Why Blogging is Erratic as of Late

My kids are home schooled, and one of the things we've done this past year to supplement the usual onslaught of knowledge and learning that is pummeled into their wee little heads is enrolled them into the Classical Conversations program.

For the first semester, we had a very sweet teacher, who was also named Rachel.  However, the second semester she had to have some fairly serious surgery, in which case the director asked me if I'd like to step in.

(This could possibly be that she had great faith in my teaching abilities, but I suspect it was more because paperwork would be easier since we're both Rachels and therefore interchangeable.)

To help speed the other Rachel's recovery and to let her know she was in our prayers, the kids made her a quilt by designing squares, which I then sewed into a medium sized lap quilt. 

Originally, Miss Boo only drew Ms. Rachel (the other Rachel) onto the square, stating that, "Ms. Rachel might want to rest and not be bothered."  Miss Boo changed her mind and added herself in the drawing in the apparent understanding that her presence was of more importance to her teacher than rest.

So, anyway the past few months have been a whirlwind of teaching and learning and altering techniques, trying to fit everything into an already snug schedule.

(I prefer the word snug.  It's got a much more pleasant connotation that "stifled", "squished", or "impacted").

In an effort to be "teacher-y", I did a bit of fake artwork and made a version of Shoots and Ladders that the kids could use to review their facts.

Drawing is not my strong suit.  I have to stick to drawing odd little bug-shaped creatures which I have nicknamed "Ookums".

Ookums tend to suffer rather unfortunate fates, much to the delight of my sadistic children.

Then, because the director knows that I'm a musician (I briefly taught her daughters violin/viola, so I couldn't very well deny it), she very kindly offered me the opportunity to lead the Foundations group (about 20 kids?) in a half hour each week in which we study different composers from the Classical and Romantic Periods, one of whom was Beethoven.

I don't think Beethoven was very impressed with my efforts.  He scowled the entire time.

Thankfully the science section of the curriculum is managed by the very capable director. 

This is a picture of Peter designing structures similar to bridges.  After he built his structure we tested it to see how much weight it could carry, and hypothesized whether adding more structural integrity (cross beams, triangles, girders, and arches) would have allowed it to hold more weight before finally collapsing.

I think I'm ready for a few extra girders of my own.