Week in Review - 9/21/12

One really great thing we did over the weekend with Becky's American Heritage Girls Troop:  we participated in an Honor Flight.  We met World War II veterans at the airport and forming a long line, waving flags, we cheered and greeted them, shaking their hands and telling them thank you for their invaluable service so long ago.  It was really emotional.  My dad was a Navy fighter pilot in the Pacific and if he hadn't passed away eight years ago (he'd be 92 now) he could have been among those vets (well, except for the fact that this group was all from Wisconsin!).  It was pretty cool.  I highly recommend participating in an Honor Flight.  I'd really like to do it again. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. Rick took pictures on his phone but I have no idea how to get them off of there and onto here!  Plus his cell phone is with him at work and not here at home!

Monday - first day of our Becky's Aquinas Learning Center. Things went well, I think. I thought I had locked my purse in my car with my keys. Called Josh who brought me a second key. Then I found that I had left my purse in one of the classrooms. Duh. Anyway, I think the kids enjoyed the learning. Becky told us the whole story of Twelfth Night on the way home. And she talked about her writing homework and the Philosophy for Children characters they learned about too. Sean and Josh had math with the tutor in the a.m. and then worked at the library near the ALC. Sean is very into his ALC where he's doing the Schola Alta. He did some Latin homework for it, some Life Science for me, some math homework for his tutor and read some more of the Golden Fleece for literature. So he had a really good school day. Not sure what Josh did at the library. He was going to read How to Read a Book and work on the second chapter of his grammar book.  He did read his Government stuff in the evening.

Tuesday - Had a hard time getting started this a.m.  Weather was windy and rainy.  Rick taught Josh and friend Government in the dining room while I tried to get started with Becky and Sean but it was slow going initially.  Sean doesn't want me to teach him anymore.  He just wants to do his Aquinas Learning stuff and his math for the math tutor.  I said no.  Though I do think I'm going to give up on Bullfinch's Mythology, featured prominently in this pages a few days ago.  I feel as if time is getting tight and the kids' interest has waned.  With Becky:  we reviewed AL memory sentences, she did copy work, we worked together on the AL history page which was fun - filled in dates on a timeline and then made a family tree.  Becky also did a bit of math.  Sean wanted to do everything on his own, so he went up to his room and worked.  He did the rest of his Latin homework, another chapter in math and wrote an essay in history.  Josh's Physics class got cancelled due to the tornado watch and Becky didn't go to her first Art class of the year either because of the weather.  Josh worked on math in the late afternoon.

Wednesday - math tutor came in a.m. for Sean and Josh.  Becky did some copy work and math and her geography worksheet.  Sean went to art class while Josh ran errands for me.  Sean came home and did his history essay.  Sean and Becky went off to historic swordsmanship.  Josh worked on grammar.  Got home and I helped Sean write his first lit. essay on Jason (from The Golden Fleece).  Then Sean did his Logic homework as well.  I've been reading history at night from All Ye Lands to both Sean and Becky.  Josh ran more errands and then went to CLC.  Becky read the book Frindle in one night! Beautiful fall weather meant we spent some time outdoors.

The stinkbugs were out, but so was this fellow, who decided to dine with us on the screen porch.

Sean enjoying the lovely weather.

Thursday - got up early and got Sean to his Aquinas Learning Center.  Came home, Becky and Josh were still sleeping in!  Got them up.  Josh read and am not sure what else.  Becky and did copy work, math, Latin and she worked on her Key Word Outline for writing.  Josh went to Physics class.  Took Becky to her gymnastics class which she really loves.  Sean got dropped off for me.  That was very generous of the lady driving him for me.  Sean announced that once again Latin was his favorite class.  Came home and vegged out.  Made huge vat of overnight slow cooker oatmeal.  I'm the breakfast fairy for the 6:15 Teen Mass and  Breakfast.

Friday - well, had an epic oatmeal fail!  The water to oatmeal ratio was way off - too soupy by far!  So I was in the grocery store at 6 some thing this a.m. buying croissants and cinnamons rolls to substitute for my oatmeal gruel.  But anyway, Josh got to the Teen mass (1st of the year). Then we came home and watched the next lecture on William Penn.  Josh worked on his history timeline.  Then Josh and I were supposed to meet over grammar and writing and HtRAB.  But we are both waaayyy behind in HTRAB and though we did talk grammar a little bit we talked more about his plans for the next year or two.  We decided we'd officially start writing next Friday.  I read History of Science out loud to Becky and Sean.  Sean did some math and Becky finished up her Aquinas Learning Activity sheets on science and grammar.  Then they both worked briefly on the leaf collection project started last week.  Then Becky  had to go back to the dentist and that pretty much ended any official school work for the week.

This has been the first full week both kids are back doing Aquinas Learning and I am really pleased.  It seems to be just enough structure, just enough 'school', that it really motivates them.  They have a clear differentiation between what is expected of them academically and when they can just vege around. As an unschooler for most of my homeschooling life, this was something that I didn't like.  I wanted life and 'learning' to be one and the same, however, I am finding my kids like dividing up things into what is formally expected of them and when they can just follow their own independent rabbit trail.  They've been spending a lot of this week making goofy videos together and then editing them with background music, sound effects, little visual jokes, etc.  A very engrossing project for them both.  Becky's done lots of reading, Sean has been really into reading online about lots of things going on with space exploration.  Both have played outside a good deal.  So it isn't like they don't have free time to pursue their interests.  But at the same time they are very satisfied to work on school formally and feel good about going down that checklist and accomplishing things.  I really think with Aquinas Learning, we have found our groove.  Sean and Becky both announced this week they did not want to go to school but would be happy to homeschool all the way through!  And this from Seano who has been talking about school for more than a year now.  That's how much Aquinas Learning suits us!

All in all, a very good week!