Otter!

Had a good day - Delta got his Otter level in swimming. (yeay!) In the afternoon, we went to the Forest again, and collected a few flowers and some more leaves. The kids really enjoyed watching the grasshoppers as well.

Not much else I guess....

Simon Says

Today was swim lessons - I was kind of mad because they swapped teachers today from yesterday because one was sick.... and so this teacher let him have a life belt. (He is the smallest one in the class so they don't realize he is close to passing it....) - so it was pretty much a wasted class as all he needs to do is pass the unassisted floats when tested. The deck supervisor did get him out of it with about 5 minutes left.... and I think she watched him float again - but he didn't hold it good like he did yesterday. sigh.

In the afternoon we went to the park. We fed the ducks and watched them for a while, and then went for a bit of a walk. Just off the paved path near the duck pond, there was a small wooded area - and the brave mom that I am, I let them play in it (there were little pathways) as long as they stayed together, and checked on me occasionally and come when called. They did great, and had a fantastic time. I was pretty darned nervous.

Oh, and before we did that, we had another violin practice. I'm trying to get them in every day. I've been thinking that the whole thing just hasn't been quite what I'd expected - definately a bit different from when my sister took Suzuki 43 years ago! Mainly, I figure it should have been more fun, and moved faster. I'm wondering if we have the best instructor match for Delta. Anyway today I approached the practice by getting out both our violins, and suggesting playing Simon Says. Delta wasn't going to, but I said, well I need to practice, and got ready to start, and Delta grabbed his violin and did a bow. So we did a little simon says, and then he decided he was the teacher and played a pattern, then said "your turn". We did that for quite a while - and the main thing is that he was enjoying it. His technique wasn't great - but hey, he was playing and right now I think that was more important. Then later I was telling Mike about the practice, and Delta went and got his violin and played a bit for him. So I started showing him how to play a bit of Twinkle - and he was really thrilled.

I was figuring all along, well he is pretty much in the same level as the rest of his group class........ but I'm thinking now - most of his group class had the same individual teacher as Delta - and the OTHER group class was further ahead most of the way..... the reasoning given for that was that the other group class was mostly older, but now I'm wondering if the individual instructor is just a little to strict on technique so that the kids are held back from playing as she gets them doing everything just right. I don't want the love of the violin taken away from Delta, which was happening. Big problem - his teacher is now the director of the program, so I don't even know how to talk to someone about if another teacher would be better....

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.

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!

Beatrix Potter

Tonight I read a couple of Beatrix Potter stories to Delta and Echo.  The Tale of Peter Rabbit - and one about a squirrel.... don't remember its name.

 

It seemed to me we did more - of course there was swimming.   Oh yeah, we also took a little walk down the street - Foxtrot in the snugli, and the other 2 kids walking.  It makes me sad to realize that I don't even know the name of many of the common weeds here!  

 

I also received a writing program I ordered a bit over a week ago.  I hope it is as good as I've heard.

Sumer School

It seems harder to get homeschooling in while my dh is off, and he doesn't have so much overtime now... 

 

anyway, we have been doing summer swim lessons, so that is M-Th....  They are doing great.

 

Today was our shopping day.  At one point while we were doing some waiting, I had Delta and Echo practice their counting with some pennies in my pocket.  They were doing better at it - Echo was counting to 6 consistantly (which was all the pennies I gave her...)  and Delta was counting to 14 consistantly (which was all the pennies I gave him.)    I wanted to stop them right at the point they start getting confused and work from there.

 

Also, violin practice is going a bit better again.   It definately works better when I do it every day!

Less TV helps!

I made a conscious effort to greatly reduce the amount of TV the kids (and I ) watch now that Foxtrot doesn't take so much time.  The amount of time they watch has been slowly increasing since Echo was born

 

Once I got up (and their show "Super Why" was done - dad had turned it on for them...)  We had violin practice with Delta.  We haven't in probably almost a month - so he did NOT want to co-operate.  He got told that he wasn't doing anything until he had done that (and we had swim lessons not much later in the day...).   Fortunately he decided to do it.  (I was going to put the baby gate up across his room (which so far he has never climbed - but we don't use it anymore either...) - but he decided to do the practice before I got it out.... and the waiting time was used getting things ready for swim lessons.    We didn't do a lot for the practice, mainly some basic stuff.

 

Swim lessons were next, and a bit of time playing at the Y.  Then it was home for lunch (and 1 more show...)

 

Then let's see....   they played on the organ some, and we also got out their other musical instruments and played a bunch.  (maracas, tamborines, etc).

 

We had a math lesson

 The math lesson was on counting - we counted pennies.  Delta can count well up to 12, then starts mixing up.   Echo can count to 4 - but does recognize that the numbers correspond to the pennies.  (wierd, she can count to 10 if she isn't counting something but just saying the numbers...)

 

I made up a simple word search puzzle - Delta did GREAT.  He found a lot of them with no help, and the last few with a little help.  Echo didn't get the idea, but I didn't really expect her to - she coloured instead.

 

They also played with that mosaic pegboard I bought - Echo just puts the pegs in anywhere - but Delta filled in a rectangle shape with different colours.  And of course, it is great sorting practice as I make them sort it when putting it away.

 

And tonight I read the Alladin story from the Childcraft set.  Sometimes I don't know if Delta is really listening to these longer stories (Echo doesn't) - but I think he gets something out of them.

 

Overall - a lot done!

Gotta get a routine

Well, not doing as well right now.... but they are getting a lot of run-around time (hey, phys-ed, right?) and a lot of it is outdoors.

We went swimming at the Y this evening - I heard Mike explaining something to Delta, don't remember what it was - but something to do with one of the toys....

I've got to get a daily routine going!

Quick Note

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

 

Echo did cards

 

They got to run around at the Y

 

A bit of stuff

Managed to do violin practice with Delta today...   This afternoon was also my "Time for Mom's" program, so the kids got to run around outside all afternoon with the babysitters at the program.  (and we had a "spa" day to celebrate mother's day too - so that was nice.... good food, etc.)

 

Did the scripture mastery with the kids - but didn't go to the effort of doing reading cards....

Ladybugs are out!

I figure we will do the AofF in a while.... most of the scriptures we are doing are a bit shorter.   I DO have to tape the kids saying them sometime.... it is so cute!

 

So today:  It was my babycircle day, so the kids were in babysitter (more PE!) - apparently they went outside for a while.   Delta had his violin lesson, and did great considering the lack of practice....  He would do better if we practiced, but he is doing great.  I'll try to get practicing again with him though.

 

We didn't really do any reading, although Delta was reading a book with me, and I had him figure out a number of the words.   

 

We went outside this evening - it was a beautiful day.  The kids played in the yard for quite a while.   They also found some ladybugs - Delta was upset at first (I have no idea who taught him to be scared of ladybugs - he was for a while last year, but I told him that they are our friends, and eventually had him even hold one....) - anyway, I reminded him that they are our friends, and they help our gardens, that they don't hurt - but maybe just tickle a bit.  Anyway, Delta and Echo spent a number of minutes looking at them.  (I hope they didn't hurt them, I was a little busy....)

 

Violin Concert

I feel like a lot of days I'm saying the same thing - but that is the way it is....

 

Today I took them to the Y - and they went into babysitting while I got to rest sore muscles in the swimming pool, and then just sit and relax a bit too.  They got to run around.  (Phys-ed - right???)     They then played on the big play structure.

 

I don't remember if I did reading and stuff in the morning or not - I don't think so.

 

But tonight was Delta's violin concert.   Echo wasn't happy (she stayed home with a babysitter - but after the Christmas fiasco with her.....)  I'll be writing more tomorrow, but the concert went great - Delta's class did everything just right, and it was really cute too.   We also got to stay to listen to all the music  (Music, and Music Appreciation!) - he seemed to like it better when the kids got into the songs he hears all the time on his CD.   (They had the cellists play, then Delta's class, then the other beginner class.   Then they had about 6 or so special numbers - then they do what is called a Play-off.  They basically play from the Suzuki repetoire - starting with some of the harder songs, and working their way back to the ones in the first book, all the way to Twinkle.  For each song, more students come on stage and join in.)

Swimming

So far today - the main thing we have done so far today is swimming lessons. Echo did great, she was actually swimming - with a life jacket - with me just making sure it didn't flip her over... on her back she did it a minute or so without me holding her at all! Delta was doing great too - I'm sure he swam the 5m on his front with no aids.... so I suspect all he needs to do for level 3 of lil'dippers is to be able to swim 5m on his back with no aids!

Well, I need Wednesday afternoons free now - for a program where the kids can run around doing stuff (supervised) in the gym, while I relax, drink hot chocolate, and do stuff like scrapbooking etc. Really highly needed right now! (something for mommy!)

So..... I found out when the swim teacher Delta has (who is EXCELLENT) does other classes - and there is only 1 other lil-dipper..... and well, it is full. So I expressed my concern at the desk that because he is pretty much done the level 3 of lil'dippers, that I really don't want him a class that go in the kid pool and do nothing all the time. Anyway, they said that if he is doing well, because he is 4.5, if I want we can register him for Otters (+5) and see how it goes. I really debated on it - but I know the Otters level is very similar to the level of lil-dippers that he is doing - and it means that he would be definately still working in the big pool. So I decided to try it out. (He did otters once in summer in a life jacket....). Unfortumately of course, the 5+ stuff is all late afternoon/evening. So he is signed up for Friday at 4:30.... it is a quieter day for us, a "slower" day for swim lessons at the Y (so the class is more likely to be small) - and it should work. On the weeks that Mike works, it will be a bit of a rush - he will have to get up probably before we go.

Also - I've taken Echo out of swim lessons. I don't like to, as she is doing so well - but she needs me to be with her still...... and honestly I can't do it anymore. I'm having fun getting out of the pool! (mind you - apparently they have a chair that will lift someone out of the pool..... so I'd only die of embarassment instead!) So that is going to be fun, having her be upset because she wants to go too....

Schedule thoughts

Ok - here are my thoughts on schedule.... don't have them in order for each day or anything....  Setting each "class" as about 10 min.....  Most PE is doing a dance time, or wiggle time type activities between classes....

 

Monday:  Reading Program, Writing, Music, Scripture Story, Scripture Mastery, PE (wiggle time)  and in the evening FHE.   Aprox time not including FHE or reading program  is 0:35

 

Tuesday: Phonics, Story Read, Math, Scripture Mastery, PE (wiggle time).  Violin Lesson,  Nature Time (outdoor time).  Aprox time, not including Violin Lesson, is 1:25

 

Wednesday: Phonics, Story Read, Writing, Music, Scripture Stories, Scripture Mastery, PE (Swim lesson, play at Y)  - Aprox time, not including swimming and Y is 0:55

 

Thursday:  Phonics, Story Read, Math, Music, Scripture Mastery, Nature Time, PE (wiggle time)  - Aprox time is 1:35

 

Friday:  Phonics, Story Read, Writing, Music, Scripture Stories, Scripture Mastery, Nature Time, PE (wiggle time) - Aprox time is 1:45

 

Saturday:  Phonics, Story Read, Violin Lesson, Scripture Mastery, Nature Time, and 1 time per month, kids workshop (woodworking) - aprox time, not including violin lesson and workshop, is 0:55

 

Topics:  
 

Math - mostly doing puzzles, (He already does puzzles that are around 75 pieces...) playing with Lego - maybe a bit of work on counting - stuff on reading time...  

 
Nature Study - go out and play!   Collect leaves, flowers, look for animal tracks, etc. 
 
PE - 30 min swim lessons each week....  on some days we will probably go to the Y to play.... - Wiggle/Dance time!

 

Other - Art, etc, done on their own.   Also, he will be a member in Traditional Scouting, so there will be crafts, outdoors stuff, games, some work on safety/helping, etc....

  
Any Comments??? 

So Far Today:

 

Done points song, and violin practice, and Delta is dancing to music.  I'm a little short on patience today though, so not sure how much we are going to do....    I do want to scan in the funny faces that I want him to practice tracing....  kind of a fun option/break from handwritting.....

 

and [to someone that asked about swimming here]

 

Last year they had all the Lil' Dippers in one class no matter the level in summer (and all year too).  Maybe I'll try to talk to the Head of water programs before they set the schedule, to get them to divide it into 2 or 3 levels  (I'd like Bobbers and Floaters together, and Gliders and Divers together, and Surfers and Dippers together.)  But the way your Y has it would be ok.  As I mentioned, last year, they stayed in the shallow pool the whole time, except 1 day per session.   We did find the summer swimming program was very helpful - but I was happy when Delta was put with the Otters for the last session last year.   I just really feel that the kids don't progress as well when they are in such a widely mixed group....

 

I'm hoping to find out when Delta's teacher is teaching the summer session (if he is) and will try to sign him up for his classes....

So far today:

 

Did point song, and violin practice.  Did well at both.  The both had swimming lessons, and Echo is progressing well being in with the older kids (but with me still...) 

 

Now we are home, and the kids are playing in the snow with our warm weather.  (It is +4C today, and was yesterday too....) - so they are getting some exercise and some fun outside and getting to play in the snow while it is slowly melting....

 

I'm a bit nervous though, as they are playing outside in the backyard while I'm in here....  I have the back patio-door open (airs out the house too) - and am checking constantly.   I've let Delta play out back alone with Zulu once - but this is a first time with Echo out there without me.

 

So far so good.....

Summary

[asked if I'm planning out lessons]

I'm still kind of new to it all - I have ideas in my head....

 

I'm doing the reading based on "Teach your child to read in 10 minutes a day"....  it is a little bit of a lst-minute decision on which of the couple of games to play - but it is structured as to the order of the letters and words.   I'm probably not doing enough stuff on having them search for the letters in print....

 

The writing that I've started with him yesterday is partly based on another book by the author above....  he basically teaches to print or write by having them trace good samples.  With that, I've taken the idea from the internet to do cursive first instead of second (although the author above teaches cursive about 2 months after print....)  and I found on a website a great teaching cursive font so I can pick what to have him write.   I'm using the Charlotte Mason method of doing CopyWork - so instead of repeating letters or words over and over, the things he will be writing will have meaning.   I'm going to be using stuff like "I am a child of God" and stuff like that for short ones.

 

Swimming Lessons and Violin Lessons, and the cool reading/art program we are in for free are all scheduled - and for the moment I'm trying to keep that as being about it.  (oh, and my "baby circle".)   In Fall, Delta will be starting Otters in a traditional Scouting program (not Scouts Canada - that would be beavers...).

 

So far, everything else is winging it - he does puzzles or legos when he wants to, he counts his pennies, etc..... but by Fall I want a bit more structure in place.  I'm planning to have about 60 min a day worth of school stuff for Delta, in about 5-10 minute subjects....     and I'm leaning towards the Charlotte Mason methods.

 

For math, I'm planning to be doing mostly just counting, and some work on Time subjects and Money subjects - no real curriculum.  My author has suggestions for teaching addition and subtraction (and multiplication and division too!) - but we will see how the counting and quanity concepts go....

Swim Lessons

Violin lesson went ok today (it is normally Tuesday, but was moved for this week....). Delta wasn't the most co-operative, but did get a couple of things done. He doesn't realize how close he is to being able to start really playing the violin - which is probably a good thing..... but is frustrating to me to see the stuff that Miss A is ready to teach him getting pushed aside because he's "tired"....

The afternoon was our "Y" swimming lessons. Because I can't move around the little pool anymore for the Parented-Little Dippers class with Echo, I had asked Delta's teacher if Echo and I could join his non-parented Little Dippers in the big pool. She would be in a life jacket (his class is just in life-belts now....), and I'd be there with her - as she is a year too young. Even though his class is really big now, he was fine with it. I'm happy as that meant I didn't have to pull Echo from swimming yet (which I will when the baby comes.... no babysitting at that time of the day!) She did great - she did a front float (in the life jacket) with me holding with 1 hand only. A back float with her head on my shoulder - looking for "cats" on the ceiling.... she did lots of jumps, and when they went in the little pool she did good with Simon Says. She didn't do everything the class was doing - I took her off to the side when she was fussing, and we also did more jumping into the pool while the class was sitting quietly (again, over to the side) - but the teacher afterwards said that we weren't too big a distraction, and no problems! Then to finish up the phys-ed.... I was taking them to the big play structure in the Y - and they had the big bouncer still up in the gym! So they did a lot of bouncing, and then a little while in the play structure.

Finally printed up more cards for reading - 20 more. Delta and Echo were really excited, and I showed Delta what a bunch of them said.... ("the", and then the letter "H" with a lot more words added with the sounds he knows. We were going to play after supper (they were finishing eating supper when I was printing them.) However, I had to get a few things ready for Mike....... and while I was doing that, Delta took a bag of chips (mine) and was hiding under Echo's bed eating them. It took me a while to realize what he was doing there too. So he got sent straight to bed. Echo and I did play both "blocks" and "Ledges".... I added the sound "C" makes, and added the word CUP. She seemed to handle it well - and she did the entire blocks game too. Delta is looking forward to playing tomorrow.

Started Homeschool

I have started our homeschool program!!!  (well, of course my children were learning at home all along - but now I'm working more at it....)

We are doing  Swimming Lessons and just playing for Phys-ed..... (been doing for a while....   btw - Delta earned his "floater" level and is doing great on "glider" level....)

We are doing Violin Lessons for Music (been doing for a while....   btw - Delta is starting to get to play on 1 string on the violin now....   Echo (not in lessons) can name many parts of the violin, can do a bow, and can sing "A" pretty much in pitch...

Math is just being done through play - They have Mega-Blocks, and Lego.  Delta can count to 10 very accurately, and knows the relationship between the items he is counting and the numbers.  He can sometimes do to 20, but sometimes misses numbers.   Echo can count to 10 consistantly, but almost always misses "4".  I suspect it is just a sequence of sounds to her though.

And - here is the new stuff.   I have started working on Teaching them to read (using Teach your child to read in 10 minutes a day).  Last night, I printed up 14 "business" cards with the letters/words for the first 8 or 9 "steps" of the program for playing the block game.  On the other 6 cards, I did pictures of cartoon caracters they like for a small variation of the "ledge" game.   This morning, I printed of 2 word searches with a lot of words with "U" in it.  They won't be searching for the words, just the "U"'s.

 

So after lunch, I announced that we were going to play school!   Mommy (and Daddy) are the principal, so we decide what will be taught.  Delta is the teacher, and Echo is the student.   I told Delta that although he knows the names to all the letters, that right now, we are learning what they SAY.    I then taught him U  (soft uhhhh sound) and showed him that he can teach it by having his student trace the letter with her finger while saying Uhhhh.   He tried it a few times himself, then helped Echo do it.

 

Then I had them sit at the table with the word searches, to circle all the U's they find.  Delta found most of them.   Echo was mostly just scribling over the paper, even though I helped her circle some.  (not sure how they do it with 2 year olds!!!!)

 

Then we played the modified Ledge game.   I put the character cards down, and put the U down.  Mommy says "Mickey Mouse would like uhhhh" - and then ask Delta.  Delta then underlines the U with his finger, while saying uh, and moves it to Mickey Mouse.    We did that with both of them for a while, then I announced that we were out of time.  They didn't want to stop - so I've promised we can play it again later.

 

I'll also introduce the block game later.....

 

The big problem is going to be the fact that Delta can learn this faster than Echo, and I'm not sure how long the teacher role will have him not worry about it.    We'll see....

 

Oh, and I printed a Sudoku puzzle for Delta to try later....