A Little Rebellion Every Now & Then

I can’t believe it’s already time to start planning in earnest for next year.

I’ve started on my list of items at which to look during the convention. I don’t really want to hear any of the speakers, so we’re just going to pay for entry into the vendor hall. I think that the fee will be worth it both in terms of saving on shipping costs and by the fact that Sam will actually attend with me and look at the materials.

So, at what to look?

I know I want to look at RightStart. At the very least, I want to get the Math Card Games Kit and the Fraction Puzzle. I want to take a look at the scope and sequence of Levels C through E. I don’t think I’ll change programs for Gillian at this point but I haven’t totally decided against it. Finally, I’m seriously considering going ahead and purchasing Level A. I know I want to use it with Jacob starting at some point during his “K3″ year (especially as he’ll be 3 1/2 before we ever start “K3″) but I also thought that some of it could be “fun” for Gillian without her really realizing it’s a form of review.

I know I want to go to the Classical Home Education table. If I haven’t purchased it by then, I want to get R.E.A.L. Science Life (Level One), for use during the remainder of this school year and over the summer. I’m also definitely going to purchase R.E.A.L. Science Earth & Space (Level One) along with the supplemental materials.

I’d like to check out the poetry memorization program that Institute for Excellence in Writing produces. I want to find out more about Phonetic Zoo, too.

I’m waiting on the Sonlight catalogue to see if there’s anything I want to purchase from them. I’m seriously considering purchasing Core 2, or at least parts of it, and using it as a supplement to SOTW 2 (and possibly 3 & 4, since it does cover from the “Dark Ages” onward to modern history). I don’t know. Even though I hate having something scheduled for me, I’m not sure that I don’t need something scheduled for me.

I’m hoping to take a look at various modern language programs. I really still want Gillian to learn Spanish, but I need something that requires little to no teacher interaction. On top of that, I’d prefer something that wasn’t computer-based. I know I’ll have to compromise on at least part of that, which is another reason I want Sam with me. He’s a good sounding board, most of the time.

Luckily I already have what I need for spelling, handwriting, writing, grammar, and history. I have a few “real” books I want to buy for both history and classical studies, but I will do that via amazon. I really have what I need for mathematics as well; the Math Card Games Kit will be a supplement, and it’s highly unlikely I’ll ditch the Miquon/Developmental Math combination with Gillian.

It’s spring break for Cobb County schools, so that means all of our outside activities are on spring break this week as well. A nice change. All the activities with which we’d managed to find ourselves involved are wearing out both Gillian and I.

Completed today:
• Mathematics: Calculadder drill sheet, level three. Today was the second day in a row to get two minutes or less. Tomorrow we’ll do level three one more time or move on to level four; I haven’t yet decided. Two pages in Miquon Green on place value. Two pages in Developmental Math Level Six on addition with carrying.
• English Studies: Copywork from Aesop’s Fables; handwriting practice from My Printing Book (one column of “diver” letters, one simple sentence). Phonogram review and learning for Step One of CGTS. Two lessons from Growing With Grammar Grades 1 & 2. Oral Language Lessons sentence set for today.

Still to complete: Latin worksheet (parsing verbs, review from chapter two), Latin DVD review for Chapter Four (still stuck in this chapter; we really need to buckle down and get past it), recitation.

Gillian is reading The Littles right now.