We started school two weeks ago. It blows my mind that I have a THIRD grader and a FIRST grader. We use Sonlight and we love it. This year, we are using Core B - which is geography, history and literature. It works well for us, because Jack and Anna can share. We do the Core, bible and science together and individual math and language arts. It really helps having them together for a large part of their school day.
Core B is Intro to World History. So far, it has been very interesting and the kids genuinely seem to like it. It will tie in nicely with a trip to China. If course, at the rate we are going, my kids may be in high school by the time we make it to China, but that is neither here nor there.
My issue has been motivating Jackson. He honestly just can not be bothered by school work. I know he is smart. I know he is capable. What he is not, is willing. For example, we had a worksheet on capitalization. Now, he has been doing capitalization since kindergarten. So he knows when a capital letter is needed. He got the entire worksheet wrong. The entire worksheet. I am not going to lie, I threaten to put him in the car, and drive to the elementary school that is 3 miles away to enroll him. That scared him to death - but I haven't seen a change in his effort yet. I get that he is a boy and has lots of other things vying for his attention, I really do. However, school takes about 3 hours. He has the rest of the day to do whatever it is he does. It is taking him longer because I am making him redo the stuff he is doing wrong. You would think that alone would motivate him to do it right!
Here is another example - he has always been gifted in math. So far, I had not had to teach him any math concepts. He just gets it. We started multiplication last year, I shared the facts with him once and then he just knew the answers. This year? Oh lawd. This year, he can't seem to add double numbers. He told me he didn't understand the "carry the 1" concept. What? I am so not buying it.
I am not quite sure what to do to motivate him. I went this weekend and bought a boat load of candy. Good candy, like blow pops! I am going to try rewarding them with candy when they do their best. I think that will be effective with him. I sure hope so.
Nothing new on the adoption front, unfortunately. I do have a huge praise - we have raised $700 with the T-shirt sale. Can you believe it? I have people every day asking me about them! What a blessing!
So that is it for now. Sorry it isn't more exciting. Maybe soon, I will have some exciting news. Maybe. Jesus willing.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
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3 comments:
I am so impressed by homeschooling moms. And, AWESOME about the tees! So very excited about that for you guys! Keep on posting about them on FB and getting the word out -- ask friends to post about them -- do a blog giveaway to get new interest. You will sell them all!
How old is your son? Our soon-to-be third grader (8 yrs.) is NOT excited about school this year ... for the first time ever and I'm so bummed. I know that he gets it from his friends who struggle in their studies. It's just not always "cool" in their book. Brayden is smart and capable but I can totally see him playing the game your boy is doing! ACK! One thing that has REALLY helped this summer when we challenge the boys to keep up with reading a book here or there or 1-2 worksheets so they are fresh come fall is to have my husband work with him. Being a boy he LOVES that male attention -- and especially at this age as he continues to gravitate more to dad (sigh.) It just really gets him on fire to do well for dad's praise! Just a thought ... I kinda wonder if too by having to "redo" the worksheet and spend twice the amount of time on it than it originally would have taken had he done it right the first time is a way to spend more time with you. Maybe he subconsciously feels the pull away from you and is a bit bummed by that. Or feels the pull of the adoption taking a bit of "his" time away from you? It's such a tricky thing this growing up business! I am in awe of homeschoolers though! Hang tough and keep motivating him--And super news on the tee-shirts! LOVE mine!
So glad the tees are doing so well! God is good. I pray God will give you wisdom on how best to hit your son's "hot button" to work at school. I'm guessing the redoing is not a good enough incentive to work the first time. Maybe removing fun things later might work...I don't know. (This age is not my "expertise"!) I couldn't homeschool...and I admire those who do!
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