Educating My Children

First Grade - Check!

2013-05-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Bean finished up first grade! I am so proud of her! She worked hard this year. There were a few tears and some arguing, but overall she was a delight to work with. I told her that over her break she will still have to do some reading every day. She didn't really like that, but I reminded her that reading well takes practice and in order to keep growing as a reader she needs to practice. As long as I keep it exciting for her then I think we'll be ok.

I still haven't begun my prep work for our next year. I have some ideas of what I want to order, but I don't know when I will get there. For now we are just going to enjoy some days of reading and playing.

Sounds good to me.

Bug is still going. He has a few more weeks until he wraps things up.

And Now... Invertebrates

2013-05-13T14:15:00.001-07:00

This week Bug is diving into the world of invertebrates. Fun stuff!

Plants, Buds... What Happens?

2013-05-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

Bean's current science experiment:

This is a twig cut from the tree in front of our house. Bean has been learning about all kinds of great things in science this year and one of them is how some plants (like trees) form buds. Leaves will fall off of a tree in the fall and it goes dormant in the winter. Even though it looks like it is dead, it is not. The tree actually has buds on it that you can see if you look closely. The buds hold leaves and such in them until spring when with the proper temperature, water, and sunlight the leaves emerge. This can be easily replicated but cutting a twig and placing it in a glass or vase (you'll need to snip up the end of the twig a bit so the water soaks in better). It takes a couple of weeks, but once they start opening up it is science amazement for kids!

The Wonderful World of Vertebrates

2013-05-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

Bug has been studying vertebrates in science. He did a great job on his charts!

Finishing Up First Grade

2013-05-06T13:04:00.001-07:00

Today Bean finished up first grade math. Can you hear that? It's the big sigh of relief, haha!

Seriously though, I think we are both happy it's over.

We're both looking forward to the break from it. We both need the break from it.

I do have some supplemental materials to use with her over our break, but we won't be doing them every day and I am working on making them more into a fun time rather than a "math time."

Usually by this time every year I already have the next school year's curriculum in hand and have begun the planning. Not this year, though. I haven't ordered anything. This year has just wiped me out. There has been so much that has gone on and I'm pooped from it all. I have a good idea of what all I want to order and I'll get there eventually, but I'm not in any sort of a rush over it.

Creepy, Crawly... Ants!

2013-05-01T12:11:00.002-07:00

Bean has been studying insects in science. Yesterday we went on a nature walk with our magnifying glasses to check out insects in action. She has learned that every insect has a head, thorax, and abdomen. She also learned that insects have six legs. Today she made an ant to show three parts and six legs....

Bug got in on the ant making, too...

Science is fun!

She Wants a Puppy

2013-04-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

Directions: Write something about puppies...

I just thought this was too stinkin' cute! Bean really does want a puppy, but we can't get one. It isn't good for our particular family situation.

Thankfully, she also really loves stuffed animals and she has plenty of those, ha!

Today was Bean's last day of first grade language arts. Next week we finish up math. Science should take two more weeks and then... Why yes, then we are done until we start second grade! I can't believe we have made it through another year!

Calm, Peaceful, Nice

2013-04-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

Social Skills Group was cancelled today because the school had testing.

I'd say I'm bummed, but I'm not.

It's so nice having Bug not wig out for once.

He has been calm today.

He has been happy.

He has been enjoyable to be around.

I know Social Skills is important for him, but I hate how he gets after each session. Heck, he starts getting that way BEFORE the session.

It's just so overwhelming for him.

It's been nice having a peaceful day.

What Happens to Seeds?

2013-04-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

In science right now Bug is learning about plants. We started things off with what happens to seeds. We discussed the three main parts of a seed: seed coat; young plant; stored food. We also discussed four important things seeds need in order to grow: water; soil; air; the right temperature.

And I found a few YouTube videos that show the process of a seed sprouting with the young plant shooting out. They are pretty cool!

That last one is my favorite. I really like how it shows the seed coat falling away. Bug enjoyed watching these time lapse videos.

We'll be continuing with plants all week as we learn about other parts of the plant and about photosynthesis. We will also discuss other ways to grow plants besides planting seeds - and for that we will be conducting an experiment. Bug will be growing a potato plant from nothing more than, well, a chunk of potato. Yes, it really works!

A Fun Way to do Book Reports

2013-04-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

I picked up this book in the one dollar section at Target (you can find some cool stuff in there). I thought it would be great for summer reading. It's a fun way to keep track of what gets read and do short book reports at the same time.

Bug doesn't really enjoy writing out long book reports, but this gets him to give the same basic information in a more "Bug" way. It has sections for writing the title, author, illustrator, and some basic information about the book... Then it has a spot to draw a picture of your favorite part of the book - Bug loves to draw.

I also got one for Bean, but she really isn't ready for it yet. I'll hold onto it until she is.

I Thought and I Decided

2013-04-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

In my last post I brought up my thoughts on maybe making our next school year a four day a week thing. Well, I have made a decision.

Today we had social skills and once again it made everything a bit insane at our house. And it isn't just a time thing... This day of the week really throws my son off.

Like I said before, speech day doesn't do this. But social skills day... I guess it is just difficult for him and I think he gets overwhelmed in sensory ways as well as emotionally. It just leads to more drama than is ever necessary. And by drama I mean meltdowns. Every day that we have social skills there is a meltdown. It's all too much for him. And his sister feeds off of him so when it's too much for him it totally agitates her.

So I've made the decision that for our next school year (because this one is about over as far as social skills is concerned) we will have four day a week school weeks. On the day we have social skills we will take off from regular lessons - the only thing we will do is therapy.

The joy of homeschooling is the flexibility it provides. I am able to see a need, problem, issue, or whatever, and then I am able to come up with a solution that works for my kids.

Something I'm Thinking About...

2013-04-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

I'm considering changing our school week for the next school year. The change I am thinking about is doing away with a five day school week and going to a four day week instead.

We school year round so this won't have any impact on when we start or finish. In fact, I don't think it will change our timeline at all.

The reason I am considering this change is because on the days we have our social skills therapy it just seems too hectic. While therapy is only technically an hour, we are usually there for an hour and a half. Then there is breakfast before and lunch after. The kids also need a break. With lessons on that same day it all gets to be too much for everyone and there are a lot of issues.

It's funny, we don't have this problem on speech therapy day.

I guess the social vibe just wipes Bug out.

Anyways... I'm thinking if we do a four day week we can use the remaining time after social skills for outdoor activities and/or field trips. Also, I am working at getting more involved in local homeschool activities so maybe this will help clear up some time for that.

Does anyone else out there homeschool on a four day schedule?

Learning the Bible

2013-04-02T14:23:00.001-07:00

I've been reading various posts in online groups and such from people who want affordable Bible curriculum. And other people posting in the groups talk about programs that cost hundreds of dollars.

I just don't get it.

Why spend so much money on that? You can do it at home with a Bible and some devotional books and online freebies for so much less!

How do I teach the Bible to my kids?

First, they both have Bibles and are encouraged to read them.

Second, they attend Sunday School and we talk about what they learn there every week.

Third, devotional books!

These are books that I picked up not too long ago for the kids. They were a whopping $12 each at our local Christian bookstore. They have daily readings and activities to reinforce what is being learned.

And these are cool devotional Bibles that the kids got for Easter from their grandparents. They have readings and activities as well.

Using a variety of resources allows my kids to learn the Bible without breaking the bank. They can memorize Scripture, write verses, and learn what it all means just as easily from sources like these as they can from any boxed Bible curriculum. There is no need to break the bank to learn the Word of God. Add in a few online resources (printables and games) and we've got a winning method for Bible study!

April Fools!

2013-04-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

So this is how it went down this morning...

My back was towards the kids.

Kidlets: Mommy, are we going anywhere today?

Me: No, you have school. There's a lot to cover.

Kidlets: But... But it's spring break!

Me: No break, you have lessons. Eat breakfast, we need to get started.

Kidlets: But... But...

Panic entered their voices.

I slowly turned around.

Me: April Fools!

Kidlets: Mommy!!! That wasn't funny!

Spring Break is Finally Here!

2013-03-29T16:11:00.000-07:00

Spring Break is finally here! It's been a long time coming, I tell ya! I think we have all earned this much needed break.

Bean created this cute fairy picture for me on her iPad. I found it as a surprise in my email inbox. She also left a little note with it that simply said "I love you."

Sometimes she just melts my heart!

I need this spring break. I need to recharge. I think I am having total mom burnout. I think it's normal for all moms and I think it's normal when you homeschool.

I think the kids need this break, too.

I think Bug especially needs this break. He has been really hard to deal with lately. I don't know what is going on, but I do know he needs to just have time to relax and hopefully calm down his senses, his mind, and whatever else.

I'm not sure how much longer we will be at schooling for this year. Bug asked me today when the last day of school would be and I didn't have an answer for him. Each subject for each kid seems to be at a different point this year. I'm not sure how that happened, but it did. I told him we would just go until we are done and that after our break I would figure out some dates for him.

But for now I just want to get some sunshine and play.

And I really want to scrub the house.

I feel like I haven't been getting anything done around here.

Truthfully, I have felt a bit overwhelmed. This is a strange feeling for me. It's part of why my blogging has become so sporadic. I'll use this next week to try and get it together, at least somewhat. Until then...

Happy spring, friends! And Happy Easter!

Racing Through

2013-03-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

My son's new thing in schooling is to rush.

Rush everything.

Read as fast as he can.

Work as fast as he can. Zoom!!!

Get everything done as quickly as possible!

It sounds great to finish up quickly, but it's really not.

All this rushing results in a lot of mistakes. He rushes to read his work and ends up not reading everything. He skips important information. In math he misses numbers because he zooms by them.

And when he gets something wrong because of the rushing... Well that's just where all the *fun* begins.

NOT!

He gets upset. He likes to yell. He likes to act as if I am the problem because he has hurried through his work.

And when I try to explain his mistakes he backtalks.

Oh that back talking is really starting to irritate me!

He's a smart kid who suddenly, at a whopping 8 year-old, has turned into a teenager!!!

Yes, that's it! He has the attitude of a teenager! Good grief!

The Blank Stare

2013-03-15T16:18:00.001-07:00

If there is one thing that drives me nuts more than any other thing when it comes to teaching my kids it is the blank stare.

I don't mean the Autism blank stare.

I don't mean the ADHD I've tuned you out and I'm in LaLa Land blank stare.

I mean the I just asked a question and it requires an answer and she just sits there and looks at me blank stare.

Yes, I said she. My daughter is very good at this stare.

In fact, I think she has perfected it.

And it makes me CRAZY!!!!!!!!!

I seriously can't take it! When she does this I have to remove myself from the room. Like actually LEAVE THE ROOM. It gets under my skin in a whole new way.

I told her today that she needs to use her words and that she can't just sit there staring at someone without saying anything. When a question is asked, she needs to reply with a yes or a no or an I don't understand - something, anything! Use a word! Use a few words!

Do you know what she did when I asked her if she understood what I was talking about?

SHE JUST SAT THERE AND STARED AT ME!!!!!!

Science Time of Year

2013-03-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

The weather is warming up and the days keep getting longer. We're ready to get outside and start exploring our world. That's right, in our house spring is the science time of year. Fun!

I can't wait to get the kids out and hands on with nature and all it has to offer. They love when we start science and I do, too! Nature walks, scavenger hunts, experiments, and all kinds of cool discoveries. This is when homeschooling gets exciting!

Learning Disability?

2013-03-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

Just when I think Bean has got it and I go telling the world how well she is doing in math, she takes three steps back... Because the reality is, she doesn't quite have it. I just spend A LOT of time with her and after over an hour on one paper I feel like rejoicing that we've made it through it.

For example, a couple of weeks ago I texted a picture to my mom of Bean's math test on which she received an A+. I told my mom Bean was doing much better... What I failed to include was that it took an hour to do the test, multiple visuals, counting charts, dot cars, and an abacus.

Hey, but she did it! She just needed a lot of extra help along the way.

Math just doesn't click for Bean. She gets confused, the numbers get mixed up, the signs get mixed up, the terminology goes right over her head. Sometimes it'll seem like she understands, but then... Well, then she just doesn't understand again.

I've been watching her for a while with this and I have been working so hard to help her along the way, but recently I began looking for a reason behind this. Some things just come so easily to her, but math is not one of them. I felt deep down that there must be a reason behind it all - after all, if we spend an hour to two hours together working on it she can get it done, but it shouldn't take that long. This is first grade math!

So my search led me to a math-centered learning disability called Dyscalculia. And I think that may just be our problem. Now I am not going to jump to conclusions, but I do plan to bring this up when I speak to her pediatrician. Right now Bean is in the process of being evaluated for other things. As you all know, she has developmental delays, but it is currently the consensus that she probably also has Inattentive ADHD. Our pediatrician is not one to quickly diagnose kids. She likes to observe and take time to make sure the diagnosis is legit - I totally appreciate that about her. But she has said she is leaning towards this and so we will be having another upcoming appointment where we figure it all out. I plan to bring up this Dyscalculia when we're there. The more I read about it, the more it fits Bean. And the more I read on how to help kids dealing with this, the more I see that my hours of time are just what she needs.

Makes me thankful that I can homeschool her through this - she needs that extra attention.

So I am just making note of it all here on the blog to see if anyone has any thoughts or has dealt with a math related learning disability. What has worked best for you?

How to Make Her Mad

2013-03-04T17:02:00.000-08:00

So I had Bean writing a story today about a butterfly. It was just supposed to be a short thing. She looked all nervous about it, though, so I told her that all she needed to give me was three sentences on butterflies. I didn't care what about them, just make sure it was three sentences. She could tell me she liked butterflies and why. She could tell me about one particular butterfly and why it was pretty. She could talk about how butterflies fly from flower to flower... Whatever she wanted.

And then I told her that I would be leaving her alone to do this while I folded laundry.

She seemed so stressed, so I told her that it wasn't getting graded and this was just writing practice.

And then I went about my laundry.

About fifteen minutes passed and Bean came running into my room...

"I finished my story, Mommy! But... It's only two sentences."

I looked at her and smiled, "I'm not going to look at it yet. You need to follow directions. I said three sentences. Show me when you're done."

"Grrr... Argh... Ugh... *sigh*... *bigger sigh*... And a slight scream..."

"Bean, stop being dramatic and go write your sentence."

"I wrote two! Two is good!" Read that with a screechy six year-old voice.

"Two is not what I said to do. I said three. Don't argue."

"Grr... *biggest sigh of all*..."

And she stomped off to the school room, making sure they heard her all the way down the street.

But she wrote the sentence. Ha!

Progress!

2013-03-01T15:51:00.001-08:00

Because I use the same curriculum for Bean that I use with Bug it is inevitable that what she does as far as any art project would be a repeat. And because both kids like to do art projects of any kind together it is inevitable that Bug will repeat doing it as well.

And so it was with our Humpty Dumpty craft. The kids cut out Humpty as a reminder to always practice good safety habits at home.

You can see their first attempt at this from 2011 if you click HERE.

And today's attempt... Glorious progress!!!

Bean's is on the left and Bug's is on the right. Not too shabby!

Rememberizing (too cute!)

2013-02-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

Math... Blasted math! Bean just hates it. It is so hard for her. I have discovered that she does better in the morning, first thing, than if we wait and do it later in the day. She has improved a lot since we first started, but we have to use an incredible amount of visuals. Visuals for EVERYTHING. There is nothing wrong with visuals, I just wish her brain would allow her to understand math a little better.

Today she got very frustrated over her math. It was to the point where I just told her to go chill. She went in her room and played on her own for awhile. In fact, she played on her own until lunchtime. She came out and ate and I told her that we really did need to try again. She agreed and so we did.

It was hard.

It was a struggle.

I wrote out some stuff on the whiteboard for her to look at and I told her that she was just going to have to try to memorize her facts and that I know it's hard, but she has to try.

That is when she said something so cute that I just gave her a hug and told her it would all be ok and we'd just keep on trying, taking it step by step with as much time as needed.

What'd she say?

"But, Mommy, I'm just not good at rememberizing these things. I try to rememberize it and it is hard. Especially minuses. Rememberizing minus is really hard for me."

Oh little Bean, I know it's hard. It's even hard for me to watch. But we will get there!

Bean's Kite

2013-02-18T10:49:00.001-08:00

A story from Bean...

Heart Men - Happy Love Day!

2013-02-14T15:45:00.000-08:00

Instead of making snowmen, we made heart men! Happy Valentine's Day!

The first one is Bean's creation... Very colorful, just like her!

And now Bug's creation... There's even a partial handprint in there!

The kids also made Valentine's Day cards for their Dad and colored a really cute picture of a pirate and a princess. At social skills group they made Valentine collages and chocolate hearts - melted up chocolate with yummy sprinkles... They spread it out on waxed paper and let it cool and it was a great Valentine's treat (if you follow me on Twitter you probably saw a picture of that).

Yesterday we decorated our school room with a Valentine's Day themed paper chain - it's been one big love fest here! I hope you all had a great day - I'm ready for a nap now.

Heathy vs. Unhealthy

2013-02-13T14:44:00.000-08:00

Today Bean learned about healthy foods and unhealthy foods. She learned about why it is important to eat properly. She learned how food gives her energy and helps her grow. And she made a groovy collage of healthy foods...

She has a lot of fruits and vegetables. I see beans and nuts and orange juice and oatmeal. There is pasta and salad and chicken. She did a good job!

And after making one of healthy foods she made one of unhealthy foods...

The goldfish are probably debatable, but we decided that if you eat too many of them then it is unhealthy. She's also got brownies and french fries and chocolate. And yes, that is chocolate milk - I'm super proud of her for picking up on that one. Milk is healthy, but chocolate milk is loaded with sugar - another good job!