Thar She Blows!
I always said I would not get upset about my children's grades - that I would not discipline over my children's school performance. Well, today I blew it.
First, let me explain. I homeschool three children ages 6, 7, and 9 - second, third, and fourth grades. I just got back from MOPS Convention on Sunday afternoon, with the plans to start school on Monday. I thought I had it all figured out.
The children were going to do their 'computer work.' All three children have laptops that we found on clearance so they don't have to take turns using the computer, and they all have some subjects on the computer. The youngest has Science, Language Arts, and Spelling. The middle has Bible, Math, Science, History & Geography, Language Arts, and Spelling. The oldest has Bible, Spanish, Math, Science, History & Geography, Language Arts, and Spelling.
We normally use a classical model of education, with the exception of math, and use the computers to supplement. You know, when I don't feel well, when I am not home, or when I don't feel like teaching that day. Of course the youngest still needs one-on-one with language arts and math. Now this model is new this year - last year I expected way too much and expected them to do both our classical education and 'computer school' on a daily basis. Hey, it wasn't too much for me... why should it be too much for children more than thirty years younger than me?! Yeah, perfection needs to be shelved when you have kids, and expectations lowered. I guess they really aren't just little adults after all.
Since I had crazily decided to have school upon returning home, I also decided that this week would be all computers (again, with the exception of the youngest). So my husband had an odd day where he had to go to work at 1 am. Of course he woke me up to say goodbye and then I noticed the storm approaching. Once he left I heard the dogs barking. Never, ever bring the dogs in just before leaving... especially when a storm is rolling in!
Thinking he was helping, my husband had gotten the children's laptops, headphones, etc. all laid out on the kitchen table. And locked the dogs (we still have a baby gate) in the kitchen so they are not in the storm and not tearing up the house.
While I was trying to get a little more sleep, the children got up. The girls came to me to tell me the dogs were barking. Really? I hadn't noticed. I told them to put the dogs out. THen I here an big commotion with all there children yelling. The boy (as my youngest used to call him) came in to tell me there was a problem with the dogs. Oh, no... Did the puppy get caught in the air vent again? Son continues, 'they've chewed up everything.' Oh, crud! I'm thinking we need to buy new chairs because they've been chewed to bits and will not support us. Then the oldest girl comes crying, "we have to buy new headphones and computer bags!" I'm up now, wondering what the dogs did to the computers, and grumbling that my husband will pay in more than one way for leaving the dogs to tear up the house. Here is what I found when I got up this morning:
Okay, so not as bad as I got up thinking, but pretty bad. Knowing that the two-year old is the only one who can reach the table and counter, and seeing how maternal she acts towards the 12 week old, I figure she must have pulled things down for her baby to play (they are not actually related). Side note: the computers and the computer bags are fine (the computers themselves stayed on the table). We just lost two pairs of headphones, one kitchen towel, one cleaning rag, a Highlights magazine, and some paper towels.
Here are the culprits:
I know, who can stay mad at those faces, right?! I'm more frustrated now at whoever it was that thought it was appropriate to put the dog food bowl on the kitchen table. But, tired as I was, I just moved the food back outside and moved myself to a different chair and someone else got to eat that 'the dog seat.' Don't worry, if I think about it I will sanitize the table before dinner.
Anyway, back to my mess up. Although I do check their work everyday, I noticed today (because of her quizzes) that my youngest was having problems with Language Arts and Spelling. Hmmm... I reined in my thoughts of how simple this stuff was, took a step back, and realized... maybe my young second grader isn't ready for third grade Language Arts and Spelling. Guess I should have looked at what I was assigning my little girl who was trying so hard to do well and at what level she she is able to do. She'll only do Science and a different spelling on the computer now.
Now, what you've been waiting for... Thar She Blows! SO... my son decided to play on the computer before doing schoolwork. A BIG no-no. Then when he finally finishes his work, I look at the computer and see three Fs. Not one, not two, but THREE! So I go back to look at his work. Did you know that Paul was a disciple who lived in Bethsaida? Nevermind that we haven't even studied Paul... he's been studying Peter all week. Oh, and after Jesus arose He told Peter to 'Kill my sheep?!" I could have let the Paul/Peter mix up go, but I had to ask about killing sheep. His reply, 'Well, I thought it was talking about before Jesus was crucified and He was telling Peter about sacrifices.'
I didn't get too made about the mistakes in Geography, other than the fact that we had just gone over everything he missed. I guess he can't help getting a gulf mixed up with a peninsula. He is consistent about mixing them up.
Now here is the kicker, though, and when I started to get angry. Did you ever know that you measure angles in CROUTONS???? He's response, that he wrote on the computer, was "I did this in first grade and I am not in a good mood." Seriously?! Well, now I'm not in a good mood, either. If you did it in first grade, you could have at least given me the right answer!
Then the problems he missed. I know when doing multiplication and division there are going to be mistakes. No doubt! But, he's been told to work his problems on paper instead of in his head... even I don't do much multiplication and division in my head, and my emphasis in college was mathematics! If he does it on paper, I can at least adjust the score for partial credit if he is doing the work correctly. The final straw: I have told him everyday this week if he misses a math problem, to view the solution so he can learn how to do it and if it doesn't make sense to ask me. He has not done that a single time this week! So, I yelled (woke up the husband who was now home and taking a nap), I threatened and promised discipline. (I did at least wait until I was calm before administering said discipline). Then I reassigned the missed problems. We have a great program that adjusts the grade when you reassign problems so we get an average rather than just the better grade; but my main thing is he needs to LEARN it.
Well, there you have it. I have totally messed up my kids... at least for today. And I'm a whale. Sometimes I just keep taking more and more in until I finally blow! Well, I can tell you, I am thankful that I have a loving, forgiving, understanding family and I am especially thankful that God's mercies are new every morning!! Now if I could just go back to bed until morning...
First, let me explain. I homeschool three children ages 6, 7, and 9 - second, third, and fourth grades. I just got back from MOPS Convention on Sunday afternoon, with the plans to start school on Monday. I thought I had it all figured out.
The children were going to do their 'computer work.' All three children have laptops that we found on clearance so they don't have to take turns using the computer, and they all have some subjects on the computer. The youngest has Science, Language Arts, and Spelling. The middle has Bible, Math, Science, History & Geography, Language Arts, and Spelling. The oldest has Bible, Spanish, Math, Science, History & Geography, Language Arts, and Spelling.
We normally use a classical model of education, with the exception of math, and use the computers to supplement. You know, when I don't feel well, when I am not home, or when I don't feel like teaching that day. Of course the youngest still needs one-on-one with language arts and math. Now this model is new this year - last year I expected way too much and expected them to do both our classical education and 'computer school' on a daily basis. Hey, it wasn't too much for me... why should it be too much for children more than thirty years younger than me?! Yeah, perfection needs to be shelved when you have kids, and expectations lowered. I guess they really aren't just little adults after all.
Since I had crazily decided to have school upon returning home, I also decided that this week would be all computers (again, with the exception of the youngest). So my husband had an odd day where he had to go to work at 1 am. Of course he woke me up to say goodbye and then I noticed the storm approaching. Once he left I heard the dogs barking. Never, ever bring the dogs in just before leaving... especially when a storm is rolling in!
Thinking he was helping, my husband had gotten the children's laptops, headphones, etc. all laid out on the kitchen table. And locked the dogs (we still have a baby gate) in the kitchen so they are not in the storm and not tearing up the house.
While I was trying to get a little more sleep, the children got up. The girls came to me to tell me the dogs were barking. Really? I hadn't noticed. I told them to put the dogs out. THen I here an big commotion with all there children yelling. The boy (as my youngest used to call him) came in to tell me there was a problem with the dogs. Oh, no... Did the puppy get caught in the air vent again? Son continues, 'they've chewed up everything.' Oh, crud! I'm thinking we need to buy new chairs because they've been chewed to bits and will not support us. Then the oldest girl comes crying, "we have to buy new headphones and computer bags!" I'm up now, wondering what the dogs did to the computers, and grumbling that my husband will pay in more than one way for leaving the dogs to tear up the house. Here is what I found when I got up this morning:
Okay, so not as bad as I got up thinking, but pretty bad. Knowing that the two-year old is the only one who can reach the table and counter, and seeing how maternal she acts towards the 12 week old, I figure she must have pulled things down for her baby to play (they are not actually related). Side note: the computers and the computer bags are fine (the computers themselves stayed on the table). We just lost two pairs of headphones, one kitchen towel, one cleaning rag, a Highlights magazine, and some paper towels.
Here are the culprits:
 |
| Bear, 12 weeks |
 |
| Cocoa, 2 years |
I know, who can stay mad at those faces, right?! I'm more frustrated now at whoever it was that thought it was appropriate to put the dog food bowl on the kitchen table. But, tired as I was, I just moved the food back outside and moved myself to a different chair and someone else got to eat that 'the dog seat.' Don't worry, if I think about it I will sanitize the table before dinner.
Anyway, back to my mess up. Although I do check their work everyday, I noticed today (because of her quizzes) that my youngest was having problems with Language Arts and Spelling. Hmmm... I reined in my thoughts of how simple this stuff was, took a step back, and realized... maybe my young second grader isn't ready for third grade Language Arts and Spelling. Guess I should have looked at what I was assigning my little girl who was trying so hard to do well and at what level she she is able to do. She'll only do Science and a different spelling on the computer now.
Now, what you've been waiting for... Thar She Blows! SO... my son decided to play on the computer before doing schoolwork. A BIG no-no. Then when he finally finishes his work, I look at the computer and see three Fs. Not one, not two, but THREE! So I go back to look at his work. Did you know that Paul was a disciple who lived in Bethsaida? Nevermind that we haven't even studied Paul... he's been studying Peter all week. Oh, and after Jesus arose He told Peter to 'Kill my sheep?!" I could have let the Paul/Peter mix up go, but I had to ask about killing sheep. His reply, 'Well, I thought it was talking about before Jesus was crucified and He was telling Peter about sacrifices.'
I didn't get too made about the mistakes in Geography, other than the fact that we had just gone over everything he missed. I guess he can't help getting a gulf mixed up with a peninsula. He is consistent about mixing them up.
Now here is the kicker, though, and when I started to get angry. Did you ever know that you measure angles in CROUTONS???? He's response, that he wrote on the computer, was "I did this in first grade and I am not in a good mood." Seriously?! Well, now I'm not in a good mood, either. If you did it in first grade, you could have at least given me the right answer!
Then the problems he missed. I know when doing multiplication and division there are going to be mistakes. No doubt! But, he's been told to work his problems on paper instead of in his head... even I don't do much multiplication and division in my head, and my emphasis in college was mathematics! If he does it on paper, I can at least adjust the score for partial credit if he is doing the work correctly. The final straw: I have told him everyday this week if he misses a math problem, to view the solution so he can learn how to do it and if it doesn't make sense to ask me. He has not done that a single time this week! So, I yelled (woke up the husband who was now home and taking a nap), I threatened and promised discipline. (I did at least wait until I was calm before administering said discipline). Then I reassigned the missed problems. We have a great program that adjusts the grade when you reassign problems so we get an average rather than just the better grade; but my main thing is he needs to LEARN it.
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| John working on his re-assigned problems |
"Kill my sheep"... I'm sorry, but that was funny! You handled it beautifully... you're a good mama. :)
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