What we are using

01 February 2008

Week 22 - Weekly Report


This week went surprisingly well. Co-op was great. CC loved her classes. I survived the classes I taught, and I even got an hour or so to sit and read while LB played. LB did well in her class. She followed directions, and I left her in the class with the teacher-mom while I filled out registration papers and made some coffee. Oh, and I got to drink a cup of coffee. It must have been a good day.

This week I have had some doubts. The school year is half way over and I am not sure how much progress we have made. I am not even sure what I wanted to really accomplish. I am a check-box person, but I don't feel that I have completed anything that should be checked-off any kind of list. Have my children learned any new skills? Are they any better at any old skills? They have read books and memorized things, but so what. Can either of them do math any better? No. Does either of them have better handwriting? No. I know. I am being hard on myself. I know that they both questioned and learned about their world. I know it is too late to start making changes with how I school BB, but change is in the air for CC.

One of the things that prompted this feeling was watching CC do her handwriting and math worksheets. She enjoyed them. She said they were fun. She liked doing them and then being done. I have been working hard to avoid worksheets and now I am rethinking them.

When I leave for work on Fridays, I leave each of the three kids a checklist of school and house work to do while I am gone and dh is working upstairs. This has been working well and teaching the kids some responsibility. However, today I realized that the kids get more accomplished on Fridays with their list than they do during the week with me home. Between the checklists and the worksheets, I am reeling in uncertainty today.

My week was good, but it left me feeling less confidant.

4 comments:

Daisy said...

It just depends on what you use as a measuring stick. Friday's measuring stick in a checklist. Monday thru Thurs. may be a different standard altogether. You really cannot compare the two, anymore then a public school can say that one test is a measure of all the other 9 months of learning that took place. I hope you find your certainty for next week. ;-)

-from another Mom who occasionally loses her certainty.

Anonymous said...

Karen,

As soon as I get the book and CD set and have a chance to hear it, I'll answer your questions. I am buying that set totally sight unseen. I do hope I'm happy with it. eek!

I hope that next week you feel better about how things go....

Anonymous said...

You just need to look at what you have accomplished overall, not just this week or next. I know you are doing a great job. The kids are truly happy with their week.

Tina in WA said...

I think it is just the time of year...

I go back and look over you weekly reports and you have accomphished a great deal. :o)

~Tina