Insert clever title here

Thinking up a title is a hard part of this for me- doesn't saying, "Daily Report" or similar get redundant? Isn't blogging daily what we did redundant?
I don't know.
I'm also evaluating what I blog about here, whether I want to keep it so narrow as to mostly be a narrative of what we accomplish- or don't, or whether I want to talk about other things as well. Probably still homeschool-related, or at least child-related.
I also don't know.

Anyway. Today we read another chapter of Charlotte's Web. Sweet Pea requested that when we finish this, we start Little House on Rocky Ridge, and I think that's a great plan. This tandem outloud reading has mostly taken the place of regular phonics.
Sweet Pea did the day's page in Writing with Ease- I'm really, really looking forward to when this is done and we can try something else for Language Arts.
She did exercises 1-6 of Unit 2: Number Bonds in Primary Mathematics. I think she could have done the last exercise as well, but I left it for tomorrow so we could get outside to play. Taking the extra time to practice the number bonds really paid off- she did the pages easily and confidently and I feel good about us moving forward.

Math

I think that we have the number bonds from 1-10 down. Singapore also calls it factoring- it's basically just breaking numbers down into their parts. It's one of the early lessons in Primary Mathematics 1a, and you aren't meant to move on until it's firm according to the Home Instructor's Guide. We've used the Cuisenaire rods and some pages I made, and then we'll go through and use the workbook pages.
Yay, Sweet Pea!

Back to the regularly scheduled program... mostly

This week we have reintroduced math and copywork/handwriting. It's nice to be adding things back in- for all of us!
We've kept up with phonics and free reading- and I'm eagerly beginning to anticipate when we are done with phonics and only working on spelling. Soon enough!

Sweet Pea has really been enjoying the Star Wars leveled readers from DK and I took today copywork from that.



We're working on number bonds in Singapore and I suspect that we may linger here a little longer then the week that the chapter is budgeted for. I'm completely OK with that, though- and so glad to have the instructor's guide to talk me through that. Primary Mathematics wants you to have all of the number bonds for the numbers 1-10 down before moving on.


I hope to have spelling back by next week and move on to a new science chapter- right now we've just been reviewing.

Baby!!!

No, this blog isn't defunct, despite that appearance. I just had a baby! Baby Moose (not his real name) was born Monday at home, weighing in at nine pounds, even. We're both doing well.

In the meantime my mother is here to help- and a huge help she's been! We've been doing what I'll call Grammy-school.

Sweet Pea has learned: how to wash dishes in the sink, how to load and unload a dishwasher, how to make coffee, how to make sandwiches, as well as doing some phonics.

Little Bird has learned: how to fold towels and wash clothes, put away cloth diapers, and had lots and lots of snuggle time with Grammy reading to her.

This upcoming week we'll reintroduce math- Sweet Pea has been asking for it. I think we'll also add some copywork because I don't want to let handwriting go too long. Sweet Pea has been keeping up on her reading, and is coming along really well with her stamina and is really starting to love curling up with a book.

Lenten beginnings

Yesterday marked the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday. We went to the evening service where we shared a meal and then had the imposition of ashes- something that Sweet Pea liked and Little Bird was very unsure of.
Today we began setting up some of our Lent stuff- we have the cross for going over the six Sundays of Lent on our table now- although it still needs a purple ribbon tied around the middle.

We also got a Resurrection set- it's out right now so we can see it, even though it's unseasonable. I'd debating putting it away until Easter or covering it with a purple cloth- we'll see.


Also pictured, although it's not specifically Lenten, is our devotional line up. One top are two of Luther's Small Catechism, then a Bible, then Luther's Family Devotions, a copy of the Lutheran Service Book, and then the new Treasury of Daily Prayer.


School is continuing as normal, too. We started Singapore's Primary 1A this week- I am really, really glad that I got the Home Instructor's Guide. The first lesson was just numbers 1-10- and me cutting out about a million flash cards- but I think we'll enjoy this as much or more then we did Earlybird Mathematics.

Also completed now is Cursive First. It's important to note that it's our second time through, and I believe our last. We'll keep it around for Little bird when she's ready, and for review as needed for Sweet Pea, but it's a great feeling to be finished with handwriting instruction for now! Yay, Sweet Pea!

We're one week in on the great seed project, but so far none have popped a seedling above the surface yet. Still anxiously waiting!

Otherwise, all is good.

Why I am not a fan of Reform Mathematics

I could have titled this a lot of different things, but that's succinct and polite. Two personal goals, met!
By Reform Math I refer specifically to the idea of math instruction that came from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in 1989. These standards were revised in 2000. The emphasis in this new mathematical conceptual thinking and problem solving instead of the arithmetic most of us were taught in schools with algorithms for problem solving and an emphasis on memorization and solid knowledge of math facts.
Now, this doesn't sound bad yet. Conceptual thinking? Problem solving? Who doesn't want their child to think beyond just 1+1 and into the concept? Problem solving is important in all subjects! America has lagged behind other nations for a while mathematically- so maybe this is what we need! The idea of moving students past the need to always solve problems in one, regimented way sounds like a decent plan of attack on moving scores and comprehension forward.
So what's my problem? Other then being a subversive homeschooler? First- watch this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr1qee-bTZI It's a little long, but it works through actual examples from teacher's manuals from two of the most popular reform math programs being used by schools- Everyday Mathematics and Investigations in Numbers, Data, and Space or TERC Investigations.
Personally, I am strongly opposed to the early and frequent use of calculators in the early years of arithmetic. I am in favor of drilling until math facts are solid. I also find the new ways of solving multiplication and division featured to be cumbersome, confusing, and something that I don't care to teach my children.
I know that there are some strong proponents of the new math, and that these programs have fans who have achieved a personal level of education in the fields of education and mathematics far exceeding any claims of my own. I'm not here to besmirch the people involved in the creation of these ideas or programs- just to say that for me and my family, and a lot of other people that I've talked to about this, it's not a good fit.
I'm also interested in the long term track record of these ideas- how will kids stack up once they reach university level? How will they be in the job market, the workplace, at home with their finances?
Anyone else with any opinions about reformed math?

Planting

We've been talking about plants and seeds in science, and the perfect way to really learn about that at the ages of my children (or any age, in my opinion) is by planting seeds. Today we planted tomatoes, cucumbers, and snap peas. Since our weather is still cold, we did it inside on my kitchen floor. Both girls had a lot of fun digging around in the dirt, comparing seed sizes, and then planting and watering.


I'll have Sweet Pea draw pictures of her plants' progress once there is something to show.