Monday, May 12, 2008

What's Up With That?

Well, I guess I have struck the right balance where grammar is concerned. Or else I have strangely enthusiastic children. Triss' and Mariel's grammar books for next fall arrived in the mail today.

"Oh, goody! Mom, can I start my grammar right now?" This was from Mariel.

"Oh, great! Let me see. What a neat book!" Triss exclaimed. (It was Nancy Wilson's _Our Mother Tongue_) She then proceeded to tell Mariel how much she was going to enjoy Winston Grammar.

"Where's MY grammar book?" Cornflower pouted. I explained that she didn't have to do grammar yet, but that response disappointed her, so I shall have to get her a new Mad Libs next time we are at Cracker Barrel.

We started our summer schedule today, which consists of the Ambleside readings that have not been finished, some math, music and a few incidental things that haven't been completed yet (penmanship workbook for Mariel, Apologia for Triss, etc.) We eliminated all the little everyday things that we have tried desperately to be consistent at doing all year-- copywork, dictation, memory work, poetry recitation, grammar. The little things really add up after awhile. We felt at liberty today having such short lists. That must be why the children rejoiced at the sight of their new grammar books.

Yeah, that must be it.

2 comments:

Amy Witt said...

What years are your girls? We are on Year 2 but as a result of my crazy year, we are probably going to make Year 2 last into next year plus pick up some readings we have not gotten to like Trial and Triumph and some Read Alouds I just could not get done. We will do our 3rd grade math, etc but I just think we need to quit trying so hard to get it all in.

Katie said...

We are finishing up Years 7, 4 and 1. Year 1 will be finished in the next week or so, no problem there. But the Year 4 and 7 readings will continue way into the summer. When my oldest did Year 4 it was the same way. The way we do readings at our house just makes things take longer-- I have them narrate every reading. I recently gave myself permission to have "reading only" days (no narration) when we have doctor appointments or other life things happening, as long as they don't occur more than once or so every couple of weeks. Also, once the summer schedule hits, we only narrate select readings. For example, on the summer schedule, my Year 4 girl is only narrating George Washington's World, This Country of Ours and Physics Lab in the Home (Science and History spines), while my Year 7 girl is only required to narrate Birth of Britain, The Once and Future King, How to Read a Book and Ourselves (History and Government/Civics). This is making things go a lot faster, but there is still a chance we will have "leftovers" by September. I have decided not to worry about it. I want them to get all the juice out of these books, and if some of them take a little longer because of it, I'm okay with that.