Homeschooling Curriculum?

Do I get to count this as a home ec class?
Homeschooling or child labor? You decide!

Andrew's Song and Ryan's Art

People keep asking how the home-schooling has been going. Sporadic the last two weeks but totally fun and interesting.

Only at home can you take a lesson plan on Australian history and then move with it into rugby and that awesome New Zealand haka!

No, Anita, I refuse to believe I could ever feel any animosity towards South Africa. Although we will kick their butt in rugby. A very big "we" since I haven't even reached the country yet and have only seen enough rugby (mostly the New Zealand haka to be honest with you!) to know that I would prefer my boys to stick with soccer. Honestly, all I know is that the Germany flag is coming out for the WM in four years. I gotta have SOME loyalties, no matter how mixed up I am inside about who I am and where I come from!

And cricket. Don't even go there. The baseball equipment is already packed and ready to go!


Ryan and Andrew and I went into Tuebingen yesterday to check out the museum in the castle. It is only open on weekends and Wednesdays. Lesson one from homeschooling: check the schedule. Except that lesson two was better: forget the curriculim and do something better!

Poetry and songwriting at a breakfast cafe in Tuebingen. Polished up at the Tuebingen library. (Such a cultured bunch. I just had to show off!)

Andrew took his idea and ran with it. He had people laughing in the streets. LOL even.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9DWFfpb-4w

Ryan. Well. I think we went too fast for her. She shut down. I did write down her words. And maybe, just maybe, not everyone WANTS or NEEDS to be the center of attention. Hard to believe in any child of mine, but there you have it.

We compromised and this is the result. To be fair, she wanted to do a photo essay with it. (Shades of Karenne.) But the twins were coming home in half and hour and we were running out of time. I'd like to do the photoessay with her another time.
I think it's pretty clear that her interests and talents lie in the visual.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWq9KOPKYTI

We're generally having a blast though. A whole new world opens up when you throw away the rule book for a while!

Just Us! Life at the Connor's

I'm here. I'm here. And I am fine.

I have been scribbling away like crazy but haven't had the time to form a coherent sentence.

Or turn on the computer for that matter.

But since I promised some family updates, and haven't delivered...well, here goes.

The kids are great. Ryan is at riding camp this week. Where she shines. It is so nice to be able to drop a child off in the morning knowing she is somewhere that is actually good for her. (I would personally NOT be ABLE to send her to school next week. I just couldn't do it.)

The twins are in morning kindergarten again. Aidan got beat up by Luka yesterday and was afraid to go back this morning. They had to ice the back of his head where he fell so I am fairly certain he was not the aggressor and even more certain that he lost! But Matthew has been strutting around with his chest in the air telling everyone how he stepped in to protect his "Bruder." And Andrew offered to go in and have a "talk" with Luka as well. I told him that was probably more muscle than we needed for a four-year-old! Poor kid. Although I do like the Connor Bros sticking up for eachother.

The homeschooling is going really well. I'm learning more than I ever imagined about teaching and learning. As a bonus, the kids are learning something too.

We've been going easy on the math since I discovered an online review course I really like. (www.ixl.com since someone will ask!) It covers the basics of an American curriculum so that I know where the kids stand - predictably enough ahead in some fields and behind in others - and we can review what we need to before letting them practice on their own. (It also allows me to work out in the morning while they are on the computer! I'm telling you - the flexibility is AWESOME!)

English is a piece of cake. Since we can talk about piece and peace and other homophones all day. And learn about all the silly things English does with an 'e' at the end!

We read "Alexander and the No Good, Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Day" to learn about synonyms. (I do like to hit them over the head with it sometimes!) And remembered the book was about moving to Australia too!

Then we read whatever we like - or write a letter - and go over the funny things English does with words. I am proud to announce my kids now spell 'ov', of and 'vor', for. 'Where' WITH that silly silent 'e' - some of the time! And at least KNOW that to, too and two exist....although where and when isn't always clear.

These are German-schooled kids so they are just soaking up all the rules those of us brought up in English just took for granted. It's fun to see the leaps and bounds.

Moving is going well too. Wolfy is still the biggest issue. The family who was interested in taking him is now expecting twins. Honestly, if anyone is trying to conceive and having problems, I suggest they take our dog!

Aidan and Matthew "move" every afternoon. Carrying things around in bags or shoe boxes. So no, I don't think they are too stressed about the whole thing!

So that look - I've managed to fill up a blog with no crazy moral message or silliness, just a peak at what's going on in our lives.....

Home-Schooling

I'm not really complaining, more bragging really.

Because, see, I have a new problem, that's not really a problem, since I've already admitted that I'm bragging.

I came home from English group on Wednesday to find the kitchen table completely covered in cardboard boxes. Painted. To resemble barns.

Next I went to my desk. Only to find it covered in research material. On horses. Smack in the middle - on top of my latest work - was the beginning of Ryan's book.

I couldn't get on the Internet until after she went to bed because Ryan was busy printing out pictures for her book.

She's been asking me to proofread her writing. So I guess that makes me her editor.

And while I'm at it. Andrew isn't sleeping at night. Because he wants to get through his book series before summer.

Matthew is writing his name. Aidan is taking down lunch orders for his restaurant.

And yeah, I'm a LITTLE less worried about the home schooling.

Turns out Australia is WAY AHEAD of Germany in math anyway.

That means I get to cover decimals and fractions on my own with them.

It just seems so much easier without the obstacle of sending them to school every morning!

And, worst (best?) case scenario, they can all serve burgers at Aidan's restaurant!