tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54699263119413650712024-03-13T13:56:15.268-07:00The Learning SquirrelIf you had told me I would be homeschooling my kid, I would have told you that you were nuts. I was wrong. Apparently, I am the one who is nuts. Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-9873739284971740882016-04-12T21:47:00.000-07:002016-04-12T21:47:34.572-07:00Math and UnMath<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xZpf3R1XIiM/Vw3MVzSd_rI/AAAAAAAAGQU/HHohethoY9YrLX-pQtXyOsjAc9_-1VvzwCK4B/s1600/13012842_10209472477707459_6323189822262099587_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xZpf3R1XIiM/Vw3MVzSd_rI/AAAAAAAAGQU/HHohethoY9YrLX-pQtXyOsjAc9_-1VvzwCK4B/s320/13012842_10209472477707459_6323189822262099587_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>Hi. We're back. Things have been ups and downs here. We've been doing a lot of learning-on-the-fly, because our schedule has been topsy-turvy, and sometimes you just have to go with the lessons in front of you, instead of a lot of planned-out sit-down stuff.<br />
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Andy has been having some trouble with sit-down stuff. Partly, we've spoiled him, and he doesn't want to do stuff he considers "work." If it looks like work, it's Bad. This is not conducive to good study habits, or feeling good about homeschooling from the parental point of view. In fact, it's pretty frustrating to have a kid who can get through all three DragonBox apps in a couple of weeks, but when you pull out a math sheet, has a screaming meltdown fit.<br />
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But then I thought, wait; he got through all three of those math apps in a couple of weeks. He's got the logic of algebra down. Maybe part of the problem is that it is time to move on. Time to get into practicalities of math, and how it really is used. Algebra is how we really do math- we have formulas to solve a problem, and we need to find the missing information using the information we actually have.<br />
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We start pre-algebra when my classes end, so I am sure to have some solid time blocks to work with him. We start algebra this fall. He's ready.<br />
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Today, we worked on logic of coding and computer algorithms. This is the base work for starting computer programing and logical sequencing, and we are working on it through a game we got at the science museum. It has a minecrafty theme, and you have to get from point A to point B on the board, using the correct number of moves, with restrictions on direction you can move (this is level one. It's going to get more complicated, up to level 4.) He liked it, though we were both hoping it was going to have a two-player version of the game that might offer competition of some kind, so that we could both play; instead, the only multi-player involves one person creating the instructions and reading them off for the other person to put into action. Not even really a lot of teamwork there.<br />
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Yet we got through ten maps on level 1, and that was a pretty good math lesson for the day.<br />
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Then I told him I learned some basic coding from coding multi-user games. So he wanted to see one. And lo and behold, they still exist- and there were even some friends online! So I introduced my son to the world of MUDs. Text-based MUDs, people. Choose-your-own-adventure in real time. He was fascinated.<br />
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So coming attractions: Andy starts adventuring online, and having to READ to do it. Stay tuned.Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-679349971326308642015-09-06T22:12:00.000-07:002015-09-06T22:12:26.350-07:00The Difference a Year MakesLast year, we started with a little dude who seriously needed some recovery time.<br />
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School had been a disaster. Stress and anxiety had won. Bullies had won. I brought my son home so he could recover and start learning again, so he could be supported in his adventure and find that he was, actually, smart and competent and and lovable. He curled into a fetal ball under my desk and screamed when I showed him a math problem or a vocabulary word.<br />
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This year, we started with half-days, as Joey's school was also starting with a week of half-days. I wondered how far we would get, as summer had been a bit here, a bit there.<br />
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Our first day out, we did a few science observations, learning to use magnifiers and microscopes. We got into a discussion of how cells break apart and re-assemble proteins. We did some writing in his journal.<br />
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Our second day out, we did some experiments with vinegar, wrote the experiments up in his journal, did a short lesson on Sumerians (because we stumbled on a video about them while looking for something else), did a lesson on nouns and adjectives, and wrote five sentences pairing up nouns and adjectives (which I will be using to expand into adverbs, then verbs, and build into stronger sentences and writing by the end of the year). Oh, and we did some educational games during the breaks.<br />
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Then I reminded him that this was a half day.<br />
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Yep. It really is that different. So if you're just getting started, and you still are in the screaming puddle of reluctant child stage? Hang in there.<br />
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They re-discover the wonder if you give them the time they need.Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-37243314108484251332015-08-01T18:11:00.000-07:002015-08-01T18:11:39.927-07:00Summertime, and the Learning is Easy<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teaming up!</td></tr>
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Summer is flying by, and though we have eased up a bit on the hard-core lesson thing, Andy is still moving, shaking, and being awesome.<br />
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Pool days are the best, for the most part. We've had a few lessons on other people not being very kind, but we've rocked it by sharing our toys, including others in our games, and making sure Joey is involved. Brother love is awesome.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making up our own games.</td></tr>
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We have had a penchant for making up new games this summer- card games, battle games, games with small pieces and lots of people challenging the arena. We are thinking about learning to play Dungeons and Dragons soon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for camp!</td></tr>
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We kicked off summer with a camp, the only one Andy asked to attend: History Camp! The program is through <a href="http://www.kenmore.org/" target="_blank">Ferry Farm/Kenmore</a>, and features important colonial sites in town. Every day was a different site, with lots of awesome activities and new friends.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attacked by Lear the Leech, sewed by his very own hands. </td></tr>
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We also had lots of fun learning about how to drive bumper boats.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's get SOAKED!</td></tr>
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The bumper boats have been a great favorite in our discovery this summer of being able to tolerate Funland. With noise sensitivity under control, we can enjoy a lot more things that the big kids do.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hooray! Aunt Emily!</td></tr>
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We have also been having adventures in visiting family. We drove to Tennessee, where we got to visit Aunt Emily and Granny Ann, and see the Nashville Zoo.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first grits, in our first Waffle House.</td></tr>
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Andy tried some new foods, and mostly liked them. Most notable was the grits he tried at Waffle House. He decided they were pretty good. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hooray! Granny Ann!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engarde!</td></tr>
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We set off fireworks for July 4, which was very exciting. Lots of big sparklers, and fireworks that went up into the air! We also enjoyed watching the town fireworks from the Sonic.<br />
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Andy was especially fond of Granny Ann's cats, who were also particularly fond of him.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta-da was especially fond of Andy. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nerf. It's a way of life.</td></tr>
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We got home to have a lesson in auction buying, and Mom's talent for bidding on large lots of Nerf guns and accessories.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look on Andy's face when he saw the car was full of Nerf guns.</td></tr>
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The best thing about Nerf guns is that Andy can make up all sorts of games with them. He also shares them with the whole neighborhood, so everybody gets to play. And we don't use the bullets, so no eyes are taken out. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunflowers!</td></tr>
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Andy's garden has been doing well. It hasn't needed a lot of tending, because there has been plenty of rain- just a little light weeding. However, lack of sunshine also means we haven't had a huge harvest, either. </div>
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We have had a few crook-neck squash. This one was picked a bit late, but it was still delicious. He decided they are very good picked young, cubed, and put raw on salads. We are going to learn to steam and sauté them before the summer is out.<br />
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We have also gotten a few tomatoes, mostly from the plants we put in pots near Grandma's deck. Apparently deer thing tomato plants are delicious.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TOMATO!</td></tr>
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So the summer is going by fast. It's already August! Before we know it, it will be time to get back to things like math and grammar. But for now, we are learning about being a boy, and having fun, and realizing that the world is one big classroom, with lots of world to explore. </div>
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Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-62563226351918035132015-06-23T20:22:00.000-07:002015-06-23T20:22:05.581-07:00Year One is a Wrap! Well, what do you know. We're through a year. This time last year, we were figuring out how to make it official and exploring ways Andy would learn. We were nervous, manically planning and re-planning and skimming through materials and trying to figure out schedules and I was generally panicking, because I knew this had to happen. Public school was a wash for the Squirrel. Would I be up to the challenge of educating him myself?<br />
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Deschooling took the whole five months everyone promised me it would take, maybe a bit longer. Then he slowly came out of the dark and fear and resentment, and started to be interested in things. At this rate, we will be rocking and rolling by fall.<br />
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I had a lot of things absolutely confirmed for me, and I hope for Andy, this year.<br />
->Andy is smart. Holy cow, that child can learn and make connections and is totally amazing.<br />
->When given the time he needs, he can also demonstrate his intelligence.<br />
->When not given the time he needs, he reverts to a fetal ball of screaming sobs, because he becomes frustrated and feels like an idiot, because he's been told he shouldn't need that extra time.<br />
->You can be smart as hell and need extra time to process and communicate that intelligence.<br />
->Andy works his patookas off. Sometimes even when he doesn't realize it.<br />
->He is very, very dysgraphic.<br />
->He has an imagination to die for. Fortunately, he is happy to tell you all about it. He just can't seem to write it down.<br />
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I also learned a lot of things this year; it was full of surprises.<br />
->Unschooling. No, really. By letting him communicate to us what is interesting him, we can use that to catch him up and invest in his own learning. We can also fit skills he needs into topics that are engaging for him. It's much easier to learn to multiply if you learn it by seeing how it can be used for something you like. For example... Pokemon. It takes a lot of math.<br />
->Expectations for fifth graders was far lower than I expected. When looking over the materials, they looked, well, too young and simplified. Teaching to my own expectations and memories of fifth grade, he easily passed the required testing with top marks. Even in his most challenging skills, such as spelling, he was above average.<br />
->Andy likes history, especially if he can be hands-on in experiencing it. The only program he asked for this summer? History Camp. The waking-up moment when he emerged from the public school nightmare? We were at Jamestown. His favorite activity this year? Homeschool day at Kenmore, where they let him grind corn. Never underestimate the power of living history programs and hands-on activities.<br />
->Reading to Andy is a great way to have him retain and think about material. You know he really likes it when he asks for it to be read again.<br />
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Now that we seem recovered from the trauma of school, I'm looking into getting him back into more organized and structured opportunities, such as local classes and library groups. It will soon be time to start thinking about what adventures we want to explore next. This time, I won't be so worried about that whole "grade level" thing. Sometimes, keeping it simple is OK. Having a variety of levels within a topic is great, so that he can familiarize himself with topics and skills. We may try a more unit-based approach this year. Not sure yet.<br />
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We will figure it out together.<br />
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<br />Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-47240974117368928362015-05-23T20:38:00.002-07:002015-05-23T20:38:47.039-07:00Moving Right Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, we've been busy here at the squirrel's nest. In the last couple of months, we have seen a pick up in interest in learning, and working on projects, and doing things- so I've been going for it. We have found a number of new strategies for getting Andy to think about material, access information, and work on his learning, so we have more experiments to do.<br />
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We did make these cool suncatchers for Mother's Day presents for my mom. They were super easy. We use cake and pie pans, regular plastic pony beads, and the cookie cutters. For the flowers, we set the cookie cutter in a cake pan, filled it with a layer of beads, and then put it on the gas grill (medium-high heat) for about ten minutes. We turned the pan halfway through for that second one; the first one you can see the uneven bead melt.<br />
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For the bigger rounds, we used a foil pie pan. We liked that the pattern from the bottom of the pan was captured in the suncatcher, giving it a star pattern. We tried a couple ways to make a hole in the catchers without having to drill, but none of them worked.<br />
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We also made some in a muffin pan, but I think Andy wants to use those as targets or something for his nerf collection. Right.<br />
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Lots to talk about with it, though- heating, melting, color. We experimented with other kinds of beads, and talked about why those didn't work (for example, glow-in-the-dark beads, when melted, are too cloudy).<br />
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We also started our animal unit, where we study different animals, and then we are making a lap book for each one. This is actually my sneaky way of teaching him writing. With the lap book, you look up information and complete several small mini-projects. Then you organize those mini-projects into a larger project, like a book or poster. You end up with a nice interactive learning tool- but also a way to break down information, process it in smaller chunks, then organize it effectively into a larger project. It give him a visual and kinesthetic organization tool! Woo-hoo!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u7sKamKNL20/VWFAEXhal8I/AAAAAAAAGCY/JnSGS6uZPcM/s1600/IMG_4262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u7sKamKNL20/VWFAEXhal8I/AAAAAAAAGCY/JnSGS6uZPcM/s320/IMG_4262.jpg" width="320" /></a>With eagles under our belt, and cats up next, we went to the Richmond Zoo to check out possibilities for future projects. I'm thinking of doing this all summer, as he likes the animals, he likes the lap books, and hey, organizing thoughts and information! Yay!<br />
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He loves the parakeets, and did his best to pet one of each color. He watched the penguins get fed. He touched a giraffe. What better way to pique interest?<br />
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He also took some of his own photos... mostly of the peacocks.<br />
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Oh, and this owl, because he knows I like owls. </div>
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I have the feeling peacocks are going to be on our lapbook list. We also found an animal we had never heard of: the Patagonian Cavy. We totally need to do that one. </div>
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The first mini-projects he completed were about what cats eat, and generally about pets and why people keep pets. Next up: classification and what makes a feline a feline.<br />
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Andy also got his garden started at long last. We started some seeds, and that went really well. He has celebrity tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, basil, watermelon, cantaloupe, and crookneck yellow squash started, and he also insisted we plant some cat nip. At home we put in sunflowers and zinnias in the front, as well as some of the tomato plants. We shall see what he learns.<br />
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Part of it will likely involve "you need to mix the soil better in your garden bed" and "rabbits think gardens are yummy", but I am also hoping we learn a lot about how to can tomatoes, freeze squash, and eat melons.<br />
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We've come a long way from curling into a fetal ball and screaming every time "learn" was mentioned. This coming fall I am hoping he will be ready for classes and more structured lessons, and get that solid base of information under his feet. He's been clipping right along in math, though memorizing times tables is definitely not his "thing".<br />
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Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-46656374104468758632015-05-04T21:16:00.002-07:002015-05-04T21:16:39.869-07:00A little caterpillar loveSpring has arrived... the <a href="http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/444/444-274/444-274_pdf.pdf" target="_blank">tent caterpillars</a> are out and crawling. Andy loves to touch them and pick them up, and no wonder. They are cool, and don't bite or sting. We noticed them as we were leaving our ASL class this morning. Andy got upset that one was crawling into the road as we were getting back into the car, and he was afraid I would crush it pulling out, so he hopped out and this happened:<br />
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You may not be able to save all the creatures, but he made a difference for that one.Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-80917671802777705322015-04-10T20:03:00.001-07:002015-04-10T20:03:42.239-07:00One Paragraph At a TimeAndy has been hitting the writing hard lately. He wrote a whole paragraph, by himself, last week.<br />
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This may not seem like a huge thing when we are talking about a fifth grader. However, we are talking about a fifth grader with dysgraphia.<br />
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We learned a lot in the writing of that paragraph. It took the whole day to do it. We did the editing part the next day. This was just the writing part.<br />
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We learned that writing is absolutely exhausting for the Squirrel. He needs so many breaks to even get the words out there, that we lose the thoughts. He spent most of the time talking to me... and what he wrote was a pale shadow of a glimpse of all the ideas in there, but it was all he could manage.<br />
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We learned that he can be perfectly organized in his head, and the words come out almost at random onto the paper.<br />
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We learned that trying to come up with the words all by ourselves, instead of copywork after scribing, is what is exhausting. If we can copy the words, we do pretty well. If we are trying to think, organize, focus, sit, and get our fingers to comply all at the same time, we end up with a jumbled mess. And the handwriting is bad, too.<br />
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For those of you who know anything about my handwriting, you know how bad it had to be for me to say the handwriting was bad.<br />
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We learned we need to do something else, or writing is not happening. So we went out and bought a headset with a microphone. The project for the coming week? Write a paragraph. First, we are going to speak it- and see if we can get our first draft out into the computer a wee bit faster this time. Then we will focus our energy not on the getting the ideas out, but on the editing so others can enjoy those ideas, too.<br />
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Wish us luck.Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-81327897029874678062015-01-02T16:43:00.002-08:002015-01-02T16:43:32.721-08:00Shades of Red and GreenAndy made that great milestone of growing up this year, the one parents both fear and love, a pivotal moment when the world shatters and comes back together in sparkling new facets.<br />
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Andy figured out Santa Claus.<br />
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Proud as a peacock, he strutted through shops with me, picking out presents for Joey, presents for Grandma, surprises and foods for Christmas morning. He understood perfectly that Joey still believes in his own way, and was careful not to spoil the magic. Yet he knew he was now in the Grown Up World, where he was, indeed, Santa Claus himself. <i>He</i> was in on the Big Secret.<br />
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One of the fun things about this moment is how much a child can learn in this epiphany, when he realizes that it is not just some Mysterious Stranger who brings joy and love into their lives in the magic of Christmas morning, but his own friends, family, and parents who embody that spirit of generosity, love, and wonder. To guide your child's step into the fun of the season with a real understanding of Santa Claus, into the wonder of believing and being that spirit, taking on the role for yourself- that is something to learn in making the world around you a better place.<br />
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We had been in Cicis, having lunch, taking a break of the bustle of Christmas preparations, when we decided to get Joey a 3DS XL for Christmas. They were on sale, and we had an extra coupon, and Grandma needed a big present for him. We could do it. Joey would love it. Andy's eyes sparkled and we pulled out my phone and checked to make sure we would get the best deal. He picked it out himself, and proudly took it to the closet where I hide the other presents, to be wrapped as the Great Surprise for Christmas Morning. Yes, he was Santa Claus. He knew. He beamed with being so grown and part of the season.<br />
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Then I went out and bought another one, and wrapped both, and set them both with the stockings (which we open last).<br />
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Yes, there is nothing quite like a child who thinks he gets it, and then on Christmas morning, opens up a package and stares at it.<br />
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"This is Joey's," he frowned, a little disappointed.<br />
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"No it's not," we all chimed, pointing to the similar package in Joey's sock. He stared a moment, and then the understanding came.<br />
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Merry Christmas, little Squirrel. The beautiful, technicolor, dazzling, brilliant world. In this house, we believe in Santa Claus.Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-59692554531683440112014-12-31T22:16:00.000-08:002014-12-31T22:16:08.879-08:00HAPPY NEW YEAR!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-11646817264808947802014-12-09T20:52:00.001-08:002014-12-09T20:52:57.333-08:00Voluntary"What want to...? Of course! Sure!" I put my teeth back in my mouth, sat in my chair, and stared.<br />
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Andy asked if he could read the bedtime book tonight. He picked a chapter book. He read the entire first chapter, out loud. Himself. Alone. Voluntarily.<br />
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My son wants to read a book.<br />
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This may seem an odd thing to be jaw-dropping, when your child is ten years old, unless he is requesting to read <i>War and Peace</i>. Here, reading at home has been a never-ending struggle at pulling teeth, for both of my guys. Joey reads very well, and he will gladly read dictionaries all night long, but getting to voluntarily read anything else at home is Mission: Impossible. Andy loves books, but never likes reading them. It takes too much energy. He had a vision problem that stalled his reading with confidence. He is still shaky for ten, and I suspect there may be other issues. The book he picked is a Star Wars chapter book, geared to elementary readers, with large type.<br />
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But holy cow, people, he <i>asked</i> to read it. He read the whole first chapter. By himself.<br />
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A month ago, asking him to read a book might result in a sobbing, screaming child in a fetal position on the floor. Now he is asking to read a book!<br />
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I am so proud of my little squirrel.<br />
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<br />Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-62346230321700054012014-12-03T21:06:00.001-08:002014-12-09T20:53:08.616-08:00Moving On UpOne of the great things I have found about this homeschooling thing? We can go at our own pace. If that's a slower pace, that's fine. If that's a faster pace, that's fine. It doesn't need to be steady- we can speed through the things Andy knows, slow down and take time with things he doesn't. Not feeling the learning love today? We can scrap the whole thing and try something else. As long as he keeps up with math and reading, as Virginia requires we either test those skills at the end of the year or come up with a portfolio, it's all good. We want to spend a lot of time on Colonial America? Why not? We have a lot of resources here for it. He needs more practice in multiplication, but knows his geometry terms pat? Well, let's allocate the time to what we need.<br />
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It's amazing.<br />
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When we started, I tried him in a fifth grade math workbook, and we had tears, screams, and gnashing of teeth. We scaled back a bit, then noticed we needed some other support. I put him on a computer site and had him work on that for a while to gauge where he was. The answer? End of third grade. Well, OK, then. I went out, got ourselves a fourth grade program, and started there.<br />
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As he has calmed down all-around, his math has also picked up. Multiplication remains a sticking point, as he needs to practice it. But once we plowed through and got him doing it correctly, we picked up steam.<br />
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We finished the fourth grade book today. I am totally proud of my little guy.<br />
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The plan is to focus on the multiplication and on programs such as Prodigy through the holidays, then start on the fifth grade program in January. I'm not expecting him to finish that in three months, but I think we will be fine. I may even work on some mathemagic with him, and help him understand what these skills really do.<br />
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Meanwhile, he is working on the Revolution, and reading <i>Johnny Tremain</i>. Oh, and we started earth science with minerals and the Moh's Scale. All in all, I don't think we are doing too badly.Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-83448086614829329092014-11-15T08:25:00.001-08:002014-11-15T08:25:24.242-08:00Jamestown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jamestown, you lovely, lovely place. I think Andy cemented more learning in one day than we had been tossing at him for two months.<br />
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Though it probably helped that we had been talking about colonial life for two months before we went.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-48S48Vs9xW4/VGdbj40pc1I/AAAAAAAAF20/KFP9esOGabQ/s1600/IMG_1895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-48S48Vs9xW4/VGdbj40pc1I/AAAAAAAAF20/KFP9esOGabQ/s1600/IMG_1895.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>It was going to be the last lovely day for a while, so we picked up Grandma and headed down to stomp about Jamestown and see what we could learn from reconstruction. Andy was totally excited about the trip, and had a blast. He got my old phone to take with him to use as a camera, and initially took plenty of pictures- until he got distracted by the boats. Then he was too busy.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bil1CL-4ayg/VGdbj9lRggI/AAAAAAAAF24/AGw9vfkXZdc/s1600/IMG_1899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bil1CL-4ayg/VGdbj9lRggI/AAAAAAAAF24/AGw9vfkXZdc/s1600/IMG_1899.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>He loved the Indian village. They had plenty of folks out in costume (apparently this is a popular time of year for school groups to come), and most were super nice and patient, even as Andy had to pace. He liked taking a good look at the homes. He loves corn grinders, and spent a good deal of time grinding- good heavy work for the arms and joints.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0nTTxHy7ClE/VGdbmBLE58I/AAAAAAAAF3I/YUR0a11qSSw/s1600/IMG_1901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0nTTxHy7ClE/VGdbmBLE58I/AAAAAAAAF3I/YUR0a11qSSw/s1600/IMG_1901.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>The shelves and compact nature of the homes also interested him. He looked at the storage pots and scaffolded shelving a long time, running from house to house to see the different ways the homes were set up. I think he was getting ideas for his own room...<br />
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He liked all of the animal skins, and took a few photos of a wolf skin in one house.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ES15XaZ_m0/VGdbovKCyuI/AAAAAAAAF3c/Tcnb4nOlDBU/s1600/IMG_1917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ES15XaZ_m0/VGdbovKCyuI/AAAAAAAAF3c/Tcnb4nOlDBU/s1600/IMG_1917.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a> He was fascinated by the daily activities presented in the village. Along with the grinding, he discovered cooking, pottery, canoe-hollowing, making fishnets, basketry, sewing, and making leather. The hands-on learning approach at the site really held him. He wanted to dig at the canoe, scrape the hair off the deerskin leather, touch the bone sewing tools. He got into the ring of ancestor posts, and noted how each carving was actually unique. He ran in and out of houses, and picked one that was "his", because he liked the way the house was arranged and cozy. He asked questions. Why weren't the needles sharp? What were they made of? How long did it take to make a pot? Did they have guns? Who did the cooking? What were these things in the baskets to be cooked (he didn't recognize dried pumpkin)?<br />
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It was amazing.<br />
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In our little museum back home, there is a miniature reconstruction of these houses. He likes it, but was really impressed by the ones at Jamestown- full-scale, and varying sizes as family sizes varied. </div>
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The one he picked for himself was a smaller one, with lots of animal skins and a very warm-looking bed. He tried it out, and said it was totally comfy. He would run around the village, checking things out, then go back to his "home" to check it out some more.<br />
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I was thrilled to see him actually show interest in what was around him. Watching him dart about, checking it out, thinking it through, perhaps he has been putting more into that head than we have been giving him credit for. Moving through the world may just help him process all that information.<br />
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Next up was the boat dock. Andy was thrilled to be able to go all over the boats, climbing up and down between the decks and even finding other kids to pretend they were adventuring. </div>
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We got to bring out <i>Treasure Island</i> into the discussion as well- these were, after all, the kinds of boats in the book. The <i>Susan Constant</i> was the biggest of the boats at Jamestown- and smaller than the <i>Hispaniola</i> described by Stevenson. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R96Xsajf3i0/VGdbowLEAtI/AAAAAAAAF3g/JPWJLE8dAZ4/s1600/IMG_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R96Xsajf3i0/VGdbowLEAtI/AAAAAAAAF3g/JPWJLE8dAZ4/s1600/IMG_1920.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>The folks on the boats were very willing to talk about them, so again, Andy got to ask questions. He also got to listen to answers. In talking with him after we left the boats, I was impressed how much he had heard and retained, even when I thought he was just running about with his new little friends. </div>
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He was interested in the different decks, and that the Susan Constant was four stories- the hold, the lower deck, the crew cabins, and then the upper decks. He bounded between the layers, checking everything out. </div>
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Of course, the canons were of interest. The boy has a major collection of Nerf artillery. He discovered that canons are heavy and hard to maneuver.<br />
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The cabins again held much interest, as they were compact spaces with comfy beds. </div>
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Very comfy beds. </div>
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Then I had to explain that he would likely have to share that bed with his brother, switching off every four hours (one working, one sleeping). He was't too keen about that. </div>
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The officer's quarters were more to his liking, where the captain has his own cabin, and the officers were given more space to gather. He was allowed to "steer" the ship by pushing and pulling on the rudder- more lovely heavy work, and he did that for a long time.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JJ1K4m506Ek/VGdbqPIbiVI/AAAAAAAAF34/FzfdV5PKRZA/s1600/IMG_1935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JJ1K4m506Ek/VGdbqPIbiVI/AAAAAAAAF34/FzfdV5PKRZA/s1600/IMG_1935.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>He also likely the galley. In <i>Treasure Island</i>, the galley is described as a larger space below deck; on the <i>Susan Constant</i>, it's basically a little room with a berth and a brick fireplace for cooking. Pots and pans are stored in ready reach. Some of the other visitors were shocked that there was a brick structure on a boat, and Andy thought some of their reactions were amusing.<br />
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The <i>Godspeed</i> had been at a tall ship show in Baltimore, and we got to see it come in and dock. Andy decided he liked the <i>Godspeed</i> best, even though we weren't allowed on it. There is something magical about watching a boat sail in (even when it is cheating and using engines). </div>
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We then wandered up to Fort James. Andy has been working on a model of a settlement, but we haven't been that successful. The Minecraft model idea that originally started us on this adventure hasn't gone so well. We are now thinking a 3-D model, working with materials and putting it together in a diorama, might be more effective. So it was important to wander about and look at the homes of the Englishmen, and discuss how the spaces were made and used, the furnishings, the set-up of the fort in general. We found the blacksmith, the gardens, the well, the armory.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f_jG1AuOo9w/VGdbsEPw0JI/AAAAAAAAF4k/-Qua6h2QkSw/s1600/IMG_1968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f_jG1AuOo9w/VGdbsEPw0JI/AAAAAAAAF4k/-Qua6h2QkSw/s1600/IMG_1968.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>One of the cool things Jamestown does is it sits armor here and there, and the kids can wear it in the fort. Andy was delighted to try on a breastplate and a helmet. In fact, he checked out all the sets, and found the helmet and plate he felt suited him best- then spent the entire fort time wearing them.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dOu2PQeFgjw/VGdbsRPdDwI/AAAAAAAAF4o/anWMPE_b7Lg/s1600/IMG_1982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dOu2PQeFgjw/VGdbsRPdDwI/AAAAAAAAF4o/anWMPE_b7Lg/s1600/IMG_1982.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>His helmet included a little slot for a plume. He liked that- he felt it made him a fancy officer, not just a foot soldier.<br />
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The blacksmith was grinding up clay to make a furnace. Andy, who loves grinding corn, decided grinding clay was pretty good, too, though a little hot when wearing a helmet. The clay was from a previous furnace, and will be used to line the new one.<br />
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We found rich people's beds to be comfy, though in the end, he actually preferred the straw mattress on the floor. He said he liked the beds in the boat the best. </div>
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We found the meeting house, and Andy thought the pulpit was awesome. He clambered up, and began a speech, encouraging his fellow colonists to join him in a fight against unfairness in taxation from England.<br />
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He spoke about taxation. He spoke about the Boston Tea Party. He talked about King George being unfair. He talked about how the "British" thought of the colonists as "different", even when the colonists thought of themselves as British citizens.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTRflWxXxdg/VGdbtU9tdCI/AAAAAAAAF48/dzf1OK82GIA/s1600/IMG_2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTRflWxXxdg/VGdbtU9tdCI/AAAAAAAAF48/dzf1OK82GIA/s1600/IMG_2011.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Not a bad speech by a ten-year-old.<br />
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He wasn't as held by the gun room as I thought he would be. I think he was getting tired by the time we arrived, and many of the weapons he had seen at the Renaissance Faire.<br />
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He started instead meandering about the settlement, as if on inspection, looking at the details of things- the different guns in the compound, the plants in the gardens, where the woodpile was, the different wells, the cooking fire, the blacksmith, the chickens.<br />
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We have the museum a pass for the day. We will do that another day. You can't take pictures in there, anyway, so not very blog-friendly. Andy had plenty to think about all the same.<br />
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Instead, we wandered over to the original Jamestown site, so he could see it was farther out in the bogs.<br />
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Then we swung about and ran over to Williamsburg, to pick up some ginger cookies and give him some "coming attractions."<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-00WMrKlouaI/VGdbukYTrrI/AAAAAAAAF5U/-2x7yLDJR7Q/s1600/IMG_2030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-00WMrKlouaI/VGdbukYTrrI/AAAAAAAAF5U/-2x7yLDJR7Q/s1600/IMG_2030.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a> I remain disappointed that they no longer make the cookies on-site. One of the wonders of Williamsburg was how many things they made, with master craftsmen, right there in Williamsburg. Now they are not only baked elsewhere, they are individually wrapped. Sure, they stay fresher. But the scent of ginger that makes Williamsburg awesome? Gone.<br />
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Gone also are the brass-smiths, the candlemakers, the American artists and their crafts. Williamsburg used to be a mark of American quality. Now, it's all crap made in China. I think economics is one of the things Andy and I will be discussing when we do a full Williamsburg day.<br />
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While we were there, they did start a little show-activity, where some of the costumed folks got up and started acting out a call to join the Revolution at Yorktown. I asked a very tired child if he was ready to go- but no, he wanted to stay and listen. So of course, I let him.<br />
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It helped that apparently Williamsburg is all but abandoned on Wednesdays after 4. Seriously. We saw all of a dozen tourist people, and most of those turned out to be there for the little show, which was part of a paid thing. The kids lined up to "join up."<br />
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Once the fancy speeches were done, however, so was Andy. We headed for home.<br />
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Never fear. We will be back. </div>
<br />Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-58751377345733405602014-11-07T18:10:00.003-08:002014-11-07T18:10:55.108-08:00Working out the kinksOur main challenge with Andy is working through the trauma left from school. Anything that looks like a test results in a huge panic attack and screaming shutdown. If he gets anything wrong, he freaks out. Even the fear of being wrong can trigger total melt. The pressure to be right, all the time, and test test test has totally crushed him.<br />
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We need to understand the risk it is to learn out loud, to learn on paper, to leave the proof that we did not know this, and open ourselves to the scorn of any witness. This can be harder with people you want to impress, to be perfect for, to have be proud of you and pleased with you, and think you smart. The shutdown we see is extreme, and we need to find answers.<br />
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For math practice, we have found <a href="https://www.prodigygame.com/Fun-Math-Games/" target="_blank">Prodigy</a>. Although we will continue to work through our workbook so I can instruct him, this game is fabulous for practice and clean-up. They have a parent side to see what he has done, where he is doing well and where he is struggling, etc. It works kind of like Pokemon, where you cast spells in little challenge battles, and you have to get the math right for the spells to work. Then you build up money you can spend on cool stuff for your character. Andy is totally hooked.<br />
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This week, we are going to experiment with some workbooks to go with our hands-on activities for history and science, wish more short reading passages for him. Getting my kids to read is like getting a stick from a beaver. A mean beaver. With a headache. And he really wants that stick. Keeping it short for now increases the chances of him 1. reading it and 2. not shutting down even looking at it. Joey could read War and Peace if you gave it to him one sentence per page. Andy is a little better. You can give him a paragraph- as long as you don't ask him any questions about it.<br />
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Right.<br />
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So bright workbooks with short reading passages, covering grade-level material. Let's see if that works for supporting the program. I'll keep you posted.Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-56308163745816267982014-10-27T19:51:00.003-07:002014-10-27T19:51:43.050-07:00Taking the TimeMonday is Math Day. Andy has announced he now hates Mondays. We got to my school office, and do our best to get some learning done the old-fashioned way. Math is really the only subject I have tried to do traditionally, because Virginia does expect me to test him at the end of the year, and have him show progress.<br />
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Our problem is that he seems to be struggling with math that is already below grade level. I am working on recording the issues, so that if I actually get him near grade level by the end of the grade year, it will be "progress."<br />
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Andy's processing issues are pervasive, and they affect his ability to understand many things in what might be seen as a typical way. This makes typical academic tasks harder to do in typical ways. With the added bonus of trauma from school, shutdown is the usual response to Math Monday.<br />
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Once again, I plan to cheat.<br />
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Andy loves Pokemon. So today, mid-shutdown, I noted how he needs to be able to do basic math to play the game. I started changing the problems to terms of either Pokemon or money. If Pikachu had 150 health, and now he has 81 health, how strong was Tepig's flame charge? <br />
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Yeah. I totally cheated.<br />
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He seems to be having trouble understanding the numbers. I'm trying to figure out exactly what the issue is, but its like he shuts down and they all go to mush. When we first arrived at my office, and I put up Khan Academy, he did ok... then shut down. I usually wait it out, and let him get himself together, but it wasn't happening. Time was not on our side this round.<br />
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Then came the miracle of homeschooling. We turned around, and walked away.<br />
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Instead of pushing it, I packed him up and went on to the rest of our day's errands. We got fabric for Halloween costumes (how much fabric did I buy? Hey, this is 40% off... I wonder how much it will be?), helped Grandma clean and take out trash, and took our walk to the corner store (oh, this drink is $1.09, and the candy you want is $1.29, do I have enough money here? How much should I get back in change from this $5?). Then we came back to math, but not on the computer- back to our workbook, where we looked at fractions and decimals, and then started on measuring. I think I'm going to be able to handle measuring. I have plenty of tape measures, I have lots of recipes, we are going to totally rock this.<br />
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We just need to take a little time to let him process it.Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-59713505913657110452014-10-22T17:52:00.003-07:002014-10-22T17:55:47.107-07:00Caramel Apples<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today's big project was making caramel apples. Andy has been keen on cooking, and this was something he was dying to make. He discovered caramel apples when we were at the beach, and wanted to make his own.<br />
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He had some surprises in store for him, however. He woke up excited to make his apples, but first we had to clean the kitchen. To be honest, my kitchen is pretty filthy, so that took some doing. Then he took a break.<br />
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Step two: actually making apples.<br />
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"OK, Mom, what do we do?" he asked, slightly bored in tone, because he's, you know, ten.<br />
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"I have no idea," I replied. He stared at me, incredulous.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vuOQLzCYXXo/VEhMqGqw4pI/AAAAAAAAF14/VYbURQKu1WQ/s1600/10393772_10205260088000349_932413304594572303_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vuOQLzCYXXo/VEhMqGqw4pI/AAAAAAAAF14/VYbURQKu1WQ/s1600/10393772_10205260088000349_932413304594572303_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>"You have to look it up," I explained. "Hop online and find some instructions."<br />
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After he processed this, he managed to get out his iPad and ask how to spell "melting" and "caramel" and found some instructions. Then he read them all the way through, since I insisted we know what we were doing before we started.<br />
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Then we got to work.<br />
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First, we had to get the sticks into the apples. We found some sticks, cut them in half, and got ready for the Great Apple Stabbing.<br />
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He decided to remove the stems himself, with scissors, until I twisted one off in about two seconds. Then he stabbed those apples.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NMcJc959Uk0/VEhMqamlJ9I/AAAAAAAAF2E/fRVczOTLBtU/s1600/10698566_10205260088200354_2685093982196493745_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NMcJc959Uk0/VEhMqamlJ9I/AAAAAAAAF2E/fRVczOTLBtU/s1600/10698566_10205260088200354_2685093982196493745_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>We had to unwrap a whole bag of caramels for this project. I thought about having him make the caramel- it isn't hard- but in the end, I wanted to focus on the melting, and honestly, one thing at a time. We had some other stuff to do today, and I had a bag of caramels.<br />
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I helped with this part, because there were so many.<br />
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Next, he melted the caramel. We talked about why the heat wasn't high, and why he had to continuously stir the caramels while they melted- a tough job at first.<br />
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We talked about why we added two tablespoons of water to the caramels to melt them.<br />
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We discussed why we needed to use parchment paper to put the dipped apples down to harden.<br />
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He is a very smart squirrel. <br />
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We also talked about why we wash and dry the apples- getting off the dirt from the field and the store (know how many people touch apples in a store? You may not really want to), and then making sure the apple is dry so the caramel will stick. He thought that was interesting.<br />
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I was very proud of him, as he did all the melting himself. I help him with the dipping, as it kind of took two people to do- holding the pot, dipping the apple, and spooning caramel requires three hands. He did a great job.<br />
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A hour in the fridge later, he had snacks- and i think caramel apples may now be his favorite.<br />
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At least, when he makes them himself.<br />
<br />Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-25888557549908244702014-10-21T20:18:00.002-07:002014-10-21T20:18:28.950-07:00One Little Bean At A TimeWhen kids are traumatized by school, learning becomes one of those words that makes them shut down. You know your kids has been traumatized when you try to start a lesson and he curls up into a fetal position for an hour before finally relaxing enough to even give it try.<br />
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And then rocks it, because Squirrel is Smart.<br />
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The fear of failure, of being wrong, of being berated, bullied, and teased that goes into this regular ritual that starts too many of our days is something that makes me just want to cry. I feel like it's my fault for not saving him sooner, for missing the signs, for not being brave enough or strong enough to protect him, fight for him, help him. Education is one of the few things provided directly to my family from the taxes we pay, and I have had to refuse service. I had no idea how bad it was, but this kind of evidence is startling, angering, and devastating.<br />
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When I get him to uncurl, he's just fine, although the odd holes in his learning have been a bit of a surprise. I've had to go back and pick up material he should have had- according to the school's own curriculum literature- in first or second grade. He has missing splinters of math, chunks out of basic history, odd lapses in science. As we work through the deschooling, I am also trying to shore up some of these gaps, without being blatant. Math, however, we have to work on directly. It is one of the subjects he will be tested on at the end of the year, so it is important we have that caught up. I signed him up for Khan Academy. We've had to start with Early Math.<br />
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In deschooling, we have been shooting a little fast and loose with the science and history side of things. We had a plan, but for now, the important thing is to catch his interest and get him to understand what it means to learn. We need him to calm down and understand we are here to help him, not beat on him. We love him and support him, we are not here to embarrass him or make him feel stupid. We want him to see what we see: how intelligent and capable he is. So when he showed some interest in early American settlements, we ran with it. When he showed interest in gardening, I started in on plants.<br />
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It was a little on the rough side. Once we get through the shutdown, we have looked at some websites, and we made some colored-paper picture models of plant parts, starting with cells and seeds. I'm hoping to do seedlings, simple dicots, and trees tomorrow, and finally leaves (before all the fall leaves are gone!), to make a book. He put them together, glued on the labels, and I laminated the results. He wasn't impressed, but we got the first two together.<br />
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At the farmer's market, I picked up some lima beans, and decided to give a try at having him look at them. After all, our seed chart was a bean. So I gave him some to look at, and told him to open them up and take a look.<br />
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<i>Can I cut them open? Can I break them in half? </i><br />
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Sure, do what you want, I shrugged, while my head exploded- was he... actually... <i>interested</i>? He took a knife, and carefully cut one in half. He pulled another apart. He squished one, to see what would happen.<br />
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I peeled the seedcoat from one, saying, "look, here's the seedcoat, let me take it off and show you..." and he came over to me, and watched. I opened the halves, and there, perfect as I could wish, was the little plant embryo, with a perfect little plumule, hypocotyl, radicle...<br />
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"Here, let's look at this under the magnifier, with the chart you made..." I pulled out the chart, laminated and all, and the magnifier stand I got with this very moment in mind- a big one, on three legs. I drank up the flow of "look at this, mom" and "oh cool". And then he set it aside, his attention span done, to look at later "when it dries", to see how it might be different. I fixed him a sandwich for lunch, as if nothing unusual or wonderful had just happened.<br />
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As he reached the stairs to go nest in his room with his lunch, he stopped.<br />
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"Hey!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Wait a minute! I just <i>learned</i> something! You <i>cheated</i>!"<br />
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Yes, I sure did, Little Squirrel. I sure did. </div>
Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469926311941365071.post-48235994750142264482014-10-18T12:50:00.006-07:002014-10-18T13:02:37.317-07:00In the beginning, there was a squirrel. It was about this time last year that I knew, this wasn't going to work. I was shocked. I was confused. I was dismayed. I was very, very, very angry.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PPwYrt2krwA/VELDQiG8AkI/AAAAAAAAF0k/nKnbS5A8V0U/s1600/IMG_0771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PPwYrt2krwA/VELDQiG8AkI/AAAAAAAAF0k/nKnbS5A8V0U/s1600/IMG_0771.jpg" height="320" width="222" /></a>The "not working" was public school. I am a great believer in public school. The structured environment provides a focused framework for education, networking, and community. My kids need a lot of structure. I have one who is autistic. The other... well, he isn't autistic, but he has a lot of issues with processing, self-regulation, and executive functioning, in a web of issues often stashed under the umbrella term "ADHD." Folks, it's real. ADHD is also as varied, scattered, and spectrumed as autism- every child is different. If you know one child with autism, you know one child with autism. If you know one child with ADHD, you know one child with ADHD. Beware of generalizations.<br />
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School was not working out for either of my kids, and I had pinned the blame on me. That seems to shock some people. The assumption I have discovered is that people who homeschool usually pin the blame on anyone else. I discovered that blame isn't really what it is about at all. School not working for my kids is just a fact. Why it wasn't working is complicated. I fished around and floundered about, trying to find something I could be doing to make it work. I called meetings. I sent in materials. I invaded classrooms. I stopped invading classrooms trying to give my kids their own space. I tried to take the materials being sent to me and make them work for us, even re-formatting homework sheets myself to make them manageable, spending hours on homework. I stopped doing that and asked for homework to be limited. I gave up doing the homework at all, and just stuck to doing things actually useful for my kids, things they were struggling with. I did a mix of all of the above. I did a lot of other things, stopped doing things, tried to doing things and not doing things, you can see I still feel the judgment, the sense of failure. Public school, that beacon of education and progress, was not working for my family. I felt trapped. Suffocated. Desperate. I couldn't afford private school. I not only work full time, I work several jobs, paying for therapies and home expenses (and financial mistakes of younger days).<br />
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Yet the answer, as the year spiraled on, started becoming clearer and clearer. This was Not Working. My kids were not learning; they were stuck in anger, frustration, and as we later discovered, insidious bullying from every angle. They were learning to become bullies themselves, to defend themselves. I felt like putting them on the bus- and for my younger son, dropping him off at the door- was abandoning them to weird perversion of <i>Lord of the Flies</i>. They weren't safe. The adults with them seemed oddly out of touch, deliberately hard for them to access, and blind to what was going on among the students. People with decades of experience working with kids were trying to tell me no bullying was going on in their schools and classrooms. I was left not knowing how much of what I was seeing was from my kid's personalities, and how much was from external forces, and no idea how to help them.<br />
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I ended up with two very different answers, just as I have two very different young men who are my sons. I am happy to say, the school finally realized they were not educating my autistic son, and we have him in a wonderful school where is excelling and recovering beautifully. No, its not all sunshine and roses, but I don't think any child's growing up and development is all sunshine and roses. We are going in the right direction, and the stress that was basically driving Joey insane is melting away like snow in spring. We'll take it.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SvhETGZBVHk/VELDQu0puCI/AAAAAAAAF0g/wBSQoHNX_nU/s1600/IMG_0829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SvhETGZBVHk/VELDQu0puCI/AAAAAAAAF0g/wBSQoHNX_nU/s1600/IMG_0829.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
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For Andy, we have gone in a different direction. I decided to try teaching him myself over the summer, in experimental "camps." I met with challenges, but nothing unexpected. We are looking at dysgraphia, eye focus issues, possible dyslexia, and of course, ADHD- problems of being able to focus and needing huge amounts of movement to focus and think. What has been unexpected is the reports from other parents of Andy's classmates, and the reports are far more extreme and disturbing than we suspected. My son weathered the catastrophe of his classroom far better than I had appreciated before. I made the decision. We were going to homeschool.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SEgqpBp7vqo/VELDRUpLHVI/AAAAAAAAF04/EUGVUrKBsAk/s1600/IMG_1316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SEgqpBp7vqo/VELDRUpLHVI/AAAAAAAAF04/EUGVUrKBsAk/s1600/IMG_1316.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>I'm not the kind of person who takes such a decision lightly. I do for Andy as I do for Joey- spending hours researching topics, methods, theories, materials, and resources. I try something out, see if it works, change it if it doesn't. We are in what I would describe as "partial <a href="http://a2zhomeschooling.com/beginning_home_school/deschooling_recovering_from_school/" target="_blank">deschooling</a>"- keeping up with subjects we know he needs to underpin his learning (math, being able to read, occupational therapy, basic writing), and being more fluid in topics of science and social studies. Though the progress has been painfully (from my point of view) slow, I can see it. The complete shutdown when "school" or "learning" was involved, which we have been seeing, is letting up, and I am learning more about he learns and how to present and guide access to topics and material. We have had some stumbling and some breakthroughs. My mom has stepped in to help, and her support of our adventure is invaluable- as well as her talent for helping Andy get comfortable with learning and relaxing so he <i>can</i> learn. Finding how to incorporate movement and letting him learn his own way are more challenging than we expected, but we are getting there, together.<br />
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So now it's time to share it. We are starting as unexpected homeschoolers, with a ten-year-old ADHD child, and we know we aren't out here alone- yet we know how panicked and alone you can feel when you realize this is the best option for your family. Yes, people are going to tell you that you are nuts.<br />
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Just stay focused on your squirrel, and there shall be learning. That's what is important.<br />
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<br />Joeymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08254601805621175842noreply@blogger.com1