Friday (It seems like such a long time ago) I was invited to join some of the other parents at a luncheon to meet the new candidate for the charter school's head of school position, a position left mostly vacant after the current beloved head developed some unusual neurological problems just before the current school year began and finally had to return permanently to her native Baltimore for treatment. The potential principal's educational philosophy was very much along the lines of Charlotte Mason. She admitted that her rather radical ideas, including eliminating all workbooks and filling out her teacher's planner to satisfy the school's requirement but otherwise ignoring it and covering the subjects her way, had nearly got her fired from some of her early posts, but added that as a beginning teacher she knew she would die if she had to remain in that uninspiring, unfulfilling situation, so she pursued education the way she knew was best. It was exciting to see someone with such passion. I think she will be a good fit for the school.
On the ride home from the spelling bee in Tampa Saturday I had the opportunity to read the latest copy of The Link. There were several good articles including one by John Gatto on this country's need for more entrepreneurial thinkers and fewer uselessly educated college grads (contrary to what Bill Gates, dropout extraordinaire, proposed in his college-for-all speech.) Another column by a returning writer, Catherine Levison, author of several books on homeschooling the Mason way -- I had never paid much attention to Charlotte Mason, seemed a little too touchy-feely for me -- impressed me when she asserted that after dealing with recalcitrant kids and burning out at the end of her first year, implementing a few of Ms. Mason's techniques turned things around and now she's a happy mom with happy kids. And an article on the origins of the word "education" (not derived from "educere" meaning to draw forth, as educationists would have you believe, but from "educare," to nourish, to rear, to bring up) enlightened me.
Somewhat.
The eternal question then is: Progressive or Classical?
Make it fun or just make them?
Saturday, February 25, 2006
A website you'll probably want to skip when considering your child's college options. The title speaks volumes.
D-I-S-I-N-T-E-G-R-A-T-I-O-N
Not a difficult word, none of them were, really, but ironically, the word that caused Sarabelle's composition to crumble. She raced through it unable to slow herself down long enough to break it into syllables. But she did a fine job and made it through several rounds to the halfway point. We're very proud of her. Now that she knows the procedure she is eager to give it another try. She knows she could win it. So do we.
The announcer, sportscaster Dick Crippin, was horrible. Multisyllabic words are apparently an unnecessary part of a sportscaster's job. Several very justifiable protests were filed between nearly each round due to his atrocious pronunciation. Asterisk became "asterick" and malady was spoken as "milady." Intertidal sounded like "intertitle" and had the girl not asked for a definition, I would have misspelled it too. When the word was requested to be used in a sentence Mr. Crippin offered a definition and vice versa.
I didn't catch the name of the boy who won, Dick either had a tee time to keep or was embarrassed by his own abysmal performance, especially after bungling the last round between the winner and first runner-up, and hastily abandoned the podium failing to announce it to the few of us who stuck it out to the end. But we'll still be rooting for our local Florida boy.
The announcer, sportscaster Dick Crippin, was horrible. Multisyllabic words are apparently an unnecessary part of a sportscaster's job. Several very justifiable protests were filed between nearly each round due to his atrocious pronunciation. Asterisk became "asterick" and malady was spoken as "milady." Intertidal sounded like "intertitle" and had the girl not asked for a definition, I would have misspelled it too. When the word was requested to be used in a sentence Mr. Crippin offered a definition and vice versa.
I didn't catch the name of the boy who won, Dick either had a tee time to keep or was embarrassed by his own abysmal performance, especially after bungling the last round between the winner and first runner-up, and hastily abandoned the podium failing to announce it to the few of us who stuck it out to the end. But we'll still be rooting for our local Florida boy.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Sometimes it's so easy
Yesterday at the pool, while the kids were struggling with the desire to swim in the cruelly unheated water, I sat with my books, reading and comparing.
ME: Hey! Gracie, come take a look at this!
G: What is it?
ME: It's a quote from this ancient Greek poet, Archilochus...
G: I don't care about some dumb Greek guy.
ME (undaunted, reading aloud): ..."The fox knows many tricks, the hedgehog only one. One good one."
G: What?! Read it again!
A pause as Gracie races over to read it herself, ignoring the posted warnings about running around the pool, wet feet splattering dangerously on the deck, while the quote is repeated.
G: Cool! Hey! Sara! Listen to what this guy Archilochus said...!
ME: Hey! Gracie, come take a look at this!
G: What is it?
ME: It's a quote from this ancient Greek poet, Archilochus...
G: I don't care about some dumb Greek guy.
ME (undaunted, reading aloud): ..."The fox knows many tricks, the hedgehog only one. One good one."
G: What?! Read it again!
A pause as Gracie races over to read it herself, ignoring the posted warnings about running around the pool, wet feet splattering dangerously on the deck, while the quote is repeated.
G: Cool! Hey! Sara! Listen to what this guy Archilochus said...!
Road SCHOLAs
If you haven't guessed by the second post down below, our ex-pat plans are on track. We're planning to do six months in New Zealand (because it's much less stressful than hastily dropping everything for two full years in Australia without any opportunity to return to the U.S. in the event of an emergency, and because we can), getting the necessary extensions as they become available and traveling back and forth as allowed until our resident requirements are fulfilled. If it doesn't exactly go as planned -- the residency process can be quite subjective, for example, if at renewal time they think you look like someone that might have a negative impact on the country, a terrorist perhaps, or they just find you plain unattractive, or maybe the immigration officer has PMS that day and you unfortunately remind her of her bastard of an ex-husband, you're out with no recourse -- we still will have had a great family adventure.
Passport renewals are being processed, school has been notified that the last few days will be missed, the boss has been advised, clients are being turned down, jobs are wrapping up (one C.O. down, one to go), and our hedgehog, Jack Emerson, principal of our homeschool, has found a temporary home.
We are still accepting applications for the position of Catsitter. We prefer the boys stay together in familiar surroundings, though we do have options to place them with family and friends as a last resort. They are outdoor cats, fed on the screened porch twice a day, who come and go as they please. Other than that, topical flea drops once a month, and that's it. What could be easier?
Coming up Next: Prepaying the mortgages and buying the tickets!
Stay tuned...
Passport renewals are being processed, school has been notified that the last few days will be missed, the boss has been advised, clients are being turned down, jobs are wrapping up (one C.O. down, one to go), and our hedgehog, Jack Emerson, principal of our homeschool, has found a temporary home.
We are still accepting applications for the position of Catsitter. We prefer the boys stay together in familiar surroundings, though we do have options to place them with family and friends as a last resort. They are outdoor cats, fed on the screened porch twice a day, who come and go as they please. Other than that, topical flea drops once a month, and that's it. What could be easier?
Coming up Next: Prepaying the mortgages and buying the tickets!
Stay tuned...
A Few More Reasons:
1) All I've ever heard from the folks at Dell and IBM, "It's not a hardware problem, it's a software problem." And from the people at Microsoft, "It's not a software problem..." Now a satisfactory resolution is just one call away (and I probably won't need any help to begin with.)
2) Apple notified me last week that they were beginning to ship the new Mac Book Pros but were a little swamped, and so to make up for the potential delay they upped my processor from a 1.83 GHz to a 2.0 at no charge.
3) Apple notified me last night that it's on its way, one day earlier than originally expected.
2) Apple notified me last week that they were beginning to ship the new Mac Book Pros but were a little swamped, and so to make up for the potential delay they upped my processor from a 1.83 GHz to a 2.0 at no charge.
3) Apple notified me last night that it's on its way, one day earlier than originally expected.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Truth in Advertising
LIVE LIKE A MILLIONAIRE FOR FREE!
Ever dream of a second home in sunny, South Florida, minutes away from unspoiled Gulf beaches and world class golfing, boating, and fishing?
This three bedroom, two bath, two-car garage home in an area of multi-million dollar estates features an Intracoastal Waterway view, use of the private clubhouse and pool, and docking privileges on a private barrier island. Vintage exotic decor recalls a Florida of days gone by and adds to the tropical ambiance.
And the best part is you won't have to share this! Live a resort-style life without the crowds! This Southwest Florida haven remains virtually undeveloped with no highrises or large developments to spoil the Old Florida feel.
Reply NOW and find out how you can spend half the year living like the Other Half lives -- FOR FREE!
----
LIVE LIKE A MILLIONAIRE FOR FREE! [Well, free of charge, but there are some expenses and strings attached.]
Ever dream of a second home in sunny, South Florida, minutes away from unspoiled Gulf Beaches and world class golfing, boating, and fishing? [All true, though the better courses are totally exclusive and I don't care who your Daddy knows, you ain't gettin' in.]
This three bedroom, two bath [both in serious need of renovation], two-[small]car garage [presently stuffed to the rafters with boxes and bags and furniture and who knows what else] home in an area of multi-million dollar estates [but we are not one of them] features an Intracoastal Waterway view [see photo], use of the private clubhouse and pool [we're not officially members but a key came with the house so as long as they don't change the locks...], and docking privileges on a private barrier island [but you'll need your own boat to get there]. Vintage exotic decor [mismatched ratty rattan] recalls a Florida of days gone by [we only get two or three channels but cable is available, we have no giant-screen TV but it is a flat-screen and has a built in DVD player, and we have DSL but you'll have to get your own account set up. Just be glad we’re not talking about the days before central air conditioning] and adds to the tropical ambiance [humidity, blisteringly high temps, mosquitoes, hurricanes...].
And the best part is you won't have to share this! Live a resort-style life without the crowds! [Join us when all the smart people have gone back up north to escape the hell of late spring/summer/early fall. You will have the golf courses pretty much to yourself, the ones they let you into, just watch out for those wicked afternoon lightning storms!] This Southwest Florida haven remains virtually undeveloped with no highrises or large developments to spoil the Old Florida feel. [you will have to drive a way for fine dining or serious shopping opportunities.]
Reply NOW and find out how you can spend half the year [let's just call it the off-season, okay?] living like the Other Half lives -- FOR FREE [water and electric are your responsibility and you must feed our kitties -- we might require a security deposit just to protect ourselves]!
See, there, to the left of the brownish house across the street? Just to the right of the second palm tree from the left? That little white hump there is a pile of material our neighbor is using to backfill his seawall. If you look closely just behind it and on either side of it, you can see the blue of the Intracoastal.
Ever dream of a second home in sunny, South Florida, minutes away from unspoiled Gulf beaches and world class golfing, boating, and fishing?
This three bedroom, two bath, two-car garage home in an area of multi-million dollar estates features an Intracoastal Waterway view, use of the private clubhouse and pool, and docking privileges on a private barrier island. Vintage exotic decor recalls a Florida of days gone by and adds to the tropical ambiance.
And the best part is you won't have to share this! Live a resort-style life without the crowds! This Southwest Florida haven remains virtually undeveloped with no highrises or large developments to spoil the Old Florida feel.
Reply NOW and find out how you can spend half the year living like the Other Half lives -- FOR FREE!
----
LIVE LIKE A MILLIONAIRE FOR FREE! [Well, free of charge, but there are some expenses and strings attached.]
Ever dream of a second home in sunny, South Florida, minutes away from unspoiled Gulf Beaches and world class golfing, boating, and fishing? [All true, though the better courses are totally exclusive and I don't care who your Daddy knows, you ain't gettin' in.]
This three bedroom, two bath [both in serious need of renovation], two-[small]car garage [presently stuffed to the rafters with boxes and bags and furniture and who knows what else] home in an area of multi-million dollar estates [but we are not one of them] features an Intracoastal Waterway view [see photo], use of the private clubhouse and pool [we're not officially members but a key came with the house so as long as they don't change the locks...], and docking privileges on a private barrier island [but you'll need your own boat to get there]. Vintage exotic decor [mismatched ratty rattan] recalls a Florida of days gone by [we only get two or three channels but cable is available, we have no giant-screen TV but it is a flat-screen and has a built in DVD player, and we have DSL but you'll have to get your own account set up. Just be glad we’re not talking about the days before central air conditioning] and adds to the tropical ambiance [humidity, blisteringly high temps, mosquitoes, hurricanes...].
And the best part is you won't have to share this! Live a resort-style life without the crowds! [Join us when all the smart people have gone back up north to escape the hell of late spring/summer/early fall. You will have the golf courses pretty much to yourself, the ones they let you into, just watch out for those wicked afternoon lightning storms!] This Southwest Florida haven remains virtually undeveloped with no highrises or large developments to spoil the Old Florida feel. [you will have to drive a way for fine dining or serious shopping opportunities.]
Reply NOW and find out how you can spend half the year [let's just call it the off-season, okay?] living like the Other Half lives -- FOR FREE [water and electric are your responsibility and you must feed our kitties -- we might require a security deposit just to protect ourselves]!
See, there, to the left of the brownish house across the street? Just to the right of the second palm tree from the left? That little white hump there is a pile of material our neighbor is using to backfill his seawall. If you look closely just behind it and on either side of it, you can see the blue of the Intracoastal.
Monday, February 13, 2006
No, I'm not still reading Flush, Carl Hiaasen's young adult fiction barely 272 pages long and a fun read but not as captivating as Hoot, nor am I without a read-aloud (finally), it's just been too much trouble to actually change things over there ----------------->
G(R)EEK ALERT
I am having a blast reading the ancient Greeks. In preparation for a possibly* mobile year I decided to look into some anthologies. It's a heck of a lot easier to tote around and keep track of one big hardcover than a bunch of dinky paperbacks. So, on loan from the Library Without Late Fees and currently on my floor -- because I have no bedside table, it's actually on Jorge's side of the bed along with the lamp, poor design, I know -- is a copy of Auden's The Portable Greek Reader and The Norton Book of Classical Literature. And, lest you doubt my geek credentials, I have been reading and comparing the merits of Horner's Rhetoric in the Classical Tradition versus D'Angelo's Composition in the Classical Tradition, and poring over Harvey's Grammar books, both the Elementary and the Revised English editions.
The decision at this point in time, and by now you may have a feel for just how changeable that is so humor me, is to use the Horner book as my primary guide for writing, with the Classical Writing stuff I've accumulated for back-up in case I need adaptations for various skill levels, plus Harvey's Elementary Grammar, and, here's the really exciting part, make stuff up. Yup. As I go. And I'm not going to strain myself coordinating Harvey's lessons into the writing lessons. They are short enough. They can be separate. Because I said so. The Horner book is classically based without following the progymnasmata, that's where Classical Writing's suggestions come in, and for a text book, clearly and engagingly written (hey, it kept my attention.) Plus she encourages the use of a Commonplace Book, something I've been interested in having the kids do after learning about Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin's educations.
As far as the anthologies go, they are like the best all-you-can-eat buffet. I never knew I'd enjoy Hippocrates or Heraclitus or Aristophanes so much. Herodotus is next. It's given me taste of what's available and I'm eager to tear into the whole enchilada. With a large store credit at Books-A-Million, thanks to the three travel books on China I returned since my mother-in-law now insists that she is not going anywhere to avoid falling down and breaking bones, that's exactly what I'm going to do. But I'll be getting the individual paperbacks after all. I'd hate to miss something good.
For a read-aloud we started with Little Women, but Sarabelle and Gracie have already read it, and Elle hasn't been too enthused, so tonight we are starting The Wind in the Willows.
*The Godfather is busy at work making Jorge a Florida-based offer he can't refuse.
Off to meet Mole, Rat, and Toad...
G(R)EEK ALERT
I am having a blast reading the ancient Greeks. In preparation for a possibly* mobile year I decided to look into some anthologies. It's a heck of a lot easier to tote around and keep track of one big hardcover than a bunch of dinky paperbacks. So, on loan from the Library Without Late Fees and currently on my floor -- because I have no bedside table, it's actually on Jorge's side of the bed along with the lamp, poor design, I know -- is a copy of Auden's The Portable Greek Reader and The Norton Book of Classical Literature. And, lest you doubt my geek credentials, I have been reading and comparing the merits of Horner's Rhetoric in the Classical Tradition versus D'Angelo's Composition in the Classical Tradition, and poring over Harvey's Grammar books, both the Elementary and the Revised English editions.
The decision at this point in time, and by now you may have a feel for just how changeable that is so humor me, is to use the Horner book as my primary guide for writing, with the Classical Writing stuff I've accumulated for back-up in case I need adaptations for various skill levels, plus Harvey's Elementary Grammar, and, here's the really exciting part, make stuff up. Yup. As I go. And I'm not going to strain myself coordinating Harvey's lessons into the writing lessons. They are short enough. They can be separate. Because I said so. The Horner book is classically based without following the progymnasmata, that's where Classical Writing's suggestions come in, and for a text book, clearly and engagingly written (hey, it kept my attention.) Plus she encourages the use of a Commonplace Book, something I've been interested in having the kids do after learning about Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin's educations.
As far as the anthologies go, they are like the best all-you-can-eat buffet. I never knew I'd enjoy Hippocrates or Heraclitus or Aristophanes so much. Herodotus is next. It's given me taste of what's available and I'm eager to tear into the whole enchilada. With a large store credit at Books-A-Million, thanks to the three travel books on China I returned since my mother-in-law now insists that she is not going anywhere to avoid falling down and breaking bones, that's exactly what I'm going to do. But I'll be getting the individual paperbacks after all. I'd hate to miss something good.
For a read-aloud we started with Little Women, but Sarabelle and Gracie have already read it, and Elle hasn't been too enthused, so tonight we are starting The Wind in the Willows.
*The Godfather is busy at work making Jorge a Florida-based offer he can't refuse.
Off to meet Mole, Rat, and Toad...
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
"Fantasia on a Theme"
This piece, played by the London Philharmonic, was broadcast by our public radio station this afternoon. Classical music generally doesn't have many specific mental image associations for me other than the snippets of Vivaldi's "Spring" and "Autumn" concertos that seem to lead in so many PBS spots and Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" coupled with Coppola's helicopter scene in Apocalypse Now. Today though, when the host of the program announced her fondness for the upcoming piece by Thomas Tallis (a composer I'd never heard of) calling it "rich and velvety," I was surprised to recognize it immediately as the gorgeous, mournful music from Master and Commander during the scene when the broken mast is being cut loose with one of the crew still attached to save the ship from being swamped in a storm. It was so vivid. Like this visual that will now forever be linked in my mind to my favorite, "O Fortuna."
Making connections. Isn't that what a great education is all about?
Making connections. Isn't that what a great education is all about?
I fought the law and...
...well, you know how that old tune goes.
I stood before the judge, one who was thankfully not wearing any kind of religion-inspired attire, my voice squeaking with nerves, and presented my case along with a nifty aerial photograph backing up my mathematically based defense: rate x time = distance.
The police officers that opposed me, and yes, that is officers plural, one with the radar and one who wrote me up were permitted to respond. I was then allowed to question them and make a closing statement.
The judge acknowledged my case was worthy, if it had just been the one he would've probably let me off in a her-word-against-his kind of way, but because there were two of them standing there, I was outgunned. Bullies. I paid the fine but adjudication was withheld and at least I did not get the dreaded points.
After returning defeated to my seat, my spirits were boosted by Sarabelle who leaned over, nearly as excited as if I'd just been saved from the gallows, and whispered, "You won!"
"No, honey, I still have to pay the ticket."
"But you did, Mom!" she beamed, "You really flustered those cops!"
I stood before the judge, one who was thankfully not wearing any kind of religion-inspired attire, my voice squeaking with nerves, and presented my case along with a nifty aerial photograph backing up my mathematically based defense: rate x time = distance.
The police officers that opposed me, and yes, that is officers plural, one with the radar and one who wrote me up were permitted to respond. I was then allowed to question them and make a closing statement.
The judge acknowledged my case was worthy, if it had just been the one he would've probably let me off in a her-word-against-his kind of way, but because there were two of them standing there, I was outgunned. Bullies. I paid the fine but adjudication was withheld and at least I did not get the dreaded points.
After returning defeated to my seat, my spirits were boosted by Sarabelle who leaned over, nearly as excited as if I'd just been saved from the gallows, and whispered, "You won!"
"No, honey, I still have to pay the ticket."
"But you did, Mom!" she beamed, "You really flustered those cops!"
Monday, February 06, 2006
XL
Who knew the NFL was so PC?
From all I saw of the Superbowl last night, which, granted, was not more than I was forced to view on a TV hijacked by rabid football fans at a birthday party I was attending, and which amounted to not more than the national anthem, and that only because I wanted to see the basis for the spoof SNL played the night before of Dr. John, Aretha, and one of those Neville brothers doing their pre-anthem sound check, the league has developed quite the social conscience.
C'mon. Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King? And some vague link between the great cities of American music: Detroit (okay, the game was played there and Ms. Franklin is the Queen of Soul, Motown and all, I get that) and New Orleans, to honor the folks of the hurricane-ravaged Gulf. Huh? Who cooked that up? Maybe Seattle and Pittsburgh are so lacking in culture, or mass entertainment, or tragedy, substitutes were required.
As for the fans, well, I still heard a lot of hooting and hollering during the Moment of Silence.
The one bone they threw the neglected aging white guy audience, probably their prime market -- although this segment of the population was perhaps acknowledged with the halftime show entertainment -- was the quick shot of Hank in the crowd. Whether he ever got to growl his trademark, "Are you ready for some football?" or not I can't say as I was certainly not and left before kick off.
We missed the halftime show once at home because neither of our two channels happens to be whichever network showed the spectacle, so tell me, did the Stones do "Brown Sugar"?
From all I saw of the Superbowl last night, which, granted, was not more than I was forced to view on a TV hijacked by rabid football fans at a birthday party I was attending, and which amounted to not more than the national anthem, and that only because I wanted to see the basis for the spoof SNL played the night before of Dr. John, Aretha, and one of those Neville brothers doing their pre-anthem sound check, the league has developed quite the social conscience.
C'mon. Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King? And some vague link between the great cities of American music: Detroit (okay, the game was played there and Ms. Franklin is the Queen of Soul, Motown and all, I get that) and New Orleans, to honor the folks of the hurricane-ravaged Gulf. Huh? Who cooked that up? Maybe Seattle and Pittsburgh are so lacking in culture, or mass entertainment, or tragedy, substitutes were required.
As for the fans, well, I still heard a lot of hooting and hollering during the Moment of Silence.
The one bone they threw the neglected aging white guy audience, probably their prime market -- although this segment of the population was perhaps acknowledged with the halftime show entertainment -- was the quick shot of Hank in the crowd. Whether he ever got to growl his trademark, "Are you ready for some football?" or not I can't say as I was certainly not and left before kick off.
We missed the halftime show once at home because neither of our two channels happens to be whichever network showed the spectacle, so tell me, did the Stones do "Brown Sugar"?
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Drip, drip, drip
Four dental check-ups; two orthodontic visits; one case of strep that reappeared two weeks later requiring two separate doctor appointments; one painful, embarrassing medical condition requiring surgery that won't be dealt with until I, procrastinator extraordinaire, experience another flare up; one trip to Tampa to deliver mother-in-law to cataract surgery; that's what the last few weeks have entailed.
I am the embodiment of the Peter Principle. I have been promoted to my highest level of incompetence.
This brain was not meant for multitasking. I can homeschool. I can work. I can raise children. I can manage a house. Just not simultaneously. I am concerned that gray matter is oozing out my ears. It might be on there on my floor somewhere but I'm not sure since I haven't bothered to sweep or mop for several weeks.
Since I cannot fulfill multiple requirements, I must select from the following options:
A) Proceed with "Gifted" track for Gracie and Sarabelle. Elle continues at her school
The less-than-mediocre middle school actually rated higher than the (what I thought to be) not-so-bad high school. The middle school at least offers gifted classes; the high school does not.
The gifted-only charter school looks very good, it even offers Latin. If they could both get in it would be marvelous, aside from the long-distance travel. To accomplish this I must still have Sarabelle evaluated and then both must have Renzullian profiles completed by their teachers (myself and Mrs. B) and IQ tests administered by a county certified psychologist. Pending favorable outcomes and available openings for new students, a bi-county reassignment must then be approved by both counties involved. Deadline for submission of all documents is May 12.
B) Homeschool Gracie and Sarabelle. Elle continues at her school
Gracie is all for this, Sarabelle is not. She wants the opportunity to try school like her sister did. She is interested in the social aspects.
In both A and B, for Elle to continue at her school, I must continue to be employed on-island. This could be accomplished by just hanging my license with my broker as first agreed, or I could quickly teach myself Dreamweaver, set up my broker's own website and work from the convenience of home, actually earning some extra money.
C) Believe my husband and prepare to travel to either Australia or New Zealand in mid-May for 2-3 years
This requires moving the rest of our furnishings from the garage to the inside of the house, renewing three passports, arranging property management, prepaying mortgages, figuring out what to do with our two cats and one hedgehog, and organizing a portable homeschool including researching and purchasing curricula for a first grader.
What has happened is that I have been trying to cover all possibilities and have got myself into a state where my brain cells have liquefied and leaked right out of my head.
Careful, don't slip in that puddle...
I am the embodiment of the Peter Principle. I have been promoted to my highest level of incompetence.
This brain was not meant for multitasking. I can homeschool. I can work. I can raise children. I can manage a house. Just not simultaneously. I am concerned that gray matter is oozing out my ears. It might be on there on my floor somewhere but I'm not sure since I haven't bothered to sweep or mop for several weeks.
Since I cannot fulfill multiple requirements, I must select from the following options:
A) Proceed with "Gifted" track for Gracie and Sarabelle. Elle continues at her school
The less-than-mediocre middle school actually rated higher than the (what I thought to be) not-so-bad high school. The middle school at least offers gifted classes; the high school does not.
The gifted-only charter school looks very good, it even offers Latin. If they could both get in it would be marvelous, aside from the long-distance travel. To accomplish this I must still have Sarabelle evaluated and then both must have Renzullian profiles completed by their teachers (myself and Mrs. B) and IQ tests administered by a county certified psychologist. Pending favorable outcomes and available openings for new students, a bi-county reassignment must then be approved by both counties involved. Deadline for submission of all documents is May 12.
B) Homeschool Gracie and Sarabelle. Elle continues at her school
Gracie is all for this, Sarabelle is not. She wants the opportunity to try school like her sister did. She is interested in the social aspects.
In both A and B, for Elle to continue at her school, I must continue to be employed on-island. This could be accomplished by just hanging my license with my broker as first agreed, or I could quickly teach myself Dreamweaver, set up my broker's own website and work from the convenience of home, actually earning some extra money.
C) Believe my husband and prepare to travel to either Australia or New Zealand in mid-May for 2-3 years
This requires moving the rest of our furnishings from the garage to the inside of the house, renewing three passports, arranging property management, prepaying mortgages, figuring out what to do with our two cats and one hedgehog, and organizing a portable homeschool including researching and purchasing curricula for a first grader.
What has happened is that I have been trying to cover all possibilities and have got myself into a state where my brain cells have liquefied and leaked right out of my head.
Careful, don't slip in that puddle...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
