Learn at Every Turn - Creative, Enriched Homeschooling

This is just a short post tonight, because it's late and I'm tired, but it's a good sort of tired. We have been having a wonderful week.

On Tuesday, I took the boys to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Words fail me as I try to write an adequate description of this museum. I can tell you that I do not remember a time when I saw all three of my sons so excited and absorbed. I was quite literally pulled in all directions as three enthralled little tour guides directed me to whatever caught their attention. And I watched in awe as Landry began comparing and contrasting brain size, eye sockets depth, etc. on a series of humanoid skulls while hypothesizing about the effect of the differences. I stood back and watched the wheels turning in each of their minds, and those are the most valuable teaching moments for me.

Tonight, we went with another family of three boys to Golfland. We spent about three hours playing miniature golf and laser tag and driving little race cars. What I will remember most, though, is the laughter and the smiles.

And I'm going to bed tonight, knowing my boys created two days worth of wonderful memories.

We have been having a wonderful summer here. During my writing hiatus, the boys and I stayed busy without being rushed or stressed. We've visited the zoo and played in the park. We painted ceramics and discovered how the paints change in the firing and glazing process. We hiked a local nature trail, pausing for Kipp to draw the bugs he discovered. When we reached a lake overlook, we snacked and danced for all the world to see on a large granite outcropping. The boys squeezed lemons to make fresh lemonade and baked whole wheat bread, just to watch the yeast rise. We painted with watercolors and played with play dough. One afternoon, the boys assembled a microscope and spent time magnifying whatever looked interesting. Our board games are getting some much deserved use. We learned the effects of too little water and earwigs on our vegetable garden. Yesterday, I set up a small tent in the great room and let the boys discover their own imaginary worlds. And most evenings, the boys can be found playing at the pool, only to come home and listen to stories or read late into the night.
 
Nor do we intend to slow down. In the coming weeks, we will visit the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco with the boys' grandmothers. We are looking forward to meeting up with our friends to play miniature golf and laser tag and race little cars. Both Kipp and Landry have been earning money, and each is excited to open his first bank account. Later, we will travel to Lake Tahoe for two days of swimming, rafting, and hiking. And I haven't begun to run out of ideas.

I had a conversation with an acquaintance over the weekend which provided food for thought. Her children, who are 5 and 8, are enrolled in public school and just finished in mid-June. However, she commented that they were starting summer school on the day after Father's Day. When I asked why, she said that by staying in school over the summer, her oldest son  would not lose time transitioning back into school in the fall. 

Now, to be fair, maybe I misunderstood her reasoning or maybe she didn't want to give me the real reason. Furthermore, I am well aware that not everyone has the luxury of spending all of their time with their children, although this would not apply to my friend. And I have no desire to criticize her choice for her children.

However, for myself and my family, I would not trade a moment of this summer with my sons. I do not believe that they are falling behind or losing ground by spending the summer as we are. As the blog title states, we learn at every turn. That happens by visiting museums, counting coins by twos, fives and tens for Kipp, figuring interest for Landry, exploring the world with a microscope and creating new worlds out of little more than a tent and some magic.

More importantly, even assuming the boys aren't learning, so what? I am the last parent to have low expectations for my boys, and I firmly believe that they are happier when appropriately challenged. I will readily admit that I fully expect all three to acquire graduate degrees, and I attempt to give them the skills to accomplish that goal if that is what they choose to do. However, they are children, and I will not deny them their childhood for any reason. Instead, I will trust their abilities to adapt when school starts in August. If it takes a few days to find our groove, I am confident in their abilities to catch up later.  

Come to think of it, I've been declining a rather vociferous invitation for a rousing game of Blokus as I type this post. I think I will rethink my priorities.

Our Moving Beyond the Page order arrived in May, and our Education Specialist and I reviewed the 7-9 and 8-10 curriculum packages. The lessons seem well planned and cover a broad spectrum of subjects. Also included is a day-by-day detailed lesson plan.

The boys have already completed most of the science kits covered by the MBtP curriculum in past years, so I called the company to ask their advice. The man I spoke with suggested two options. I can try to go deeper into whatever subjects we have already covered to find new challenges, or I can buy the 9-11 science curriculum which can be bought separately at that stage. The latter has two drawbacks. First, since I cannot separate the science curriculum in the 7-9 and 8-10 packages, I would still have to buy them although I would not use them. Second, I think the boys would lose some of the cross-curricular connections once we started splicing parts from different packages.

Ultimately, my ES and I decided to try MBtP for this year, but with some caveats. First, I'm not certain how closely we will follow the daily lesson plan. If the boys show an interest, I will not ignore that, but will pause and go deeper. If we reach material that is a needless repetition, we will go quickly or skip it all together. That choice may also permit us the time to continue bok fu and piano lessons while Kipp takes the 12-week engineering class and Landry takes chess lessons. Second, I will heavily supplement science to make certain they are adequately challenged. That said, I am excited to try Moving Beyond the Page.

Again, Moving Beyond the Page does not include a math component. We've settled on Singapore Math for 2nd and 4th grade, and our ES is attempting to find those in our district.

To supplement science, we will have some projects and experiments going on that are unrelated to the curriculum. For instance, we will continue with Young Scientist Club kits, GEM unit studies and a new chemistry set. Originally, I intended to include another Engineering is Elementary unit study, but we wont have time for the unit study if Kipp takes the LEGO engineering class and the school approves the purchase of his LEGO Mindstorm kit. 

I'd also like to continue with the Story of the World to give the boys a sense of world history. However, I am seriously considering starting Volume 1 over again. Landry did not join Kipp until January so did not study the earlier chapters, and it was a lot for Kipp to digest at five. Furthermore, I'd like to take a closer look at some of the projects that the author suggests.

Landry and Kipp will continue with Rosetta Stone, piano lessons and bok fu. Having looked through MBtP, I think the boys will receive enough in terms of art, but I may still supplement both technique and history as needed. As I've previously mentioned, we are attempting to enroll Kipp in an engineering class and will take Landry to chess lessons as often as time permits since the lessons are some distance away.

I still feel strongly that the most potent learning experiences are hands on. Looking over this post, I know already that I may become preoccupied with the daily lesson plan and workbooks when I am distracted by so many outside lessons. I hope that I can continue to see the broader picture and make time for interesting fieldtrips and thought-provoking projects, despite the plan and the pressures of getting everyone where they need to be on time.

That said, I think this next year has the potential to be a wonderful learning experience for the boys.

We just returned from Landry's first chess lesson, and it was a complete success. Landry loved playing with other people, even when he didn't win. He came home enthused to practice and return for another lesson. And, although one of the coaches seemed fairly concerned with competition, Landry remained unconcerned and simply wanted to play his game.

All of this raises a dilemma for me once again. At the moment, the boys enjoy taking lessons in martial arts and piano during the school year. Landry's chess lessons occur each week and are 45 minutes minutes by freeway from the house. And Kipp is not interested in chess. As I've written before, he prefers building and robots, and I may have found a fall class suited to his interest. Eventually, Galen will have interests that may be better suited to outside lessons.

Of course, I'm also responsible for seeing that the boys complete their curriculum. And I need some time for my own pursuits.

How do I find a balance between outside lessons and the curriculum? Or in time spent on each son? Or between homeschooling and my own creative life?

At the end of last semester, I felt burned out by homeschooling, a college class, and a commitment to getting the boys out more. Now, I see the boys becoming involved in even more outside activities, and I want them to have those experiences. At the same time, my exhaustion does not really benefit anyone.

So, where do you draw the line?

After taking a much needed break from all writing, I am finally feeling a revival of my innate need to write. I've spent the better part of this evening working on some minor issues pertaining to this blog and can now truthfully write that I am looking forward to posting again.

It's late here, so my list of potential posts will have to wait. In the meantime, however, I will mention a couple of small but interesting developments here.

As I've posted before, Landry loves chess, but has learned primarily through computer games. For some time, I have been looking for an outlet where he can play with other children who share his passion. An initial foray earlier this year just didn't feel right to me. The group seemed to emphasize competitions and tournaments, and Jerry and I feel strongly that Landry's genuine love of the game should not be destroyed by pressure to win.

Well, I found a different local group recently. Again, the emphasis seems to be on tournaments and the trophies that the children have won. However, they have a free lesson night apart from tournaments, so we've decided to give it a try. Landry is excited to attend this week, and I hope he has a terrific time.

As for Kipp, I ended up with some extra money when I budgeted my allotment from the charter next year, so I requested that the charter buy Kipp a LEGO Mindstorm NXT. So far, it appears the request is going through. I can't wait to see Kipp's face when it arrives or find out what he decides to do with it.

I've also made progress in finding some leads on engineering classes suitable for an advanced six year old. I'm hoping something pans out. I would love to find a class that encouraged Kipp's ceaseless drive to build and design machines and robots.

Okay, enough for tonight!

Jerry had to make an unexpected business trip to Reno this week. Because we are done with our school work for almost all purposes this year, the boys and I decided to join him on his day trip.

Besides providing a nice change of scenery, the trip proved unexpectedly educational. Our two hour trip from the foothills and over the Sierra Nevadas gave us a wonderful opportunity to discuss how the mountains themselves are giant batholiths of basalt formed deep underground that are rising up and being eroded by wind and water. We reviewed the water cycle, noting how the snow pack is melting and flooding the waterways on its way back to the ocean and how that snow pack is our drinking water for the summer. We also noted that the eastern slope of the Sierras is terribly arid by comparison to our side because the clouds cannot cross the mountains without first dropping their rain. Finally, we observed the changes in the vegetation and how needles are better adapted to snowy environment than leaves.

Beyond all of that, I remembered yet again that learning opportunities are present everywhere. You just need to be open to discovering them.  

Admittedly, I am far behind on my blog posting and even more so on my blog reading. I am spending a good part of my first free morning, attempting to remedy both situations.

As a result, I have gotten my first opportunity to read a new blog to which I subscribed a few weeks ago. Having gone through numerous posts this morning, I have to take a moment and strongly recommend Parenting Gifted Kids.

I read a variety of blogs concerning gifted children. I have several favorites that frequently aid me. For that reason, they are listed on my blog roll in the sidebar. However, Parenting Gifted Kids raises the bar. Every post I've read so far has contained something useful for me.

So, I suggest heading over and taking a look. It's worth your time.

Before I forget, I have a few more items for our summer agenda:

(1) ukelele & harmonica - I'm not sure why, but Kipp has repeatedly expressed an interest in learning to play the ukelele and harmonica. His grandmother kindly provided him with both instruments. Since his interest persists and we will be taking a break from piano this summer, I've rounded up a few resources to see what we can learn. Landry, on the other hand, has requested for his birthday some piano books he can play this summer. Who knows? We may be forming a band. . . .

(2) exploring the flora and fauna on the property - I am continually amazed at the variety of birds, bugs, wildflowers and wild animals that we can see on the property if we just pay attention. We need to get our bird feeders going again and grab some identification books at the library. Besides being a great deal of fun to spot a different bird or bug, careful observational skills can be valuable in many endeavors.

(3) Great Sunflower Project - Our seeds arrived last week. We will be planting the garden on Mother's Day weekend, and I'm looking forward to some quiet moments in the garden, counting bees with my boys. I think the boys will also enjoy recording their data and feeling as though they are important to a scientific study.

(4) making books and model airplanes - In my poetry workshop, we had a speaker who demonstrated how to bind our own chapbooks. Surprisingly, it can be a very fun and creative process. Since both Kipp and Landry have started writing poetry on occasion, I thought they might enjoy making a book for their poems. We also have a kit of paper airplanes that are fairly intricate to assemble. I can see the boys spending some hot afternoons happily absorbed constructing them and flying them around the great room.

(5) building a robotic arm - The boys completed their first Lego robot last week, and it only fueled their desire to build. Thanks to Cybermama's recommendation and our friends' surprise gift, we are now the excited owners of a robotic arm kit that needs to be built from scratch and the boys can't wait to start.   

I'm already wishing summer could last months longer than it actually does!

My book order for next year is due to the charter by the second week in June. Usually, this deadline produces a crazy flurry of activity from me because I research each part of the boys' curriculum independently. Once I find what I feel is best suited to each boy in each area, I attempt to make cross-curricular connections on my own.

This year, however, I am relaxing. A friend of mine brought Moving Beyond the Page to my attention. According to the website, MBtP is an all-in-one curriculum designed for creative and gifted learners. It meets state and federal standards and is concept based. Honestly, it sounds a bit too good to be true. However, my Education Specialist and I pored over the website and concluded that it deserves a closer look. Relying on the 30-day money-back guarantee, I ordered a 7-9 curriculum pack and a 8-10 curriculum pack this morning. It should arrive in one to three weeks.

I am hopeful that MBtP will provide a solid, well-coordinated core to our curriculum. Still, I suspect that it will not be enough. It is simply too much to expect that one curriculum could provide the boys enough to keep them happily challenged. For that reason, I'm putting together some resources with which to supplement their studies. Here are my thoughts thus far, in no particular order:

(1) math - MBtP does not include mathematics at Kipp's and Landry's levels. This is done to allow students to work at their appropriate level. We have used Math Steps for the past three years. Although both Kipp and Landry have a solid understanding of math, Landry grows tired of the repetitive exercises in his text, and I fear Kipp will follow suit. For that reason, I am taking a closer look at Singapore Math, which reportedly requires less repetition.

(2) world history - MBtP does not appear to emphasize world history. This would make sense since this curriculum meets state and federal standards, neither of which emphasize world history in the grades my sons have completed. I continue to believe that this is a terrible shortcoming. We are increasingly becoming part of a global economy. We need to understand the history and cultures of other countries with which we must interact. Furthermore, I believe the cliche that those who do not understand history are destined to repeat it. For these reasons, I want to continue with Story of the World. While I am not fond of the biblical stories presented occasionally as fact and I suspect it simplifies some history, SotW provides an amazing overview of history. I find the literature suggestions in each chapter especially effective for making history come alive to my six- and seven-year-old boys.

(3) science - While MBtP includes a science component, we cannot get enough science in this house. We will continue with Young Scientist Club kits, GEM unit studies and an Engineering is Elementary unit study .

(4) art - I would like to continue with projects created by my watercolor instructor. I've also got a couple of good art resources I want explore further: Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters and How to Teach Art to Children

(5) foreign language - I would like to see Landry continue learning Spanish with Rosetta Stone and let Kipp experiment with different languages on Rosetta Stone until he finds one he would like to pursue.

(6)  piano - The boys enjoy piano so we will continue lessons when school starts in August.

(7) bok fu - The boys also enjoy their martial arts class and just received their yellow belts, so we will continue when school resumes.

Of course, all of this hinges on Moving Beyond the Page withstanding our scrutiny when it arrives. I have high hopes that it will. However, if it does not, you can assume the blog will be on hiatus for the remaining weeks of school while I scramble madly to cobble my curriculum.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.

After about six weeks of frenetic activity here, life is finally beginning to fall back into its usual routines and rhythms. I thought I could continue to post through the recent hailstorm of demands, but I simply wore out. However, posting should resume at its normal pace.

On the positive side, the one homeschool activity we could accomplish consistently for the past week or two has been workbooks, and the boys completed all but one. So, the remainder of the year will be projects.

Okay, I'm off to reclaim my kitchen from to-go containers, resurrect my exercise routine, and re-energize our homeschooling!

Thank you for hanging in there in the interim.

The Poetry Foundation announced the launch of a series of podcasts named Children's Poet Laureate Presents. In these sweet short videos, Mary Ann Hoberman reads children's poetry aloud in a low key fashion as if at a live reading.

While it is true that almost anyone can read poetry aloud to young children, something special happens when it is read by someone who genuinely loves the language and sound of poetry. For this reason, Hoberman's videos are a treat for young children.

Furthermore, at the end of each video, Hoberman encourages children to start to learn a part of a poem each day. How could that be a bad thing?

Click here for a link to the first two videos in the series.

Last week, we had our first meeting at the charter since changing our emphasis. If I had any doubts about our course, the meeting more than established that we have found a better way to homeschool the boys. I will post about the specifics of our project progress latter this week. However, in reviewing the work for the month, I was amazed at the breadth and depth of ideas we had discovered and discussed. Moreover, as I sat back and listened as our education specialist asked the boys questions about the month, I not only saw that they had really understood what we covered, but their genuine enthusiasm was palpable. In my mind, that is proof positive of success.

Emboldened by the meeting, we has a terrific week. We attended a homeschool day at Crocker Art Museum, touring the current exhibits with a docent and making masks. We spent another morning firing rockets with a local rocketry group and buying the supplies to build our own. We rounded out our activities by attending the latest play in the family series at B Street Theatre, The Golden Harp. At one point I looked over at Kipp and Landry during the performance. They were completely absorbed in the action of the play with their mouths ajar and their eyes wide. Is it really possible for me to give a better review of the performance than that?

Just so I never forget, I do have to mention one moment during the art tour. The boys were viewing a beautiful still life from Holland when the docent turned the subject to still life paintings in ancient Egypt. She then asked some general questions about ancient Egypt. Having done a year long unit study of ancient Egypt last year, Landry readily answered her, the he leaned back to me and whispered, "Wow, learning that ancient Egypt stuff is finally paying off!!"

After I choked back my laughter, I realized no workbook would ever provide the depth of connections that my son just made in that moment.

In another part of my life, I'm a nascent poet/writer with some small initial successes in publishing. Typically, I don't try to mix that side of my life with this blog, but I received the most beautiful poem in my email from Poets.org this morning. Due to concerns for copyright protections, I wont post the text of the poem here, but I highly recommend you follow the link below. Rachel Contreni Flynn eloquently sums up motherhood for me in a few lovely images.  

Click here and enjoy!

With our charter school year ending in about eight weeks, I can't help but thinking about summer vacation. Next week, I will go to our school for the monthly meeting and pick up the state requirements for next year. With that in hand, I will spend month and a half,  researching and planning the boys' curriculum for next year and preparing my materials order for June. However, for the few days until the meeting, I am free to contemplate summer.

I've come to two conclusions. First, I would like to take a break from scheduled lessons for the summer. As much as the boys love piano and bok fu, I think we need a break from the routine. Copious amounts of unscheduled time seem to me to be a vital element of happy childhoods. Frankly, it would also do this adult some good as well. Second, the lack of a schedule should not mean the lack of opportunities to explore, discover and learn just for the fun of it.

Given those two conclusions, I need a list of activities that I can pull out as needed. Here's what I've come up with so far, in no particular order.

(1) board games & puzzles - We have a cabinet full of great games and puzzles. However, after I've taught the boys, I need my afternoons and evenings to work in our business, do things for the household or write. So, our games and puzzles have gotten less use than I'd hoped, and not for lack of interest on the boys' part. These will make an excellent way to pass hot afternoons.

(2) organic gardening, composting and worm composting - I put in a small organic vegetable garden each year, and we are doubling the garden's size. We also have a few fruit and nut trees. This year, I would finally like to get my compost pile going successfully and look into worm composting. These provide an enormous opportunity to learn about the mechanics of growing one's food, nutrition, the environment, botany and even biochemistry. I have a copy of Practical Science for Gardeners, which should prove very useful for this task. In a sort of related adventure, I'd like to try baking bread from scratch with the boys to understand the processes at work.

(3) swimming - I have made the decision to forgo swimming lessons this year and try a new tact. I will buy a family swim pass this year and give the boys the opportunity to play in the water as much as possible. If the opportunity arises, I will teach them more about swimming on my own. However, I think the time to just play in the water for long periods and get more comfortable will be invaluable by itself.

(4) art - My terrific watercolor instructor from the junior college class I took last fall offered to email projects for the boys. These usually involve the suggestion to paint a particular picture and to study a related aspect of art history. When completed, I will email pictures of the boys' work to the instructor, who can give feedback. The best part is that I can do the projects along with them, so they can see me as a student who is still learning. In addition, I would love to hike and paint with the boys in the great out of doors.

(5) day trips - We recently purchased a car that will comfortably seat the whole family and still allow a bit of cargo space. I am now feeling empowered to try some day trips with the boys. So far, I have accumulated the following list: Monterey Bay Aquarium, the San Jose Tech Museum, any and all museums in San Francisco, the beach, and maybe even a short trip to Disneyland. I seriously doubt we will get to all of those, but I like knowing I have options.

(6) bike riding and hiking - Summer should mean lots of time out of doors, getting exercise. Because we live out in the country where there are few sidewalks and many people who drive too fast, our boys haven't had a lot of opportunity for biking. I aim to remedy this over the summer by searching out bike trails. The same is true for hiking trails. I hope these boys are ready to get up at the crack of dawn to avoid the heat!

(7) an African Grey - We are adding to our family this summer. (Some would call me the Angelina Jolie of pets.) In addition to two dogs, two cats, two tanks of fish, two goats, one horse and one lovebird, we have put a deposit down on an African Grey parrot. At the moment, the baby is in an egg over in Placerville. We just received pictures of the parents last night. And the baby should be ready to come home over the summer. This new baby will provide us the opportunity to study up on African Greys, their origins, needs, and training. (I already know all of this because I've cared for one for a few years, but the boys can still learn.)

(8) building - No summer for the boys could be complete without building stuff. Right now, we are in the middle of building a robot. We also have an erector set with plans to build many different projects. I also have a copy of Steven Caney's Ultimate Building Book, which is filled with fun possibilities.

(9) reading, reading and more reading - No summer could be complete without endless reading for pleasure. We will probably participate in the summer reading program at the library. I already have serious difficulties keeping Landry adequately supplied with books because he likes to read late into the night. This summer, I hope to nudge Kipp over from reading because he must do it to make me happy to reading because he simply cannot put the story down. I also hope to spend a great deal of time reading aloud to all three boys. The opportunity to do that wont last forever, and I do not want to miss out on a minute of it.

(10) science kits and experiments - At the end of the school year, we will have some Young Scientists Club kits that remain. We also have books that describe simple experiments. While I am sometimes underwhelmed by the explanations given to the processes at issue, these kits and experiments provide a great diving-off point for deeper discussions. I see no reason that those should be confined to the school year.

(11) computer games - Despite my best efforts, I'm sure the boys will get plenty of time to play computer games. Truth be told, I approve of some games and need to have a list of those that I will try to direct the boys toward at those times I need a break or need to get things done. If I get time to organize my thoughts, I will post on that subject by itself.
Okay, is it summer already?

With spring's arrival and the end of the school year fast approaching, posting will be light until the first week of June. In addition to finishing up the school year, the property, garden, and animals require a great deal more care during this season. Unfortunately, I can't put the latter off till school is out because the heat will be up by then. At the same time, the property provides little fodder for posts on this blog.

So, I will post, but I will not hold myself to my three-posts-per-week standard.

I will admit that the thoughts expressed in this post aren't too ingenious. Frankly, they are rather obvious. Still, in the daily rush of things here, I sometimes need to remember the basics.

I mentioned in an earlier post that our current emphasis in our homeschooling requires more of me as a teacher. The boys don't need much help filling out workbooks, but I need to lead discussions and ask insightful questions in our current mode.

Now that I've been teaching intensively for a couple of weeks, I've come to realize the biggest factor in determining whether I reach the boys and make a difference to them on any given day. Surprisingly, it's not the amount of sleep they've gotten or if they've had plenty of opportunity to run off their boundless energy. Nor is it their access to television or computer games. All of those things matter, but they are not the most important factor as far as I can tell.

No, the biggest factor seems to be what I bring to the table. Am I really there for them, present and listening to what they have to say and ask? Or is my mind at least partly preoccupied with the doctor's appointments that need to be made, how many chapters I think we need to cover, or how I am going to fit in the business billing this month?

When I am able to put all of the other stuff aside and focus on helping my sons delve into the subject at hand and discover the depth and complexity it may hold, those are the most magical moments. And those are also the same moments that confirm for me that we were correct to choose to homeschool.

If I could only act on this realization consistently, I really wonder how far we could go?

I have to admit that I have not tried this game. However, I will tell you that the die-hard gamers in my home and the resident physics expert are very impressed with  Crayon Physics Deluxe.

The website describes the game as "a 2D physics puzzle / sandbox game, in which you get to experience what it would be like if your drawings would be magically transformed into real physical objects. Solve puzzles with your artistic vision and creative use of physics." The website also provides a demo.

Truth be told, Jerry is underwhelmed by most programming. He likes cleanly written, clever programs. Those characteristics are hard to find in a world where so much software is bloated and buggy. So, I was shocked to hear that he was impressed by the physics in this cute little game.

Almost makes me want to try the game. Almost.

Just when I think I've finally adjusted to a certain level of oddity in my life, I find out that Jerry has been attempting to buy a robotic arm on ebay because he think Kipp will enjoy playing with it and dismantling it.

First of all, who ever thought to look for a robotic arm on ebay? Is there anything not for sale on that site?

Second, where is this thing going to reside in our house? The dining room has potential. It will add new meaning to the request, "Please pass the peas." 

Truth be told, I'm not sure this particular purchase will come to fruition. Apparently, shipping can be complicated, thus expensive. Still, I must admit I like that fact my spouse would even think of doing this.

I have been homeschooling too long now to fear adverse opinions. Nevertheless, I always receive a certain sense of validity when I read articles that portray homeschooling and particularly gifted homeschooling in a positive light.

Gifted Homeschooling in the US is just such an article. It provides an excellent overview of exactly why homeschooling works well for gifted children in our educational system as it stands today.

The only point I would add to the article is that although private schools may provide an alternative to public schools, they may be prohibitively expensive. This is especially true for those with more than one child who would not fare well in the public school system for the reasons stated in the article.

Overall, though, this article is definitely one to file away for that day when you need a dose of validation for your choice to homeschool your gifted child.

I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but if the past two days are any indicator, our new project-driven approach is a success.

Yesterday, Landry and I have had an in depth discussion about the government of ancient China. That naturally led into a comparison with our current system and various theories of government. Today, Kipp and I talked about the hydrological cycle in detail, set up a quick experiment on water evaporation, and read literature with a cloud theme to round things out. All three of us watched the first lecture in Great Course's geology series, Nature of the Earth. Afterward, we discussed the beginnings of the universe, including the fact we are all made of the carbon first formed by a red giant star. Kipp and I finished the day by building a simple robot duck kit, while reviewing how energy flows from the batteries to the motor and how gears work. And both boys had time to practice piano consistently.  

Workbooks now are used primarily to keep one boy busy while I'm working with the other one. Although I don't have a lot a paperwork to show the charter, I feel the boys have truly learned the last few days.

More importantly, the tone of our homeschooling has changed. The boys are not dragging their feet any more. The work goes quickly. As a result, Landry and Kipp have more free play time. That makes for a very happy family.

Let's see what tomorrow brings!