The Kids started back to school on Monday. They were soooo excited that by 11pm, still wide awake with nerves, we let them come downstairs into the classroom and at least peek at their new supplies and check out the room. Slobo took pics for me the next morning, but since I’m using another computer to blog this, I don’t have access to graphic software to shrink the pics tonight, so that will have to wait for a bit more time.

The first day was heaven! They created our first ever lapbooks. That was alot of fun! I had asked them if they would do a lapbook on what they wanted to learn this year, but they wanted to do presidents. lol. So, they did books for George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson. Go Figure! They have minds of their own! The two oldest are taking their CAT tests now. I know, they should have taken it the end of last year, but life happens. They are taking it today and tommorrow while I try to keep the youngest occupied with his own work and QUIET! He’s a little miffed that he didn’t get a test this year too. So, lesson learned, I’ll make budgetary plans to include him next year.

I realized there was a big glaring problem this year, tho. My oldest has been losing confidence, especially as his younger brother has gained a mountain of it the past year. It was never so apparent as when they sat down to take the same test today. Suddenly, things that he could do without a test sheet in front of him, he couldn’t do when taking the test. It wasn’t nervousness about being tested, as he says “I like coloring in the bubbles!”. I think the biggest reason there was such a difference, in addition to sibling competition over the summer break, is that in the past I’ve sat next to each of them while they took the test (each on different days). My oldest thrived on the one-on-one time as he tried to acheive all the “right” answers. My second child thrived on the sheer challenge of taking his first CAT test.

I went to google and typed in “confidence in 10 year old boy”. What came up was a Canadian site, jumpmath.org with an article referencing a book “The Myth of Ability” by John Mighton. After reading about the results of using the Fractions unit, I downloaded everything I could get. I’m grateful for the chance to try it out. It will only take a few weeks to know if this will help him and I’ve made plans after reviewing facts for the next couple of weeks, to try it out on all three boys. After all, we having nothing to lose, especially while we wait on our books!

I did get the first of three boxes from textbooksheaven.org and it wasn’t what I had ordered, altho it will work as a substitute for one child’s language arts program. I wait in angst over what is coming in the other two boxes. They were sent by postal book rate, after they waited on the money from paypal (who took the money from our account and held it for a week before sending it on to textbooksheaven). The missing two shipments have been lingering between Jacksonville, Fla and Atlanta’s distribution center for the last week and a half. I could have driven to Jacksonville and picked them up in one day! Maybe this week, we’ll get box #2!

As for our Saxon Math books that Slo’s mom bought on ebay for us, them nor the seller have been heard from since we placed our order the end of July. It will probably have to be disputed on ebay. The lady received the money (over a $100.00) and never sent a shipping notice and refuses to reply to Slo’s numerous emails. He is sending them daily now. We’ve never disputed, so I don’t know how long that takes before we can get our money back or the books. Hopefully it will resolve itself soon as I need those books like yesterday!

Well, that’s enough of the rocky road travels of the local homeschoolers. If you homeschool grades 3-6, you might like to check out jumpmath.org. There are some really neat games and worksheets included in the curriculum that are equally worth checking out.