Day 105 - Homework List

I have tried many ways to get Ben a homework list that makes the 'I Forgot' response totally indefensible.

Today I began writing the list on a small (8 X 12) White board that is leaning against his computer monitor. How will he explain missing that?

Today:

• Discuss plans for last music lesson with current teacher
• Australia Diary Entry 5 edit.
  
• Newsletter Draft edit
• Examined 'What makes a fish a fish'
• Math 6-7
• Hair Cut
• Stop at Library for new independent reading book.
  

Day 104 - Music Memories

The theme for our next newsletter is Music. Today Ben and I talked about music memories - songs that trigger memories of specific events or periods in time. Ben brought up a song that caused me to flashback to when we were living in Massecusetts and Ben's sister and brother attended a local daycare/kindergarten/hippy school. (Ben was too young.) It was a nice memory and I dropped them a quick note while listening to the CD on iTunes.

Today:

• Reveiwed Weekend homework. Not Pretty
• Math 6-6
• Final Australia Diary Entry Draft
• Newsletter Status
• Vocab Review

Day 103 - Cooking

I asked Ben the other morning as we walked if there was anything we were doing that he really liked. He responded that he enjoyed our Friday cooking the most of all. Today we made some candies from a book we picked up at the library earlier in the week. They are quite tasty.

Today:

• Cooked two kids on candy
• Wrote a letter to his uncle
• Added an entry to the Applewhites blog
• Reviewed Math Homework
• Took a mid-chapter math quiz (91%)
• Edited Australia Entry
• Reviewed vocabulary words.

102 - Daily Log

Though evolving, that daily list that Ben and I are working from is working well of us. He enjoys the puzzles on the back of the page. The front is a guide to what we are working on that day and helps us to keep on track. I end up making most of the notes on it but that is ok.

Today:

• Reviewed yesterdays Math work (6-4)
• Chose book report and set deadline
• Shopping list for tomorrows candy making
• Chose Rod and Letter recipient
• Searched for Albino Tetra Classification
• Discussed studying Ohio History
• Finished Australia Entry 4
• Math 6-5
• Read Applewhites

Day 101 - Evolving

We are using the Fish tank as an entry point for some science topics. Today we were discussing classification. I was feeling under water. He does not have the background knowledge (cellular biology) to appreciate fully how choices are made. We should have started with Darwin. I am not sure how to dig my way out of this.

Today:

• Outline next newsletter
• Math 6-4
• Added a Applewhiotes blog entry
• Had a spelling test and began three chapter review.
  
• Discussed classification
• Discussed early Ohio history (BCE)
• Daily puzzles, et al.
  

Days 99 & 100: Telling

There is something telling in the fact that I forgot to make and entry on the 99th day of school (Friday). Of course I have no idea what that would be.

The bottomline on day 100 remains about the same - I wish I felt like I was doing better and hope that the costs to Ben have been less then the benefits.

Today included:

• Math Review - Ben needed to finish homework. Ongoing discussion regarding checking his answers. I do not seem to be able to make a connection on this.
• Read Applewhites at Cofee shop
• Went to library for Ohio history books.
• Reviewed status of Australia project and worked current diary entry.
• Various daily puzzles.
• Review of week ahead.

Day 98 - Not connecting

Yesterday Ben and I had a problem because he did not check the answers for his math in the back of the book. I thought I could make it easier by copying the answer page so he did not have to flip back to it. When I looked at his math last night I realized he had not checked his answers again!

I am not connecting with something here but I cannot figure out what it is.

I added another twist today. He must highlight the answer on the answer page to show me that he actually saw it.

Today:

• Edited australia diary based on Kris' feedback. (Similar to min but he choose to ignore a fair portion of mine.
• Relooked at Math 6-2 and did mixed review.
• Began talking about classification in reference to the fish tank.
• Read Chapters 19& 20 of Applewhites and gave a blog response.
• Journal, Daily Set, Independent Reading.
• Note: New Daily page seems to be working well.

Day 97 - Daily Log

I began givng Ben a daily sheet today. (I have done other variations in the past but did not feel they were helpful.) The front of the page list work for the day and other considerations. The back of the page is a couple of Brain Teasers. The front has sections like: "Are you thinking about:", "Don't Forget", or "Things we must finish today". I am hopeful that the creation of the page will help me better organize the day ahead.

Today

• Got his Australia Journal up to day. Hopefully will finish another entry this week.
• Got some Valentines out.
• Worked on Math 6-2 (Proportions)
• Gym Class This afternoon.
  

Day 96 - Lousy Start

Our day got off to a lousy start today. I graded Ben's math homework and found that he had a number of answers wrong or in the wrong format.

"Did you check your answers with the back of the book?"
"I forgot."
He forgot despite the fact that I remind him to do so everytime I give him homework and is said "Check Your Answers" on the page he was doing on the work on.

Perplexed would be the kindest way to describe how I was feeling.

Today:

• We spent most of the morning getting the Fish Tank running. It required one trip to the fish store. It turned out very well. We need to do some studying before adding fish.
• Checked out two new games - "Set" and "Ken Ken". We enjoyed both of them very much. Good brain excercise.
• Worked on revisions to Australia Diary entries based on feeback from Kris.
• Other daily routine: Journal, Reading, etc.

Day 95 - Nonyo Beezwax

I put a couple ot SAT math questions of Ben's daily work page. He solved one of them exponentially faster then I did. We also worked on a rather complex logic puzzle. It took our combined effort to answer it. (We were equal contributers.) He submitted the answer to the website I got it from. The response form asked for his name. He put "Nonyo Beezwax". My chuckle for the day.

Today:

• Reviewed the tasks for the week ahead.
• Detailed what we needed for the Aquarium.
• Wrote a thank you note.
• Practiced the Flute and worked on a composition for his teacher.
• Worked on his 4th Australia Diary Entry
• Introduced this weeks vocabulary words.
• Read two chapters in Applewhites
• Started Chapter 6 in Math.

Day 94 - Sweet

For our usual Friday cooking, Ben and I made some Marshmallows today. Just to make sure they were sweet enough we dipped some of them in chocolate. It was a fun way to end the week.

I began giving Ben a page of brain teasers today. He loves 'puzzles' and I will give him 3 or 4 daily. (I have been giving him some weekly math problems from a single source. I am gathering these from a variety of places and getting better diversity.)

Today:

• Cooking - Marshmallows and Sour Cherry Brown Betty
• Spelling Test including writing a story using 5 of the words. Ben chose to use 10 in his story and used them properly.
• Chapters 13-15 of Applewhite. He is enjoying the book and is not missing important plot elements.
• Getting ready for some office reorganization.
• Daily brain teasers, Journal

Day 93 - Aquarium

Ben and I are going to be getting our Aquarium operating again. I will use it as the conversation starter for the science topics we will cover in the weeks ahead. Out topics will include:

- classification (what makes it a fish?)
- biome/ecosystems
- microscopic life
- photosynthesis
- working towards genetics

Ben is looking forward to getting some Loaches.

Today

• Worked on his Australia diary entry regarding the Great Barrier reef. This included a discussion of the characteristics of the different Australian states.
• Reviewed Weekly Vocab in advance of tomorrows test.
• Worked a some daily brain teasers
• Discussed our Aquarium Project
• Made a trip to the Library to return some items and get cookbooks.
• Did Applewhite reading at Caribu. (Also Diary)
• Practiced Flute

Day 92 - Joy

I have been reading “Letters to a Young Teacher” by Jonathan Kozol. Today I was reading a chapter about ‘fun’ not being considered an essential element of modern education. That certainly hit home with me. Ben has a naturally joyous side to his personality but I do not sense any passion or excitement in the work we are doing. The problem is that when trying to keep the boat floating is hard to think about charting a new chart.

Today:

• Worked on Australia Diary Entry (more research needed).
• Worked on some Math Problem solving techniques (he has some very good natural problem solving abilities.)
• Reviewed current Vocab.
• Discussed Plans for Aquarium and accompanying Office reorg.
• Gym Class.
• Journal & Independent Reading.

Day 91 - Unclear

Ben is working on a multi-part writing project about Australia. We have frequently discussed that each piece has two naratives. One is about a virtual trip to Australia. The second is general information about Australia. We spoke a number of times about how to weave these things together. We outlined how each entry could address a different Australia topic.

He worked on the draft of a piece yesterday. I told him I would read it today and give him some general editing suggestions before he mailed it on to Kris (she works with him on writing). When I read the draft there was no general Australia information at all.

Was I not clear? Was it too complicated for him to process so he skipped it? Did he simply not want to? I do not feel much closer to figuring him out.

Days 89 & 90

We had two weather days last week. Yes, a snow day for home schooling is ridiculous but when there are two other kids in the house that are home from the public school it is hard to get anything done so we do not try. We were back to school Friday but it was a rather 'stupid' day. We had no enthusiasm and it showed.

Today we began what promises to be an actual 5 day week. We were busy, I hesitate to stay productive. Today's unanswerable question was whether I am offering Ben anything fundamentally different then what he would get in 'real school'. I wish I could give a definitive YES to that.