reflection time---teacher evaluation time

[hsm]

Looking back over the past 6 months...how do you feel you've been doing? What do you think will make you a better teacher? What will you change and what has been working?

 

I think I need to work on remembering that what methods excelled with one will not automatically be successful with another; not that I need new materials, but that I need to do something different with those materials. Also I "know" to concentrate efforts on strengths but sometimes it's easy to get sidetracked on the errors, especially in the business of a large household. Embrace the individual!!

 

What is going well here is we are consistant in covering the basics and have the rmaterials readily available for self-instruction, exploration and entertaining...don't ask me how housekeeping is going.

[Closeacademy]

My big lesson learned this year was to listen to the needs of my children instead of how great this or that curriculum is. Just because a curriculum is great doesn't mean that it will fit the needs of my children.

 

We are having more fun now.:)

[Beth in Central TX]

My big change this year was getting my boys back on a school schedule. Since they were older this year, I got into the habit of letting them choose what order to do their school work in as long as they got it done each day. The only problem with this is that they were choosing to do all of the easier work first and saving the more challenging subjects for the end of the day. Our school days started getting longer, and the boys became more irritable. I finally realized what the problem was. Therefore, they've gone back to a schedule. I let them decide which subjects to start the day with, but I've sprinkled in the challenging work so that we don't pile it all up at the end of the day. It's working very well so far; our days have not been quite as long and everyone is happier.

[nukeswife]

Well let me preface this by saying that we've only gotten about 4 months of schooling done since we started this year. We are military and had to take off all of Oct. and most of Nov for moving. We also had lots of the "sickies" in Sept, luckily we started Aug 6th so we're not behind really.

 

The one thing I learned is that we are afternoon schoolers. We hate getting up early and the kids don't do well then so now we start school after lunch and we're done by 4pm. This also allows me to make appts or run errands in the late morning which works well for us.

 

I've also learned that when I get frustrated because something isn't "getting through" that we should take a break and then regroup in about 15 minutes.

 

I've been working on being more patient and it's amazing how the learning just happens then. We've also found that doing Math, LA every day is key but that alternating 3 days of history one week and then 3 days of science then next works best for us.

[Strawberry Queen]

I think one of the things that I've learned lately is that I really need to be patient. It's so hard sometimes, especially when they're missing things they have know cold 2 weeks ago.

I'm also taking a look at how I am presenting lessons and information. I've been trying to be more scheduled but I think my schedule needs to be changed. I have scheduled my 5yo's reading lesson at the same time as 7yo's math. It worked well at first because she was working on a concept that she already knew. Last week a new concept came up and it was tricky juggling the two. So, I think a change is in order:)

[whybenormal]

Honestly, I've learned to not be so uptight about my schedule. I'm a serious "box-checker." If I scheduled X-number of things to cover in the day, and I didn't get them all done, I would stress out! Now, I've learned to schedule the basic necessities, and then add in the extras "on the fly." It has made me much more relaxed and patient. We are still getting lots done, but we move at a more natural, organic pace.

[ELaurie]

I have my HS planner set up with weekly schedules for my dc, and tabbed dividers pages where I can make notes about how we are doing in each subject area, including character goals, every six weeks.

 

I assess not only where we are in relation to my overall goals for the year, but write specific comments such as "practice X4 facts" or "review spelling rules" in the space next to each subject area.

 

I make notes about poetry and memory work for the next six weeks, and comments about things I want to do to help my dc build better habits, or develop certain character traits.

 

I find it refreshing to look back over what we've accomplished and do this kind of fine tuning for the weeks ahead.

 

I also write in special events, planned field trips, and projects related to upcoming holidays or birthdays.

[jail warden]

I've learned to realize that I don't just have to do school in 180 days. What I don't finish in that time I've got the freedom to continue until we're as far as I want. Also I've learned to make routines and not go strictly by time. I am a very rigid and by the book, so these have been hard for me to learn. :o

 

I've also learned that not everyone learns like me:rolleyes: and I need to figure out how to change a few things around for my ds.

[Deece in MN]

I have learned that if we take too long of a break over the holidays that I have a really hard time getting back into the groove.

 

I need to make sure that I pay attention to that and don't let myself get lazy at that time of year.

 

I have also learned to really listen to what my dc want. I really feel this is important. I gave it lip service in the past, but am really now allowing them a say in their studies. They do more, try harder and get so much more out of their effort when it is something they are interested in. I dictate the main subjects, but within them my dc have a say in what to study and how to study it.

 

I am also learning to trust myself. I do know what I am doing and am doing it well. My dc won't end up social outcasts with no future. :D

 

Homeschooling is a process and it amazes me how much their is to learn. You think you are at a point of knowing and then another door opens. It is an adventure and we are loving it. I hope you all are enjoying yours! :)

[Wee Pip]

 

1. I have NO clue of what I am doing, even when I *think* I do.
   
2. That no one else knows what their doing, either (even when *they* think they do:)
   
3. We've tried every homeschool philosophy (strict/relaxed, natural/textbook) and still haven't found our niche. So...some days we're relaxed, some days strict; some days natural, some days textbook.
   
4. I have NO IDEA where my 7yo dd is headed and how to teach her. It feels like we're butting heads and she isn't learning a thing. We're just sort of bumbling along. And then eventually she hits a milestone and we all rejoice.
   
5. And even after all the teaching I've done with my 7yo, I still don't have any better of an idea of how to teach my 5yo...even though I've done it once already.
   
6. I'm not the only homeschool mom wondering if we're really off-track compared to the public schools (which we're not wanting to emulate anyway, but somehow it feels like I'm failing my children if we *aren't* on course with p.s.)...but...
   
7. It really IS OK that we're charting our own course, not in step with the public school system, bumbling along, and seeming to accidentally hit the milestones along the way...because we're building up our family in the Lord, and loving our children, and teaching them things more important than academics (gasp!)...and...
   
8. It'll all work out in the end, anyway;)

And now I should print this off, so I can learn it all again tomorrow, LOL.

[Alana in Canada]

Well, Pip, Socrates would love you!

 

The more you know, the more you know you don't know and the more you know that knowing isn't the point. It's asking the questions and taking the journey that counts.

And that's about all I really know.

:D

[Kimber]

Well, I'm learning to look at the bigger picture. What are the learning outcomes I want from the work I have my children doing? If it's not working, change it. I often forget, but I'm getting better at fine tunning my educational objectives for my kids.

[prairiegirl]

I have finally learned what works for us in regards to method. I have been flip flopping in regards to method and it just hasn't been working. It dawned on me two months ago that there isn't just one method that will work. What works is a little bit of everything. I know that the purists say you can't possibly do this....but we are and it is working out very well. After three years, I am very happy with how we are spending our learning time.

 

 

Julia

mom of 3(8,7,5)

[Tina Duke]

1. I have NO clue of what I am doing, even when I *think* I do.

2. That no one else knows what their doing, either (even when *they* think they do:)

3. We've tried every homeschool philosophy (strict/relaxed, natural/textbook) and still haven't found our niche. So...some days we're relaxed, some days strict; some days natural, some days textbook.

4. I have NO IDEA where my 7yo dd is headed and how to teach her. It feels like we're butting heads and she isn't learning a thing. We're just sort of bumbling along. And then eventually she hits a milestone and we all rejoice.

5. And even after all the teaching I've done with my 7yo, I still don't have any better of an idea of how to teach my 5yo...even though I've done it once already.

6. I'm not the only homeschool mom wondering if we're really off-track compared to the public schools (which we're not wanting to emulate anyway, but somehow it feels like I'm failing my children if we *aren't* on course with p.s.)...but...

7. It really IS OK that we're charting our own course, not in step with the public school system, bumbling along, and seeming to accidentally hit the milestones along the way...because we're building up our family in the Lord, and loving our children, and teaching them things more important than academics (gasp!)...and...

8. It'll all work out in the end, anyway;)

And now I should print this off, so I can learn it all again tomorrow, LOL.

 

 

thanks for the inspiration!

[Testimony]

I have had a difficult school year since the death of my dad. Actually, for the past two year, I had to run to my parents house to help take care of my dad. Many days went by and school was impossible to do.

 

What kind of a teacher am I? I love and care for my children. I try to let them know that they are really special. They may mess up and we may fuss, but they know that they are loved more than anything else in this whole world. I would die for them.

 

I may not be a great teacher or even a great mother. All I know is I love my children.

[profmom]

One of the things I thought I was learning is that we can finish our core subjects + instrument practice with both kids by lunch if I get us started and try to keep us basically on-track with our MOTH schedule. Well, one day last week, the kids and I spent 2 hours sitting in the living room in morning that ended up including Bible, history, reading some of The Children's Homer (which we are currently reading in the afternoons), and lots and lots of conversation interspersed throughout (but no math, LA, etc.) We had such a great time together!! I'm not sure how yet, but we've got to do this more often!

 

Also, here's something I'm thinking about after hearing Marcia Somerville say it on a CD this weekend: Our children won't remember how we homeschooled (methods, texts, etc.) as much as they'll remember who we were as we homeschooled.

 

Hmmm....

[Beth in Central TX]

Hi Profmom,

 

I like her quote; it does make you stop and think. So, if you have a Marcia Somerville CD, did you purchase TOG before the price increase? If so, what year did you get?

[Lux Et Veritas Academy]

http://web.mac.com/nhdraper/Site_7/Blog/Entries/2008/2/10_Less_is_more-_Ramblings!.html

 

I just posted the link above to my whole ramblings on about reflection- So check it out, I can't bear to write it again! :)

[elegantlion]

This year has been a great year of schooling so far. This is our fourth year and I feel more at peace about how we are working through our year.

 

Good things:

Dateless planner - my son knows what we will do everyday, but we have the flexibility to be spontaneous without messing up the schedule.

 

Star rewards - to overcome some focus challenges we had earlier this year, I give my son a star for each subject in which he behaves. 15 stars he gets an extra break. For 31 stars he gets to pick from a few reward options. It has done wonders for his attitude.

 

Real connections with my son - this is the first year I feel I am teaching with him, and not just to him. We modified our schedule to start later in the day, when he feels he has more focus and it works for us.

 

 

Bad:

Too much scheduled - I had too many things scheduled at the beginning of the year. After modifying how much we are doing and putting some things on hold, we are doing much better.

 

As usual we have good days and bad days. This has been our best year of homeschooling so far.

[profmom]

Hi Beth! I had ordered a few seminar tapes separately, but I did end up ordering Year 2 Redesign before the price change!

[Narrow Gate Academy]

I'm learning to find a balance between being scheduled and still being flexible. Some days this means rearranging the schedule due to an interruption or simply making sure that we accomplish the basics. Some days it means that we go back to repeat and reinforce a concept in a certain subject before continuing with the next scheduled assignment at a later point (thus throwing off my beautiful year long schedule). I guess I've finally learned to make my plans and daily schedule work for me instead letting them dictate what gets accomplished.