Our school year is completed and all that is left is for me to finish the paperwork. Since I have faithfully followed through with my weekly recording of data on Homeschool Tracker, my job is much easier with far less headache.
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| Edward Hopper, Gas. |
He requested a family trip to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and his sister made that happen with some discount tickets from her place of employment...which made it much more reasonably priced. Theme parks are a cultural experience for this non-city girl and I spent most of my time amazed at the variety of humanity that walks by as you sit on a bench. This particular theme park (which in the past was called Marine World) has lots of marine animal shows which were the best part of my visit but everyone else spent their time riding the roller coasters.
Here is the obligatory tie from Grandma T, a traditional graduation gift. I am loving the "Van Gogh-ishness" of it with its swirls of color. It is a Jerry Garcia brand tie.....I knew who he was but Mr. A didn't (YouTube is great for stuff like this since we could instantly bring up a video with his music.)
I have been reflecting over the past week about homeschooling and "graduating" our children from our homeschool. If all we were doing was preparing them academically, then this would be an easy task....we could administer a test to measure if they had met the graduation goals. I guess you could count up credits and decide if they were academically ready for graduation as well. But after all my reflecting and meditating about Graduation (yes, a capital G), my husband and I decided that the intangibles were more important than anything else as far as deciding if a child is ready to graduate. The qualities and attitudes of the child in the end seem more important than any grade or score we have recorded in Homeschool Tracker. This is something to remember when I get caught up in particulars of texts and courses. Mr. B will reap the benefits of our new found goals in homeschooling.
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| David Hockney, Bigger Splash. |
Trying to be excited about being done for the year but part of me wishes it were just a little bit longer....crazy I know. I celebrate Mr. A's accomplishments and his hopes for the future. I look forward to seeing what this guy does in the next few years with all his ambitions and energy. He is not going away to college so I will have a front row seat.
Thanks for all your support over the past school year as I have navigated through this senior year.....only one more child to go.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
9 comments:
Most definitely a capital G, m'am! Congrats with a capital C too :) I love this post. I can read your relaxed tone. It matches the Jerry Garcia tie. (Absolutely love that shot!)
This girl would be sitting next to you on the bench at Six Flags admiring the variety of humanity. Haven't ridden a roller coaster since I got off the Scream Machine when I was 10 - and they were out of the 'I rode the scream machine' buttons as I exited. Now I have my own kind of Hodgepodge roller coaster :)
Thanks for sharing this senior year with us and encouraging by example.
I just graduated my first and it's a crazy feeling. I always enjoy reading your posts, though I don't really comment much.
I'm just stopping by from the weekly wrap up.
Love that Jerry Garcia Tie...I think I know what I'm doing for father's day now :-)
Love the tie. Congratulations and thank you for all the things you have shared with your readers this year.
Congratulations to all of you--this is really a family effort. God bless Mr. A in his new pursuits!
Barb, celebrating with you here in the South! Even if you've "done" graduation before with other children, I imagine that each time is just as special, since each child followed his own path of accomplishments.
BTW, while you and Tricia people-watch on the bench, I'll be the one screaming on the rollercoasters! But I like marine shows, too. :)
Barb -- as a regular reader with my first graduating next year, you have been an inspiration. Thank you for continuing to share your talents and your thoughts.
Congratulations Mr. A - and to the whole family! What a wonderful journey you have allowed us to walk beside with all of the Friday Updates.
The boys were able to put up an electric fence around a tall deer fence today - a skill that my husband and I didn't have, and that I wanted the boys to have. They don't put up Electric Fence Installation Quiz on our state exams.
Preparing for what they will need to learn - that is the bigger picture. Love to you, and thank you for sharing your journey with us!
Thanks Angie,
I totally agree about the Important skills they need that will not be tested on ever except in real life and when they have their own families.
Thanks for the comment.
Just wanted to add my congratulations to the list!
God bless you, Barb, and your family.
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