Sunday, September 10, 2006
Saturday, September 09, 2006
It's FALL... It's SATURDAY.... and we are at the SOCCER FIELD !
It's fall... it's Saturday...Where are we.... at the soccer field !
Today was the FIRST game in the SFL (Suburban Friendship League) for Shayna's "now U12" team. They moved up a division and moved to a different "league" but are still part of Ashburn's Park & Rec Soccer. What does this mean ? Long games (we play now a full 60 minutes), bigger fields (we play now on a full field) and more players (11 vs. 11) !
I am not the typical "soccer mom". In fact I never show up to practice (why bother - my husband is the coach) ! And if I am lucky I show up at the coin toss for games. Finally, I barely say a word during games. All the other parents are screaming, yelling and cheering for their kids. The one time I cheered for Shayna she yelled back at me that it was hard enough having your parent as the coach and that I should tone it down ! I figure that Donnie makes a good enough "soccer dad."
The season began TUESDAY (yes, five days ago) and the first practice was rained out. The second practice was a normal practice, however, Donnie had to coach all the girls how to play 11vs11 INSTEAD of what they were used to 7vs7. So it was more of a "class" on positions rather than a practice. His roster went up to 20 (yes, twenty girls and their parents who wanted HIM as the coach) for 11 players at a time. Trust me, he isn't complaining. But, they certainly didn't have time to practice on the bigger field.
Most of the girls have been on Donnie's team in town soccer or on the "All Stars team". A few migrated from other teams and know Donnie via word of mouth. And a few girls are new to town ! However, they still never played a game as a team.
So, Shayna runs out as captain for the coin toss ! They lose the toss. They begin playing and quickly realize HOW BIG the field is ! They are playing on a full size high school field. They are still babies. The other team only has 13 players (giving them 2 subs). We have all 20 girls (giving us 9 subs). We are in good shape. However, in the first few minutes of the game we are called and they get a penalty kick. Our goalie, Joyce, who is fabulous has her first moment in a "real soccer net" and unfortunately the ball gets passed her.
However, our team re-groups and plays HARD. We dominate the game ! And thank goodness - play very well. We end up winning 2 - 1.
Shayna is playing "stopper" or "sweeper" as her two positions. She will subsitute for goalie when necessary ! Let me tell you - our kid has an awesome foot ! She nails the ball out of the "zone" so well. She has quite a few fabulous saves in todays game ! Very impressive ! I couldn't even believe it. Her body has finally caught up with the rhythm of her brain and she can put 2 and 2 together now.
What a game ! One win down..... 9 games to play !
Friday, September 08, 2006
We are NOT going back to school party !
The coolest feeling in the world is when we pulled out of our friend's driveway after the "We are NOT going back to school party" and saw a group of children walking home from where the bus dropped them off. My friend, Marie, and I turned to our girls in the back seat and made sure they noticed it !
Today a group of friends got together for the "annual" gathering of homeschoolers in what we refer to as "We are NOT going back to school PARTY" ! It was so refreshing to watch the 13 kids play for 3 hours in the pool, playing basketball and playing football... They were intermingling with various friends rotating to the activities they choose to do.
As I sit here, reflecting on the glorious day and glorious weather we had for our gathering to celebrate homeschooling, I hope the kids realize what opportunities we are giving them daily. Not only the opportunity to socialize - and I mean "real socialization" with various ages, from various families and various backgrounds. But the opportunities to take time off to be able to be kids. The opportunity to learn in ways that make sense to them. The opportunity to review, practice or speed up their learning. The opportunity to research and study things that interest them. The opportunity to learn to LOVE learning and become passionate learners.
This is what homeschooling does for our family and I hope other homeschooling families appreciates it as much as we do !
Today a group of friends got together for the "annual" gathering of homeschoolers in what we refer to as "We are NOT going back to school PARTY" ! It was so refreshing to watch the 13 kids play for 3 hours in the pool, playing basketball and playing football... They were intermingling with various friends rotating to the activities they choose to do.
As I sit here, reflecting on the glorious day and glorious weather we had for our gathering to celebrate homeschooling, I hope the kids realize what opportunities we are giving them daily. Not only the opportunity to socialize - and I mean "real socialization" with various ages, from various families and various backgrounds. But the opportunities to take time off to be able to be kids. The opportunity to learn in ways that make sense to them. The opportunity to review, practice or speed up their learning. The opportunity to research and study things that interest them. The opportunity to learn to LOVE learning and become passionate learners.
This is what homeschooling does for our family and I hope other homeschooling families appreciates it as much as we do !
Thursday, September 07, 2006
First Day of Writing Class
Today was the first day of writing class ! It was AMAZING to see all the kids who were in the class last year AND three new kids integrate themselves amazingly well ! It was like we were always ONE group.
We follow the INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN WRITING curriculum by Andrew Pudewa. I have taught a class like this for three years now. I love it ! The kids get so much out of the class.
Today's lesson was a review of Unit One and Two. They all have the same source text, an American History paragraph. You could see their brains turning with many creative options using this source text ! I can't wait to see what the kids come up with ! It will be awesome - I am sure !
We follow the INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN WRITING curriculum by Andrew Pudewa. I have taught a class like this for three years now. I love it ! The kids get so much out of the class.
Today's lesson was a review of Unit One and Two. They all have the same source text, an American History paragraph. You could see their brains turning with many creative options using this source text ! I can't wait to see what the kids come up with ! It will be awesome - I am sure !
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
What are WE using this year for curriculum !
We DON'T use all of this DAILY ..... we do a lot of going back and forth ! We try to merge as much as we can and do a lot of READING, PLAYING GAMES and FIELD TRIPS ! But if someone was to come over and see what we have on our home on our "schooling shelves" this is what they would see....
Math - Keys to Algebra, Keys to Measurement & Challenge Math (Gifted & Talented)
Institute of Excellence in Writing (IEW)
Story of Our World - Volume Three
Real Science 4 Kids - Biology
Latin for Children
Rosetta Stone Latin
Editor in Chief
Art History - Usborne Book of Art, Discovering Great Artists
Logic - Mind Benders, Analogies, Math Dectective, Mensa Codes & Ciphers
Vocabulary - Rummy Roots, Vocabulary from the Vine and/or Word Roots (we aren't sure how we are handling this !)
Social Studies - Presidents, Countries of the World, Geography (using the Geography Bee Complete Preparation Handbook)
American History - Unit Study Based with LOTS of GREAT books !
Other Unit Studies we will explore this year - 9/11, Cinderella around the World, Human Body, Inventions.....
We just read a lot of GREAT books, put in the curriculum where we see fit and have fun !
Math - Keys to Algebra, Keys to Measurement & Challenge Math (Gifted & Talented)
Institute of Excellence in Writing (IEW)
Story of Our World - Volume Three
Real Science 4 Kids - Biology
Latin for Children
Rosetta Stone Latin
Editor in Chief
Art History - Usborne Book of Art, Discovering Great Artists
Logic - Mind Benders, Analogies, Math Dectective, Mensa Codes & Ciphers
Vocabulary - Rummy Roots, Vocabulary from the Vine and/or Word Roots (we aren't sure how we are handling this !)
Social Studies - Presidents, Countries of the World, Geography (using the Geography Bee Complete Preparation Handbook)
American History - Unit Study Based with LOTS of GREAT books !
Other Unit Studies we will explore this year - 9/11, Cinderella around the World, Human Body, Inventions.....
We just read a lot of GREAT books, put in the curriculum where we see fit and have fun !
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Study sees no harm in home schooling
Report done for conservative-allied group says movement is now broadening beyond Christians with young children
By Alan J. Borsuk
The sparse amount of data available about home schooling in Wisconsin includes no evidence that the growing trend is harmful academically or socially, says a study by an educational consultant.
The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute study, written by Robert V. Luebke, an independent educational researcher from Middleton with a doctoral degree in educational administration, suggests that, on the contrary, the academic benefits of home schooling are becoming more accepted.
There is little question that home schooling is on the rise. The study says that the state began keeping count in 1985 of the number of children whom parents reported were being home schooled. The total at that time was 1,126. In 1998, the total was 18,712, an increase of 1,562%. It also is likely there are numerous students being home schooled without the state being notified.
If all the home schooled students were considered part of a single school system, it would be the sixth largest district in the state, Luebke said, although it would still represent less than 2% of all students in Wisconsin.
Luebke said that research "paints a profile of the typical home schooling family as religious, white and middle class, where the mother stays at home." In most instances, the mother is the main teacher, Luebke said.
In earlier years, home schooling largely involved families with strong Christian motivations, dealing with young children.
But Luebke said available data indicated that the movement had broadened to include more people who were motivated to keep their children out of school systems by more general dissatisfaction with the educational establishment, and that there were an increasing number of middle school and high school age students being home schooled.
Luebke also said that, even though the research is not extensive, it appears that home schooled children have active social and extracurricular lives. Lack of such things has often been raised as a concern by critics of home schooling, but Luebke said there is no research to support the claim.
Luebke said one big question about home schooling is what becomes of students after they leave high school. He said that while there were 881 home schooled students listed as high school seniors in the 1997-'98 school year, only 32 students entering the University of Wisconsin system in the fall of 1998 had been home schooled.
On the other hand, there is no evidence that home schooled kids aren't able to make it at the college level; in fact, five home schooled students from Wisconsin were named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Competition a year ago, he said.
Luebke, whose own children were home schooled at one time and are now in public school, suggested that "policy makers would do well to consider home schooling an attractive and effective alternative to traditional education."
The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute is a Thiensville-based private organization that funds studies and other commentary on state issues. It has often been associated with conservative political thought.
By Alan J. Borsuk
The sparse amount of data available about home schooling in Wisconsin includes no evidence that the growing trend is harmful academically or socially, says a study by an educational consultant.
The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute study, written by Robert V. Luebke, an independent educational researcher from Middleton with a doctoral degree in educational administration, suggests that, on the contrary, the academic benefits of home schooling are becoming more accepted.
There is little question that home schooling is on the rise. The study says that the state began keeping count in 1985 of the number of children whom parents reported were being home schooled. The total at that time was 1,126. In 1998, the total was 18,712, an increase of 1,562%. It also is likely there are numerous students being home schooled without the state being notified.
If all the home schooled students were considered part of a single school system, it would be the sixth largest district in the state, Luebke said, although it would still represent less than 2% of all students in Wisconsin.
Luebke said that research "paints a profile of the typical home schooling family as religious, white and middle class, where the mother stays at home." In most instances, the mother is the main teacher, Luebke said.
In earlier years, home schooling largely involved families with strong Christian motivations, dealing with young children.
But Luebke said available data indicated that the movement had broadened to include more people who were motivated to keep their children out of school systems by more general dissatisfaction with the educational establishment, and that there were an increasing number of middle school and high school age students being home schooled.
Luebke also said that, even though the research is not extensive, it appears that home schooled children have active social and extracurricular lives. Lack of such things has often been raised as a concern by critics of home schooling, but Luebke said there is no research to support the claim.
Luebke said one big question about home schooling is what becomes of students after they leave high school. He said that while there were 881 home schooled students listed as high school seniors in the 1997-'98 school year, only 32 students entering the University of Wisconsin system in the fall of 1998 had been home schooled.
On the other hand, there is no evidence that home schooled kids aren't able to make it at the college level; in fact, five home schooled students from Wisconsin were named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Competition a year ago, he said.
Luebke, whose own children were home schooled at one time and are now in public school, suggested that "policy makers would do well to consider home schooling an attractive and effective alternative to traditional education."
The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute is a Thiensville-based private organization that funds studies and other commentary on state issues. It has often been associated with conservative political thought.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
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