Day 126 - Restart

I always have a hard time getting restarted. We finished a bunch of projects before spring break so this week brought all new things. We outlined a new project that Ben has been interested in related to Siamese Fighting Fish. I was reviewing a new book today that I think will be a good project with some nice side trip/connections. I will feel better about things after we establish some momentum.

Today:

• Worked on Math 7-7 Problems
• Outlined Betta Fish Project
• Worked on Invisible Boy book report
• OSU for Flute Lesson

Day 125 - 10 Weeks

Ben and I started the first day back from Spring Break by putting together a calendar to get us to the end of the year. 10 weeks. 48 days of school. I am anxious for it to be a good quarter.

Today

• Put together calendar for next 210 weeks.
• Review list of topics and set some target dates.
• Discuss possible topics for non fiction books.
• Math 7-8 (Simple & Compound Interest)
• Baked two pies.
• Review project list.

Day 124 - Spring Break Starts

No Comment. Left for WI at 2pm

Day 123 - Meeting

We had a meeting today at the school Ben would attend next year. Our goal has always been to homeschool through Middle School and then get him back into school in High School. We recognize that this could represent a rather abrupt and difficult transition. We began the process today that would end in a IEP (Individual Education Plan). It is not clear to me how this will play out but I felt good about the people that we met with.

Today

• Closed the book on the Australia Powerpoint
• Worked toward completion of the Applewhite Metamopheisi Document
• Worked on Math 7-7 (compount interest). Difficult. Will redo tomorrow.
• Baked some cookies (Cooking Friday a day early).
• Dealt with a case of Ick in the fish tank with a trip to the fish store and a water change.

Day 122 - Closing

Ben and I are good idea generaters but we often struggle to bring projects to a close. I recognize that this is more my problem then his. We have a couple of projects to close out before the break starts on Friday. I am not feeling like we are ending either on a satisfying note.

On the plus side it was a beautiful day here and we enjoyed some extra time outside. Fresh air is good for the soul.

Today

• Worked on Applewhites Pupae page. It has been fristrating for both of us.
• Finished Australia Powerpoint. Not great but good enough.
• REviewed Math 7-6 which Ben needed some extra time on
• Decided to make some cookies for me to take to WI friday.
• Had a frustrating time with some Flash Action Script today.

Day 121 - New Lesson

Ben had his first flute lesson with a new teacher today. She is a graduate student at Ohio State and he will have his lesson there every other week. Today was one of the nicest days of the year and the students were out taking it all in. It is also finals week so kids are getting ready to be gone for a while. It felt great to be there. Ben and I need to get out more.

Today

• spelling test
• Math 7-6
• Applewhites Metamorphosis - Pupae stage
• Final Review of Australia Powerpoint
• Quick Library trip
• Downtown for Flute Lesson

Day 119 & 120 - In the Mail

(Forgot to add note on Friday - 119)
Ben and I finally got the February Issue of the newsletter in the mail today. It is four weeks late. The tardiness does not reflect that we have not been working on it. Instead, the Music theme proved difficult to capture in a meaningful way on paper. The final result, which includes a web component, was worth the effort.

Today

• Mostly focused on getting newsletter out
• Math 7-5
• Final Australia Powerpoint Edit
• Applewhite Carachert Study part 1 - Caterpillar's, complete.
• Flash Tutorial.

Day 118 - Inspired

Ben and I have been working at learning Adobe Flash. He has enjoyed it but has not jumped in. Today we learned a technique that turned a lightbulb on for him. He immediately went to work and extended it in a number of ways. He is looking forward to learning more.

I wish we had more of those moments.

Today

• Baked a pie for the neighbors (moving next week)
• Worked on Applewhite Character study. Made Progress (breakthrough)
• Edit of the Australia Power Point.
• Math 7-4
• Flash Animation Tutorial.

Day 117 - Daily Set

Each morning Ben and I do a online puzzle called the Daily Set. It is easily learned. 12 figures are presented and you have to form six sets that conform to a set of rules. Ben beats me every day. The pattern is similar:
- He gets out to a fast start (finding 2 sets before I find one)
- I catch up and we both have 5 sets
- He finds the last one before me. (Usually long before me.)

It routinely takes him about 2 minutes and me about 3.

Ben's mind loves patterns and one step problems. If he does not get frustrated (and is interested) he is a very good problem solver - always employing an interesting approach.

Today:

• Applewhite Character Study
• Considerable time getting the newsletter together (new graphics, editing, CD Label design)
• Math 7-4
• Gym Class this afternoon.

Day 116 - Character Study

We recently finished reading our group book (Surviving the Applewhites) and are working on a concluding project. Initially Ben wanted to draw a 'before and after' picture of two characters that changed significantly in the book. It seemed like a good idea - but I have nothing to offer in the mechanics of drawing and Ben was having a difficult time getting going. I decided to take the comparison and make it a written character study. Yesterday Ben mades some notes on the Physical and Emotional changes the characters had undegone. We discussed it a little more this morning and then I had him write the draft for one of the characters. He had a very difficult time translating the ideas into a narrative. Once he is frustrated it is difficult to move ahead. I am not filled with strategies to help.

Today:

• Started Draft of Applewhite character study. Very difficult for Ben.
• Continued with Vocabulary.
• Math Chapter 7-3
• Finished Australia Powerpoint Draft
• Made a poster of flute finger positions.
• Flash tutorial - worked on making a ball bounce.

Day 115 - Flash of Inspiration

Ben and I have had the Adobe Suite of tools (Photoshop, Fireworks, Flash, Dreamweaver, other) for a while now. We use Fireworks as a graphics editor and have toyed with Dreamweaver but not done anything sugnificant with it. Last week we started with a video Flash training program. Both Ben and I are good idea people. Moving those ideas to implementation is not easy for either one of us. Of course he has a better excuse. We will focus on producing something with Flash this week.

Today:

• Staretd Vocab 14
• Worked on Newsletter. Good Progress. In Mail on Friday
• Finalizing Australia Powerpoint
• Math 7-2
• Applewhite Character Study started
• Continued with Flash Tutorial

Day 114 - No Update

Day 113 - Breakthrough?

As I wrote a couple of days ago, Ben and I have been struggling with the February (now March) newsletter. Writing about music is not easy. I thought Ben's first draft was quite uninspired. The second was not much of an improvement. I was tempted to scrap the theme and do something else. We got a little energy yesterday. Ben was engaged in the editing process. He produced a very nice article by this morning. We have a couple of ideas for finishing it up. I think it will be quite good.

Today

• Edited Main newsletter article and moved ahead on the rest.
• Finished a couple of old brain teasers.
• Spent 30 minutes on his Australia Powerpoint
• We tried to figure out how to move ahead on the Applewhite picture project.
• Started Chapter 7 in Math
• Watched more of the Flash Tutorial.
• Went and got a Loach for the Aquarium.
• Choose an old neighbor as the letter recipient.
• Choose Potato Candy for our Friday Cooking.

Day 111 - Now and Then

I have forgotten how Ben and I got on the topic yesterday but it ended with us deciding to write a 'Now and Then' list. This is a list of behaviors that we are not happy with. The list includes the behavior, how we react to it now, and how we would like to react to it. The goal being to think about how we can get from where were are to where we want to be. I agreed to make a list of my own.

Today:

• Significant progress on the newsletter
• Australia Powerpoint
• Continued with Vocab 13
• Worked on finalizing the cost of bread problem.
• Gym Class this afternoon.

Day 110 - Wrong Media

Ben and I have been having a hard time moving ahead on our February (now March) newsletter. I could not figure out the problem until we were discussing it today. It is our 'Music Issue". I am guessing that the problem is obvious. How do you adequately cover an aural topic on paper. His main article is not very interesting so I am trying to get him to connect it better to who he is and how he thinks.

Today:

• Began work on the Australia Power point
• Took the Chapter 6 standardized test. Errors were do to sloppy work.
• Worked on the newsletter plan
• Began a drawing project for the applewhites
• Continued Vob 13 work.
• Decided to work on learning Flash and watch a little of a tutorial.

Day 109 - Not Interested

Ben and I had another episode getting frustrated with something and deciding he did not want to work on it because it had not been his idea in the first place. This is a pattern with him and I am at loss as to how to help him engage in difficult work.

Today:

• Math 6 Test ( 78% )
• Worked of cost of loaf problem
• Got a card ready for Ms. Suzanne
• Began Vocab 13
• Discussed how to proceed with newsletter. Will decide tomorrow.
• Discussed other projects he is interested in. With choose something this week.
• Outlined Australia Powerpoint.

Days 106,7,8 - No Update

Failed to Update