Learning styles...

I'll admit I was a little surprised by this one - last time I took one of these quizzes, quite some time ago, the Elf was very kinesthetic. I still think he is at least more kinesthetic than auditory. I would agree he is strongly visual too, being very artistic.



This one I was not surprised by. the Fairy is definately a very auditory learner. She sings and hums all day long. And dances...

Here's a link to the quiz... Child Learning Style Quiz

Besides all that, everything is moving along fine here. We tried Explode the Code 3 1/2 with the Elf, but after doing the first 4 pages in under 4 minutes, he said "This is too easy", so I bumped him up to EtC 4, where it took him all of 8 minutes to do 4 pages. He also thought the unit on telling time from MathSteps was too easy, so I am glad we've been supplementing with Saxon 2, and that we will be using Saxon 3 in the fall.

Minor interruption there as the Fairy asked to to get her "some more of that drippy yellow stuff I had yesterday" (i.e. mango). Mouth watering description there!

What a day yesterday - first, I've been driving BIL's car while he is off in Maui, and yesterday morning I took it down to get gas. Had finished pumping and got into the car just in time to get backed into by a guy on a cell phone. Thankfully there was no damage! Then, it was very, very windy, and another branch came down off the neighbor's tree on nearly on top of the kids, who were playing in our newly fenced patio extension. Thankfully both were okay, and our roof and everything else seem okay too.

The kids asked me the other day if they could "re-study ancient stuff", partly in preparation for a planned trip to an Egyptian exhibit later this year. I said yes, and have decided that since I have 90% of the materials needed on hand, we'll start up with History Odyssey Ancients over the summer (yes, the kids are fine with learning history during their summer vacation), and looking at the calendar and HO's table of contents, I figure we could be through the Egyptian part by early fall. After we finish studying the Ancients, I plan to move straight into the Middle Ages (which I also have about 90% of the books/supplies for). Year round history! I have had second thoughts for some time about not studying history chronologically, and this will get us back on track. I have also talked to M again, and he will be taking over their science education in the fall, using Oak Meadow 3 one-two days a week, and Oak Meadow 1 one day a week, to lighten my load a little, and because he loves science and would enjoy the time with the kids.

In the meantime, we'll be studying Asia, dinosaurs (found this great book on dinosaurs from China), and cavemen - I have put The Boy of the Painted Cave on hold at the library to try reading aloud. We've put our nature studies on hold since the kids really, really want to study dinosaurs!

And speaking of education, I have made a major decision that wasn't easy. I had already planned on taking an "extra" semester to graduate (Bachelor's degree), but I realized over the last few weeks that I need to extend that self-imposed deadline one more semester. Taking classes at two colleges (thirteen units) is too hard right now with everything else, and the kids' homeschooling (not to mention my housework) is really suffering. I know there are people out there that can handle a full load at school along with everything else, but I find myself increasingly resentful of the time my 3 unit class takes up (two mornings a week). So, I will finish this semester, take the summer off - I was planning on math, but I can't seem to find the energy to make myself go to class four mornings a week for 3 hours a morning, for eight weeks and work about 25 to 30 hours a week - then in the fall, do only the ten unit class at the university. When I finish this program, I will finish off my other undergrad units for a semester, and then for my final semester, take all the pre-req's for the credentialing program. Therefore I am looking at a graduation date of sometime in May/June of 2011 rather than December/January 2010/11. Not too far off! I wanted to finish sooner, but as a few wise moms pointed out, my family and my sanity are more important than getting done quickly. Plus with interning programs available for credentialing, I may be actually teaching sooner than I had originally hoped. Not sure now why this was such a hard decision, but I sure felt a lifting on the load on my back once I made it!

Anyhow, I had better stop rambling and get the kids somewhere near ready for the day. We have homeschoolers' drop-in gymnastics, I have work later (we're skipping Park Day this week), etc.