Weekly Wrap-Up: Variation on a Wrap-Up

I think the single most important quality that a homeschooling mom needs to develop is that of willingness to admit that we make mistakes and then be open to making changes. 

• I may have picked the wrong materials for teaching math.
• I chose a curricula that doesn't match our child's learning style.
• I offered something too hard and something too easy.
• I projected my own desire into a subject instead of viewing it from my child's side of the table.
• I planned too much material for the week/year.
• I lost sight of our ultimate goals. 

Admitting to a wrong step takes a shift in attitude, at least it does on my part. As the years tick off behind me, I am becoming more flexible and willing to shift gears in the middle of my plans.

So what subjects will I be revamping? The list includes astronomy (again), chemistry (again), creative writing, and Mr. B's art plans. After discussing things with my boys and hearing their thoughts, I went to the principal and financial head of our homeschool, my husband. Consulting with him and hearing his clear-headed thinking, I decided to leave my feelings out of the picture and take his green light to make a few changes.

Here is what we are aiming for now:

• Astronomy: Make the course more research based perhaps starting with current events and people from the astronomy news. Keep up to date with current night sky conditions. Tie in history of astronomy with his ancient history study. (I have come to realize this child is not a science person but rather a humanities driven learner.)
• Chemistry: The cry for more real labwork was heard loud and clear and I have purchased a new book to support that desire.....more work on my part making sure the materials are on hand and that we coordinate schedules but I agree that the focus of the course I outlined was math based which was not stimulating much delight or awe in our study. I need to find a balance. 
• Creative Writing: AGH! Can I just admit here that offering a course like this is frustrating? I am building my own plans week by week but it is turning out some great stuff from Mr. B. All great writers are great readers as well and I am finding that the key to creative writing is not necessarily focusing on writing stories or poetry. The key is stimulating a passion to write and developing a need to write. Mr. B will write when he has something to say. 
• 11th Grade Art: Perhaps this is my biggest shift in thinking. At the beginning of the year I had a whole plan outlined for Mr. B. I have a gold mine of materials on my shelves and I pulled out all the good stuff that have been wanting to offer and crammed it into a plan. Light bulb moment: It was my idea of a great plan and it was way too much. Mr. B would very obediently complete his art assignments but he lacked enthusiasm. I have been operating under the idea that he just needed to follow the plan and make the best of it but after twelve weeks of watching his art lack the shine that it normally has, I decided to sit with him and talk about it to see what he felt was contributing to his lack of spark. He expressed the desire to research artists and composers and follow the rabbit trails this leads to as he goes along. (I am beginning to see a pattern in the learning style of this child...research and humanities.) He wants to do more drawing with pencil and to have one big art project going each week that we do together. Okay, he wiped out half of my plans for his art with that revelation. I am willing to give it a try because I think that it is just as important to teach the heart as it is to teach the head, thus I am gathering some ideas to proceed from here. 

All of this gives me an opportunity to grow and learn alongside my boys. As far the regular wrap-up stuff, how about I just post some photos?



Chemistry notebook pages are one of the fun aspects of chemistry. They research the three elements of the week and then record what they find interesting.


Mr. B and I did mosaic work together today. We listened to some of the audio book Ancient Greek Tales as we worked.


Here is a finished project that Mr. A built over our week off. He is not going to fly it but display it as a model. He has put a lot of time into finishing this one so he is not going to chance crashing it. You can't tell but it is really big...I would say 6+ foot wingspan.


So the minute he finished one airplane, he started on a new one.



This means back to the computer to design and scale some plans. Math in his free time...does it get any better than that?

Homeschooling makes me a better mom. My kids know I am not perfect but that I try really hard. I know they are trying hard too. Another part of our shared journey....savoring the moments.



A morning break sitting in the sun.....

Barb-Harmony Art Mom