Keeping on, Keeping On.

Wow, it's 20 days since I last had anything to say.
I guess that has to be a good thing.

We had a dose of Mondayitis for a couple of weeks and Mondays were pure hell, so for the last 2 weeks we have started Mondays with fun stuff and then moved onto Maths, Grammar etc and that has worked a treat!

Then of course there is Fridayitis where everything is just too much trouble and we are all a little tired. So I've instigated Friday Funday. This means that there is Maths and reading first up, but then it's all fun, art etc. No grammar, no writing. But the catch is that you only get Friday Funday if everything is up-to-date for the rest of the week.

Music. We have started the HS music program, 2 hours a week on a thursday. Connor is really enjoying it, they are teaching him good stuff, he gets to spend 2 hours every week with some other kids and I get 2 hours off, hooray!

History: We are studying Ancient Egypt and both really enjoying it, I have learnt heaps and heaps of stuff. We have made the double crown of Egypt and now we are making a Pharoahs death mask out of paper mache.

Grammar: We have jumped about a bit in the book as it moves at a veeerrrrryyyyyyy ssssllllloooooowwww paaaaccccccccceeeeeeeeee. So we have skipped lots and just done what suits. Still, Connor understands nouns now, knows the definition and the difference between common and proper nouns, he can point out the nouns in a sentence, so in 5-15 mins a day we are covering a lot of ground. Up to pronouns now.

Writing: Wow, just wow. I can't believe the difference, Connor is almost back up to speed having changed handwriting styles and the difference in the tidyness of his work is just incredible. Very very pleased with Getty Dubay italic!

Spelling: After a frustrating beginning we have put this aside. I stilll think it's the right program, but the differences between the NZ and US accent were proving very hard to navigate, so I am going to get a NZ phonics book and alter things slightly for our use. Not much bothered or in a hurry about this actually because Connors spelling is improving by osmosis.

Maths: Moving on at a steady pace, should be finished Alpha either just before or just after the midyear break. I'm really pleased with the mastery approach, and Connor is picking up things really fast. Math U See rocks!