Yesterday I got a little frustrated with Megan and Courtney picking on each other (by 9 am), so I decided to do some schooling with Megan. I figured, if you're picking on your sister, you obviously need something to do. (but of course, I don't want to punish Megan by making her do schoolwork).
So I started looking through her math books and at the beginning was a readiness test for 2nd grade. If you scored 70 out of 100, then you were ready for 2nd grade. If not, back to 1st!!
There is no way I would take her back to first, but I was really curious how she would do.
I went and made copies of it and sat her down at her table. In the meantime, she is crying and saying, "I don't want to do math. I want to play." But I kept saying in a positive, encouraging voice that I want to see how she does. I want to know if she's ready for 2nd grade.
She pushed the papers away, cried some more, glared at me, obviously she did not want to do this! I asked Courtney to get me a book and I read her a book while Megan did it (ignoring Megan and hoping she would get busy). Eventually, it worked and she got busy! It took her a half an hour to do this pre-test, it was 4 pages long. By the end, she had a smile on her face and I think she enjoyed it. Math was her favorite subject last year.
Anyway, I went to grade it and she scored 71 out of 100. There was a whole section she didn't know what to do, this was 16 points. This section was of double digit addition, such as 33 plus 79, where you carry the one. I think she could've done it if it was 22 plus 33. I really don't think she did this is 1st grade, so I let her by. :) On the rest of the test, she just missed a few here and there, like she mixed up her greater than and less than signs or she counted some money wrong. Just little things that if she would've concentrated more, she would've gotten right.
I was pleased that by the end, she was not so angry at me because this is what school is going to be like.
I would call this our first "homeschool" session, but there are other things I learned about it.
1. While I was reading to Courtney, I think Megan got distracted, so maybe for tests, I should put her in another room. But she will feel leftout in that room, but we need to find something that will work.
2. Christian was ALL OVER THE PLACE. At one point, I looked at him and he had stood up on a chair! He was constantly in the art supplies- scissors, glues, markers! Even after I blocked them with a chair, he crawled under the chair to get to them! He wanted nothing to do with the toys. I am definitely going to have to rearrange the room and get some cars in there.
3. I think while Megan is doing math or any other subject, I need to get Courtney a little bit of homework to do too. Courtney is going to lose her playmate for a couple hours a day, so she will probably feel left out, BUT I don't want to spend my time working with Courtney. This is schooling for Megan. I will need to find a balance here!
I am still figuring out my fall schedule. I think I am going to sign up for swimming lessons on Wednesdays from 5-5:30. Then we would need to eat supper (take sack lunch along) and get to church for AWANA by 6:35 or so. I think we can do it. Swimming lessons are for 11 weeks. I just don't want to be busy on yet another evening.
I might also opt out of MOPS for the fall. Most homeschooling parents take Fridays off and do something with their kids. These are groups that I really need to connect with and with MOPS being on Fridays, I can't really do this. I also joined MOPS for "Me" time, but I get enough of that at the gym. I just need to figure out if I can sell my membership to somebody else. I would also need to find a babysitter for Megan every other Friday since they don't have a homeschool classroom. I can make it work, but I can't do everything this fall.
I'm going to try to get everything put together so we can start homeschooling on Monday. Megan told me yesterday that she wants to start on Labor Day again, but I think we just need to get started!! Mama's the teacher, let's go!
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