3rd Grade

We started the school year pretty early this year, the third week of August. We got a bit behind last year and I wanted to be on top of things this year. I can't believe you are in 3rd grade already. This year started with a great attitude despite some summer time considerations of going to public school in spite of the bullies and everything.

Your reading has improved in spite of not reading as much as Sofia did at this age. Your spelling, however, is atrocious.  That's were the dyslexia really shows up. But you have a good enthusiasm to learn most of the time and you're doing pretty well in all your subjects.

Language Arts:
  Writing -- Writing & Rhetoric Book 1: Fables
  Grammar -- First Language Lessons Level 3
  Spelling --  All About Spelling finishing Level 3
  Manuscript -- Getty Dubay book D
Math:
  Right Start Math Level D
  (Singapore Math Challenging Word Problems 1 finishing)
  (Life of Fred when the mood strikes you)
History:
  Story of the World Vol 1: Ancient History
Science:
  R.E.A.L. Earth & Space Level 1
Tech:
  LEGO WEDO
Fine Arts:
  Ballroom BYU Youth Dancesport Team
Other:
  Song School Latin 1
  Geography
  Logic

I wish we could do more like Spanish, Piano, and Art, but I needed to keep it realistic so we could enjoy the subjects you have instead of stressing about trying to get them all done.

You do History, Science, and SS Latin with Peter which is a bit of a help. It's kind of re-ignited my own enthusiasm to start some of these subjects with you the way I was excited to do them with Sofia.  I spend the most amount of time doing school with you right now, but I'm glad that you're not getting lost in the shuffle. I know, I only have three kids to teach but it's quite the juggling act.  I hope you continue to enjoy learning the way you are now and we have a great year.

Growing up

Helping me learn my new and neglected 85mm lens by posing as my model.

You've definitely hit that not-little-boy-look now. You've gotten a bit taller but there's no baby fat in site, not even toddler, preschooler, or any kind of child fat left on you. You are thin as a wisp. A good visual aid for studying the bones of the skeleton. I guess you get that super metabolism from dad's side. You only seem to get useless things from me, like elbows that bend the wrong way.

You're a second grader now and I've concluded with more certainty that you have dislexia. Thanks to my awesome homeschooling skills, I think I've got everything covered, so we are just continuing on as we've been going with reading and spelling. A lot of improvement has been made, but it's reverse head pops up here and there pretty regularly.

Slowly, you've warmed up to your big brother role and acknowledge Peter as part of your tribe to nicer and less nicer degrees. You're definitely an it's all about me kind of guy though, very driven by your own interests and persistent. The latter, I consider to be a good quality, even if it manifests itself in a slightly annoying way sometimes. I have you pegged as a engineer somehow. It will be funny to read this later and discover how off base I'll probably end up being.

Marcelo turns 7

I'm trying to implement the idea that not all birthdays have to have a big party and theme. Certain people are getting a bit entitled so I have to do my part to counteract that. This year, Marcelo took this in stride. We went out for breakfast, went to his soccer game, had lunch with the Abuelos, and then went bowling, which was his big request. He got clothes for presents, some cash, and one toy.

Marcelo is now in 2nd grade, trying out soccer and ballroom dance. He is very eager to make friends. He loves to tinker and create things, still with paper, cardboard, and tape. He is terrible at cleaning his room and may be related to some kind of gerhbil. He shreds stuff and leaves all kinds of little debris under his bed and behind his night stand.

2nd Grade

School portraits + fun poses = homeschooling rocks!

Employees Only

6th Birthday

I had been preparing Marcelo from the time his 5th birthday party was over through the past year for the fact that I wasn't going to do big birthday parties every year and that #5 was his big party and the next probably wouldn't be until eight.  We were so busy on the day of his actual birthday that I had to move it to Saturday anyway and I relented with his requested Chima Lego party.

He had a ton of fun and really enjoyed helping set everything up; something I usually keep as a surprise.  He even made Chima door hangers for all his guests and made them sit in a circle to past hem out. 

First day of school: 1st grade

 

Almost six. You're a first grader and so excited for it. This is the bitter sweet time when any baby fat you may have had melts away in the wake of your young boyish looks.  Your face looks so much thinner than last year.

50's dance party

Marcelo attends his dance team mate's birthday party, turning five.

Marcelo_50sParty a video by LolaT on Flickr.

Untitled a video by LolaT on Flickr.

Runpunzel, Rupunzel ....

.... let down your hair.

Oh boy.  Why did I aid in this endevour with the knotted up yellow sheet?  Yes, he really, really thinks, he's going to be able to climb up there. In his heavy armour.  And his Crocs.

(And also -The bucket is NOT an elevator! OK!)

Kindergarten reject

Since Marcelo misses the Kindergarten birthday deadline of age five by Sept. 1st, we are naturally starting Kindergarten at home(school).  He is pretty excited and hasn't mentioned anything about his previous disappointment over not getting to play on the Kindergarten playground at Sofia's former charter school, Quail Run.

He should be well prepared for Kinder, which we plan to start next week. He graduated from the UPSTART preschool program last month with beginning reading skills in phonics and decoding.  My only concern for his teachability factor is that he seems to like writing in reverse, from bottom to top, right to left, and often with the mirror images of letters.  Hopefully this goes away during the year and doesn't point to a more serious issue.

I'm excited for a full year of homeschooling without the distractions and energy-sapping issues of public school we had last year.  I'm a little nervous about how it will go with two students.  Little steps.  But, teaching Marcelo can't be any harder than teaching Sofia, right?  Right???

Other important questions

"Mommy, is the earth under the world?"

Wow, that was perplexing. OK, maybe not so much. I quickly cleared my overly philosophical mind and clarified that they were one and the same.

"Mommy, if the earth is [in fact] round, when you travel to the edge, why don't we fall into the sky?"

Ah ha! "into the sky". Yes, very good point my smart boy.
Gravity, etc, etc........

"What is in the earth?"
OK, here. I have a wonderful book full of pictures you can look at.