Hard to believe Spring Break has come and gone at home and we are over 10 months into our journey. As usual, time flies. We started in Croatia, spent a lot of time exploring the area, making our way up to Slovenia and hopped a ferry to Venice. Then back south through the Dalmatian Coast, to Montenegro, then Greece, then Turkey, then Cyprus, and then Israel to hide out the winter. Now we have crossed back to Turkey and we’re making our way (rather catapulting our way) westward through Greece to find a good spot and time to leap off for Italy. (I wrote this a while ago...now we're in Italy and have been to Malta too).
So what is school like now that we’ve been in the routine for several months (we started August 1st)? From my perspective, I am for the most part really enjoying it. It gives me something to sink my teeth into and for what better purpose than to educate my children? We have the textbooks but it’s also fun to come up with creative ways to supplement them – like movies, crosswords, real life math equations created from things like fuel consumption and distances travelled, books we read aloud together and then do book reports (Glass Castle just finished and The Catcher in the Rye is next).
Once we’re through the basics from the texts I’ll have more fun finding ways to review the subjects every week or two so they don’t lose it all before next year.
I expect we’ll be “done” the Required Learning Outcomes to the best of my ability by end of May. Ross will be finished the SS text within a week or so, Science we’re on track, Math we’re ahead, LA will be ongoing (less specific Learning Outcomes for LA) and Spanish for him will also be ongoing as we’ll be in Spain for about 6 weeks in June/July for some practical application!
Jessie used to struggle with Math and now she says it’s one of her favourite subjects, we’re about 4 weeks away from completing her Science textbook and LA and French are ongoing. For languages we’re using Instant Immersion French and Spanish (a CD collection) for the most part – the hardest subjects for me to be actively involved in.
Having said that, we’ve learned to say hello, yes, no, thank you, please and a few other short polite phrases in Croatian, Greek, Turkish and Hebrew…unfortunately I personally get them mixed up and have to remind myself which country we’re in and what phrases to use!
Jessie is “living” much of her SS with Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt on the subject list. She’s connected with Ms. Wilson and the Grade 7’s back home and has been able to Skype through to the classroom and sent a PowerPoint presentation on the ancient city of Delphi. She’s working on one for Ancient Egypt right now and Ms. Wilson has said she will be able to Skype in again after Spring Break. Jessie has been on cloud 9 since she was able to re-connect with her classmates. Thank you Ms. Wilson!
I tried to assign a “teamwork” assignment early on the trip, which didn’t end well. They both received good marks for content but each received an F for the teamwork aspect. Hmmmmm…maybe we’re ready to try again.
You might wonder how I grade the kids’ work. They do chapter quizzes, unit tests, oral language tests, LA assignments, presentations (to the whole crew), and book reports. I try to get creative and so for example, for Ross’ quiz on Napoleon, he had to be Napoleon and I interviewed him. I think one of the greatest advantages for teaching and learning is that with one on one I can adjust the teaching and testing modes to suit their learning styles. Ross doesn’t like a lot of writing so where I can I have him to oral testing and presenting. Ross prefers independent work for the most part and Jessie likes a lot of one-on-one (is that a surprise to anyone?!?). So I can accommodate both and I hope they will learn better and faster and retain more.
Matt says teaching would have been a good career for me…maybe. I do love it. But then again, when it’s your own kids you have a vested interest…and it’s only for 1 year so it’s new and interesting.
So…what do the kids think of school now that we’re this far into it? Let’s ask!
Ross
Let’s see what do I think of school….in some ways its better than home, in some ways its worse. Granted here I get a lot more time off but mom makes me do everything in the text book. I don’t enjoy it but I don’t resent it ether. With spring coming on it will be harder and harder to be cooped up inside the boat doing school. I am almost finished socials so I should have more free time.
Jessie
School…………………um school……………..well I think that…no that’s not right…ok ok ok no more stalling.
School is OK and yes JUST OK. I know we only have 2 hours of school a day and no home work but having no friends and the socialness of school back in Canada makes it kinda suck. And having to wake up at 9:30 in the morning seems like the best thing you ever heard of but trust me it’s not, I could lie and say that it is awesome and say what you and my parents would like to hear but I am not going to. It can be fun but it tends to be a lot easier to yell and to protest to your teacher if it’s your mom. And having to be in the same room as your sibling all of the time is a nightmare, but most of the time school is nice and easy and just to prove it to you that we have the bad days too here are my behavioural scores:
A D A A A B+ A B B+ C+ A A F A A B A B A A B C+ B+
So what is school like now that we’ve been in the routine for several months (we started August 1st)? From my perspective, I am for the most part really enjoying it. It gives me something to sink my teeth into and for what better purpose than to educate my children? We have the textbooks but it’s also fun to come up with creative ways to supplement them – like movies, crosswords, real life math equations created from things like fuel consumption and distances travelled, books we read aloud together and then do book reports (Glass Castle just finished and The Catcher in the Rye is next).
Once we’re through the basics from the texts I’ll have more fun finding ways to review the subjects every week or two so they don’t lose it all before next year.
I expect we’ll be “done” the Required Learning Outcomes to the best of my ability by end of May. Ross will be finished the SS text within a week or so, Science we’re on track, Math we’re ahead, LA will be ongoing (less specific Learning Outcomes for LA) and Spanish for him will also be ongoing as we’ll be in Spain for about 6 weeks in June/July for some practical application!
Jessie used to struggle with Math and now she says it’s one of her favourite subjects, we’re about 4 weeks away from completing her Science textbook and LA and French are ongoing. For languages we’re using Instant Immersion French and Spanish (a CD collection) for the most part – the hardest subjects for me to be actively involved in.
Having said that, we’ve learned to say hello, yes, no, thank you, please and a few other short polite phrases in Croatian, Greek, Turkish and Hebrew…unfortunately I personally get them mixed up and have to remind myself which country we’re in and what phrases to use!
I tried to assign a “teamwork” assignment early on the trip, which didn’t end well. They both received good marks for content but each received an F for the teamwork aspect. Hmmmmm…maybe we’re ready to try again.
You might wonder how I grade the kids’ work. They do chapter quizzes, unit tests, oral language tests, LA assignments, presentations (to the whole crew), and book reports. I try to get creative and so for example, for Ross’ quiz on Napoleon, he had to be Napoleon and I interviewed him. I think one of the greatest advantages for teaching and learning is that with one on one I can adjust the teaching and testing modes to suit their learning styles. Ross doesn’t like a lot of writing so where I can I have him to oral testing and presenting. Ross prefers independent work for the most part and Jessie likes a lot of one-on-one (is that a surprise to anyone?!?). So I can accommodate both and I hope they will learn better and faster and retain more.
Matt says teaching would have been a good career for me…maybe. I do love it. But then again, when it’s your own kids you have a vested interest…and it’s only for 1 year so it’s new and interesting.
So…what do the kids think of school now that we’re this far into it? Let’s ask!
Ross
Let’s see what do I think of school….in some ways its better than home, in some ways its worse. Granted here I get a lot more time off but mom makes me do everything in the text book. I don’t enjoy it but I don’t resent it ether. With spring coming on it will be harder and harder to be cooped up inside the boat doing school. I am almost finished socials so I should have more free time.
Jessie
School…………………um school……………..well I think that…no that’s not right…ok ok ok no more stalling.
School is OK and yes JUST OK. I know we only have 2 hours of school a day and no home work but having no friends and the socialness of school back in Canada makes it kinda suck. And having to wake up at 9:30 in the morning seems like the best thing you ever heard of but trust me it’s not, I could lie and say that it is awesome and say what you and my parents would like to hear but I am not going to. It can be fun but it tends to be a lot easier to yell and to protest to your teacher if it’s your mom. And having to be in the same room as your sibling all of the time is a nightmare, but most of the time school is nice and easy and just to prove it to you that we have the bad days too here are my behavioural scores:
A D A A A B+ A B B+ C+ A A F A A B A B A A B C+ B+
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