It’s 5:30 and Our School Day Just Ended!

This post is part of a series showing the realness of homeschooling---the ugly, frustrating, and wonderfulness of it all. 

It’s Monday, our short day! 

I was determined we would get into the swing of things and work through our new schedule.    Things were going reasonably well until right after lunch. Our schedule dictated thirty minutes to go over last weeks writing and suggest improvements before revising and editing happened.   Discovering that my girls had not worked on their writing project for the prescribed 1 1/2 hours on Friday, I had to try really hard not to blow a gasket!

I-E had taken 3 notes on a five page article. She explained she had been annoyed she had to do the assignment, so that when she read the article it hadn’t made any sense to her.   I sent her to the table to work while I checked in with E-R. 

 

E-R claimed she didn’t realize the assignment was to write a one page overview of the  battles fought in the Revolutionary War.   Instead she had drawn a map, and thrown together a really bad paragraph about Billy Howe. 

Remember the gasket I was trying not to blow!   

So we read over the paragraph, discussed what the topic sentence should have been, and took some notes so she could write a good paragraph about Billy Howe.  

I-E checked in with her 7 total notes from that five page article.  

Gasket blowing!   Still holding it inside! 

So we read and took notes together from the first section of the article.   We then determined how she wanted   to introduce the article and what the topic sentence of the first paragraph should be.   Then I helped her write the first paragraph sentence by sentence.   The whole time I wanted to scream---YOU KNOW HOW TO DO THIS!!!!!

 

And then she told me, " I can do the rest—I didn’t know this is what you wanted me to do!"

When will I learn that teenage brains need clear, concise written instructions!  

 

The one where I forgot to post, and oh did I mention I live with a bunch of teenagers

This post is part of a series showing the realness of homeschooling---the ugly, frustrating, and wonderfulness of it all. 

I have five children that are teenagers right now.   One is living on his own at college, and four are living right here at home.    So many people tell me—I’m sorry—when they hear how many teenagers I have.  Don’t be.    I love this stage of life.    Teenagers are fun to do things with and are enjoyable to talk with. Teenagers are exploring and testing out the whole big world of opportunities that are just waiting for them.
  
I love spending time with my teenagers. Teenagers are generally excited about life. 
Except when they aren’t.   Sometimes life is big and hard and scary.   Sometimes decisions that can seem overwhelming have to be made.   And teenagers are just figuring out how to deal with those choices and the responsibilities that come with making what seem like and sometimes are huge life changing decisions.   One of my teenagers is at this point in their life.   Decisions are being made.   It’s been hard on all of us.
  
I’m just saying---that may have been why this post is late.   
Have a great day everyone! 

Homeschool Mother's Journal March 6, 2011

In my life this week...
I had another child with a birthday.   E turned 13 this week.   I now have three teenagers in my life.   I never thought I would live through the teenage years.   And some times with teens are hard, but for the most part I like being a mom to teens.   Teens are able to physically take care of themselves (no more wiping bottoms and buckling seatbelts), and they start to reason and think for themselves.    My teens share their lives and friends with me, and my life is all the better for it.    Of course, next year I'll have five teenagers----I may feel a bit differently then!  ;)
In our homeschool this week...
We mostly worked on MacBeth.    E is playing MacBeth and we have spent a ton of time on his part.   Who knew how much time actors spent developing their characters?  

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

To the Rubicon Theatre!

We are also excited about Grammy and Aunt Thea who will be joining us for the performance on Saturday.

My favorite thing this week was...

My husband coming home.    I missed him a lot.   It is so hard to run a household with one partner gone.   As soon as he got back, he shared with us all of the yummy food he had eaten while in Germany.   It brought back so many memories of all the foods I grew up eating.   It also inspired me to make pork and cabbage for super last night. 


What's working/not working for us...
I-E just joined a water polo team this week.  I am hoping it works out for her.   The novice team she's been competing on always has problems getting enough people to form a team in her age group, so she competes with the older kids.   This team is all girls her age.  


Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

We really need to get more accomplished  each week, so we can finish the school year in a timely manner!



A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Happy Birthday!  Yummy chocolate cake with raspberry filling and whipped cream frosting and chocolate sides.    What's your favorite kind of cake?