10th Grade is Officially Over

W finished up his sophomore year with a bang.  99th percentile on the CAT-E and what seems like a clear goal for his future.  He's always throwing ideas around and researching various careers.  I think he's finally narrowed it down to 2.  We'll see which one wins, lol.

His daily schoolwork has mainly been Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 and a few workbooks that cover literature, poetry, reading comprehension, analysis, grammar, writing, vocabulary, and analogies.  I don't worry about his writing.  He hasn't really had much formal teaching in that area, but a few weeks ago he wrote essay-type answers to a bunch of questions in order to be chosen as an administrator on a popular gaming server.  It looked awesome to me, although I have no idea about any of that stuff.  Needless to say, he got the position.  It reminds me of how J always got As on her English reports in high school, even though she, too, had no formal writing instruction.  It still fascinates me how such a common-sense concept like child-led homeschooling delivers unbelievably amazing results.

All Science and History is done with short novels, documentaries, website research, and field trips. Last week, he and a new homeschooling friend made plans for us to see a show called Dark Universe at the Hayden Planetarium.  This fit in nicely with what's on the agenda for the upcoming school year - and we had a great time.  The show was awesome.  We'll be reviewing some Physical Science and Life Science, filling in whatever gaps we come across, and then focus mainly on Earth & Space Science. History will include some review but mainly focus on US History (from the Civil War to the 1970s), World History (1750 to the end of the 20th Century), Civics & Government, Geography,  and Economics.

W is still learning new things on the ukulele and has taken a renewed interest in the piano, teaching himself to read music and learn full songs with intricate chords (from YouTube), hanging up his drumsticks for now. If he sticks with piano, I'll have no problem starting him on formal lessons if he wants. The kid can really sing, too. Maybe another career choice??

The owner of K's hair salon is on maternity leave, so K is running the place by herself. She's really working so hard. She has a few weeks off in September and she and her boyf planned a trip to Greece. I wish I would have had even half that drive and determination when I was her age.

J is still teaching dance. Her studio just had their recitals and J will start teaching a bunch of summer classes in a couple of weeks. She was in another music video that was released yesterday, as one of the back-up dancers. Oh, and her 21st birthday is quickly approaching. How did my girls become adults so fast?

Oh, and I did get to keep my new work schedule.  It's been working out wonderfully.

Second Year of High School

I love August.  It's just another month closer to autumn!  And it's the time I get everything ready for the new school year.  10th grade is upon us and W's IHIP is mailed.

W started taking drum lessons a few weeks ago.  He's always wanted to, but I couldn't figure out the practicality of it as we live in a small apartment.  But I just found out there are electronic drum sets that hardly make any noise - but sound like a full drum set when headphones are on!  He tried a set out at the music store, so we'll probably pick one up one of these days.  For now, he uses a drum pad to practice on.  His other interests lately revolve around current events, politics, health, fitness, art, playing the ukulele, Muay Thai, computer gaming, and all types of engineering (computer, mechanical, construction, environmental, etc. - I feel like this is the path he's meant to take, but we'll see).

We're going to continue with our Great Restaurant Adventure this year.  We still plan on getting to all 70 cuisines by the end of his senior year.  Also this year I'm going to try and get back into field trips.  Last year he really wasn't into going to same old places, so I plan on finding some cool things places to go this year all around NYC.

We have already started the new school year.  With my working full time, W does some light academic stuff on his own during the week - mainly the English workbooks, math review pages, and history readings. On my days off we spend a few hours on new math lessons, science reading, lab work, and more English and history. 

High school is a breeze so far.  W knows what he has to do to get into his colleges of choice, so he does it.  He makes goals and does what he needs to achieve them.  I truly believe that this kind of determination, independence, and maturity is what comes from 10 years of unschooling.  And yes, our unschooling has always included curriculum.  The kids prefer it, ask for it, help pick it out, and do it on their own terms.  No stress, no hassles.

Here's some of what he's using this year:

Life of Fred High School Language Arts Series (3 books done, 1 left)

Daily Paragraph Editing (still the best thing ever)

501 Reading Comprehension Questions, 5th ed. (we're trying a few new things for English) 

Painless Reading Comprehension, 3rd ed.

Vocabulary & Spelling Success in 20 Minutes a Day 

Math U See Geometry (he asked for something different and likes it so far)

Short Lessons in World History, 4th ed.  (quick and easy)

Apologia Biology, 2nd ed. with all labs (secularly)

Once again, I'm looking forward to a wonderful school year.  Watching W turn into this amazing adult (he's over 5'11" now!) is the most incredible thing.

Spring 2016

W celebrated his 15th birthday 2 months ago and with that, a new interest in the medical field.  If that ends up being the direction he wants to go, then I'm glad he figured it out now.  It's a good age to get things going.  I just ordered a high school biology program and microscope for him and he can't wait to get started on it.  The other subjects are still moving along the same.  He's been continuing with his language arts program and paragraph editing books, and math is currently a bit informal.  He's reviewing Algebra 1 for the CAT-E he's taking next month.  After the exam we're going to start doing TT Algebra 2 and science in the evenings together when I get home from work.  I got new US and world history books and we'll start on those, too.

W has chosen his entire curriculum and schedule based on what he needs for his immediate future, college readiness, and career plans.  He is such a great example of how unschooling works. Now that he's seriously considering what his future could be, he knows how to take charge and get things in order.  As always, I facilitate, encourage, and make suggestions/recommendations to help move things along but he has such a strong sense of independence and maturity and goal-setting that I don't really need to do much.  Homeschooling high school is so incredible.  I'm amazed at what I'm seeing with W.

He's also in full volunteering mode lately.  2-3 times a week he works with the beginner and intermediate kids' classes at the Muay Thai gym.  He takes his own classes 3x a week as well.

And we checked off 2 more cuisines on our Great Restaurant Adventure!  Brazil and Britain.  I'll make separate posts about those.

J is graduating from her dance conservatory at the end of the month.  B and I got to see a couple of awesome showcase performances this semester.  She has been working at a major competition dance studio this year teaching and choreographing 5 different classes and age-groups of non-comp kids.  I really want to see the recital - J is also in a teacher's dance number.  Other than that, she's been modeling, getting head-shots, and getting ready for the real performance world.

K has moved on from the upscale hair salon in Queens to a more upscale salon in Manhattan.  This is what she was waiting for.  It's right in the Theater District just north of Times Square.  She went on a really nice vacation with her boyfriend to Punta Cana last month.  It was her first one requiring a passport.  Both girls also just got their driver's licenses together - not very necessary in NYC, but handy nonetheless.

It's so fun watching the kids becoming independent, successful, and happy adults who follow their dreams and love their lives.

Another Year Gone By

I know it's been a while since I posted but things around here have been so busy.  I started working full-time in September and that has been a bit of an adjustment.  I's great now, though.  W has fallen into his new routine nicely.  He's covering a lot of stuff for ninth grade:  Algebra 2, Life Science, Earth Science, World History, US History, Language Arts, Literature, Music, Art, Physical Fitness, and Computer Science.  I make a list of what he should read and do and he does it.  I check it in the evenings and we do other subjects together when I'm home.  He is hell-bent on keeping up with his subjects so he can get into highly selective colleges on scholarship.  These are his goals and I couldn't be prouder.

He's using various curriculum and resources for the main subjects.  Rounding out his education are the following:

• 90-minute Muay Thai classes 3x a week.  
• In-depth study and research on 2D animation (incl.  cartooning, technique, biographies, and careers).  He's flying through sketchbooks and artist pens and using a few animation software programs
• Mastering the tenor ukulele and now he has added piano and electric guitar to his current interests.  He's requested formal lessons which will probably start in January or February.

J has gotten all As again this semester.  She is teaching every Saturday at a local competition dance studio, and she is still assisting and doing many projects with a big choreographer (including a flash mob you can see HERE).

K is still at her beautiful, upscale, very busy salon doing what she loves.  

We saw the tree again at Rockefeller Plaza, visited our beloved Toys R Us in Times Square for the last time (they're closing), and saw my husband's rock band play at The Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, The Cutting Room in Murray Hill, and Left Field's in the Lower East Side.

We had a wonderful Christmas this year.  We were all together decorating our new stockings on Christmas Eve with glitter, glue, and fabric paint.  We slept at home for first time in years and it was great.  I got my annual bronchitis/laryngitis Christmas week, so I had to miss the choir carols and mass singing this year.  But it's ok and should clear up by next week.  Christmas morning we opened all our gifts and got to my mom's in Long Island around 11:30am.  She had a huge brunch waiting for us.  My sister and step-sister and family all were there too and then we had another round of presents opening.  We got to MIL's house at around 6:30pm and B's whole family was there.  More food and more presents were waiting for us.  This whole holiday season was so stress free.  That's my new way of life, I've decided.  I found THIS today and it sums up exactly how I live now.

Life is so wonderful.  I feel blessed beyond belief.  I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!

Autumn

Still unschooling, still loving it.

Here's what unschooling has looked like over the past month:

• Going to a Not-Back-to School teen homeschool picnic on the beach
• Learning and trying to master the soprano ukulele
• A new interest (and a whole lot of research) in digital animation
• A day spent at the Museum of the City of New York and Times Square
• Really enjoying the Life of Fred high school language arts series books and paragraph editing workbooks.  
• A day spent playing dodge ball and laser tag ending with a sleepover
• The almost daily routine of W thanking me for homeschooling him (lol)
• A new tenor ukulele
• Hanging out at Dave & Buster's with his friends
• Researching nutrition and whole-food living
• A new interest (and a whole lot of research) in music editing

Life is more fun than ever lately.  W is probably the most happy and content person I know.  He's been doing the dishes, keeping his room clean, reading a lot, doing his workbooks, and enjoying his life so much.  He usually gets this way, feeling all grateful and satisfied when he see other kids having to go off to school in September.

He's been doing a lot, including starting to take public transportation by himself.  His sisters were 14 when they were taking the trains and buses alone, so he's right in line with that.  We just got his student Metrocards last week, too.  He met a friend at the Rockefeller Plaza Nintendo store and they took a train and bus to Brooklyn.  He's my last baby and it's hard letting go.  Independence and maturity go hand-in-hand with homeschooling, so I'm not worried.

J has been assisting her choreographer all summer, teaching weekly classes at a dance studio, and performing.  A new up-and-coming artist saw her dance on her choreographer's Instagram and asked him if she could be his background dancer at a showcase in Manhattan.  What an amazing opportunity!  She performed with this artist a couple of weeks later at the Highline Ballroom down in Chelsea.  Move-in day at AMDA is this week and we're getting ready.  It's her second year and she's so excited.  This should be a very interesting year for her.

Almost Summer

At the adventure park

In the past month, W has done some really fun things.  We had 2 homeschool get-togethers at a large state park, went to an "adventure park" where the kids are harnessed high above the ground and have to go over rope and stick bridges and get to zip-line, and our good old standby:  The NY Hall of Science.  W just woke up and felt like going there again.  I'm always willing to take him there since it's free for us and because, well, it's science.

So speaking of intrinsic motivation, this week, after looking at and discussing colleges and plans for the future, W has decided he'd like to continue with daily formal academics.  I told him I hope he's not saying that for me.  I'm fine with however he'd like to "do school".  But he said he realized that there's no way he's not going to do everything he can to ace all the tests he has to take and get into his college of choice.  So we came up with yet another weekly schedule for the rest of 8th grade and through the summer.  After pulling out every single resource we have in the house and having him go through everything he has decided to continue using Saxon Algebra 1 (he loves Saxon), a couple of Barron's "Painless" series books, and a reading comprehension workbook.  This sounds fine to me.  I'll go along with whatever he wants to do.  Knowing his track record, this all may change next week.  But then again, HE is doing all the picking, choosing, and scheduling, so we'll see.

Another new thing going on is that W has been getting really serious about exercise, fitness, and nutrition. This, along with his ongoing interest in computer engineering, our restaurant adventure, lots of field trips, and interest-based academics, will keep him plenty busy all summer.

Unschooling and High School

So as we revert back to a more natural, organic education for W, I can honestly say my anxiety about the teen years has lessened tremendously.  When he originally came to me requesting a more formal curriculum and schedule (about 6 years ago, following J's lead), I was hesitant, but obliged.  I know he wants to want the structure, but the older he got, the less willing he was to follow through.  I felt I was the one who needed to push and prod and dare I say "coerce" him into doing his work several days a week as we'd planned.  Well, it made us both miserable and I won't do that anymore.

I mean, it really doesn't make sense.  If there is no intrinsic motivation to learn something, then there won't be much learning taking place.  I feel it's a huge waste of time and energy for the sole purpose of checking off a box that "it got done".  But the checked box is a ruse because most of the info covered is usually forgotten in only a few days.  How is that ok?  That's not learning.

In the few months since we have started unschooling, W has done more academically than ever before.  He asked to have my new tablet (that I'm not using) and if I could download certain books on it for him.  I think this is the first time in his life he expressed any interest in reading a book.  He has rekindled interests in piano, cooking, bike riding, and building.  He is in the process of building a skateboard (long board) from scratch.  When W finds something of interest, there's no stopping his research.  For example, the other day B was wondering what other foods the bearded dragon could eat.  W spent over an hour on various websites, taking notes, and following the many rabbit trails pertaining to overall bearded dragon care.  I guarantee he won't be forgetting any of it.

He's also started thinking about college.  As a matter of fact, we sat down together researching colleges, majors, requirements, and what he'd like to do for high school.  We also looked at trade-schools, graduate schools, and what kinds of jobs and careers fit his current interests.  The 4-year (tentative) high school plan is set and I haven't felt this relaxed about anything in my life.  It includes projects, research, reading, standardized tests, college-level classes, volunteering, apprenticeships, employment, field trips, restaurants, and homeschool group classes.

It's all about intrinsic motivation.  I believe it's the real key to a happy, meaningful, and productive life.

Happy Birthday!

I think the freezing cold, snowy NYC winter is finally ending.  I love the cold and the winter, but the snow became too much.  We still got out of the house a lot, though.  W has been meeting up with his friends for go-karts, laser tag and dodge ball, bowling, and for some cool classes, including a seal necropsy at the Riverhead Aquarium.

That was an awesome experience.  A seal was found in the Bellport Harbor (Long Island), having died of some unknown cause.  It was taken to the aquarium and put in a freezer.  It was thawed out for the teens to perform an autopsy on it.  After a few kids started cutting open the skin, they measured its blubber layer.  Then, using scalpels, they got most of the skin off and broke through the breastbone.  The organs looked good.  The instructor cut open the heart to see if there was heartworm (which seals can get just like dogs can).  Then she spent a few minutes feeling the lungs for any parasites or disease.  When she opened the stomach we saw a lot of sand and rocks in there.  This is what killed the seal.  When seals are stressed they eat things they're not supposed to.  It was sad to think the seal was stressed for any reason, but seals really don't belong in Bellport Harbor - or anywhere in Long Island, really.  It was so cool for W to experience a bit of what veterinarians and forensic workers do.  

W made his Confirmation last week!   11 years of catechism classes and now he's got 4 sacraments under his belt.  He started classes at 2 years old since he begged to go - and the third child was free,   It's going to be weird not having classes anymore, but he's glad to have reached the end.  The ceremony was wonderful.  J was his sponsor and went up with him as he got the chrism oil.  At his Christening, his father and I answered questions from the priest on what we believe.  At Confirmation, W was asked the same questions from the bishop and was able to answer for himself.  It's such a beautiful full circle.  We all went out for a great lunch afterwards.  The next day W turned 14.  The years really went by quickly.  8th grade will be over in 3 months and he'll begin his high school years. 

It's All About Simplicity

What I'm coming to realize about homeschooling a teenager (well, mine, anyway) is that a lot of their education and learning and academics has to be very "organic".  It has to encompass the whole child through a more natural, environmental approach.  We can have all these seemingly wonderful varying pieces of curriculum that promise to be the best laid out or the one kids like most, but if there's no true understanding, then it's a waste of money and time.  There has to be an interest or at least some sort of meaningful context for anything to be understood, absorbed, and applied.  And learning, like almost everything else in the world, usually turns out better the simpler we make it.

W has led his education since the beginning.  I have always followed along, providing him with the resources he needs and coming up with various experiences, opportunities, and suggestions for him to foster his interests and learning.  It's so fun this way - and effective.  I research and suggest a lot and he's actually happy to try anything.  Some things stick and some things suck and we toss it.  We both still learn from things we toss - even if it's just not to use something like that again, lol.

The outside experiences and free time are what's really filling out W's education.  It's been getting better and better the older he gets.  Exploring Manhattan, getting together with the other homeschooled teens a few times a week for parkour and other activities, traveling, fundraising for animal shelters with his friends, building his computer, our restaurant adventure, and getting ready for several things in the works are what's making him who he is.  And every year will have more and more things for him to be a part of.

As far as formal academics are concerned, math, science, poetry, and computer coding have been the favorites for the last few weeks.  The other night W spent 3 hours creating a ton of computer code to create a really cool tic-tac-toe game.  He taught himself.  It has a lot of detail and was really fun to play.  Math and science he's just really good at, so it makes him enjoy it more.  History, literature, and writing are subjects that are slightly more informal.  The rest of this year will be spent on basic US History, U.S. geography, and U.S. government.  Lit has been a mix of poetry and modern and classic short stories.  Writing is usually done every day, in context to what's W's into or doing at the moment.  The funny thing is that we're getting more of these subjects done this way than when I had them scheduled.  Go figure.

I just did a huge book purge getting rid of everything I know we won't use at all.  My china cabinet now just has a row of reading books, a row of high school and reference books, and a row of notebooks, paper, & art supplies.  It's calming to be more organized.  Also, December is a big clutter clean-out month for me.  I want it beautiful for the holidays, so I minimize as much as I can.  Once January comes, I get back on track with my usual week, including resuming our Restaurant Adventure.

K is loving her job at the SoHo salon.  It's better than she could imagine.  She turned 21 a couple of weeks ago and we're going to see Aladdin on Broadway together next week (B and I got her 2 tickets for her birthday and she said she wanted to go with me - Yay!).  J so far enjoys her new part-time job.  She's working 3 days a week, which I think is perfect for her.  She was just on TV last night in the background of this new reality show on TruTV.  I kept pausing the show and taking a picture whenever she was shown, lol.  I'm back with my old company and happier than ever!  It's in a different location and the job is very similar to what I was doing for 7 years.  It's closer to my house, too.  My old supervisor and manager are there, along with about a dozen of my old coworkers.  I'm working evenings, 25 hours a week.

My blog is 10 years old this month.  Crazy.

What a Great October!

J has been at college now for over two weeks.  She LOVES living in Manhattan.  Her dorm room is wonderful - it's a private room with a big mini-fridge, desk, big closet, sink with vanity and overhead light, mirrored medicine cabinet, 4 dresser drawers, comfy bed, big window, a/c, and mini-blinds.  Then she (we) added a microwave, Keurig, tv, fast wifi modem, pictures, posters, Christmas lights, rugs, and a shelving unit.  She has everything she needs and she's been eating right, waking up on time, and remembering everything.  I'm so proud.  Her weekly classes include ballet (3 different classes), tap, jazz, modern (2 different classes), theater dance, theatrical gymnastics (acro), acting (3x/week), vocal, diction, and dance history.  Some start as early as 8am and some days she's finished at 5:30pm and they're either 2 or 2.5 hours long each.  The classes are really challenging - especially since she's in the highest levels in all dance classes. She loves it, though, and feels so lucky to be there.  I've tallied up her dance classes and figured that she's dancing about 21 hours each week.  She was surprised that she liked the acting classes as much as she does.  I'm just happy she's loving it all.

K graduated from beauty school a month ago, has her temporary cosmetology license, will take her state boards really soon, and has just landed an awesome position at an Upper East Side salon/spa.  This is her first full-time job.  She'll starting out assisting (which includes shampooing and selling product), then she'll go right into being a colorist.  It's a great job with salary, tips, and commission and it's in a great part of town.  I'm so excited for her.

W's weekly academics have been nicely streamlined - as it's November and about that time.  I've decided to make every day practically the same with W doing a lot more independently.  Here's our new weekly breakdown:

• Math - Saxon Algebra 1. One lesson, together using white board
• Literature - The Story of King Arthur and His Knights (Pyle). This is read aloud and W gives a spoken narration
• History - The Complete Book of World History. Silent reading with spoken narration. Using maps & globe for reference. (He just isn't into the AO history readings at all. The 2-page chapters in this book are easy for him to read it himself and and it keeps his interest). 
• Science - Holt Physical Science. Silent reading and questions. W reads the whole 4-page chapter silently and I verbally quiz him on it when he's done. This is working really well this year.
• Free Reading - He reads about 15-20 minutes a day. He types out a summary after each chapter or so (a 5-sentence paragraph at least). He still does not particularly like to read, but again, I'll take what I can get.

I'm just happy he's gotten to the point where he can read so much independently. 2 years ago he struggled a lot and was exhausted before he could finish a page. He's come so far - I'm still shocked at how that happened. But we're still taking things slowly so he doesn't get overwhelmed and burned out. This takes a little over 2 hours a day. In addition to the formal academics are W's informal stuff, including: technology and computer science, health, safety, physical education, practical arts, research skills, field trips, and our restaurant adventure (which we're going to start doing more regularly now that I'm back at my old company!).

Kids' Update

Things are moving along nicely.  Now that we've gotten into some kind of rhythm that is working, I'm moving toward W becoming even more independent with his work.  I'd say that at this point we do about half the subjects together and he does about half the subjects independently.  His reading is now as close to perfect as can be with hardly any hint of dyslexia and processing issues.  I'm shocked at how he's improved over the last 2 years since his diagnosis.  So I feel he's finally ready for a lot of academic independence.  He's definitely more independent than he'd be at school.  I still read most of the literature aloud and we do math and geography together, but he does grammar, history, poetry, copywork, Spanish, and science independently - I just ask some questions, check it over, and/or he'll narrate when he's done.

As far as our curriculum this year - we love it.  Ambleside Online, Saxon Math, Holt Science, Painless Grammar, GSW Spanish ... we love it all.  I hope it stays nice like this, lol.  

J has had an incredibly busy summer.  She has been assisting her choreographer at numerous top competition-team studios.  She demonstrates his hip-hop choreo for everyone and the best part is that she gets paid!  It's so great that she gets to get paid for something she loves doing.  She's grateful that she can continue dancing all summer and not be out of practice for when college starts.  There is only one more month before college move-in day.  She got her housing assignment already and cannot wait to be living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in her own single dorm room.  B and J went to a get-together at the school and J already made some friends. We started dorm shopping already and we're about 1/3 of the way done.  Her room is their standard 84 square feet and has a bed, dresser, desk, mini-fridge, big window, big closet, a/c, and vanity sink.  Most rooms have a semi-private bathroom (toilet & shower) that is between 2 rooms (ala Brady Bunch) - that would be nice to have.  We won't know her final placement until move-in day.  

K graduated The Aveda Institue last week.  The whole family went out to dinner at this amazing Greek restaurant in Astoria called Taverna Kycledes.  I can't rave enough about this place - best food I've had anywhere in years.  K enjoyed the school so much and is ready for a salon career.  She already landed an interview next week at a very swanky, posh salon in Manhattan.  Fingers crossed!

And I just realized that this is my...   1000th POST!!!!  

First Week Back with AO

I'm glad we decided to bring Ambleside Online back into our lives.  It just feels so right.  This week was W's first week of 8th grade.  Each day we start with math.  As we're waiting for the delivery of Saxon Algebra 1, we're going over some Saxon Algebra 1/2 to review anything he forgot over the summer.  I'm surprised he remembered so much since he hasn't even looked at math since June.  We're still using the whiteboard, but I got W a graph paper spiral notebook to start using next week or so.  Literature is King Arthur by Howard Pyle.  So far, I love it.  The language is very old and beyond what we've seen so far.  So much awesome vocabulary.  I'm reading this aloud and W's narration showed me he understood everything.  A lot of books from previous AO years had old and/or difficult language, but I would abridge to make sure he understood.  I'm not doing that anymore.  I think he'll be ok.

Copywork (for now) is a short Shel Silverstein poem.  On Friday he studied one he'd used for copywork for about 2 minutes and we did our first real Studied Dictation.  What a wonderful way to do language arts.  It makes so much sense and he won't forget the vocabulary or spelling since it was in context.  History is Augustus Caesar's World by Genevieve Foster.  It's a bit young, but it's a nice story and a great intro to the world of Ancient Rome.  Getting Started with Spanish is still something he does independently.  Each lesson takes him about 15 minutes.  It's such a simple program, but so effective.  This term's composer is Hildegarde von Bingen.  All we did was learn her name, learn when and where she lived, and closed our eyes and listened to one of her songs called Kyrie Eleison.  I really loved it and could listen to it all day.  It's so haunting.  W said it sounded like the music that plays during a slow motion death scene at the end of a movie.  Hey, whatever connections he makes are fine with me.

Already I'm realizing what we don't need.  Spelling, vocabulary, and geography are fully incorporated into the other subjects.  There is no need for us to have separate programs.  I have them on hand if we feel like using something down the road, but I don't think we'll have to.  We're also going with Holt (Science & Technology) Physical Science.  I originally just wanted to do the Apologia experiments this year for science, but W isn't as much of a hands-on kid like his sisters.  He's mainly an auditory learner (K is visual, J is kinesthetic).  Having 3 kids with 3 different learning styles is ridiculous.  I'm constantly changing things and can't use many of the curricula I have on hand because it doesn't work for W.  What works is reading out loud (either one of us), narrations, oral exams, and, (based on today) studied dictation.  He usually takes the lead if working in a group and is great at explaining how to do things - especially when he's in a teacher-type role.  And he's always talking and singing.  I think he'd enjoy learning a musical instrument.  I should get on that.

Yearly Recap and the New Plans

On a message board recently, a question came up that asked what was not negotiable in your homeschool, besides the 3 Rs.  In my house, it's not an option to have strong interests that are not encouraged, facilitated, and pursued in all ways possible.  I think this is so important.  Nothing is ever dismissed.  How else can you know what you're good at?  For example:

K likes fashion and to sew - so she got a sewing machine, fabric, and lessons.  She likes party planning, so she found an internship for a year doing just that.  She likes doing hair, so she got to do all the hair for J's dance competitions, sought out the best cosmetology school in NY, and will be graduating in September.

J likes to sing.  So for a few years she was taking private lessons and performing songs at dance competitions (where she even won a regional title for singing).  She loves dancing.  So, B and I made sure she has had every opportunity available - competition team, private lessons, outside and master classes, conventions, admittance into the best performing arts high school, and her dream conservatory, which she's starting in a few months.

W loves computers.  So he does tons of research on what the best keyboards, headsets, mice, and programs are, and he's learned how to use Best Buy and online purchasing to his advantage.  He likes martial arts, so he's tried karate, then switched to MMA, where he goes 3 times a week.  He likes engineering projects and making YouTube tutorials and juggling and Myachi, and magic and claymation and Manga.  We have helped him pursue all of these interests.  He's met a ton of real Myachi masters and demonstrated with them, he's taken claymation and Manga drawing classes, and he is self taught with the projects and tutorials.  

I think they've had such great lives - lives I would have given anything to have as a child.  In reading some John Taylor Gatto (again) I really wish I found him right after my kids were born.  One thing that would have got me thinking about homeschooling from the beginning was this quote, "...schooling itself is a highly questionable practice.  It's possible to derive some value from it, but the damage is always, I think, much greater than any value that's possible.  In many, many instances, there is no value offered.  It's simply a confinement exercise." Powerful words that resonate with my own schooling experience.  And now that both K and J have finished their high schooling at ("excellent") public schools - well, J has 1 more week - I have to agree even more.  No matter what kind of school it is, it's a HUGE waste of time.  K got nothing out of hers, except a few more friends and she learned some cool computer programs working on the yearbook.  J got nothing out of hers except a few more friends and the fantastic dance education - which thankfully took up half her school day.  The academics in school are a joke unless your child is REALLY into them, and even so, they're full of ridiculous busywork, tedium, classroom disruptions and poor school management, and unfortunately many children like that usually have to deal with added negative social consequences.  

Here's a quote by Pat Farenga, "The only difference between a good student and a bad student is that a good student is careful not to forget what he studied until after the test." He also stated that "John (Holt) noted that a child choosing to attend school is in a far different relationship to that school than all the students who are there solely because of their age...If a child knows they can leave school at any time with their parents' support, it makes their choices easier and helps build bonds of trust and communication."  I found this to be true.  My girls, as much as they found school annoying and tedious, were there by their own choice, going in with a way different mindset than their peers. 

W is choosing to homeschool for high school and I'm so glad.  He will start college (or whatever he chooses) with such a different outlook on his future than I did (and that most of his peers will).  These next 5 years of homeschooling are looking to be some of the best ever.  Now that I finally got a new job (I'll be working weekday mornings and weekends) W and I can "do the town" once again and hopefully, way more often.  There is so much out there for teens and he wants to do it all.  This summer is going to kick it all off.  

W took the California Achievement Test for 7th grade last week.  He was so nervous, but I knew he'd be fine.  When he took it two years ago, he did ok - way above the required 33rd percentile, but not as well as I know he could have.  At that time  I just handed him the test and said GO.  But that was a month before he was evaluated for a learning disability. When he got his Visual Processing Disorder/dyslexia diagnosis he also got a list of recommended accommodations for a classroom and for test-taking.  Alas, it was too late for that year.  So, this time around I made sure to use some of those accommodations.   I read everything out loud to him to make sure he fully understood all directions.  But even with my reading I have a feeling he got some wrong in the language and reading sections.  He crinkled up his face at the vocabulary section, but seemed confident with punctuation/capitalization, comprehension, and mechanics.  He flew through both math sections.  He even laughed at it and asked me if I was sure this was the right grade.  I reminded him that he did this math more than a year ago.  He said I must be a really great teacher since he could do a lot of the problems in his head.  Then he said it was definitely the Times Tales and Saxon.  He still recalls the Times Tales pictures when multiplying.  I also swear by all the drill and mastery of the basic math we'd done over the years.  He'd still like to stick with Life of Fred for now.

We're going to start working on a lot more reading to help him with vocabulary and spelling.  He will read some things out loud to me and some things silently.  We'll do more narrations and discussions and use these readings as a base for some writing.  We'll bring back novels, too, shooting for at least 3 per year.  I want him to appreciate a good story like he used to when we did Ambleside Online.  He grew so attached to stories when we took our time with them, that he had a hard time getting rid of the books when we were done with them.  I also have Painless Vocabulary, Painless Grammar, and Daily Sparks Spelling & Grammar to throw in here and there.

All in all, it's been a great school year.  My kids have all achieved their immediate goals (K- top cosmetology school while working at an awe$ome job, J - graduating top performing arts high school and starting performing arts conservatory on scholarship, and W - overcoming reading issues/excelling in math and pursuing all interests).  I couldn't ask for better.

Here's what's on the agenda for the summer through 8th grade.  I think we actually have a real plan now, lol:

Math:  W really wants to do Life of Fred (Beginning Algebra into Advanced Algebra) for 8th grade.  We're using it now over the summer a few days a week. We also have Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 and Saxon Algebra 1/2 on hand along with Algebra for Dummies, Painless Algebra, and No Fear Algebra (leftovers from his sisters).  They're always good to have for extra problems and different ways of explaining certain concepts.

English:  I have so much leftover from my girls that it's silly to buy anything new.  We'll be using a mixed bag of Wordsmith Apprentice, Jump In, Daily Sparks Spelling & Grammar, Daily Sparks Vocabulary, Painless Vocabulary, Painless Grammar, Simply Grammar, and Basic Series Grammar & Usage.  It's a lot, but W likes to switch things up every so often.  Nothing really builds on previous lessons, so it should work fine.

Literature:  I'm sticking with Shel Silverstein poetry since W loves it and it helps with his reading.  We'll also try to read at least 3 novels with narrations and discussions.  I have so many on my shelf - we'll just choose what sounds good.

Science:  We'll finish Apologia General Science over the summer - we really just do the great experiments and base the lesson off of those.  For 8th grade I'll either get Apologia Physical Science (again mainly for the experiments) or use the Holt Science & Technology Series Physical Science since I already have that one on hand.  W doesn't care for it, though.  I'll see how the Apologia goes over the summer.  If it's a real big hit I'll get the next one.  He gets writing in with the lab reports, as well.

Geography:  We're happy with Runkle's and will continue it through 8th grade.  We're also starting Our Great Restaurant Adventure this summer where we'll go to a different ethnic restaurant every 2 weeks, then study that country for the 2 weeks until the next one.  We're going alphabetically and starting with Afghan cuisine next Wednesday.  Can't wait!

History:  We'll finish K12 Human Odyssey 1 (Ancients) hopefully sometime in the fall and move on to Volume 2.  We also have The Complete Book of World History which is a fun and concise supplement.

Spanish:  Getting Started with Spanish is by far the best book for W.  He does this completely independently.  It's a spiral program that builds on the previous lessons.  He reads, translates, and conjugates in every lesson.  Love this.

Miscellaneous:  Summer Bridge Gr. 7-8 and Summer Express Gr. 7-8 are great for a variety of subject work any time of year.  Spectrum Gr. 8 Test Prep for basic skills, and Artistic Pursuits Junior High Book One for art, but W isn't really into this.  I'll try it again over the summer.

Religion:  CCD once a week and will make his Confirmation in the spring.

P.E.:  Mixed Martial Arts 3 days a week (4-5 classes) doing Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu jitsu.

I'll put everything in my sidebar in case anyone wants to check out what we do.

What I've Learned

After over 9 years of homeschooling, I have learned so much about the process.  I have streamlined just about everything we do and realize that we don't have to do anything the way others do unless it directly benefits us.  It's so much better to create your own mold and evolve into your own style.  Here are some other things I've learned:

• I've learned to buy some curriculum a year ahead so we can use it for 2 years. We just go a little slower that first year, then finish quickly the second year.  This saves money and time.
• I've learned that while a homeschool group can be a wonderful thing, it gets dull after a while.  The older my kids got, the more they just wanted to hang with the 2 or 3 close friends they've made from those groups.  Also, really good (teen) classes, field trips, and activities are a lot less frequent so you start planning more of your own activities with just the close friends. 
• I've learned that so much more understanding, enthusiasm, and retention happens in 60-90 minutes of formal instruction rather than in the 4-8 hours I see frequently happening in the middle and high school homeschooling years.  
• I've learned that outside activities (sports, arts, religion, field trips, hanging with friends, etc.) are very important and make for a more well-rounded kid.    
• I've learned to savor this precious time with my kids.  They really do grow so fast.  K is less than a year from starting her dream career.  She is at one of the best cosmetology schools in the country.  She already has a few job offers from major NYC salons, and pending offers for when she gets her license in a few months.  J is graduating LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts in less than 2 months.  She has amassed $15000 in scholarships and grants for 4 semesters at a performing arts college and will be living on Manhattan's Upper West Side in the fall.  And W, whom I've been homeschooling since Kindergarten, is now a teenager taking 4-5 MMA classes a week, has a keen ability for computer programming, software, hardware, and gaming, and who has such a healthy and bright outlook on life.  He has pushed hard through his dyslexia and hardly any of it is noticeable anymore.  He is now doing most of his academics independently and his entire curriculum and output are on or above grade level (well, spelling is almost there, lol).  I only see great things happening for him.  I know I will look back at this time and know it was the best of my life. (Not that things will all be downhill from here, but having my whole family together and seeing them take steps to begin their adult lives is the most incredible, precious thing there is to me)

No Labels

I think I'm done reading about how other people homeschool.  No one else out there seems to do things the way we do.  One of the things I've learned is that pigeon-holing yourself into a certain homeschool label is rarely beneficial.  You have to be flexible.  Most of us follow more than one philosophy and method.  I've come to the conclusion that we are probably 80% unschooling (W pursues his interests all day long with only an hour or so of parent led, but child requested formal academics) and 20% Charlotte Mason (narrations, short lessons, lots of outdoor time).  I'd like to say we are 100% unschoolers, but I feel it's my job to make sure he's prepared for college (and/or anything else he may choose in the future).  I've been through this twice already and I know what good colleges want to see.  And being cute and fun will not get you in.  Kids unfortunately do NOT know best (I know I'm getting the stink eye from radical unschoolers right now) and I plan on seeing to it that W is fully prepared for any number of post-high school choices so he can comfortably make a decision on what he'd like to do.  This doesn't mean 6-8 hours a day of rigorous academics.  It means making sure W is proficient in high-level math, can read well and critically with understanding and interest (and hopefully joy), and that he can write creatively and with purpose.  Everything else, like history, geography, and science will be incorporated into W's reading and writing and will be covered via many field trips.  As a matter of fact, we started on more independent reading and written narrations this week.  I feel the written narration is better than note-taking/copying out of a book.  It allows W to summarize the whole section and put it into his own words.  It improves not only his reading and comprehension, but his writing, grammar, and paragraph mechanics.

There are so many other great things W has and will learn as a homeschooled teen:  public speaking, volunteering, goal-setting, team work, and being a part of the real world now, not when he's out of college.  Yeah, many of these can all be done in public/private high school, but kids get so much more out of them when they're self-initiated and in context to their lives.

Land of Diversity

The really great thing about living in NYC, especially Queens, is the incredible diversity.  Just about every nation in the world is represented.  As soon as we can (this summer?), W and I are going to embark on a restaurant adventure.  Every 2 weeks we are going to have lunch at a different ethnic restaurant in our town.  Whatever nation's cuisine we experience will also be the subject of study for 2 weeks.  This goes way beyond a geography lesson and we're so excited to get started on it.


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Recent academics:
Math:  Negative numbers using the 4 basic operations
Reading:  Main idea & supporting details
Poetry:  Shel Silverstein (10 poems)
Spanish:  Pronouns, helping verbs, forms of address 
History:  Ancient China, Confucius
Writing:  Creating a dialogue

Hackschooling

Deciding to place my 7th-grader into Algebra 1 was not an easy decision.  In school he would (more than likely) be doing Math 7 this year, then Pre-Algebra in 8th grade, then Algebra 1 in 9th grade.  So, I was very happy to see him get a 92 on his first Algebra test.  This shows me he is correctly placed.  I'm not expecting him to finish the course by June, or even September.  We just got it and are only 15 lessons in.  I'd like to take as much time with it as he wants.  But, at the rate he's going, he should be able to start Geometry some time before the end of 8th grade.  

W is doing great with the 4 subjects a day.  We start with TT Alg 1, then it's either reading comprehension, ELA test prep, or poetry, then Spanish, then one of the following:  Writing, History, Science, or Geography.  He's done within 2 hours.  He stays engaged throughout and retains just about everything he learns.  I attribute that to the fact that he has a good amount of control over his schedule, his curriculum, and his whole life.  He is a perfect example of a "hackschooler" (according to this TedTalk).   I see my son not only readying himself to make a living, but also make a life.  The 7 key points involved in hackschooling are:  exercise, diet & nutrition, time in nature, contribution & service, relationships, recreation, relaxation & management, and religious & spiritual involvement.  W has a nice balance of these in his life (time in nature and contribution & service are lacking at the moment, but they're easy to increase).

In martial arts, his focus is on Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai right now.  Starting next month he will become what they call a "combat athlete".  This allows him to take the more advanced classes of Muay Thai and BJJ plus new ones such as Boxing, Wrestling, and MMA - and he'll get a cool new T-shirt!

Gaming and understanding all things computer-related is also something W is really into.  He can spend a good few hours on his laptop immersed in Minecraft, Team Fortress 2, or on YouTube - usually with several other kids on Skype.  B and I support him in every way we can.  2 Christmases ago we got W a Lenovo gaming laptop. Last Christmas we got him a flatscreen monitor and separate keyboard to hook into his laptop.  He is constantly researching, comparing, and upgrading keyboards, mice, headsets, microphones, and gaming-related downloads.  He budgets his own money for a lot of it and knows how to get the best things for the best prices.  It's cool to witness him in action.  All this computer stuff has significantly improved his reading, typing, teamwork, engineering, logic, research, and math skills.  He has taught himself how to: 

• Create a new server
• Create his own gaming mods
• Skype with other teen gamers all over the country
• Find answers to any questions
• Confidently speak on the phone to customer service
• Confidently and maturely speak to adults in person - family, friends, and store personnel
• Set and attain goals
• Be a leader and admin
• Create a YouTube channel, make gaming tutorials, and have dozens of subscribers

Seeing how much kids learn from their passions goes far beyond academics.  And with support and encouragement, they can do and be anything.

Kindy to 7th So Far...

Yeah, no.  I thought I'd be able to step away from the blog for a bit, but I can't, lol.  It's become too much a part of me.  So, I'd like to try a new beginning.  But first, I want to recap what homeschooling has been like for W so far.  Here's a synopsis:

W is 13 years-old and has been homeschooled since Kindergarten.  He is currently in 7th grade and has chosen to continue homeschooling through high school.   

He has been in CCD class on Sunday mornings since he was 2 years old.  He has so far completed 3 Sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, and Eucharist) and will be making his Confirmation next year (his last year of formal religious education).

He has been in many different activities over the years:
4 yrs old:  Hip hop dance class
5 yrs old:  Little League Baseball
6 yrs old:  Basketball Clinic
7 yrs old:  Tackle Football
8 yrs old:  Circus class
8-10 yrs old:  Cub Scouts 
11 yrs old:  Shotokan Karate
11 yrs old:  Show Choir
12 yrs old:  Dramatic Academy
12-13 yrs old:  Muay Thai & Brazilian Jiu-jitsu

As far as homeschool styles, we are eclectic, mixing such styles as:
Unschooling
Charlotte Mason
Unit Studies
Classical

And used various curricula, including: 
Ambleside Online
Kumon
Spectrum
Teaching Textbooks
Apologia
Lightning Literature
K12
Flash Kids
Saxon
Hake
...and many more

Since Kindergarten, he has gone on a lot of homeschool group classes and field trips, including:
Ellis Island
Statue of Liberty
Solar One
Federal Reserve
United Nations
Tanglewood Preserve
Alley Pond Environmental Center
Garvies Point
Museum of Natural History
Met Museum
Museum of Folk Art
Museum of the American Indian
Jewish Museum
Union Square Greenmarket
Times Square
9/11 Memorial
Bodies: The Exhibit (Discovery Center)
King Tut (Discovery Center)
Plays at Queens College, York College, & Hofstra
NYC Superhero Walking Tour
Rockefeller Plaza & Christmas windows
Science Museum of Long Island
Vanderbilt Museum
NY Planetarium
Grant's Tomb
Central Park, Bronx, & Queens Zoos
NY & Queens Botanical Gardens
NY Hall of Science
Queens Museum of Art
Museum of Biblical Art
Museum of Tolerance
CW Post (art class)
...and many more

When W was 11, he was officially diagnosed with visual processing disorder, causing moderate dyslexia and dysgraphia.  Since then (actually, since he was 8 and I first suspected dyslexia), we have used numerous resources in all subjects, tweaking almost everything in various ways to fit his specific learning style.  He is currently on or above grade level in all subjects, something I believe a school would never have been able to accomplish.  It's all about the freedom.  That's why it works.

March 2014 & A New Era

What a turning point of a month for us.  W asked about Teaching Textbooks again and that he'd maybe like to go back to that.  I pulled up a demo of Algebra 1 and let him try it.  He loved it so much, that we ordered it the next day.  I looked at the PreAlgebra one, but it seems like we have covered most of that already.  I remember TT starts off nice and slowly, so we're bypassing the PreAlgebra and going straight to Algebra 1.  We'll also take our time with it and try to stretch the program into 8th grade.  He also said he's done using the white board and will go back to notebook/scrap paper and pencil.  I haven't seen him this excited about math in such a long time.  He does the whole lesson independently - I keep myself in earshot in case he has a question.  He was shocked at how fast he finished a lesson.  When we last used TT (5th grade) he hated the CDs and just wanted to use the big workbook.  That was the main motivation to switch to Saxon (since the TT people didn't sell the book alone) - and the fact that Saxon was way less expensive.  Now he only wants to use the TT CD Roms without the book.  I'm shocked because he has never liked any educational online stuff, just textbooks and workbooks.  I've been waiting for this moment forever, lol.

With reading, we are switching gears now and going from novels to various comprehension passages/exercises and poetry.  It's much easier for him to handle at this point more independently.  The dyslexia symptoms vary in severity and certain ones just linger.  I know this is not something that can be "cured".  But I have noticed that occasionally changing the way we approach reading seems to improve these symptoms tremendously.  Even if it's just a temporary improvement, W has still learned another way to cope that he can refer back to.  Writing is still going well.  We go over the lesson and he types up his essay portion on his laptop, emails it to me, and I print it and tape it into the workbook.  It's fine with me if he prefers to do it that way.  It's getting done and I really think his writing ability even surprises him.  For history, geography, W takes handwritten notes.  For science, we do experiments and he writes in the student notebook.  All this writing is the best way for W to remember and review facts.  He also continues to do one Spanish lesson every day (independently).  Cursive and poetry are several times a week (I finally bought 3 more Shel Silverstein books!).  A couple of weeks ago W randomly said he really likes this curriculum.  That was very nice to hear.

This month, W has started taking Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes (grappling, ground fighting, submission holds).  So, now he does Muay Thai 3x a week AND Brazilian jiu-jitsu 3x a week.  He likes pairing up with new students to help them through their first weeks.  These new students are usually in their 20s-40s and find themselves pretty impressed by W's maturity and knowledge.  I'm thrilled that W has finally found something he truly loves.

It's interesting how a lot of changes in W have coincided with his turning 13 this month.

Speaking of which, the older my kids get, the less I can blog about.  That's why I dropped the posts to once a month.  W is focusing on academics, MMA, and computer stuff.  Not much has changed since September.   Field trips and homeschool group classes have lessened in frequency - he's been everywhere and done everything and he's focusing more on his own personal projects now.  We still do wonderful things around NYC, but it's on a different level.  J's dance life is fun and exciting, but it's hard to get too specific regarding her experiences.  Once she's living at her new school, I won't know as much about what's going on as I know now.  And K will be 21 this year and is already preparing for her career and adult life.  When my babies were 3, 8, and 11 and I had just started blogging, life with them was so new and there were so many things to discover and experience.  There are still so many new things to experience with the kids, but it's different now.

The good thing is that W will still be homeschooling in New York City all through high school, so there will still be stuff to blog about.  I'm not saying good-bye, but I will be posting much less frequently.  I still have high school IHIPs to post and achievements to brag about, lol.  I want to say thank you so much to my subscribers - all 200+ of you.  Many of whom have been with me since the beginning, and for that I'm so grateful.  Til next time...

February 2014

Ok, so using only the apologia text book and lab kit and forming lessons only around the experiments is working better than I could have imagined.  We finished Module 4 (simple machines) and we found some short documentary films on levers, mechanical advantage, pulleys, inclined planes, etc.  This is such a fun way to learn!  In Module 6 we attempted to grow alum crystals, but we had to wait days for them to grow.  We learned a lot, though!

We're on Lesson 64 in Saxon, the last chapter of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lesson 18 in Getting Started w/Spanish, we finished the Shel Silverstein poem book (didn't get another one yet), we're about to start the Persuasion section in Jump In, Part 2 of K12 Human Odyssey (Confucius, Buddhism, Hinduism, Greeks), and Part 5 (the Lithosphere) in Runkle's Geography.  We're taking our time.  It's easier to move at a nice, even pace instead of rushing just to finish.  And when there's a good understanding, you can move on with confidence and the new lessons are that much easier.  I noticed that in school, books are never finished, understanding is minimal, and enjoyment is practically nonexistent.  I honestly cannot be happier that W wants to keep homeschooling through high school.

Normally, February is a blah month for homeschoolers - it's a bit too cold for field trips, it's the mid-year point where academics are just flowing along, and it's kind of boring.  But, planning for the spring seems to remedy all of that for me.  I have a lot of project and field trip ideas that I'm excited about.

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And J this month:

• was accepted into her first choice school (AMDA) with a nice scholarship!!!  
• did an outstanding job in LaGuardia High School's Rising Stars talent show
• is starting some serious rehearsals for some upcoming competitions
• is still working with one of her favorite choreographers doing a bunch of pieces for his new YouTube channel
• went to the ASH weekend dance convention in New Jersey with her friends.

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And there's even some awesome K news:

• She began a new adventure:  The Aveda Institute - one of the top beauty schools in NYC.  It's a half-year program in Soho.  She will be working several evenings a week where she is now and take classes during the day.  I've never seen her more excited about her future.