Mid-Year Review, or Socialization is Overrated.

Okay, I mean the subject line half in jest, and I will explain that by the end.

I've started this post several times only to delete it and start again. Last semester was so busy with outside activities, I had little time for reflection. Now, having had a peaceful week after Christmas and having restarted teaching  with a less hectic schedule, I think I see our homeschooling with much clearer vision.

My conclusions? Some changes we made this year have been worthwhile. Other aspects need to change. Some of those changes will occur immediately, while others will probably have to wait till next year to be fully accomplished.

I'll start with a review of our texts and materials and conclude with a review of our activities.

Singapore Math: I have no regrets about choosing this text. It appears to be an excellent fit for both boys. They are being challenged reasonably without mind-numbing repetition. I can see where Singapore is smoothing the transition into more advanced mathematics. Honestly, I can say enough good things about this text.

Moving Beyond the Page: I have mixed feelings about MBtP. I realize that no curriculum will be a perfect fit. I like how MBtP makes cross-curricular connections. Many of the activities are clever and fun. Still, several issues trouble me.

First, MBtP is advertised as a boxed curriculum for gifted learners. However, gifted learners are often asynchronous, and I doubt any boxed curriculum can adequately address that issue. In our case, I've come to realize that, while the boys tend to work a year ahead of grade level in most subjects, they are significantly further ahead in science. The science portion of MBtP does not begin to challenge them and, frankly, was a waste of money. Since we are paying little attention to it, the boys are not getting the full benefit of the literature tie-ins as a further result. While I will continue to thumb through the science units, I am going to create our own science curriculum to keep the boys adequately challenged. This will consist of hands-on projects at home and science museum field trips.

I have less difficulties with MBtP's literature and social studies units. Here, I would only say that, although the boys occasionally have grammar activities, I think they need a more systematic and organized approach. Similarly, I believe they also need a spelling book which provides rules, rather than what appears to be a random list of words from their reading. Furthermore, I wish the boys were receiving more in terms of world history. However, by the time we work through the social studies activities, the boys have little patience or attention for more.

Finally, I wish the boys were receiving a better education in art. While MBtP definitely gives the boys many creative opportunities, it offers little in terms of technique or history. I have a lead on a better art program. However, I will probably not be able to implement it until next year.

To conclude, I suspect we will not return to MBtP next year or at least not the entire curriculum. In the meantime, I will be making what we have work for us by editing as the need arises.

Rosetta Stone: I am pleased with this aspect of our curriculum. Landry comprehends fairly complex sentences, and Kipp, who just started this year, seems to be following suit. However, because this isn't state-mandated, I tend to give this lower priority when I feel we don't have enough time. I would like to remedy that since they appear to be learning from this program.

Lord of the Rings: Giving credit where credit is due, MBtP suggests reading aloud to your children for one-half hour each day. For that reason, we started reading Lord of the Rings aloud, and I think this is one of the nicer parts of our curriculum. Even after the most trying day of homeschooling, it's nice to end the day on a good note with a few pages of LotR.

Faith First: I describe our homeschooling as secular because our religious beliefs do not influence how I teach subjects like science. That said, I do teach our children catechism. We use the Faith First series, which I like very much because it emphasizes love of God and neighbor and good works over arcane doctrinal principals. Again, however, it does get pushed aside more than I would like, if we are pressed for time, and I would like to change that.

Outside Lessons: Our school will continue to pay for martial arts and piano for part of this semester, and we will continue with these. This is yet another area that would benefit from a more consistent practice routine.

The issue of consistency leads me to the last part of my review. I'm not quite sure how our last semester evolved into what it did. We are fortunate to live in an area that affords us many opportunities for interesting field trips, classes, and outings. Looking back, I cannot say that I regret any one activity. Each event, however, came at a cost in terms of consistency of our study routine, our energy, and family time.

I noticed the cumulative effect, especially in the quiet days after Christmas. It felt good to be home. We seemed less stressful because we weren't always running out the door. And, although we have only been back to the homeschooling routine for a few days, all three boys manifest a different attitude toward their studies when they have several, uninterrupted days to accomplish their tasks and a predictable rhythm structures those days.

Does this mean that we are going to become hermits? No. I would not want that, even if it were possible. However, we will choose our activities and outings with a careful eye to the cost involved this semester. In particular, I will seek activities that will help to remedy what I see as some of the shortcomings in our current curriculum.

So, that is why I half-jokingly entitled this post. The home school stereotype that these children are not socialized because they rarely leave home is far from accurate, at least in our house. On the contrary, we need a little less social interaction for the time being.

Of course, it's all a matter of balance. Then again, isn't it always?