there'll be days like this

the children are short, the days are long

Sunday, March 9, 2008

I did it!


I mean, we did it. Jeremy helped, and we reclaimed two shelves for the kids' art supplies and workbooks. It finally seems almost reasonable over in that corner of our little world. Now the workbooks aren't toppling over, the art supplies aren't precariously perched in front of the books on the shelf, and the construction and white paper isn't mixed in with the bills to be filed on the filing cabinet. What we were doing for 3.5 years?
See those white papers on the right? Those are leftover wedding invitations. From almost 8 years ago. Why?! What are we doing with ourselves that we still have 20 envelopes in 2 different sizes embossed with a Baltimore address? Well, no longer. They are officially recycled.
Now, it's on to the other part of my plan that I forgot to mention in the last post. I am planning to have 5 activities ready to go for the week. I will post a list on the fridge for the kids and everyday they can choose one of those activities for us to do. This gives Sebastian some of the control he requires, but ensures that I can get in a variety of learning experiences. Lesson plans, here I come!

4 comments:

Ivanomartin said...

HM,

Curious to get your take on the recent Calif. appeals court ruling on homeschooling: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/08/MNCHVG0SD.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

dn

Hott Mama said...

I have been thinking about this a lot, and all I can come up with is "I don't know." Does that help?
Frankly, I think it is ridiculous to expect parents to get a teaching credential just to homeschool. I understand people's discomfort with the idea of homeschooling a high school student. Fortunately I have a way to go before that point. At least a year or so. But it does parents a real disservice to make them feel like they are not capable of teaching their kids basic math and reading skills.
I think Californians are lucky their governor is supportive of them. I just don't understand how the court can rule that way if there is no law against homeschooling.

Ivanomartin said...

But isn't it possible that a great many parents may, in fact, be unable to teach kids basic math and reading skills? Can we, as society, bear the risks of those kids not being properly educated? And what about the signals that a contrary ruling would send to elementary school teachers? That their skills and talents are negligible because any parent can do what they do?

dn

Hott Mama said...

Dave,
Thanks for your interest. I have been avoiding this topic mostly because people on my listservs have been so fired up about it that it has been unreadable. I posted about the topic tonight and would love to hear your opinion on the matter.