Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Teaching Tuesdays

I don't have any fun pictures to post but I did want to make mention of one monumental accomplishment.  Just yesterday we got through all of the days lessons for both boys before lunch.  That is huge.  For real.  I'm not dwelling on the fact that both boys had simple review lessons, a quiz and a test . . .we still got it all done in the morning.  The rest of the week may be a different story but hey, I'll take what I can get HA!

We are having fun with some other things related to school.

1) The Library is a huge hit.  "Little's University" is a great break for the boys where they get to listen to a story, do a craft, play on computers, and pick out books.  I have to say that this time is my favorite time because it is relaxed and involves all of us together.

2)  Josh has had quite a few live lessons and he loves them.  Live Lessons are lessons taught by his on-line teacher where he is part of a "classroom".  We watch them Live and Josh is able to participate by asking or answering questions and taking part in group activities.  Nate is anxiously awaiting when his Live Lessons will start too! 

3) Gymnastics and Tao Kwan Do are going well.  The boys surprise me with how much they remember from each of the classes.  The good thing is that between these two activities each week, they both meet their 90 minutes of exercise a week requirement for PE.  Don't get me wrong, they are also outside playing, going for bike rides and do other activities but having those specific things to track makes my "job" easier :-)

And there are some things I'm still learning, changing, and figuring out how to make work:

1) I am figuring out when and where to take short cuts in lessons.  Don't take that wrong - I'm just figuring out things like, Art, for example - we don't have to make every suggested craft/art piece each week.  I'd go broke buying the supplies.  Instead, the boys love to just create so we do the lesson and then later while they are being crafty, I'll point out things that go along with their lessons. 

2) I'm still trying to find time to work on AWANA verses.  We used to do that as the very first lesson previously but now with Live Lessons that start at 9:00 three days a week, I'm finding it hard to fit in that extra item. 

3) As anxious as Nate is for his Live Lessons to start, I'm anxious for a different reason - his teacher has mentioned that he will have Live Lessons every day plus reading group and a writing lesson.  This could mean that both boys are on a computer at the same time and both will need lots of help  I'm hoping that Nate's lessons are at a different time but . . .then I'm kinda hoping they aren't.  At least if both boys are on the computers at the same time, we can move on to lessons as soon as they are done!

I'm hopeful that as we move into October that our routine will get better and easier to follow.  I have not thrown out this whole on-line school idea (yet HA) and surprised myself today when I actually had the fleeting thought of, "I can see how this could work when they are older".