I Am Fired Up Now

We went to the materials display that A Beka Book had yesterday. We went through the third grade language arts material and compared it to the second grade material.  It will be a much better choice for G than the second grade material.  I know she must still work a lot on her language skills for good sentence structure which is part of the second grade material but the book overall was not going to be a challenge.  She is ready to move on otherwise.

Jeff Sullivan is the rep in Missouri and we hopped across to South County St. Louis so we could discuss it with him and look over the material.  The rep that serves Illinois is not nearly as knowledgeable or kind-hearted like Jeff.  We met him only once before and liked him right away but he remembered us and much about our needs. Still, we went to the local guy when it was time to make our purchase. Turns out that the South St. Louis location was an easier and equal drive for us. So for now on I do not want to make any purchases without Jeff getting the financial credit and reward for a job well done.

Back to subject matter:  Jeff really did a great job of showing us why we should go third grade for all the language art subjects if we felt the Language book was too simplified for G.  Oh yes, we really had to think on that one indeed.  Third grade spelling?  How can I do that when I failed so badly at conducting even first grade spelling?  I MUST add that after looking at the second grade spelling I am not worried about it at all, it was all so similar again.  So we developed a plan that would use the third grade language material for all of her Language Arts but will incorporate some of the second grade spelling into the lesson as a "review".  We had her read the middle of the first reader as well of third grade and it was a perfect fit.

K made a decision and  purchased the items needed.  Seeing that she had already purchased all she thought she would need it was an added and unplanned expense, so she bought the first two readers and get purchase the others in several months.  I am indeed feeling fired up today!  It excites me to see that although G and F's parents tend to want a set curriculum they are able to see that modifications must be made to meet the needs of the students. They knew that but as the other teacher in the room I was afraid that they would stick to the set program since it is so well put together for you.  Now I am going through and putting all the lesson plans into one fine tuned plan for each child to meet their needs.  The lesson plan books that are provided are guiding me every step of the way but lesson itself is specific to each child's needs. 

I know that Jeff's comfortable, gentle guidance helped K to feel comfortable about her choices.

THEN there is G!!!  So we get to the car and I tell her that I am just not sure what grade she is in anymore.  So we will call it second-third grade.  As we told her that her math would be second grade but her language would be third grade she seemed happy to hear it.  I loved the toothless smile (fronts are missing) as she heard that I know she wants to learn new things and be challenged rather than do the same old thing over and over.  She told me "as long as it is not too hard"  then giggled and said "every time I am afraid that it will be too hard I find out that it was not so hard but fun".  YES YES YES  I love to hear that she still finds learning FUN.  I think if K would not have made that choice we might have lost that. 

We plan to begin on August 29th this year.  We have the co-op field trips that we will participate in on the calendar and await the announcement of the co-op enrichment program called Master's Lyceum. Tonight is the first co-op gathering of the new "school year".  One of G's girl scout friends is apparently going to be home schooled this year too and the family will be attending the meeting. 

As it goes, I am off to complete the remainder of F's lesson plans for the first 8 weeks.

TTFN

A Surprise for ME

I have mentioned before that I work every Saturday and Sunday as a nurse.  I have mentioned that I have a physical ailment called Antiphospholipid Syndrome.  Have I mentioned that when it flares I cannot think, talk or walk straight? I know I have shared that it is an autoimmune state that causes my blood to develop blood clots spontaneously but some times the blood is just too thick and one person I know nick-named it Sludge Blood. So when it is no flowing like it should it impairs me greatly and usually symptoms that are neurological in nature. So I did not work this past weekend and have been a useless homemaker as well. I am grateful it is still summer break.

Since I learned about APS I got to know my case and my body and what worked well for me, but years ago I did get online and find others with APS. At first a support structure seemed like a good idea but it did not take me long to find that I also needed to connect with Christians who share my faith and my syndrome. I did not like the negativity that I often found and in the support group we were forbidden to pray for each other as it would offend others. I later found the person who headed up the group was Wiccan although raised Catholic.  The Lord was guiding me away from the group but it was clear that I had made a few friends there that share my life views not just my illness.  I have maintained those relationships and had met face to face those I am close to except for on person.  WELL, this morning I met her. She let me know yesterday that she was heading my way and it was a surprise indeed.  She was on her way to Chicago from Texas and she stopped and spent the day with me.  I feel so lifted inside to meet her face to face. There are three people I developed an ongoing friendship with.  Two years ago I traveled to PA to met one. About four years ago friend from Houston met me in St. Louis and we drove to Chicago to meet several others. The friend from Houston also took a trip to D.C. with me last fall. My friend in PA and I are very close and speak often on the telephone. We represent four different decades. 

Since I have been in a flare I was not much fun but we spent our time together in great quality. She understands what APS can do to a day in a moment without notice. She accepted me for exactly who I am, which as the moment is a very poor housekeeper and a fridge that needs to be filled along with piles of laundry that have had to go undone for nearly a week.  We spent the morning moving slow and then late morning in the pool before the sun hit it.  My mother dropped by and had one of my grandsons with her, K brought G and F by as well. 

I feel very blessed to have had this opportunity. I pray that the travel and stress of the trip do not interfere with her health.  She will not return to Texas until Tuesday next week so please keep her in your prayers as well. She is 29 yrs old and traveling alone with her very small dog. She reminds me very much of myself in my twenties. 



So here we are after a morning of pool time. Chissy and BethAnne



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I am having a hard time posting comments to the blogs I follow. 
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Skipping 2nd grade language book?

I have gone all through every lesson for the second grade language arts. G will need to do the spelling but I have gone through the 2 grade phonics test book and she could test out on each one I am certain. I went through the lesson plan and cannot see why I would be reviewing vowel and consonant sounds with her still two weeks into school when she completed the entire curriculum last year and learned ALL the phonic sounds. Sure the last 10 maybe review but begin with a vowel?  NO WAY

Kelley agrees completely with me so she is going to have G read the last page of each reader in the program. If she can do it without stumbling and delayed sounding out of words then we MUST move on. The whole idea is to avoid a boring school but to challenge their bright little minds. I feel like I will be holding G back if I do this.  I might as well teach her w/ F and only teach one level at a time. HAHAHA -- poor G would be so upset to b held up by her baby sister.

ANYWAY WE are going to a material display next week and talk w/ the rep that covers Missouri. I do not like the attitude of the rep that covers Illinois. He does not come to this area enough anyway and the young helpful man who uses this material for his own children cut his own commission in telling us to wait for the sale that was coming up.  He knew we would go to the IL rep then.  

I see that lesson 146 has ABC order, my hubby says that I have to cover it.  I tell him that G can do ABC order already and even three letters into a word.  I went on to show him the lessons and he agrees as well to find what will challenge G.  The books will not go to waste as we still have F to go and then there is Baby O who is going to be born before the end of the year. 

I know, I am rambling but I feel that way in my head as well. IT was not a good day for me with my APS so my mind is scattered.  Just venting once again about this whole 2nd grade language thing. DONE  Good night!

Same stuff different year?

I just spent the evening going through the A Beka Lesson Plan books for second grade. I know that the year will begin with review but feel like I am not going to introduce much new at all to G this year. I am not the person to decide the curriculum as that is the job of her parents. I like the program the bought and it is laid out well for me to follow but it seems very a-climatic at this point. I am going to have to use my imagination to keep it fresh for her and I really think I will need to skip the stuff that makes her feel like she is in kindergarten again and purchase the 3rd grade Language curriculum.  I no longer worry about the parts we did not achieve in math during 1st grade either as it really is too basic and I may have to skip ahead by 59 lessons. 
I believe in review and reinforcement but not to the point that we are all bored.  There is another materials display in the area next week, I will have to attend this.

Boring compared to others

I have decided that we must be boring home school educators.  I read about how much effort that others are putting into their lesson plans and choosing the items for each subject.  They seem to be devoted indeed.

Then I look at us.  I have found that I justify our use of one curriculum. WHAT? That is just crazy I tell myself. We all have similar yet different reasons to homeschool and our children learn in many different ways. I find that one set program gives me direct guidance to assure that G and F are meeting certain outcomes. I also find that I supplement their lessons with other items as well to enhance and enrich the experience.

Their books and the lesson plans for this year have arrived but I did not dive into them yet as so many other things seem to be happening.  I am setting a more specific schedule and have determined out start date will be August 29th.  That will still be about a week after the traditional schools and end sooner. We have built into the schedule extra school days as we know that the baby coming will put an unexpected break into our pattern.  I have cautioned the girls that this year we are more prepared about what to expect and what we need to do better at teaching. This is only our second year to homeschool. 

First, I am going to begin sooner in the day rather than later. It seems once lunch break happens no one is as interested in learning and I know I was not as interested in teaching. SO we will begin on a traditional time schedule of 8:30 am.....ok maybe 9:00 (haha).  Each subject will have a reasonable lesson time and time to complete work. Work that is not completed will end up being evening homework for them.  Well, at least for G that will be the case as it is rather unfair to expect more from F than I did from G in the same class--and F is very young yet to push that.  F will need direct lesson time like I did last year for G.   I also know that some lessons were just to draggy and needed to move along more, with some lessons being combined to just one lesson.  G can take it, she does not like to be bored and I am afraid I did that as the year went on.  So this year I am going to be better at planning ahead and know when to combine several lessons into one.  Building onto knowledge is one thing but we must move on. It seems we have been teaching the same stuff for a long time at the end of the year.  I so expect to find that we begin the 3rd grade language before the end of the year. 

I know that I am going to expect more from G in her writing efforts and improvement in the neatness of her written work.

We will once again participate in the co-op's enrichment program they title Master's Lyceum.  One parent will be using the Magic Tree House books and G loves that series.  I bought her the whole set for her birthday but then halted her reading them so she could be part of this group.  I am not sure what F will be excited to participate in but I think she is ready to leave the Learning Centers program and move on to the FIAR series. 

F is beginning the first grade curriculum but will still need to master more skillful reading before I start the first grade books. She completed the K phonics and will go on in the 1st grade book there however. I hope to see a better flow of phonics blend rather than a breakdown of each word.  Her math will be all 1st grade. 

We will also seek a Daisy troop for her to join. She is young but she will be 5 by the end of October so I do not see why she should hold back there.

Finally, we will pray that my health keeps up and we can keep doing this. I want to get my grandchildren to college age via homeschool. I think F may want regular school at some point but I do not think that G will ever consider it again.

Well, those are my thoughts for today.  No exciting strategic moves in our class, just some real old fashion teaching and learning. Of course we will keep doing the programs at the zoo, the magic house and the science center as well.

We took a trip to Tennessee:

G finds fossils

A tiny, insignificant spot called McKinnon, Tennessee to be exact.  Located in McKinnon, or just above it on the ridge you will find 107 acres of heritage. My heritage to be exact, which passes onto my grandchildren G and F.  I am certain that I cannot find the words to tell this entire story but I will attempt it anyway.

We got on the road on Monday morning and met up with some cousins at a motel in Erin, TN.  By 3pm we were at the family cemetery. Wait a moment, I must back up first in order to better reveal why being at the cemetery was a moment worthy of memories.

We met with Lisa and her son Kade.  I met them two years ago for the first time. Lisa would be my second cousin, once removed and Kade her change of life child. They are from the Detroit area and as a child Lisa would travel to Clarksville, TN to visit the "other" side of the family. But she never came to the Mathis side. You see, her mother left the area after the death of  Rosa Mai. Rosa Mai was my grandfather's sister.  Without a lot of detail let me just say that this family lived life as hard as one could ever imagine. They were extreme in many ways and there are many family tragedy stories in their past.  So Lisa's mother, named Rose did not return to the Mathis homestead.   She was only 14 when she left and traveled to Detroit area.  It seems that many left the area and either went toward Detroit, MI or to Granite City, IL; both cities with iron or steel industry which had been a large part of the McKinnon, TN experience.

Back to the cemetery:   So there she was. Elderly, gray and unsteady on her feet making her way through the terrain and looking upon her grandparents headstone for the first time in her life.  Her memories a bit sketchy overall as she was raised in Clarksville and had only come once each year for a week when her father had vacation form work. She recalls a small cemetery but of course it only had a few graves present.  She had two Aunts and several babies there when she was a child. Since then it has of course filled more.  My grandparents rest there as well.  She had never thought this was something she would ever see.

From the cemetery we went down ridge/hill to the creek.  To reach the homestead you had to actually ford the creek. Once again with the assistance of  Lisa, Rose made her way to the creek. We placed a chair in the cold spring feed creek and Rose sat with joy as the cold water rushed across her feet and ankles. The water remains crystal clear as it flows across the red river rock, the "Dover limestone"  and the many fossils found as well.  Rose was very quiet about the experience but you could see in her aging blue eyes the moments of reflection into her past. She looked off into the far distance with a peace upon her face that can only be seen to understand. 

After hours of play in the creek we headed back to the motel. Rose was exhausted and Lisa and I were concerned that she had done too much. But Rose was a go-getter and kept telling us to stop worrying about her. This trip was important to Rose, he spouse of 66yrs has just passed and she wanted to get to Tennessee before she passes too. Funny thing about "old age", you have a direct, realistic view of life and how precious the moment is.

The next day we actually made it onto the homestead (living quarters) location. You can no longer ford the creek to get into it as a tornado came through years ago several very large trees now block that access. But there is an old wagon trail way that we called the back way in. You travel along the base of the ridge and cross one small stream from the many springs the feed the creek. We needed the four wheel truck for this. When we reached the clearing Rose could only see the space where it all once stood.  The original well is still there and the rubble from the chimney is all that remains.  I drove her to the spot that the old root cellar was at and parked there. When I told her we were right where the root cellar was she had some reference to it all.  So we took a chair to a location that would have been the porch and she looked upon the ridges. She recalled the barn that was there for a while when I was young and other structures that were never there when I was a child.  Once again she sat back in her chair with reflection of past in her eyes. She told me how they use to take the train from Clarksville and would be picked up by a mule and travel on the buckboard to Granny's place. They would ford the creek on the buckboard. She recalls the long narrow table in the screened  room and that others would stand behind them during the meal swinging sticks above them to keep the flies away. I do not recall any sheep on the farm but I was there after 1961 and she was there in 1930, she says they would slaughter a lamb for the occasion of a visit and have a wonderful feast.  This was the one week every year she looked forward to. He mother was a nurse and her father was a grocer.  My own mother recalls Rosa Mai coming to give the kids their shots each year.
We also spent the day at the creek the second day, my sister and her daughter joined us. My niece lives only about one hour away and my sister was taking holiday for the week at her home.  It ended up that my sister stayed one night with us and went to the 1850's farm located on the LBL area (land between the lakes). It was a hot day so a bit hard to enjoy since we got a late start of things but enjoyable anyway.  As a homeschooler you find that everything you do tends to have a lesson in it.  That was no different in this trip. There were lessons about family heritage, "pig iron" blast furnaces made of limestone and eventually, a farm of the 1850's.  They had already spent the day on our homestead so we could use our imagination and put this typical working farm in our holler and suddenly you have a realistic lesson.

We do  intend to return for a regular field trip in the fall. Kelley will not be able to participate but I am sure I can find other co-op friends who would take the trip. Also in that area is Fort Donnelson, where a grandparent lost his life in a Civil War battle.

On the last day of our trip we said out good-byes to Rose and family at the motel. We then went to the creek near the spring and played until it was time to hit the road and return home. It is only 232 miles away and an easy trip. If gas prices were not so high we could enjoy this more often. OH yes, the spring is a spot that comes from a rock under a large old tree. Many years ago my grandfather put a pipe in the crack of the rock and the water has been flowing every since then.  This was the only running water my mother ever knew for many years as well. They went to the spring to gather the water for the home then carried it back, UP HILL when the buckets were full.

So as a cute gesture G wanted to do the same She filled a 6 oz cup with spring water and walked all the way up the hill to the location of my mother's childhood home.
Here are some photos of our experience, including the walk up hill with a glass of water. LOL--

F plays with niece's dog



coming back downstream



f dresses a pioneer

g dresses a pioneer

THE HOMPLACE at LBL

kitchen as I recall it at my great grandmother's at Tennessee

Loom at THE HOMPLACE

G and F meet Rose

There is a spring at the bottom of this hill and the girls are carrying a glass of water up the hill like their Gram had to when she was little.  HAHA  next time they should try two full buckets.