GA- The Whole Day Through

Today was the second day of school.  We love her just the same.

Hi Brandy,


Georgia is such a cutie (oh yeah, naughty and homely could be really bad), and brings a fun spirit (code for this girl's a nut), to our class. We are, however, having some troubles following directions, and I know you gave me a head's up at Open House on Friday (i.e. keep the child beside you at all times). She is having a difficult time remembering to stay out of the classroom when the teacher is not in the room, like during recess and lunch. And with that, remembering to wait for me to open the door and let the class in (she informed me she'd like to let the class in instead.  I told her that was one of the few fringe benefits of getting a four year degree in elementary education). She also needs to know that she needs to go to the bathroom during recess and lunch or right after when our class goes. (What can I say?)


I talked with Mrs. Morgan and she also told me about the sticker chart and that she had to be right on Georgia for a few months (I've been right on her for 6 years.  Good luck). After that, she said Georgia was a model student! I know we can get right back to that! Sometimes, kids forget how to act in school over summer, so I am confident it won't take long.


Just wanted to give you a head's up!



Thanks!
 
Today Liv had a play date.  Her buddy's brother is in Georgia's class.  He informed her that Georgia has "moved her pin" (on the disciplinary chart), twice.  I repeat, this is the second day of school.  Come on George!  You made it through half a day last year.  YOU CAN DO IT!
 
 
One thing is CERTAIN.  This second year teacher will remember Georgia's name until the day she retires. 
 
 
"Georgia, oh Georgia.  The whole day through." 

I realize this should be a first day of school picture.  Missed that photo op.  What do I look like, a photographer?

The written word for our children is a fantastic outlet.  Especially for prolific Olivia.  You saw Isaac's checklist in one of my last posts.  Here are some other writing samples I may submit to Random House...

One of Liv's love notes that we find on our pillows.  She goes to bed at 8:30, to sleep at 11ish.  Only after she's written us a note of some sort.

Jason promised a trip to Chuck E Cheese. 

*read left column first, then right.

Liv brought this home yesterday from a classmate.  Jason was relieved that he spelled worse than our kids.

Pepperoni theft: punishable by an apology letter.  I wonder if they follow the 3 strikes rule.

And Georgia has gotten in on the action recently.

I'm not sure which ten days she was gone for.  I guess I better be more attentive.


Liv wrote this fractured fairytale for school.  Page 3 concerns me.

In town?  We don't even have a bar here.  I blame it on High School Musical.  She watched it for the first time a few weeks ago.  I knew it was trouble.

Not to worry, some tall  guy named Bob saves the day at the end of the story and Mae becomes queen.  Come to think of it, didn't hear anything else about her drunken father.  Check the next few episodes of  "Intervention".

School Day #1

I dropped off my kid's at school today the same way a normal person drops off her kindergartner in September. I only cried when Isaac's teacher was so ever-loving kind to him it broke my heart.

Liv's teachers were a little pissed. Pardon the French, but I believe they were. When I taught at Grant I'd have probably been as well. As it happened, I did have a home-schooler brought to me in the middle of the year, and he caught on immediately with what we were doing and it went swimmingly.

My first conversation with one of Liv's teachers went a little something like this...

"I tested her reading."
"uh-huh."
"She's behind."
"uh-huh." (you mean like I told you this morning when I dropped her off?)
"I mean VERY behind."
"uh-huh."
"I don't have anyone else in my class that low."
"Yup. I had her speech tested and she's got some form of auditory comprehension disability, but they didn't get too in-depth as she was going to a private school and they only tested her to see if she'd get resource help for a scholarship. I spoke to the school speech therapist and we've got an idea of what it is that slows her reading. We're going to have her tested to see just what she needs so she can be helped while she's at school."
"She's only reading on a first grade level."
"uh-huh." I've taught her for a year myself. I know what level she's reading at. My first grader has surpassed her.
"And why does she write in cursive?"
"That's what we taught at the Montessori school. It's easier for little scribblers (and it's just plain pretty, I should have added). Is it a problem for her to write in cursive?"
It was her turn this time, "uh-huh."
"Won't she be doing only cursive next year?"
again, "uh-huh."
"But for now she can't?"
"Un-uh"
"Well I guess we'll work on her printing."
"She's really low. Do you think her cursive has interfered with her reading?"
"Absolutely not. She always reads books in print. Always reads my work in cursive and she reads both on the same level. If anything it shows more intelligence that she can "translate". I'm a certified (well, it's expired, so I guess I'm not), teacher.
-Meaning I'm not some schmuck off the streets wanting to stay up late and sleep in, travel whenever I want to, and have my children make leather wallets to sell on Ebay. Although 2/3 are wonderful benefits to homeschooling. Besides, any schmuck would know a 1st-2nd grade level curriculum. Not that he'd want to teach it, but still.

I have the other teacher thinking Montessori is of the devil. I really need to keep my mouth shut or keep running it until it is all out on the carpet. I've sent my kids from one philosophy to the next. They won't converge for many moons, or some might argue, not at all.

Moral: It was the first day of school in the middle of the school year (and I am a schmuck for that). Can we give eachother a break?

So, while the learning we've done (and continue to do), at home focuses on one thing or another, I can probably be assured that it won't be the same thing focused on at "the big school" that Olivia has so longingly called it for the last couple years. I'll probably have a few more conversations about what Olivia knows or doesn't know, but, as of tomorrow I won't take it personally and I won't give it either. Let's just help these kiddos learn and be happy.

My feel-goods are really tender right now, so go easy on me. It's taken exactly one year for me to determine that I'm not a nice enough to teach my kids. It takes a special person, or at least someone not as anal retentive.

I've reached the conclusion that my relationship with my children will always trump the benefits of homeschool (even as they all come flooding into my consciousness and I woefully push them back). I kept giving it "one more day", one more prayer to get myself together, but as all of the neighborhood probably knows, every day it was one reason or another that I lost my temper with a student/the love of my life.

So here's to trying and moving on to better ways. I'll be so sad to let them go for the better part of the day, but to be honest, walking into that school to get the registration paperwork brought back some sweet memories that I hope my kids will enjoy also. Hopefully when everyone is literate and such (anger management classes ;]), we'll give it another go. For now, I get a big fat F in homeschooling.