Ah, Capri

Ed and I've been reading "Red Sails to Capri" to Jon and Rebecca this week.  I didn't think we'd finish it, but reading a chapter or two every day, we actually finished it in about 10 days.  It's a delightful story about a boy and his adventure around his island of Capri, off Italy.  We got really wrapped up in his adventure and really enjoyed the story.  During the story the kids got really interested in Capri so we did some mapwork of western Europe listing countries and then we looked up Capri on Google Earth.  I forget how cool that tool really is!  We flew across the world to Italy and located Capri, a tiny island off the coast of Italy.  We could see it clearly as we flew around it in the sky (via satellite, of course) and could see cliffs and boats and swimming pools.  And then today we discovered the Blue Grotto and watched You Tube videos (which I've never looked up before) of vacations and other peoples' pictures and videos of the island.  It was so cool.  Would be fun to visit, yet I feel as if we were there (and a lot less work with 4 kids in tow).  The kids keep asking me now if we can go to Capri!  I love it.  They have also been asking if we can go to Egypt. So, our next project will be Google Earth to Egypt (because we've studied Egypt this year).  Geography has taken on a new face.  Technology is cool. 

On a different note, school was tough this week, for me.  I've been driving myself crazy and stressed out about what the kids are or aren't learning.  I think they are learning a lot, but there are always those doubts because it's an education I didn't grow up with and shifting to a homeschool paradigm is huge and different compared to the public school paradigm I grew up in.  I've read so many other thoughts on this though, and see that if people could go back, one of the things they would do differently is to stress less, especially in the early elementary years when things should be fun.  And have more fun with their kids, and take more field trips (which we do plenty of) and memorize more scriptures, and enjoy each other.  And it makes sense, I mean, kids learn by playing, exploring, using their senses and teaching facts along the way, that require short attention spans.  But it's easy to think if it's fun and they aren't sitting still it must not be soaking in cause they aren't paying attention.  In reality, they are paying attention and getting it.  Sometimes I catch myself feeling like if it's fun maybe they aren't learning.  But that's public school speaking. 

I started the sequential spelling program, Rod and Staff English program and did new math lessons this week.  I tried to do them 4 days in a row, and it was SOOOO hard.  But it's all good stuff.  So I figure I need to pace myself better, and give a few more breaks between the subjects, because these are time consuming subjects, especially when you try to do them back to back.  I mean, there's no invisible authority I have to report to and it doesn't matter how it gets done, right?  I just have to figure out how we're going to do this.  So, I was thinking, while I work with Jon, Rebecca will have to be in the other room reading or playing math games with Savannah, and then switch, while Jon does something with Savannah, and then, of course, while they take a break, I can work with Savannah.  All this supposing Bella takes a nap, which she usually does anyway.  That will be my new plan this next week.  I also had a "project" day on Friday and Rebecca loved it.  She's doing an American Girl history lap book and LOVES it.  Jon did some requirements for scouts for his projects.  I had so many projects I wanted them to do, we did only a quarter of what I had in mind.  But, at least we visited Capri. 

I was always planning on doing school year round, but I think we will go until June 4th and take a break, kind of.  I mean, still counting everything for school, but on a much lighter schedule, not so intense.  Who knows, maybe a not quite as intense schedule, or how 'bout a better organized schedule, would carry over to the next school year. 

On a different note, Rebecca and Ed are also reading "Double Identity".  So here's the quote of the day: "Science and religion deal with different questions.  Science is how things happen and religion is why.  The problem comes when people forget what they're asking of whom."  (Double Identity)