We Started Math and Dance

About 3 years ago, we took a math sabbatical.

Just from formal math.

(We did a lot of real life math.)  

When we were ready to start again, we used Teaching Textbooks online.  It was perfect for our needs at the time--relaxed, simple, neutral (meaning Mom was not the enemy teacher), and easy for everyone.

Then the problems with having kids online that we'd thought we'd solved began coming back.

So I began the slow shift back to pencil and paper math.

This year, everyone is back offline except Little Princess.

I was so nervous!!

But (and I know I'm speaking too early) it went really well the first week.

Yes, Baymax, Lola, and Ladybug threw math-related tantrums--but only once each!

And look at Mister Man.

Can you see that he's smiling?

He. Loves. Geometry.

It's so fun!

He works so long and hard at it, and he smiles while he does it!  He comes out to report that he's done, and he has a grin on his face every day (at least every day of the first week).  He talks about it and thinks about it when he's not actually doing it.

Nature Angel is my only other child to have liked geometry.

This is what he's using:

So far . . . success!

And Beowulf!

He was so upset when we found that TT left gaps that he'd need to go back and fill before moving on to any other math 6 program.  I searched and searched and searched for a way to do that for him that would be as painless as possible and finally settled on just the second half of AOP math 5.  

He said in these exact words, "I like this math, Mom!"

He's voluntarily doing 2 lessons a day, spending multiple hours painstakingly doing every hands on activity as well as the written work.  

I think the variety of ways the practice is presented is what appeals to his ADHD brain.  I feel like we got just the right balance of simplicity and variety of design.

And here is Brother working on algebra at the library.  That big old binder of printed pages is only the first semester's work in the curriculum I chose for him.  It's meant to be used on a computer, but it also has a printable option.  It's unwieldy in printed form (over 1,000 pages), but a lot of that is space to do the work, and we needed a write-in worktext option for him. 

It's working.

He likes it!

I know full well that the novelty is going to wear off.

I'm going to rue the pain of so much math to correct in coming weeks and months, but right now I am so very grateful that kids are generally happy and working and focused and motivated and willing!

We had our very first dance practice, too.

It went so well!!!

I was able to teach a full dance in each of my classes.  

Obviously, we have quite a bit of work to memorize what we covered and to try to learn to do the steps in unison (a big goal because my students are all 11 and under), but we had a great first practice.

And word is that the older classes' practices went just as well for them!

No pics of practice, but here's a quick shot of Little Mister running around as we gathered for closing circle.

In my 10th year of teaching for American Rhythm, it is my first year to not have any of my own children in my classes.  They are all in the older classes now.

Bittersweet only begins to describe the multitude of feelings roiling and moiling through my mind and heart.

And it is simply crazy to announce that Ladybug passed her driver's test and now has a legal driving permit!

It took her 2 tries, but she really passed the exam!!!

This time last year, we were dealing with her having seizures and wondering if she would ever be cleared to drive.

Suddenly we have to make time to teach her how!

Mister Man promoted from Cadet Staff Sergeant to Cadet Technical Sergeant, and he's already completed the requirements for his next promotion.

He's loving CAP!

We had ever so many appointments and activities this week including case management, church activities, an intake appointment (along with over 20 pages of paperwork!), CAP, AR, helping a neighbor with yardwork, helping a neighbor with animal care, helping a friend with her kids while she had her baby, 4 days of childcare for Little Mister (including 2 long days because his daddy was sick, and his mommy works 12 hour days), 1 day of childcare for The Munchkin and Sugar Bear, 3 days of work for Little Princess, and another end-of-summer swim bash.

Little Princess and Sugar Bear vamping for selfies

Baymax jumped off the high dive at the pool party!

Apples to Apples with kids ages 6 to 16!

And Sir Walter Scott and I have officially been married for 28 years.  We were unable to go out or celebrate "just us two" this year because of family challenges that we're dealing with, but Little Princess is in the kitchen this very minute baking, whipping, cooling, frosting, and filling a plethora of treats to honor us.

I think it's going to be a tasty evening!

We're adding in two more school activities next week--not a full subject, but two portions of our language arts plans for the year--daily gratitude journals and "Wednesday Research" day.

More about that in the week to come.