Monthly Archives: February 2009

02.15.09
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Dichotomy

Periodically, I have the kids attempt to copy some work of art. It’s a good exercise in attention to detail, as well as simply helping the kids remember artists and their works. So when I saw this post, and it just so happened that The Creation of Adam was in the art card set Billy was using (Step 5), it was natural for me to assign him that painting to copy.

Here is his result.

Katie also made her version, but I don’t know where it is offhand. Maybe another time I’ll post it. They’re both okay (better, probably, than I could do!).

Anyway, a neighbor girl is over here today, and Katie proudly displayed Billy’s drawing. It’s nice when the kids admire each other’s work, I think. Katie also filled in Neighbor Girl with all the facts about the painting that she knew (on a ceiling in some church somewhere, Adam being created by God, that Billy left out Eve and the angels around God, but that she included them in hers). Neighbor Girl’s comment?

“I think he should have put a fig leaf on him or something.”

Meanwhile, Peter, hovering nearby begins belting out his favorite beer drinking song. For the record, I am not proud that Peter knows any drinking songs, let alone has a repertoire. I’m even less happy that he prefers songs about beer to any other, and that he chooses to sing them loudly in public. But he’s three, and I keep hoping that if I just ignore him, he’ll quit on his own. Still hoping.

Neighbor Girl hears the boy’s song and makes a comment about its appropriateness.

Great, I think. Now I’ve got a 9 year old judging my mothering skills. What kind of a house are you running here, lady? Nudity…beer…just call Child Services on me already.

But what’s interesting to me is that this girl is the one who’s been telling my girls the “truth” about the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus. This girl, is in fact, so much more worldly than any of my children, that I closely monitor their interaction and have had a number of conversations about how not all families are alike. It’s a delicate situation, with no easy answers, when the only child in the neighborhood is not the best suited for your children.

It reminds me of something I read somewhere (but have forgotten where, so if you know please tell me), that says that to the innocent, all things are innocent, but to those who are not innocent, nothing is innocent. Although my five older children are aware that it is unacceptable, in general, to run around without clothes on, and are also aware, in general, that drunkenness is sinful, their knowledge of such matters is more “book knowledge” than experiential. Adam was naked in the Garden, so of course, he would be naked in his Creation. No big deal. And singing about drinking? It’s just something that grownups do. They’ve never seen anyone drunk, and certainly never seen the ramifications of alcoholism or binge drinking. Nakedness and drinking are innocent things to their innocent eyes.

But Neighbor Girl lives in the Real World where sex and drugs have such a grip that parents and teachers feel they need to teach children from a young age to avoid them. And there is no way to do that without educating them about what they are in the first place. Eat the apple so you have knowledge, so you know what you shouldn’t know, you know? I don’t blame the system. That stuff is out there, and I see why parents want to teach their children what to avoid.

It’s just sad that we have to destroy their innocence in order to protect it.
02.14.09
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Confusion

Me: You kids better go to sleep right away or the Valentine Bunny won’t come!

Billy: Oh! That’s right! St. Valentine is coming tonight!

Me: ?

After that, I wasn’t sure if I should put the 4 little chocolate hearts per child in a basket or in a stocking so I just left them on the dining room table per usual.

Note: the kids went to sleep right away!

02.13.09
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On the radio

My mother-in-law sent us the first two CDs in Michael Medved‘s The American Revolution First Person History Series. The first disc explains why they fought and the second covers the Boston Tea Party. We’ve finished the first one and are half done with the second. (Thanks, Mom!)

These discs are nicely done. The target audience is adults, which is good. There isn’t anything offensive for children, but it covers the myriad of issues to give a broader (more complicated) view of what was happening in those days. My boys may not understand how all the details intertwine fully, but I think them half understanding the full story beats them fully understanding the half story. Does that make sense?

I blogged a few years ago about not being sure if I would have supported the American Revolution. The Boston Tea Party, in particular, seems to be more an act of shameful vandalism than noble civil disobedience. These discs have changed my mind and helped me to understand better how the colonists went from being loyal British subjects to insurgents.

The primary theme I took from Disc 1 was that the colonists fought to preserve their way of life, not really to make a new social order. England, in massive debt after the French and Indian War, turned to the comparatively wealthy colonists to pay what really was their fair share of the cost. But England’s methodology was tyrannical, and the colonies balked at having their autonomy taken away.

Right now, our government is poised to vote on a massive “stimulus” bill. Besides the billions of dollars in pure pork, there are other questionable provisions, most especially the ones involving government interference in health care. The Democrats seem gleefully eager to rush money in every direction finally seizing an opportunity to shove down America’s throat a tablespoon of bitter elixir guaranteed to cure every ailment. They would do well to tread more lightly. I do not think the American spirit of independence, including freedom from governmental interference in our daily life, is quite dead.

As Medved said on his first disc, a people are always more willing to fight to defend their way of life than for new ideals. Socialists may “hope” for big changes and may see their measures as fair, reasonable, or good. In the 1770’s England thought their taxes were fair, reasonable and good as well. And the more they insisted on telling the colonists how it was going to be, the angrier the colonists became. It will be interesting to see how insistent our Congress gets in the next few years. And just as interesting to watch how resistant the average American gets.

02.12.09
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Progress Reports

At school this week, we’re working on Week 19 out of 32. I think Week 20 is one of my favorite weeks, because 20 seems so close to the end. We’re well past half-way at this point, and it feels so good.

It’s also a good time to do progress reports. How are my students doing, and how am I doing as a teacher?

Reading:

Fritz finally seems to enjoy reading just to read. Of course, there are a million better ways to spend an afternoon, in his opinion, but it isn’t torture to get through a book. And bedtime reading is just fine. He still rushes and guesses words, and reads to get the gist more than full comprehension, but it’s definitely better. (Grade: B)

Billy is a strong and diligent reader. We have finished his Language Arts book already, and I’m just supplementing with other things for the rest of the year. (Grade: A)

Katie was having enough difficulty with her reader (Reader D of the Little Angel Reader series) that I stopped two weeks ago and made her go back to the beginning. She will read a word list with “aw” and “au” words just fine, and then completely forget how to pronounce those vowels three days later when we move on. It’s frustrating. I guess she just needs more practice. (Grade: C)

Jenny is starting to remember the names of letters and the sounds they make. She is nowhere near to being able to put those sounds together to form words. She is young, and I would not have put her in kindergarten this year if she attended a traditional school, so I’m happy with her progress. (Grade: VG)

Writing:

Fritz is working hard on formulating coherent paragraphs. He is learning how to use an outline to lay out his thoughts. He’s doing okay, depending on his mood and the assignment (if the subject is history, he enjoys the assignment; if it’s creative writing – “imagine you are a drop of water” – he mentally digs in his heels and seems unable to come up with a story). His handwriting is as neat as he wants it to be. His spelling is atrocious, but he’s progressing. (Overall Grade: B)

Billy is mostly doing copy work and retelling stories which I write for him to copy. He does fine, but has cleverly figured out that the shorter his oral narration, the less writing he has the next day. His handwriting is fine and his spelling is progressing. (Overall Grade: B+)

Katie is working on writing single sentences. She is capable of coming up with answers to her assignments, but asks how to spell every word. Her handwriting is getting better, and her spelling, when left to herself, is…creative. When she does writing on things not for school, she is freer in her expression and works independently. (Overall Grade: B)

Jenny is working on forming letters. She is progressing. (Grade: VG)

Arithmetic:

I pushed Fritz into 6th grade math this year (don’t tell him that though). It is challenging, but he is learning the material. (Grade: B)

Billy, like Fritz, has been pushed up a grade and is doing 4th grade math. Same difficulties, same results. (Grade: B)

Katie is progressing nicely in 2nd grade math. Some days she does better than others. (Grade: B)

Jenny has made progress in counting, identifying numbers, and in writing numbers. She had been forming most numbers backward, but now self-corrects most of the time. She is learning to add numbers, and is having no trouble with that concept. (Grade: O)

Other:

Katie seemed completely unable to memorize the states and capitals using flashcards. I tried to use written reinforcement, but even after printing “Montgomery, Alabama” three times a day for two months, she still could not tell me Alabama’s capital on a consistent basis. I just bought a states and capitals wooden puzzle with the capitals named under the pieces. She seems to be doing better, although I started on the West Coast.

Billy is able to do his science and history reading independently. This is tremendously helpful to me.

I am trying to get Fritz to work independently, but it is harder for him. He does well on history, average on science, and is terrible on Latin (note, in case Fritz reads this: I do not think Fritz is terrible in Latin, I think he is terrible in working alone on Latin). This week, we went all the way back to Lesson I and II to review the material. I do not think we will finish Latina Christiana I this year. That’s okay.

Teacher Self-Review:

Having four students plus a preschooler and a toddler is rough. The imperative goal for a diverse classroom is that older students be able to function on their own more and more. This requires me to let go and my students to pick up the slack. We’re muddling through. We’re better now than we were at the beginning of the year, but I still want to check that every i is dotted and t crossed. It is easier for me to let Billy work alone, since his reading skills are stronger and I read that material when Fritz was in 3rd grade.

It is also hard for me to accept that my children are not straight-A students. (Not the math grades, with which I am quite pleased, but in other subjects.) I was reading many grade levels ahead of my peers throughout my own schooling, and writing, especially creative writing, was never difficult. Memorization came easily, too. When my children do not behave the way I behaved as a student, I take it personally and consider myself a failure as a teacher. As unreasonable as it truly is, I think the one-on-one attention my students receive should boost them to near-genius level. Homeschoolers all begin college when they’re 15, right?

{sigh}

I am working on using more praise and less criticism. I’m trying to appreciate their talents while being patient with their struggles. Hardest of all, I’m trying to ensure that everyone gets the uninterrupted face time with me they need. There are many times throughout the day when I have 4 or more little people asking me for help all at the same time. It is frustrating for me, rude behavior for them, and completely counter-productive for us all. I do have methods I employ to minimize or prevent this, but we’re imperfect people here and we fail to follow the rules sometimes.

My overall grade: C+

02.09.09
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Gratitude (Or Lack Thereof)

One day last fall, Billy ran in, deposited a pile of rocks on my desk, then dashed into the kitchen and rummaged in a drawer for a ziplock bag.

“What are you doing?” I fairly shrieked. My desk is always the dumping ground for everybody’s stuff. It was a bad habit that had to stop.

“I’m getting a bag for the rocks,” he said.

“Why?” I yelled. We already have way too many rocks in the house. Everybody seems to have a collection of them. Silly me, I think rocks belong outside. It is a battle that I lose constantly. “Just put them in the baskets in your room with the rest of them.”

“But these are for you,” he explained as he put the rocks in the bag.

“I don’t want any rocks,” again, not politely spoken. “I don’t need any rocks. Rocks belong outside.”

“You’re supposed to say ‘Thank you’ when somebody gives you a present,” he said kindly while zipping the bag closed.

I paused. I’m always good at showing appreciation for the ugliest of weeds brought to me clenched in little fingers. I proudly display coloring book pages filled in monocromatically with a child’s favorite color. A child’s gift to his mother, no matter how seemingly useless or unattractive, deserves special recognition.

Any gift from any person, human or Divine, deserves special recognition.

Even if it is a pile of rocks.

I humbly said my thanks, and the boy scampered back to the great outdoors.

The rocks are still in my desk drawer although I’ve considered often that I ought to get rid of them. When I did my recent office clean-up, I transferred them to a small plastic container, but in my drawer they remain. They remind me to give thanks in all things, even if I don’t really think it’s such a great gift.

That unwanted present just may contain a vital lesson in humility and gratitude.

02.07.09
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Real Women, Real Saints

I have finally finished reading Real Women, Real Saints by Gina Loehr. This book compiles brief accounts of the lives of 100 people (99 women and one husband) and concludes with a short chapter on the Queen of All Saints. The saints (*) surveyed come from various backgrounds, from all vocations (single, married, religious), and from all time periods (early martyrs to 20th century models of virtue).

Unlike many compilations, this book arranges the saints thematically based on how they exemplify the virtues of faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. Although the information about each saint is limited, it delivers a targeted message on how real women have managed to live virtuous lives.

Gina Loehr’s subtitle, Friends for your Spiritual Journey, is apt. In these pages you will find women who suffered joyfully. Many were the victims of violence (torture, rape, incest), many were notorious sinners, many came from or inherited dysfunctional families. All encountered the same trials that make the command ‘Love thy neighbor’ so difficult to follow. Their steadfast adherence to the virtues encourages us to do the same.

As an example, Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (1769-1837) was married to a man of such violent temper he was known to grab the corner of the tablecloth and yank the entire meal to the floor if something displeased him. Although I doubt I would ever be as patient in my response if my husband pulled a trick like that, her devotion to making her home a calm and loving one is worthy of emulation, and any wife facing a tantruming husband can find spiritual support in Anna Maria.

This book review was a long time in coming, because I do not think this book is best when read quickly. I imagined myself like a teacher grading 15 student essays that all answered the question, “How does your saint demonstrate the virtue of charity?” when I sat for an hour and read that chapter all the way through. It is better taken one saint at a time, perhaps one a day as part of one’s spiritual meditation.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book for any woman’s library, and I think it would make an excellent gift for teachers, or lay ministers, or perhaps that new mom who needs something to read while she’s nursing her infant.

This review was written as part of The Catholic Company product reviewer program. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Real Women, Real Saints.

(*) The term “saint” is broadly applied in this review. Some of the women are “Servants of God,” some are “Venerable,” and some are “Blessed”, official Church titles for the stages preceding “Saint.” Each person’s “rank” is clearly given in her biography and the table of contents.

02.06.09
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YOU are GREAT!

Really! You are amazing!

Take the time, 16 1/2 minutes, to watch this video. It’s a love story that will make you smile and make you want to make other people smile.

“You paid for parking, just for me?” (Trust me. It’s a romantic line.)

It’s Friday. Perhaps work or the kids or life in general has been beating you up this week. Watch this video. Instead of yelling at the kids to get dressed for the 5th time this morning, you will generously point out shirts that complement their eyes. Instead of being annoyed at their blankets and robes being strewn about the house, you will praise their creative tepee building skills.

Really. It’s an awesome video. And I saw it first over at June Cleaver After a Six-Pack who is, herself, an amazing woman. Funny. Strong. Incredible. Amazing!