School Update
As you know, we do school year round. Since this summer has been difficult for me, we have taken days off here and there, but we have persevered. Mostly due to Kara's diligence. I'm so proud of her.
As the school year has gone on, Kara has become more and more independent with her studies. She has really taken ownership, and being able to accomplish so much alone has empowered her. Monday morning I have the whole week's assignments ready for her and she decides what she will do, and on which days. As long as the whole list is done by bedtime Friday night, I don't care how she does it. It is no secret I am a control freak and this drives me crazy, but I am letting it go and letting Kara learn. When I squirm a little inside, I just remember it's important for her to do this her way. And she does. Since it's her way, I don't even have to remind her to do her school work.
Yesterday Kara informed me she wrote a program to help her study. She makes herself a list of questions and answers and the program randomly picks a question for her. If she gets the answer right, it stops asking that question; if she gets the answer wrong, it goes back into the pile and will ask her again later. She uses this to study Astronomy and to study Spanish. Besides being blown away by her awesome brain and creativity, I love the initiative she took with studying and found a way that works for her.
6 months after our first day of school, we are about halfway through our school year. We usually take more time off in the fall when the weather is pretty and travel a bit, but I hope so so much that we don't travel anywhere. lol. Winter is when we hunker down and get tons of work done. Winter is also when we wrap up the school year (usually February) and start a new year (usually March).
Devotions
Kara starts her day with 10 minutes in the Bible. We took a break from Proverbs so she could re-read the Case for Christ for Kids series. She has really really enjoyed them. We will get back to Proverbs soon. I think she only has one day's reading left in the Case for Christ for Kids.
Math
We are steadily working through Algebra 2. (Remember we will go back to Geometry before we move on to Trig.) This is the only class I actively teach her and do with her. It seems like Algebra 2 is hot and cold - the day is either so much like what we did in Algebra 1 that it is easy, or we are doing something so complex that it takes two days to get through a lesson. We are definitely where Kara needs to be - sometimes when I stumble, she helps me understand the lesson. Unfortunately, even though she is very good at math, it isn't fun for her like it was for me. We still do one hour a day only - no homework. It's all her brain can take, and I think that's totally acceptable.
Spanish
I totally love the DVDs Kara uses to get through her Spanish 2 lessons. She hasn't been in a school setting since Kindergarten and finds Spanish 2 to be easy. Usually when I teach her, we move at her pace, which is usually accelerated. The DVDs go more at a classroom pace, and review a lot more than I do with her, so she is holding strong with a solid A. She finds it easy. Awesome. We WILL be doing more DVD school next year.
Science
Earth science was a total bummer and Kara is very into astronomy right now, so we pushed pause on our earth science and started a high school level astronomy course. I was going to wait until she was in upper level high school to do astronomy with her, then I realized she may not be into it then! So, we are doing it now, while she is interested. Like any hobby you make work, some of it isn't fun, but most of it is. When astronomy is done, we will pick up earth science again, right where we left off.
Bible History
This course is 1/2 a credit Bible and 1/2 a credit History. This year she is reading the rest of the old testament and learning about the Greeks. Ever since she read Percy Jackson, she has loved learning about the Greek Gods, so she loves this year. She said she already knows almost all of the Greek stories before she reads it, and she still loves reading it anyway!
Middle Ages History
This is 100% history. Let's face it, history is boring. And middle ages history is super boring. We don't use a textbook because we would die of boredom. So, we are using a curriculum called Beautiful Feet that has Kara reading novels. In fact, there is so much reading that she gets a full credit for history and a full credit for literature. We will be using this later in the high school years for two years of American history. (It will be great then because it will give her credit for American literature too!)
Writing
This is the first year we did a formal class dedicated to just writing. We like what we are using, but next year we will probably move on to IEW, which is DVD led. I plan to get her going at the high school level next year.
Credits already earned for high school:
1 credit - Spanish 1
1 credit - Algebra 1
2 credits total
Credits to earn this year for high school:
1 credit - Spanish 2
1 credit - Algebra 2
1 credit - Astronomy
5 credits total
There are a lot of discrepancies when it comes to what is required for graduation, but basically, the Alabama requirements look like this:
4 English
4 Math (Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, plus one more)
4 Science (Biology, a physical science (Chemistry, Physics), plus two more)
4 History (US History 1, US History 2, World History, US Govt (1/2 credit), Economics (1/2 credit))
1 PE
1/2 Health
1 Career Preparedness
3 Career, Foreign Language, or Art
2.5 Electives
24 Total
As the school year has gone on, Kara has become more and more independent with her studies. She has really taken ownership, and being able to accomplish so much alone has empowered her. Monday morning I have the whole week's assignments ready for her and she decides what she will do, and on which days. As long as the whole list is done by bedtime Friday night, I don't care how she does it. It is no secret I am a control freak and this drives me crazy, but I am letting it go and letting Kara learn. When I squirm a little inside, I just remember it's important for her to do this her way. And she does. Since it's her way, I don't even have to remind her to do her school work.
Yesterday Kara informed me she wrote a program to help her study. She makes herself a list of questions and answers and the program randomly picks a question for her. If she gets the answer right, it stops asking that question; if she gets the answer wrong, it goes back into the pile and will ask her again later. She uses this to study Astronomy and to study Spanish. Besides being blown away by her awesome brain and creativity, I love the initiative she took with studying and found a way that works for her.
6 months after our first day of school, we are about halfway through our school year. We usually take more time off in the fall when the weather is pretty and travel a bit, but I hope so so much that we don't travel anywhere. lol. Winter is when we hunker down and get tons of work done. Winter is also when we wrap up the school year (usually February) and start a new year (usually March).
Devotions
Kara starts her day with 10 minutes in the Bible. We took a break from Proverbs so she could re-read the Case for Christ for Kids series. She has really really enjoyed them. We will get back to Proverbs soon. I think she only has one day's reading left in the Case for Christ for Kids.
Math
We are steadily working through Algebra 2. (Remember we will go back to Geometry before we move on to Trig.) This is the only class I actively teach her and do with her. It seems like Algebra 2 is hot and cold - the day is either so much like what we did in Algebra 1 that it is easy, or we are doing something so complex that it takes two days to get through a lesson. We are definitely where Kara needs to be - sometimes when I stumble, she helps me understand the lesson. Unfortunately, even though she is very good at math, it isn't fun for her like it was for me. We still do one hour a day only - no homework. It's all her brain can take, and I think that's totally acceptable.
Spanish
I totally love the DVDs Kara uses to get through her Spanish 2 lessons. She hasn't been in a school setting since Kindergarten and finds Spanish 2 to be easy. Usually when I teach her, we move at her pace, which is usually accelerated. The DVDs go more at a classroom pace, and review a lot more than I do with her, so she is holding strong with a solid A. She finds it easy. Awesome. We WILL be doing more DVD school next year.
Science
Earth science was a total bummer and Kara is very into astronomy right now, so we pushed pause on our earth science and started a high school level astronomy course. I was going to wait until she was in upper level high school to do astronomy with her, then I realized she may not be into it then! So, we are doing it now, while she is interested. Like any hobby you make work, some of it isn't fun, but most of it is. When astronomy is done, we will pick up earth science again, right where we left off.
Bible History
This course is 1/2 a credit Bible and 1/2 a credit History. This year she is reading the rest of the old testament and learning about the Greeks. Ever since she read Percy Jackson, she has loved learning about the Greek Gods, so she loves this year. She said she already knows almost all of the Greek stories before she reads it, and she still loves reading it anyway!
Middle Ages History
This is 100% history. Let's face it, history is boring. And middle ages history is super boring. We don't use a textbook because we would die of boredom. So, we are using a curriculum called Beautiful Feet that has Kara reading novels. In fact, there is so much reading that she gets a full credit for history and a full credit for literature. We will be using this later in the high school years for two years of American history. (It will be great then because it will give her credit for American literature too!)
Writing
This is the first year we did a formal class dedicated to just writing. We like what we are using, but next year we will probably move on to IEW, which is DVD led. I plan to get her going at the high school level next year.
Credits already earned for high school:
1 credit - Spanish 1
1 credit - Algebra 1
2 credits total
Credits to earn this year for high school:
1 credit - Spanish 2
1 credit - Algebra 2
1 credit - Astronomy
5 credits total
There are a lot of discrepancies when it comes to what is required for graduation, but basically, the Alabama requirements look like this:
4 English
4 Math (Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, plus one more)
4 Science (Biology, a physical science (Chemistry, Physics), plus two more)
4 History (US History 1, US History 2, World History, US Govt (1/2 credit), Economics (1/2 credit))
1 PE
1/2 Health
1 Career Preparedness
3 Career, Foreign Language, or Art
2.5 Electives
24 Total
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