American Harp Society Auditions and Evaluations Phase I

Stars by Susann McDonald:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq8-VKBcmKI

The Water is Wide (Traditional):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gVyzKzcHrM

Audition/Evaluation Feedback:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csRqvuzsPoM

LOVE

Summer Curriculum Planning

Time to plan and schedule SUMMER Curriculum!!

So far we have for Ian:

• Robotic Camp
• Computer animation and video game design.

For Haley:

• Debate (this year she's old enough for debate team, vs last year which was more Speech).

Hana:

• Is doing 9 hours of gymnastics a week (3 three-hour days).  I expect this to increase.  Gymnastics is Hana's main extracurricular at this stage/age as it is very consuming and demanding.  

• In Hybrid school (and reinforced at home) she's doing math, handwriting, phonics, Spanish, science, and language arts (although many of these are integrated into common lessons).  Hana is making GREAT strides. 

 Thankfully for Mom and Dad, most of the kindergarten HOME work is just practice/reinforcement of the lessons taught in the school.  This allows me to focus on *teaching* Ian (which is necessary because HE does not cover everything at school as he is older and there's more expected of him)...and supervising Haley.  Haley DOES get an intro to MOST of the topics expected to be covered at home.  And when there's gaps, she has access to her instructors, and I've bookmarked a few great websites for her reference in the various topics so she can teach HERSELF (or at least attempt to do so).


Plan: 

• Debate for Haley
• Math Camp AND Mental Math class
• Piano
• Harp
• Something for writing - pending

For Ian

• Science Camps as stated
• Mathnasium AND Mental Math class
• Guitar

For Hana

• Gymnastics

*note:  the math Hana is doing at this point is counting to 100 and writing the numbers, etc. so mental math is not necessary and will not be useful until she understands the basic operations.  Music is being taught to her casually by Haley.  Gymnastics is VERY time consuming and we are careful not to over-schedule as it stifles creativity and prevents the children from being able to manage their OWN time.

ALL

• Some horseback riding (I'd like this to be an ongoing summer thing so the children become competent riders).
• Spanish and cultural events.  

Vocab, Reading, Mental Math, Track & Field

With the first semester successfully completed, we are well into our 2nd homeschool/Hybrid school semester.  Continuing at Hybrid school are the standard courses:  Math, Science, History, and English.  Supplementally at Hybrid school is Spanish.

We have initiated the Vocabulary that we postponed first semester

Piano and Harp continue.
Taiwanese Mental Math to begin on Friday to supplement the school math curriculum.
TRACK AND FIELD started this week as well for Haley.

Haley is now reading more on her own.  Initially, as stated before, we read to her, or purchased audiobooks which allowed her to follow-along, internalize the content for discussion and knowledge, and build her literary repertoire.  However, now that she is cruising through the 5 subjects from school (cutting her work down from 8+ hours/day to 4) she has TIME to do the vocabulary AND read on her own so she practices speeding up and retaining content herself.  Additionally, the first semester we had to defer a project or two, but this month, Haley has already largely completed her project (with time to spare).

Ultimately, I feel that the time (the entire 1st semester actually) spent learning time-management, note-taking, organization, finding the main idea, prioritizing, and all those other "non-subject-matter" learning tools, was time WELL SPENT.  Haley is now independent.  Wakes up, does what she's supposed to do on home days, and is done in a timely matter.  Yay TEAM!!

***
For Ian, he continues guitar, and knows the basic notes and a song!
Also, he, too, has been enrolled in Taiwanese Mental Math.
I am now moving on to teach Ian how to go to his calendar, and begin his home-school day without the requirement of an adult.  This is a work in progress.

Haley and Ian begin TRACK and FIELD

Haley has been very EAGER to try track and field.  But since her plate was so full with school (catching up academically) and participating in the enrichment activities, this activity has been on the back burner.  So now that it is FINALLY time...she was ECSTATIC! As Ian sat with us on the bleachers watching Haley run, he decided (on the spot) that HE wanted to run too.  So we let him.  

Teammate runs the last yards with Haley, motivating her to finish her 440 strong.

Mommy's Birthday so a chance to celebrate

Social event of the month!  Zydeco party at the Elks Lodge.  Ian even got up to dance.  

Fancy ride to a fancy restaurant in a limousine.  What a great evening with the family socializing and practicing living a fine life.  :)

Which doll looks the most like you?

Self-esteem "experiment" based on something I saw online:
There are various examples, stories and articles demonstrating the fact the even as young children, "light-skin is the right skin."  However, here's a very non-experimental "response" to some of that thought...

 Hana's response.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_rdoSs7Fqg