Summer Ideas

W has been losing interest in academics lately.  I figured it out to be because of math overload (with a large amount of spring fever thrown in).  I didn't realize we were hitting the numbers that hard.  It was killing his enthusiasm.  We usually start with math and it sets the tone for the rest of the morning.  If he's burnt out with it, then it affects everything else.  So I asked him to write himself out a schedule of how he'd like to do daily academics.  He wrote down just about everything we already do:  AO readings, copywork, spelling page, silent reading, etc., and he added  - ONE page of math.  Ok.  I can do that.  We have been doing a whole lesson of TT5 each day.  I scaled it down to 1/2 a lesson instead.  It worked.  He zipped through the first 13 problems (which include the 5 practice ones) and will do the other 14 problems on Monday.  So once again this shows me that it's usually best to give kids a say in how they do things.

W just finished learning 3-digit x 3-digit multiplication and is now starting units of time.  I can't help but reiterate my love for TT5 and how it gives the perfect amount of review on previous topics.  I love that the lesson is brief and to the point.  I love that he gets only a few problems (in different forms) to practice the new concept - just enough, imo, to really "get it".  I love how the rest of the problems are review - maybe 3 or 4 of them for each topic.  He's still going over radius, diameter, types of quadrilaterals, long division, decimals into fractions and vice-versa, big number subtraction, and money word problems.  He really understands it.

We are also still enjoying Seabird, Pagoo, Robin Hood, An Island Story, & This Country of Ours.  We are starting Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors (Lamb) soon and he's certainly taking his time with A Cricket in Times Square.  I might see if he'd like to start one of the new books I got a couple of months ago for silent reading.  He likes Cricket, but not as much as he thought he would, lol.

All W's classes and homeschool group trips have come to an end.  It was a really great year.  Over the rest of the spring and summer I'd like to take B and the kids (and friends) out to some fun summer events - street fairs, festivals, outdoor theater, beaches, outdoor concerts, and even some great neighborhood walking tours.  I'd like to get back to the NY Hall of Science, too.  We haven't been there in ages.  We are all so incredibly busy (B & I both work, W has summer camp, J has dance workshop and intensives, K will be adding more work hours) that I do hope we can all make time to do things as a family.  I'm grateful for our 1 week away in Connecticut in July.  And my sister's baby girl is due in July too!  I'm already loving this summer!