May 22, 2014

2014-2015 School Year...

So were coming to the end of one school yr and moving into the start of another in June. Why so soon? Well this yr were starting yr around school; which is actually something weve been kinda doing but usually with make up being in the summer. But this year our schedule will look like this with each month having 15 days of schooling totaling 45 days each quarter and 180 days a yr. A plan I wish we had adopted earlier on.

Summer- June, July, August
Fall- September, October, November
Winter- December, January, February
Spring- March, April, May

In other news Killian is starting his senior year and making decisions about what is future looks like. Realistically college is probably not in his future right away, but my hope is that he takes a year to get some real life experience and just learn about what its like to work hard. And he has shown some interest in going into the Knoxville Police Cadet Program at the end of the yr which I think would be an amazing way for him to build confidence and figure out what he really wants to do. In the meantime though were looking into jobs and building those skills that will help in the workforce.

Lotus on the other hand has dreams of becoming a Park Ranger and will be starting to earn credits toward graduation this year in the hopes of going to college. But she has also shown quite a bit of interest in photography so she's exploring that as well.

Both have a lot to learn about being consistent in whatever they do and working daily towards their goals, but I have hopes for this school year and what they can accomplish. So feel free to check back and see whats next for the Mighty Masters Academy.

May 13, 2013

Bridging the Gap...

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Bridging Phonics for Middle School Students
One of the things that Lo & I will be committing to studying over the summer is phonics. As a lack of understanding in basic phonic skills is the reason behind most of her spelling mistakes. Thankfully I found this resource to help us along. I'll admit I am a bit of a workbook fanatic so this makes me very happy. Hopefully this will help us bridge the gap or better yet fill in the gap completely.

Apr 27, 2013

End of year/ Summer School...

A short break during late November through January means an extended school year for us, but that doesnt mean we cant finish strong in some classes.

So far we've been able to finish up Killian's math for the year; which means he will be free of his least favorite subject for the summer. And in the next few weeks we will do a quick review of the TN Drivers License manual in hopes of getting his learners permit in June. Pray God gives this mama lots of patience once he's behind the wheel. Luckily for him we will only have to finish up his Physical Science this summer & perhaps go ahead and take Health & Wellness, but thats still to be decided. My hope is that we can accomplish as much as possible before his 12th grade year.

Lotus is a little less lucky and will be finishing up the majority of her classes during the summer, but she will manage to be done with US History by the end of May. We will also be closing up the Write Shop (see note below) and focusing on spelling, vocab and some problems she's having with phonics. As for science were still uncertain if were going to work through the summer or just wait til next year. However science is sooo much more fun in the summer months. Nothing like studying fungi when you can actually get outside and look at fungi.

I guess this means I will be very busy in the next few months, but dont worry most of this will be done creekside or poolside. You know, homeschool style.

(A few months in we decided to switch Lotus over to the Write Shop study that we are using with Killian and incorporate more individual studies in grammar.This program will be worked on over the next couple of years. So far we are loving it!!)

Aug 17, 2012

Dictation Lessons....


 

 Another year has begun, but this time I'm equipped with a newer version of Word. Which means I'm a document making queen and the kids have all sorts of cool stuff to go along with their homeschooling.

This year makes Lotus' 3rd year using Learning Language Arts through Literature which is a great language arts curriculum, but this year I decided to avoid writing in the books. So I got busy making a pdf of the first 9 dictation lessons so we can work from those. Of course this was probably somewhere already made for me in the online world, but I couldnt find it. The plan is to make one for each of the lessons, but til then Ive taken care of the 1st 9weeks.

So check it out and please feel free to use it, share it, throw it away. Whatever!! This comes from the 98' version of the LLATL Tan Book which is about the same as the rest. And includes lessons 1-9.  Check back later for the other lessons which I plan to have done in about 3 weeks. Enjoy. 

Lessons 1-9 Tan Book/ LLATL

Mar 2, 2012

Planning for the future.....

We've come to that time in Killian's homeschooling where we have to make decisions about his future. What does he see himself doing after high school? What path do we want to take...college bound or general diploma? And what are the realities based off how hard he's willing to work for those dreams.

Three years ago I made the decision to bring him home because he was failing, we were fighting all the time and our relationship was falling apart because of it. We had also tried at least 5 different A.D.D. medications in a 4 month period which had side effects that were scary to watch. Killian was changing and he had given up on school despite the ways we punished or encouraged him. I know today that we made the best decision because our relationship did improve and I was able to work with him at a slower pace.

However I can also admit that I've had to change a lot in the process too. I had to fight my own demons of procrastination and laziness. Honestly I was the loser in this battle because I gave in too often. It was a aha moment this year that turned the tide and made me transition into full time homeschooling mom. Well full time mom whose heart is set on Jesus, Scott and the kids. Typically one of these 3 suffered at the hands of the other. Now Im finding my groove and the naturalness which flows out of finding your calling within the home.

If I were completely truthful I would admit that all the decisions had already been made at the beginning of this year. I had decided that we would work our butts off and Killian would complete all those college bound graduation requirements. He would make it all the way through the highest maths. He would learn to write if it killed him and he would be college bound or at least have the option right out of high school. Alot of that came out of my fear of failure that didnt match the words I was saying. I was saying it was all about him loving learning, but then making these plans that matched what the world was saying had to be. There was also this fear that I would fail him. Set my heights too low for him or maybe for myself.

But no more. Truth is Killian is super bright, but he hates writing (no matter what I do), he struggles in math (always moving one step forward and 2 steps back) and reading causes him to fall asleep. Kinda like his dad which just happens to be one of the hardest working men there is. Who might never have a book in hand but can construct a building from the ground up. Someone I would be proud of Killian becoming. I want to make decisions about his future based off his strengths and not the worlds standards. I want him to become the best he can be and not a clone of everyone else.

Which path fits Killian? Well Im not really sure, but we have to have some serious conversations. He has to start thinking past the here and now into his future and I have to start leading him by God's standards not the worlds. And this time not riding the fence between the two.