Showing posts with label Sonlight. Show all posts
Box Day 2012!
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As you can see, Box Day really is pure excitement for everyone - this year Braveheart wanted to be in on it, so after the box was delivered we had to wait for him to come home at the end of the day -sweet agony! Still, thankfully, we could climb in within minutes of him being home, and what joy was to be had. I love how my kids get so involved with everything - a chunk of time leafing through all the books, and then they start on the wrapping and the box :)
As you can see from the last photo, I was quite overwhelmed that first day. i had seriously considered not buying the IG this year, to ensure I could not be a slave to it again this year, but Braveheart insisted we did. I am so thankful I listened to him! Having had snatches of time to read through parts (Braveheart has a second bout of tonsillitis, that's 4 days after he recovered from his last one), I'm feeling a lot calmer!
My first "wobbly" of the year was the panic I felt when I first saw the LA with readers 2 - it's quite a jump from LAK! But again, after calmly following instructions (why does that always help so much?!), and re-reading Ruth Beechick's The Three R's, I am confident to move into this year!
The End of a Year!
So...this is it...the end....
... of our first official year of homeschooling, King Arthur's Grade 1 year! And the last few weeks have been busy!
King Arthur competed in a gymnastics competition in which he came third, which was just so lovely for him, as he had tried really hard to earn a trophy this season.
King Arthur and I did our own evaluation of the year, looking through his file of work and talking through all the things we've covered. Then I scribed his own evaluation of the year, which was so insightful. We identified problem areas, and talked through possible solutions. Try this with your kids - just keep asking them leading questions. I was thrilled with the insight Elijah had as to how to make next year work better for him, and we talked through some of the ideas I have already had. (It might help also to show them photos of the things you've done together during the year, or perhaps to even make a collage?)
Maths is his biggest challenge, and not because he finds it difficult, but because, in his own words, it's just so boring". When asked what he thought a solution could be he replied, "Not do any?". It's got to make you smile hey?! Needless to say after a little more brainstorming we decided that we'd do less of it every day, and I'd try to create some appropriate games for him. And it leaves me the same question that has haunted me all year. There's a fine line between frustration with a subject that actually has a character issue at the heart of it (does the child need to learn perseverance?), and whether the chosen method unnecessarily frustrates the child (should I be using a more visual/kinasethic program?). I'm glad I've got the holidays to think this through a little more.
Interestingly enough his highlights of each day were the Read Alouds (his favorite was Dolphin Treasure, and least liked was Mary on Horseback - when asked why he commented that everyone seemed to be sick/die in it!) and Art.
To celebrate the end of his year, we decided to join the CHE prize giving which was held at the Giraffe House this year.... I didn't realize I would be awarding my own certificate, and my emotions got the better of me and I was unable to say anything coherent at all!!!
And now...onto holiday fun!
Happy Holidays!
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| Sonlight's Core A - done and dusted! |
... of our first official year of homeschooling, King Arthur's Grade 1 year! And the last few weeks have been busy!
King Arthur competed in a gymnastics competition in which he came third, which was just so lovely for him, as he had tried really hard to earn a trophy this season.
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| a little nervous being up there on his own... |
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| proud! |
King Arthur and I did our own evaluation of the year, looking through his file of work and talking through all the things we've covered. Then I scribed his own evaluation of the year, which was so insightful. We identified problem areas, and talked through possible solutions. Try this with your kids - just keep asking them leading questions. I was thrilled with the insight Elijah had as to how to make next year work better for him, and we talked through some of the ideas I have already had. (It might help also to show them photos of the things you've done together during the year, or perhaps to even make a collage?)
Maths is his biggest challenge, and not because he finds it difficult, but because, in his own words, it's just so boring". When asked what he thought a solution could be he replied, "Not do any?". It's got to make you smile hey?! Needless to say after a little more brainstorming we decided that we'd do less of it every day, and I'd try to create some appropriate games for him. And it leaves me the same question that has haunted me all year. There's a fine line between frustration with a subject that actually has a character issue at the heart of it (does the child need to learn perseverance?), and whether the chosen method unnecessarily frustrates the child (should I be using a more visual/kinasethic program?). I'm glad I've got the holidays to think this through a little more.
Interestingly enough his highlights of each day were the Read Alouds (his favorite was Dolphin Treasure, and least liked was Mary on Horseback - when asked why he commented that everyone seemed to be sick/die in it!) and Art.
To celebrate the end of his year, we decided to join the CHE prize giving which was held at the Giraffe House this year.... I didn't realize I would be awarding my own certificate, and my emotions got the better of me and I was unable to say anything coherent at all!!!
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| Having grown up with real wildlife practically on my doorstep I was a little sad their first exposure to 'wild' animals was through fences.... |
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| me blubbering away :) King Arthur just grinned at me, bemused! |
Happy Holidays!
'School Outing'
This week we are learning about the sea in our Sonlight K/A curriculum, and I was very pleased to be inspired by Se7en to visit the Save our Seas Foundation in Kalk Bay with King Arthur...
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| Thanks to this great shark, we found it easily in spite of the road works! |
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| I loved this door! |
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| If you look carefully, you can see a smile peeking out of Elijah's face - I was thrilled to see how much he enjoyed the outing! |
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| And afterwards, a play in this lovely gem of a playground up a small Kalk Bay street - complete with children from the neighborhood! |
A free outing, loads to learn and a lovely morning applying our knowledge! King Arthur is loving all the interactive games here, as well as the coloring in. I've book marked this craft to do too - looks like some real fun!
