tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3999132126550088443.post3784552545181115045..comments2023-08-21T10:19:02.819-05:00Comments on the Story of My World: Hard Pressed...Carrie Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670280441133422191noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3999132126550088443.post-50527633002593377502010-12-16T15:02:43.464-06:002010-12-16T15:02:43.464-06:00Carrie Elizabeth we are so proud of you! We think ...Carrie Elizabeth we are so proud of you! We think you are doing a wonderful job.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12973768549433819531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3999132126550088443.post-84195730166339194402010-12-16T08:24:34.467-06:002010-12-16T08:24:34.467-06:00I am amazed at what you teach! I think you are an ...I am amazed at what you teach! I think you are an awesome teacher and Mom! I'm hoping that I have just as much creativity when my kids are older....aneisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18309265164762564213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3999132126550088443.post-36738147390643192582010-12-15T11:09:42.925-06:002010-12-15T11:09:42.925-06:00Just typed you a novel and it dissappeared.... arg...Just typed you a novel and it dissappeared.... arghghhhh!Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05682234408333714885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3999132126550088443.post-54263984326881144752010-12-15T11:08:56.323-06:002010-12-15T11:08:56.323-06:00My advice... give yourself a break! I don't m...My advice... give yourself a break! I don't mean a vacation "break". I mean we just have to realize we can not do it all. ;) I started out the year great. We were rocking on and getting it done even though I think the house always has to be a bit left undone to do the schooling. Then, a few things happened and I fell off the my great working plan. I have not gotten back into it good, yet. And with Christmas break it is not going to happen right now. So, I am just holding out some hope for the new year. I can say that the things that did help were giving it my full focus. No phone calls. No internet unless it was to use for school like to show a short video clip, etc.. No visitors although we did not turn away drop by guests. No outside activities that were not planned several days in advance. Having meal items on hand that can be prepared super quick. Following a weekly printout and checking off what we got done, x-ing out what we were skipping, circling what I want to come back and do the next week (sometimes I would realize I needed something, so we might change the order of the days around, too). <br /><br />Ultimately, I think the core is what we need to do. The rest is like the side dishes in a meal. We don't have to have it all. We might have the chicken, green beans, and potatoes. We don't have to have the gravy, biscuits, cheesecake. We still had a complete meal without it. Sorry for the weird food analogy. For use I try not to let myself skip the Bible parts, but some of the activities we do skip. For my first grader I make sure we do not skip the phonics/reading portions, but we might skip math some days. For my fourth grader it is sort of the same, but I get tired and we skip more and some weeks we just skip all history, science, etc.. Should I admit that... maybe not, but really I don't remember much about history that I learned when I was in school... or Science either. More is learned from real life in those subjects or from a natural interest or need for it when we are older. <br /><br />And yes, I have an art program that has sat unused for last year and now this year.. as well, as a few other artsy things that I couldn't use due to a printer issue that I hope to add in soon. The violin lessons that my kids want to do have not been available due to not being able to find a teacher... and it all stresses me out everyday... and I try to get a lot done, but I am limited... I am human. We can't do it all. <br /><br />About the teacher thing... my husband teaches 7th grade English. He has those kids for an hour or so every other day and can't tell you half of their names. He has students that have handwriting like a 1st grader and some with low vocabulary... or they can't spell or read in the SEVENTH grade... there is little he can do about it. Kid's don't get it all in public school either and they don't have "choices" for their extra curricular activities. If you have a child that wants to learn violin that is, at least, an option... in public school they can choose a band instrument. And we all know that 99% of those kids will never play those instruments as adults... better off learning guitar, piano, etc. that they might actually use one day. And that is my very looooonnnnnngnggg opinion of it all... and there is more where that came from if you need it. ;) ShannonShannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05682234408333714885noreply@blogger.com