While I have a LOT of plans running around in my head, it seems as if less than half of it is getting completed or even approached!
I've been spending a great deal of time working on Story and Song's school goals. When I started to print out the pages for the next 9 - 10 weeks, the ref objected to the amount of paper .... so we ( I ) brainstormed and looked for alternative plans and discovered that the Well Planned Day - 4 Year High School planners were on sale at Mardel's at half price. So the ref purchased 2 of them.
Since Story was suppose to graduate back in May of 2012 ... and was awash in half completed plans and piles of notebooks and sketch books (she aspires to be a famous author) ... we decided that the best way to get her back on track was to get everything that she has left to complete into her planner ... and as long as both Song and Story take the same classes for several subjects, it made sense to write the same stuff into Song's planner while we were at it.
I self plan several of my own subjects, most especially History, so this is somewhat time consuming.
But this has taken much of my time over the last 2 weeks - and I'm not finished yet!
I'm really not overly concerned about Story being a little behind ...
first, she over studies most of her subjects. Which means that she will go far beyond what I have assigned if it catches her interest and will not move on to a new subject until she had satisfied her curiosity ... so when we studied creation, my 9 week study plan turned into a 6 month saturation of every material that she could get her hands on ... until she had nothing left to study. She moved along at a good pace then, until we reached the Egyptians, and then she was stuck again. .... So by the time she lets a subject go, she has a college level grasp of the subject. ... Also, this has allowed me to let her have full access to all of the answer keys ... because she won't put the problem away until she completely understands how a problem works and WHY she got it right or wrong. Being the oldest, I test her by listening to her explain subjects to Song and Cat ... so I'm confident that she is mastering her subjects.
Second, life has been overwhelming over the past 4 or 5 years. Starting with the ref loosing his job almost 5 years ago, and being called upon to help out at a higher level around the house as I was pregnant (and after 2 miscarriages), plus loosing a major cornerstone of our home - her grandmother (my mother) died, adding 2 siblings (one a temporary cousin), and so much more ... with less money, we spent hours trying to keep gardens going in a drought, and trying to keep grass trimmed without proper tools. She got some really hard lessons in life and how it works. But some of our school days have been only a few hours long for a day, and heavily interrupted.
Third, she has found a passion in her writing. She studies every book and course on writing that she finds, reads classics by the basket full, and has spent hours learning the ins and outs of the publishing world and blogging world. This has given her many hands on skills and she has begun helping others as well.
Fourth, she isn't ready to "grow up" yet. Honestly, she loves being a big sister at home, and has no desire to rush off into the big world. She loves her siblings, and mucking in the garden, and cooking almost every meal we eat. While she is perfectly able to hold her own in the adult world, she enjoys the freedom of childhood and being able to pursue her dreams of writing. I figure as long as she is helping so much around the house and able to cook, clean, and take care of her siblings, then she is learning life skills that will help her achieve when she chooses to step out in the "big world".
Fifth, she plans to do most of her college work here at home online or nearby colleges.
Sixth, if she were public schooled, her graduation date would be May 2013. So she isn't as far behind as it first appears.
....
Song, on the other hand, is just starting 9th grade. She is my independent go getter, but her dyslexia has slowed her down considerably. When she reached 4th grade, she stalled out, unable to go on due to her reading difficulties, she has recently made HUGE strides forward between volunteer working for a local horse therapy organization that works with children with learning problems, and her passion for music and violin lessons.
I'm thinking these 4 year planners are going to be just what the girls need to get back on track and heading in the right directions.
Both girls have blogs that you can follow if you are interested.
Story
http://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com/
http://claraclassics.blogspot.com/
http://oscarlettreviews.blogspot.com/ - she shares this blog with my cousin and myself.
Song
http://makingmeaservant.blogspot.com/
http://singingmiownsong.blogspot.com/
So.... THAT is where I have been the past couple of weeks.
Also, our school room is a bit drafty, and the winds have had a wind chill factor below freezing. We can't seem to stay warm over here after dark. And I do most of my blogging after I've put the kids down for the night.
PLUS ... I'm helping Story do a final edit of her newest book, "Do You Take This Quest", which she hopes to publish in a week or two or three .... or actually, she planned to publish months ago ... but life happens and gets in the way sometimes.
Please don't go away while I'm sorting life out around here ... and I'll be back as soon as possible.
If there are questions or areas that you would like to see more posts ... please leave a comment!
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