2020 School Year in Review (Year 2/Year 5)

We finished exams for Year 5 Term 1 and Year 2 Term 2 this week, doing the last tiny bit Christmas eve. I'd feel guilty about this but our exams are short so even an "exam day" is normally less than 30 minutes and the kid's actually did extra work the week before to finish up there readings so we would have time to have exams. The thought of skipping exams was completely unacceptable to them! Which in and of itself should make me happy (and it does!)

Now, the exams were a bit hard on me because I had to delete a lot of questions before we even started. I've mentioned before that I tend to go into exams feeling kinda beat down and harshly judging myself and this was no exception! Recitation, folks songs and hymns, handicrafts, french, nature journal entries - didn't get to, didn't do formally, not at all, and weren't even cracked open. I love the Ambleside Online exams so this isn't a reflection on them but I was fighting the feeling of failure before we had even started them!

At this point you may be asking yourself if I was really berating myself for not doing handicrafts and french with my elementary students while managing an international move during a pandemic. That would be correct. And I wonder why some of my children struggle with perfectionism! 

But I quickly slapped myself in the face (metaphorically speaking) and reminded myself that it was a split term. This summer in Colorado we did a lot of what Charlotte Mason mom's sometimes refer to as the "riches" so our lunch times were filled with poetry and recitation and songs and read-alouds and we did lots of nature study and hiking and exploring, I just hadn't packed our journals with us on that road trip so we observed but didn't journal.  This fall was readings and math and a bit of writing throw in among unpacking - and that's okay. I also added some questions to reflect the unique things we did end up learning. I'm feeling better now. But I will keep saying this because I can't believe I'm the only mom who feels this way! 

So here is a bit about we did do these past few months!

- The kid's did great learning amidst the chaos and I am really proud of how well they did on the exams they were given. And not just exams, I'm really proud of how they grew as students this term. Lucy is getting more and more independent which is great (and sad - I want to read those books with her!) and most of her narrations are better when she reads it herself. She also has some really strong opinions about our history and Plutarch readings and its fun to watch those come out. With Lucy, we seemed to be slowly than most to shift to independent reading (speaking specifically about AO reads) and I just had to trust my mom instincts and understanding of CM principles even when other moms said their kids were doing all/mostly readings on their own by year 4 and that wasn't us. She did some on her own starting in year 3 and they were increasing every term and it has been pretty clear (by her narrations and understanding, not just by her attitude/desire!) how that should go and its has worked well. By the end of this term she was doing all but a few (Plutarch and Marvels with me, Inventions with her dad; She could handle Marvels on her own but I don't want to miss it). I feel like understanding CM principles and not just memorizing a few of her lines about making kids read as soon as they can helped me to be confident in this and not worry we "were behind." 

Samples from  Lucy's Exam

What do you know about the Monroe Doctrine?

It was a document that said no European country could interfere with America and that America could no interfere with Europe. It was made by President Monroe and he made it because England was capturing Americans and forcing them to join their navy against their will.

Tell what you know about Lewis and Clark.

Napoleon needed money and at that time France had all the land west of the Mississippi and so, he’s like “well, if you give me this much money, which wasn’t a lot, then I’ll give you this land” and President Jefferson said sure, we’ll do that and he gave him the money and then Jefferson sent for Lewis and Clark to be the captains of the expedition to explore the new land. And Lewis and Clark set out with a lot of men and they started at the Missouri and it was very difficult and there were a lot of Indians and they traded and some were friendly and some weren’t and there were a lot of grizzly bears and Lewis (or Clark, I can’t remember which) was almost killed by one. he was in the woods hunting when I big grizzly bear came and he couldn’t get up a tree so he threw down his gun and jumped into a river and yelled and the bear look at him in astonishment and just ran away. And then one time they came to a fork int eh Missouri river and the crew thought it was on way and the captains thought it was the to her way so Lewis went with part of the expedition to the south to see if that was the right way. And it was and there was a big waterfall and they kept going. At one point they couldn’t take the big boat they had to take everything in the small canoes. And at they meant an Indian tribe and there was an Indian woman who came with them named Sacagawea and she had a little baby boy and then they reached the Pacific. And when they went back to Missouri, only one single man in the entire party had died.

Would you like to live in Sparta? Why or why not?

Not. Ever. Ever. Ever. I’d rather live in a desert island by myself than in Sparta. Because people all walk around naked. And people have to steal their own food but they get punished if they get caught stealing their own food. And everyone shares meals, they come together and shares a meal of a disgusting soup. Also, if someone wants to come into the group to eat together, they have to be voted on, and if they don’t like the person they squeeze their bread real hard before they throw it into the basket but if they do like the person they put it in nice and light and fluffy and if even one person crumples their bread, the person can not be entered. Lycergus was the leader and he said he wanted a republic and wanted everyone to have free choices but they couldn’t ask questions or suggest things, they could only say Yes or No to laws so it didn’t quite work out.

Describe a picture from this term’s picture study.

Our artist was Turner. There is one where it’s in the middle of the ocean and it’s all stormy. And they said he insisted on being tied to a mast in the middle of the storm so he could get a better view of everything. And he survived. In the picture, there is a boat being tossed and turned and there is a city behind it. 

- Jonah started doing some of his books and audio with recorded narrations and less hand holding. He really likes listening and narrating on his own. I'd like to say that is because he is a dedicated learner or even perhaps because he can concentrate better without little siblings in the same room. But honestly, he's told me its because he can go play legos while he listens. But he gives really good narrations this way so I don't mind the legos - or the honesty! He's also gotten better about adding details (Lucy's been my detailed narrator, Jonah normally gives basic ideas and is ready to move on. Both are learning balance). Other things I've noticed - he's starting the story at the beginning and moving chronologically through the story without having to backtrack too often to add to previous sections and his narrations are starting to take on the tone of the original author which is so great. Obviously, you can't hear his tone in my transcription but I think the energy of it comes through a bit. I love narration in general but seeing the ages and stages as my kids move through them is fascinating and exciting.  

Samples from Jonah's Exams:

Tell about the Siege of Calais or Wat Tyler's rebellion.

The Siege of Calais. So, the French had put a siege on Calais and they were surrounded and a siege is where they surround the city and if they ever come out they kill them and people can’t get food to them so they eventually run out of food and have to give up otherwise they’ll die of starvation. So they didn’t want to do that and they couldn’t stop and it was a long time, so the leader wrote a letter to the king of I don’t remember, the king of someplace to come and help them. And then he sent the letter. So it was 3 months and then the king came but he didn’t do anything so they all waited and waited but he didn’t do anything and then, a long time later, he went away without doing anything. So they were angry and then they said “we have to give up” so they did and they said “spare us” and they said “the rest can go but pick 6 men and I will do anything I want with those men” so they said “well, we have to.” So the bravest and wealthiest and best man of the city said “I will go” and the best other 5 men said the same thing so the king said “we will put you to death” but the queen said “NOO! Don’t” and then she said “I will set them free with food and clothing” but the king said “I wish you weren’t here but I will do it” so he gave them to her and she gave them food and clothing and some money and sent them off.  

Tell your favorite part of the Wind in the Willows.

So Toady was going, going, going, going and singing while he went. And then he saw a motor car and he was so happy. And it went poop, poop, poop and then it came closer. But then he said “Oh, no” and then he fainted – because it was the very people he had stolen the motorcar from! So he fainted. And the people inside the motorcar said “Oh, no, there is a poor washerwoman!” And then they took her up and then he started to feel better so he sat up and said “oh, my, could I sit in the front seat” “Oh sure” said the person next to toady. And then he said “Oh, can I drive the car?  I’m sure I have watched you good enough” and they said “okay” and then he started slow but went fast, faster until he was zooming. And then he went “I am no washer woman, I am the masterful toad!” and he drove it right into the pond. And the he was singing a song a bit like this “The motorcar went poop poop, all down the road, and who should drive it into the pond, Ingenious Mr. Toad!” but before he was singing he was saying “oh, drat, oh, drat,” but that was before he was driving the car. And then he said “oh, no a policeman and ran away from the policeman.

Describe your favorite picture from this term's picture study.

So it’s in a temple sort of thing and they are looking at a bunch of pictures, like we also did, and there are two people and there is a big view of Rome and its open at the side and there are some statues and art and its like a temple or something like that. 

- Growing into the hard books. Its pretty common for me to panic when I look at a hard book that I'm adding to Lucy's schedule, especially the first term of each year which always seems like the biggest jump up. Now I know to trust AO and that she will probably grow into it. And yep, at the beginning of the term I felt like King Arthur was too much, that we'd always be behind and I was frustrated there was no audiobook of the version I picked. But by the end she was done reading the chapters by Tuesday or Wednesday of each week, sad that she had to wait a few days to read the next part! I don't panic as much Jonah because I've done those years before but we finished Little Duke a week early and Wind in the Willows was his favorite so he's growing too.

- Potty Training. Enough said. Actually, I will add one thing. Potty training in a small house is a LOT easier than potty training in a large house, especially if you are trying to keep school going or pay attention to your other children at all. 

- That stuff we didn't get to. The kid's have been filling in themselves! Lucy begged me to help her with a book binding project we bought supplies for before we moved so we've finally started that. Craig had the big kids off at a volunteer project last week and Jude was napping and when I asked Norah what she wanted to do, she asked to do something with yarn. So I taught her to finger knit and she loved it. I foresee lots of random finger knitting streamers will be decorating our house soon. Jonah's room has lots of science and nature diagrams scattered about. And the big two kids were so excited to get their piano back and have been learning/playing Christmas songs in the afternoon just for fun all month. Seeing them start to take ownership of the skills they've learned in the past and grow themselves.

And just yesterday morning I found a snail as I was starting my morning walk with the dog. I put it on our step and not surprisingly, he was still there when I got back an hour later. We made him a little home and had a blast observing him. Not sure how long we'll keep him but he's a fun little pet for now. He's got way more personality than I expected! And because I was feeling pretty lame about us not having put any entries into our nature journal, I had kids grab them and they all did great entries. 

This is Norah's (she still has a clipboard because a real "nature journal" is a 6 yr old privilege in our family. She's counting down!) I love the beginning nature journal entries because while the pictures aren't normally great by art standards, its a lot easier to actually see their observations. She's got the body's ruffled bottom and the long eyes and shell.

-Lots of fun read alouds. Stretching books are great and all but sometimes you just need to sit back and enjoy a good laughing book. And we did! It's not easy to read aloud with all four. I get interrupted ALL the time and it drives me crazy. I have to tell people not to touch each other (or to stop humming or to stop putting there hands and feet between my eyes and the words on the page) way more than I should by now. But I don't think we built our family culture faster any other way. And we happened to read some really great books together the past 6 months. 

-  Novel writing. On a similar note, Lucy's been writing a novel in her afternoon free time. She's finished the first draft and working on the illustrations before she does any last editing. I'm excited to see her finish it. She's written a 3 book series in the past but this was a considerable longer project and she's really stuck with it. Here's some of the illustrations to whet your appetite!

Lucy's not the only one who can write a novel so I'll wrap this up with just a few of my focus points for next year. We didn't get to as much of the non-reading things as we normally do because my afternoons were busy doing - not school. And the next few months will still have me busy getting us more fully settled so instead of spreading all our afternoon stuff through the week, I'll be lumping it into two days but putting us on a loop. I'm not longer upset that I didn't get to those things before but I really want to prioritize those riches now that I can and get us back into "together time" (aka morning basket, circle time, etc). Last two goals will be stretching Lucy that last bit to independence by having her manager her chart a bit more instead of relying on me. And bringing Norah into the fold. She begged for reading lessons and I bought All About Reading (because she LOVES workbooks and wanted something that seemed like real school) but have only made to through Lesson 2. Her fault, not mine. So she's going to get her 20 minutes a day this term if it kills me! (might not always be reading lessons but something.