A Peek inside Peters Mind

I'm up early to get ready for the school day. The days are running smoothly and filled with intense learning! We don't have any outside classes this week because the charter school we use doesn't start until the 21st of the month. So every day is here without a break. You can almost hear the wheels grinding as the kids learn new concepts.

I'm excited about The Story Of The World. I got it for the kids this year complete with the activity book and the Cd's. We didn't get to History or Science this first week but I plan on starting it next week. This week is all about learning the schedule and meshing 4 little personalities together.

I put Peter in a self directed curriculum called, CLE, this year. It's put out by the Mennonites and the children work through ten workbooks in each subject for the year. It is working wonderfully with the boy! They get to grade their own work with answer keys and Peter is loving it.

I do have to tell you something funny though. Yesterday Peter came to a part where it said he was suppose to study the words, wonderful, remember, and yesterday. After studying them the book said to write them without looking. When I checked Peters page I noticed that letters were everywhere. The words weren't written in straight rows. He was so frustrated.

It took me forever to work through the communication gap between us and figure out that he thought when it said to write the words without looking that he was suppose to close his eyes and write them! The poor boy! There he was struggling to recall the spelling while closing his eyes and writing the words! I felt so sorry for him. His frustration was so real. You should have seen the relief on his face when I explained to him what that really meant. Oh the dear boy! It took me forever to figure out the problem. My mind just couldn't grasp that he was closing his eyes so he wouldn't look just like the book said! Isn't it just amazing how we get so used to the way a thing is worded that we think nothing of it. Then here comes a child who has never encountered it and he just takes it so literally! Man, I love that kid!

Tink is taking choir at the Christian Academy and she is all on pins and needles because she has to sing the scales and the first few lines of Amazing Grace in front of the class. The teacher is calling them up to the piano and playing notes while they sing them. I explained to Tink that they are just trying to see who can carry a tune and who needs to put in each different part. This is letting them hear the child individually. Well, she is about breaking out in a rash over it! Why is growing up so fraught with worry? Poor kids!

Well I better get. I have to plan a kindergarten curriculum this morning. Yes, I have my first kindergarten/first grade class meeting this morning and I have new clue what we're going to do!