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Too Much of the Wrong Kind of Socialization

September 16, 2009 By Amy Bayliss 12 Comments

It’s funny but as a homeschooling mom I often hear the question,

“Aren’t you concerned that your kids won’t grow to be sociable?”

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Gee Whiz. I guess they will miss out on developing many social skills since they aren’t enrolled in public school. After all, a couple years ago when they were enrolled in public school they often came home to tell me all about the socializing that occurred during the day.

Like the time my second grader came home and asked me why people were calling him gay because he had on a GAP jacket. Apparently they forgot to inform me at the checkout that GAP stood for Gay And Proud. Now first of all, to tease a child is downright wrong. Second, to tease in a way that also degrades a characteristic of another human being is wrong. I teach my children to love people no matter what. No one is perfect and no one fits into any mold. We are all different. I may not approve of homosexuality but it is not for me to judge them but to love them. Besides, I can assure you that others can find something about me that they do not like.

Then there was the time my then kindergartner was subjected to a showing of private parts in the little boys room. He says “(insert child’s name here) wanted me and my friends to show ours too.” It took weeks to bring him back to the frame of mind that those private parts are well, just that – PRIVATE!

Or let’s consider the social skills my oldest son was subjected to. He has a form of dwarfism called Cartilage-Hair Hypoplasia so his new nickname became Mini Me the midget. I was beyond furious that this was allowed to go on. I went to the school and asked if I could speak to the classes and share with them about my son’s condition.

I wanted to tell them that just because he has no hair and is smaller and maybe looks like this guy on a movie doesn’t mean that is who he is. He is ten years old even though he is smaller than others his age. I also wanted to let them know that the term “midget” is inappropriate and degrading and that if they must refer to his condition to just call him a little person. I was told by the school that this wasn’t a good idea since it might bring more attention to the situation. Are you kidding me? Since when is educating and encouraging positive behavior wrong? And isn’t this is the same school that teaches about pre-marital sex and hands out condoms? Won’t that draw more attention to sex?

I could go on… learning about smokin‘ vipe, hookin‘ up, springin’ bling, wanting tattoos at 7, fist fights, singing very inappropriate songs that they heard from the bus driver… STOP! I can’t take it!

I’m thrilled that my children no longer have to be subjected to this type of socialization. Do I think everyone should take their child out of public school? Of course not. We all have our own opinion and our own way. Some people can’t homeschool because they work, others simply choose not to homeschool and that is fine. It is up to us as parents to choose what is best for our children. (keyword: our) I choose to have my children socialize in an environment that I have some control over… such as baseball, football, youth group, summer camp, home school PE, sleepovers, basketball, art class, yada yada yada. They socialize well. No concerns here.

Now, if someone could help me off of my soapbox I’d be much obliged…..

So, how do you respond to this question?


Married to her best friend and “main squeeze”, Amy Bayliss is a 4th year home/co-schooling mom to three boys. She enjoys writing about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. In addition to being the co-owner of Heart of the Matter, she writes for Internet Cafe Devotions. Be sure to visit her blog, AmyBayliss.com and her family’s homeschool blog: Integrity Academy.

15 Homemade Math Manipulatives

September 5, 2009 By Amy Bayliss 8 Comments

Math manipulatives are beneficial in so many ways. Your child will be able to “touch” and “see” the math concepts come to life. “1 + 1″ will not only be something recalled from rote memorization but it will be understood. My kids have learned so much with the incorporation of these manipulatives into our daily math work and they actually think it’s fun. That is the best part!

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In my search for said items, I went for a stroll through our local teacher supply store and was just completely awed by all the cool gadgets, toys, and gizmos that we refer to as “manipulatives”. As I mentioned before I have a couple of kids who require the use of manipulatives to “get” the concept prior to committing the process to memory so I know how expensive it can be to purchase these items. So, I have compiled a list of alternatives to the pricey manipulatives.

Counters
There is no need to buy counting bears or cookies. Why not use hot wheels, or cheerios, erasers, or even pennies? Use something the child likes and they will be more interested in counting them.

Lacing Cards
I used the cardboard that came in my scrapbook kits from Dollar Tree to make lacing cards. You could also use the backs of tablets or cereal boxes. Simply punch holes all around the edge and use a shoestring to let the child lace it up. Simple!

Pattern Stringing Beads
I found a pack of Foam Beads with Craft Lace at Dollar Tree (one of my favorite places for supplies) and it was perfect for use in place of the pattern stringing beads.

Sorting
You can use a mini-muffin tin and buttons, or muli-colored pasta for sorting.

Shapes
You can use marshmallows and toothpicks to form shapes as shown in the photo. You can also cut shapes out of cardstock and laminate them.

Hundreds Chart
These are available for free online. Here is one from About.com.

Fractions
You can cut a paper plate into however many portions you will need: 2 for halfs, 3 for thirds, etc. Or you can use pizza!

Linking Cubes
Use legos for linking cubes! They actually work better and can be found in bulk in most any goodwill store.

Money
I prefer to use real coins and copied bills for counting money. I simply copy the cash front and back (shrinking it and putting “for teaching purposes” on the front) and then laminate them. You could also use the money that comes with some board games.

Geoboard
You can make a geoboard by using a square piece of wood and 25 finishing nails. Just print a grid off of the computer and place on top and start nailing them in. Once the nails are all in the paper will just tear off.

Clocks
We use an old wall clock that I got from a yard sale. I simply pulled the face off and let them move the hands to show the time. It works great and it cost me $0.25!

Flash Cards
You can print your own flash cards online using a site like APlus Math or you can make your own on index cards.

Measurements
Use your own kitchen items. Measuring cups and spoons are perfect for children to learn with. Water too messy? Let them use beans or rice!

Place Value
Use bundled toothpicks or straws to show place value. Simply bundle in groups of 10s, 100s, etc and place on top of a piece of paper to show the proper order.

MISC.
Graphs, Charts, Math Fact Cards, Play Money, Math Drill Sheets and more can be found at DonnaYoung.org.

amybMarried to her best friend and “main squeeze”, Amy Bayliss is a 4th year homeschooling mom to three boys. She enjoys writing about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. In addition to being the co-owner of Heart of the Matter, she writes for Internet Cafe Devotions. Be sure to visit her blog, In Pursuit of Proverbs 31 and her family’s homeschool blog: Integrity Academy.

Creative Homeschooling: Learning Centers

July 14, 2009 By Amy Bayliss 5 Comments

learning-center-002-smallLearning Centers for us is a great break from the monotony of the average day. It is also the best way for me to use those great Dollar Tree finds and the other items I get on clearance from our local teacher supply store. You know the stuff… the inflatable globe you found for a quarter, the photos and rocks your mom-in-love mailed to you from Arizona, and those great books that don’t fit into your curriculum but yet have such awesome information. Basically it is all the great items that are filling your shelves and you haven’t quite figured out how to incorporate them. All of those things can be placed into a learning center where the child has 30 to 45 minutes of free time to explore the bounty.

Speaking of bounty, during our pirate adventure I created a learning center that had dozens of great items for my little matey to explore and they were all nestled deep within a treasure chest: one that I had found on sale at School Aids for only $3. It was definitely a treasure! I only wish I had taken photos that day so I could share them with you.

When I create a learning center I always set up a plain white folding posterboard so that it truly is set apart from the distractions of books and school time. This gives my child the freedom to explore without being concerned with what is going on around him. I find it helpful to fill it with items and books that further explore whatever theme or subject we are currently studying.

learning-center-007-smallTo make it easy on me, I keep two medium sized Rubbermaid containers just for learning center materials. At the beginning of each week when I layout our lesson plans I also decide which learning centers we will use for that week (usually only two days worth since we have Co-op one day) and I fill the containers with the material. That way I don’t have to dig for anything “the day of” and I can put everything back into the container when we are done and then put it away when I go to refill for the next week.

I have shown here things that can be done for children doing intermediate studies but I can think of lots and lots of things that can be done for primary studies and I think for teens in the upper grades this would be a great way to set up in-depth studies that could lead to a book report. The possibilities are endless when you begin to explore the options. Don’t eliminate language arts and math from learning centers either. I have been using a great product called Hands On Equations. I was going to simply include a blurb in this article about it but we have loved it so much that I want to give it it’s own review. It is great. I can’t recommend it enough.

So, when you begin planning for next school year, be sure to pencil in some time for learning centers. It will give you an opportunity to check over work or load the dishwasher and it gives your kiddo a chance to explore. If you have experience with learning centers and would like to add to the ideas mentioned here, please leave us a comment and let us know! We’d love to hear from you!

Married to her best friend and “main squeeze”, Amy Bayliss is a 4th year home/co-schooling mom to three boys. She enjoys writing about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. In addition to being the co-owner of Heart of the Matter, she writes for Internet Cafe Devotions. Be sure to visit her blog, AmyBayliss.com and her family’s homeschool blog: Integrity Academy.

Creative Homeschooling: Mini-Offices

July 7, 2009 By Amy Bayliss 10 Comments

There are so many reasons why mini-offices are beneficial to our children. But the main one is commitment to memory.

When I was in college I learned all about memory tactics in my advertising classes. You have to see/read something three times before it is available for recollection. After seeing it three times or more you are cementing it in your brain long term. This is why bulletin boards in classrooms are so fundamental. I can’t tell you how much I learned simply because I read/saw the same thing day in and day out for an entire school year. Mini-offices serve the same purpose.

The way we make our mini-offices is to place three manila folders in such a way that you get four sections out of it. You can then fasten it securely with glue or tape but before you do that make sure it will fold properly. If it doesn’t then make sure you adjust it before permanently adhering it. Once it is complete, laminate it or cover it with contact paper. Place pieces of velcro on the mini-office every few inches.

file-folders

Next gather up the resources that you would like to put on the mini-office. You can find a wide selection by simply googling “mini-offices” but you can also use many common things. I buy classroom posters with the intention of cutting them up to place on the mini-office or our learning centers (coming up next week). Laminate them. Place a piece of velcro on the back of each piece. Place them on the mini-office where desired.

By using the velcro you can get more use out of your mini-office and change out the scenery every so often.

Here is a video from Lapbook Lessons that describes a mini-office. The only thing that I do differently is use the velcro instead of permanently adhering them to the office.

Here is a project from Bethany LeBedz…

Create a mini office for mom! When you’re all working at the kitchen or dining room table, wouldn’t it be nice to have a nook for YOU? You’ve created mini offices for each of your children, so why not create one for yourself? Create your own reference spot for cheat-sheets, favorite Bible verses, calendars, schedules, etc.

I realize that most of the resources available for mini offices utilize manila file folders. I also realize that they’re mostly geared towards the younger crowd. But, as children get older and taller (i.e., able to see over the top of the folders easily) they might enjoy making offices on a slightly larger scale. By using cardboard project boards, you can create dividers for the inevitable “Moooom, she’s looking at me” moments. Kids can personalize them with resources appropriate for their grade level and tastes. So, buy an extra project board for yourself and join in the fun!

Here’s a list of the things I put on my mini office and the sources:

Here are some other ideas of things to include in your mini office:

  • Timelines of art and music eras
  • Color wheel
  • Basic grammar rules
  • Other math rules for whichever topic your kids are currently learning
  • Specific science helps (biology classifications, chemistry formulas, etc.)
  • Measurement equivalents and metric conversion factors
  • Character definitions and Bible verses

Some of these resources can be printed right from the source, while some may need to be cut and pasted into a word processing document. Trim away excess white paper and annoying ads then mount onto colored construction paper or directly onto the project board. Before you make anything permanent, lay your board out flat on the floor or table and arrange all of the pieces on it. You may have to try several arrangements before you get it to look the way you want it to look. For durability, use glue sticks to attach the papers to the project board, but if you think you might want to change it up some later, use staples. Go ahead, dip into the stickers and stamps—you know you want to! Make it pretty as well as practical.

That’s all there is to it! Now you’ve got your own little nook at the kitchen table.

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Married to her best friend and “main squeeze”, Amy Bayliss is a 4th year home/co-schooling mom to three boys. She enjoys writing about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. In addition to being the co-owner of Heart of the Matter, she writes for Internet Cafe Devotions. Be sure to visit her blog, AmyBayliss.com and her family’s homeschool blog: Integrity Academy.

Creative Homeschooling: Lapbooking/Notebooking

June 30, 2009 By Amy Bayliss 16 Comments

Our family has become quite accustomed to building our own books. We do a loose combination of all of the popular forms of booking: lapbooking, scrapbooking, notebooking, altered booking, etc. We have actually simply started calling it “heartbooking©” since our style fits none of these exclusively and because we base the foundation of our education on God’s word which teaches us that we must examine the condition of our hearts. Studying history, science, and the especially the bible can give us the opportunity to examine our hearts and motives in certain situations.

Recently while studying about the Vietnam war my son became appalled by the fact that some soldiers were spat at upon their return from overseas. This gave me the opportunity to dig deeper into their hearts and question them as to whether or not if they were in a situation with one of their neighborhood friends and they believed that friend had done something wrong, how would they react to them? That is what heartbooking© is about; using our current studies to build Godly character through self examination.

One of our favorite heartbooking © techniques is done by altering old books. We find old hardback books at thrift stores or library sales and we take them home and refurbish them with new content from whatever we are studying. We build new content on the already existing pages by simply gluing cardstock down and then adding all of our elements. We have absolutely enjoyed adding elements of a personal nature when we can. For example, when we studied the Vietnam war we were able to use some of my grandfather’s photos, paraphernalia, and documents that he had kept from the two tours he did there. We made lots of secret hiding places within the book to hold special things that belonged to my grandfather during the war.

We started the refurbishing with the cover of the book. We used sandpaper to buff off the smooth surface so that the glue would adhere properly. After that we kids filled in each page after a weeks worth of studying we were also careful to chronicle our heart lessons into the documentation. This has served us well and given our boys an amazing piece of history that is very close to their heart!

You can find basic instructions for altering books here: Amy Bayliss’ post and here: Amy Stults’ post.

Here are some photos of our Vietnam War book:

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What kinds of creative ideas does your family use when it comes to “booking” of all types? Be sure to leave links to your “booking” posts so we can check them out!

amybMarried to her best friend and “main squeeze”, Amy Bayliss is a 4th year home/co-schooling mom to three boys. She enjoys writing about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. In addition to being the co-owner of Heart of the Matter, she writes for Internet Cafe Devotions. Be sure to visit her blog, AmyBayliss.com and her family’s homeschool blog: Integrity Academy.

Creative Homeschooling

June 23, 2009 By Amy Bayliss 10 Comments

“Awe mom… do we have to do this again?”

Heads up: education can get boring if you don’t get a little creative with it. We would do our selves a favor and serve our children well by making it fun and enticing. I could quote you all kinds of statistics and give you links to a thesis or two based entirely on what works best for children but instead I’m just going to recommend that you ask your kiddo if learning might be more tolerable if it were fun.

What do you think they will say?

Yes? Hmmm, that’s exactly what I thought.

craft-supplies1

My kiddos feel the same way and so I began searching for ways to get creative with our lesson plans. Over the last school year I discovered many different things that brought me mommy praise and I figured I’d share them with you but there is a catch: I want you to share some ideas with me. Deal?

So here is what we are going to do:

Every month we will post on a different subject that engages our children and breaks the monotony of average lessons. I will post my ideas on each subject and then you will either post on your blog some creative ideas that go along with the subject that week and link to it in the comments or you can just post the ideas in the comments. Your choice. Here are some topics you have to look forward to:

  • Basic Creative Ideas
  • Lapbooking/Notebooking
  • Mini-offices
  • Learning Centers
  • Workboxes
  • Unit Studies
  • Games
  • Recycled & Repurposed
  • File Folder Learning

Ready? Let’s go!

Theme Days

My basic ideas for adding some spunk to the everyday are really just “fun” in nature. Something to make the kids proactive and use their imagination. We like to have a theme day once a week. The theme might be the White House or backwards day. On theme days they get points for every time they do something that focuses on the theme. For example, if they dress backwards, start from the bottom of a worksheet and go up, or eat desert first (I know, bad mom :) then they get a point. For each point they earn that is one less math problem they have to do. We use Teaching Textbooks and Saxon so doing away with 15 problems over the next week isn’t a big deal to me but it is to them!

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Animated Reading

Another fun activity they like to do is what I call animated reading. They have to read to me while acting out the scene. It’s kind of like charades on steroids. As you can imagine it gets really interesting during certain chapters of great books like Island of the Blue Dolphins and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Once we were doing animated reading and the phone rang so I answered in the  middle of a very animated Magic Schoolbus rendition of digging up dinosaur bones. My grandmother became quite excited when she thought we had found real dinosaur bones in the back yard. After I explained she said, “Oh, so they don’t call you Ms. Frizzle then either?” Uh, no grandma they don’t!

Snuggle Days

On some winter days I call for a snuggle day. Snuggle days consist of lounging around in our pjs with hot cocoa and warm blankets. We read to each other and watch subject related movies from Netflix. Then we tell campfire stories. So what if our campfire is really a candle?

Role Reversal Days

Our favorite creative idea is role reversal day. They get to teach me what they’ve learned over the last month or so and I sit intently and listen. They think that this is so fun because they are pretending to be the teacher but what they don’t know is that it is really just another way to test what they have learned. I also love saying things like, “Awe, mom! Do we have to do this again?” Then watch as their little wheels spin to come up with fun ways to teach me!

So what are some of your ideas?

amybMarried to her best friend and “main squeeze”, Amy Bayliss is a 4th year home/co-schooling mom to three boys. She enjoys writing about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. In addition to being the co-owner of Heart of the Matter, she writes for Internet Cafe Devotions. Be sure to visit her blog, AmyBayliss.com and her family’s homeschool blog: Integrity Academy.

Visit With Tiany Davis of The Homeschool Lounge on blogtalkradio

June 10, 2009 By Amy Bayliss 1 Comment

Join host Dana and guest Tiany – Founder of The Homeschool Lounge on the Encouragement from the Heart radio show! This program is for new and seasoned Homeschooling parents. We will be discussing vital issues concerning the homeschooling community today. Each show will begin with a foundational scripture that will provide encouragement relating to the program’s topic. We will end with questions and comments from our listening audience. So, grab a cup of coffee,come on in, and sit down for some encouraging words from our host Dana (A THL Lounge Sister) and hostess.

This week we have a very special guest with us. Her name is Tiany Davis. She is the founder of a fabulous Internet community site of Home school moms called “The Homeschool Lounge”. Tiany is a Home school Mom to 4 little boys ages 8, 6, 4, 2 and the wife of her best friend Troy. They have been married for 14 years and live in Louisiana. At the typing of this introduction, The Homeschool Lounge has currently almost 8,000 members and is the home to over 170 of the most encouraging and supportive groups on the net. Tiany has the heart to minister to other homeschooling mothers through this awesome site by giving of her valuable time to make sure this Internet community is equipped with all the tools God has placed in her heart. Please join us for an exciting program as Tiany Davis shares her passion for the home school community and her desire to give support to home school families through the blessings of “The Homeschool Lounge”.

Are You A “Real” Homeschool Mom?

June 9, 2009 By Amy Bayliss 27 Comments

Are you a “real” homeschool mom or do you always put your best foot forward when you are in the presence of moms that you think have mastered the art of homeschooling?

womansurprise

I have news for you. They aren’t perfect either!

I always get so amused when I hear other moms talk about how they “love” to homeschool and how everything always works out so great for them. I often wonder what it would be like to visit their home on a week day. I mean we know that mom wouldn’t screech in horror because the house isn’t clean. She definitely wouldn’t send the kids off to their rooms because they are still in their pajamas. And she absolutely wouldn’t throw the textbooks in a cabinet to give the impression that school time had been completed hours earlier because we all know she gets up at the crack of dawn every day!

No, siree, not our homeschool moms. We all have our act together!

Or do we?

I can honestly say that if anyone thinks that we (the cabinet, book hiding, wake up at 9ish, send the kids to their room to get dressed so we look like a good homeschool family people) have it all together they are truly mistaken.

Sure, I have heard the praise from many mothers who like to compliment me on how well mannered my boys are and how well they behave. What they don’t see is that I am holding their favorite toy hostage to insure their behavior so that mom and dad can have a stress free time.

OK. OK. So my boys really are well mannered and I don’t hold toys hostage for good public behavior. This is actually one of their good points but don’t dare ask me about their room! Or the fact that the “baby” is wearing his brother’s clothes because he keeps putting his clean clothes in the laundry room and I now refuse to wash them.

And please, please, please don’t ask me about the moans and groans I get when I mention it is school time, which usually starts around 12:30 (no eye-rolling!)

Now once we get started they are usually gung ho about science projects and civil war reenactments but that is only after I bribe them with M&Ms to complete their math work. I know, I know… BAD MOM!

Jeepers. I guess I shouldn’t mention that I only actually cook breakfast once a week and the rest of the time they eat cereal. I assume I should also keep it a secret that my almost 7 year old hardly ever completes anything and I don’t try to make him.

I cannot fathom that I am the only homeschooling mom out there who goes through this. Is it really all hunky dory? Should I be wearing a retro pattern and singing, “The fields are alive with the sound of music…”?

Am I the only one who has actually considered enrolling the kids in public school just long enough to get the house clean and teach them just how good they have it at home?

Don’t get me wrong. I love the idea of homeschooling but on some days it’s the act of it that brings out the worst in me and my family.


These pieces of toast are a wonderful representation of how the days of our week can go at times, from perfect and savory absorbing every flavor to absolutely no good. Yeah, we have to scrape the “yuck” off to get to a small bit of good stuff on those days.

Why? We are all human. We all make mistakes. We must all submit daily to do the right thing, the best thing for ourselves and our families.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Romans 7:21-25

Be real with God, with yourself, and with each other.

I have heard the term, “Don’t speak that!”, one too many times. How can God get the glory for mending something if you never admit that it is broken in the first place?

Now I’m not saying run around speaking negatively. There is a difference between saying, “I can’t do it all” and saying “I’m no good at anything”. One is acknowledging the current status and one is self-hatred. One gives God the glory and one takes the focus off of God. You can tell the difference by discerning with your heart.

Encourage each other.

Don’t jump back and say, “Ah!” with your hand over your mouth the next time you hear a child say they had McDonald’s for lunch and they didn’t have school yesterday. Instead look him in the eye and say, “well your mommy sure does know how to let you have fun doesn’t she?” and smile real big at him and then at her. And don’t wink like you just uncovered her dirty little secret. Showing love will do more for her than telling her she needs to switch curriculum to keep the kids more interested and her more motivated.

Don’t compare yourself to other moms.

Even if her kids are always polite, are mini Picassos, only eat whole wheat and like it, and knew how to sew before they could talk (which was at least 3 months earlier than your kids), just remember that they have some issues somewhere that they are hiding. We have been taught not to express our weaknesses for fear that others will not think as highly of us but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have them.

God gave your kids you as a mom. That means that He did not deem anyone else more qualified for the position. Take confidence in that. He knows what He is doing. After all He did create the universe and everything in it in only 6 days. I know because we have covered this more than 50 times in our various school textbooks!

Give yourself permission to take a break.

When you are a homeschooling mom you are not only the teacher for every pupil and for every subject but you are the PE coach, the guidance counselor, every lady in the lunch room, the secretary, the librarian, the PTA, the fundraiser chairperson, the hall monitor, the janitor, and the assistant principal. Whew! Sign me up for a vacation just for typing all of that but it really does put it into perspective doesn’t it?

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.
Genesis 2:2

Take a nap. Take a hot bubble bath. Go lie on your bed and read a book. It’s OK! Your children will not become illiterate, the house will not fall apart, and no one will starve. However, I can’t guarantee that no one from church will just so happen to stop by for a visit. (Isn’t it funny how that happens?)

As long as you do what you do unto God then it will prevail.

I have told you many of my dirty little secrets here today but I saved the best for last:

My sweet, wonderful, friend (eh, um Darnelle, hmm) suggested that I give my children the CAT test to send in to the state for our yearly renewal instead of copying bulks of papers from each subject and submitting lesson plans.

Oh how I love her for the confidence she had in me but let me tell you what a silly, sometimes absent-minded little woman I am…

I give Gevan (11 year old) his test first. We actually only run into a few snags with division and punctuation. Aside from that the kid surprised me with how well he did. He was over three years behind when I pulled him out of school two years ago. Amidst all of the chaos he has actually learned and progressed more in these past two year than he had in any year prior. He still lacks in a couple of areas but he is doing well, very well. Here is his score:

bamytest1

Wow! God loves me! I never would have imagined that he could do so well. I don’t put much stock in these tests but I have to admit that it is a good feeling to know that he and I accomplished in 1.5 years what his teachers couldn’t do in 4.

Then there is the nutty but more amazing part of this CAT test story.

I decided to give Brennan (6 year old) the test next. I knew that Jacob (9 year old) would do well and blow through the test with no problem. He is just a fast learner. But, Brennan on the other hand, I knew I would have to duct tape him to the chair just so he could complete it.

Brennan does not like school. Math is stoooopid and reading is meeeeeean! He promises me every day that it is going to kill him. Yes, he actually says, “MOM, you’re just trying to kill me! I can’t do stoooopid math and reading is meeeean!”

So he has school maybe twice a week. (remember – don’t “Ah!” me!) I can’t bear to wrestle him to the table any more than that but it’s funny how he seems to recall almost every fact that we discuss and can read even the most complicated words.

In fact, his absent-minded mother accidentally gave him his brother’s 2nd grade CAT test and realized it only when she was getting Jacob ready for his test and thought it was funny that the 9-year-old was going to be tested on phonics and number recognition. Bren took Jake’s test.

Yes, I did that. I admit it.

I also admit that I wasn’t about to give Brennan another test all over again and I knew that Jacob would score high so I just let him take Brennan’s test and turned them in.

Just breathe. The shock will wear off soon. Don’t tell the state, k?

bamytest2

I have to say I was beyond my embarrassment when I saw his score. Not bad for a 6-year-old, eh?

So, if you get nothing else out of this article but a laugh or two at me then it was worth it. You are doing a wonderful job as a homeschooling mom and you deserve a pat on the back. You are awesome. You are wonderful. And we are going to make it through! I promise!

amybMarried to her best friend and “main squeeze”, Amy Bayliss is a 4th year home/co-schooling mom to three boys. She enjoys writing about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. In addition to being the co-owner of Heart of the Matter, she writes for Internet Cafe Devotions. Be sure to visit her blog, AmyBayliss.com and her family’s homeschool blog: Integrity Academy.

April 16, 2009 By Amy Bayliss 1 Comment

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