Okay, sounded out. But it is official. She got out her reader, we snuggled on the couch in my bedroom and she sounded out some three letter words with very little to no help from me. We were beaming. This ranks among my favorite moments...first steps, first smiles, first spoken words, first words read.
Love it!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
A Very Schooly Day, Thurs 10 May
Well, after having had a sort of unintended break from school in March and April, the little scholars were literally begging to return to their more formal studies. We have been back at it and while appreciate the return to routine as much as they do, I am getting a little squirmy about all our workbookish, schooly-school dependence. Still, we made thru to the ebb of outside life, so I am sometimes too preoccupied to get creative and surrender myself entirely to their intellectual souls. As I say, though, I am getting squirmy. Tomorrow we ARE heading out on a nature walk with camera, sketch books, picnic lunch, jars, guidebooks and I am NOT promising that we will use any of those things. But we will learn, explore and enjoy.
And then there was a very "proper" school day today...
Firstborn:
And then there was a very "proper" school day today...
Firstborn:
- Handwriting--New Workbook (!), pagaes 14-15
- MUS--Complete 19B & 19C
- Latin--Listen to chant CD and complete pages 44-45
- Memorization--Malachi 1:11
- Spelling/Vocabulary--Babble
Sunshine:
- Handwriting—page 17, first two lines
- MUS—Watch Lesson 27 presentation & complete 27A
- Memorization—Complete Heb 1:3
- Copywork—color illustration
- Catechism—Narrate new Just Like Mary reading
- Spelling/Vocabulary—Babble
We also read up on the Renaissance world explorers in our Kingfisher Encyclopedia...da Gama, Columbus, Magellan, etc.
Wednesday 9 May 2007
A simple, schooly morning. Tomorrow I hope we can be a bit more creative and together.
Firstborn:
Handwriting—New workbook! pages 12-13
MUS—Watch Lesson 19 Presentation; Complete 19A (watched the lesson alone, but seems to have caught on)
Latin—Listen to Chant CD two times (he neglected to listen yesterday)
Copywork/Memorization—Malachi 1:11
Spelling/Vocabulary: Babble
Sunshine:
MUS— Test 26
Copywork/Memorization—Complete verse from Heb 13
Catechism—Narrate new Just Like Mary reading
Spelling/Vocabulary—Babble
Rosebud
Magnadoodle phonics
Firstborn:
Handwriting—New workbook! pages 12-13
MUS—Watch Lesson 19 Presentation; Complete 19A (watched the lesson alone, but seems to have caught on)
Latin—Listen to Chant CD two times (he neglected to listen yesterday)
Copywork/Memorization—Malachi 1:11
Spelling/Vocabulary: Babble
Sunshine:
MUS— Test 26
Copywork/Memorization—Complete verse from Heb 13
Catechism—Narrate new Just Like Mary reading
Spelling/Vocabulary—Babble
Rosebud
Magnadoodle phonics
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
7 May 07
On the days we've had time to work in some formal learning (which are beginning to increase again), we have been trying something a little new. I spend an hour at the beginning of the day, even before breakfast if possible, to work one on one with Firstborn. Then, about a half hour each with Sunshine and Rosebud. With Firstborn and Sunshine, I review their previous work (check yesterday's math, Latin, handwriting, etc) and we decide together their goals for the current day. I have started typing these goals on a Word document along with reminders of extra-cirricular activities and special contributions they may make for the day (sweeping the porch, filling bird feeder/bath, watering garden, etc) so that they can check back without my having to remember it all. I have even bigger ideas for these "Book(s) of Days" that I will write about in the future.
For today, Rosebud was so excited about her new bike and new rollerskates and new CDs, that I am just giving her the day to bathe in her happiness while honing new cooridination skills. She is absolutely beaming.
Firstborn: Chef's Apprentice
For today, Rosebud was so excited about her new bike and new rollerskates and new CDs, that I am just giving her the day to bathe in her happiness while honing new cooridination skills. She is absolutely beaming.
Firstborn: Chef's Apprentice
- Latin--pages 42 (derivatives) & 43 (grammar review); listen & chant with CD lessons 1-10
- MUS--Lesson 18 TEST and online multiplication drill with timings
- Handwriting--page 75 This completes the book! Also discussed prefixes and suffixes.
- Spelling & Vocabulary--Babble
- Listen to Science with Sunshine--Catholic Stories from Science 2, Soul Food and Germs Make me Sick
- Art/Painting
- Nature walk
Rosebud
- MUS--correct problems from last assignment
- Handwriting--two sentences
- Catechism--Discussed new page from Learning to Love God, copied (traced) illustration and copied half of scripture verse (complete and memorize tomorrow)
- Art/painting
- Nature walk
- Science (same as Firstborn, see above)
Sunday, May 06, 2007
catching up
Oh dear, I fear I have ignored this learning blog for far too long. We had high gardening hopes for the month of March. Alas, a miraculously wet spring has disrupted our plans. The positive aspect is that the rain is making an actual dent in the extreme drought we have endured for years now. The negative, albeit selfish, is that as it is unhealthy for the plants and soil to be worked when wet, we didn't do even half of what we had planned. Nonetheless, we dug up nearly three 64 sq ft garden beds. One is planted with tomatoes, sweet and spicy peppers and a tomatillo. (Forgot eggplant?) One is planted around the perimeter with sunflowers in hopes of growing a little sunflower house. Normally it would be too late, but we are hoping to drop a few melon seeds in our third bed just to see if they might make it in this strangely wet and "cool" spring weather. There are few herbs to add (how could we make it through the summer without fresh basil?) and then we'll be stopped by the inevitable hot weather.
The fig tree looks gorgeous. The blackberry patch is flowering and putting out the preliminary green sours. And the peach reports from the orchards is good, so far.
In the meantime, we have made some irregular attempts at school work. Plugging along on math, Latin, and handwriting for Firstborn. Math & handwriting for Sunshine. A bit of history for the pair of them. And reading/writing for Rosebud. In the last couple of weeks, she has started some very primitive attempts at sounding out three letter words. We're on the brink of a breakthrough.
There had been a lot of days "off" this spring because, well because, outside life becomes so demanding in the spring. It is this way every spring. And Advent. The natural consequence of a flow in Life is an ebb in formal research and discovery. We very nearly fall into a patch of unschooling. And that is okay. It really is. The children are happy, we have read a lot, done some baking and cooking. Art, ballet, choir, music, and baseball mark the week and puncuate the education with bits of normalcy and formality. But now the children are begging. Mom, when can we get back to school? Can't you read us some history? When will I read? When will you get my new math book?
The flow of life is gradually ebbing and I've got the little scholars right where I want 'em: begging for more education. Bwah-ha-ha! Actually, I think it is their way of begging for my attention, for their routine and for our morning together time. We enjoy learning together and being together. Come to think of it, I am ready for a return to mornings in the Study.
We are trying some new formats and I am refocusing on spiritual preparation. More details forthcoming. I'll be writing more about these in the days to come.
The fig tree looks gorgeous. The blackberry patch is flowering and putting out the preliminary green sours. And the peach reports from the orchards is good, so far.
In the meantime, we have made some irregular attempts at school work. Plugging along on math, Latin, and handwriting for Firstborn. Math & handwriting for Sunshine. A bit of history for the pair of them. And reading/writing for Rosebud. In the last couple of weeks, she has started some very primitive attempts at sounding out three letter words. We're on the brink of a breakthrough.
There had been a lot of days "off" this spring because, well because, outside life becomes so demanding in the spring. It is this way every spring. And Advent. The natural consequence of a flow in Life is an ebb in formal research and discovery. We very nearly fall into a patch of unschooling. And that is okay. It really is. The children are happy, we have read a lot, done some baking and cooking. Art, ballet, choir, music, and baseball mark the week and puncuate the education with bits of normalcy and formality. But now the children are begging. Mom, when can we get back to school? Can't you read us some history? When will I read? When will you get my new math book?
The flow of life is gradually ebbing and I've got the little scholars right where I want 'em: begging for more education. Bwah-ha-ha! Actually, I think it is their way of begging for my attention, for their routine and for our morning together time. We enjoy learning together and being together. Come to think of it, I am ready for a return to mornings in the Study.
We are trying some new formats and I am refocusing on spiritual preparation. More details forthcoming. I'll be writing more about these in the days to come.
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