In The Beginning...

I wasn't going to homeschool. Period. It was a relief in many ways when the kids each started school. I couldn't teach them all they needed to know. And homeschoolers were all weird anyway.

But I did worry about them. What were the other kids teaching them? Did their teachers treat them lovingly as I would or did their personalities clash? Were the kids on the bus mean?

I just kept sending them though. I lived through it, so would they.

Stephen and Shane started school in Potlatch, Idaho. They had a great Kindergarten teacher that had been teaching for 20 years and did a wonderful job. Stephen also went to 1st and 2nd there. His 1st grade teacher was lacking (couldn't seem to control her classroom and she would tell me she did some things everyday when Stephen said that she only did them when there was a parent visiting), but his 2nd grade teacher did well enough.

Then we moved to Salem, Oregon. Stephen's 3rd grade teacher was again unable to control her classroom. Shane had a great teacher though :) And she had a 1st and 2nd grade combined class, so he had her for 2 years.

Stephen's 4th grade teacher was, again, adequate. Jessica started Kindergarten this year also. She was already reading, but they expected to teach her the sounds of the letters. She liked the social life though, so I let it go.

The next year I had Stephen-5th, Shane-3rd, and Jessica-1st. I requested the best 5th grade teacher for Stephen, Shane had a fine teacher, and Jessica's teacher told me she didn't know what to do with her since she was so far ahead. But she still liked her social life :) Halfway through the school year, we bought a house in another school district and moved. They were in a small school with only 3 teachers for 1st-5th. Jessica and Shane's teachers were wonderful. And Stephen's teacher was again lacking. She insisted that he was behind in all subjects when I knew he wasn't. She put him in a level too low, and he was bored most of the time.

That summer they closed the small school and put all the kids in a very large school. Stephen, at 6th grade, was put in the junior high. He was again not being challenged. His teacher sent home a note saying that he hadn't done any homework for 3 months! I don't understand why they didn't tell me for 3 months. So we grounded him until he completed all his homework for three months. It took him 90 minutes. Definitely not challenging.

Jacob started Kindergarten this year also. His teacher seemed OK. After Christmas the school sent home a reprimand for Jacob for his activity on the bus. Looking at what they said, I was sure he had done it. I asked my other kids, and the neighbors kids what was going on on that bus. Apparently the bus driver never acknowledged anyone unless they did something wrong. In the mind of a five year old little boy, if you only speak to him when he's in trouble, you must not like him.

According to the reprimand I had to meet with the principle before he could ride the bus again, so I made an appointment with her. In part of that meeting, I tried to explain to her that if the bus driver would say something nice to him (like "Good Morning") he would change his attitude and try to be good. She told me that the bus driver had a lot to think about, and didn't have to do anything to make my son more comfortable riding the bus, and that I didn't have to worry, they would take of it. Jacob would be held in for his only recess of the day for the next week.

I went home *so* angry! I told Stan I wasn't sending them back--none of them. If this kind of attitude--what was best for the adults (not the kids) was what was going to happen--was coming down from the principle, I didn't want any of the kids in the school. It wasn't the first time that I had seen the "attitude" at school, but it was the first time it was so blatant. The bus driver couldn't handle the 5yo, Stephen only had decent teachers every other year, Shane did fine in the classroom because he was quiet but had no friends and was often picked on, and Jessica was always so far ahead of her class that she learned on her own, not with her class. Stan said I couldn't pull them out for a month. It would give me time to calm down (and make sure I was really going to do this) and to prepare.

I pulled them out at Spring break, and never looked back (almost). I thought they would drive me crazy, but they didn't. They have grown closer together. I thought the crazy schedule of homeschooling would be harder than having them in public school, but it is easier. I *can* teach them what they need to know (or I can find someone who can). We can sleep in when we want, stay up late when we want, go on field trips when we want, go on vacations when we want, do what ever we want. School work only takes a short time out of the day. The kids are not being subjected to being picked on, being bored, swearing, off color jokes, and bad social skills at school. I am grateful for that rotten bus driver, and grateful I don't have to put up with another one.

Current, for the moment, 2007-2008 plan

Sarah-

Reading--I Can Read It! (a reader), and library books
Writing--2 pages of Handwriting Without Tears and copywork from whatever she read
Arithmetic--Singapore Math 1B/2A

Joseph-

Reading--Explode the Code/ I Can Read It!
Writing--Explode the Code and Handwriting Without Tears
Arithmetic--Singapore Math 1B/2A and Miquon Math

Jacob-

Reading--his choice
Writing--Wordsmith Apprentice and Daily Grams 3/4
Arithmetic--Singapore Math 4A/4B
Science--Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day
History--Story of the World Book 4 and Activity Guide (the Activity guide has extra reading, maps to fill in, and other projects)

Jessica-

Reading--Lightning Literature Grade 7
Writing--Wordsmith and Daily Grams 5/6
Arithmetic--Finish Singapore 6B and Life of Fred Beginning Algebra
Science--Cooking and Science
History--Story of the World Book 4 and Activity Guide
Foreign Language--Rosetta Stone Spanish

Shane-

Reading--Lightning Literature Speech and the Reading merit badge
Writing--Wordsmith and Daily Grams 5/6
Arithmetic--Life of Fred Beginning Algebra
Science--Biology from library books and merit badges using an AP Biology study guide as a guide
History--Modern World History
Foreign Language--Rosetta Stone Spanish
Electives--Art History or Logic

Stephen-

Reading--Lightning Literature Speech and the Reading merit badge
Writing--Wordsmith and Daily Grams 5/6
Arithmetic--Life of Fred Beginning Geometry
Science--Biology from library books and merit badges using an AP Biology study guide as a guide
History--Modern World History
Foreign Language--Rosetta Stone Spanish
Electives--Art History, Logic, and/or AP Computer Science

Mother's Day :)

I love Mother's Day. We have a tradition of breakfast in bed, homemade cards, and dollar store gifts. I get to sit on the couch and do whatever I want as long as its not cooking or cleaning (the kids do that). I usually call Mom, but I forgot they were at Dwight's and waited too late (sorry Mom). I'll have to try tomorrow.

Here's a blog named Confessions of a Pioneer Woman that was just recommended on one of the message boards I frequent. It really makes me laugh. I had to add it to my favorites.

Changes for 2007-2008 Schedule

Changes are in blue. There sure is a lot of blue :)

Joseph and Sarah:
Explode the Code (Joseph only)
Miquon Math
Singapore Math
Mcguffey readers--Neither of them like this. We'll just use books from the library.
We will start from where we leave off this year.
They will listen in Jacob, Jessi, and I read Story of the World

Jacob:
DK Presidents
Not using - DK History of the 20th Century
The Story of the World Book 4 and Activity Book
In the Activity book are reading suggestions in four Usbourne history books that we already own. Jacob and Jessi will be reading these instead of the DK 20th Century book.
We are also using A Child's History of the World
Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day Actually he wants to study Sea Creatures instead.
Singapore Math 4A/4B
Easy Grammar 3/4 Daily Grams 3/4 instead
Literature based on Tapestry of Grace 20th Century Upper Grammar reading list I'm going to let him pick most of his literature to read instead of telling him what he has to read.
Writing using Write on Track handbook as a guide I think I will have him do the first half of WordSmith Apprentice for writing, but still use this guide.

Jessica:
Same history changes as Jacob.
DK Presidents
DK History of the 20th Century
The Story of the World Book 4 and Activity Book
Apologia Biology Change to Kitchen Chemistry. And add in books from the library.
Science Roots
Finish Singapore Math 6B
Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 Don't like Teaching Textbooks anymore. Will be using Life of Fred Beginning Algebra.
Easy Grammar 4/5 Daily Grams 5/6 instead
Literature based on Tapestry of Grace 20th Century Dialectic reading list She will be using Lightning Literature 7th Grade instead.
Writing using Write Source 2000 handbook as a guide And WordSmith Apprentice.

Shane:
Will be using Modern World for questions to research and all of these books and more to find answers.
DK Presidents
DK History of the 20th Century
The Story of the World Book 4 and Activity Book
A History of the American People (last half)
Apologia Biology I decided Apologia was too preachy. Stan and I came up with our own curriculum by using the table of contents from several high school biology books. They will research the subjects (from table of contents) and work on related merit badges. (at least 12)
Science Roots
Finish Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 Change to Life of Fred Beginning Algebra.
Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 Not getting to this this year.
Rosetta Stone Spanish 1 (first half)
Literature based on Tapestry of Grace 20th Century Rhetoric reading list Will be doing Lightning Literature Speech and getting the Reading Merit Badge instead.
Writing using Writer's Inc handbook as a guide Will do WordSmith also.

Stephen:
History, Science, and Literature will be the same as Shane's.
DK Presidents
DK History of the 20th Century
The Story of the World Book 4 and Activity Book
A History of the American People (last half)
Apologia Biology
Science Roots
Teaching Textbooks Geometry Change to Life of Fred Geometry.
Rosetta Stone Spanish 1 (first half)
Literature based on Tapestry of Grace 20th Century Rhetoric reading list
Writing using Writer's Inc handbook as a guide Will also do WordSmith Craftsman over the next two years.

The Grounding

A few nights ago Joseph and Jacob were arguing and it escalated (big surprise:).

Joseph threw a boomerang and it hit Jacob. Jacob picked it up and hit Joseph with it and left a little bruise. They both came upstairs, Joseph crying and Jacob still angry.

Stan told Jacob that he was grounded for three days. Joseph misunderstood and thought he was grounded. He said "I can't not eat for three days!" I told him that Jacob was grounded, not him. Then he told me "Jacob can't not eat for three days either!"

It's sweet that he can worry about his brother while he is still crying from the bruise he received. I explained to him that Jacob would be grounded from video games and friends, not food. We don't withhold food from the kids. Really.