First Day

Just started the year today.   Did the schedule I'd made up, but not everything on it.  I decided ahead of time to start with a few topics, and add more.  (I tried 1 day on the schedule in the summer as a trial, and have done some non-scheduled stuff in the spring.)   As we are doing Kindergarten, it was light.

 

Delta and Echo played with Lego in the morning (they got stuff given to them by my sister when she visited this weekend...) - while I fed the baby.   Then we did a shortened devotional, which included reading from the Book of Mormon (which I had tried the 1 day in the summer), and scripture memorization, and other stuff.    Then they practiced the violin.   They did their reading instruction.   Then Delta  had his first lesson from me on the piano and Echo played a bit on it.  

 

Later we went for a picnic lunch - a "not back to school" picnic in the park by a local homeschooling group.

 

Overall, it went fantastic!   Tomorrow we do "Day 2" of our 2 day schedule.... Math instead of reading.   Next week, I'll add in the handwriting, and/or the Life Skills / Handicraft into the schedule.   Once I've decided on our next literature selection (have already read a few), I'll add in that... 

 

With the reading, Echo was trying to guess a bit much.  (we took a break for a couple of weeks) - so I may have to back up on the sentences and practice words for a bit.     For Delta, I tried to find out where he was comfortable on the letter combinations - and start about there - but it was a bit hard for him.... so we backed up a bit - and I was pleased.   He was reading the words quite easily, and was pleased with himself.

 

He is excellent with his new lego - very good at making stuff to the directions, and ALSO not bad at making stuff himself....

 

Also, on the way back from the picnic, we heard Delta and Echo playing a game they made up in the back seat - and I'm impressed.... They both had 2 different "Arthur" books.... and they were playing "go fish" with the characters.    So, Delta would be on a page in his book, and say "Do you have a D.W."?, and if she didn't, she would say "go fish".  One of them would then turn the page, I think.   Not sure if there is any way to win or anything - but it was very imaginative!

Tentative schedule

Today went pretty good.  I have figured out a tentative schedule for the fall for how each day will go, and gave it a try today.  Although I had pretty short lesson periods scheduled, I will have to make them shorter I'm sure.

 

We started reading the Book of Mormon - we aren't doing the Book of Mormon Stories, we are reading straight from it.  However, I'm using suggested selections that are kind of the stories in the Book of Mormon.  Delta seemed interested, and listened well.  Echo wandered around.  I'd like her to sit an listen too, but will have to work on that I guess.   We also did the Scripture mastery practice too.

 

We did violin practice - Delta didn't really want to, but I went to some very basic stuff. 

 

Then I read them a fun book, one of there regular ones while I fed Foxtrot.  On one story I had Delta read a page, and I read the next, etc.

 

We did their sentences.   I also did some work with Delta on his handwriting.  I'm using a new program for that.  I don't know, he had done fairly well when I had him tracing, it is a lot harder to actually write without tracing.   I'm wondering if maybe I should alternate learning how to properly write a letter with tracing stuff that is interesting to write....  will have to think on it a bit.

 

In the afternoon, I took them, as well as Bravo and Zulu to the zoo.  Boy, Bravo sure does the zoo at a different speed then our family does!

 

This evening,  had introduced them to the piano method book that I'm using to teach them the organ.  (we don't have a piano...)  I'd use an organ method book - but I can't find any for kids - in fact I can't find any other than what I have already.   The one I have for piano is GREAT.   There are even some videos online to help the teachers some (which is great as I hardly know what I'm doing) - and it is designed for the young beginner.  It has cool songs, and teaches stuff slowly while still learning a lot.   I think I'll be able to do it for a number of levels.   Im not sure I'm good enough to play the teacher parts on all the duets - and darned if I can figure out how to fit 2 people on the bench....

 

I didn't do the handicraft item as I didn't have much in mind, and I didn't read the Beatrix Potter story I was going to because Delta wanted to listen to all the piano songs on the CD.   I won't be able to get everything done on the schedule every day right now because of swim lessons in the middle of the day, and Foxtrot still takes out a lot of time in the day.   But hopefully I'll be able to tweak things.   It is kind of hard now because I need to do everything with them.

 

My schedule has 2 different days, and I'll alternate between them.

more this and that

Delta is doing really well, getting a bit smoother.  His sentences are getting harder, but he is working out most of the words on his own.

 

Echo is also doing well, she has read the first 3 sentences.

 

My only real concern is that Delta doesn't want to review, he wants to continue further each time.  Mind you, it doesn't seem to be a big problem at this point.

 

We are also reading more of the Beatrix Potter books.   I want to get going on the writing program, but I need to cut the cards and laminate them....  and either scan the master practice pages I need now, or make my own.  sigh

 

Delta doing great

 

Well, last night, we pressed Delta's leaves - they are now sitting between some encyclopedias

 

Echo is basically finished the letter sounds that are before the sentences in our program.  I'll probably keep her doing review for a bit though.   Delta is onto letter combinations - and his reading seems to have suddenly improved.  He still has to sit and figure a lot of words out, but it is going a LOT faster - he seems to have the blending concept figured out.

Swimming

[asked about what swim level the kids are in]

Delta is in Otters even though he isn't 5 yet - the non-parented lil'dippers and parented lil'dippers don't have a summer class at the same time, or even at times that you could put one in babysitting, get then changed in between, then have the other in babysitting!   Anyway, he is THIS close to passing Otters this time!  He has everything marked by the teachers - he just needs to be tested by the deck supervisor.   So they will test him first day of the next session next week.   So he will probably pass and get his badge, or else they will tell me what he has to work on.

 

Also - the teacher and deck supervisor have both told me that Echo should go into the non-parented lil'dippers (bobbers I think?) now even though she isn't 3.  She passed both levels of the parented one months ago, is tall enough to stand at the deep end of the kid pool, and is comfortable in the water and independant.

 

So, I spent a bunch of time today changing our summer swim times so that she can be in the non-parented, and Delta can still swim at the same time.   It'll be nice if it works out, as I can then walk on the treadmill!

 

This afternoon, for a few minutes, we went and collected leaves.  Delta has wanted to for MONTHS.  I'm going to show him how to press them later tonight.

 

Hopefully we will get in some violin practice (I've let that slide again - sigh) and some reading tonight - but will depend on Foxtrot.  I suspect she will want to eat most of the evening.

 

Oh yeah, Echo is so motivated on reading - she wants to do everything Delta does.  She is always the one that wants to do it - Delta needs coaxing a lot of days.  It just makes me wonder though - she is almost to sentences!   I think there is only 1 more letter - maybe 2???

 

a Few things

Well, it rained today, so we didn't get to do the leaf collecting that I'd told Delta we would do today.  Hopefully it is nice tomorrow.   Also, at swimming today, a lot of kids got report-cards with badges on them.  As Delta didn't, I assume he hasn't passed yet.  I'll be getting his report-card tomorrow.     I think he is just so skinny that he can't float yet, and swimming is harder too.   Oh well, he doesn't seem to notice or mind, and I'm assuming he is improving all the time....

 

Today was a BAD day - but did get some homeschooling in.  I'd read up on the writing program, and it looks pretty good.  It is setup to go along with a different reading program (but is supposed to be ok on its own) - it should be fine, but some of the terms and stuff is hard to figure out without using their reading program...  I did a preliminary exersize with Delta.   There is a bit of stuff I gotta do before really using it.

 

I also had Echo do a few of her reading cards - she now has over 100!  (I introduced "D" to her, and added those words.)    Delta also did some more of his sentences - which finished off the main sounds of the entire alphabet, along with a LOT of exceptions.   According to the book, he would be reading at a grade 2 level now!   But I don't think he is fluent enough to say that - so we need to work at practice.   

 

I also read him the Tale of Benjamin Bunny.  Oh, and they also played with the mosaic pegs.     I have in mind that when I'm working with one child, the other can play with the mosaic - but although I haven't tried that, I have a hard time seeing that working, as I think that they would both be wanting to play with it....   it is going to be so much fun trying to work out how to keep Echo busy when working with Delta, and the other way around!

Read a book alone!

Delta read a book by himself yesterday - "Bears on Wheels" by the Bearnsteins.  (sp?)    It isn't the most thrilling book, but he did it himself!

Good Day

We did good this evening!

 

They played "Ledges" - Delta could pick the words our right away (mind you, it was review for him) and Echo was able to figure them out (and got some extra practice reading the wrong choices....)

 

They then practiced their scripture mastery - Echo does better than Delta who tends to confuse some scriptures together.

 

Then Delta read 6 new sentences from the book - it introduced the sound x makes.   I then went ahead and asked what z says, and what qu says - and he knows them....  so should make the reading the next few days fairly easy.   He is doing better at blending out new words, but sometimes still needs me to help him - and I really don't think that he should....

 

I then gave Delta a "cars" book that no-one is going to read to him.  I think I made a bit of a mistake though.... I bought it as an impulse and a quick flip through.  It is a step 1 reading book - but I see now that with that set of books, step 1 is "getting ready to read" so is read by a parent.  I probably wanted a step 2 book which is for kids that can sound out some words.   So there are some tough words in his book (like bright and night....).  Oh well, it will be a challenge - but not TOO hard I hope.  I did tell him the bright and night words, but am not really helping him on the others.

 

Echo of course wanted a book too - but I explained that she will get her own book when she is at that stage of reading.  We then did some cards, and she learned what "s" says.    I then read her a "little critter" while Delta was working on puzzling out his book.

 

They then played the organ for a while - just playing on it of course.  (I haven't figured out how to teach them it yet!!!)    Then Delta told me that he couldn't play "Armagedon" (by Prism).  I told him I couldn't either!

 

So Delta knows the basic sounds that all the letters make.   I think we will do a lot of practice with them for a while - then the sentences get into the letter combinations etc....

 

 

Echo then wanted to do her car

Playing the Game

Delta loves the snakes-and-ladders game, so that is a good practice.   I have to admit that tonight we didn't quite finish it (Delta was 2 squares away from the end....).   He was still going at it, but I was tired and frustrated....

 

Delta is still doing a lot of guessing instead of trying to read.  He is getting good at a lot of words, and he is doing pretty good at figuring them out.... including some pretty long ones....  but sometimes he will just say the word he thinks it is going to be when it is not even close to it.   ("has" instead of "went", for example....)

 

I'm also having a hard time not getting frustrated with Echo..... she knows all the letter sounds she has done so far - but her blending skills are gone.... she is trying to blend, but with sounds that have nothing to do with the word she is trying to read.  (generally, she is blending the word HOT or something like it.... no matter what.)   So she goes  "tuh   i (short)  puh    ......   awwwwwwe-t   ........ Hot! "    (by the way the tuh and puh don't actually have the "uh" sound.... just the cut off t sound....)    I know that she is very young and there is no rush - but she was doing it so well before, and I'm not sure how to get her to understand other than trying it over and over.  

 

Anyway - it is going..... I just need to continue to make it fun, and to step back when I get to frustrated...

Snakes and Ladders

Tonight I printed up a snakes-and-ladders game...  and played it with Delta and Echo.  For each square, they had to read.  (I used the square numbers to give me the word number (for Echo) or the sentence number (for Delta) for them to read.   It didn't provide any new material, but gave them some practice

Harder words

Yesterday we went to the zoo - I don't remember anything specifically brought up, and we have been there before - but I'm sure they learned something!

 

Today they spent time outside....   We also had the opportunity to do reading and sentances.   Delta is doing great with his sentances - we did ones that introduce (amoung other things) the letter "j" - but he already knew what it "said"....   He is also doing a lot better at figuring out words, although a few still require me to help him put it together....   he managed, with some help, to figure out "jackrabbits" and other words like that.

 

He has done most of the letter sounds now.... I think there is "w", "x", "z", and "qu" left....   then it is on to combinations like "th" and "ch", etc.        He is also doing a lot more finding of words, and looking at books....

 

 

Echo is also doing well, and was able to handle the random words I got out for her.  I added the sound that "N" makes tonight - but didn't give her any words with it yet.   She is on card 66 or so, so she has figured out about 55 words or so (the other cards would be a simple letter).

Potty Training

Been able to continue on - managed to do violin practice most days this week - and reading stuff a few times.   Delta is also trying to read a lot more stuff - today he was trying to read the title in a hymnbook....

 

Delta had a violin solo today - it was in an old-folks home....   he was only doing rhythyms on the E string....  all the other kids had better stuff to do...  (the other 2 first year students there - 1 played Twinkle (he is older) - and the other did the 2 songs the group class did at the spring recital with his dad accompanying him....) 

 

Also - Echo went poop in the potty today!   It isn't her first time - but ever since she started seating herself on the potty about 10 months ago, she has only had ANY type of success 5 times!!!!       I made a big deal - clapping, and everything.... and we called a sister in the ward that she knows and likes, and told her, - so hopefully it will help.  oh, and she got another sticker on her chart....

Reading

Doing well so far today.  Delta was sick this morning, but seems a lot better.

 

He wanted help reading his sentences in "Teach your child to read in 10 minutes a day" so I helped him.  He is on the next set of sentences - each group of sentences introduces a new letter sound, or another new concept.   He is doing well, this set introduced the sound that "L" makes.   He is sometimes mixing up the small  "b" and "d"....  and was mixing up what a single "e" says compared to 2 e's - "ee".

Wasted Lesson

Did ok today...

 

Delta had his violin lesson - but it was a giant waste of time because he wasn't co-operating at all.  Basically he did an opening bow, and his closing bow - and that was it!  And he is doing a solo on Sunday at a nursing home.... (patterns on open string...).   Normally if he isn't co-operating (and we have always been able to get him to do SOMETHING....) then the teacher has me do some stuff on my violin....  but as I had Foxtrot with us, we were trying to figure out the logistics of that....  as there is no place for me to really put her.  SIGH.  

 

Anyway - was able to have Delta do more sentences - and we reviewed the sounds for the next couple of letters introduced on the next sentences....    I also did the next letter with Echo - and practice the scriptures again.

Had Help

Had a wonderful Young Adult call to see if I could use a hand today - she came over and helped for about 8 hours!   She took Delta and Echo outside for a bit so they could get some energy used up, and also helped out with Foxtrot some too....

 

I had Echo do scriptures and reading cards.  Delta did the new sentences he is working on.  His reading is REALLY coming along now.  He is figuring out new words a lot better, and is recognizing familiar ones faster too.

 

Also, Delta practiced the violin yesterday (and so did I.)  I meant to do it again today - will have to tomorrow.   And fortunately, Foxtrot can sleep through a practice... probably from hearing it before birth.....

Quick Note

did sentences with Delta - new ones.... with new rules.

 

Echo did cards

 

They got to run around at the Y

 

Had the Baby!

Charlie did cards a few times with the kids, and I've done a few....

Right now, the kids are getting a lot of human anatomy lessons - especially about the umbilical cord / belly button. Echo is having trouble with the concept that Foxtrot is the baby that was in my tummy.... but of course that is to be expected. Delta understands it a bit better.

We have had deer a number of times in our yard - actually one time (last week?) the kids were out front with Mike, and Delta was allowed to go to the backyard to get a ball or his trike or something - and there was a deer back there.... the deer startled and ran past him to get out of the yard (pretty much the only exit) - fortunately the deer didn't charge him, and he wasn't frightened by it.

I'm also impressed with how much nature you can find in the city - we were downtown the day I was in labour, and we got to watch a woodpecker. We also got to watch another bird right above us - that Mike had a conversation with...

Rainbows

Obviously haven't been doing too much the last little while 

 

Yesterday we went to our Monday program - it was making rainbows.  Kids had a good time....   They made rainbow cookies (dough was already made, not sure what type - but added food colouring.... then they put different dough colours near each other, pressed down, and then used cookie cutters to cut out shapes - so there was a mix of colours on each cookie.)   They also made a rainbow in a jar - which I believe was just salt and food colouring - and they put in different colours in layers in a little spice jar.   I had hobbled to the bathroom - somehow Delta and Echo only made 1 between them (at least, that is all that I ever saw) - and it ended up being pretty much all blue.   oh well!

 

Last night I had them do the scripture mastery and the reading cards.... it was funny because I actually used it as a "If you get your jammies on right away, we will have time to do reading cards..."  LOL....     so bonus was they put their jammies on without a fight!    Anyway, I just had Delta do cards instead of sentences  (I didn't know where the book was, and figured a review would be good anyway) - and he did great with the cards..... he could read a lot of words without figuring them out, and did a much better job at sounding out the cards.    Echo was doing good too.

 

 

Today would have been Baby Circle (with running around time for them) and Violin lesson - but Delta got sick this morning, so it has mostly been a TV day.  SIGH.

Fire Drill

Yesterday the kids had our little Monday program - Lil' gardeners is finished - yesterday it was a Frog thing....  They had a good time.....

 

Today it was baby-circle, so they were in babysitting.  There was a fire-drill, (pain for me having to waddle out!) - so Echo has had her first fire-drill ever.  They also got to play outside, so that is always good.

 

Delta had his violin lesson.  Again he is doing good considering how little practice I am managing to get in.   The main problem is his confidence level shrinks, so he gets all wiggly and doesn't co-operate that well....   But he did ok for a lot of it.   The teacher suggested that maybe his dad or someone could help him with some of the practices.....

 

They also did scripture cards - and Delta read about 7 or 8 silly sentences (it is still hard work) - and I did some reading cards with Echo.....

Silly Sentences

Been doing ok so far.   Echo loves doing scriptures and cards - and I added the "I" sound (soft i) to her cards.

 

The other day Delta didn't want to do any sentences, but he said he would do 1.... well, I wanted to move him to the "silly" sentences, as I'm sure he is only half reading the others and half memorized them (which is common - but had to be sure he was good reading mixed case before I could go on to the silly ones....)  - well, he read the first one (with me making him read it, not just finish it wrong....) - and it was funny, so he laughed hard.  He read all 14 of the silly sentences!    He still has to work hard to figure them out, but he found it was funny, and so worth the work....