September 19, 2010

• This is what they do at school........

  I'm really trying not to worry too much about the boys' schooling, but I take it so daggone serious!  I was a teacher for crying out loud.....I'm trying to be okay with it.  And there are more days than not that I'm okay.  So, here are some things they brought home last week.  I like when these notebooks are sent home, it gives me some kind of idea as to what they do for 5 hours. And I take a lot of deep breaths....and more deep breaths.  And remind myself, they really are doing okay. 

  Here's Malachi's report card............

  

  MS is very good....in the 90's and S is good....in the 80's.

   

  This is something they do quite often, there is a little poem in the corner and they have to illustrate it.  I'm assuming it is a way to practice reading and then the picture they draw shows their comprehension of what they've read.

  

   

  Here's some math.....this is about placeholders for the tens and ones......and then at the bottom, adding 3, 4, and 5 numbers together.  Huge numbers.....okay, I'm not gonna think or write too much about it, because I'm already getting annoyed.

  

   

  And he started cursive in September.......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(This is halfway thru first grade people!!!)  Linda McCaman encouraged me by saying at least he has been practicing in class, many times they don't practice in class!  And we'll keep practicing manuscript at home and we'll soon start practicing cursive too.  God help me!  (Am I overreacting?  I started teaching a little bit of cursive at the end of second grade, is that how it still is in the states??)  Christa and I chatted recently about how crazy K-grade is now.....you know, your kid should be fluently reading and expecting kids to write in full sentences!!  I feel that weight on me too.  I'm teaching Chi and Lijah in the morning.  Chi can read English, but we are just starting into long vowels.  He can spell everything we've worked on up to this point in the book Phonics Pathways, but he can't write any complete sentences.  Do you hear my stress??  I'm trying not to pressure myself (or him), but I feel this need for him to be where others his age are in the states. 

  

   

  And here's Elijah's work.

  This is a poem that he had to illustrate about a rainbow.  At the beginning of the year, most of his drawings didn't match the poem.  But he seems to be understanding more and his drawings match more.

  

   

  Some cursive handwriting practice in k-grade.  Even though he is STILL learning how to write each letter in the alphabet in manuscript!

  

   

  This is practicing shapes.

  

   

  This is a drawing of a dinosaur.  They spent several weeks talking about them.  I love this drawing!

  

   

  And last but not least, the coloring of mandalas.  It is very popular and common here.  Malachi colored them last year and still does this year too.  Are those common to color in the states?  Or do you see them in art classes at all? 

  

   

  So, they are learning things...and learning it all in another language.  And I keep reminding myself how awesome that is. 

   

  • 5:47 pm
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