First let me apologize for the length of the blog today. I have a lot to say and I’m bored…
Very early on in my blog I mentioned producing a fair (subjective and objective) method of grading his work efforts and testing scores. I honestly believe I came up with a fair grading scale. Here’s JD’s grades for 5-29 Jan. Spelling 95, Lang Arts 98.2, Math 94.9, Science 98.6, Health 100, History 96.7, Civics 96.7, Social Studies, Keyboarding, Journal, Art, Reading, Email / Snail mail, Word bank, and Music are all Satisfactory. Yes, I teach all 15 topics (35 lessons) each week. This is why I believe home school is so much better than mushrooms growing under his butt in public school.
Devotion today was a word search puzzle. Today is National Puzzle day. So I read the entry for tomorrow. It talked about when the Life Saving boat was designed. It could save many from a certain death. I guess you know how it transitioned. You’re right, Jesus saves many lives too if they would just accept Him.
The Purpose Driven Life was about The times “When God seems distant.” Oh I’ve been there before. It’s nothing I did wrong, it’s a time he used to test me, to make me mature, or to see if I’ll go on living like he last told me. (Okay, story time…) When I was younger I would get grounded to my room for this or that. If I’m remembering correctly the door was usually shut. Not sure if that was my choice or my mother’s choice. In any case, she would prewarn me that she would be off to run an errand. Usually the grocery store. I knew this was enough time to leave my room and watch TV or to call a friend. But I was normally a fairly compliant child. (Which makes me wonder…what did I get grounded for? Mom?) So when she left did I leave my room? Um, NO! My mother put the fear of “Mom” into me. Her last instructions to me were to “stay in my room and think about it.” (Really? Think about it…Ok whatever.) I used to think she had a string tied to my door knob and attached to another hallway door and if I pulled from my side it would break the string. Then I would be busted. Or maybe…she’s got a tape recorder hidden in the house to hear my movement. No my friends, I obeyed the last instructions she gave me. I try to do the same with God’s last instructions to me in those times when He seems so distant.
We only did one lesson in math today. It was finding percentages for meal tips and discounts while shopping. I like how made the lesson for real life things. It helped JD see the whole picture before seeing the inside of the forest. The lesson was moving so quickly that I had a hard time keeping notes. (I didn’t know THAT math.) At the end of each small teaching point they ask, “Are you ready to move on or should I rewind.” I must have looked so confused…JD looked me over and must have felt sorry for me. Normally he hit’s “Let’s go! I’ve got it!” But today he hit, “Can I hear that again?” I praised him for being so kind to his mathematically challenged mother. We eventually got it but it was longer than expected.
Keyboarding was frustrating for JD today. The laptop keyboard is not ergonomically correct for him so he kept hitting the mouse pad or this that and the other. I tried to hook up the other keyboard but it didn’t connect with the laptop. We ended the lesson early so he wouldn’t blow his top with the voices that say, “Pick me…hit me…no me.”
Every Friday we edit a journal entry and he has to rewrite it in his “best” handwriting. I’m hoping this will prepare him for the annual assessment. Speaking of annual assessments. I have been shopping around for an assessment (test) that will work for us. The teacher of the school (me) has to order and pay for an assessment. I learned from one company today that it is not a pass or fail test. It is to assess progress. That’s makes both JD and I happy. Notice I never say test in the blog. That’s a slam on the brakes phrase for JD. According to North Carolina law I’m required to give JD an assessment annually. We’re not due until Dec 2010 but I’m going to order the assessment this weekend and it will be shipped for a mid May assessment. So no one stress.
In health today JD learned about managing stress. Oh to be so young again. I asked JD what the stressors in his life were. He listed only three things and they were: math, writing, and not winning video games. (Smile.) At this point in his life he is extremely lucky. I’m thankful that it’s nothing like: arguing parents, not enough food, cold house, etc. He also learned about making and keeping friends. Usually ADHD kids have social problems. JD’s is lacking the understanding of how his hyper active behavior can be a nuance to some friends. He also has social interactions issues. It’s easy for him to call someone a friend and then turn right around and say, “He’s not my friend anymore.” He has difficulty getting and keeping perceived friends. I can’t even keep track of the number of times I’ve heard, “I don’t have any friends. No one likes me.” So in this environment I’m able to stop nuances without harming his spirit. I often say, “That’s distracting me” “or “I don’t like that, could you stop please.” So more to come on the friend topic.
What can I say? Our “super speller” earned his first 100% on a spelling quiz. He was so proud when he typed his FULL name for the certificate.
Very early on in my blog I mentioned producing a fair (subjective and objective) method of grading his work efforts and testing scores. I honestly believe I came up with a fair grading scale. Here’s JD’s grades for 5-29 Jan. Spelling 95, Lang Arts 98.2, Math 94.9, Science 98.6, Health 100, History 96.7, Civics 96.7, Social Studies, Keyboarding, Journal, Art, Reading, Email / Snail mail, Word bank, and Music are all Satisfactory. Yes, I teach all 15 topics (35 lessons) each week. This is why I believe home school is so much better than mushrooms growing under his butt in public school.
Devotion today was a word search puzzle. Today is National Puzzle day. So I read the entry for tomorrow. It talked about when the Life Saving boat was designed. It could save many from a certain death. I guess you know how it transitioned. You’re right, Jesus saves many lives too if they would just accept Him.
The Purpose Driven Life was about The times “When God seems distant.” Oh I’ve been there before. It’s nothing I did wrong, it’s a time he used to test me, to make me mature, or to see if I’ll go on living like he last told me. (Okay, story time…) When I was younger I would get grounded to my room for this or that. If I’m remembering correctly the door was usually shut. Not sure if that was my choice or my mother’s choice. In any case, she would prewarn me that she would be off to run an errand. Usually the grocery store. I knew this was enough time to leave my room and watch TV or to call a friend. But I was normally a fairly compliant child. (Which makes me wonder…what did I get grounded for? Mom?) So when she left did I leave my room? Um, NO! My mother put the fear of “Mom” into me. Her last instructions to me were to “stay in my room and think about it.” (Really? Think about it…Ok whatever.) I used to think she had a string tied to my door knob and attached to another hallway door and if I pulled from my side it would break the string. Then I would be busted. Or maybe…she’s got a tape recorder hidden in the house to hear my movement. No my friends, I obeyed the last instructions she gave me. I try to do the same with God’s last instructions to me in those times when He seems so distant.
We only did one lesson in math today. It was finding percentages for meal tips and discounts while shopping. I like how made the lesson for real life things. It helped JD see the whole picture before seeing the inside of the forest. The lesson was moving so quickly that I had a hard time keeping notes. (I didn’t know THAT math.) At the end of each small teaching point they ask, “Are you ready to move on or should I rewind.” I must have looked so confused…JD looked me over and must have felt sorry for me. Normally he hit’s “Let’s go! I’ve got it!” But today he hit, “Can I hear that again?” I praised him for being so kind to his mathematically challenged mother. We eventually got it but it was longer than expected.
Keyboarding was frustrating for JD today. The laptop keyboard is not ergonomically correct for him so he kept hitting the mouse pad or this that and the other. I tried to hook up the other keyboard but it didn’t connect with the laptop. We ended the lesson early so he wouldn’t blow his top with the voices that say, “Pick me…hit me…no me.”
Every Friday we edit a journal entry and he has to rewrite it in his “best” handwriting. I’m hoping this will prepare him for the annual assessment. Speaking of annual assessments. I have been shopping around for an assessment (test) that will work for us. The teacher of the school (me) has to order and pay for an assessment. I learned from one company today that it is not a pass or fail test. It is to assess progress. That’s makes both JD and I happy. Notice I never say test in the blog. That’s a slam on the brakes phrase for JD. According to North Carolina law I’m required to give JD an assessment annually. We’re not due until Dec 2010 but I’m going to order the assessment this weekend and it will be shipped for a mid May assessment. So no one stress.
In health today JD learned about managing stress. Oh to be so young again. I asked JD what the stressors in his life were. He listed only three things and they were: math, writing, and not winning video games. (Smile.) At this point in his life he is extremely lucky. I’m thankful that it’s nothing like: arguing parents, not enough food, cold house, etc. He also learned about making and keeping friends. Usually ADHD kids have social problems. JD’s is lacking the understanding of how his hyper active behavior can be a nuance to some friends. He also has social interactions issues. It’s easy for him to call someone a friend and then turn right around and say, “He’s not my friend anymore.” He has difficulty getting and keeping perceived friends. I can’t even keep track of the number of times I’ve heard, “I don’t have any friends. No one likes me.” So in this environment I’m able to stop nuances without harming his spirit. I often say, “That’s distracting me” “or “I don’t like that, could you stop please.” So more to come on the friend topic.
What can I say? Our “super speller” earned his first 100% on a spelling quiz. He was so proud when he typed his FULL name for the certificate.
We are busy preparing for our future snow / ice storm. Apparently, so is EVERYONE else who lives in Harnett county. They all met up at the local Food Lion to clog the isles. Many families placed their cart and one family member in the line forming in most isles and then strategically sent off various family members, according to the difficulty of the find, to forage for necessary food items that didn’t need to be cooked on an electric stove. The last big ice storm took our power for about three days. So this is indeed a rare occasion for North Carolina.
No comments:
Post a Comment