The week started out pretty terribly, but slowly improved, peaking with today’s work.
Math this week was…well, kind of a wash. Captain Science, despite having shown mastery in the individual skills in the preceding chapters, couldn’t manage to synthesize those skills well enough to pass the bridge. He did tries 2-5 of the bridge to chapter 20 in Life of Fred: Decimals and Percents, then the first try again, because he missed two or more problems each time. Earlier in the week, it was because he was trying to solve the problems using his “better way” of doing math. Today’s problem just seemed to be that he remembered how he worked the problems last week, and was just replicating that work from memory, rather than working through it fresh. Impressive memory, kid, but I think you’re missing the point!
Grammar, luckily, is going pretty well. We did have the bizarre stories before his completed story, but otherwise, he’s zipping along through his MCT. Today, he kick the butt of a great big lesson from Caesar’s English I and we’ll quiz on it on Monday. I need to get the poetry lessons broken down, with examples, but I haven’t managed to find the time for that yet, so I don’t think we’ll be doing any poetry today.
Creative writing wasn’t the best ever, as Cpt. Science lost last week’s work and had to redo it, but I’m happy with his makeup work. He’ll be doing this week’s assignment today, in order to be ready for next week, when two more students join us! Woohoo!
Piano is going splendidly. Captain Science has a great ear for music, but is also very good at sight reading already. He has learned the terminology quickly and is learning many new songs. He’ll have a formal recital in December, but between now and then, he’ll be learning more piano, some keyboard, even some arranging/composing!
Science is awesome. The brain unit that Patchfire is teaching is just SO COOL! Captain Science is enjoying it tremendously and is eager to work on it. We also ordered our Thames and Kosmos physics kit for the next unit, which is good, because our lack of the kit meant reading instead of lab on Thursday. Bad Smrt Mama.
My patience is a little short with Captain Science at the moment, because he’s really been goofing off and spazzing out this week, but I think we managed to invoke an adequate course correction for his shenanigans. Here’s hoping.
The Tank had a great week, at least. He made a musical instrument from a piece of Tupperware, some beads, bells, and buttons, and foam stickers. I also whipped up a double batch of pink salt dough to send in to school. He loves school so much that I do feel slightly guilty about not re-enrolling him next year. Not guilty enough to re-enroll him, though.
The find of the week was the National League of Junior Cotillions, which offers a wide array of etiquette classes for girls and boys. Patchfire and I are seriously considering enrolling our eldest children in the 5th grade program next year! We are so juneyaleeg.
We’ve had those kind of weeks too. It is always great to close on a high note. I’m glad you were able to.
Thanks for the support!
I love reading your weekly updates. Dealing with squirrely kids and STILL getting it done!
I have to confess that I have two great advantages: the Tank is gone three mornings a week and Officer Daddyman is home until 2pm most days, which makes it a lot easier to focus on Captain Science. Don’t know what I’ll do if Daddyman’s shift changes!
Love the contest and the fact that there are others that have real days and not just real perfect days.
Good to close the week in a happy place! It is much better than the other way- where it starts great and ends in a dismal disaster.
You certainly learn something every day. I had never heard of that whole cotillion business before. I am ashamed to reflect how I used to think that my children might manage to get through grade 1 without learning vital life skills such as dressing up in frocks and gloves and writing on their dance card the person to whom they have promised the next shag (NB that is a dance style, apparently).
I love that Captain Science is inventing new ways of doing math. My dd9 is stuck on trying to find a way to divide by zero. Isn’t amazing how musical tupperware is? I enjoyed your recap of the week.
He likes the Brain unit because you are all zombies. Yes, I’ve figured you out!!
I’ll admit it, I snerked.
My youngest just completed his first recital also. Been hearing so much about MCT. Sounds good. Great week!