Homeschool vs. Private School

I can't believe I'm writing on this blog again.  But, I need to gather my thoughts and hopefully get a hold of my mixed feelings.  Is there a such thing as an un-mixer?  Anyway, I had planned to homeschool the girls next year.  We had switched to private school this year, using our state's voucher system, which still left a couple hundred dollars to be paid every month in addition to the gas to drive to the school, etc. (it's almost 30 mins away). 

As soon as we switched schools, the atmosphere--the spirit in the school--could be felt.  Such a remarkable difference!  No yelling (by teachers or administration)!  No profanity (again, by teachers or administration)!   No rush, rush, rush to barely cover the material and then tell you your child needs intercession because she isn't doing well.  No 2-3 movies PER DAY.  No obscene music playing because the children chose it.  It was just different.  The administrators showed their kindness and helpfulness, and the teachers cared and worked with my children.  Yes, there were some things I didn't care for, including some of the very strict and advanced curriculum (math and spelling), but overall, my girls were finally learning and bringing that learning home.

But, it was costing $3200 in gas per year, in addition to the monthly bill.  Too much.  So, an opportunity arose for me to help teach at a cottage school and I decided to send the girls there.  However, one week, it became real to me that I was still teaching three college classes per week, helping to run my husband's business, and I have a one yr old and a 2 yr old.  Yikes.  That's when I was offered a huge discount in tuition at the private school.  And today, I was told that it really wouldn't work out for me to teach one day per week.  So, we have opted to send them to the private school once again and reevaluate in December.  However, if I'm not teaching at the cottage school, I wouldn't be able to afford that, either.  So....I'm really not sure what we may do. 

I've been doing prep work for the year in case we end up homeschooling.  Spelling was really difficult for my girls, so I've been using All About Spelling.  We've almost finished Level 1 (really basic stuff), but I wanted to get a strong foundation about rules for them.  I'm also working on math with them, and language.  I bought Latin, but I just don't know how that can be fit in.  We'll see.  I just don't know how to get all of these subjects finished and then get anything else finished at home.  Praying.
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It Didn't Happen Wednesday

This post is inspired by the "Not Me Wednesdays" I've read on other blogs....

I didn't wake up to have to change my daughter's sheets...again...
Lovely didn't tell me she broke my 12 yr old beautiful soap dispenser that I can't replace...
I didn't pour one cup of milk in the blender only to watch it flow out of the bottom (that I of course would have attached correctly)...
I didn't hang new drapes in the girls' room only to learn I had bought two different lengths...
I didn't iron the drapes last night and think, "Wow, that one didn't take nearly as long as the last one..." and never question why...

I think that about sums up my day thus far.  Now, it's off to Target to see if I can find a matching drape...

P.S.  First day of ClickNKids--phonics was AWESOME!  She did a great job and only got a couple wrong.  I think the real problem with phonics is that she knows how to do it but she...errrr...a little...lazy?  And doesn't want to take the time to apply what she knows.  Spelling was another story, though.  She needs to repeat Lesson 1 because she had problems spelling 'all' and 'ball' over and over again.  Pluses to the program:  interactive, cute, entertaining.  Minuses:  sometimes the words aren't pronounced as loudly as I would like and the spelling program doesn't leave problem words up long enough for the student to really study. 

A New Start

A fresh start!  A new beginning!  So, I decided to rearrange the learning posters I tore down this morning from frustration (it was a calm storm) when I declared I quit...lol  Yes, I can laugh about this now.  Tomorrow?  Who knows! 

I decided to pretty much scrap the phonics I had been working on (we may pick it up again later), and scrap the idea that children shouldn't play computer games to learn (a classical education idea).  Instead, I invested in ClickNKids, a phonics and spelling program.  I did a quick search for a promotional code and found one for 40% off!  Wooohooo!  Anyway, it's something Lovely should be able to handle by herself without me sitting next to her the entire time.  We did a practice lesson together, which she declared was, "Fun!"  However, it was stuff she already knew, and I've noticed if she knows something already, it's fun, but if it's new, she "just doesn't know how to learn it."  Anyway, thank you, you-know-who, for the wonderful suggestion of computerized learning--I'm up for anything right now! 

I'll let you know later how our first day of it goes tomorrow...Goodnight! 

Bible Story Success!

Loser that I felt I was with teaching phonics, I am happy to say Lovely is learning more important things!  In SOTW, we are learning about Abraham and Isaac, but when I went to the libary, we checked out a lot of books on Joseph.  So, to see if she just tuned me out during reading, etc., I asked her about Joseph yesterday in the car, and she was able to tell me the entire story (minus words like "famine",  but I was still happy!) 

We may try to make Joseph's coat tomorrow during school, provided there is time.  If so, I'll def. be posting pics!

Educational Field Trip Fun, Pt. 2

All Aboooaaarrrd! Welcome to Risky Rides of the Jungle Zoo!

Last week, we braved the treacherous heat of the zoo with my sis-in-law from AZ & her three kids.  Of course, I was praying to make it out of the zoo without medical assistance due to the extreme heat, the wonderful planning of extreme hills, and the construction that has been a sight in itself at the Louisville zoo for..oh, I'd say at least five years now! 


I have never heard a real lion roar while standing in its presence...at least not to my knowledge! This guy was feeling fiesty!




Here are the culprits! Beware of riding with these drivers...at least the driver has a permit in AZ...


Pretty sad when the door wouldn't even close for the ride...

Here's my nephew riding the Stone Tortoise.  Do you think it's been eight seconds?

Uh-Oh!  Lovely is barelly hanging on!

Seems like a jolly stroll for Snugglebug...

Math is My Nemesis

Suffering through A Beka Kindergarten, I searched and scowled through each new math curriculum I found upon visiting the Midwest Homeschool Convention.  I poured over the computer in search of something that would elicit not only success, but a joy in mathematical learning.  I tossed aside black and white textbook pages, I envied those purchasing the Math Mountain that I could not afford, and I broke down and purchased what I felt was best given the homeschool budget I was placed under, all while in high hopes my daughter would complete math easily (well easIER than before). 

Now, at the end of Chapter 4 of Bob Jones Math, I am once again struggling.  Did I start Lovely in school too early?  Am I going too quickly?  Does she understand but pretend she doesn't?  Is this too easy and therefore she doesn't pay attention?  Should I beg the next math instructor I come across to teach my daughter?  Am I too uptight?  Am I a perfectionist?  Is she just testing me?  Where do I go from here?

Honestly, she does seem to be doing better than with A Beka, but I still find myself losing my temper and patience.  She wants to spend her time doing her sister's work and telling her how to do it.  I'm going to build a privacy screen for her, but will that help her concentrate and focus?  Who knows!  I do think I might try worksheets with fewer pictures.  Although I find them boring, I might need boring in order to improve concentration...go figure!

So, how do you handle the child who wants to spend 2 hours doing math because she notices everything else in the room, every noise, she gets thirsty, she has to go potty, she wants to color in the pictures on the paper, she wants to do everything but the math at hand?  Any suggestions to save what's left of my sanity???

Pressure

Pressure.  We all feel it, whether we admit it or not.  Faced with the impending Year of Chaos, I'm beginning to feel the pressure build.  I have a To-Do list that just doesn't seem to end, as I think of five more things for each thing I almost get crossed off.  So, what to do?  Should I admit, the idea of sending my precious darling to a new charter school has crossed my mind at least a dozen times per day?  Am I the only one?  I suppose I should be thankful I know the school is full, but I've been tempted to call and ask if they could make room for one more...no, I've been tempted to beg if they could make room for one more! 

So what's my problem?  Just as another blogger wrote a while back, homeschooling is a love/hate relationship, just as most big decisions and responsibilities are in life.  I love picking out curriculum and learning new things with my daughter.  I hate the thought that we're not covering as much as I think we should cover--and I hate that I can't let go of that hate.  I know we won't cover it all, and yet I can't stop myself from trying, which is extra pressure I'm placing on myself. 

I love seeing my daugther perform some math concept or reading concept that I had no idea she could grasp so quickly.  I hate when she tests me, like today, when she needed to read the word "train", which she pronounced correctly, and then said, "Oh, I mean trrr-ene.  What's a trene?" (There was a picture of a train next to the word--she knew it, yet she still wanted to test me.  This lasted about 30 minutes as she insisted she couldn't read it and I made her sit quietly until she figured it out).

I love the natural desire to learn that my youngest daughter has, and her free, happy spirit.  I hate having to continually tell her to be quiet and stop dancing as I try explaining a difficult concept to my oldest daughter.  I provide other things for Snugglebug to do, but she has a tendancy to wander around the room...

I hate spending the entire day on school and not get anything else done because Lovely spent so much time doodling crocodile bodies on greater and lesser than signs instead of answering the problems.  I love that she gives me a hug and a kiss and thanks me for doing school with her because I'm spending time with her. 
Until next time...