First Day of the 2010-2011 School Year

This is the boys clocking in image. I couldn't resist!

Today was a great start to our home school year.  I set up 9 work boxes for each of the boys and 1 work box for Elie.  The boys "clocked in" and we got to work!  I explained how the system worked, or at least re-explained it, as I had talked with them about it before but didn't have it all set up yet.  I didn't jam pack them since we eased back in, but all 9 boxes did have something in them. I think this will be a really great tool for them and for me!  Only drawback so far is that Niles desk hasn't arrived yet, so he did work on the kitchen table today.  He's looking forward to having his own workspace though & I like that enthusiasm.

One tidbit though: Need to get girly more boxes and make sure that has enough different stuff going on too. She was mad she had only one & doesn't have her own shelf for them! 

Today's lessons also included how to shuck peas for dinner, why pink-eyed peas are called "pink-eyed" and a tip on making baked sweet potatoes.  Niles loves working in the kitchen with me.  It's nice.   Now if only I can get him to wash dishes.....

Iowa Test Results

....are in! And he did fabulous!  His overall score ranked him as grade/month 5.7! I'm glad that he did so well and I'm very proud of him. Way to go buddy!

Back in the swing next week

Our school year officially starts next week.  I'm waiting til Nate goes back in order to get them in line.  This year, trying something different:

• School will be a set time each day & no gaming even during breaks during that time!
• I'm trying the workbox system by Sue Patrick.

• Niles is doing a geometry class at UNC for homeschool students.

 I'm looking forward to having more structure this year. I am NOT an unschooler. No offense to those of you who are, but that makes me crazy!  I need more organization and structure in order to get these boys to focus and myself as well.  I hope to write more about how these things are working for us as we get up and running.

Our first field trip is already scheduled for the Nasher Art Museum on Friday, August 27th too!

Iowa Testing

Niles is doing his mandatory Iowa testing for the school year. I was pleased that Heather told me his confidence is much higher, he's finishing everything w/time to spare & he's talkative w/her! Woo hoooooo!! Go Niles!

Luca doesn't have to take that this year, thank goodness. I have no idea how it will go for him next year. I don't see why he needs to take it at 7 when kids in public school don't have to take it til 3rd grade. Oh well, I don't make the home school rules, I just follow them.

Homeschooling Philosophy

• Muad'Dib learned rapidly because his first training was in how to learn. And the first lesson of all was the basic trust that he could learn. It's shocking to find how many people do not believe they can learn, and how many more believe learning to be difficult. Muad'Dib knew that every experience carries its lesson.
o from The Humanity of Muad'Dib by the Princess Irulan

Leaps & bounds

Luca is making huge leaps right now. It has been such a satisfying time for me. To finally get to experience him making the connections, building the blocks and reading has been so gratifying! I love it!!

Niles is also reading two books for pleasure. He's still working on the Neil Gaiman book but also picked up a Goosebumps book when we did school at Borders one morning. That's our boy!! So glad someone else finally likes horror in this house!

Progress

We started a new reading program [me & Luca]. ABeCeDarian - and it is working much better. I'm very pleased with the progress he's made in a week. He's definitely more interested & it starts on making words out of the sounds right away. So he can sound out mop, sat & tap already! I said, "Luca, you read those words!" And he said, "I did? Hey, I DID!" Very cool!

Luca is progressing rapidly through math now. I started w/Sinapore's early K books & we finished both of those & are now doing the K book A. We are zipping right along & it's giving him more confidence, since he 'knows' some of this already. I like how the present the info in this series. It's a good fit for us.

Niles is reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. His teacher,from the co-op, who he read Tom Sawyer with, recommended it. He started reading it on the way home from the book store. I thought that was very cool!

He also had a light go on re: fractions this week. I sat down with him and he got it pretty quickly that way.