2nd Semester

I have lovely news for all of you. I am very proud of myself and thankful to everyone who has supported me and cheered me on.

Last semester I got a 3.5 grade point average! YAY ME!

I am now in my second semester at St. Mary of the Woods taking 8 hours.

• Introduction to Theology (required) 3hrs
• Mass Media (major) 3hrs
• Intro to Computer Software (required) 2hrs...this one is proving to be a little tricky because the big mamma-jamma book I bought for the class is based on Office 2007. I have a Mac, so Mac's version is 2008 and a very different layout. I'm figuring it out, but the book was kind of a waste!

I'm about 3 weeks into the semester that ends in March and I'm off to a much better start than last semester. Then I will have only 46 hours left to get my Bachelor's degree! JEESH! that's like 2 1/2 years. ugh.

slow and steady, Cakes. slow and steady.

The one about major life changes...

My family is extremely happy with its place right now. We love our neighborhood, we love our neighbors, we love love love the younger ones' school, we love living in the city, we love the free museums, free zoo, parks everywhere, dog park, farmer's market, diversity, restaurants etc. Our families are in town (for the most part) and we have established friendships.

My husband is VERY unhappy in his job. Granted they pay him a nice sum of money, but they ask for very little in return. Basically, show up on Sundays, visit the sick. For me, this seems perfect because he is right across the street. He is home a lot and always available should I need him. It is a great place to be working on his doctorate. BUT, he wants to be doing ministry and at this point after trying so many things and beating his head against the wall (long story about the church, but they aren't interested in doing anything.) he is just burned out. He feels useless.

This weekend we were invited to a church that is courting Chowder to check things out and guest preach at the church. It is the exact opposite atmosphere, but also one we could be very happy in. It is a small town (about 20,000) in the mountains, has a small college, a community theater, major shopping, we could get a place on 10-15 acres and have the other great childhood of chickens and ducks and woods to build tree houses in and all the great stuff that comes from growing up in nature. The church is very energetic, though still small. They have about 10 young families (3 with 5 kids) and a definite desire to do more. We liked the town. Two of Chowder's fraternity brothers live in or near the town and I like the one I know and his family. We are not afraid of making changes or trying new things. We know if it really stinks we can always go somewhere else. The schools rank 6 (out of 10) on the great schools chart. We would have to change a bit of our lifestyle, like get a second crappy car.

Honestly, if the kids just went to a regular school we would jump in in a heartbeat. But, the kids don't go to a regular school. They have this great opportunity to go to this amazing and free charter school that is right across the street. The school is small and the philosophy and parent community is exactly what we are looking for. And the education is exceptional. I can't see taking my two kindergartners who are reading on the 4th grade level, doing multiplication and division, can label the continents and oceans on a world map, and half of the states on a US map etc. etc (and this is NOT b/c they are exceptionally bright, it is just the way the school is.) and put them into a mediocre, small town, public school. Though I am not afraid of homeschooling them and think we could do some really cool stuff, I don't think I could do as good of a job as they are doing at their school and would hate for them to miss out on what they would get from their education where they are now.

But, Chowder would most likely be much happier in his work. In a small town there is a greater opportunity to get involved in a meaningful way to better the community. So, do we stay here until all of the kids go through 6th grade? That's 12 more years! At what point do we make a change? We do not NEED to find a new position right now. And I wasn't feeling an overwhelming pull there. I told Chowder that this will really have to be his call because I am perfectly happy where I am now. I could also be perfectly happy somewhere else. We worry about trying to sell our house right now, but the only thing really holding us here is the school. How much of weight should we give it?

I am trying to just hand this one over to the Big Guy and figure if it's the place he wants us, then he'll beat over the head with it and provide the solutions to our obstacles. But, you know how I'm a planner.

The one about the read alouds

In my last post about reading aloud to children I was telling you about the transition from sitting in your lap and looking at pictures while you read to them, to lying in bed listening and following along in their imagination as you read to them. A child needs a little practice developing his focus and attention to stay with you. One of the things we found helpful in this transition is poetry. I suggest A. A. Milne's lovely books, When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six. Both are filled with sweet, funny poems that the kids love. Don't try to rush through them. Read 3 or 4 over a few times for them to enjoy the rhythm and the play on language. Caroline Kennedy put together one of my favorite anthologies with poems by Robert Louis Stevenson, e. e. cummings, Robert Frost, Maya Angelou and many others. really great stuff. and if you have a poetry phobia, put it aside for a little while. Children really "get" poetry.

Anthologies are another great way to build attention. We read from Grimm's Fairy Tales (yes the original ones), Greek Myths (Usborne puts out a really nice collection), Aesop's Fables, a collection of Oscar Wilde's children's stories, a book of American Tall Tales, The Just So stories, collections by Thorton Burgess (great animal stories that tell a bit about the animal, very sweet.) and we read selections from a book of Saints (because that's how we roll.) We tried the Wind in the Willows when the kids were 4 and 5 and we chose to put it down for a little while. The stories are wonderful but the language is a bit advanced. We'll probably go back again this summer. Most of these short story readings can be done in an evening's reading time but some of the longer ones are best divided in half to help the child learn to carry over a plot to the next day. Before you start the second half, you might want to ask the child questions about what they remember and fill in any fuzzy spots.

When we were ready to jump into chapter books, we started with beginning reader chapter books. The plots were simple and the language not particularly challenging. The kids enjoyed reading a few of the Magic Tree House books, and Usborne put out some simplified versions of classic books that we read. (I debated doing this. I wanted my kids to hear the real version of the Wizard of Oz, but after reading about classical education and the way a subject is revisited every four years to a higher degree of understanding, I thought these would be the perfect getting your feet wet into some of the more complicated classics. and Usborme does a nice job with it.)

Some of the chapter books that we have loved

• My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
  
• The Waterhorse by Dick King Smith
• A Mouse Called Wolf by Dick King-Smith
• Stuart Little by E.B. White
  
• Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
  
• The Henry books by Beverly Cleary
  
• All things Kate DiCamillo (We LOVE her.)
• The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
  
• Nim's Island by Wendy Orr

I know there are others I can't think of at the moment. I'll start a list on the sidebar. But, this list should give you a lot to chew on. Please list any of your favorites in the comments. We are always looking for new books!

I'm cude! I'm cude! She said I'm cude!

OK. So she didn't really say I was cute. But I felt just like Rudolph.
I put a link to my blog in the personal information sheet I filled out for my journalism class and today I received a very fortifying email from my professor complimenting my family and then she said, "You're a terrific writer." *swoon*

I never used to have such weird insecurities before, but this school thing has really challenged my feelings of adequacy. As much as I have always enjoyed writing, maybe this isn't where my talents really lie. I mean, I think I sound like a rock star when I sing in the shower, but I would really just be one of the painfully embarrassing American Idol try-outs. Am I really just wasting my time? So, to have my first contact with my professor be such encouragement meant the world to me.

*singsong* off to do my homework

Reason #317 Why my kids' school rocks

Porkchop-preschool

Jellybean-Kindergarten


The Meatball-Kindergarten

I love that my kids can just run with whatever they are excelling at at that moment. The Meatball is about to start the 4th grade language workbook even though he is only in kindergarten. Jellybean is about to start the 3rd grade language workbook. Do I think they are exceptionally smart? No. I think that the Montessori method is able to identify when a child is in their particular window to learn something and then give the child the means to go at their pace without the constrictions of following a classroom lesson plan.

It doesn't surprise me (and makes me proud) that the children are excelling, at this point, in language skills. We live in a house full of books and words. In my house words have power, both for good and evil. I am a strong believer that ugly, hateful words can stick to the walls and actually make the house ugly and hateful. When my children use hateful words they have to apologize to the person and then they have to apologize to the house. (We even make them kiss the walls! which always makes them giggle.) We read aloud to the children every night from books that excite and challenge them. Good stories that Chowder and I enjoy to read. Right now we are reading, Kenny and the Dragon by Tony DiTerlizzi. (the author of the Spiderwick Chronicles) The kids are loving it.

Next we will probably throw in some more Greek Myths. We haven't read those is a while and they are such great stories! We have been impressed with the Usborne collection.

And then we will start my all-time favorite children's book, Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. I can't wait! Jellybean is going to love this one.

PLEASE don't underestimate what your children can comprehend. Listening to stories read aloud can take some practice. Before you get to a novel with no pictures, start with some short stories and read them only showing the pictures after you have finished the page. The Mercy Watson series is great for this. As the children become accustomed to listening, and they train their attention span, you can start reading longer and longer stories until you are reading short novels to them. I will put together a list of my kids favorite books to listen to and post it on here. And children are never too old to be read to. We read all of the Harry Potter books aloud with Skaterboy. The last one when he was 15. We loved reading them together and discussing and speculating after each chapter! I promise you will have a lot of fun with this.

With the love of a good man...

Yesterday could not have brought more anxiety with it. So much that I slept through most of the day. Not only was there the anxiety surrounding school, but there was the additional anxiety of driving 3 hours away from my children and trying not to die. I was freaked out because I had slept instead of writing little notes to all of the kids telling them to have a good day and that I loved them just so they would have something... you know, just in case.

The more anxious I got, the more withdrawn I became. The more withdrawn I became the more bouncy Chowder became. He has been flitting around the house for days going on and on about how excited he is that I am going back to school and aren't I excited and isn't this just so great. And though sweet and endearing it was working on my every last frazzled nerve.

Let me step back here a second to explain that Chowder and I aren't the most lovey dovey couple in the world. We tend to express our devotion to each other with big nose jokes. (both of us have them) Chowder expresses his love in a very similar fashion to a 4th grade boy. When out to dinner while we were dating he once tried to saw my arm off with a butter knife. He would want to tell me how great a moment was but instead he would give me a wet willy. You get the picture. Back to my story.

My mom and I finally got off with Sweeting in the backseat. By the time we got to Terre Haute we had lost and hour in the time zone change and it was nearly 9:00. We drove around lost in Terre Haute looking for something to eat and finally made it to campus at nearly 10:00. The campus was dark and the Welcome Center was of course closed by this time so I had to call the security guard to come get me my key so we could get into the guest house. No smiling welcome with balloons and confetti. After settling Sweeting for the night, I looked forward to the reassurance of talking to Chowder. But when I called him I have no reception. none. My mom's phone had no reception. I went outside. no reception. I tried to call from the phone in the hall. no long distance. the phone in our room. no long distance. I tossed and turned all night without that thread of connection and hope.

I woke up this morning with my stomach in knots. Still there was no reception. I got Sweeting and myself ready and walked over to the library for the presentations. I was barely keeping it all bottled in. As I took a step into the library, my alert went off on my phone. It was a text message from Chowder.

Have a great day. You are awesome. I love you lots.

yeah.
took my breath away, too.

The Resolution of last year's Resolution...

Last year around this time I made one very big and important resolution. I resolved that 2008 would be the year that I went back to school to finish my degree. And I am going to check that off my list, even though officially I did not go back in 2008. I did however, apply and get accepted in 2008 and I will be starting this month.

Should it have taken an entire year to do that? well, no. But, it turns out that I am a really big chicken. I can't tell you how many times I sat in front of this computer to write the stupid essay and ended up just sitting here. orrrrr poking around on various message boards. orrrrrr playing games on my kids Webkinz accounts. (I rock Home Before Dark!) I was paralyzed. I have no idea why. Well, maybe. I mean, I still feel such weird insecurities from my first college career and the whole teen pregnancy thing. My how those doubts get themselves so dug into our spirits that they become interwoven with the threads of ourselves. It doesn't take as much courage as I expected. It takes...persistence. And patience. And precision. To go back over that fabric and pull out those threads one by one. It takes time.

It took me 2 years. 2 years from when I realized that I wanted to attend St. Mary of the Woods and then actually getting it done. I would keep going back to the website. Keep looking at the application. My biggest dread was awakening the old demons by requesting my transcripts. I finally had to sit myself down and force myself to send the forms. And in the end, there was no big overshadowing monster. There were instead, 2 years worth of credits! And to think I was so afraid of this demon I almost just pretended I never went to school!

So, I am officially a co-ed. Do you think they'll let me join a sorority?

"The days are long but the years are fleeting"

Well, they're off. Meatball and Jellybean started school all day in Primary classes (they don't have traditional grades at their Montessori school) and Porkchop is every day mornings in the preschool room. I think we were the only one with a child crying because we were taking her home. Poor Ladybug. She'll start a couple mornings a week in January.

There are 24 kids in their class and 3 teachers. They are all so excited, though Porkchop is having a hard time getting left behind. But, I have a feeling that several days a week he'll be in the twins' classroom after preschool to continue working on his reading and math.

Nail biter...

Well, I did it.
I actually submitted my application for college. I need to mail out my transcript requests and finish up my resume, but everything else is in order.

I can't believe how nervous I am about all of this.

*********************************************

On another nail biter note,
Ladybug has taken to exposing my belly several times a day to tell Sweeting to, "Get out! Get out Baby! Can I have? Baby! Baby! Baby! Can I have?"

Yes Darling, soon enough you can have the baby. She will come out. And then you'll be the big sister.

Another lame post...

Tomorrow morning I have to go be the smiling, welcoming face of my kids' school for new parent/student orientation. The threesome will also be welcoming the new kids into the classrooms and helping them feel at home.

Problem is, I'm feeling more like being the whining, lazy face that I really am. Did I mention this is during my usual naptime? You know how I am about my nap. Chowder summed it up best when he said to me, completely serious, "Why didn't they ask someone who was actually, you know, friendly?"

I'm really really good faker. (Don't tell Chowder)

*****************************************************

So, I talked to Chowder last night about the appointment...

He gave me one of those, "You goofy lady" laugh/hugs and said, "Let's get this baby here first before we start worrying about your seventh child. I told you we should wait until after the baby is born." He doesn't want me to feel pressured by anything and then end up regretting my decision. That doesn't mean the decision will change, but that I'll feel more confident in it.

So, looks like we will be postponing his appointment.
God, I love him.

Updates and all that.

You have to use those kind of titles on your posts when you shirk off the responsibility of being a good bloggette. If it makes you feel any better, I have not just been ignoring my blog but I've been ignoring yours, as well. By Bloglines feed is bending beneath the weight of 112 unread posts.

As far as this pregnancy goes, same old same old (who'd of thought I had this much blood in me?), no news is good news. I'm 12 weeks now and it is getting increasingly difficult to hide. I pray for life, but if death must come I wish it would hurry up already. My loss at 13 weeks was by far my most traumatic.

I've spent the last week up to my ears in worry and planning with Skaterboy. I've told you before about the sweetness and goodness of this young man. And he really is. But, this child of mine seems bound and determined to have no future. What I wish for this 16 year old is the life of a regular old teenager. One where he goes to school with his friends and then drives to work a couple of days after school and then out with his friends on the weekend. Maybe to a football game or a homecoming dance. Sure I might have to get on his case about his grades. Maybe ground him for curfew violations or even have to deal with issues like drinking or sex.

He really is a good kid. Never in any real trouble. But, this is actually a frustration for me. Not that I'm looking for a hellraiser, but a kid that...does something. He has no motivation toward anything. I even told Chowder once that at least if he was a drug dealer he would be like an entrepreneur. He'd never steal a car because it would take to much work.

So, here we are. He failed all of his classes last semester (he is enrolled in our debunked school district's Virtual Academy) and is well on his way to doing the same this semester. Meaning failing freshman year...twice. (If you are new to the Skaterboy saga, it is complex and you may have to read some back story to understand how we, as parents, let this happen.) I haven't given him a dime since he turned 16, because once you are old enough to make your own spending money, you're too old for allowance. No job. He just does without. etc. etc. If you ask him what he's going to do in the future, he just gives blank stares. There is no part of his life right now where he is experiencing success. And that is where my biggest concern lies. What this life of failure does to his psyche.

I was talking to My Chicks about all this, and I realize now with the utmost of shame that I had lost hope in my own child and in myself as a mother. One of My Chicks jumped onto her gallant white steed and rode to our rescue. She is a recruiter for a tech high school in the county. She came to my house and ran Skaterboy through a whole gambit of evaluations and tests that helped to flesh out what kind of future might be fulfilling to him. And then, better than just a dream, she gave us a plan. What Skaterboy needs to do to get this accomplished.

What he needs to do is salvage this semester, go to summer school and hopefully start next year as a sophomore. And then next year, he will move out into the county with my mom so he can attend this school. And when he is done, he'll have a diploma and certification and training if he decides not to go on to college. I know I know. I should have just done that this year. (It's kind of like IVF when I just wanted to try everything else first and still ended up with IVF, just years and thousands of dollars later.) So, yes, I will be signing over guardianship, but he'll be 17 by then and only a year before he's legal anyway. Plus, they are overdeveloping out there and a whole slew of shops and restaurants just opened up within a mile of my mom's house. They've got to be looking for a bunch of dumb kids to do crappy jobs. And hopefully he will come up with enough money to get a car. (I will match him dollar for dollar, but I won't work harder for his car than he is willing to work.)

Better than all of this...It's not my plan. It's Skaterboy's plan.

I have decided to postpone my own return to school until the fall. My first priority right now is to get him through. So, I will still be adhering to my New Year's resolution of starting in 2008. It will just be the fall of 2008 and not the summer.

A Room of One's Own...

errrr...a landing of one's own.

I'm putting my finishing touches on my essay and resume for my college application. (Some of you may get your email boxes stuffed with my blatherings so you can perfect them for me.) I have sent away for transcript requests like a big, brave girl. I am getting my financial aid paperwork together and hopefully soon I will be a 36 year old freshman.

I've been trying to figure out where I can set up my own little space and desk. I figure once Ladybug is big enough (2 years old, maybe?) we will move her into a room with Jellybean and the boys can have the other room and then I can use the little nursery for my study area. But, until then I have my landing. It is just the right size for a desk we pulled off the side of the road on bulk trash pick-up day. I need to sand and paint it, but it should be perfect. I'm going to use some of my student loan money to buy myself a laptop. I can't wait to get started!

Shaz~Can you link that post you did about creating a workspace?

The one about the college visit...

I don't know why it has taken me so long to post about my visit to St. Mary of the Woods. I guess I'm still processing it all and trying to get myself all brave and stuff. The open house was both informative and a bit discouraging. But now, I think that was good. If I am really going to go through the work of getting my degree, then I'm really go to have to fight for it. I mean, really.

The biggest obstacle I'm running into is coming to terms with my past. I want to just pretend that I never went to college. I don't want to have to explain everything. I'm worried about sending my transcripts and all of my failures. It was just very disheartening. I have A LOT of F's. I know I had a lot going on, but still. A LOT of F's. I actually lied during my conversations with the admissions woman when we were talking about all the paperwork I needed to get together. I asked her what documentation I would need if I hadn't gone to college. (lie.) I know. I know. I would rather give up the few credits I do have just to not have to face the embarrassment.

And then when I started talking to the woman from the English department, she asked me how many kids I had and what ages. After I told her, she blurted out, "You'll never have time to do all this." Not meaning it in a bad way, just an offhanded observation about the busyness of my life. But, I came close to crumbling into tears. I mean, how am I going to do this? But, then I chucked myself under the chin and said, "When exactly is a good time? I've been waiting for the perfect time to go back and now 15 years has gone by. No time like the present." but still...that doubt.

After leaving the library, I decided to take a drive around the campus. I discovered that they have a labyrinth. So, in the dark, cold evening I parked my car and set out for the labyrinth. Labyrinths are ancient spiritual prayer tools, the heart of which I usually equate with God or Truth or Sainthood. The walk takes us on a journey that is eerily similar to our own spiritual journeys. I love them. I haven't walked one in awhile. I didn't really want to this night, but forced myself.

I only half-heartedly walked the path at first. "It shouldn't take long. And then when I get to the middle and accomplish that goal, I can move on to my next task." And that is where a labyrinth kicks you in the pants. You walk for a little while. turn, turn, walk, turn and then you are facing the center and walking toward the center and you're feeling good about getting to the center and then you veer off away from your goal. I took a little pleasure in the metaphor and kept walking and turning.

At one point I thought, "Just stop. Walk to the center and go home. It's freezing out here." But, I stayed on the path, frustrated because I walk and turn and find myself almost exactly where I was a few minutes ago. I thought I had covered this ground and now here I am again. With another turn I found myself all the way back at the outer edge. I just wanted to be done so I started running (dork!). And then I simply resigned myself. "I am an idiot walking around in circles in the cold dark. Good plan."

When I hit the outer edge again, I finally looked up. All this time I had been watching the path. watching my feet. Once I looked up I saw that I was surrounded by a beautiful wooded park. There was snow falling and trees and a shrine. "It's about the journey, stupid." I felt good about this. I was opening up to God and his plan. I was facing my past.

I walked and I turned feeling light and peaceful. I found I was walking toward the center where I could rest with God for a little while. "This is finally it." I sighed. But suddenly, I turned. I was at the outer rim again. I walked, I turned. I was sooooo done with this whole little exercise. I walked and I turned and finally walking parallel to the path that brought me into the labyrinth, I finally reached the heart. I sat, drained by the walk and I cried. I can't keep trying to pretty up the past. It was what it was. Admit it. Confess it. Receive absolution. and know that God was there, too.

The Man of the Hour

Today after school got out at 11:30am, we invited the class upstairs for pizza and cake and ice cream. The kids had a great time running around like crazy people. And though I had to field another interrogation about the size of my family from one of the parents, and 3 of the kids speak little to no English so directing them was a bit of an issue (luckily their teacher was there to help!), and twice as many kids came as RSVP'd, we really enjoyed ourselves.

Here is the picture I took of Porkchop with his class...



and this was the second take in case the first one wasn't a good one...



and the proud owner of one new rocketship...

Finally the one about the school...

Originally, we were planning on home schooling the kids because our public school system has been taken over by the state and lost it's accreditation. There are private and parochial options but we didn't want to do either of those for a couple of different reasons. Private schools that I would want to have my kids in run about $12,000 a year per child. Even if we got a free ride, we still wouldn't have sent them. Chowder and I have worked hard to give our children an understanding of the abundance in which we live. While we may not have a lot, we have plenty. We have chosen to surround our family in a neighborhood and community where materialism is not so much an issue because we all have pretty much nothing. But....plenty. If our kids were to go to one of these private schools, they would be the poor kids. Instead of living a life feeling you have everything you could ever need, my kids would always be made to feel like they didn't have enough. Does that make sense to anyone but Chowder and I?

When we first moved into our neighborhood everyone told us we had to get our kids into "Greatest School" Montessori Preschool. We looked into "Greatest School" Montessori Preschool and saw the tuition and said, "YIKES!" but wow, what a great place. A school that was warm and safe and challenging and looked like my neighborhood. Oh well.

Then last Spring, Chowder got a call from the director of "Greatest School" Montessori Preschool, and asked about the possibility of renting space in the church's basement where a Head Start Program used to be held. They had a few meetings and told Chowder about their dream of becoming a Charter fully Montessori Elementary School. Well, God's hand stirred things around a little bit and now we have "Greatest School" Montessori right across the street from our house and next year it will be free.

Right now they have two rooms, a 3-6 yr old room and a 6-9 yr old room. There are two Master teachers in each room with a maximum of 12 students per room. Eventually, they will add a 9-12 yr old room.

We were a little concerned about the transition because none of them had ever gone to school or daycare, but there was no need to worry. One of the cool things about this set up is that 2 out of every 3 years, all three of the kids will be in the same room. I love that! So, now they are in the 3-6 yr old room and go 4 mornings a week from 8:30-11:30a.

I have heard a lot of the criticisms about Montessori education and have not run into any of the issues that they talk about. On the contrary, my kids are doing extremely well in this environment. It has something for each of them. For Meatball it has the mastering specific tasks, for Porkchop it fills his need for productive, hands-on work, for Jellybean it gives her a chance to explore a large range of activities and to reinforce her knowledge by letting her "teach" the younger ones in the room.

I am amazed at how much they have grown-up in the last two months. Porkchop is really gaining a new confidence and individuality that is so fun to see. Meatball and Jellybean are reading first and second grade books! When they started school in September we had just begun Phonics Pathways at home. Is it because they are exceptionally bright or the teacher is exceptionally wonderful? I don't think so. I think the Montessori Method allows children to develop when they are ready. Meatball and Jellybean were ready to learn how to read and they were in an environment that let them run with it. If they were at the Preschool Skaterboy went to, they would still be in the ABCs phase and they would have to stay at the same level as everyone else, perhaps missing that prime time when they were really open to the concept.

For those, who think Montessori elementary is a lonely solitary thing, I can only show these pictures of a 6-9 year old room. Yes, there are desks off in quiet areas where children can choose to go to do their work, but much of the strength of this environment is the communal learning from each other.

We are so thankful that God led this school to us and that we have been given to them to help support and champion them. I knew I'd get along well with the parents when they held one of the school fundraisers at a neighborhood pub! These are people I can hang with! And they care so much about their kids' educations and about the school. It just feels so good when you know your family is in the right place.

Another vote for uniforms...

Last week was the kids' first week of real school. Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30-11:30a. So far they are loving it. I am amazed when I peek into their classroom. Amazed by their teachers. Amazed by how well the Montessori approach to education really fits each of the children for a different reason.

As much as Meatball is really growing from his time at school, the adjustment has also activated an OCD flare-up. Though he has never been officially diagnosed, it is only a matter of time. The first day of orientation week, Meatball insisted on wearing a button down dress shirt and a pair of khakis. I thought it was pretty cute and both he and Porkchop went off to school all dressed up. The second day I chuckled and they wore another dress shirt. how endearing. By, the fourth day they had run out of dress shirts.

This morning Meatball had a meltdown because he did not have a dress shirt ready to wear to school. He had to have one (I won't even get into the collar position and required buttoning procedure.) I ended up having a little meltdown of my own where I finished with my sobbing, "I will not be ironing everyday for PRESCHOOL!!"

Ok..I have another confession

You know those really annoying people who are constantly correcting other people's grammar? me, too. I'm not in the Grammar Police. I am however, in the Science Police. I can't help it! I know it's annoying because I was raised by scientists!! They used to drive me crazy! One time I invited my new best friend over to have dinner with us and my parents spent the entire dinner debating their theories on how the moon got into orbit. I was failing biology in high school and my parents were both dumbfounded and wanted to know why I never came to them for help. Were they kidding?! A five minute explanation turned into an hours long lecture. thanks, but no thanks.

total. nerds.

But now, I've become one of them. I can't even read Curious George to my kids without constantly fuming about the fact that George is NOT a monkey! Monkeys have tails. And don't try to give me the Macaque theory. It doesn't fly! Monkeys can't swing from limb to limb only apes can because their shoulder joints are formed for the swinging motion. How hard would have been to draw on a tail?! It's all I can do to not scream at the zoo when parents tell their kids to look at the monkeys when we're standing in front of the chimpanzees! *pant pant* They are apes! not monkeys!!

Frogs are not the same thing as toads.
Tortoises are not the same as turtles.
Porpoises are not the same as dolphins.
It's a sea star not a starfish.
Spiders are not insects.
Heat lightning has nothing to do with the temperature. It is a coincidence.
You did NOT see the Northern Lights when you were in Argentina! That doesn't even make any sense!!

I could go on and on. I know. I have a problem.

And while I respect my friends that are Creationist, I am a definite Evolutionist and I started yelling at a poor woman standing next to me in Toys R Us while I was shopping for the twins' birthday. The Discovery Channel had dinosaur toys with cavemen in the package! And the Flinstones?! Always drove me crazy. Whenever my kids go through the litany of man eating things (which for whatever reason they offer poor Ladybug up to in sacrifice. Would a shark eat Ladybug? Would a lion eat Ladybug? etc.) When they ask if dinosaurs eat people I get so damn irritated. like irrationally irritated with them. No, because people didn't live with dinosaurs.

Where I really lose my mind and tick people off is at museums. Parents, if you don't know the answer, don't make something up. Whenever I hear that (and it's usually men) I call them on it. "Sir, you just made that up. Why don't you tell your son that he has a great question and you don't know the answer but will find it out for him." or "Sir, you know there are people that work here that actually know the answer to that question." I know I should mind my own business. I just can't help it!

I blame my parents.

Options for Skaterboy...

We have come up with several options for Skaterboy regarding his education. None of them are pretty. None of them are ideal. But, hey! This is where we are and we have to deal with reality. right?

1. Forget high school all together. Go to GED classes, take the test, get the GED. Then, he can go to Junior College and take classes there. Any classes he takes will be college credit and he can transfer to a 4 year college to finish his degree. If that dream world doesn't pan out, at minimum he has his GED.
2. Sign over Guardianship and he lives with my mom while attending public school. (Not going to happen!)
3. He does one semester of C or higher in the school district's Virtual School and then after he has proven he is serious about his education, enroll him in private school.
4. Do full on homeschooling. No holds barred.

I discussed these options with him. To the adults in his life option #1 makes the best sense to us. But, we want what makes the best sense to Skaterboy. So, when we presented him with the options he reiterated that he wants to go to high school. He doesn't want to just skip over it. That leaves us then with option #3.

I have to admit, I hate this option. To me, it is the worst of both worlds. It is the boring textbook rote memorization crap of public school mixed with the isolation (real or apparent) of homeschooling. I think this will be a disaster. But, I can't let on to Skaterboy that I feel that way because I don't want to set him up for failure. I was tempted to say, "Ok. Let's just enroll him again in private school. This self-guided virtual school will only play to all of his weaknesses and will never work out." But, I caught myself. He has to prove himself. Both to Chowder and I, and to himself. We all need to know he's serious.

To help with this mountain, our valiant family counselor, Dr. Steve, is going to help hook us up with a "Life Coach" of sorts. Someone completely objective (and clearly not me), to keep him on task and on schedule. To help him plan out a schedule and set up goals and to guide him through the process of meeting those goals. I figure it accomplishes several things. First, it means I'm not the bad guy that he can pin the responsibility on, not the nag, not the disappointed mother. Second, it teaches him some valuable life skills. Third, it hopefully will get him through, already!! And in the end, if option #3 doesn't work out, there is still option #1.

What I am having a hard time understanding is that every time I come up with a worst-case-scenario in my mind for Skaterboy's education, we end up in that scenario and I create and even worse worst-case-scenario and then suddenly there we are. So, am I somehow making these scenarios come true like self-fulfilling prophesies? Who are these the worst-case-scenarios for? him or me? Am I just continuing to lower the standards? Should I just forget all the scenarios and drop the "worse better" language? Do I really have any control over how this ends? Should I have control?

ruh-roh. An education rant.

When people ask me why I homeschool, my answer is to the point, all-encompassing, and only a single word.

Recess.

Honestly, that is my reason. It was only reinforced this week when our legislators who are trying to salvage our pitiful school district from state takeover and get it accredited again after over 7 years, suggested their proposal. The major talking point that the rest of the plan revolves around? more time in school. First, they are proposing to increase the school day by 90 minutes and increasing the school year by 30 days and secondly requiring all 5 years olds to be in all day kindergarten, and 3 and 4 year olds to be in all day Head Start programs.

In 2003 assessments, 5.1% (did you read that?! 5.1%) of the 11th graders in our school district were proficient in language arts. The legislators and educators reasoning is that if they just had more time with the kids they could get the scores up.


Now, my mother is an educator. Has been for 25+ years. I respect the work of teachers. I feel sorry for teachers. I think teachers get hung out to dry. I'm amazed at what teachers get done inspite of the school system. So, believe me, I am not blaming teachers. But, if you can't teach my child to read in 12 years, what makes you think you can teach him/her in 15 years?! There is no logic here for me. It's not the length of the day or the length of the year or the length of years in school. It's what is going on during that time! It's the whole system that needs re-working. Having my child spend more time in a broken system is not going to fix anything.

When my son was in 2nd grade his lunchtime/recess was 45 minutes. That's it. That was their break for the day. Now, in my state, employment law requires a 1 hour lunch break for a 7 hour day. We think the grow-ups need this break, but not the kids?! They had P.E. two days a week. You can talk all you want about TV being the demise of our active children but I put the blame on lack of recess. When I was in 2nd grade, we had a 30 minute morning recess and a 1 hour lunch break. I somehow, managed to learn to read.

My friend's son is in one of the wealthiest school districts in our region. He's in kindergarten. He's in full-day. He has 45 minutes of homework every night. 45 minutes of homework. in kindergarten. When are these children playing? When do they get to just do their own thing? I think we are really shooting ourselves in the foot as a nation, when we take away time that develops imagination, creativity, and just plain fun. How will this help build a nation that seeks new ways and inspires new thinking and new technology? I watched my own son get stressed to the limit trying to maintain himself in a traditional classroom. He ended up on three different medications. A recess or two and some free time would have done him a world of good. Now, he hasn't been on a single one of those drugs and he is so much more relaxed and so much more fun!

It just makes me so sad to see how much we take away from our children under the guise of trying to get them ahead.

end rant.

learning to read...

I told you guys earlier about Meatball teaching himself to read and write. This has been very interesting to watch unfold. None of the children liked sitting down and using the basic skills workbooks we have. Me telling them to find the page with the seven on the bottom, lost its novelty on about the third day. Then it became pure tedium. So...I dropped them. Meatball has become very proficient and Jellybean is starting to want to join in the fun, too. Last week, Meatball went around making signs for the various things in the house. He'd ask how to spell a word, I'd tell him, he'd make a sign.





Up til now, Jellybean has been more of a whole word detective. She reads the Now I'm Reading books and can read on sight many words. She is just beginning to play around with individual letters and sounds.

Porkchop just likes to curl up in your lap and listen to a good story. He is constantly bringing books to us and wanting us to read them. He is enjoying pecking out his name on the computer keyboard and playing with the Basic Concepts books. It has been so fascinating watching each one of them discover this on their own, in their own time and way. It has taught me a valuable lesson in teaching. My new Rule #1: Get out of their way.