh. That’s a lobster. It has a tail.
M: That’s right
A: Crabs don’t have tails.
M: Nope… crabs have no tails.
A: Knock knock
M: Who’s there?
A: Crab
M: Crab who?
A: Crabs got no tails. Ha ha ha ha ha ha
This continued on for quite some time. We went over various animals and even people who did and did not have tails. (Monkeys, fish, gorillas, lobsters, Daddy) The whole time I kept thinking, "What an amazing little guy. He is so smart!" I'm just so thankful that he can finally tell us about all the things he knows. It reminded me of a post I saw on my apraxia group board.
"Being mute is like having your brain gouged out. Autism/apraxia took away my voice, and a world that equates muteness with stupidity took everything else."
I think about my little guy when I read that. And I am ashamed because I once doubted his intellect.
That leaves me with the two youngest Zooboys. A (3) has a major speech diisorder called apraxia. It make conversation very hard for him. He was over 2 before he first said "daddy" and almost 2 and a half before saying "Momma." However, he had a huge language bloom a few months ago. He started putting words together and then making 4 and 5 word sentences. Pronunciation is still way out there but *we* understand a good bit of what he says.
One of the first ways he learned to communicate was by telling Knock-knock jokes. His oldest brother was into bad Boys' Life jokes and shared them with us each new monthly edition. Andrew just picked up on it. Even now, to get your attention he will say "knock-knock."
I say all that to tell you this little story. Yesterday we were out and about. We happened to stop at a red light in front of Red Lobster. Here's the conversation that took place. Please understand that I am translating for him so I am not typing how he actually pronounces things.
A: Momma, What’s that?
M: That’s a lobster.
A: No…that’s not a lobster. That’s a crab.
M: No, it’s not a crab. It’s a lobster.
A: It IS a crab. See! (holds up hands making pincher movements.)
M: lobsters have claws just like crabs do. But lobsters have a tail. Crabs don’t have a tail.
A: Ooooooooh. That’s a lobster. It has a tail.
M: That’s right
A: Crabs don’t have tails.
M: Nope… crabs have no tails.
A: Knock knock
M: Who’s there?
A: Crab
M: Crab who?
A: Crabs got no tails. Ha ha ha ha ha ha
This continued on for quite some time. We went over various animals and even people who did and did not have tails. (Monkeys, fish, gorillas, lobsters, Daddy) The whole time I kept thinking, "What an amazing little guy. He is so smart!" I'm just so thankful that he can finally tell us about all the things he knows. It reminded me of a post I saw on my apraxia group board.
"Being mute is like having your brain gouged out. Autism/apraxia took away my voice, and a world that equates muteness with stupidity took everything else."
I think about my little guy when I read that. And I am ashamed because I once doubted his intellect.
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Congratulations! It's a Deck!
Darling ZooDad finished the deck yesterday. Woohoo! Just in time for the 30 guests that came over for A and S's birthday party. (More on that soon)
9 months after removing the old deck, the new deck was done. My sister congratulated on the proud moment and told him he gave birth to a deck.
We thought about having a ribbon cutting ceremony.
All the guests toured the new deck and each proclaimed it a masterpiece. This really puffed ZooDad up since the man is not a woodworker. He just can not handle the irregularities of working with wood. At one point he was threatening to go "whittle" up some lumber since the stuff from the lumberyard was not *exactly* the same size.
It was quite entertaining for me.
It is a nice deck and extremely sturdy. I don't think our house is as well built.
For the next tornado warning, I think I'll hide out under there instead of in my stair closet.
9 months after removing the old deck, the new deck was done. My sister congratulated on the proud moment and told him he gave birth to a deck.
We thought about having a ribbon cutting ceremony.
All the guests toured the new deck and each proclaimed it a masterpiece. This really puffed ZooDad up since the man is not a woodworker. He just can not handle the irregularities of working with wood. At one point he was threatening to go "whittle" up some lumber since the stuff from the lumberyard was not *exactly* the same size.
It was quite entertaining for me.
It is a nice deck and extremely sturdy. I don't think our house is as well built.
For the next tornado warning, I think I'll hide out under there instead of in my stair closet.
Thursday, July 08, 2004
A new method of discipline
A little back info…yesterday while waiting for my 3 year old to finish his marathon Speech/OT session, I read an article in Parenting on “How to raise children that want to behave.” It was quite a humourous article. I can’t see implementing any of their suggestions.
Fast forward to last evening. My eight year old has 2 big family chores. He takes out the trash and he unloads the dishwasher. After he unloaded the dishwasher last night, I opened the cabinet to discover that dishes were just stuffed in the cabinet. After rearranging them all I told said eight year old that he was no longer allowed to put up dishes. (I don’t know how that would be considered punishment but I really wasn’t thinking.)
This morning I hear the sound of clanking dishes. Well, quietly clanking dishes. I peeked in the kitchen to find said eight year old unloading the dishwasher and quietly putting the dishes away. Now I’m not sure if I should be angry that he is defying my order that he leave the dishes alone or proud that he wants to keep that family job. I think I’ll wait until he either tells me what he did or I “discover” the empty dishwasher at lunch. Funny kid.
Fast forward to last evening. My eight year old has 2 big family chores. He takes out the trash and he unloads the dishwasher. After he unloaded the dishwasher last night, I opened the cabinet to discover that dishes were just stuffed in the cabinet. After rearranging them all I told said eight year old that he was no longer allowed to put up dishes. (I don’t know how that would be considered punishment but I really wasn’t thinking.)
This morning I hear the sound of clanking dishes. Well, quietly clanking dishes. I peeked in the kitchen to find said eight year old unloading the dishwasher and quietly putting the dishes away. Now I’m not sure if I should be angry that he is defying my order that he leave the dishes alone or proud that he wants to keep that family job. I think I’ll wait until he either tells me what he did or I “discover” the empty dishwasher at lunch. Funny kid.
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
These kids are busy
I have very busy children. I didn't realize just how busy until I sat down and looked at the schedule. Boy, I will be so glad when we start back to school. I just need the continuity. I know we could just start back any old time but I have planning I really need to get done and don’t have time too. Plus I’m still working on my chemistry curriculum that I’m writing. And the two oldest are heading down to Grammie’s farm next week so they can go to her church’s vacation bible school. She wants to show them off.
A has a new speech therapist and I am amazed at how well the transition went. I fully expected at least a month of trials and tribulation…and temper tantrums. But….he likes her. He goes happily. He’s making better progress even. His newest cuteness is telling me what things he likes. “Me wike daddy food. Me wike chicken. Me wike schooooos.” I’m so glad he can tell us how he “wikes” things. Before now, we’ve just had to assume. OT is still going along. He’s still lagging in most skills especially fine motor but his coloring has improved some. And he draws the most hilarious pictures. Mostly spiders with many, many legs.
Baseball season is finally over. Thank God for small miracles. We ended up at the ball field every single weeknight…all of them…for eight weeks. That is entirely too much baseball. The two oldest ZooBoys enjoyed it though, so that made it somewhat worth it. M (5) wants to play soccer this fall, so I enrolled him. I thought it only fair since J gets to be a Bear Cub Scout this year.
Swim lessons are over though the boys don’t swim any better now than they did. Oh well, swimmers they are not, neither am I.
Deck repairs are still ongoing. My darling computer geek of a husband has nearly lost his mind over it, but the deck is over half finished. He has to finish it by Sunday since about 30 people are coming over for A’s 3rd birthday and S’s 1st birthday party. Poor Guy. He goes “Monk” quite easily and the unequal nature of wood products is just more than he can bear. When he started measuring where to but decking screws so they were all even, I had to put my foot down and just start putting them in myself.
A has a new speech therapist and I am amazed at how well the transition went. I fully expected at least a month of trials and tribulation…and temper tantrums. But….he likes her. He goes happily. He’s making better progress even. His newest cuteness is telling me what things he likes. “Me wike daddy food. Me wike chicken. Me wike schooooos.” I’m so glad he can tell us how he “wikes” things. Before now, we’ve just had to assume. OT is still going along. He’s still lagging in most skills especially fine motor but his coloring has improved some. And he draws the most hilarious pictures. Mostly spiders with many, many legs.
Baseball season is finally over. Thank God for small miracles. We ended up at the ball field every single weeknight…all of them…for eight weeks. That is entirely too much baseball. The two oldest ZooBoys enjoyed it though, so that made it somewhat worth it. M (5) wants to play soccer this fall, so I enrolled him. I thought it only fair since J gets to be a Bear Cub Scout this year.
Swim lessons are over though the boys don’t swim any better now than they did. Oh well, swimmers they are not, neither am I.
Deck repairs are still ongoing. My darling computer geek of a husband has nearly lost his mind over it, but the deck is over half finished. He has to finish it by Sunday since about 30 people are coming over for A’s 3rd birthday and S’s 1st birthday party. Poor Guy. He goes “Monk” quite easily and the unequal nature of wood products is just more than he can bear. When he started measuring where to but decking screws so they were all even, I had to put my foot down and just start putting them in myself.
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
Oh Tuesday, how I love you
We have no plans on Tuesdays. No where to go, nothing to do but what we want to do. No OT, no Speech, no scouts, no errands, no library. We just stay home. When ZooDad is home, we send him off to work and spend the day just doing fun things. Tuesday is art day. Tuesday is fun project day. Tuesday is Nature Study day. Tuesday is the day I read lots of stories and play games. Tuesday is read what ever interests you day. Tuesday is a no workbook day. None...at all. The only writing is writing done by choice. (And remarkably a lot of writing gets done.) Tuesday is no TV day. Well, the TV is on but thanks to Comcast cable, we listen to music all day...all different kinds of music. No computer games, not even educational ones. Tuesday is not a school day according to J8.
Tueday is no chore day. Except to take out the trash and load and unload the dishwasher. We have Pop-tarts for breaskfast, sandwiches for lunch and ZooDad picks up "cheap pizza", which leaves few dishes to wash. We don't even make the beds.
Tuesday is play outside day. Tuesday is basketball day and sidewalk chalk day and pull your brother around in his wagon day. If it is raining, Tueday is built forts in the house day and make cookies day.
It amazes me how much all of the kids look forward to Tuesday. They enjoy the scheduled unstructure. It gives them a day to just learn about what they want to learn about. It's a fun free feeling.
It also shows me how hard successful unschooling must be. I can do it one day a week, but seven would kill me. I am literally run ragged by the end of the day by all of our "non-school" stuff. Plus there is the general "what if they don't learn what the need' worry that comes to us fledgling unschoolers. I would worry about covering what was needed to know. I would stress about the fact that my 5 year old was still not reading well or that my 8 year old didn[t test as highly as I wanted on last year's ITBS. I would worry myself to sickness and give up.
I just can't release all of that "school must be done" feeling. But I can do it once a week.
~Happy Tuesday!~
Adding***
The boys are currently drawing their own zoo animals for their Zoo ala' Zootycoon. (Which I always read as Zooty Coon for some reason.) Beanie babies of all sorts are placed in various habitats and terrains made out of paper, fabric, and my couch cushions. A2 has 2 large blue jay beanie and 3 teeny beanie blue jays in a nest. My little Apraxic child is telling me to "Sssssssssss, mum" since the "babies seepin."
Tueday is no chore day. Except to take out the trash and load and unload the dishwasher. We have
Tuesday is play outside day. Tuesday is basketball day and sidewalk chalk day and pull your brother around in his wagon day. If it is raining, Tueday is built forts in the house day and make cookies day.
It amazes me how much all of the kids look forward to Tuesday. They enjoy the scheduled unstructure. It gives them a day to just learn about what they want to learn about. It's a fun free feeling.
It also shows me how hard successful unschooling must be. I can do it one day a week, but seven would kill me. I am literally run ragged by the end of the day by all of our "non-school" stuff. Plus there is the general "what if they don't learn what the need' worry that comes to us fledgling unschoolers. I would worry about covering what was needed to know. I would stress about the fact that my 5 year old was still not reading well or that my 8 year old didn[t test as highly as I wanted on last year's ITBS. I would worry myself to sickness and give up.
I just can't release all of that "school must be done" feeling. But I can do it once a week.
~Happy Tuesday!~
Adding***
The boys are currently drawing their own zoo animals for their Zoo ala' Zootycoon. (Which I always read as Zooty Coon for some reason.) Beanie babies of all sorts are placed in various habitats and terrains made out of paper, fabric, and my couch cushions. A2 has 2 large blue jay beanie and 3 teeny beanie blue jays in a nest. My little Apraxic child is telling me to "Sssssssssss, mum" since the "babies seepin."
Sunday, April 04, 2004
14 more days
Fourteen days down and 14 more to go.
My darling hubby and the father of the ZooBoys is away from home on business in Arizona where they aparently do not observe daylight saving time. I'm used to him traveling. He's gone about a quarter of the year every year. The ZooBoys are also used to daddy being gone. It's the only life they have ever known. It doesn't make it any easier though.
So we VTC, email, IM, and call every three hours or so.
He still misses out on stuff. 8 month old SamBoy has started crawling in Daddy's absence. A2 has started drawing pictures of people. J8 and M5 have had some growing boy/sibling rivalry issues that I really need his guidance on.
only 14 more days.
My darling hubby and the father of the ZooBoys is away from home on business in Arizona where they aparently do not observe daylight saving time.
So we VTC, email, IM, and call every three hours or so.
He still misses out on stuff. 8 month old SamBoy has started crawling in Daddy's absence. A2 has started drawing pictures of people. J8 and M5 have had some growing boy/sibling rivalry issues that I really need his guidance on.
only 14 more days.
Saturday, April 03, 2004
Searching for Perfection
The end of the school year approaches and I once again begin my quest for perfection...the quest for the perfect curriculum. I'm sure it is out there for other people, but not for me.
I've looked at Calvert. I am very impressed with it and I should be considering the price. But since the exclusive secular private school here is 10k a year...600 bucks is a bargain. I don't want to give up the things that I do enjoy using though and I don't want to pay all that money and not use the program.
Once again I reach the proverbial Rock and Hard place.
What works?
Spelling workout for one. J8 loves it. He can teach himself, which I also enjoy. I also appreciate that groups list words by phonetic rules. I also like the writing assignments and proofreading exercises. We'll be using level D next year.
Story of the World is another winner. We're plugging our way through book one but we are loving it. I really enjoy this history program. I hope it doesn't let me down on American History though.
Grammar is up in the air. I'm trying to determine if we will use the McGraw-Hill book again, a textbook again, or Primary Language lessons. I just don't know yet. I keep hearing how Abeka grammar is great and how Rod and Staff English in fabulous. I've looked through those. The religion is pervasive. Though I am spiritual...I am not religious. I just don't see why God need to be involved in teaching sentence structure.
Writing Strands is on the list for creative writing although it probably isn't needed. J8 writes constantly. He comes up with stories, poetry, and even comic books on his own. Let's just say that he's an 8 year old Steven King in producing works of writing. M5 is just getting into the idea of writing. I fear that he might end up as prolific as his older brother.
Math is another area of contention. We've been using MCP math, but I fear there are holes in our math education. I'm not quite committed to somthing as involved as Math-U-See however. I'd do Rod and Staff but for previously stated objections. Horizons and Abeka are also cautious ideas. I may just splurge on Calvert Math and call it a day.
Reading is an easy one. J8 read several books a week. We'll just start doing some book reports. Of course that means that I'll have to read the same books to make up some lessons. I hope I can keep up with him. LOL
Science is going to be the main issue. There's nothing on the market but Creation Science and I just can not do Creation Science. It is not going to happen. I just don't see why I can't be Christian and think Darwin was on to something. I don't see the two ideas as mutually exclusive. So I am writing my own Chemisty and Earth Science plans. The hard part is going to be finding a spine. Heck, I spent 4 years writing science lesson plans for other people's children. I think I can manage to come up with a hard science program for my own flesh and blood. If I do come up with a hqard plan, we'll just flit about like we have bee doing. Hmmmmm....maybe fliting about *is* the plan. The only problem is that the zoo boys will end up heavy on biology, chemistry, and physical science and light space science, geology, and physics.
So those are the major plans. There is more to be filled in. Spanish and Logic are decided. Handwriting is up in the air since we have yet to introduce cursive. (My oldest is only a second grader so I'm not too late.) M5 will be a kindy next year but he'll be doing 1st grade work and doing SOTW and Science with his older brother...so that won't require additional planning.
Now to just keep away from the Sonlight Catalog. For some strange reason, I am drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
I've looked at Calvert. I am very impressed with it and I should be considering the price. But since the exclusive secular private school here is 10k a year...600 bucks is a bargain. I don't want to give up the things that I do enjoy using though and I don't want to pay all that money and not use the program.
Once again I reach the proverbial Rock and Hard place.
What works?
Spelling workout for one. J8 loves it. He can teach himself, which I also enjoy. I also appreciate that groups list words by phonetic rules. I also like the writing assignments and proofreading exercises. We'll be using level D next year.
Story of the World is another winner. We're plugging our way through book one but we are loving it. I really enjoy this history program. I hope it doesn't let me down on American History though.
Grammar is up in the air. I'm trying to determine if we will use the McGraw-Hill book again, a textbook again, or Primary Language lessons. I just don't know yet. I keep hearing how Abeka grammar is great and how Rod and Staff English in fabulous. I've looked through those. The religion is pervasive. Though I am spiritual...I am not religious. I just don't see why God need to be involved in teaching sentence structure.
Writing Strands is on the list for creative writing although it probably isn't needed. J8 writes constantly. He comes up with stories, poetry, and even comic books on his own. Let's just say that he's an 8 year old Steven King in producing works of writing. M5 is just getting into the idea of writing. I fear that he might end up as prolific as his older brother.
Math is another area of contention. We've been using MCP math, but I fear there are holes in our math education. I'm not quite committed to somthing as involved as Math-U-See however. I'd do Rod and Staff but for previously stated objections. Horizons and Abeka are also cautious ideas. I may just splurge on Calvert Math and call it a day.
Reading is an easy one. J8 read several books a week. We'll just start doing some book reports. Of course that means that I'll have to read the same books to make up some lessons. I hope I can keep up with him. LOL
Science is going to be the main issue. There's nothing on the market but Creation Science and I just can not do Creation Science. It is not going to happen. I just don't see why I can't be Christian and think Darwin was on to something. I don't see the two ideas as mutually exclusive. So I am writing my own Chemisty and Earth Science plans. The hard part is going to be finding a spine. Heck, I spent 4 years writing science lesson plans for other people's children. I think I can manage to come up with a hard science program for my own flesh and blood. If I do come up with a hqard plan, we'll just flit about like we have bee doing. Hmmmmm....maybe fliting about *is* the plan. The only problem is that the zoo boys will end up heavy on biology, chemistry, and physical science and light space science, geology, and physics.
So those are the major plans. There is more to be filled in. Spanish and Logic are decided. Handwriting is up in the air since we have yet to introduce cursive. (My oldest is only a second grader so I'm not too late.) M5 will be a kindy next year but he'll be doing 1st grade work and doing SOTW and Science with his older brother...so that won't require additional planning.
Now to just keep away from the Sonlight Catalog. For some strange reason, I am drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Never make a plan
Well, never make a detailed plan at least. The devil is in the details or so they say. The moment I make a plan with page number and daily assignments with all details included, we get a nice surprise. This week’s surprise was a stomach virus. That blew my well planned and productive week out of the water. Now I’m happy just to get math, grammar, and spelling done.
The good news is that everyone has had it so no one else can get sick. The bad news is that I have 3 days to help 2 boys finish their pinewood derby cars for cub scouts.
The basic shapes are already cut out. They just need to sand and paint the car. Plus we have to sand the axels.
But not before we test it out first.
Everything becomes a teachable moment. Pine wood derby cars have turned into a lesson on friction.
My oldest son wants to know if polishing the axels actually reduces the friction enough to make the car race faster or if I make his Daddy do all that work for nothing. I told him to make up the experiment. He’s currently trying to determine how to test a single variable. I’ll see how long it takes him to figure out that he can’t just test his car against his brother’s. That he will have to test his car with one set of unpolished axels against his car (and same wheels) with a set of polished axels. He’ll also have to find a way to determine which is faster since we don’t have that accurate of a stopwatch.
The good news is that everyone has had it so no one else can get sick. The bad news is that I have 3 days to help 2 boys finish their pinewood derby cars for cub scouts.
The basic shapes are already cut out. They just need to sand and paint the car. Plus we have to sand the axels.
But not before we test it out first.
Everything becomes a teachable moment. Pine wood derby cars have turned into a lesson on friction.
My oldest son wants to know if polishing the axels actually reduces the friction enough to make the car race faster or if I make his Daddy do all that work for nothing. I told him to make up the experiment. He’s currently trying to determine how to test a single variable. I’ll see how long it takes him to figure out that he can’t just test his car against his brother’s. That he will have to test his car with one set of unpolished axels against his car (and same wheels) with a set of polished axels. He’ll also have to find a way to determine which is faster since we don’t have that accurate of a stopwatch.
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