Tuesdays are pretty busy days for us. Homeschooling takes the back seat on these days because Flutterby has several therapies which she must attend. Because it is one day out of the week, and she is really still Pre-K, it is not very troubling to miss lessons.
We started the day doing math while listening to The Bible. Then we went to Vision Therapy at the doctor's office. Next we visited the chiropractor, where the whole family got adjusted. Then Flutterby went to Occupational therapy. Then we went to the grocery store and came home to make dinner. Flutterby helped me make tacos. However, as she was stirring the ground beef, the chair went backward and the wooden back hit her face. Now she has a mark on her cheek. I miss having a big enough place to use our learning tower!
Today was not a productive day for homeschool. I, unfortunately, had a lot of things to take around the house. So we only did a math lesson and vision therapy.
I am a bit frustrated because the very expensive, special headphones for listening therapy have a problem. The right side is not working. I need to figure out of the company who made them will repair them o if I must take them to be repaired.
I recently found an online spelling resource that I want to share. This website is free and provides a variety of spelling services. If you have a list of spelling words, simply input those words. From there, the child can here the words read, hear the words used in a sentence, and spelled. There are also printable games.
Once ready, the child can take a spelling test. There the words can be read to them or played in a sentence. The child simply enters the appropriate letters. Once done, the test is graded and a certificate or report can be generated with the child's name.
Flutterby truly enjoyed this site and got 100% correct on her first try, This may be a fun way to encourage spelling in your home! Click here to visit SpellingcCity.com.
A May 14th article in the New York Times entitled "Plan B: Skip College," suggests that a college education is not the best choice for everyone. Perhaps rather than encouraging each child to pursue college after high school, each child's abilities should be assessed and alternative options provided. The number of drop-outs and college students taking an extended period of time to complete their degree is significant.
"Perhaps no more than half of those who began a four-year bachelor’s degree program in the fall of 2006 will get that degree within six years, according to the latest projections from the Department of Education."
Attempting and failing at completing college can have significant drawbacks. Beyond the time lost and reduced self-esteem issues, there is a very hefty financial cost to consider.
"For college students who ranked among the bottom quarter of their high school classes, the numbers are even more stark: 80 percent will probably never get a bachelor’s degree or even a two-year associate’s degree."
Some educators and economists are suggesting alternatives which completely avoid a college career, as degrees are not requires in many fields.
"Of the 30 jobs projected to grow at the fastest rate over the next decade in the United States, only seven typically require a bachelor’s degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among the top 10 growing job categories, two require college degrees: accounting (a bachelor’s) and postsecondary teachers (a doctorate). But this growth is expected to be dwarfed by the need for registered nurses, home health aides, customer service representatives and store clerks. None of those jobs require a bachelor’s degree."
Interestingly in Germany, where college tuition is waived, 40% of potential college students opted to pursue apprenticeships instead of attending university. This course of study was ideal for those interested in careers not requiring a college degree.
So does this mean that less is expected of students and self-esteem therefore adversely affected if college is not encouraged? Will encouraging vocational training over a college degree set the stage for an increased risk of unemployment and lower lifetime wages? Certainly the risks are there. There are opportunity costs to be weighed. But perhaps exploring all options with students will yield greater successes in the long run.
Today the family had a lovely hike by the Chattahoochee River. Flutterby got to observe a myriad of wild life. It seemed that everything was out for us to observe.
As we started the hike, we were seeing butterflies galore. There were many large Tiger Swallowtails and even more smaller species, like Cabbage White and Spring Azure. There were also many dragonflies to observe, which Flutterby is eager to catch.
A we proceeded onto a smaller, less traveled trail, we immediately heard bullfrogs croaking. We saw three Blue-Tailed Skink lizards along the boardwalk we traveling. In the marsh area, we saw a family of Mallard ducks swimming among the reeds, a mommy, daddy, and baby. Along the path, Flutterby was able to observe and identify some of the plant life, including various fungus and tree leaves.
Once back on the main trail, we caught site of a very large rat snake. Flutterby approached it with her grandfather and got so close I thought she would touch it. It quickly slithered into the brush to cool off and be left alone. As we continued, we came to a bridge over a stream leading to the river.
From the bridge we saw a Great Blue Heron soaking up the son in the Chattahoochee and various ducks in the river. Looking down in the stream, there were many fish. Flutterby particularly enjoyed the Sun Fish. There were also Suckers and Bass. As we turned to look over the other side of the bridge facing the stream, we saw a small brown water snake attempting to climb over a hump to go upstream, or perhaps drink the water flowing over.
As we returned, we saw many butterflies and birds, including blue birds. Flutterby even spotted two lady bugs. She loved exploring and was able to see so many fascinating things first hand. It was a beautiful afternoon.
We’re taking Friday off and enjoying the day. It has been another good week of learning for Flutterby and me. We have learned new things and reviewed things from the past year with Classical Conversations.
Flutterby has done well with her lessons and has hit her stride. She is enjoying the re-introduction of RighStart B and is so much more ready now. She has also enjoyed working in the garden, going for bike rides on the Silver Comet trail, and going to the park.
Flutterby also reviewed her CC memorization. She has her classification of living things, part of her list of prepositions, some of her geography, all of her Latin noun endings (1st declension), and her skip counting by 3s and 4s down pat. This is a pleasant surprise as we didn't work hard on it at CC, so in review it is lovely to see her recalling it.
I have learned that time and pacing are key. Flexibility is also extremely important of course. Although I am very relaxed with Flutterby, I can be hard on myself. So I am continuing to work on going with the flow.
A for our studies, Flutterby completed lessons as follows…
We also did various art, science, and other fun through exploring outside and other hands-on activities. I have daily reports listed throughout the week which can be accessed in the archive.
A May 11th article on the HSLDA website shared of the March visit by 38 homeschool leaders to Washington, DC. There was a legislative briefing with the HSLDA, a tour of Patrick Henry College, and a luncheon with representatives of Congress speaking.
There were discussions of faith, policy, and warnings of possible legislative changes which could impact homeschool freedoms. Most notable is the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization, about which Representative Jean Schmidt from Ohio shared concerns. Rep. Schmidt believes there are possible impediments to homeschool freedom contained within that legislation.
Homeschoolers must be vigilant. Erosion of homeschool freedoms may be insidious, which must elicit awareness and action. Read the full article here
I am a homeschooling, stay at home mother who is learning along with her child. My child, I will call her Flutterby, has Sensory Processing Disorder and Convergence Insufficiency. So as we learn and play, I must keep these things in mind. Flutterby is my "wise little owl" and for whom this blog is named.
For the most part, I would say we are an Eclectic Homeschool family. I use a combination of Classical and Charlotte-Mason and a pinch of Montessori. We are also a part of Classical Conversations classical homeschooling group. My child is very young, so we have a very loose atmosphere for educating, with the strongest emphasis being upon playing and exploring.
I am really new to blogging, so bear with me as I grow. I will try initially to blog a daily report for what we do and throw in extra thoughts as they come.
Lesson 4
, lessons 36-39
pages 32-37
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