tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44352976731057261852024-02-07T13:50:18.348-05:00Homegrown MindsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger270125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-53388400555837730662019-01-25T11:11:00.001-05:002019-02-05T17:34:57.580-05:00Trudging On<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNVbZPlOYoBzOhjXgcKmB2DvGwNW-gX3QikT1mmiyT1HuGAAt05damzOGdtlrSRpTVD3eGQwnMcSPbwTMEgQuCaI71UiPS46tN8GP0x022DKIA2AMOIjfLdRy7fAVIICA8IzigAV69dU/s1600/IMG_1425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNVbZPlOYoBzOhjXgcKmB2DvGwNW-gX3QikT1mmiyT1HuGAAt05damzOGdtlrSRpTVD3eGQwnMcSPbwTMEgQuCaI71UiPS46tN8GP0x022DKIA2AMOIjfLdRy7fAVIICA8IzigAV69dU/s200/IMG_1425.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greek to me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After taking an extended Christmas break, we have returned to our regular schooling schedule. We have less than 75 days left in his sophomore year, but it feels like it can't end soon enough. This year EM has been working on geometry, physics, English, American government, art, physical education, and what I'm calling 'life skills' for his school subjects. I thought I'd give a bit of a description of what we have been doing since I've fallen off the boat as far as keeping this blog updated. <br />
<br />
We are using <a href="https://www.thinkwellhomeschool.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Thinkwell</span></a> again this year for EM's math instruction. He is studying geometry. He should wrap the complete course up in another month. Since we will continue schooling until the end of April, I think we will supplement with a series of workbooks I have, <a href="https://cathyduffyreviews.com/homeschool-reviews-core-curricula/math/grades-7-8/key-to-geometry" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Key to Geometry</span></a>, to reinforce what he has already learned and do a little more hands-on construction. <br />
<br />
For physics, EM completed a <a href="https://www.coursera.org/learn/how-things-work" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">class on Coursera</span></a> in the first few months of school. This course uses the textbook <a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Things-Work-Physics-Everyday/dp/1118580265" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">How Things Work: The Physics of Everyday Life</span></a>. In the course, only the first two sections of the book are covered, so since then, EM has continued his study of physics using the textbook. We started running into trouble though. Other than the Coursera class, I have never studied physics. I wasn't much good at teaching it either. Thankfully my husband has a good understanding of these things and jumped in as physics instructor.<br />
<br />
English is often EM's biggest struggle. We continued his study of grammar using the website English Grammar 101. He is also working on writing assignments. He wrote a short paper on Lafayette and is currently writing a 2500 word fictional story that takes place in the world of a one of his favorite video games. We will need a few more writing assignments to meet the requirements for the PHAA diploma program. He is now in the Wednesday night devotional rotation for our church congregation, so that meets his speech requirements. The final component of our English course is reading. He read a few classics I assigned and also does a daily Bible reading.<br />
<br />
American government is a textbook based study. We go over the reading together, have some discussion, and there are questions and activities that he completes. As we get toward the end of the year, he will also take the online citizenship practice test.<br />
<br />
For art he completed 60 activities, working on projects of his own, watching BrainPOP videos about famous artists, and completing their quizzes.<br />
<br />
Physical education has consisted of daily workouts and homeschool gym class on Friday mornings.<br />
<br />
Finally life skills has been a two part course. The first half of the year was spent on cooking. He had a checklist of different meals he wanted to learn to cook. First I'd show him, then he'd make it with me watching, and the third time would be on his own. He also learned about food safety, various cooking techniques, and menu planning. The second half of the course is budgeting and finances. He will be using a workbook that teaches checkbook balancing as well as reading Dave Ramsey's book, The Total Money Makeover. If we have time, we will also work on laundry and simple sewing. If that doesn't fit in this year, we'll cover it next year.<br />
<br />
When we finish this school year, we will begin looking at the possibility of EM taking community college classes during his junior year. JT completed 26 college credits using that plan and we'd like to see EM do the same. <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-87633966800999535562018-10-19T11:42:00.000-04:002019-01-25T10:38:44.841-05:00Plans That Go Wrong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDO2ohW5bBPDGNlGwCCqP1y6cSDYjXi0PJ7iloV7Z-E6bK33QDzBFne_rn7dFTcIbYM_gQmtO2mesIcLSoCoaWo37CypH5P_ljirN4AxuvmYJxGrmDh7aSSfvQNf-J0n9XRSzxQQGShyphenhyphenk/s1600/IMG_0800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDO2ohW5bBPDGNlGwCCqP1y6cSDYjXi0PJ7iloV7Z-E6bK33QDzBFne_rn7dFTcIbYM_gQmtO2mesIcLSoCoaWo37CypH5P_ljirN4AxuvmYJxGrmDh7aSSfvQNf-J0n9XRSzxQQGShyphenhyphenk/s320/IMG_0800.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">second day with a beautiful view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's been more than a month but I'm finally getting around to writing about our trip. Things did not go as planned. As always, there are things to be learned from any experience. <br />
<br />
JT and I started our hike from Rockfish Gap on the southern end of the Shenandoah National Park on Monday September 3rd around noon. The temps were in the high 80s with high humidity. I hadn't been expecting such warm weather and immediately began having problems related to the heat. We hiked about 8 miles that first day and camped at Calf Mountain Shelter for the night.<br />
<br />
That second day we had a 13 mile hike ahead of us to reach the next shelter. The humidity was bad from the start. We had no water sources for more than 10 miles of the day. We each were carrying about 4 liters of water, but it quickly became apparent that wouldn't be enough for me to stay hydrated. After 5 miles, we decided to call a shuttle and get a ride to our next shelter so we could take the afternoon off and hopefully recover a bit from the heat. A shuttle is a service offered to hikers for a fee all along the Appalachian Trail. We paid $25 to be driven from Turk Gap to the trail about 1 mile from our shelter. It was just after noon when we arrived, got our water, ate our lunch, and started to set up our camp.<br />
<br />
Then we got a call from my husband who told us that our area was under a heat advisory for the rest of the week. We had to make a decision. Would we continue to try and hike in this heat or should we take a few days off and come back on Saturday when the heat was supposed to break? We had a house reserved that Saturday with the plan that my husband and EM would stay there and resupply the second leg of our hike. We would lose a few days, probably not be able to do the entire 100 miles of the park, but could possibly do most of it. We decided to call a shuttle again, get a ride to Loft Mountain Campground and wait for my husband to come drive us home to Pennsylvania.<br />
<br />
The next few days at home we recalculated our hike with plans to start on Saturday and hike until we either finished the park or ran out of time the next Saturday.<br />
<br />
Then nature threw us a curveball.<br />
<br />
Saturday and Sunday were days of non-stop rain. We pushed our start day back until Monday. We decided to just do a day hike on Monday to check on trail conditions before committing to an overnight stay.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6329SNjJo48dtl2Hh4iLf7G-atvSmASOJ5B8MZBdoEUhr_iFfoI30dquxccNEMFpMEHzI1dlbuhI1HcgIoNrhIxKgRUU5_n6HylImSEsqzD4eCa94FbWvfmJZ2KGSGhEnsaZPdmzGgs/s1600/IMG_0823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6329SNjJo48dtl2Hh4iLf7G-atvSmASOJ5B8MZBdoEUhr_iFfoI30dquxccNEMFpMEHzI1dlbuhI1HcgIoNrhIxKgRUU5_n6HylImSEsqzD4eCa94FbWvfmJZ2KGSGhEnsaZPdmzGgs/s320/IMG_0823.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">trial is a river</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It was rainy and foggy all day, trails were pretty soaked, but it wasn't too bad. The views were non-existent. That was kind of disappointing. Tuesday the rain was still going so we did a second day hike with plans to head out Wednesday on a multi-day hike.<br />
<br />
Then Florence came on the scene.<br />
<br />
During our Tuesday hike we ran into a couple southbound thruhikers. Both of them had heard the National Park system was considering closing down Shenandoah due to the excessive rain and the approaching hurricane. There were fears of dangerous trail conditions because the saturated ground could lead to tree falls. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATEtDdycp_e1ty2gktTx4vRj2IQv5dc-n5h6NpM7c9h4fSBjbHQOpE99J4g9lxaj0wv5OuWLI0gQyQ-Gp9cqp0-pnW3GPYLOLJ3KUui5DKv42IB-fWb2sgljKth-hsxk4bDxRJzRIfKg/s1600/IMG_0821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATEtDdycp_e1ty2gktTx4vRj2IQv5dc-n5h6NpM7c9h4fSBjbHQOpE99J4g9lxaj0wv5OuWLI0gQyQ-Gp9cqp0-pnW3GPYLOLJ3KUui5DKv42IB-fWb2sgljKth-hsxk4bDxRJzRIfKg/s320/IMG_0821.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">supposed to be a view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Wednesday morning we found out that the park would be closing all trails and Skyline Drive as of 10 am Thursday. At this point, we just gave up our plan. After two years of planning, we could not do it. I tried to keep a positive attitude about the whole thing, but couldn't help but feel that we should have just pushed through that heat so we could have finished it before the storms came. We spent the last couple days at the house we rented. We also met a nice homeschooling family from the area at the church we attended there. We went to their home for a visit Thursday evening and had a good time.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusT4mwgWYWDyp5MLjgHmKuWPRlbCVAIfHjSCSkx7LUSVtuid1KD37NGhFoYMui8O_V3XrpFhx2AgEzqt20JmDncTGORh6IcMOor-MyTAmy29AOezBUu-0JABQ8lgLqfvm9M89m3h20po/s1600/IMG_0887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusT4mwgWYWDyp5MLjgHmKuWPRlbCVAIfHjSCSkx7LUSVtuid1KD37NGhFoYMui8O_V3XrpFhx2AgEzqt20JmDncTGORh6IcMOor-MyTAmy29AOezBUu-0JABQ8lgLqfvm9M89m3h20po/s320/IMG_0887.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">awesome owl we saw on a misty day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I can't say it wasn't a good experience. I learned a bit about my limitations. I learned that just a few pounds extra in my pack multiplies quickly on my back. The days we did just day-hiking and only carried essentials, we made excellent time with little effort. The days with full packs were brutal. I also learned that JT is incredibly patient with me. So many times he had to wait while I was struggling from the heat. He never complained. He was quick to suggest ways to make things easier.<br />
<br />
When we left Virginia, we left with plans to return as soon as we could and finish our remaining 60 miles. But when we came home, JT started the job search, and we were surprised that he found a job immediately. Because of that, we have to postpone our plan to return to the trail until next spring. In the meantime we will continue doing shorter trips and work on our stamina. But we will finish that hike!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-39784686602054522662018-08-28T14:59:00.002-04:002018-08-28T14:59:47.490-04:00One Down, One to Go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq43OxZkYUSSOEsfzVlnAraDwV-menX-0kxINFaFMy-hkFMSxOlbiaS1tOG3YqbB1LWCkQWF5KjFkiv0DIkfvOv9374TvZ_YLjJNXUXJ6r-i_5LAKuMeLq9X7fa68RnxYndhyFao762kY/s1600/IMG_0326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq43OxZkYUSSOEsfzVlnAraDwV-menX-0kxINFaFMy-hkFMSxOlbiaS1tOG3YqbB1LWCkQWF5KjFkiv0DIkfvOv9374TvZ_YLjJNXUXJ6r-i_5LAKuMeLq9X7fa68RnxYndhyFao762kY/s320/IMG_0326.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We wrapped up our 2017-2018 school year with our homeschool evaluations on May 9th. This was JT's final evaluation. <sniff> I consoled myself by immediately packing us up and heading to the beach. We had a very relaxing week on the shore, then headed home to the madness of planning a graduation ceremony and party for JT. I needed to choose pictures for a slide show, but it was so hard to keep it short. We have so many great memories of vacations, homeschool experiences, and fun family times. I managed to pare it down and my husband put them all together with some of JT's compositions for piano as the soundtrack. <br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz41qOU6n0foSaxSyJB1Zf2oj9sqLSxWROJ-ME7Dz0DBrUdydlXovrlyc42KRJppJYNbbgJKqzfYA_Ogi3VTcH472v5FgDOnafJWpG7j6_ZJFtzdMp1CxDfOeAEAgeArkRvC10VCO3xDM/s1600/IMG_0584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz41qOU6n0foSaxSyJB1Zf2oj9sqLSxWROJ-ME7Dz0DBrUdydlXovrlyc42KRJppJYNbbgJKqzfYA_Ogi3VTcH472v5FgDOnafJWpG7j6_ZJFtzdMp1CxDfOeAEAgeArkRvC10VCO3xDM/s320/IMG_0584.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We held his party at the church building where we worship. Many family and friends were able to attend. We started the day off with his diploma presentation. My husband shared a bit about JT's journey through school, how homeschooling works, and his plans for the future. Then he gave him his diploma and we watched the slide show. Afterwards, we had food and fun in the church fellowship hall. We also had time to catch up with friends who came a long way to celebrate with us.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_TikQPzGxfctNS20-tBXyR4SJcBhCCW-f6CtorgJpvlNGC0mDixRzthVqCx1waQnYwaeRtNKO5ZpXC7p7ZiJP5qfwaSPD8_LBb6tvuCUhGwEXUEVEK0q_71qdhkAcm1AgZsWS1IuetAo/s1600/IMG_0772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_TikQPzGxfctNS20-tBXyR4SJcBhCCW-f6CtorgJpvlNGC0mDixRzthVqCx1waQnYwaeRtNKO5ZpXC7p7ZiJP5qfwaSPD8_LBb6tvuCUhGwEXUEVEK0q_71qdhkAcm1AgZsWS1IuetAo/s320/IMG_0772.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Now that the party was over, it was time to start the next big plan - our Shenandoah hiking trip! JT and I leave for our 100 mile hike in less than a week. I have spent the bulk of the summer planning our route, equipment, and taking many practice hiking trips with JT. I feel like we are about as ready as we can be, but still not quite ready. We will be on the trail for nine or ten days, depending on our progress. My husband will pick us up at the end and then we can relax in a house we've rented for the week.<br />
<br />
When I wasn't working on hiking plans, I was working on the plan for EM's schooling for this year. This is his sophomore year of high school. We started school the second week of July, with just a few subjects to begin, but are now running a full schedule. This year he is going to earn 6 credits towards his diploma; 10th grade English, Geometry, Physics, American Government, Cooking/Life Skills, and half credits each in Art and Physical Education. I will share the details of each planned course in a future post, after the big hike. <br />
<br />
In fact, my whole life currently feels like it split into two chunks, pre-hike and post-hike. I'm constantly saying, "I'll work on that AFTER the big hike." So for now, goodbye until after the big hike!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWGynYx26fUdnbXXdglclQHb2EmeqPfV0MtURG7UXZVGLngq1FUvWHE_vOs538rr67qVmzteVhK8hOmSZX7XtzP5rsHYGzZE1ldzSRYvzWl3BWcoc3a2cs1vsr4lOTa4r0uMjaMSEcIM/s1600/IMG_9974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWGynYx26fUdnbXXdglclQHb2EmeqPfV0MtURG7UXZVGLngq1FUvWHE_vOs538rr67qVmzteVhK8hOmSZX7XtzP5rsHYGzZE1ldzSRYvzWl3BWcoc3a2cs1vsr4lOTa4r0uMjaMSEcIM/s400/IMG_9974.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-10020332132117649532018-03-09T10:56:00.004-05:002018-03-09T10:56:46.129-05:00Nearly ThereThe countdown is on! Only 35 days remain in our 2017-2018 school year. When we reach that point, I will have successfully (?) completed the schooling of one child. I can hardly believe it is possible. I am generally not a nostalgic person but as I have been going back through photos of our homeschooling years preparing to put together a program for JT's graduation party I have found myself dreading the end of this journey.<br />
<br />
Speaking of pictures, I made an appointment to have JT's senior pictures taken. I have the most adorable grandson and my daughter entered him in a contest to be a child model for a local photographer. Of course he was chosen since he's the cutest toddler on the planet. She will get a free photo shoot and package. When I asked her for the name of the photographer to get prices for JT, I found out the photographer is someone I know. She was JT's scout leader for a couple years! We haven't seen her in about 10 years and she was thrilled to hear from me. We will be going to a local state park in April to take pics of JT on the trail with his pack. Hiking pics seemed essential to the whole process. I wish there was a way to get a piano to the woods to add his other primary activity. Of course, it would probably be more appropriate to take a computer and have him playing video games. One more thing off the checklist for graduation!<br />
<br />
This week I also sat down with JT and reviewed the things he needs to complete by April in order to meet his graduation requirements with PHAA. It amounts to two more writing assignments and a bit of grammar. Of course he also needs to complete his last community college class. I also sat down with EM and made a game plan for his final three years of homeschooling. We talked about what he will do for math, sciences, and social studies. There will be some use of Thinkwell, Coursera, and the community college. We will also purchase Rosetta Stone Spanish to add a little foreign language to the mix. The program he's looking into at the community college will not require a foreign language, but I want to cover all the bases in case he changes plans later.<br />
<br />
After we finished our planning, I went to the bookcases and started pulling books I would not need for our remaining homeschooling years. I listed some for sale and made a little money that I will probably put towards camping gear. I still have a stack of books to get out of the house. I'll probably try listing some again, but some will also go to the library for their April book sale. Once I finish the cleaning, I'm hoping to be down to one bookcase of homeschooling material. I still have my library full of many, many, many books, but textbooks and workbooks will be greatly reduced.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-47653005294484677912018-02-23T11:10:00.001-05:002018-02-23T11:10:35.352-05:00Graduation Plans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKKsyPPjsAkjwluLPo_7SwF6tvqCE3gb_N_CwpOBobVESv2wt3RElLBsXUT7hTSuzZigoaxhF8fXmc9f2P5N5aWzrCMrAPhhs8u01fW0w8359BbJqzqJUHFmAzwpYtCLgcskUT76619M/s1600/diploma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKKsyPPjsAkjwluLPo_7SwF6tvqCE3gb_N_CwpOBobVESv2wt3RElLBsXUT7hTSuzZigoaxhF8fXmc9f2P5N5aWzrCMrAPhhs8u01fW0w8359BbJqzqJUHFmAzwpYtCLgcskUT76619M/s320/diploma.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We are in the final countdown to our first homeschooling graduation. 43 days to our last day of schooling at home, one more week until JT's last community college class ends, evaluations on May 8th, graduation party planned for June 9th. How is this possible?! Isn't he still just a baby?<br />
<br />
There is still quite a bit to do before we can cross the finish line. A month or so ago, I was at a planning meeting of the youth group committee at our church and realized I needed to pick a date for JT's graduation party to avoid scheduling conflicts. I decided June 9th seemed like a good day because it was early enough in the summer and would hopefully avoid vacations for our friends and family. Once I picked the date, I started to wonder if we'd have the diploma from PHAA in time. I am planning to have a short diploma ceremony at the party and it wouldn't be quite the same if we didn't have the physical diploma yet. Guess I should have thought of that before picking the date. I'll keep that in mind for EM's senior year.<br />
<br />
I sent an email to our evaluator to ask about time frames for diplomas. She said we'd need to give them two weeks to a month from the date of the evaluation. Our last day of schooling will be April 27th, but JT won't have his final in his sociology class until May 2nd. Not long after that we will be leaving for a week at the beach. Before I picked the random date for the party, I was planning to schedule our evaluation toward the end of May. Now I needed to move that meeting much sooner. With vacation in the way, and the time crunch for diploma delivery, our evaluator suggested coming in May 8th. I told her we wouldn't have JT's final grade for his college class by then, but she said she can submit the diploma request without the grade, adding that to his transcript later. But now I will have a serious time crunch for portfolio prep during the last week of April and first week of May. Yes, I know I can get most of it ready in advance, it's just not the way I'm used to doing it. Oh, and I'll also need to be packing for a trip at the same time. Shouldn't be much potential for stress...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhEovW7fSLhPhgjbRWRDBEZwor0PQm5XA9k2wOc7xWXvg-zhWhblWpyNhSNw_orqPz6mGuJmyVsJ7-L7ChvVDGz-NxkSBNzmfzFbDV9y3xARYLpdUNDqtU1lmKY7qQBRJ6Kl9dU9j0m8/s1600/beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1000" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhEovW7fSLhPhgjbRWRDBEZwor0PQm5XA9k2wOc7xWXvg-zhWhblWpyNhSNw_orqPz6mGuJmyVsJ7-L7ChvVDGz-NxkSBNzmfzFbDV9y3xARYLpdUNDqtU1lmKY7qQBRJ6Kl9dU9j0m8/s200/beach.jpg" width="200" /></a>At least I'll be able to sit on the beach and do nothing for a week in the middle of the insanity.<br />
<br />
Something else that occurred to me in the last month was the fact that it might be a good idea to get some senior pictures taken. It slipped my mind up until now, possibly because the last time JT had school pictures taken was in 2nd grade. Now I'm trying to decide if I want to make the attempt myself, or pay someone else to do it. One of my friends did her daughter's senior pictures herself and they turned out very nice. In fact, when she tried to get them printed at Walmart, the clerk was asking for proof that she had permission to print them, assuming they were professional pictures. Unfortunately this friend lives four hours away or I'd be asking her to take them for me. As soon as we have some nice weather, I'll take JT out and try a photo shoot. If things don't go well, I have a few local photographers I can try instead. I'd really like to get a picture or two in the woods since our time together has been focused on hiking so much lately.<br />
<br />
There will also be the need to make graduation announcements, find a graduation gift, and plan the actual party. I'm thinking the next few months are going to be on the busy side. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-50475176966383260822018-02-16T10:56:00.000-05:002018-02-16T10:56:08.898-05:00Things to Come<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMLmwMSnoFG0C9_WwYr-5D3Wcc13YtDEsNBvynjFsX6mxvEga-MT28D9XXkju95lAMZs47V7hmdx-J-Z5jdwWc_kXcYU9A6f0JBhcT8qjhBOgKFy6iC_Sj-sPnlNFWDAUbT118dT281E/s1600/IMG_9947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMLmwMSnoFG0C9_WwYr-5D3Wcc13YtDEsNBvynjFsX6mxvEga-MT28D9XXkju95lAMZs47V7hmdx-J-Z5jdwWc_kXcYU9A6f0JBhcT8qjhBOgKFy6iC_Sj-sPnlNFWDAUbT118dT281E/s320/IMG_9947.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our September Hike Route</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Recently, JT and I were talking about blood types and compatibility for transfusions. This topic came up because he is currently reading Dracula. I have never managed to read the whole book; I found it incredibly dry. He is really enjoying it and keeps telling me how every vampire idea came from this book. Yes, JT, that's because it IS the classic vampire story. The original. The Internet did not invent vampires.<br />
<br />
So, back to the blood types... during our discussion I told him he should know this stuff. We covered it in biology. Three years ago. He told me he didn't remember any of it. Then he said he "should have taken biology from the college, not because I need it for school, just because it would be good stuff to study."<br />
Wow.<br />
I know he's a kid who likes learning, but I always thought he was just tolerating the college classes, not enjoying them. It's good to know he sees value in these classes we have funded. We talked about the fact that if he wants to, he could take a biology class before he starts full time at the main campus in the fall of 2019. Of course, that would all depend on the rest of his schedule.<br />
<br />
He is working on finding a part time job to make some cash to put towards living expenses when he goes to school next year. So far, no luck on the job front. He's being a bit picky about where he applies - no fast food, which kind of limits things for someone his age. Unfortunately as a 17 year old, he's not able to apply for many jobs in our area. We have put his driver's test on hold until he finds a job. In Pennsylvania, we don't pay any extra on our car insurance for a driver with a permit, but when he gets his license, they'll make up for it by slamming us with a huge bill. Since we are requiring he pay half of that bill the first year he drives, he will need some income before he can do that. Since he really does not need the license until he has a job, it seems sensible to wait.<br />
<br />
We are continuing to make our plans for summer hiking. JT and I have been slowing buying our gear that we will use for our 100 mile hike in Shenandoah National Park planned for September. This week we booked the house that EM and my husband will stay in while we hike. It's getting real! Starting in April, we plan to do some two day hikes, learning to use our new gear, getting an idea of our pace when carrying a full load in our packs. Sometime in June we will be doing a section hike of the entire Maryland portion of the Appalachian trail - about 40 miles. I'm just hoping my old feet can hold up for our adventures. I'm pretty good at pushing myself through pain, but I would prefer the no-pain option if possible.<br />
<br />
So many exciting things coming soon. The beginning of the school year, I felt overwhelmed and uninspired. Now I'm enjoying every day and every new challenge. Hoping the rest of the year is just as fun!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-44818274020328703652018-02-02T10:43:00.001-05:002018-02-02T10:43:42.085-05:00Apples From the Trees<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy4aRU1sSh8AWLj5MvTqsQSpMOlhi1MX6JGNyPkuLGF6NAP1Mc9Qvswm6bZVu4NPupjK0T3J783DShbPIT1Y6vZBo9S_9b-kgueCG_D3LkELBmfpnSUIgjqbm7hLOMRUlclQ8y3AhVIaw/s1600/IMG_9909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy4aRU1sSh8AWLj5MvTqsQSpMOlhi1MX6JGNyPkuLGF6NAP1Mc9Qvswm6bZVu4NPupjK0T3J783DShbPIT1Y6vZBo9S_9b-kgueCG_D3LkELBmfpnSUIgjqbm7hLOMRUlclQ8y3AhVIaw/s320/IMG_9909.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">just a touch of shadow on the moon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You may have seen the news about the <a href="https://www.space.com/39561-super-blue-blood-moon-2018-stargazers-photos.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">super blue blood moon</span></a> on January 31. Living where we do, I knew we wouldn't have a view during the totality because the moon was going to set before it was time. I thought I'd probably get up to take a look, but figured the boys wouldn't be that interested. At bedtime on Tuesday night, I mentioned it. JT said he should probably get up to see it. I was kind of surprised since he's not a morning person and previous attempts to drag him out of bed for eclipses and meteor showers weren't always received with thankfulness.<br />
<br />
When I asked him about it he said, "I guess I should get up to see something that hasn't happened since 1866." Can I just say how happy I am that he is making decisions that show he thinks like me? I'm confident that if he has children someday he'll drag them out of bed at all hours to stare at the sky.<br />
<br />
Thinking about this now brings to mind a conversation I had this week. We go to Bible study at our church on Wednesday nights. The boys are both in the teen class. This week they had a visitor in their class who has met our family, but hasn't spent a lot of time with us yet.<br />
<br />
After class she said to me, "Listening to both of your boys, I can really see which parent each of them takes after."<br />
<br />
She told me she thought EM was more like me because of how much he was talking in class. This may be true today, but when JT was younger, he could talk the ear off of any person he met. As he grew older, he became quieter, spending more of his time in public observing others. EM is definitely more of an extrovert. I'm one of those rare introverts who really likes being with people, but needs time alone after to recover from too much people-time. My husband is more of a true introvert; he'll almost always choose alone time over time with others. In those ways, EM is like me, and JT is like him.<br />
<br />
However, when it comes to interests, I would say that JT and I have more in common. We are the hikers, the readers, the documentary watchers, Malcolm Gladwell podcast fans. EM and his dad are the mathy, interested in how things work, public speaking, computer guys. We cross over in a few places. JT and his dad are the musicians. EM and I are the noticing what other people need, list maker, control freaks. Their sister, my oldest, has many of my character traits, and many
people say they knew she had to be my daughter when they met her, even
though they had not been told.<br />
<br />
As a parent it's so interesting watching them turn into mashed up versions of us, with some of their own qualities thrown in to make something totally different. It's like an extended science experiment we get to observe. What will the final product look like? Only time will tell.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-81537846481519519522018-01-19T11:06:00.001-05:002018-01-19T11:06:42.110-05:00Teaching MethodsBack when he was very young, EM was diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder. This past year, he went for a re-evaluation at the university clinic, and they determined he has more than likely outgrown that deficiency. I'm still not sure I agree with their interpretation of the results of his testing. Since there isn't another place to have him tested in our area, for now it is what it is.<br />
<br />
Because he had been diagnosed with this disorder, I had structured his learning in recommended ways to help him compensate. I assumed the best learning styles for him would not involve lectures of any kind. When we worked together, if I read things aloud, we would stop regularly and discuss what had been covered to be sure he was absorbing the information. He doesn't really like reading non-fiction, so I would give very short reading assignments when textbook learning was a necessity. The best results for his learning usually came when we did hands on activities.<br />
<br />
Then we had to figure out what to do about the fact that this year EM is completing a half credit in music to meet the
requirements for both the PHAA diploma program and the PA homeschool
regs. While JT has always excelled in anything music related, EM was not very interested. He did take piano lessons for a bit, but dropped the lessons after a year. Because he seemed to not want much to do with it, I was trying to come up with a good plan that would make this year's music instruction as painless as possible for all of us. Just checking off the boxes we need to fill.<br />
<br />
I remembered I still had the <a href="https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/understanding-the-fundamentals-of-music.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Great Courses Fundamentals of Music</span></a> series of DVDs. Realizing that video lectures were probably the worst idea, but not wanting to spend a ton of effort preparing something for someone who seemed uninterested, I figured we'd watch a little at a time, then discuss. I didn't have high expectations for him to learn much, just thought I'd do what I could to help him pick something up along the way. What a surprise it was when after the first lecture he could recall almost everything from the lesson. <br />
<br />I am breaking the lessons down this way:<br />
Day 1: watch half of a lecture together<br />
Day 2: review contents together<br />
Day 3: watch second half of the lecture<br />
Day 4: review contents together<br />
Day 5: quiz on contents; supplemental activity<br />
repeat until all 16 lectures completed<br />
<br />
Each lecture is about 45 minutes long. Breaking it down into two 20 minute chunks seems to be just enough to hold his interest. The first lecture is titled <i>The Language of Music. </i>The first half focused on music appreciation, gave some vocabulary, and covered types of instruments and instrument groupings. The second half goes into great detail about the string instruments. During the second day of viewing, we pulled out my violin and tried some of the different methods of playing he discussed; <span>pizzicato, sul ponticello, sul tasto, and col legno battuto. The day after, when we reviewed these terms, I was very surprised that he remembered all of these foreign terms and even came up with an example of col legno battuto in music he knew! He said, "The Piano Guys use that at the beginning of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgAlQuqzl8o" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Cello Wars</span></a>." Sure enough, we looked it up and he was right!</span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>So what have I learned from all of this? I may be completely wrong about his best method of learning. He hasn't been getting the best opportunity to learn. I knew that he wasn't picking much up when I'd give him those reading assignments, but when I took the time to review what he read, he'd do better. What I realize now is that he probably picked nothing up from the reading, instead only learning the things I was reviewing with him. The 'lecture' I gave after the reading was where the learning was really happening. When I was too busy to take the time to do that with him, he was getting almost nothing from it.</span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>I could spend a long time beating myself up over this lack of insight. I could also make many excuses; </span><br />
<br />
<span>"The testers told me he would not learn well from auditory methods."</span><br />
<br />
<span>"They wouldn't have customized his education in public school."</span><br />
<br />
<span>"I'm not an expert; it's not my fault I didn't recognize this."</span><br />
<br />
<span>After a couple days of guilt, I'm ready to move forward and correct the problem. I can comfort myself with the fact that I still have 3 1/2 years of time left to work with him. I also know that he has consistently tested above grade level, so even with my mistake, he is doing better than his peers. Most importantly, as homeschoolers, we have the flexibility to change the way he is receiving his learning. I am going to start searching for DVD courses to fill his subject requirements for next year. For the subjects that need textbook learning, I will be working to create my own lectures for him. A friend suggested seeing if he comprehends more of the material he must read if he reads it aloud. She also suggested that just moving his lips while reading may do the trick. We will be testing those ideas out as well.</span><br />
<br />
<span>Homeschooling these boys has taught me that mistakes are going to happen. But it has also taught me that when we find the mistakes, we can make the changes, and move on to success. </span><br />
<br />
<span> </span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-19155373447595456892018-01-12T10:58:00.002-05:002018-01-14T00:16:18.733-05:00Burned Out<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRYnbFbWZmVRxiSXYQZha0zrzYxnF-4maIass4Hv8Rc0Uql_R8Phhw2MP-ydCM9hfym8sDSCs-sjmgLNVwIGZDGkZ43mFfFJ8pCVS_qzMt8ZBk21DfkHeSy1nq4uH-e4jUEMisXiKOgY/s1600/IMG_9886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRYnbFbWZmVRxiSXYQZha0zrzYxnF-4maIass4Hv8Rc0Uql_R8Phhw2MP-ydCM9hfym8sDSCs-sjmgLNVwIGZDGkZ43mFfFJ8pCVS_qzMt8ZBk21DfkHeSy1nq4uH-e4jUEMisXiKOgY/s320/IMG_9886.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the Hiking Loot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We're nearing the end of our Christmas break. My plan going into the holiday was that I would take a break until after Christmas, then I would organize portfolio materials from the first half of the year, and do a large amount of planning for the rest of the year. I did manage to get portfolios organized, but then things changed.<br />
<br />
JT and I have been planning our 100 mile Appalachian Trip for a couple years now, never doing more than occasionally taking a day hike and talking about our plan. That changed in the last few weeks when I discovered three things, an AT section hikers Facebook group, the <a href="https://www.rei.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">REI website,</span></a> and the <a href="http://homemadewanderlust.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Homemade Wanderlust blog</span></a> and videos. I started reading about other people's adventures, spending money on equipment, even taking a trip to the closest REI, 2 1/2 hours from our home to try on a pack. As I was doing research on things related to hiking, I realized that my old obsession with homeschool curriculum research has been replaced with my new love of all things hiking related. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how burned out I have become when it comes to anything homeschool related and how much that was contributing to my procrastination.<br />
<br />
Now that I have recognized what was going on, I feel I can use the hiking planning to give me a break and allow me to get the energy I need for the rest of this year. I don't have much to do for EM's school plan to get him to the end of the year. A lot of what he's doing now is structured enough to allow me to just look ahead a bit for each subject and make a game plan for the week. The one place I need to invest a little more time will be his half credit of music instruction we will be starting on Monday. He will be using a Great Courses series <a href="https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/understanding-the-fundamentals-of-music.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Understanding the Fundamentals of Music</span></a> as a framework for his study with additional instruction and activities for each video lecture. I will need to plan the supplemental material for him, but that shouldn't be too time consuming. Other than music, he will be continuing his Earth science, algebra 2, health, world geography, literature, and writing instruction for the remainder of the school year.<br />
<br />
Once JT graduates this May, I feel like I will need to buckle down and really focus on EM for his last three years of his schooling. For now, we are going to get the work done, but spend more time doing the things that will recharge our batteries for that final push.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-41444926218802153612017-11-10T11:08:00.001-05:002017-11-10T11:08:17.747-05:00Considering OptionsAs EM approaches the half-way point of his first high school year, I'm feeling like something new might be in order. A few weeks ago, we received an advertisement for a local cyber school in the mail. My usual response to such mailings is to toss it in the trash as soon as I get in the house. This time, I read through the information and later checked their website for more.<br />
<br />
When we began homeschooling, all those years ago, we started the journey with JT enrolled in a cyberschool. It quickly became apparent that it wasn't the best fit for JT. EM spent one year in a private Kindergarten, one year in that cyber, then the rest of the time as a traditional homeschooler. It was always obvious that the homeschooling path has been the perfect method for JT, but not necessarily for EM. While he is still testing at or above grade level, I often feel like he could be getting more out of his schooling if we tried something different.<br />
<br />
When considering the other options, I am certain that traditional public schooling would not be a good fit. EM is a very unique kid with the kinds of quirks that could easily be targeted by bullies. Knowing that so many parents are turning to homescooling and cybers to get out of that kind of environment, I am not ready to put my kid into a potentially harmful situation just to see if it would work. I have also considered private schools, even the one he attended for his year of Kindergarten. However, being a boy who has a difficult time with sitting still do his work, preferring to bounce around the room while learning, I think that such a rigid environment would result in its own list of problems.<br />
<br />
This leaves cyber as our only real other option. I hesitate to sign up with any school that has requirements for live lessons that mean we need to log in at very specific times. Our life is reaching a point where we can travel and have new experiences while schooling and we don't want to lose that option. Talking with a friend who has knowledge of most of the cybers in Pennsylvania, I have a list of those that have limited requirements for live lessons; allowing their students to work at their own pace. I plan to spend some time looking into these schools, talking with EM about the possibility, and really exploring if it would be a good fit for him and our family.<br />
<br />
I know even if we do decide to sign up with a school, there would be no reason we couldn't pull him back out if it doesn't work. Hopefully we can find the best fit for him. If we find that none of the cybers are a good fit, we will know that our homeschooling is the best option for him. Nothing will be lost in the exploration of other possibilities.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-54101481454910257582017-10-06T10:39:00.001-04:002017-10-06T10:39:20.098-04:00The Best PathJT will be wrapping up his homeschooling journey in May. Some days it's hard to believe I've been doing this for so many years, some days it feels like I've been doing it forever. As he reaches the end, many decisions need to be made for his next step.<br />
<br />
When May rolls around, JT will have taken all of the general ed classes to meet the requirements for the associates degree he plans to complete through the community college. Because he takes classes at the community college satellite, and not the main campus where they have the recording studio, he has not been able to take any of the music specific courses. What remains amounts to a very light course load for his two years at the main campus. The first two semesters he would have three classes, in the final two semesters, only two, although one is an internship that would take up more time than a regular class. From what we can figure, he can't really double up any semester since everything builds on previous course work. We are planning a trip to the college to verify that. So even though he could physically complete this program faster he won't be able to due to the way it has to be organized. Add to this problem the fact that the main campus is a 90 minute drive from our home. Also, there is no on campus housing. Final problem, JT will only be 17 when the fall semester rolls around, so renting an apartment might be difficult. And honestly, I'm not sure if he's ready to live on his own, even though it's not that far from home.<br />
<br />
Our initial idea was to have him take a year off and work to save money before starting the program. This would be nice to allow him a chance to experience life, gain responsibility, and save money for expenses while schooling. A few potential problems with this plan would be that he might never start college if he gets into a routine, it delays the time until he can work in the field he wants, and we're not sure how scholarship money options might be affected. Even with the possible problems, he and I were fairly set on going with this option.<br />
<br />
Then I spent some time looking at the class schedule for the fall semester. It turns out all three classes meet on just two days of the week. Driving that 90 minutes felt like too much when it was many days a week; two doesn't seem to bad. Another plus is that the earliest class starts around noon, so he wouldn't even have to drag himself out of bed at the crack of dawn to get there in time. Because of what we have learned, this option is starting to be seriously considered. The biggest concern we have would be if he has a lot of project work, would he need to complete it in the recording studio on campus? If that's the case it might not be doable. I'm planning to set up a campus visit so we can talk about both options and find out what will work best.<br />
<br />
For so many years I've been working towards these goals, it feels so strange that we are so close to the end. The far away is suddenly coming near! <br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-16263855889075675452017-09-22T11:26:00.003-04:002017-09-22T11:26:29.503-04:00Homeschooling in PennsylvaniaBefore we began our homeschooling journey JT was a student in our local public school. There were many issues during those years and I often ended up in conflict with the district. When we decided to leave the district we moved to a public cyber-charter school for two years before we finally found our place as homeschoolers. Since becoming homeschoolers, we have had little interaction with our district and no conflict. Lately I have been hearing from some homeschoolers in other districts that are running into serious issues with their schools and I realize how conflict free our years have been.<br />
<br />
If you are considering homeschooling in Pennsylvania, I would highly recommend familiarizing yourself with the <a href="http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/uconsCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&yr=1949&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&act=14&chpt=13&sctn=27&subsctn=1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">PA homeschool regulations</span></a>. People who have homeschooled in states other than PA often find our regulations to be too strict. Maybe that is true, but because I have never worked under another system, I don't feel that way. Knowing the regs helps me to feel confident in my rights and be aware of what I need to do to satisfy the requirements.<br />
<br />
I am thankful to work under a district that has never asked for more than I have provided. In the situations I have been reading about in the PA homeschool Facebook page, many parents are reporting districts that are requesting far more than is required by the regulations. Many times those districts seem to have little knowledge of the regs. Suggestions were made to attempt to educate the districts in a non-confrontational way. But my own experience working to educate the 'experts', from the days when we were sending our son to public school, tells me that they will probably meet much resistance in that attempt. For those parents, I can only say, know the regs, try to be factual when discussing issues with the district, look for help from homeschooling legal organizations, and stand your ground. When parents give in to districts' demands for compliance to their own rules versus the legal guidelines, other parents find it harder to resist these extraneous requests.<br />
<br />
As someone who finds rules made for no good reason infuriating and people who push their own ideas of the 'right way to do things' down my throat the most irritating people to deal with, I feel the anxiety and frustration these families are dealing with in their situations. One mom told how the school had sent an attendance officer to her home because she hadn't filed paperwork for her son to homeschool. The son is not yet of compulsory school age, so she is well within her rights not having submitted the forms. When she wasn't at home for the visit, the officer left a business card in her mailbox, a clear violation of federal law! As I read about this, I wanted to march down to her district and slap a copy of the regs on someone's desk. Many made comments on the post with advice to sign up with homeschooling legal groups for help. However, the mom expressed her resistance to do so since the group recommended had a system of beliefs she did not follow. She seemed so sure and in control as she shared how she planned to deal with the district's improper requests. I was happy to see someone so confident ready to fight for her rights, and in a way, my own.<br />
<br />
It is good to be a member of a tribe that works as one to protect our right to educate our children in whatever way works best for each us. If you are dealing with issues in your own district, remember to reach out to your community. And remember that your fight is not your own. It is ours together.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-27427934219496342562017-09-15T10:41:00.000-04:002017-09-15T10:41:55.074-04:00Why Can't More People Be Non-Conformists?JT is wrapping up his third week of his community college classes with a nasty virus. We assumed he was exposed at school and had near certain verification when a girl sitting next to him in math class last night told him she had been sick with the same mess for the last week. Assuming she was the source of the initial contact, we are speculating three things: it's airborne, has about a week incubation, and we are all doomed to sickness in the next seven days.<br />
<br />
As homeschoolers we have gone against the norm for years in many ways. One of those ways is that if we see any sign of sickness we cancel activities and stay home to stop the spread of infection. I always felt this was common courtesy. I found it ridiculous that schools expected kids to come to school when contagious. I thought work places where working through sickness was required to be brutal to both the sick and the soon to be sick. I have always believed that workplaces encourage vaccination for the flu not because they are concerned for the health of their employees but for their bottom line. Because my husband works from home, unless he is in bed with a sickness, he can safely work without dragging his germs with him to share with co-workers.<br />
<br />
But now, we have a problem. JT is attending three college classes this year. The instructors handle attendance in a variety of ways. One instructor wants a doctor's excuse for absences. So, sickness that is contagious, but not warranting a doctor visit, is no excuse to stay home. Now everyone can get sick instead. Am I just weird to consider this utterly ridiculous? I guess it is if you define weird as a logical thinker who doesn't stand a chance against the work-your-butt-off-despite-sickness-or-you-are-not-a-good-American-citizen standard we all live under. JT first felt sick Wednesday evening, with full-blown sore throat, chills, and severe congestion by Thursday morning. He had two classes on the schedule for the day, Art Appreciation at 1:15 and Survey of Math at 6pm. I suggested he contact his art teacher, tell her he'd be out sick, and ask what was going to be covered in class. He did that and she gave him the information. But he was going to have to attend math class because they were having a test. I had him stuff his pockets with tissues, take a Sudafed, and sent him on his way. I couldn't help but feel guilty for putting him out there to spread this to more victims. But hey, America!<br />
<br />
There are many times I wish we lived in a more primitive time. Back in the day when snow forced things to come to a stop, when sunset meant it was time to sleep and dawn meant the start of a day, when sickness was a sign that you should stop and let your body heal. Sure those days had many bigger problems, but every now and then I'd just like to be able to feel like the pace of life could be more in line with what I aim to create in our home. I just want to have time to stop and smell the roses... with no nasal congestion. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-50214217500754013362017-09-09T01:53:00.001-04:002017-09-09T01:53:02.699-04:00Favorite Things<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVueiZp0WsC9DIdBk6SkupRJjN2LaO8vmvntEARbKb7Faq4FrjSaX0hmTTL_iw-Yk-sKMNnK7B0vShrgXJycKX0KCeroDNY3L6pgOe5X_ajtOodiA6PEgegjR7nUnabrwPCxhSi13Pfw/s1600/IMG_8838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVueiZp0WsC9DIdBk6SkupRJjN2LaO8vmvntEARbKb7Faq4FrjSaX0hmTTL_iw-Yk-sKMNnK7B0vShrgXJycKX0KCeroDNY3L6pgOe5X_ajtOodiA6PEgegjR7nUnabrwPCxhSi13Pfw/s200/IMG_8838.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mommy Fuel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was looking around our classroom recently, thinking about the items I use most often to make our learning experience a success, and thought I should write a post to share some of them. Maybe these are things you are already using as a homeschooler and maybe they are things you can add to make your homeschooling better.<br />
<br />
<br />
Number one ingredient of successful homeschooling in my life? Coffee. A great quantity of coffee has fuelled our homeschooling years.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWasnq7BVRPHdZraRiQ7dlu_Dfc1GY6OimOEq3cYCxIcLpnPKwmkw2yFYOiuJjoMXwG14rgxfz2xF6zS-wdLpMmpBAvK5avCaelMqfOX9YWL3nGMkt5C58gVcxokvIGxMG8NPX13DK2U/s1600/doctoreddesks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWasnq7BVRPHdZraRiQ7dlu_Dfc1GY6OimOEq3cYCxIcLpnPKwmkw2yFYOiuJjoMXwG14rgxfz2xF6zS-wdLpMmpBAvK5avCaelMqfOX9YWL3nGMkt5C58gVcxokvIGxMG8NPX13DK2U/s200/doctoreddesks.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">classroom 2009</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwikX22Rrl1i4GAHkuT7dipxiVrCZM0JnjtqhY5Gw6Acd9V2SM4vE0FBmHqmqONHR3bpgyTY8Y6WD0utWNxCtRwZRw0VM4rgf9W2W56ehPDJWz3oG4lp47_ilEneF91w-jiAaSk4r1-6I/s1600/IMG_1989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwikX22Rrl1i4GAHkuT7dipxiVrCZM0JnjtqhY5Gw6Acd9V2SM4vE0FBmHqmqONHR3bpgyTY8Y6WD0utWNxCtRwZRw0VM4rgf9W2W56ehPDJWz3oG4lp47_ilEneF91w-jiAaSk4r1-6I/s200/IMG_1989.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">classroom 2014</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Many homeschoolers spend their days at a kitchen table, or moving about the house to find a place to work. When we first made the decision to homeschool, we decided to add an addition on the house with a dedicated space for homeschooling.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilOK4fsQ7LhR6GNXpf9JYQ3HVO64_dwGQkZyA68Li7lBEITN67H-xBK_9yRDijty9MtiVnEbH9S_EqMtm-NRHfEMkR-_db-7orSz7OcEax7W3FI7r76vpbmdXWpc0ff2f04f_px-a1Hg/s1600/IMG_8836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilOK4fsQ7LhR6GNXpf9JYQ3HVO64_dwGQkZyA68Li7lBEITN67H-xBK_9yRDijty9MtiVnEbH9S_EqMtm-NRHfEMkR-_db-7orSz7OcEax7W3FI7r76vpbmdXWpc0ff2f04f_px-a1Hg/s200/IMG_8836.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">white board</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When we first built the classroom, we used chalkboard paint on a large portion of one wall. I quickly found that the chalk dust was getting out of control in our new room. My parents bought a large white board for us and we installed in over the chalkboard paint. The white board has been an essential part of our daily routine since the beginning. We've used it for almost every subject, practice for spelling tests, drawing for fun, and I use it for my planning. The giant surface is great for laying out the plans for next year each summer.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQyGBc9O7x_6Kk8GhjUDoapnRZG-X5vb32Yo7LTJ6LsES8lQUs8bODNLReEMRXO3XSA5k1sudaXhEBlwsvcbmP0E4__SuFAukVrLJzPyHscnB_NMaeGlQe8adcCplfYlKH4U43lpbPC8/s1600/IMG_8839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQyGBc9O7x_6Kk8GhjUDoapnRZG-X5vb32Yo7LTJ6LsES8lQUs8bODNLReEMRXO3XSA5k1sudaXhEBlwsvcbmP0E4__SuFAukVrLJzPyHscnB_NMaeGlQe8adcCplfYlKH4U43lpbPC8/s200/IMG_8839.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">classroom map</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I love looking at maps. We have two large maps in our classroom, one world and one USA. We also have a map of the National Parks. There are numerous atlases and books of other maps on our shelves as well. I keep an atlas in each car, even in this world of GPS, Google maps, and Siri. And everyone knows <a href="https://www.theawl.com/2012/02/the-maps-we-wandered-into-as-kids/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">all of the best books have a map in the front cover</span></a>. The boys have used our maps many times over the years for both school work and just to satisfy their curiosity.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__oRt5W_phh_RSem6zxxAJoWg3CEsaG8LM9dQ_YIrf7i4eLzJ_nXaoAzH6a57NCrFIs95GLW-aUQ3yT1k6iE4CcDIkNojw3PSk0TYW-NXWw8JmkKij4XIo65Jc5eRyvXLCp1Z9Qw84Us/s1600/IMG_8837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__oRt5W_phh_RSem6zxxAJoWg3CEsaG8LM9dQ_YIrf7i4eLzJ_nXaoAzH6a57NCrFIs95GLW-aUQ3yT1k6iE4CcDIkNojw3PSk0TYW-NXWw8JmkKij4XIo65Jc5eRyvXLCp1Z9Qw84Us/s200/IMG_8837.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">note the presence of coffee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our printer has been an essential part of our school for the boys. I have made countless copies of things I found on the Internet; tests I made on Easytestmaker, Thinkwell worksheets, BrainPOP quizzes, to name a few. We've used it for art projects, reports, and in JT's board game designing years. Most important, we've used it to create the portfolios that were not only necessary to meet Pennsylvania's homeschool regulations, but also to have a record of our schooling, that the boys will be able to keep and enjoy when they are older.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7rl-f0LTwyKdAgj6F0w5bPUG7Xf7MBLUiwVWhxpqkFK-fMD-fBbO8QyMAOUdQLUvMIaMHhgvPzUmgSg9B57LPrL6Ay35nPGhQ0mDr_l1eknKXIay06Xm1Gnrl6BqAiNwfxagebhBiDY/s1600/IMG_4718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7rl-f0LTwyKdAgj6F0w5bPUG7Xf7MBLUiwVWhxpqkFK-fMD-fBbO8QyMAOUdQLUvMIaMHhgvPzUmgSg9B57LPrL6Ay35nPGhQ0mDr_l1eknKXIay06Xm1Gnrl6BqAiNwfxagebhBiDY/s200/IMG_4718.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">just a few books</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, the most important tool we use in homeschooling is our books. Last count there was something in the neighborhood of 1,100 books in this house. Not all are used specifically for homeschooling, but the presence of this quantity of books shows how essential they are to our daily lives. The boys and I don't go a day without reading from a book. I am so glad that they have inherited my love for reading.<br />
<br />
<br />
We enjoy using all of the tools we have for homeschooling, but if all we had was access to a library, nothing else would be necessary to gain a complete education.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-46872258815052567912017-09-01T11:35:00.002-04:002017-09-01T11:35:19.328-04:00The New RoutineOur 2017-2018 school year is now in full swing. We usually start our year in July, slowly working our way up to full time schooling. With the start of JT's college classes on Monday, we are now working with a packed schedule.<br />
<br />
My week looks like this:<br /><br />Monday<br />
JT's Wellness & Nutrition class 9:45-11:10 (35 min drive each way)<br />
Piano lesson 11:30-12:30<br />
Home again for a few hours of work with EM<br />
Fencing for JT 7pm-8:30pm (30 min drive each way)<br />
<br />
Tuesday<br />
Every other week, 10:30-12pm JT's private music theory class (45 min drive)<br />
JT's Art Appreciation class 1:15-2:30 (35 min drive home)<br />
Work at home with EM<br />
<br />
Wednesday<br />
JT's Wellness & Nutrition 9:45-11:10<br />
JT to library for volunteering, 1-4pm<br />
Bible class at church 7pm<br />
<br />
Thursday<br />
JT's Art Appreciation class 1:15-2:30<br />
Home for work with EM<br />
JT's Survey of Mathematics 6pm-8:45pm<br />
<br />
Friday<br />
EM's homeschool gym class 10:00-11:30 (35 min drive each way)<br />
Lots of work at home together, American History for both with me<br />
<br />
Again this year, I spend a great deal of time driving. The plan had been for JT to have his license by now, but we haven't done enough driving instruction to get him to the point that he can take his test for the license. In PA, you need to wait 6 months after receiving the permit to even apply to take the test. He also needs to log 60 hours of driving practice. Hopefully by the spring semester he will have that license. Then I will have more time to work at home with EM. Luckily he's the kind of kid who will work independently when I'm not there. It's also fortunate that his dad works from home so someone is there with him when he has questions.<br />
<br />
In order to save me some driving time, we are allowing JT to hang out at the school between his classes on Thursday. That is freeing me up to come home and work with EM. On Thursday, JT finished his first class at 2:30, then walked 6 blocks to Wendy's to eat his early dinner. He spent about 30 minutes there, then walked back to the school and read until his evening class started. This might not seem like a big deal, but it's a new experience for him. We live in a rural area, so JT hasn't had much opportunity to walk in a city and find his way around. Earlier in the week, we walked to the Wendy's together so he knew where to go. One of the intersections is especially busy, so I was a bit worried about him. Yes, I know he's 16, but it's something new for all of us, so don't judge. Everything went smoothly for him and I was happy to not need to make a second drive to the school that day. We will continue with the same plan as long as the weather permits. Hopefully we'll have mild weather through the end of the semester in December. If not, I'll go back to my excessive driving routine. Or maybe, if things work out, he'll be a licensed driver by then. I'll just have something new to worry about then...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-4782571581907757432017-08-25T13:03:00.000-04:002017-08-25T15:16:09.887-04:00Coolest Field Trip Ever<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1bJQRQLnXE-K2PowqAfclOCXumHG1M5dwqll_sAEjeqCSAiHW7NmI2XPu1x3EcSokiZzU7QjVA8w23GANvp75tDinPkbbmkirYx3AlmujepYodCfWwpnxQnuqAr3JwPdvw1hU40IlRI/s1600/IMG_9118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1bJQRQLnXE-K2PowqAfclOCXumHG1M5dwqll_sAEjeqCSAiHW7NmI2XPu1x3EcSokiZzU7QjVA8w23GANvp75tDinPkbbmkirYx3AlmujepYodCfWwpnxQnuqAr3JwPdvw1hU40IlRI/s640/IMG_9118.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diamond Ring Effect</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Our family joined the millions of other people heading to the band of totality for the Great American Eclipse. Traffic was horrendous both there and back, but we'd do it again in a minute. Even though I took pictures, including the one above to remember the day, nothing can compare to the moment the sun was completely covered and things went dark.<br />
<br />
We left our home in Central PA early Saturday morning, destination Gatlinburg, Tennessee. On a usual day, the drive would take about 9-10 hours. Before we even got to Virginia we hit slowing traffic. Even using some alternate routes, our trip ended up taking 14 hours. It was especially irritating since we had planned to cook dinner at the house we rented instead of paying to eat out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-WfGOf2AgZA8pN0THNN2WW0a-M1-u0IkSWVH-IXEkq3RFt1JtGz1oKIMegg1UnX-pHAJmDVqqH5-EjiOzJgtZxGrhBcNjCaoedEzOYnlNXBwlG6CIj3RmFf2s94jd2o5azftRGru-3I/s1600/IMG_8951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-WfGOf2AgZA8pN0THNN2WW0a-M1-u0IkSWVH-IXEkq3RFt1JtGz1oKIMegg1UnX-pHAJmDVqqH5-EjiOzJgtZxGrhBcNjCaoedEzOYnlNXBwlG6CIj3RmFf2s94jd2o5azftRGru-3I/s200/IMG_8951.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
Sunday morning we went to an early church service, ate a quick lunch, then JT and I went out to hike the <a href="https://smokymountains.com/hikes/the-jump-off/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Jump Off</span></a> trail in Smoky Mountain National Park. The hike was listed as moderate, but it was certainly a challenge for me. This Jump Off is reached by hiking from the Newfound Gap parking area on the Appalachian Trail, about 2 miles, taking the Boulevard Trail, then the Jump Off trail. The trail is a steady 1,275 foot climb over approximately 3 miles to the end of the trail at 6,000 feet. We ran into a couple coming down who said, "It's rough, but it's worth it. I've never seen anything like it!" Boy was he right!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocuLbcHzf5ZPZDFeeuE3Dhu6j2GI6OrZ9T5vFjtSrfEWkYEMGtrPHr9Vrdi3Rdj8F5qKoZyTVG9CblbF7vkH6b_ZZEMNeo-VJOsRs5NTpr_vgmKCUGg_0wCS8OdkdHpSDCYHZGHMbaNA/s1600/IMG_8985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocuLbcHzf5ZPZDFeeuE3Dhu6j2GI6OrZ9T5vFjtSrfEWkYEMGtrPHr9Vrdi3Rdj8F5qKoZyTVG9CblbF7vkH6b_ZZEMNeo-VJOsRs5NTpr_vgmKCUGg_0wCS8OdkdHpSDCYHZGHMbaNA/s320/IMG_8985.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The view was stunning. You could walk right up to the edge of a sheer drop off. When we got to the top, JT says, "Maybe you don't know, but I'm afraid of heights." <br />
Oops.<br />
<br />
So I stood close to the edge to take pictures while he stood back a bit and told me I was standing too close. It felt like a serious role reversal. Another young man was up there taking pictures when we arrived and he said he was waiting on friends behind him to catch up. I was feeling all proud of myself for being a middle-aged, chubby woman able to get up on the mountain, that is, until his friends arrived. One was a 20 something girl, wearing a skirt, and a BABY! Suddenly, I didn't feel quite so amazing. She won that trophy for sure!<br />
<br />
The total hike is about 6.25 miles, there and back, and we did it in 4 hours. I felt that was pretty good time considering the difficulty of the trail and the fact that I had a minor ankle injury going into it. We thought that gave us a pretty good idea of our ability and speed for our future hiking.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cn7LBSLZ8QXWanM7rISkwpEBt8y7cF2JI9LYHhFOoi7n4r3qxCDgRtORrGAwI7uiTDvuOgk7ovFsQh_-hBFFrUuTBdGbtycn1vMfMmkqdiL2qOfn6gmAY3EIRDTzkZzC_l3ytj_lZak/s1600/IMG_9097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cn7LBSLZ8QXWanM7rISkwpEBt8y7cF2JI9LYHhFOoi7n4r3qxCDgRtORrGAwI7uiTDvuOgk7ovFsQh_-hBFFrUuTBdGbtycn1vMfMmkqdiL2qOfn6gmAY3EIRDTzkZzC_l3ytj_lZak/s200/IMG_9097.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
The next day was the one we were waiting for... eclipse 2017! We were staying in Gatlinburg, but planned to travel to the other side of the mountain to the Oconaluftee visitor center in the North Carolina portion of the Smoky Mountain National Park. The weather forecast was calling for the chance of a thunderstorm during the eclipse hour, so I was feeling a bit worried that our day would be ruined. As we drove through the park, we saw loads of people camped out in every parking area facing the direction the sun would be for the eclipse. We were driving around 10am, eclipse time was 2:30, and every parking lot was full! We chose our location because we would have things to do while waiting and access to restrooms and drinks. We parked in the lot, took a short walk, did a little shopping in the visitor center shop, ate lunch, and set up our cameras.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkTzDGq2P3oUG-YjEwk74Xjijb1OncMDPvMMvGGv4h0lpixFVJJtIj18mHyJP-tOrIhSBWs5aN9X5tZ5ZK060LWbFwc7O5BVjkdzlGzcfke0Oonr_1TCtQGDDa2018q1B-BfgPfsYAyM/s1600/0821171316b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkTzDGq2P3oUG-YjEwk74Xjijb1OncMDPvMMvGGv4h0lpixFVJJtIj18mHyJP-tOrIhSBWs5aN9X5tZ5ZK060LWbFwc7O5BVjkdzlGzcfke0Oonr_1TCtQGDDa2018q1B-BfgPfsYAyM/s200/0821171316b.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>
I used the lens from one of the solar eclipse glasses to cover my camera lens and take pictures leading up to the totality. Not exactly high-tech, but it did the job well. The only problem was that my camera likes to close the lens when it's been inactive for a minute, so someone had to take a picture every 60 seconds to keep the tape out of my retracting lens. I spent the next hour or so tracking the sun with the camera and waiting for the big moment.<br />
<br />
At one point I went to the edge of the field to find some trees to look for an effect I had read about online. The shadows of the leaves would have little crescents from the eclipse. A large group of high school students had come in busses to the park. They were all sitting in the shade of the trees. When I found what I was looking for, I showed the kids who were sitting there. They were excited to see it. Suddenly, I was in the role of teacher. I wondered where their teachers were and why they weren't sharing this with the students. Funny how as a homeschool mom, it just seems natural to me to point out the cool things to any available kid.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTR5ZGSoxh9FQlmFBK85OHjWPO_cQcTlGC2MxMyudeuA70__cLS25DEPVAIw9PzdSJHUOf4lpdg0itdONpT-WzmLHz8eTtgl_OWqMTyAH8akYsDgpaNeGvR0bufyxDvDEx1NbhLTU-nkA/s1600/IMG_9117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTR5ZGSoxh9FQlmFBK85OHjWPO_cQcTlGC2MxMyudeuA70__cLS25DEPVAIw9PzdSJHUOf4lpdg0itdONpT-WzmLHz8eTtgl_OWqMTyAH8akYsDgpaNeGvR0bufyxDvDEx1NbhLTU-nkA/s200/IMG_9117.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Finally the moment we were waiting for arrived. We all agreed it was the most incredible thing we ever experienced. The park set off an airhorn when it was safe to remove our glasses during the totality and again when it was time to put them back on. It felt far too short. I wanted to continue to see this amazing moment. As soon as it started to get light out again, people started packing up and leaving. I thought that was funny since the other half of the eclipse would continue for quite some time. We stayed and continued taking pictures for nearly the entire event. Driving back to the cabin, I would open the sun roof on the van and look at the sun with my glasses to see when it was fully over.<br />
<br />
As far as our homeschooling goes... did we take this trip as part of our homeschooling plan? Yes and no. EM is studying Earth Science this year and that does include a unit of astronomy. An eclipse fits perfectly for that purpose. But when I planned this trip, I did not plan for it to be part of 'schooling'. Our lives are just geared towards doing things like that because we enjoy learning new things. We like having new experiences. Homeschooling doesn't have to be so structured that every activity that even seems educational gets documented and called schooling. Learning should be a daily activity for every person, homeschooler or not.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-52129844175252715772017-08-18T01:42:00.000-04:002017-08-18T01:42:32.806-04:00Assigning GradesNow that EM is a high school student, possibly enrolling in PHAA's diploma program, I feel obligated to grade his work. Until now I only graded his spelling tests. He also received grades when doing quizzes and tests in the Thinkwell math courses he took. Now I need to assign a grade for all of his subjects that will be on a transcript. Receiving grades makes our homeschooling environment a little different than usual.<br />
<br />
In the past when EM completed work, if there were mistakes, we would work together to figure out why he got something wrong, then he would make corrections, or have additional assignments, until he understood whatever concept was being taught. Now things feel more final when he completes an assignment. I know we can still redo work that he has trouble understanding, but it just feels different. For example, last week he completed a lesson in grammar with a worksheet/quiz that I wanted to grade. He had problems with the assignment, with quite a few errors. Because of that, I assigned an online activity, covering some core concepts that would help him understand what he did wrong with the first assignment. He completed the online work perfectly. Now as a teacher in a traditional setting, I wouldn't change anything about that initial graded assignment. As a homeschooling mom, I want to reward him for figuring it out and give him a better grade.<br />
<br />
What is the correct way to handle this?<br />
<br />
I can see that a traditional teacher would have far too many students to customize their learning and allow them to work towards mastery in the same way that I can with my one child. It's just not feasible. But shouldn't I take advantage of my special circumstances and allow that? Is that somehow cheating the system? Does grading school work really show us how a student is doing? Does it encourage students to work harder? Learn more?<br />
<br />
I guess it would be a good idea for me to figure all of that out before I grade any more work from EM. I'll add that to my list of things to do when we get home from our eclipse trip. I'll tell you all about it next week!<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-13677354633705139602017-08-10T20:02:00.001-04:002017-08-10T20:02:15.887-04:00Attaining Expert Status I am a member of a Pennsylvania homeschooling group on Facebook. Just about every day a mom, usually new to homeschooling, posts a question, and more often than not, I realize I know the answer. Sometimes it's a question I remember asking all those years ago when I was new to the world of schooling at home. Many times it's something I struggled to find on my own before I was fully plugged into the homeschooling community. I often comment on these posts with things I have learned or links to sites that I found helpful. After helping one mom I realized I am no longer new to this, in fact, I may now be an expert.<br />
<br />
I know it has been <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-study-destroys-malcolm-gladwells-10000-rule-2014-7" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">debunked with a study</span></a>, but I still hold to Malcolm Gladwell's <a href="http://gladwell.com/outliers/the-10000-hour-rule/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">10,000 hour</span></a> theory when it comes to defining an expert. If I count 8 years of homeschooling, 180 days each, for approximately 8 hours a day, I'm well over that threshold. The thing about being an expert in this particular facet of life is that no two homeschooling lives are the same. So even if I am an expert here in my own home, that makes my realm of expertise very narrow. For example, my two boys are very different personalities with very <a href="http://homegrownminds.blogspot.com/2010/09/polar-opposites.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">different learning styles</span></a>. So even within my own home my expertise is often useless. Out there in the larger community, the place where I can help most of the time is with questions concerning regulations. Pennsylvania is considered by some to be a heavily regulated homeschooling state. I have never really felt that myself, but then again, I have never homeschooled in another state to see the difference.<br />
<br />
When I start thinking about all the time I have invested in homeschooling, it makes me wonder if this investment is going to pay off. Why spend all of this time if it won't be worth it? While I still can't see if their years of homeschooling will allow the boys to be successful in the sense of employment or financial gain, there are some more intangible benefits I can see they have received by spending their childhoods this way.<br />
<br />
First, they had so much more freedom at home than they would have in any traditional school setting. Their schedules were not rigid, no one dictated the most basic things in their day, such as <span style="color: #990000;">when they can use the bathroom. <span style="color: black;">They also had the freedom to learn what they found interesting. While we did attempt to cover the things most kids cover in school, I tried to make sure to spend considerable time on their interests, as well as to allow them enough free time to explore those interests independently.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;">They also were free from the more negative aspects of spending time with peers. Now before anyone freaks out and cries, 'But... socialization?!' My boys spent plenty of time with other kids their age, kids of other ages, and adults of all ages. They were involved in our church, basketball, scouts for a time, homeschool groups, book clubs, fencing clubs, on and on and on... So they had plenty of socialization. What they didn't have was bullying, peer pressure,and the majority of their time spent with people their own age. I believe that their self-esteem has been preserved when that outcome would have been questionable in a public school setting. Both of my boys are quirky, geeky, interested in odd things boys who don't always dress like the crowd. They would more than likely have been targets of abuse and suffered in that environment. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;">Yes, there were also things they missed out on by being at home, but overall, the benefits have outweighed the negatives. I am thankful that I have the ability to spend the time I have homeschooling. Becoming an expert in this has been well worth the effort. </span></span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-67392633889507289082017-07-28T00:31:00.000-04:002017-07-28T00:31:19.055-04:00A Few ChangesAs of tomorrow, the boys will have two weeks of schooling under their belts for their 9th and 12th grade year. EM has completed some work in every subject with the exception of music. Both his gym and music will be only a half credit course, so he is starting the year working on completing 60 days in gym and will switch to music when he has finished. JT is a little more complicated.<br />
<br />
While JT needs to complete the 180 days of instruction required by the Pennsylvania homeschool regulations, his summer schooling days are not as involved as the ones he will experience during the fall and spring semesters of the community college. I posted last week about how he will be doing most of his instruction through outside sources. One thing has changed since that post; he will now be completing his required English credit from home. PHAA's diploma program requires four credits in English to graduate. There are two ways to complete that requirement; the student can do the work at home by reading 25 books, three classics, writing one 2500 word paper and three smaller ones, giving a five minute speech, and completing 45 lessons in grammar; or the student can take two college level English courses. Last year JT chose the college option. This year he was planning to do the same. Then we really started to look at the pros and cons of that decision. The classes he took last year filled both the PHAA requirement and fulfilled some of the gen eds he needed for his degree. The courses this year would only meet the PHAA needs, but have no use for his degree. And of course, going to class at the college would cost money. So, we decided to have him drop the courses and meet the requirements through work at home.<br />
<br />
Until those classes start, he is working on a few things at home. He continues to do his private music theory instruction and his piano lessons. He's also doing volunteer work, as a staff member for a week at Susquehanna University Kids' College and weekly at the library. This week he started working on his English requirements by reading Dante's Inferno. He is also doing some research for our hiking trip next summer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJh6nRSmuJwHW9B7NCBT3xv71rL6ShUMSZDs1RZYhJ86OlY1ScNerNQaOzoquxNaP_6Xo-yl8QRaG9XbZpFoaiKYB8unQjp9UfJ_5jXKc6aedYYv9VfVQ7gHWp09E7ivdZnqI92nINsTY/s1600/IMG_8780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJh6nRSmuJwHW9B7NCBT3xv71rL6ShUMSZDs1RZYhJ86OlY1ScNerNQaOzoquxNaP_6Xo-yl8QRaG9XbZpFoaiKYB8unQjp9UfJ_5jXKc6aedYYv9VfVQ7gHWp09E7ivdZnqI92nINsTY/s200/IMG_8780.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
I've been doing some planning this week. We are going to the Smoky Mountains to view the solar eclipse on August 21st. I picked up our eclipse glasses from our local library. I also dug through our supply of maps and brochures from previous trips and found a large collection of Smoky Mountains information. Less than a month to go! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-30829032522431722512017-07-21T10:40:00.001-04:002017-07-21T10:40:16.800-04:00In the Limelight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZac3dCmLA_lz2fgZANLevLRRTXGYuaVmqwJLryy50SE3jhKxkboOjqlOEHmxct6n7n7eIGgYW2f_fB0G2haI22Clx2D-1Jos1ss_Gs0TAs0FqOw6REsbkxeubzc8PKZ-L_TxvpsDyGw/s1600/IMG_8738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZac3dCmLA_lz2fgZANLevLRRTXGYuaVmqwJLryy50SE3jhKxkboOjqlOEHmxct6n7n7eIGgYW2f_fB0G2haI22Clx2D-1Jos1ss_Gs0TAs0FqOw6REsbkxeubzc8PKZ-L_TxvpsDyGw/s200/IMG_8738.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
EM has started his 9th grade year of schooling. He will be getting much more of my attention this year than he has in the past few now that JT is more independent in his studies. Our first day was Monday. Even though this seems like an early start, we are actually one week behind from last year's starting day. JT will be mostly on his own this year, taking four community college classes in the fall, three in the spring, and continuing his music and fencing lessons. The only thing he will learn from me will be American history and driver's education. <br />
<br />
<br />
EM's plan is one of the most involved I have made for him in the last few years. Even though we haven't decided yet if he's going to register with PHAA's diploma program, we will work as if he will, and see how it goes. If you are curious what PHAA's program involves, I blogged about it back in 2015, <a href="http://homegrownminds.blogspot.com/2015/06/wrap-up-for-2014-2015.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">here</span></a>. EM will be working towards earning seven credits for his freshmen year; English, algebra 2, Earth science, world geography, Spanish 1, health, 1/2 credit in music, and 1/2 credit in physical education. The only subject I am not teaching him this year is the algebra 2. He will be using Thinkwell for his math credit. For music, we are using the Great Courses dvds and some other activities. His PE credit will involve using the couch to 5k program to work towards running in a 5k this fall. Everything else will be text book based instruction, with me guiding his work.<br />
<br />
The last few years, EM has been left to do quite a bit of his work independently. This year we are going to be working more closely together since my instruction time with JT will be much less. For our first week, EM began his Thinkwell course, started taking walks and logging the time and distance, and we started our Spanish 1 instruction. We are using the text <a href="https://www.abebooks.com/9780130314802/Mosaicos-Spanish-World-Language-CD-ROM-0130314803/plp" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Mosaicos</span></a>. EM did learn a small amount of Spanish a few years ago. He used Mango through our library's website. I was happy to see that he does remember a few things, like his numbers and greetings. We will be alternating the number of days he has Spanish work to do, four some weeks, three the next, until we reach 120 days of instruction. Next week we'll add in some science and English work slowly working up to a full schedule. <br />
<br />
I know I have made promises in the past that I will regularly post, so you might not believe me when I say I plan to keep up with this much better this year. We'll have to see if I keep my promises. In my next post, I'm going to tell you about our exciting plans for the solar eclipse coming on August 21st. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-37607353090966937572017-03-24T10:52:00.002-04:002017-03-24T10:52:17.382-04:00Making SureJT has had a problem finding the perfect fit in a college program for what he wants to do with his life. Actually, the perfect program does exist, at Berklee, which is well beyond the range of what we, and he, can afford for a college education. <a href="https://www.berklee.edu/cwp/major" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">The Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Writing and Production</span></a> with a minor in <a href="https://www.berklee.edu/minors/video-game-scoring" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Video Game Scoring </span></a>would be fantastic, but... money.<br />
<br />
Since he doesn't want to be in debt for the rest of his life, we have come up with an alternative plan. He will get an associates degree from Luzerne Community College. While Music Recording technology is not quite what he's looking for, we think it will allow him to start on the path to where he wants to be. Yesterday at JT's music theory lesson his teacher suggested he look into the music program at Bloomsburg University. They do offer a B.A. in music with an audio/video recording track. But as we looked over the program requirements, we saw that like most music programs he has looked at, this one is more focused on performance than the composition component. The audio/video track does offer a few courses in music production, but honestly, the community college has a much more robust program for that. Even though he won't have any music composition classes there, we can continue with private lessons to develop those skills further. Once again, we are assembling our own education plan.<br />
<br />
I feel like I've spent so much of my energy on JT's future, that sometimes it feels like poor EM has been left in the dust. But I know he will eventually be in the limelight as we work on his plan. Next year he'll be a 9th grader; it will be time to begin researching his options. For now, I just want to get JT's plan fully developed. If only I could have the confidence to know he is making the best choice. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-42017025307485129772017-03-17T10:34:00.000-04:002017-03-17T10:34:07.565-04:00Snowed In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBGQBi253CHJD40HlbAWnguIEn0BMJawe3HbrbLipddza4OIFoIJZreqkVPghaeTgzk1W041X5kJNZUnvkK2nJ1ZvmbGZtHvojT2Ex8TX2dFkg6EJqFyzAUzcI5FV2cahVzW8BCJXJas/s1600/IMG_7986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBGQBi253CHJD40HlbAWnguIEn0BMJawe3HbrbLipddza4OIFoIJZreqkVPghaeTgzk1W041X5kJNZUnvkK2nJ1ZvmbGZtHvojT2Ex8TX2dFkg6EJqFyzAUzcI5FV2cahVzW8BCJXJas/s200/IMG_7986.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
You might have heard about winter storm Stella. She came to visit this week and dumped a ton of snow on us. I definitely got my exercise this week!<br />
<br />
Last week was spring break for JT's community college. We decided to take the week off for our work at home as well. Unfortunately for JT, all of his instructors gave him projects to complete during his week off, so in the end, he did more work on his week off than he had the rest of the semester. Monday he returned to class, but that was the only day of school he had this week. The snow started Monday night, and by the time it was over, we had 20 inches of snow, plus drifts up to 5 feet. The college has been closed since Tuesday.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AmD-9na8h78K47ykmCdLPUa1zTOZAD6VBQScuX-HFEnwH9OZHnyt3Eurxf2w2-rjItoikBt7P4yvoQSD6GqrNcSy0TQZgHe6jXCK1dHGIZDU-vrulSbzaALPWhOLXxA-LaatujkrlQc/s1600/IMG_8017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AmD-9na8h78K47ykmCdLPUa1zTOZAD6VBQScuX-HFEnwH9OZHnyt3Eurxf2w2-rjItoikBt7P4yvoQSD6GqrNcSy0TQZgHe6jXCK1dHGIZDU-vrulSbzaALPWhOLXxA-LaatujkrlQc/s200/IMG_8017.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
We didn't get out of our house until Thursday because of the
drifting. This picture shows our township snow plow trying to clear the
windiest corner on our road. I never mind being trapped at home so it wasn't a problem for me.<br />
<br />
We completed JT's registration for the fall semester. In the end, we added one more class than we had planned. He decided to get the survey of math class out of the way in the fall semester so he'd be able to take a money management class in the spring. He will have 4 classes, for a total of 11 credits in the fall. This will be the most classes he has ever taken at once - very nearly a full time course load. He's been doing a good job keeping up with the work (with some nagging from mom) so I think he'll be fine.<br />
<br />
The countdown is on for the end of the year. As of today, we have 31 days of school left for 2016-2017. JT will continue a few weeks beyond that with his college courses and finals, but our 180 will be finished on May 1. Then I have a couple weeks to wrap up portfolios and pack for our vacation to the beach. When I made it out of the driveway yesterday I did a little shopping while JT was volunteering at the library. I bought two new beach chairs. Just a little summer dreaming during the snowy mess! <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-27900511675505907962017-03-03T11:04:00.001-05:002017-03-03T11:04:30.002-05:00What next?Registration for the fall 2017 semester has just opened for JT's community college. We spent some time this week looking over what will be available and making a plan for his senior year of high school. The end is so near!<br />
<br />
We have a few things to consider when choosing classes for JT. First, he needs to meet the requirements for his high school diploma program through PHAA. In order to meet those for his senior year, he needs to take two semester of English courses, choosing from composition, speech, or literature courses. We are running into a problem for next year because the satellite location he attends for the community college only offers three English courses. He has taken two this year, so he only has one left. We think we can solve this problem by adding a distance learning course the college offers in the spring of 2018. He will also need an art course to meet the last of his high school diploma requirements.<br />
<br />
The other thing he needs to consider will be the program he plans to enter when he officially begins his college years. He's trying to take as many of the courses in that program as he can while still in high school. The remaining courses offered at the satellite that fit those requirements would include a math, sociology, and health course.<br />
<br />
Our plan for fall will be that he take art appreciation, advanced composition-contemporary issues, and nutrition and wellness. In the spring semester he will take survey of mathematics, cultural anthropology, and the distance course, western lit. At the end of his senior year, he should have no remaining general ed classes for his associate's program remaining. If we lived closer to the main campus, he would be able to get some of the other courses out of the way, but it's just not going to work that way until he is going to the main campus full time. As is stands he will graduate from high school with 32 college credits under his belt. He still hasn't decided if he will go straight to college after he graduates or if he's going to take a year between to work and save some money. Those are decisions for the future. Right now I'm just happy that his first year taking college classes has gone so well for him. 4.0 grade point average in the fall semester and classes this semester seem to be going just as well so far. The future is looking bright! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-58902330835499356842017-02-24T10:29:00.001-05:002017-02-24T10:29:52.392-05:00Proposed LegislationSome homeschoolers consider Pennsylvania to have too many regulations about the way they can teach their children at home. I can see that compared to some states, we do have a few more hoops to jump through, but overall I feel the state allows us to homeschool in a way that works for us. Up until now, I had never given much thought to what the federal government had to say about my homeschooling. But now new legislation has been proposed that brings it to my attention.<br />
<br />
HB 610 was introduced on January 23 by three congressmen. This bill called The Choices in Education Act, presents a plan to offer vouchers to families who choose to send their children to private schools or to offset the cost of homeschooling. The bill also slips in the repeal of some of the school nutrition standards that were established during President Obama's time in office. While the idea of someone handing me money to pay the costs of homeschooling seems like a lovely gift, I am not so sure this will work out to be beneficial to the homeschooling community.<br />
<br />
From what I understand reading the bill, if I wanted to accept a voucher, the amount of the voucher would not be allowed to be for more than the amount it cost me to homeschool. I'm assuming this means I would have to record and prove how much it cost me to teach my children. And who would decide what was an appropriate thing to buy? In the past, I counted one of our vacations to the ocean to be part of our marine biology unit. Will I get reimbursed for that? Call me paranoid, but I don't want the government nitpicking my homeschooling plans to tell me if what I'm doing counts as education. More oversight is not a good thing when things are already working just fine the way they are.<br />
<br />
There are other things to be concerned about in this bill. The bill wipes out past legislation with no replacement for essential things. I see nothing covering identification of learning disabilities or giftedness, yet this bill proposes to repeal the legislation that established that practice. I don't like big government, but I also don't believe in trashing the system with no way to take care of issues that exist.<br />
<br />
I don't usually use this blog as a place to rant about my political beliefs but I thought this was important to share with those who homeschool or are considering it as an option. You can read the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr610/BILLS-115hr610ih.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;">text of the bill here</span></a>. I am not a member of HSDLA, but an article their leadership shared was where I first became aware of this proposed legislation. You can read <a href="https://contentsharing.net/actions/email_web_version.cfm?message_id=13945841&user_id=HSLDA&group_id=2871491" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;">that article here</span></a>. If you feel the way I do, contact the authors of the bill and your own member of congress to express your concerns.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4435297673105726185.post-54353264581547893542017-02-10T10:32:00.000-05:002017-02-10T10:32:16.379-05:00Cruising Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGikSS2hsQa_IHcscKLhn_zpGywpUwv_iowcp0wDzQZ6a-HcOKI-AU4g6SnEVR7uJz9gERpxIiTOLifSZTUKKNZhEZfTFxKdJwQg7lUv1GGg_m8Codas5VTLzd5wG2Nfq0KlfWrrcMlw/s1600/IMG_5521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGikSS2hsQa_IHcscKLhn_zpGywpUwv_iowcp0wDzQZ6a-HcOKI-AU4g6SnEVR7uJz9gERpxIiTOLifSZTUKKNZhEZfTFxKdJwQg7lUv1GGg_m8Codas5VTLzd5wG2Nfq0KlfWrrcMlw/s200/IMG_5521.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Last week our ISP was down for five days. Although I love living where we do, I get really tired of the service issues we have with our Internet access. I'm glad that so much of our schooling is outsourced now so the boys were not too affected by the outage.<br />
<br />
JT has been dealing with cancellations of his classes due to winter weather. His speech class has been called off at least three times since it started in mid-January. Because of that, he still hasn't given his first speech. Hopefully Tuesday he will finally have the opportunity. He is enjoying his WWII and Music Appreciation classes. WWII is his favorite. He's read most of the text book already. If only he could make real money with a history degree; that would be the perfect fit for his interests.<br />
<br />
With our snowy weather this week I've been dreaming of our spring vacation to the beach. We have already booked a beach house for the week after JT's finals wrap up. In addition, we are looking at leaving two days early and making a stop in the Shenandoah National Park so JT and I can work on <a href="http://homegrownminds.blogspot.com/2016/08/hiking.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;">our plan to hike</span></a> 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail after his graduation next May. We are looking at the portion of the trail that runs parallel to Skyline Drive in Shenandoah NP. On the trip this May, we can hike a short portion of the trail and get some idea of how things will work next year when it's just the two of us.<br />
<br />
EM is starting to do some computer programming as well as getting back to working on his electronics projects.He also started a pottery wheel class this week. He doesn't like doing much art work, but he does love the pottery. I'm sure I'll be adding to my collection of cool bowls when class ends this year.<br />
<br />
Today I am going to pick up a copy of the PA driver's manual for JT to start studying for his driving permit test. He turned 16 last month, but wasn't in much of a hurry to start driving. We figure if he gets it by summer he can get in a lot of practice during the drives to his classes in the fall semester. I'm not sure I'm ready for this next step in his life. I don't mind teaching science, history, literature, but driving? That's something out of my league. Dad will be taking on that job.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0