Homeschool

Look! A helpful translation guide for dads of homeschooling families. I'm thinking Mr. Homescholar might consider a brilliant new career in wife-to-husband pocket translation on a variety of topics. Maybe Mrs. Homescholar would consider writing a reverse version? (Please?)

Susan Wise Bauer is blogging -- homeschool commentary from a veteran. She's compelling and articulate, as always providing much to chew on.

About our current homeschooling adventures? Time change weeks stink. Otherwise, the kids are learning, the schedules are colorful as always, and S is currently obsessed with reading the calendar. She has posted her own piece of lined paper next to the giant generic deskblotter model I have on the wall. She stands next to me when I'm writing new things in, writing and scribbling in her own various colors, keeping us all on track. Sometimes she complains when my writing is "too small to read" -- which totally cracks me up. When the big kids get confused about what's happening on which day, she quotes today's date, tomorrow's date, and the activities listed for both.

Our redesigned lesson plan/checklist notebook has worked pretty well (many thanks to all those who contributed glimpses of their personal versions), minus the aforementioned time-change week of doom. Another change this year is the switch from random Post-it page markers and notes to the fabulous Ree's method of using green ("start here") and red ("stop here") Post-it tabs in the kids' various workbooks and reading selections. By now I should either have stock in 3M or have some sort of endorsement deal with them. I believe I own almost every repositionable adhesive thingy they make and I proselytize mercilessly on their behalf. My own books are a walking advertisement: they have enough page markers stuck throughout that they seem to have sprouted a very colorful post-post-it-modern paper/plastic wig. 3M people? You reading? Your new product should be a care package for busy homeschool moms (or students or professionals). I'm happy to test the concept for you. Do you need my address?

I have high hopes that we'll be back on track by tomorrow, waking and sleeping and working at a slightly more rapid pace. Meanwhile, Q's out, I'm had, the African Dwarf frogs are squarking, and it's time to sleep.

Hope your rest is sweetly shared and long enough.