This week started out rough, but ended up productive.
Since winter break, Cpt. Science has been completely unwilling to do any work. Along with that, he’s been Bad Attitude Boy, smart mouthing and back talking and arguing. Things finally came to a head on Tuesday, when he pitched a shrieking, stomping tantrum at the park. Well, I don’t tolerate a tantrum from a nine year old, so we implemented what I like to call prison-style homeschooling: confinement to the house, most basic of subjects only (math, language arts, history), and lots of running if work isn’t completed or if there’s any back talk or rudeness. Captain Science ran an awful lot on Tuesday. He also missed out on science lab and wasn’t allowed to play with friends, visit Nana, or leave the house for anything but running.
Miraculously, he woke up on Wednesday, had a morning run, and was downright chipper. Not only did he finish his work in a timely manner, he did it with a glad heart, and the work was top notch! At the least sign of the return of the bad attitude, he was sent out to run four laps up and down the street. Each time, he came in with an even better attitude and work ethic. By today, he was zooming through his subjects with enthusiasm and determination, turning in top-notch work and using his best manners. He was rewarded with a short trip over to Nana’s house to play with his friends there, something he hasn’t been able to do during our week of prison-style homeschooling.
During three days of near-perfect homeschooling, Captain Science read about the fall of Rome and wrote a lovely essay about that, then made a great joke about part of Rome being attacked by birds, and becoming Turkey. He passed the bridge to chapter 15 in Life of Fred: Decimals and Percents in two tries, missing only two on the first try (most likely due to misreading his own handwriting in the middle of a problem) and only one on the second try (due to misreading “0″ as “6″ in the middle of a problem — time to work on handwriting again!). He read several chapters in Science: The Definitive Visual Guide, which we discussed. He did the last chapter in Vocabulary from Classical Roots that he will be doing, then passed the test on the previous four chapters. He also finished several sections in Writing Strands 3.
Next week, we toss Writing Strands, Vocabulary from Classical Roots, and Editor in Chief A1 in favor of the Michael Clay Thompson Town-level language arts curriculum. I’m so excited, and so is Captain Science.
Mostly, though, I’m excited that we’re finally back on track again!
I’m sold. I need some prison-style homeschooling around here!
Hubby was laughing his butt off at this post. He wishes he could do prison-style public schooling.
Prison-style public schooling is called juvenile detention.
They don’t do juvenile detention at his school. It might harm their emotional stability. They get a slap on the wrist & get sent back to class. Welcome to California.
Running – nice. I just might try that next week. My 9yo is getting moody – again. Glad that you are finally seeing a turn around in his attitude.
Can I ask why you chose the Town level instead of the Island level? I looked at the MCT stuff last summer but couldn’t decide on a level.
I chose Town because it was listed as being for grades 4, 5 (in other words, advanced 4 or on-level 5th). Captain Science is very gifted in the area of language arts, so I thought Town seemed to be the appropriate level to start him.
LOVE the “prison-style” homeschooling idea, I may have to borrow that!
It’s all about lockdown, work, meals, and yard time.
oh, man another MCT convert! I may have to jump on that boat next year.
Prison-style homeschooling! Love it!