Not really, but instead of trying to focus a little on each of the 7 Ancient Wonders, I realized how arbitrary the list actually is. Yes. It is an accepted list of history. Is it in any way, shape or form somehow an official list of what was best? NO.
Amazing how when you are learning how to home school your children, how much more of the world YOU learn! The astounding amount of information that has been crammed into my head in the last two and a half weeks is amazing. What is on the site is not even half of what I read through and studied. In between my own coursework of course! Which is BORING in comparison to learning how to teach Victoria and Alexander.
Tonight, I kinda roped David into taking over. Since neither child had completed the back side of the Homework Page, I suggested they all do it together. David would control his computer, which uses our HD TV on the wall as a second monitor, while the two of them read the articles and answered the questions. Of course, Victoria, who is going into the seventh grade, exasperatedly asked why they were always doing fourth grade work. (She caught the fourth grade label on the bottom of the Greek Allusions in Literature presentation at prezi.com.) I attempted to explain that I have been picking fourth grade to make it challenging for Alexander, and get her used to doing home school with things that should be easy enough. I also mentioned to them that both of them are really struggling with it.
I changed the format of the pages again too. I know my family hates it when I change things so much, but it is simply because what we were doing wasn't working. I am trying to make changes as we go, cause hey! I'm learning at this too!
This is also because we got our state standardized test scores back. For starters, what they passed, they were so close to getting into the Pass Plus bracket! What they didn't pass... Well, it was abysmal. I told them to consider Narrow Path during the summer as their "summer school" and that they were lucky they were not being made to go to an actual summer school. I also feel that in at least one of their cases, the teachers have just been continually passing the child so they do not have to deal with trying to teach them again. I am really hoping that with Connections Academy, we can have a more hands on and interactive daily experience with their teachers and work on what they are struggling with.
I know every parent thinks their children are really intelligent, however, I know my two are really intelligent. One just has to learn how to focus the hyperactivity and the other one had to be convinced of their innate intelligence. There is no reason for a parent to convince their child they are stupid in this day and age and I had to undo that damage. I'm still trying to undo that damage. And it is aggravating.
I tried to allow the children to use a guided "unschooling" method, but their participation points dropped tremendously. They would have much rather just sat and played video games or played toys or make the same craft over and over and over again. So while I really admire the Unschooling method, it just really does not work for our children right now. Maybe some day we can follow the great philosopher Plato's advice, but we are not there yet.
Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each. ~ Plato
~ Mom on a Narrow Path
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