The Lesgaux School

Today was the first full school day in a while. I was sick for several days this week and last week and unable to supervise any schoolwork. Last week I thought it was just severe sinus headaches caused by allergies. By Tuesday of this week, I could barely stand. On Wednesday, I went to the doc and found out I have a severe sinus infection. I went home with no less than 4 prescriptions. I’m feeling better, but still extremely weak.

Even so, we did a full load today, though at times T needed a lot of encouragement. Still trying to find the best scheduling method for T. A daily schedule seems to work best, crossing things of as we go. 

Still have to do group time. D wasn’t ready with teeth, bed, etc. so his school is delayed until after lunch.
 

Another school item that I’ve resurrected is our daily group time. Mrs. Darling reminded me of it in her post, here. We used to do a much pared down version consisting of a song, a finger play or two and a chapter from the Bible. Here is the updated schedule, still in progress. Note that the books may change, but the main headings won’t.

Group Time Schedule
Date: March 15, 2007

Folk Song:
· Review – Molly Malone, a.k.a., Cockles & Mussels
· New – Minstrel Boy

Religious Education (RE):
· Bible
· Goddesses, Heroes & Shamans
· Family Virtues Guide

Memory Work:
· Review
The Preamble
Spanish Colors
Spanish Numbers
· New – English Kings

T – I Spy, by Eugene Field
D – The Marching Song, by Robert Louis Stevenson
R – ABC’s, Count to 10

Poetry:
Eugene Field
James Whitcombe Riley
Child’s Garden of Verses, by Robert Louis Stevenson

Oral Math:
· Skip Counting
· Addition Facts

Spanish:
Parts of the face and head.

Artist Study:
(Still to be added)
2006-2007 TERM 2
JMW Turner (1775-1851) English Landscape (composer Schumann, Early Romantic)
1. Rain, Steam and Speed
2. Fighting Temeraire, with commentary by Ruskin; This work was chosen as the best painting in Britain by popular vote at some radio program.
3. The Boys Catching Crabs
4. Rome from the Vatican (painters seen with Rome as backdrop)
5. Fisherman at Sea
6. The Fifth Plague of Egypt

Composer Study:
(Still to be added)
2006-2007 TERM 2
Robert Schumann (1848) (Early Romantic)
Listening selections for this term:
1.Carnaval (for piano)
2.Scenes from Childhood for piano
3.Symphony no 1 in B flat Op 38 "Spring"
4.Symphony no 2 in C Op 61
5.an arabeske or humoreske
6.Liederkreis or other song cycle

Ambleside Time with D:

(Timothy is excused for math & copywork)

Monday
Ancient History – Fifty Famous Stories
Geography – Paddle to the Sea
Literature – Aesop for Children

Tuesday
English History – Our Island Story
Geography - Paddle to the Sea
Literature – Just So Stories

Wednesday
World History – Child’s History of the World
Geography – Paddle to the Sea
Literature – Blue Fairy Book

Thursday
American History – This Country of Ours
Geography – Paddle to the Sea
Literature – Parables of Nature/Shakespeare

Friday
History Tales/Biography – Viking Tales/Benjamin Franklin
Natural History – Burgess Bird Book
Unfinished Readings

I haven’t timed how long we spend on this. I’ll post the results when I get a chance.

UPDATE: I removed Grammar from Group Time. I don’t think D needs it at this time. 

I’m always revamping to get a daily schedule that works. The trouble is, what works one day or week, doesn’t the next. I thought I’d post T’s current schedule. Of course, it has already been tweaked.

Day 1 (Mon.) 35 minutes

This is our park day, from 2:30 until 6. We try to do some school work, but generally, it doesn’t work out to have a lot to do on park day. We do short errands and chores before heading out to the park.

Piano 10

Math 15

Copywork 10

Day 2 (Tues.) ~3.5 hours

Piano 10

Math 15

Literature – Wind in the Willows or Robin Hood 20

Dictation 10

Poetry 5

Penmanship 10

Natural History – Burgess Animal Book 20

Memory Work 5

Our Island Story 20

Book of Centuries 10 We actually haven’t been doing this, but I put it in the schedule so that we may start it soon.

Additional Reading 60Typing 10

Greek 10

Day 3 (Wed.) ~ 3 hours

Piano 10

Math 15

Literature – Pilgrim’s Progress 20

Poetry 5

Copywork 10

Memory Work 5

Child’s History of the World 20

Book of Centuries 10

Additional Reading 60

Typing 10

Greek 10

Day 4 (Thu.)~ 3.25 hours

Piano 10

Math 15

Literature – Parables of Nature or Shakespeare 20

Dictation 10

Poetry 5

Penmanship 10

Science 20

Memory Work 5

This Country of Ours 20

Book of Centuries 10

Additional Reading 60

Greek 10

Day 5 (Fri.) ~ 2.5 hours

Piano 10

Math 15

Poetry 5

Copywork 10

Memory Work 5

The Little Duke or Joan of Arc 20

Unfinished readings 60

Typing 10

Greek 10

Day 6 (Sat.) ~ 1.5 hours

Memory Work 5

Marco Polo 20

Additional Reading 60

We also do a circle time which includes Bible, Spanish, Memory Work, Poetry, Folksongs, and Virtues Study. I’ll write another post about this later.

D turned 6 yesterday. It all started last weekend. Daddy took him to the sporting goods store and bought him a new bike. He had visibly outgrown his old one. On Monday, we took cupcakes to park day, where we play with other homeschoolers. Daddy had to work late Tuesday and Wednesday, so we’ve postponed cake & candles & party poppers until tonight. I can’t believe it’s been 6 years! D is the most sensitive and sweet boy I know, brothers excepted, of course.

Happy Birthday!

It has been an interesting week. After our conference, T showed no desire whatsoever in working harder in math. I asked him what might help. He suggested soft music on headphones. OK. However, since he hasn’t shown any improvement, we’re going back to our regular schedule. I’m going to try 15 minutes per day again and see if that helps. The therapy ball hasn’t arrived yet, and may not for a few weeks. Sigh…

T has been going to counseling once a week since last September. He seems to be talking to me more at home about his feelings. I gave him a journal to write in. Maybe that will help. Maybe all his sensory and emotional issues are just getting in the way of his learning right now. I hope so. It feels as if we’re losing ground.

In the meantime, we’ll just keep to our schedule and treat every day as an opportunity to improve on the day before.