I'm Feeling VERY Behind

I just can't believe we are already into April. I would be lying if I said we were on "schedule" for what I wanted to do this year. I am also in a state of finding myself, I think. I'm sure everyone goes through this their first year, right? I hope. We started out and I knew I wanted to classically educate her. However, now I am finding I like a whole lot about Charlotte Mason. We then stopped history a little and started working on The Prairie Primer a bit. I also picked up a forensics ebook when Currclick had their Easter egg hunt and we started making a lapbook for science.

When I brought my daughter home this year, it was a pretty easy decision. I was at the end of my rope with the school. She was at the end of her rope with the school and was exhibiting some very tell-tale signs. While she was still in school I had read The Educated Child:  A Parent's Guide from Preschool to Grade 8 by Bill Bennett. It was my public school handbook. The school didn't like it. Well, the didn't "know" about it, but whatever I "took from the book" they REALLY did not like. The conversation would look like this:

Me: "What books is she reading in the classroom?"
Teacher: "Oh, she's reading 20 minutes every day in the classroom."

Me: "But, what is she reading."
Teacher: "We have an extensive library in the classroom and well, you've seen the library. We go there for 35 minutes every Monday and she can take out two books from there."

Me: "Yes, I know you go to the library and I see those books because she brings them home. What is she reading here?"
Teacher: "Well, she can choose any of those books by the wall."

Me: "Do you have a list of those 'books by the wall' so I don't purchase any of those and I can see what they are? Does she ever finish any of those 'books by the wall' or can she just take from it every day? Do you ever read aloud in the classroom so she is hearing books at a higher reading level?
Teacher: "Sometimes, but we are reading independently for 20 minutes every day."

Me: "I see. Do you have a list?"
Teacher: "I can get you a list of age appropriate reading so you have it at home. Any reading we do comes from that list, but it is not the list of our classroom library."

Me: "Do you mind if I look at your classroom library?"
Teacher: "Oh, please do."

Me: "Oh, it looks like you have the whole collection of The Babysitter's Club."
Teacher: "Yes, we have a lot."

Me: "Do you have any classics?"
Teacher: "The Junie B. Jones books are great. They are at the end."
Me: "Oh, yes, my daughter likes them, too."


I am so glad I remembered this today. If we don't finish "on time" we'll just keep plugging away. Slow and steady wins the race, right? I never want to go into another teacher conference again and waste another 20 minutes with a conversation like that. I know there is quality with what we are doing, I know she is liking what we are doing, and I know what she is reading.

Now, I have to go make her lunch. She is beginning to sound like the snooze bar on the alarm clock.

Have a great day.


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