Block planning 2016

The month of December and the first week of January are referred to as "hell season" for me at my jobs. Mandatory overtime for sales and then tech week for our productions at the park district. I have not done much in the part of formal lessons during this time due to the craziness. We worked on form drawings, some math drills and a lot of just trying to find our new groove together.




During our winter break I spent some time honkering out a plan for the new year. We will be starting back today, Lord willing.










Kinder-
Waldorf Essentials Kinder
Forms/drawing/art time
Handwork- finger-knitting or weaving



6th grade-
-daily math work- speed drills twice a week, new lesson from Making Math Meaningful twice a week, one day family math based game such as UNO, Sequence, Yatzee
-daily writing practice
-main lessons we are using Waldorf Essentials
handwork- 30 min




8th grade-
-daily math work- speed drills twice a week, new lesson from Making Math Meaningful twice a week, one day family math based game such as UNO, Sequence, Yatzee
- journaling
-main lesson
-handwork 30 min




10th grade- Although we may be Waldorf inspired we do work many of my olders in regards to the graduation requirements of the state. In our state I am able to issue a diploma so we are trying to work it so Kirky can graduate early. We also will be combining some things with Beanie but beefing it up to make it age appropriate.


-Life of fred algebra 2 and play math games with youngers
- journaling
- main lesson
-handwork 30 min

Its been awhile

Cue the sappy Stained song.... Actually I like that song a lot. There has been several changes through the last few months and I realized how little I have been posting. This use to be an online journal for me and a reminder to take lots and lots of photos to remember everything. I have been taking less photos since Koda is now pursuing a photography major as she does all the work for me. Here are some of the big things I need to update on.

I had our new baby in early October. He goes by Giddy and for the most part is a very pleasant baby.

 

 

Koda is inches close to graduating and we are starting to plan graduation parties and picking out diplomas. She does not have a college picked out for the time being and is flip flopping her college path of doing criminal justice or photography first as she needs both to do forensic photography. Yes, she wants to take photos of dead people and crime scenes and this confirms she is her father's child.

Nanners is almost graduated from her Cubbies class for Awana and has started a new dance program. She really enjoys her new teacher and luckily since it’s through our local park district that I work at I can be involved and spend more time backstage with my little dancer.  

 

 

RyRy has FINALLY started talking. There was some major concern of a language delay with him as only spoke 20 words, most of them being made up. Then one day, BAM. His vocabulary just exploded and he talks about how cool and happy he is about things. He adores being a big brother and is always insisting on helping with "baby".

 

Homeschool wise I have chosen to take a different approach for the littles as Nanners is approaching school age. As much as she begs to read and many peers are reading it is obvious that it isn't clicking yet. I have done some more research and talking it over with Randy and have decided to take more of a European approach of waiting until 7 to push any real "schoolwork" and we are adding more of a Waldorf approach to their preschool time. There will be an entire entry about that change when I get a chance to write it.

 

Although it’s been summed up in a few paragraphs its been some exciting changes and I can't wait to share more of our adventures with you.

 

Photography project - May

I am making a conscious effort to create a new month long project for Koda for her photography. She is often the type of person that needs a push to step outside her comfort zone before she will come out and say " oh that was really cool and fun. I like that."

Our first project I found on Pinterest ( go figure). Many have seen the type of cool, trendy word art that is created in black and white photography as they piece together the letters individually.


Koda's word for this project was "forever". 

Getting closer to the end- Highschool

As the school year draws to a close I am noticing more and more of my "flaws" for the year. Between feeling rushed and that I have not completed everything I have to stop and remember often that there is always next year and they can and probably will learn it eventually.

I have prepared Koda's transcript and got a nice dose of what we did accomplish in the last 2 years. Between moving several times, bad PPD and adjusting to new jobs we have a nice long list of what we did get done. It was a great indicator of success. She has impressed me with her knowledge of what she has even picked up on without a formal "class" and we are adding it to her transcript as well. Human reproduction ( her knowing 80% of what there is to know about home birth and why positioning is important and why water birth can be more successful than land birth) and Child development with a focus on special needs as she has been highly instrumental on assisting with Nanner's OT and continuing it with preschool. Not everything has to be learned from a text book but when you overhear your kid explaining SPD using propper terms to her grandparents and WHY it is important; you know you are doing something right.

Working has also been a big change for her as she joined me in the local park district.I have gotten nothing but compliments on how hard of a worker she is and that means a lot.

And a picture of the youngest just for good measure.

Prepping for the ACT

Well the ACT test date is creeping up on us and it seems that we are fairly confident at the moment. Mind you I am positive it will change on the 12th when I wake Kota up early to get ready. Here are some big things that I learned in prepping her for this exam.

Online practice tests are your friend. Recommend them take a few a week in different  subjects and mix it up.

Remember to upload your picture. DO NOT FORGET. We almost waited until the last minute and if you do not submit it in time you lose your spot and all of your money.

Big breakfast the day of. Even though she normally does not eat in the mornings she will be stuffing her face to make sure she does not fall asleep halfway through it from waking up so early.

Any other tips/tricks to prepare my test-hater for the ACT?

Chem lab-bonding

This lab wasn't as fun as our las candy bar lab. For this one we were investigating chemical bonds in household items. High school science is still completely possible with homeschooling.

Socializing highschoolers

Everyone's big concern is "socializing". Although we have pulled the girls out in middle school and highschool we still find ways to socialize. Our biggest desire is that our kids march to the beat of their own drums and not stoop down to the levels of dressing inappropriately or caking on makeup just to be popular.



Koda went back to her old high school for homecoming and the 2 biggest things that stuck out to her from the experience was " Wow girls had some super short dresses" and "There was just nonstop drama and about 10 /minutes of dancing". It made us feel like we did something right.