Doing Some Learning

We are in about our 8th or 9th week of our school year. It is sooo nice to be in a schedule again and to have an everyday pattern to our life. AND it is fun to watch them learn a little something. This year has been harder than most because we are doing new things, I have more students to keep occupied and Luke is not taking a morning nap like he did the first two years of his life. I really like to take care of as much school work as possible during the morning hours but he is making it a little more difficult and I've realized that I need to take care of some things in the afternoon, while he naps, or when he is engaged in something else for awhile. I am working to train him to do some things for certain periods of time and having the other kids read to him or play with him. I think if I can get that worked out, we'll all benefit from a few more minutes of focused school time in the morning!


Luke, learning how to sit on a blanket and be content.

Anna is doing very well at her schoolwork. She faces most new challenges with joy and usually works hard at what she has to do. She really likes all of her schoolwork but especially loves to read. She is a great and fast little reader and I'm sure the little Norco Public Library will be used a lot to expand her reading selections. Jack is a bright little kindergartener. Mostly he's doing first grade work because he flew through the kindergarten stuff last year. Both of them have good math minds (thank their Dad and grandparents for that one) and enjoy breezing through their math books... mostly! Jack is about to cross a hurdle with his reading, I think. He is nearing the end of his reading lessons and can read quite well, but didn't often pick up a book to read for fun. The last couple of weeks I've found him doing just that... reading when nobody asked him to or just for fun. I hope it sticks!

I was a little concerned about Leah when I realized she didn't really know her sounds/letters and numbers as well as I thought she should. Part of the problem is I compare her to Jack, who is only 15 months older than her but is advanced for his age. Part of the problem may actually have been that she got lost in the shuffle on some of those things. But my concerns have been a little relieved as she seems to be picking things up well and doing really well with the workbooks and things we're doing. She's an observant little girl, and very literal. She often corrects me if I don't say something accurately enough for her. I think it is funny, so much like something I would do... or even like her Uncle Alex. I hope I continue to think it is funny!