Despite what it looks like on this blog, we've been spending a lot of time homeschooling. It has not been easy. I don't know how to teach children and am seriously lacking in the patience it takes to teach my own children. I find myself saying at least once a day some version of, "you wouldn't talk to your school teacher like that, would you?" I actually had this moment before we left, after I'd put together a bunch of the lesson plans where I thought "this is going to be good, maybe I'll really like it." Not so much.
But, I've established a basic routine and am finally to the point this week were I've made up a daily specific schedule. Libby and Luke's teachers gave us lots of materials and send weekly emails to keep us on track. Their principal gave me a stack of resources and ideas that have been really helpful. The junior high gave us a math book. That's it! Luckily some good friends have helped by sending us their math progress and reading logs/schedules. My dad (a former math teacher) gave us access to some helpful websites and has been scanning and emailing supplemental material to the math textbook. I'm not sure what we would do without all this help (and the internet!).
In all fairness, the kids are trying. I know they feel frustrated to have to be doing school work when all of Paris awaits. They also get annoyed when I'm trying to explain something to someone else and they have to wait for help (not like that ever happens in a classroom of 25-30 students!). I have an increased appreciation for public schools and public school teachers and I'm looking forward to handing my kids off to them in 10 weeks.
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| The homework table. |
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| Isaac working on his career essay. |
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| Luke going on a letter scavenger hunt around the apartment. |
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| Libby working on math. |
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| Preparing for the next day. |
You need to have Craig tell you about when Paula tried to homeschool their three kids. Apparently the boys were doing who knows what and Kate was frustrated because she just wanted to learn so bad! So they ended up hiring a student to teach Kate while Paula dealt with the boys. At least that's the version Craig told us at lunch the other day. On second thought, maybe you should talk to Paula . . .
ReplyDeleteDo I see you sitting in the director's chair Sarah? I don't know what to think about that. Libby looks like she's studying hard at least. Isaac's "career essay" looks suspiciously like a video game from this angle. And Luke I'm with you on Napoleon Dynamite: you'll probably learn more good things from him (like how to dance and play tetherball, I'll not mention the less good things) than from the Napoleon who goes by only one name.
ReplyDeleteSince I'm married to the director doesn't that make me entitled to all the rights and privileges of directorhood?
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