We're Legal and Other News

Poor Umberto. His blog is frightfully neglected. There is definitely need for an update. And with pictures! Can I hear a hurrah?

First, we're legal. Yes, I finally got off my prociastrating arse and sent out the intent form. In North Carolina, once your child turns 7, you have to submit an application to run a private school (i.e, homeschool). No, it's not nearly as complicated as it sounds. It's one page, where you list the administrator and the owner, and best of all you get to name your school! We named ours in honor of Deleuze as he seems to best fit our educational philosophy: Academe les Mille Plateaux. Now we have to test each year and keep track of attendance. Umberto remains unimpressed.

Second, I bought a whole curriculum instead of just a math curriculum. H and I both decided that we were committed to homeschooling. This has been reinforced with me since beginning Foucault's Discipline and Punish. The book should be required reading for anyone with school aged children. Schools are meant to create good workers and good citizens. This is not something we want for any of our children. And yes I am aware that there many who don't have the ability to make the choice we have, which means that yes, I will continue to fight for better public education. I am not unaware of my revolutionary duties. But that said, and I will write more about the Foucault, etc....I bought a full year curriculum that covers all subjects. H felt more comfortable having each day laid out, and I knew that it was crazy to think that I could write my own curriculum on my already budgeted time. So we got a gentle curriculum called Oak Meadow.

It's a good curriculum....a little fuzzy in some areas but it's flexible enough to be worked with. It is Waldorf based and I like that it incorporates some elements of Waldorf without being totally sold on the entire theory. The lessons are presented through fairy tales and myths. So each letter has a fairy tale associated with it. The child draws a picture incorporating the letter. The same goes for math. Science tends to be nature/observation based which really works well for young children. Here's a few photos of our work so far:

This is Umberto's letter A drawing. The fairy tale was "Rumpelstiltskin" (have no IDEA if I spelt that right--this word was actually in the spell check).

Here's Camille's practice letter As. I'm not really pushing any lessons with her but she tags along. She's been asking to write letters and to read so I've been working with her until she gets bored. She loves the finger plays and rhymes that go along with the curriculum.

Third, UMBERTO IS READING!!!!!! No, it's not perfect but he's figured out that when you blend sounds together you get a word, and he's doing really really well in remembering his sight words. I feel, needless to say, quite relieved.

Fourth, all our our children are now obsessed with Morrissey. Camille was in the back of the car singing "Big Mouth Strikes Again" last night, and Umberto actually asked me to turn up "Ringleader of the Tormentors" in the car. And Piper? Well she just dances like a mad woman every time we put one of his Cds in.