Another Week Done-and It Was A Doozy!

Wow, what a week…shortened to only two days because of the Thanksgiving holiday, full of all of the normal holiday hubbub, and lots of added responsibilities.

(By the way, don't you love that photograph above?  "Pumpkin Pi."  I was tickled to find such a perfect picture to illustrate blending the challenges of Thanksgiving week with homeschooling!)

Of course my 12 y/o son got into a foul mood and did NONE of his work on Tuesday.  Wednesday was too crazy for make-up work with five children (my three plus two more) zooming around.  Friday was too, for that matter.  That brought us to today, with lots going on early in the day.  I didn't even get to start with makeup work until 6pm!

And Phillip did great!  He didn't get completely caught up, but he did a Bible lesson, a short but thought-provoking science lesson, and a long English lesson!  Woo hoo!  It was a joy working with him.

I continue to be very pleased with the Switched on Schoolhouse Curriculum.  Here are some of the things that pleased me most this week:

• My 8th grade son was taught a sobering truth that he wouldn't ever learn in public school.  It was about the "inseparability of words from the one who speaks them."  How many boys his age have ever grappled with such a concept, and the responsibility for honesty that it lays on them?  And how many know that, because of this "inseparability," Jesus said we would be judged by our words?
• That same son, who has Asperger's Syndrome, began working on a part of his normal Language curriculum which teaches gestures and body language.  How perfect is that for someone with a form of Autism?  He got to watch the built-in videos of facial expressions, which may sound hokey to some, but for him it was a great exercise.
• My 12 year old did a science exercise which had him not only spit back facts, but actually draw conclusions and figure things out logically.  That may have been happening in his regular school classroom, but I didn't get to see it there.  I got to see it here, and it was delightful.
• That son also got to spend a few hours with a substitute teacher…my dear mom who is visiting from Florida!  That was a pleasure to see and a bonding experience for the two of them.  Because the SOS curriculum makes the expectations so clear, she had no difficulty stepping into that role with no prior notice.

So, though it was a trying week in many ways, it was still rewarding.  Thanks for all of your prayers, and keep 'em coming!