choirfarm
03-25-2008, 07:00 AM
This is a spin-off of the difficult questions thread. I, too, am in my 40's and really struggle with the energy, stamina to keep up with this lifestyle. I have 7th and 5th grade boys and a K girl. This is my 5th year of homeschooling and though easier in some ways (We had major illiness of various relatives with different ones living with us my first two years...what a way to start!) it has been very difficult homeschooling-wise this year. Am I doing what is right for all of my children? Am I really giving them the best education?? And my 5th grader has fallen through the cracks a bit. My oldest is extremely self-motivated and is doing Algebra I and Physical Science well this year. I am using TT Algebra this year, but now I've heard it isn't rigerous enough, so should I change in midstream??? He is very bright and is already past me in many areas. His writing has really improved this year and he has gotten quite good at the essay part of the exams I make up for TOG. Next year he will do Biology labs at the co-op and they are still deciding the schedule, but this year he had a really hard time keeping up with co-op: Texas History, Speech and writing in addition to all of the stuff I gave him. But I NEED the science labs... I cannot do them. He is also gifted in computers and I can't find a class he can take. A few people have suggested having him go to the college, but he is turning 13 this week, and I don't feel comfortable with that. Nor would he. He is EXTREMELY shy. In fact, I sometime wonder if he should go to ps to FORCE him to interact. In kindergarten they put him in speech because he whispered and wouldn't talk to anyone, but eventually he did by the end of the year. He actually skipped speech class once this year because he really didn't want to give his speech. One of the few times he has ever done anything wrong. After severe punishment, apologizing to his teacher he had to give that speech and and oral speech for his Texas history class.
Although my 7th grader can and does work independently, my 5th grader is your typical boy. He loves people and misses school and likes co-op. His classes have been fluffy and no outside work, though. I have to constantly check on him to make sure the work is done, and sometimes I forget and don't realize he hasn't done x for a week. He HATES math and he and I were getting so frustrated yesterday. I couldn't get him to understand about borrowing from fractions 10 - 4 3/4 as an example. To me, that is so incredibly easy. I don't know how to teach it... I kept showing him that you borrow and then turn it into an equivilent fraction...anyway. We finally put it away. He is a voracious reader and writes quite well. He read Lord of the Rings again this year. Science has been the forgotton subject. It is hard not doing it together with his brother and it has been haphazard stuff I've found. He had already done the elementary Apologia they were doing at Co-op. He isll read anything, but written work is another thing.. He is just average at math, which makes him feel stupid compared to his brother.. I'm thinking Algebra as a 9th grader for him. He feels very stupid compared to his brother, but their gifts are just different. He has much more athletic talent.
Then there is my K girl. Very social and a constant talker. I spend maybe and hour teaching her. We concentrate on phonics, handwriting and math. We made it through the Singapore earlybird and are currently doing 1A, but I don't do math with her everyday. It has been unschooling a lot with her and math. She will bring me coins and we'll play and talk about what they are. She asks me about what time it is and we will play with her clock. We probably do some out of the workbooks 2 days a week. I've never taught anyone how to read and it seems incredibly slow and painful. I keep thinking...you just read that word...don't you just know it by site. She can read cvc words and I will be introducing the silent e next week. But much of the day she entertains herself while I am doing TOG with the older ones. Boy..she would have loved all the interaction and playtime in traditional kindergarten...
So I bounce between the very different children...trying to give them what they need and dh says, "if you put them in school you would have more time for the things you want to do.." I don't even remember what that is anymore!! My whole life has become church and homeschooling.
And ps...yes my other question was rhetorical. It just seemed like everyone was saying college was bad and don't plan on in the other thread. I am the "stupid" on on both sides as I only have a bachelor's degree with no masters or other advanced degree (med or law) like everyone else on both sides. Most are teachers or college administrators, department chairs at colleges, etc.
Christine
Although my 7th grader can and does work independently, my 5th grader is your typical boy. He loves people and misses school and likes co-op. His classes have been fluffy and no outside work, though. I have to constantly check on him to make sure the work is done, and sometimes I forget and don't realize he hasn't done x for a week. He HATES math and he and I were getting so frustrated yesterday. I couldn't get him to understand about borrowing from fractions 10 - 4 3/4 as an example. To me, that is so incredibly easy. I don't know how to teach it... I kept showing him that you borrow and then turn it into an equivilent fraction...anyway. We finally put it away. He is a voracious reader and writes quite well. He read Lord of the Rings again this year. Science has been the forgotton subject. It is hard not doing it together with his brother and it has been haphazard stuff I've found. He had already done the elementary Apologia they were doing at Co-op. He isll read anything, but written work is another thing.. He is just average at math, which makes him feel stupid compared to his brother.. I'm thinking Algebra as a 9th grader for him. He feels very stupid compared to his brother, but their gifts are just different. He has much more athletic talent.
Then there is my K girl. Very social and a constant talker. I spend maybe and hour teaching her. We concentrate on phonics, handwriting and math. We made it through the Singapore earlybird and are currently doing 1A, but I don't do math with her everyday. It has been unschooling a lot with her and math. She will bring me coins and we'll play and talk about what they are. She asks me about what time it is and we will play with her clock. We probably do some out of the workbooks 2 days a week. I've never taught anyone how to read and it seems incredibly slow and painful. I keep thinking...you just read that word...don't you just know it by site. She can read cvc words and I will be introducing the silent e next week. But much of the day she entertains herself while I am doing TOG with the older ones. Boy..she would have loved all the interaction and playtime in traditional kindergarten...
So I bounce between the very different children...trying to give them what they need and dh says, "if you put them in school you would have more time for the things you want to do.." I don't even remember what that is anymore!! My whole life has become church and homeschooling.
And ps...yes my other question was rhetorical. It just seemed like everyone was saying college was bad and don't plan on in the other thread. I am the "stupid" on on both sides as I only have a bachelor's degree with no masters or other advanced degree (med or law) like everyone else on both sides. Most are teachers or college administrators, department chairs at colleges, etc.
Christine