Progressing

I know I'm a bit overdue with our mid-year progress report. I will say, things are progressing :)

Lil' Wingnut: Although not officially in school, we were suddenly surprised the little guy has learned to read . . . on his own. I know! He's only three! As of last night he has completed the first set of "Bob Books" and when finished posting here, I'll be ordering the next two sets. I am bit terrified at the prospect of having somewhat of a prodigy child, but what can we do?

Special K: Our big goal for our second grader this year was independence. She is there! Hooray! She is reading independently and able to complete most of her work without my sitting right next to her. She's a smarty and she's pretty proud of herself. She should be.

Skoshi A: This fifth grader is working hard and doing a great job. Her spelling is improving and she's expressing herself in writing much more clearly. Skoshi A just needs to slow down a tad and read her instructions thoroughly before diving into her work. If she did just that one thing, she'd be absolutely golden!

Oleander: This girl has a memory like a steel trap. She need only see or read something once before it's committed to memory. Most of her school work comes easily to her, which is why she has been tasked with material well beyond her grade. I've been mulling the idea of bouncing her straight to 9th grade next year, but I'm not super keen on graduating my kiddos early. I don't relish the idea of my babies leaving for college and the longer I can keep them home with me, the better. Is that selfish? Like Skoshi, Oleander needs to improve upon reading instructions thoroughly and being more meticulous, especially in her math work.

Stat Boy: Our 9th grader is our most reluctant home schooler. He's a very social boy and staying home with all four sisters and one preschool aged brother has taken a toll on him. Academically, he is really doing very well. He may not even realize that he has straight A's for his grades. I don't think grades are a motivator for him. I'm doing my best to be understanding and to not nag at him constantly, while setting achievable goals for him. He has so much potential, I just pray a deeper desire to acquire knowledge one day catches up to his abilities.

Karate Kid: I thank God each and every day for this child. She has set the bar pretty high for her siblings, but she has also set a wonderful example for them to follow. She is an early riser, a self starter, and a hard worker. Her grades and test scores reflect her own high standards for herself. Colleges are sending info by the boatload. I can't believe we are that close to having a child in college! She's an amazing girl and remarkable student. I am so excited to see what the world has in store for her. We could not be prouder parents.

As far as the materials we chose for the year, I am well satisfied and have had to do only a couple tweaks here and there. If you are interested in what we are using, your can read about our curriculum here, here, and here.