Homeschool Mother's Journal - 7 and CtG Week 24

I hope you have all had a great week!  Please check out the journals of other homeschooling moms at Sue's blog hop!

In my life this week:  Last weekend my husband made some decisions about his career that are going to be a big change and this week he began that process.  I have felt a variety of emotions about it, but we both feel a peace about it and we know in our hearts that it will be a change for the better, for his health, our family, and his life.  God has been giving me opportunities this week to use what I've been learning about in our 40 Days of Love study at church!  Some situations are more difficult when people don't respond in a loving way, but I am trusting that He will work it out.

In our homeschool this week: We had five good days of school and completed Week 24 of Creation to the Greeks from My Father's World!  This was a productive week and it felt good to get so much accomplished!  We moved from David to Solomon and the children are doing well with their memory work on Psalm 1.  J is also loving the new Word Q software and he is finally "getting" the long multiplication math concept that he has been working on for a few weeks!  B found another book in the Geronimo Stilton series about his sister Thea and she is enjoying that.  She did well with addition into the ten thousands with regrouping.  We are still reading The Children's Homer and have been able to keep up with it since it is scheduled into our history time right now and not as an additional read-aloud at night time. We took time for a fun Bill Nye the Science Guy video about the human body on Friday. It was hilarious and they learned all about skin and the heart. 

Places we're going and people we're seeing:  We have had busy afternoons and evenings this week with our regular activities and a few "extras".   Sunday: Church and Trophy Night for Enter His Courts Basketball, Monday: Ballet for B, Tuesday: Children's Choir rehearsal for J, Wednesday: B went to a monthly craft program at the library and then we had church choir rehearsals, Thursday:  J was in a performance for the Children's Choir that helped a local food pantry and B went with her cousin to her school's Dr. Seuss birthday party, and Friday: our monthly 4H meeting and a drama rehearsal for me for a skit that we are doing on Sunday at church.

My favorite thing this week:  I scheduled time for getting out some watercolor paints on Friday and we did a lesson from Artistic Pursuits about blending colors with the watercolor crayons and then the children painted a sunset picture, using some photos that we took last summer of a beautiful sunset over the lake.  They turned out so well!

 
What's working/not working for us: This week I had the kids really work on their behavior, using an extra sticker chart, and a checklist for them to follow for their schoolwork.  My daughter is really motivated by this list and is getting so much done! (Hmm, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!)  J is not as motivated by the list, but it does help him to see what else he needs to accomplish in his school day, so that I don't have to "nag".  A couple of years ago neither one of them would have been able to read and check off a list, but now it is time! 


Homeschool Questions/Thoughts I Have: Are there any Math U See users out there?  Have any of you used it all the way through or at least for several years?  How quickly/slowly have your students worked through this program?  If my 4th grader is just finishing the Gamma level at the end of this year is he getting "behind" in math?  If he continues about a level each year and we stay with MUS, then he would be working on Pre-Algebra in 8th grade, Algebra in 9th, and so on through Pre-Calculus in 12th grade.  Of course, that could change!

We have used it from the beginning of our homeschooling journey and I love this program.  When we first started it in Kindergarten, my son was not really ready to write anything and I took it slow with him. The Gamma level is taking him a little longer because it is all about mastering multiplication.   He may move through the next level more rapidly with the focus being on division, but I had hoped he would be halfway through Delta by June.

I just don't want him to be "behind" in one more subject. With his learning challenges in reading and writing, math was his favorite subject a few months ago and now his confidence is rattled. I also think that he will need math in the future because of his high interest in computers, mechanical toys, building things, and technology.

A photo to share:  These are photos from our 4H Club meeting where the children learned about cake decorating - and got to eat their projects!

Getting the icing ready

They looked great and tasted great! Yum!

Pretty cupcakes!

The boys got festive with a shamrock on their cake.

Have a great week!!