Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Back in Norway

long stinking flight... 4809 Miles or 77379 Km, technically only 10 hours, but when you add in a stop in Amsterdam... oy!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

I knew in my heart before my child even entered school, but my husband was adamant that we not 'unschool' so I sent him for K - 2, but by the end of 2nd, I had had enough of the school. Enough of the HUGE classes (19 kids when he really needed small classes of 8-10), I got tired of him going to the nurse 3 days a week sick from the stress of anxiety each day and panic attacks.

I also got totally frustrated that they dragged their feet a year when he was not learning how to read, I finally insisted that they give him testing, and resources to learn how to read, but after 1 year of 'extra help' he was still 14 months behind in reading, and they 'graduated him out' because he was only failing 2 of the 4 criteria so they wanted to redirect resources to other children, more at risk.

since I had to find a curriculum that was a regimented as my husband wanted, and as guided and directed as I needed since I was college educated, but in math and science instead of elementary education, I went with k12. since I am by nature a frugal person, I opted for the TXVA so that I could get whole package for free. While I like most of the program, there are some components that I do not like, so I have replaced them with alternatives, like the music program I replaced with a foreign language and piano. I still provide a lot of outside enrichment that I feel are more interesting like trips to Glacier N.P. to learn about glaciers, going to Carlsbad Caverns to learn about stalagmites and stalactites instead of reading in a book. Next week we are going to Ocean of the Pacific to learn about oceanography.

We needed the structure in place, but I still have the final discretion to add or subtract what we learn, how we learn it, and where we experience it. currently we are split up, my 4th grader is on his way for 3 weeks of language and cultural immersion in Norway, while I am here in California with family for 3 weeks of family and west coast activities that I would not have had the option to do with a Brick and Mortar school and all the attendance drama.

I do miss the two days a week that my son had of socializing at the school and it is a real shame that the public school is so 'territorial' that they do not offer the option for a hybrid of resources that benefit the children instead of excluding them because of funding. Imagine an education system like the colleges where you can pick and choose your courses, some online, some in the classroom, some independent study, some small group, some huge lectures? I first discovered just how 'territorial' they are when we could not even participate in Chess Club, and after school program that I thought was an excellent community resource, but sadly it was exclusive to the school district and that exclusivity is hurting our children. Something that just torques me off, since I send a yearly check for a couple thousand dollars for taxes directly to that school district.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Math and Science

Science Education Reform

The Science Education Reform Movement

There is broad general agreement on what constitutes high-quality science education. At the risk of oversimplification, the bottom line is that we must move from a system that promotes science primarily as recall of factual information and rote computation to one that emphasizes conceptual understanding and logical process skills. The traditional methodology in which the teacher communicates information to the students should decrease in favor of hands-on activities in which students conduct investigations, discover key principles, and practice applying those principles in a variety of situations. This modified approach to science education, which has been practiced by leading teachers for many years, is variously termed "reformed," "constructivist," "inquiry-based," "hands-on," or "discovery-based" learning.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

More Kindle Reading

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, tells the story of four ordinary children: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie. They discover a wardrobe in Professor Digory Kirke's house that leads to the magical land of Narnia. The Pevensie children help Aslan, a talking lion, save Narnia from the evil White Witch, who has reigned over the land of Narnia for a century of perpetual winter. The children become kings and queens of this new-found land and establish the Golden Age of Narnia, leaving a legacy to be rediscovered in later books.

Grade Level Equivalent: 6.1
Lexile® measure: 940L
Kindle Pages: 208

Assessment

Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia tells the story of the Pevensie children's second trip to Narnia. They are drawn back by the power of Susan's horn, blown by Prince Caspian to summon help in his hour of need. Narnia as they knew it is no more. Their castle is in ruins and all the dryads have retreated so far within themselves that only Aslan's magic can wake them. Caspian has fled into the woods to escape his uncle, Miraz, who has usurped the throne. The children set out once again to save Narnia.

Grade Level Equivalent: 5.6
Lexile® measure: 870L
Kindle Pages: 240

The Horse and His Boy is a story that takes place during the reign of the Pevensies in Narnia, an era which begins and ends in the last chapter of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. A talking horse called Bree and a young boy named Shasta, both of whom are in bondage in the country of Calormen, are the protagonists. By chance, they meet and plan their return to Narnia and freedom. Along the way they meet Aravis and her talking horse Hwin who are also fleeing to Narnia.

Grade Level Equivalent: 5.8
Lexile® measure: 970L
Kindle Pages: 240