Mom, today I counted all my homeschool lesson plans I left.  That is what my daughter ran downstairs to tell me a couple of days ago.  She then asked “just how responsible do you think I am now?”   I think this all came into play because she asked for a cell phone the other day.  My answer was just wait until you are more responsible!  WOW!  Did that back fire on me.  Although, I am pretty darn proud that she is taking part in keeping track of her lessons.  It just might give her that kick in the pants to do more lessons to finish on time for us.  On that note she is having problems with her science because she can’t pronounce some of the words and she will just skip over them and keep reading.  So we are doing some 5th grade vocabulary practice games to enhance her learning on this.  With hesitation she sighed at me….I said come on you said you wanted to be more responsible!

Practicing for a placement test really puts things in place for me.  Here I thought I might have to get some tutoringfor my daughter to make sure she was up to par entering into public school.  But…..after patting myself on the back and appraising her she has tested beyond her grade level.  I do think much of it has to do with the curriculum she has been using.

Now if I can only get into her head the importance of spelling!  The essay part of the placement test she needs to take is a hang up for her.  Using a spell check just doesn’t cut it if you have to write and essay the old fashion way.  That is on a piece of paper!  We will be practicing for weeks to come on that.  Subjects are hard for me to think of for her to write about.  Any suggestions?

I have mentioned before my 12 year old daughter maybe going to a cyber academy next year.  We went to turn in her application and she was informed you will take a placement test and need to write an essay.  Her eyes were big as saucers!  The word test and essay in the same sentence made her “freak out!”  It took some smooth talking to calm the nerves. 

She reads like crazy!  She walks around the house reading…like she is going to miss something if she puts the book down.  Rick Riordan seems to be her favorite author at this time in her life.  All the Greek words did throw her off some, but has helped her build her vocabulary.  We have had long dinner conversations about the Greek Gods.  I know more than I ever think I need to know about the them matter of fact.  So I got to thinking.  Why not have her practice essay writing on a subject she is comfortable with.  So the assignment is what is your favorite Greek God or Goddess.  I sure hope this help builds her confidence and lightens her anxiety of writing an essay.

I think we have decided that my soon to be teenager will take some public school courses next year.  She has never gone to public school and I don’t want a big culture shock for her.  Our local public school offers a cyber academy where she would go 1 day to get her assignments and then report daily online to her teacher.  Hmmm, this just may work for us!  Homeschooling high-school is getting me a bit nervous.  Although I know I will get through this like every other homeschooling issue that came up I think this may be a happy medium for us.  She wants to try public school I and I want to still home-school her. 

I am also thinking that her blogging about her new experience will be a place to put all her thoughts down.  Learning to blog will be one of her new adventures to add to her list.  Not to mention a learning experience that can be educational.  One of her subjects she dislikes is writing, but there is always new ways to make it fun and I think I found it.  Wish my luck!

Over eight years ago when I started homeschooling I was looking up “Getting started homeschooling guides”at the pace of a roller coaster.  I would follow those guides to the exact.  Then a veteran homeschooler said to me one time ” I am not here to reinvent the wheel”, to which I thought was perfect for my family.  But again after a couple of years into it I realized evolve, evolve, and evolve again was in order for us.  Once I came to the realization that the same thing always doesn’t workfor everyone I was able to move forward! 

Today I came home from work and my daughter was on the computer.  So I pull up a chair to her and ask “whatcha doing?”  She replied with, ” oh just playing some games!”  I looked up to the computer screen and holy macro she was playing educational games.  What?  I didn’t have to ask her to?  I think we found our niche.