Category — schooling

There are several topics I want to write on but I will be sitting with my first grader, overseeing the many, many, many pages of work that were hidden from not only me (under the bed), but from the teacher (crumpled in the desk) over the last few weeks. So…off to the dining table I go with an arm load of paper work for me and several sharpened pencils for him.

Doing the Dance…

Yesterday I attended the Junior Unity Liturgy and luncheon with Mariah. I couldn’t help but be brought back to the same day and the same celebration 5 years ago, when I was sitting there with Kateri. FIVE years?! I can hardly believe it! The high school years go so quickly! Kateri is already in her third year of college and JJ is a Senior this year!

It was so nice to be able to take the time to attend this celebration with Mariah. Because I have so many children at the elementary school, it makes sense that most of my time and energy is put there. But I end up feeling disconnected from the high school and all that they have going on. Not only was it great to be there with Mariah, but I was able to say hello to parents who had children go through school with Kateri and now, also have kids who are in Mariah’s class. It’s always nice to hear how everyone is doing.

It seems that when the kids are going through k-8th that high school seems so far off. Then they get there and it’s a whirlwind of time that passes in the blink of an eye! I was so glad to be able to grab a little piece of it, yesterday.

Have a great day~

Yesterday was the very last day of school for this 08-09 school year.  

What a year!  

Seriously, it’s been a year of schooling unlike any other for our family. Last summer I made the decision to pull my 4 kids from the private school that we had been in for 8 years.  The decision was HARD but had many reasons behind it.  One of the kids wasn’t going to be able to go back because of some math challenges, so I pulled everyone.  What a whirlwind path that set us on!  I started the year by enrolling the two 7th grade girls in a homeschool program that had them on campus a couple of days a week for spanish, computers and science.  I enrolled the 2 boys in the local public school.  By November we had one of the 7th graders back at the Catholic school and the other enrolled in the local middle school.  After Christmas break both boys went back to the Catholic school.  And finally, after Easter break, the other 7th grader went back to the Catholic school.  The child with math challenges worked REALLY hard and ended the year with a C. With all the changes and challenges, I’m so proud of how well all of the kids did this year.  It was all crazy, but it was a “live and learn” situation.  I learned that you get what you pay for and that we can not match the level of education that the kids were used to at the Catholic school.  I also saw, very quickly, that there was so much more that they were getting from that environment.  There’s a sense of self-respect and accountability that is maintained by learning in a faith-based school.  

Lesson learned! ( I supposed I should add this to the Learning Lessons Series) Next year I will have 6 kiddos at the school, 2 8th graders, a 4th grader, a 1st grader and 2 preschoolers.  I will also be there everyday as an aide in the 4 yr. old preschool class that Gabi is not in.  Wow!  7 of us in one place everyday!  

Well, here’s to the end of a crazy, but successful school year and to the beginning of summer! 

Have a great day~

Since I’m out and about and trying to Do the Dance of Life, I find that my head is very full and busy.  So much got put on the back burner in the last month, that trying to play catch up is making my head spin.  I’m falling back on my list making skills to get me through.  

Easter is around the corner and we are finishing up the travel arrangements to get Kateri and JJ home for the break.  This will be the last time that either of them get to spend time with Clay until he returns from deployment, next year.  I know a year sounds like a really long time and that a lot happens in a year’s time, but it seems like they fly by and I’m feeling confident that it’s going to seem like the blink-of-an-eye before we are talking about next Easter and Clay’s return. But between now and the day he leaves, there are so many things that have to be done.  There’s so much to prepare for that we don’t want to have deal with when he’s not actually here to make the phone calls of sign the papers.  It’s always hard to think about things like the kids’ future from far away.  

Next year, JJ will be in his Senior year of high school and Clay won’t be back until just before JJ’s graduation, so we have to think about planning for college NOW.  It’s stuff like that, that keeps me adding to the lists and worrying that I’m forgetting something.  

Well, today, I just need to make the lists and focus on today.  So, pen and paper are at the ready and one step at a time, one day at a time and it’ll all fall into place.

Right? (this is where you all chime in with statements of agreement!)

Have a great day~

Finally!  

I’m so excited to have a new show up!  There have been some hurdles that have kept me from getting a show done, but it’s finally here.  Thank you for visiting the site and for listening to the show.  Your comments and feedback are always appreciated.  Have a show idea?  Let me know!  You can use the contact link to email me.  

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 MOM 55 [7:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (79)

We are 2 days into the Back to School routine and things are running smoothly.  We’ve had a warm “welcome back” at the old school.  Max was SO excited on his first day!  His new schools supplies made him very happy.  He’s in class with kiddos that were in his preschool class and all welcomed him back, happily.  Tristan seems like he never left.  He’s fallen right back in with old friends and his work habits are on track.  I’m  so proud to see him get back into his old routine; after-school snack, chores, homework, dinner, reading, bed.  There was so little homework at the public school, that I was seeing his work-ethic fall away.  He started asking to be on the computer, play with friends, etc.  My kids stay on-track best, with a full and solid routine.  

Max is having to learn what homework really means and the importance of sitting down each night and getting  it done.  This class is quiet a bit farther along than the class he was in.  He has a spelling test on Friday, which means, handwriting must be in order, letters must all be recognized, sight reading has been covered and letter blends are recognized.  This is a far cry from what was happening in his last class.  Luckily, our biggest challenge is the handwriting.  He’s able to sound out words and recognizes his letters and their sounds.  He’s got to learn organizational skills and responsibility for his work and things.  It’s just truly amazing what’s instilled at the private school versus the public school.  I know that this isn’t the case everywhere and that many of you can stand up for your schooling choices and talk about the good things your kids are getting and learning.  All I can talk to is what I have seen having had my kids in both places.  All of my kids have gone to public school at some point and when they’ve moved to the private school, the very same skills were lacking in each kiddo; handwriting and spelling, responsibility and organization.  I’ve had kids move schools in kindergarten, 2nd grade and 5th grade and no matter the age, it was those same skills that were lacking.  

So, I’ve got my work cut out for me in helping Max get up to speed.  I have no doubt he’ll do just fine.  But, it all makes me a more hands-on parent with the homework.  Its’ good! 

Have a great day~

Here it is, the last day before we hit the grind again.  I’ve enjoyed the time off and have even had the opportunity to follow the wind a little.  The day after Christmas, I got in my little car and drove the few hours to my sister’s house.  I spent the night, visited with my nieces and nephew and then headed to Sacramento and the Sierra Nevada foothills.  I haven’t made that drive in years and I’ve never made it completely on my own before.  Talk about climbing out of my box!  It was an easy drive full of great music (Elvis and I had a moment) and lots of quiet thought.  I discovered that I enjoy driving in the wee hours of the morning before the sun comes up.  But given my normal wake-up routine, I suppose it’s no surprise.  I was able to spend a little alone time with my dad, who I hardly ever get to visit with and I even had one night where I got 11 hours of sleep.  After a few days, I answered the phone to a tearful call from Max and I knew it was time to go home.  The drive home was just as easy.  It felt good to get back.  Of course, I walked in to a mountain of laundry and a note on the fridge that said, “we need food and lots of it”.  I looked through the cupboards and freezer and concocted a meal.  Then it was back to the Dance.  

Now, Clay, JJ and Kateri are on a trip.  The older kids haven’t seen their grandparents in quiet some time, so they are all enjoying a little family time.  

The other kids all start back to school tomorrow.  Tristan and Max are going back to the Catholic school and I’ve been busy getting them outfitted with their uniforms and school supplies.  Today it’s time for haircuts!  I’m really happy to think of the kids back together at that school.  We have had kids there for 8 years and it feels like going home.  Next year, Gabi and Lex will both be in preschool there and I may even be working there.  Talk about change!  But for now, I will just enjoy going back to a routine that I’m used to with people who know us well.  

Kateri and JJ head back to school at the end of this week.  We will see them again at Easter.  I know the time will go quickly.  However, that also means that the rest of the time that Clay has at home will pass quickly.  He will be deploying again in May.  It’s good that the kids will be able to see him again before he goes.  

I hope each of you had a nice time off, that your holidays were peaceful and that this new year is full of opportunities that are realized and taken!

To life~

If you’ve followed the blog and the show since the early Fall, then you know that this year has brought a lot of change, experimentation and indecision when it comes to schooling. For the last 8 years all my kids have been in the local, Catholic schools. Over the summer I had to make some decisions about schooling based on one of my children. Instead of just focusing on that one child, I made a decision to change everyone’s schooling and pulled 4 kids from the K-8, Catholic school and put my 2 younger boys at the local, public school and my two 7th graders went into a homeschooling program. Once Clay came home, he reviewed the changes I’d made and watched me juggle the house, kids, blog, podcast, writing and homeschooling. To his credit, he agreed that my juggling skills were pretty, darn good, but that one of the girls should definitely go back to the Catholic school to finish out 7th and 8th grade and we could make other decisions for our other daughter as needed. So, off he went to the Catholic school to meet with the principal to see if there was still space and if we could have our daughter come back. Four days later she was back in uniform and sitting in class with her old classmates. We then focused on our other 7th grader and made the decision to stop homeschooling and put her into the local middle school. This was SO hard for me. But, I must admit, she’s doing very well, has met friends and is on top of her work load. Once the girls were settled and doing well, we turned out attention to the 2 boys. They’ve been doing great at the new school. They are both working well above grade level and have made friends that live near by. Our intent has been to let this year play out and then pursue spots for them back at the Catholic school. BUT, time has been sped up. Clay, once again, sat down with the principal and reviewed the openings that were still available. The decision was made that since there are openings now and may not be when it’s time to register and apply for next year, that we jump in with both feet.

So, after beginning this school year with all sorts of change, we are now going to have everyone back in the same school, except the one 7th grader. The boys were really excited to find out the news. It’s nice that they’ve made friends that they will be able to keep, here in the neighborhood. But for schooling, it’s going to be best for them to go back to the program that they were used to and for me to cut down by one school. Whew! This has really been an experience for our family! Leaving the Catholic school and then hoping and praying that the kids could get back in, has made us appreciate the education our kids get there and to know that no matter the cost, that we want our kids in a faith-based environment for their schooling. Yes, we still have one daughter who’s getting a different education, but in her situation, it’s what needed to happen for this year. Hopefully she will continue to excel in the program she’s in and we can reevaluate what the best schooling situation is, for her, for next year.

I’m amazed at how things have changed from when I was a kid. Back then, you just simply went to your local school. It seems that we’ve looked at the schooling for our kids, every year and asked ourselves what the best options are. But now, I feel confident that for as long as we are here, the kids will go K-8 at the Catholic school. As a matter-of-fact, Gabi and Luke-Xavier will both start preschool there, next Fall. I will have 5 kids in one school and on one time schedule! Not to mention the last of the Lang children will be walking out the door and into school!

Wow! Let’s talk about the life-change in that situation another time!

Have a great day~

We all have our “Boxes”. These are the things that make us uncomfortable and make us want to hide from what we must face. Sometimes having a box is a good thing. But, as parents we need to be careful of trying to place our children in our boxes. We should not put our fears and unease on the kids. I’ve been forced to learn this lesson over some of our schooling issues. It’s a good lesson! Through parenting and watching my children grow, I’m being forced out of my box and am learning to see my children’s strengths.

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 Mom 49 [10:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (272)

I’ve spent the last month observing the differences between the private school system, that we spent the last 8 years in and the public school system that my boys are now in. After a month of schooling the conclusion I came to is that I needed to buy some workbooks and sit them down each night to supplement what they are getting at school. The problem is that they get home and have nothing to do. We are used to the routine of;

Get home, have an after school snack, do your chores, do your homework, dinner and bed.

Suddenly, there’s a big chunk missing because Tristan has only a packet of homework that consists of 5 pages and it’s due on Friday and Max has NO homework. So, I started the workbooks on Monday and found that Max (and Gabi) was REALLY eager to be doing and learning in his after school time. I also discovered……HE CAN READ! Seriously, I was floored! He did several workbook pages of opposites, last night and each one had only one word describing the action or object on the page. At first I thought he was just noticing the pictures and making a good guess for each word. Then he sounded out “empty” and I knew he was truly reading. I tested him on other words and, sure thing……reading!

Go Max!

Have a great day~

Over the last couple of days the girls and I have been gathering their school work to organize it and turn it in. Today is the moment of truth. It’s been a challenging first month. They’ve done a good job of sitting down and working and they are always wanting to know what’s next and how to stay on task. It’s been a juggling act for me. I’m confident that we will keep plugging along and that they will both have a successful year. But, I will admit that it’s a big task. With determination and prayer, we will get it done!

Have a great day~