Homeschool or Not to Homeschool?

I have been preparing all summer to school my three youngest girls at home. We did well on Tuesday, our official start day. However, my face froze up (I'm guessing from stress) and my 2 1/2 year old grandson wasn't real keen on the idea of keeping quiet during school (I was taking his playmates away.)

A few of the girls came with me to pick up their older sibs from school, and well the enticement of friends, fun, and so-called freedom won over. We enrolled them the next day. Except.....the classes were now full and my second grader needed to go back into the first grade class. One of my girls was repeating first grade anyways, but in many ways she does better than the one who was promoted to second grade. My girls were not happy campers.

A few days went by and by Friday two of the girls withdrew from school. Two second graders sitting in with first graders was NOT going to cut it in their book. Then the third grader (the one who really needs to NOT be in a group setting) wanted to withdraw also. This week they're all three home.

We received permission from our church to use a classroom during the day so we could have somewhere quiet to go. Except two mornings a week BSF is there, which means we shouldn't be.

I'm tired. Do I REALLY want to do this all year long? I've done this for twenty-five years now. These girls put a different spin on it though. All three are high-maintenance and low tolerance for each other which are two reasons I did want to keep them home this year. The bonding. Between them. Between us for the third grader. She is absolutely a different child when she is not in a group. I thought about this yesterday and it could be that the classroom setting takes her back to her time in the orphanage, and there was where she was criticized and had to look out for her self.

We're trudging through our A Beka readers, our Saxon Math, our Rod & Staff spelling books, and loving our Blessed Heritage history.

 

 

We have a graduate!

Joe did us proud on the 18th of June by graduating from El Capitan High School. He looked so handsome and dapper in his polka dot tie and graduation gown. He was our first to graduate from a public high school. We tread new waters with him and I'm very pleased with the results. He was a leader for the younger classmen and an encouraging friend to others.

 

                                                            Hi Joe!!!

He's scanning the crowd.

In line to get his diploma.

Hi guys!

Finally!

                                                         Whew! I did it!

Thanks, Coach.

                                                          Congrats!

                                                       

It's not about me, but I thought this was a great picture of the back of my head.

 Joel-who won "Best Smile" at school. Most of us couldn't believe it because well, this is the smile we usually get.

                                               Frankie & Addis

                                                      Cutie Pie Elizabeth

                               Now who can resist this?! She's so excited for her Uncle Joe!

May Happenings

There has been so much going on here that it seems as though I'm going from event to event or preparing for the next event. I'll actually start at the last two weeks of May to catch up.

Joe's high school volleyball season had come to an end so we attended his volleyball banquet at an Italian restaurant. The coaches put together the photo collage and the team managers (high school girls) gave each of the boys a pink crown with their names painted on the front. Joe won a total of three awards that night which we were very blessed to see he did so well.

Joe had a soccer tournament in San Bernadino. I think we went two of the three days, but that was a month ago so who knows. I know we went on Saturday and didn't go on Sunday, not sure about Monday. We didn't go on Sunday because of the dinner at the Ethiopian church. San Bernadino is about two hours or so from us. That Saturday we only took Sarah and the baby. She needed a break from Little Man so he stayed home with his aunts and uncles for the day.

We have connected with an Ethiopian church here in the San Diego area. Marantha Ethiopian Evangelical Church is renting space from another church and would like to have a building of their own. They held a fundraising dinner where the church members as well as the adoptive families of Ethiopian children were invited to attend. They served delicious Ethiopian food as well as some pasta dishes, which was a blessing for some in my family who don't care for the Ethiopian food. Most of us LOVE Ethiopian food, but what can I say other than some of the men/boys are picky eaters.

The girls wore their Ethiopian dresses to our regular church, which all the older people loved, and then they fit in at the Ethiopian church because the ladies were dressed in their dresses also.

Since Monday the 27th was Memorial Day Steve and I went to the cemetery to honor my uncle who had died in the Vietnam War. My grandparents are buried on each side of him. We placed flowers in the vases and made mental notes that we need to come back and spruce things up like cleaning the granite headstone and gluing one of the vases down.

Even though the girls are in school I like to be involved as much as possible. I was asked if I could go on a field trip to the Space Theater/Science Center. My three youngest went and we had a great time learning and playing. http://www.rhfleet.org/

The next night Addis and some of the high school girls did a Spa Night fundraiser for camp and a mission trip. I signed up for the works. Got a manicure and a pedicure, a massage, and a facial. The girls each made about $50 which we're very grateful for since the camp runs about $500 and Addis wouldn't be able to go if we had to for the whole thing. There are monthly rummage sales, they can get work for people, and there are other fundraisers for the kids to help raise the funds. My boys have done yard work, move a mattress, helped someone run their kayak business. If it's something they can do then they work for their way to camp.

May ended with the piano students from school going to see The Wizard of Oz put on by Christian Youth Theater. The show was excellent. The kids who performed did an outstanding job. We rode the bus about an hour each way. On the way there we stopped at a park and had an early, early lunch. It was a fun, fun day, exhausting, but fun.

Treadmill, Thrift Store Run & Odd Girl Out

I finally got back to the gym after taking about two months off. I stopped going because I was sick, and then I just never got back into the groove of going. My house needed cleaning, everyday big-time, but it's a little more in control now.

I was able to go and walk two miles which is a start. I try and keep my treadmill pace at 3.5 once I get warmed up. I try and go up to 3.6, but I get worn out faster, so I drop it back down. My heart rate should be 110% when I'm going, but it doesn't seem to get up to that until I'm almost done. The trainer told me a few months ago that I'm in better shape than I think I am, probably because I have three lower elementary aged girls I have to keep up with, and a three year old granddaughter I usually have a few times a week.

On Friday afternoons I used to take myself out to Ross, Target and run any errands I needed to run for the week. I've been stalking the library bookstore but it wasn't open yet. I headed over to Goodwill which is the next best thing.

I found some clothes for the four youngest girls, some badly needed coffee mugs-Pier 1 and Food Network-yay!, and some books.

 I found a book that piqued my interest-Odd Girl Out; The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls by Rachel Simmons. It was in new condition and this is an issue we've been dealing with at school and at church. The book I found was not this version, but the first edition. The one pictured is the new and revised version with cyber bullying and helping girls handle the dangers of life online.

  Rachel Simmons: Odd Girl Out

From her website: When Odd Girl Out was first published, it became an instant bestseller and ignited a long-overdue conversation about the hidden culture of female bullying. Today, the dirty looks, taunting notes, jealousy and social exclusion that plague girls’ friendships have gained new momentum in cyberspace; we need fresh, innovative strategies to help our girls come through it all.





I'm hoping this book gives us some insight and answers to behaviors. We as a family are just not like that. We try to see the best in everyone, be helpful, go outside ourselves to help others feel welcome. Not so much with girls we know. We've gone to a baseball game with our church before. There were about four-six girls sitting together. When one of them decided it was time to go to the restroom or the snack bar, all of them, except my daughter. They all made sure their "buddy" went, but no one considered my daughter their "buddy." Unfortunately, she knows what is going on. She recognizes it. She's not popular, she's not in the clique.

 It's even prevalent among homeschoolers. We went to a co-op every other week and my daughter (different one) was the one not invited to the parties. She was fun to play with in P.E., and fun enough to play with every now and then, but not welcome to the parties. She wasn't loaded into the 15 passenger van with all the other screaming, giggling girls. She caught it. She knows. She's not popular, she's not in the clique.

I tell my girls it is really the parent's fault. They should teach their daughters to go outside of themselves and include EVERYONE. Not the popular ones, not all the Caucasian ones, not all the ones wearing pink jeans, but EVERYONE. If you've never been in the minority, try it. It's a must. Now. Go. Get out of your comfort zone.

There really is no excuse except selfishness. Most people today are so self-centered they can't possibly see needs outside themselves. For girls to bully and behave in such ways shouldn't really be all that surprising. I'm just surprised they learn it so young.

Ordered my Curriculum

I decided to go ahead and order the Robinson Curriculum CD's. I've printed three of the books off Book Depository. The books I've printed are The Tale of Solomon Owl, The Tale of Chirpy Cricket, and the Tale of Jolly Robin. These books are written by Arthur Scott Baily of whom I had never heard of until I saw the Robinson Booklist which you can find here. www.robinsoncurriculum.com/view/rc/booklevel.htm



A little write-up on Arthur Scott Bailey on Book Depository:
Arthur Scott Bailey (1877-1949) was the author of more than forty children's books. Bailey's writing has been thus described by the Newark Evening News: "Mr. Bailey centered all his plots in the animal, bird and insect worlds, weaving natural history into the stories in a way that won educator's approval without arousing the suspicions of his young readers. He made it a habit to never 'write down' to children and frequently used words beyond the average juvenile vocabulary, believing that youngsters respond to the stimulus of the unfamiliar."

My printer has a booklet option, but only prints on one side which makes the books bigger since I need to use more paper. I used a laminated cardstock cover, staples, and some duct tape and bound my "book" together. I'm stalking Rose Gate Harbor because she gives very useful tips  http://users.gobigwest.com/rosegate/index.html and why re-invent the wheel?

We priced laser dual side printers last week and decided we were going to check prices at some other stores. Well wouldn't you know that they went on sale this week at Office Depot? We scored! It was $80 the regular price making it $199 and if you bought toner at the same time they took $20 off the toner and they included a free label maker as part of the deal. After it's set-up I can print to my heart's delight! We decided on the color one because it has wireless ability and even though I wouldn't know how to use it now, it's nice to have the option. I will still use my ink jet printer for general use, but use my laser printer for printing the books. The laser printer also prints dual sides automatically so that will be a big timesaver and paper saver.



The first level readers are the McGuffey Series so I found a set on Ebay and ordered those which came to about $39 and they are in pristine condition. I've never used McGuffey's or even been exposed to them. I've homeschooled for twenty-four years and I don't know why I've never come across them, but I haven't. This set didn't come with the Parent-Teacher guide so I ordered that off Amazon. The set I bought are the reprints from Mott Media.
http://www.mottmedia.com/pages/publications.asp?Pub=McGuffey
   


On the Blessed Heritage side of the curriculum I have been browsing and buying some of the readers recommended. I found that I have a few of them, but need more. I went to the library bookstore and found a younger children's version of a book about Duke Ellington. I bought two books on ebay, one on Phillis Wheatly and one on Benjamin Banneker. I found a nice thicker book on famous African-Americans.

I have been busy and we are excited for our next year. We're trying to finish out the school year at the little charter school they go to. For our two oldest girls the social drama makes it tough, but we know we only have another month to go. If they said the word they would be out of there in a heartbeat, but for now I'm letting them work it out as long as they're comfortable with doing that. I've had enough kids to know I can't fight their battles for them, I can be their advocate, and I can stop them from being exposed to others, but they're learning to speak up for themselves and at this point, that is a good thing for them to learn.

Education With a Twist

I wrote in a previous post that I was looking into the Robinson Curriculum. I couldn't put my finger on what wasn't clicking for me. The books in the curriculum are written for the Caucasian homeschooler. Well, that would have worked for my eight bio kids who have ancestors from England, but why would these books be of interest for my girls from Africa? They have a history, they have a heritage, and it's not the one form England.

On the other hand, their heritage is not the one that African Americans have either.  My girls are African, Ethiopian to be more precise. I'm entering into an area I don't have experience in, but I'm willing to learn right along with them. I've always been interested in Harriet Tubman, Amos Fortune, Sojourner Truth, and others like them.

In my research I came across Blessed Heritage-Educational resources to foster understanding of the spiritual and racial heritage of children of color.

I've ordered:

 Nuturing Christian Character Through the Black Experience. http://www.blessedheritage.com/christcharacter.html

Our Story, His-Story
http://www.blessedheritage.com/elemhistory1.html

This Far by Faith
http://www.blessedheritage.com/midhistory1.html

I've also gone to paperbackswap.com and ordered a few books that I found in Great Books for Girls by Kathleen Odean.

I'm looking forward to walking this path with my girls. If anyone knows of a child's study of Ethiopian history I would LOVE to know about it.

Confessions of a Homeschooler

I came across Confessions of a Homeschooler website a few months ago. I love her curriculum! What caught my eye the first few visits are her USA and World Geography lessons. You can find them here. USA and World Geography  I'm going to use one or the other next year with my girls.

She also has Preschool and K4 curriculum available. Since I have my three year old granddaughter throughout the week here and there I though she might enjoy the Preschool lessons. She'll do school like the big girls and start learning her letters and other big girl stuff.

She also has lessons for Art, Science, Composers, Literature and more. Go check out Erica at Confessions of a Homeschooler.com if you haven't already met her. She has wonderful ideas!

Mom Mastery Summitt

Yesterday I came across this website through Pam Farrel. I signed up for a four-day conference called the Mom Mastery Summit. It's all online and there are over 20 workshops!

I got a free pass, so I wanted to pass it along while there is still space available.

Check it out: ----> www.mommasterysummit.com

The summit will be covering marriage, money, homemaking, health, parenting, homeschooling, personal success, and faith.

Make sure you grab your spot!

Thank you, Dr. King

As the mother of African children I thank you.





  
         

 

 
   


 

Awards time!

                           Joe got all A's on his report card, thus the award.
          His friends call him Joe Schmoe so they crossed out Grieshaber.

               Addis won an award for character at the recreation center.

 Abi won an award for learning ALL of her multiplication tables. That is a big achievement for her.

         Anna won Clubber of the Month in the Sparky Awana club.

                                       Anna's art project from last Spring.

Abi's art project of Big Foot which won 2nd place. 

 

 

 

                                           Adah's art project from last year.

                                           This is my award from Adah. :-)