When I got home, I took it off while I worked on school and did the laundry. I got to sit for most of the afternoon because the kids went off to sled at N and C's house. They have a super big backyard with a huge hill so they sledded there. I had to call them home at 5. They didn't sled the whole time. It was strange to have them out of the house for so long. The house was very quiet.
I did get a lot of work finished though. I am changing our schooling for 2013. I am just not motivated to do COVA anymore. I don't feel like it is benefiting the kids, we are tied to them and can't seem to go off on our own interests. The girls really dislike school and I think COVA and the curriculum is partly to blame. The other part goes on me because I can't seem to make it interesting for them.
Just asking the kids how they wanted to change school was eye opening. Cairn said she wanted to play more games and she knew how to adjust the games for everyone to play together. A great idea because I love games, we have many many games and educational games are everywhere and just regular games can be made more educational. For example, we have Pay Day.
Cairn also loves to play Speed (the game my friend in Germany made). Skylar has learned how to count by two's so now it is time to add in Speed for her to learn how to skip count other numbers. We will try it on Andrew and see what happens.
Skylar suggested more science experiments and reading aloud. Both things I can do fairly easily. I have a membership at The Happy Scientist to help us with our science experiments and don't forget I have Magic School Bus subscription for this year.
We will be doing COVA math and art for the girls. I have a lifetime membership to Always Ice Cream and Clever Dragons These sites will help the kids with a whole variety of things but I plan to have the kids learning typing here, playing Spanish games, practicing states and capitals and other games as they become available. I have a book called English from the Roots Up that we will be using for spelling and vocabulary. I already have lots of curriculum pieces and units that I have purchased through Curr Click. Plus we have Girl Scouts and 4H plus all the things that our homeschool group does plus...plus....too many things to list.
I feel excited again and I know that rubs off on the kids.
I think part-time for us will work until COVA dissolves. I don't see COVA lasting very long, so really I just have to figure out what to do with Hannah. Grace will be able to go to Insight in 7th grade, so after next year she can switch. I just like the fact that I have a guide to work against, but still it takes time to take a lesson and not use it the way it is handed out.
ReplyDeleteBethany loves the idea of next year, a laptop and no books (other than reading), HS lessons are so much easier, you read the lesson, do the work, take the test and I don't really have to change anything (although we still do extra work or more hands-on stuff if it's needed.) The only problem is making sure there is enough computer time put into the course (that's how they count attendance.) Although with Joel, since he had A's in everything, they let him slide when his on-line attendance wasn't long enough.