08.31.07
Posted in Life, the Universe and All that Jazz at 12:21 pm by Meg
It’s the fall, people are panicking. Especially those that ‘just’ decided not to send their kids back to school.
I have a friend from my state homeschool list that I’ve known for a few years and highly respect. We don’t homeschool the same way, but there are a lot of things I think we see eye to eye on. One of those things is how accidental homeschoolers should start.
She’s recently pulled a few posts together under one topic and they should be read by anyone just beginning their journey or feeling like something is not going the way it should.
Go check it out - Homeschool Notebook
Permalink
Posted in The nuts and bolts of it at 10:40 am by Meg
This is too cute not to pass on.
Enjoy!
This website below is pretty neat. It’s eight pages of worksheets.
http://www.starwars .com/episode- iv/bts/article/ f20070824/ img/worksheets. pdf
Permalink
08.29.07
Posted in The nuts and bolts of it at 1:30 pm by Meg
We are finally getting started on doing seat work today. And since I haven’t done the ‘this is what we are doing this year,’ yet, I thought I’d do it today as we get started.
Girl - She’s in 8th grade this year, the last year of middle-school. Her and Hubby are still leaning toward the option of her going to public school for high school and so her work was chosen with that in mind.
- English - pretty much the same as last year. She’ll finish the series of spelling books she’s been working in - Everyday Spelling - and do the next grammar book - World of Language - and literature anthology - Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. She’ll also continue reading books off recommended reading lists for middle school students (though anything off the high school list is also fair game.) Like last year, we ask that she reads something from each genre, but she can choose what she wants to read.
- History - With thoughts of the local high school, she’s doing an upper level US History book - American Nation through 1877 - I’ll also find some outside readings to make it more interesting.
- Science - We’re finishing the middle school science books that we’ve been working for the last 2 years. I think this year is mostly earth science oriented with force and motion and then ecology thrown in at the end.
- Math - She is ahead in what the accelerated kids at the public school are doing, so rather than having her put in with much older kids, we are letting her have a ‘fun’ year. She’s reviewing Algebra 1 using a review book that came with her text from last year. It’s light, but will keep her doing something. And then Hubby is teaching her C++. She loves to use html codes to set up web pages and so this will give her some real programming knowledge. They had her first ’session’ today, and she thinks that this is great.
- Art - She’ll be finishing the art history book we started last year.
- Languages - Russian is dead and gone. I think we are both happy to see it done. OTH, we’ll be finishing both last year’s French book and Japanese book.
- Extras - She’s continuing with her music lessons on the flute and piano and she’ll do co-op again this year. This year’s classes are Renaissance Thinkers, Renaissance arts and crafts, and I’m teaching a combined math and science club. The kids also want to stage another play, but we won’t think about that until November (when hopefully Boy will be past whatever is coming)
And Boy - who’s a senior this year! He’ is pretty much done, so he’s getting a lot of control over what he does and how he does it. After Hubby, he and I sitting down a few times to discuss ideas, he has a general outline for the year. Most of his year is free reading along certain themes.
- Somehow he has ‘missed’ World History. So for this year, he’s covering it. He’s got the text that I picked up used a couple of years ago to use as a spine. But the focus of the year will be reading books on any time period/person that catches his attention.
- Philosophy - he has a lot of interest in different philosophers. So we picked up some over view books and he’s starting with them and then reading books about the particular ones that interest him.
- Economics - To continue with his interest and possible future major, he reading books about some of the big economic theories and some by economists. He has both micro and macro college level texts if he decides to read them as well, or consider the AP tests in the spring.
- Literature - Nothing formal. He’ll just continue to read works that interest him.
- Math - though we haven’t started it yet, he will be doing calculus with Hubby this year.
- Art and French - that he’ll do with his sister and I.
- He’s also taking Drivers’ Ed with the local state college. The class started on Aug. 12 and so far, he’s been able to work class and driving times around dealing with doctors.
And I think that’s it.
Permalink
08.28.07
Posted in Life, the Universe and All that Jazz at 8:22 pm by Meg
We spent all of today at the Children’s Hospital in Indy.
The main purpose was for Boy to have a specialized CT scan so they could get a complete picture of the status of his small intestine (or small bowel). They had to sedate him and then run a tube down his nose and throat and through his stomach. Then they pumped dye through the tube and took pictures as it worked it’s way through. Boy has an extreme gag reflex and so I guess getting the tube in was not a walk in the park.
The scan went well and according to the Dr. M, they got some great pictures of what is going on.
First, the good news. The abscess is healed and gone and Boy’s drain has now been removed, much to everyone’s relief. He can’t shower until Thursday (after the incision heals,) but it’s great to know it’s gone.
The scan did show an length of intestine (about 11 inches long) that has narrowed. This is where the hole formed that caused the abscess. Doctors M and C are studying the scans over the next few days to decide on a recommendation.
It’s possible that the stricture is caused by inflammation. If so, they may be able to treat it medically and as it heals it will return to ‘normal.’ But since the walls are weakened there the chance of another hole/abscess forming while they treat it.
The other possibility is that the stricture is caused by scar tissue. So if they can’t treat it medically (or that doesn’t work) or decide that it’s scar tissue, they will need to remove the section with surgery. When, I don’t know, and they gave us some different possibilities on how it might be done.
Thank you to everyone for your support and kind messages. Now that we are over the immediate crisis, hopefully life can start returning to normal……. sort of.
Permalink
08.27.07
Posted in Life, the Universe and All that Jazz at 1:26 pm by Meg
Doctors, their staff, and my friends that have offered a place for Girl to hang out while we are in Indy all day tomorrow. (Not that she couldn’t stay home by herself, just that she prefers this)
The short status - the Dr. M (the pediatric GI from Indy, love her - not going back to Dr. S) wants a special CT scan done. Since the Radiologist that put in the drain now wants to take it out (flow is way down), I’m waiting on hearing Dr. M’s thoughts. The scan is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. Drain in or out?
Prior to the scan, we are meeting a pediatric surgeon - oh, why not Dr. C (for cut). Not that Dr. M wants to go the surgical route yet, she just wants us to meet and discuss.
Today, I need to take Boy in for a blood test, but I’m waiting to hear back from Dr. M or her staff……….
And I still don’t know if we are also meeting with Dr. M at any point tomorrow. The original plan from last week was to also see her when we met with the surgeon and did the scan.
I love playing phone tag and having things up in the air.
On a different note, since I’m marking time waiting for the phone to ring…………..
We were suppose to start ’school’ today. It’s not happening - Ha? Maybe midweek.
Yesterday was Hubby and my 18th anniversary. Needless to say, with everything it’s kind of gotten lost. We did have tickets to see Rush last night though. And went. It was great. It was an outdoor concert (though we had covered seats) and with no warm-up band they played for over 3 hours, with only a 20 min break.
I have no idea why they were cooking chickens up on the stage though. Nearly 100 rotisserie whole roasters, I’d guess. Weird.
Permalink
« Previous entries
