This is from an 80 degree day last week.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Spring Break & More Thinking about Homeschooling
The kids are on Spring Break this week. I've been avoiding the office because I have a lot of work to get done (and it is easier to get things done at home). Except for having no lessons, it gives us a chance to think about what it will be like to all be here together a lot. It has led to me to think more about the level of structure we should have in our homeschool. The kids get along well together and on their own. The empty space of a break gives them chances to create their own "work" - like notes and lists, scavenger hunts, and creative play.
Our tentative plan is that I'll be the homeschooling parent until mid-morning each day. I'd imagined a regular routine of writing in journals, practicing math facts, working on math concept lessons, and work in other subjects that Matt had assigned. Seeing them this past week (as it has been a week already, including the time they missed school to go to Chicago), I see the value of letting things move more at their pace. I know that many homeschooling families say that the best part is the strong family bonds. I can see that. And I can see how unschooling's philosophy of letting them come to what they want to learn would really work. I know that Matt and I are too high anxiety to actually unschool, but perhaps I'll move more that way than I expected.
Our tentative plan is that I'll be the homeschooling parent until mid-morning each day. I'd imagined a regular routine of writing in journals, practicing math facts, working on math concept lessons, and work in other subjects that Matt had assigned. Seeing them this past week (as it has been a week already, including the time they missed school to go to Chicago), I see the value of letting things move more at their pace. I know that many homeschooling families say that the best part is the strong family bonds. I can see that. And I can see how unschooling's philosophy of letting them come to what they want to learn would really work. I know that Matt and I are too high anxiety to actually unschool, but perhaps I'll move more that way than I expected.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
The final lessons
We're home from Chicago now. Matt was going to post about his day with the kids, walking 14 blocks from American Girl Place to the Hilton. Hopefully, he will post about the journey. I was at the conference that day.
Our final roadtrip lessons were about homeschooling and not knowing where you're going. On the second day in Chicago, Eleanor and I got to the homeschooling lesson. We sat at the hotel room desk and worked through her math problems. Afterwards, we talked and decided that it's not good to do math problems at the tail end of a five hour drive, in a car, or when hungry. I think we all feel much better about the future of homeschooling math.
On our last day in Chicago, we went to Little Village, a neighborhood where mostly Latinos live. The time we spent there was fun. We went in some stores and bought some unfamiliar sweets. We *all* tried breads and pastries and had a good time doing it. Getting there, however, was a bit of challenge. We were unsure how far we had to go or where the "heart" of the neighborhood was. "Should I go straight? "I should have turned where?" "It's cold- do we want to get out of the car?" (It was really, really cold.) "Where should we stop?" "Here?" "Here?!" "What do you think?"
Later in the day, we again had to face the road trip reality of driving without knowing where you're going. We planned to stop in Indianapolis at a (relatively) healthy fast food restaurant. Following only directions from memory, we ventured 15 minutes off the highway in suburban sprawl. (This is a big commitment on a 300 mile drive.) When we arrived at the restaurant, there was a sign on the door announcing that they were closed. "Sorry for the inconvenience." The nearby choices (ignoring traditional fast food) were Quizno's (meat on your salad? or a single disgusting veggie sandwich option?) or Culver's (grilled "cheese" on white bread with ice cream) or further searching (and not making progress toward home). Feelings of disappointment, frustration, fatigue, hunger, and uncertainty are part of a roadtrip. It's an aspect of roadtripping that has traditionally led Matt and me to snap at each other. (I think we are part of long traditions of such behavior.) We did much better than in the past on this trip. I look forward to learning to be just as calm as on a trip to Keller's IGA. ☺
Our final roadtrip lessons were about homeschooling and not knowing where you're going. On the second day in Chicago, Eleanor and I got to the homeschooling lesson. We sat at the hotel room desk and worked through her math problems. Afterwards, we talked and decided that it's not good to do math problems at the tail end of a five hour drive, in a car, or when hungry. I think we all feel much better about the future of homeschooling math.
On our last day in Chicago, we went to Little Village, a neighborhood where mostly Latinos live. The time we spent there was fun. We went in some stores and bought some unfamiliar sweets. We *all* tried breads and pastries and had a good time doing it. Getting there, however, was a bit of challenge. We were unsure how far we had to go or where the "heart" of the neighborhood was. "Should I go straight? "I should have turned where?" "It's cold- do we want to get out of the car?" (It was really, really cold.) "Where should we stop?" "Here?" "Here?!" "What do you think?"
Later in the day, we again had to face the road trip reality of driving without knowing where you're going. We planned to stop in Indianapolis at a (relatively) healthy fast food restaurant. Following only directions from memory, we ventured 15 minutes off the highway in suburban sprawl. (This is a big commitment on a 300 mile drive.) When we arrived at the restaurant, there was a sign on the door announcing that they were closed. "Sorry for the inconvenience." The nearby choices (ignoring traditional fast food) were Quizno's (meat on your salad? or a single disgusting veggie sandwich option?) or Culver's (grilled "cheese" on white bread with ice cream) or further searching (and not making progress toward home). Feelings of disappointment, frustration, fatigue, hunger, and uncertainty are part of a roadtrip. It's an aspect of roadtripping that has traditionally led Matt and me to snap at each other. (I think we are part of long traditions of such behavior.) We did much better than in the past on this trip. I look forward to learning to be just as calm as on a trip to Keller's IGA. ☺
Friday, April 6, 2007
Chicago!
(Jen typing for Calvin during our one hour of Internet.) We are in Chicago. How fun. Today we went to the American Girl Place and the Disney Store. We are getting pizza today. And I have a plan that I don’t know the answer to. (I am going to tell you what my plan is. It is since we are getting take-out, I wanted to eat and watch a movie.) We brought Rosie. Back to the Disney Store, I got an Incredibles figures and an Incredibles stickers set. For when it is my turn, I think I know what movie I am going to choose for the car. I think it’s probably going to be The Incredibles but maybe Monsters, Inc. I got for a dessert a mini chocolate cake with a chocolate frosting. I would kind of like if we lived here. Eleanor and I jumped on the beds. In our hotel room they have a giant TV and two bathrooms. It was really fun. (But I am still here.)
A Practice Road Trip?
(Written 4/5/07; Posted 4/6/07)
We are in Chicago. We drove up today with both Matt and I thinking about how this or that particular event will translate on a six week trip. There have already been a few lessons. First, the pace is slow. For example, ledges need to be climbed and walked up on, posts should be circled, revolving doors need a couple go-arounds, bathroom breaks are needed, and jackets need to be taken off, put on, dropped, passed off to an adult, worn on one’s head, or hung from a single finger. Second, an art museum is okay, fun in fact, for about 45 minutes. After that, it is time to move on to something new (like smores at Cosi). We let each child pick one area at the Art Institute of Chicago, which is free on Thursday evenings. Calvin chose to see the armor, which was cool. Eleanor chose to see “American Gothic,” which led to our seeing “Nighthawks” and some Magritte, Dali, and other work as well. Both kids do enjoy looking at art for a while. It’s a great museum and ever-so-slowly we are seeing it on our trips to Chicago. Third, it’s hard to get math problems done in the car. It’s close quarters for dealing with frustration with one’s tormentor. We’re all figuring out how the actual “schooling” part of homeschooling will play out on the road. hmmm…more work is needed here. Fourth, when there are few options, Calvin will try new foods from the pastry group. Calvin now officially likes scones and wonders about their availability elsewhere. ☺
Fifth, don’t bring the dog. We are not actually planning to bring the dog on the East Coast trip. But having her on this trip has provided some annoying amusement. On our drive up, we stopped at a Dairy Queen. In the car, for some reason (it’s hard to recreate why) Rose was standing on Matt’s lap, facing out the front window while he held the overfilled cup of DQ ice cream. In Rosie’s excitement (over what I don’t know) she wagged her tail. The tip of her tail went right into the cup, sending DQ splattering onto her head and back and on to the car’s dash. The tip of her tail was covered in ice cream and chocolate. The humor of it exceeded the mess, so even at the time it was very funny. Less humorous was the putrid odor of Rosie’s farts in the car. To use words to recreate a smell is beyond my literary skill. It was very, very bad.
Fifth, we will go to bed early. Right now it is 9:45pm. (It will be posted later because we don’t have Internet now.) The kids and Matt are all sleeping. Maybe this is when I’ll get work done when we’re on the road.
We all like being on the road and together. I am really looking forward to our remaining time here in Chicago and our future on the road during the homeschooling year.
We are in Chicago. We drove up today with both Matt and I thinking about how this or that particular event will translate on a six week trip. There have already been a few lessons. First, the pace is slow. For example, ledges need to be climbed and walked up on, posts should be circled, revolving doors need a couple go-arounds, bathroom breaks are needed, and jackets need to be taken off, put on, dropped, passed off to an adult, worn on one’s head, or hung from a single finger. Second, an art museum is okay, fun in fact, for about 45 minutes. After that, it is time to move on to something new (like smores at Cosi). We let each child pick one area at the Art Institute of Chicago, which is free on Thursday evenings. Calvin chose to see the armor, which was cool. Eleanor chose to see “American Gothic,” which led to our seeing “Nighthawks” and some Magritte, Dali, and other work as well. Both kids do enjoy looking at art for a while. It’s a great museum and ever-so-slowly we are seeing it on our trips to Chicago. Third, it’s hard to get math problems done in the car. It’s close quarters for dealing with frustration with one’s tormentor. We’re all figuring out how the actual “schooling” part of homeschooling will play out on the road. hmmm…more work is needed here. Fourth, when there are few options, Calvin will try new foods from the pastry group. Calvin now officially likes scones and wonders about their availability elsewhere. ☺
Fifth, don’t bring the dog. We are not actually planning to bring the dog on the East Coast trip. But having her on this trip has provided some annoying amusement. On our drive up, we stopped at a Dairy Queen. In the car, for some reason (it’s hard to recreate why) Rose was standing on Matt’s lap, facing out the front window while he held the overfilled cup of DQ ice cream. In Rosie’s excitement (over what I don’t know) she wagged her tail. The tip of her tail went right into the cup, sending DQ splattering onto her head and back and on to the car’s dash. The tip of her tail was covered in ice cream and chocolate. The humor of it exceeded the mess, so even at the time it was very funny. Less humorous was the putrid odor of Rosie’s farts in the car. To use words to recreate a smell is beyond my literary skill. It was very, very bad.
Fifth, we will go to bed early. Right now it is 9:45pm. (It will be posted later because we don’t have Internet now.) The kids and Matt are all sleeping. Maybe this is when I’ll get work done when we’re on the road.
We all like being on the road and together. I am really looking forward to our remaining time here in Chicago and our future on the road during the homeschooling year.
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