Spring Progress Report

I can definitively say spring has sprung. That being said, it is time for spring progress reports. We've had a pretty good semester so far and the year is beginning to wind down as the children finish certain subject work.

Karate Kid has done extremely well, especially since Dad has taken over teaching chemistry and advanced mathematics. She has two 5 page papers she is working on now. One is for her co-op Church history class and is on the history of Christianity in Norway. The second is for history of medieval Europe and is on the effects of the reformation on Europe. She has taken her first SAT and we should have her scores later this week, and she has begun searching out potential colleges. I can't believe we are only two years from that transition!

Stat Boy is doing much better this semester. I read Gender Matters and Boys Adrift by Dr. Leo Sax and had some heart to heart talks with the boy. I think he sees I really am trying to fit an education program to his needs and talents and he has put forth a much stronger effort in his studies. We did finally discard Teaching Textbooks Geometry. By lesson 70 the material was well beyond his ability (he is only an 8th grader). For the remainder of the year he will be reviewing Algebra I material, preparing for Algebra II next year. I found an Algebra I worksheet generator online and he is doing very well on those. He is also approaching his Confirmation and I honestly believe that has had an impact on his attitude. He just seems more mature and trustworthy in every area lately, with the exception of getting along with his little sister, but we can't expect it to be all songs and roses, can we?

OJ is always dependable. She's been struggling a bit in math, but it has more to do with not being careful in her work than not understanding the material. All of our children seem to suffer from rushing and not being systematic enough in doing their work, especially math. I can't express enough to them to be more careful and to slow down.

Skoshi A continues to struggle in math, but once again it is more a problem with sloppiness than with understanding. Sadly the sloppiness is carrying over into her other work and so I've begun having her sit with me and Special K at the kitchen table so that I may supervise her more carefully. Thankfully she is a very resilient and happy-go-lucky child, so the constant correction does not seem to bother her. Hopefully the lessons will finally sink-in and she will slow down a bit.

Special K is doing wonderfully. She is excelling at math and really enjoys it. She is finally reading more fluidly and is beginning to read things on her own. She is a bit behind her siblings in this regard, but I am very happy with her continued progress.

Baby Wingnut continues to become easier to handle and entertain as time goes on. We find ourselves resorting less and less to videos to keep him occupied and he loves to come sit with us and "do school" on a white board or out of his shoe box of activities.

As the year finally draws to a close I feel it may have been our most challenging to date, but will likely end on an up note. I couldn't hope for anything better. Thanks be to God!