School in Review: Week 3

What can I say?  We're in a groove.  I love this thing called homeschooling and being right there with my kids as they gain knowledge, get a boost of confidence, and even when they struggle.  We may still be in the honeymoon period of a new school year, but I hope it lasts.  Things are going smoothly, and the kids are learning and exploring in great ways.  These pictures are a fun example of why I like homeschooling.  What other kids can sit on the back of their couch during the school day?  I love the looks on Basia's face as she explores a new substance.  I also love that she calls her brother over to be a part of everything that is fun for her.

Brishen:

We're packing up the geometry book for now.  He's getting about half of all the concepts on his own (without any instruction), which is pretty great, considering most kids do geometry in 9th or 10th grade.  I could sit with him daily and teach him the rest of the concepts, but I fear that would hamper some of his love of math.  He likes to figure it out on his own.  He loves math, and I don't want my constant "teaching" to mess with that.  Instead he is going to work through some books on number theory, code cracking, alternate number bases, and other fun and challenging math topics.

Brishen has to write a report each week on something he researches related to his current history readings.  He has been really getting into it.  It is fun for him to choose his own topic (with several tips from mom about "narrowing down the topic") and to find out things that are not found in his main books.  He chose to write about the Vikings in Ireland this week, and his outline alone was over a page long.

Basia:

Basia is doing really well with her reading.  I am pleased that I was able to recognize her dyslexia right away and get her started on an excellent reading program.  Basia is really fast at reading her "nonsense words," which is a very good indication that she is getting a good, strong base in phonics.  She is also gaining confidence and feels that she is a good reader, which is so important. 

Ah, history.  I thought that it may just be a coincidence that Brishen enjoys history as much as I do.  Now that Basia has joined us in that passion, I'm assuming that I am brainwashing my kids.  I have fun teaching it and am fascinated by it, and it is rubbing off on them.  That's a good thing, except when I realize that there's another subject that I do not just adore, where the opposite can happen.  I am going to have to work extra, extra hard to make sure that Basia can continue to love science. 

Math, math, math.  I still am at a loss for what to do for her in math.  I need to get my hands on a Saxon book to see if that may be an answer.  She does fine with Math U See, but I can tell that she is only learning enough to get through that lesson and not enough to stick.  I'm going to go back to Miquon and Singapore Early Bird this week to see if they work better.  I know it is not good to keep switching programs on her, but I have to find something that works better.