We were on target to wrap up the year at the end of April, but I decided that I wanted to cram a little more in. It's been a little bit of a struggle. My children run outside first thing in the morning to take advantage of the cool morning temperatures and I can't seem to call them back to the table (see Theresa's post here!). They are constructing mud cities, inventing games, running and playing and gosh, grammar just seems far less important. It probably isn't, and rest assured, we are getting all our scheduled lessons completed by the end of the day. There's just very little enthusiasm.
I cut back to the bare minimum this week. Our priorities right now...
- Reading together - an early reader with my son and a bazillion other picture books. American History with my daughter and a bazillion other chapter books.
- Math Review Tests. We save the Math-U-See test book for the end of the year review and she completes it after the last lesson of the book (Epsilon this year).
- On a whim, I decided to give my daughter a standardized test (through Seton, no time to link). I quickly learned that she'd need to be taught how to take a test. We are going through the practice book together and she will take the test on the last day of May.
- Piano practice
- I've mentioned in passing our unschooly habitat study. That's the only lesson anyone really cares about right now.
We're filling the rest of our time with bike rides, (Peanuts!) Monopoly games, ballet, and playing outside for them (P90X for me).
We'll take June off - sort of. It's packed full with summer camps at this point.
jenn do you like math u see? i am thinking about trying out next year. you can email me privately so as not to take up space here.
and as for lack of enthusiam...rest assured it must be going around...i think my kids lost it somewhere right after Easter vacation. and i haven't been able to muster the energy to really fight it. (they do outnumber me!) lego play has to count for something though!!!
Posted by: regan | May 18, 2011 at 08:10 AM
Regan, I really do like Math-U-See. It's a great program. I plan on continuing with my son.
And yup, Easter seemed to be about the time we all stopped caring. I imagine it's the same in the mainstream schools as well!
Posted by: Jennifer | May 18, 2011 at 09:42 AM
Yep. It seems spring fever has hit all around. Everyone I run across (IRL and online) is just so ready to move into summer mode. Of course it doesn't help that we've had a long string of unusually beautiful, sunny days. And around here, we've learned to enjoy them without hesitation because they are few and far between.
Posted by: Theresa | May 18, 2011 at 10:10 AM
Maybe you should have a July session. Who wants to be anywhere but inside then?
Posted by: Kathy | May 18, 2011 at 10:25 AM
Exactly Kathy. Thats the plan.
Posted by: Jennifer | May 18, 2011 at 10:27 AM
I am glad you're teaching your dd how to take tests. That's an important skill and one which is so often forgotten. I'm always amazed by the number of homeschooled teenagers I have to teach how to study for a test.
Posted by: sarah | May 18, 2011 at 11:39 AM
BTW -- Marian and I watched Frontier House. Loved it. Except for that one lady who really got under my skin. I pretty much old man grumbled about her the whole time. Thanks.
Posted by: francis shivone | May 20, 2011 at 05:24 AM
Im so glad you liked it! Karen bugged me too, but I probably preferred her to Gordon and his whining.
Posted by: Jennifer | May 20, 2011 at 05:28 AM