Eureka! I've found it!

. . .or, at least, I hope I have!  Archimedes might not have made that legendary exclamation, and my discovery doesn't involve water displacement, but it's almost as exciting!  We may have found a solution to where Emily will be educated in the 2009-2010 school year.  Eureka!

The day after Emily turned 15 (February 26) she visited the local high school with her friend Justine.  It felt like passing an act of congress to get permission--I spoke with administrators, Justine's mom spoke with administrators, Justine took a permission slip to each of her teachers, and they had to approve the date on their calendars.  After we jumped through the appropriate hoops, Emily was cleared to spend a day at high school.  

We delivered her to the rendezvous at 7:00 am for "zero period" class.  I can't take you through a day of high school, but there were 7 periods (I think) including English (she loved this one--they were studying Shakespeare); Geometry; P.E.; Band (freshman marching band--Emily got to sit and watch them); Spanish I (she didn't understand more than a few words here); and Leadership.  Something is missing. . .I'll think of it later.  

In P.E. the girls watched a self-defense movie.  When it was over, the teacher asked Emily's permission to open the floor to questions about homeschooling.  I wish I could have been a fly on the wall here! Emily said she told them "homeschoolers have friends!" and homeschoolers must study, and those who are enrolled in charter schools must take the STAR test each year.   All in all, Emily really enjoyed her day.  Her summary comment was, "it was really BIG, and really LOUD."  People were nice to her, and she saw some familiar faces.  She noted that high schoolers eat their lunches standing up.  She also observed the requisite students with "their faces glued to each other."  She also noticed (with a sense of irony at the force of peer pressure), that none of the girls had short hair (as Emily does).   

My good friend Nancy, Justine's mom, strongly recommended that we also check out the local charter school, "Connections academy of performing arts", which meets on the campus of a nearby local high school.  We did this the following week.  We met with the principal, and he talked with us for a while, getting an idea of Emily's artistic interests.  Then, he gave us a tour of the campus.  We peeked into classrooms where ballet was going on (PE, as well as "art"), hip-hop jazz was taking place in another room (still more PE),  some students were watching a French film in yet another classroom.  We walked through a drama lab where students in a circle threw a ball to each other, calling out lines from books, movies, or historical quotes.  We viewed the band room, and learned that the school hopes to have a symphony, if enough string players can be recruited.  Another classroom housed perhaps 18 pianos.  The students at this school participate in the core classes with high school students, but they must also take at least two "fine arts" courses.  This charter school is an accredited high school, and gives an elite impression.  At the present time there is no waiting list to get in.

Emily enjoyed the tour, and then said, "can I go to the high school?"  Wayne and I still have strong reservations about sending our daughter who has only been in the homeschool or tiny private-school setting to a large public school campus.  We've long been accustomed to the choices offered by homeschooling. We also must consider that many high school social and musical activities take place on our Sabbath.  Emily's involvement with the social aspect of school would mostly be limited to activities taking place during the week.

The next day, with a sense of resignation, I went alone to visit the last schooling option.  It's a tiny homeschool supplemental program called "Basic Training" which meets at a local church.  I've known about this program for years, but in the past they didn't have high school.  Evidently now they do. What kind of student would attend this program?  I surmised it would be composed primarily of "freaks, geeks, and weirdos," thereby revealing my own prejudice about homeschoolers, based on I-don't-know-what--certainly not personal experience!

I arrived at the church parking lot at 11:45, and saw kids getting out for lunch.  I sat in my car and watched for a few minutes, soaking in the "ambience".  What I saw were about 40 high-school aged kids who looked. . . .well. . . . .normal. Entirely so. Attractively so. Some were seated on the blacktop, finishing lunch. Others were standing in small groups talking.  Some were playing frisbee.  I went to find the facilitator for the high school, "Pat", and had to ask one of the students to help me.  He did so--politely.

Pat and I talked for a few minutes, and I shared with her what we were looking for in a school next year.  She had a gracious manner, and when I commented that the students seemed nice, she replied, "oh, you couldn't find a nicer group of kids!"  Her son is one of the students, and she is a teacher for a local charter homeschool.  All the kids at Basic Training are homeschooled--either privately or through charter schools.  There is tuition involved, but it is less expensive than the correspondence courses I've investigated.  It's $400 per year per course. Next year Emily could take Algebra 2, Biology (with labs), and English language arts; they also offer an afternoon course in "fine arts" comprised of a variety of teachers teaching a variety of artistic subjects (currently handbells).  The program (I hesitate to say "school") meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  To Pat I say, "it seems like the best of both worlds!"  She nods.

Now I know what I'd like Emily to do next school year--remain in her current charter school, and attend Basic Training for the core classes. We'd still have the fabulous choices offered by the charter school, yet Emily would have some much needed structure to her days and weeks. My dilemma. . .Emily doesn't want to homeschool next year.  She's too alone, and doesn't feel like she "belongs" anywhere.  As I drive Emily to youth symphony that evening I describe what I saw at Basic Training.  She replies, "that sounds pretty nice; I don't like big crowds of people, anyway."  We agree to visit the school again on Monday, so she can see what she thinks.  On Sunday, Emily asks, "can I enroll in Basic Training now?"

Monday rolls around, and Emily and I appear at 12:00 as arranged with Pat. We enroll her on the spot, because what better way can we decide if she wants to do it next year than by doing it right now?  

Today (Thursday) is Emily's third day at Basic Training.  The opportunity to be around other kids, and take literature and math classes from new teachers has already infused a new and welcome energy into our homeschool days.  As of last evening, this is how she wants to go to school next year.  We want to do whatever is best for her, and are grateful to have found this option!  And guess what?  These high-schoolers eat standing up, too!

Recession, budgets, and more

Wow, if I don't write something today, I'll miss February completely!  

Work and school and life in general have fallen into a routine of sorts.  Emily doesn't miss band and choir.  The intensity of daily lessons has ratcheted up because the STAR testing takes place the end of March.  Emily will be tested on Geometry, English, and World History.  She's done practice tests for English and World History, and we're hitting history really hard right now.  I've found a wonderful online resource called "Cosmeo" which is produced by the Discovery Channel. It has videos, articles, games, and more, for all curriculum subjects. We have a 30 day free trial right now, but I think a subscription is about $10 per month. 

I've been meaning to write about how the recession has hit us personally.  We are blessed to have a steady source of income (so far!), but we've noticed the usual weekly grocery bill has increased appreciably!  For about 15 years I have made a weekly menu (for dinners), and I continue to do so.  This has always kept the grocery bill manageable and predictable. All of our bills have gone up, and prices at stores are what I've noticed the most.

Last winter was the first cold season in our "new" home.  It is a rambling ranch-style home, with a long hall and many doors!  We don't have natural gas here in the foothills, so everyone rents a propane tank, and we rely on propane for heating.  Last winter our propane bill was positively staggering.  I don't remember the cost per gallon, or even the cost of refilling our tank, but the overall bill for the winter was nearly $2000.  And. . . .we weren't even warm!  In the early summer we invested in a pellet stove.  It was not cheap, but we think it will "pay for itself" in a couple years.  The pellets cost just under $7 for a bag which lasts three days. The charm of the pellet fire isn't quite equal to a wood fire, but it's close!  The charm of the warm room has been a source of daily pleasure for us all winter long!

Last fall we traded in our little pick-up truck for a used Chevy Aveo.  This little red "gutless wonder" gets as much as 35 miles per gallon.  This is the car I use for work when I see patients, and it's the car we use to transport Emily to her various lessons.

We've heard much about "economic stimulus" and Americans' spending habits.  We Americans have certainly learned to "require" excess!  We eat too much, buy too much, store too much stuff, and cram our schedules full of too many activities.  Sometimes I think we even try to have too many friends, and try to be "all things" to those friends, filling our schedules even more. We knock ourselves out trying to fill every nook and cranny of our homes, and every nook and cranny of our schedules, not to mention what we do to our bodies with food.  I think it's a type of escapism, so we don't have to think about our mortality, and eternal issues.  

We are personally trying to find ways to spend less money, find more joy in simple things, eat frugally but healthfully, and enjoy home life.  I've always been a bookworm, and for years I purchased books, thinking that I wanted them in my home to read again in a few years.  Now I purchase books, but only occasionally.  First I go to the library!  The public library is a wonderful place!  What a gift, to be able to go "shopping" and come home with reading material, without ever spending a penny!

In a previous entry I mentioned that we didn't know where Emily would go to school next year. The recession has hit here, as well.  If she was to return to the little junior academy here in town, we estimate it would cost $700 more each month than we are spending now. Tuition is the main expense, but in addition, she would need to take two correspondence courses for classes not offered at the school (French 2 and Algebra 2).  I love the charter school she's in now--and I wish we had a homeschool support group to provide her with more frequent interaction with kids her age!  Homeschool has all the choices we could wish for, and the school environment can't be beat!

Obviously, we need to make the choice that will be in Emily's best interest.  

. . . .Still looking. . . . . .

Happy New Year!

Okay, so it's been 2009 for 16 days already. . . .

It's spring here in the beautiful foothills *wry grin*, and it looks like no rain in the foreseeable future.  Before spring-like weather arrived, it was the coldest winter in 15 years, and we were completely dependent on our pellet stove for warmth. In our long and rambling ranch-style house, we close off the warm family room and kitchen, separating them from the icy living room, hall and bedrooms.  We have spent comfortable winter days holed up in our cozy little "cabin", making a mad dash down the icy halls at bedtime to dive into pre-warmed beds. 

Christmas eve was a quiet holiday spent at home, and we shared a Christmas dinner the next day with good friends. The day even included a light snowfall! We attended a new year's eve party at a friend's home, but wimped out and came home before midnight.

Emily was rested, and ready to tackle second semester on January 5. Schedule changes include:  no more band, no more choir, no more Pathfinders. During ski season the junior academy goes skiing on Thursdays for PE, so PE at the school has been cut out for a while. For now, PE is walking, exercises, and basketball practice at home.  The result of these changes is a much more leisurely pace, although still busy.  Emily will ski this year, but not every week. 

Another change is in my work schedule.  For a variety of reasons which would weary any reader (including me), I've picked up a new position at work--weekend on-call and intake nurse.  I'm on call from 5 pm Friday to 8 am Monday.  I don't have a patient assignment, but oversee schedules in two home care offices, and see patients who need visits after hours, or overflow "surprise" visits during the day.  I've done this twice now, and think I will like it. I am usually able to plan my Saturday so I can attend church.  There is an element of unpredictability that I don't care for, and I am tethered to an electronic "leash" for 63 hours, so opportunities for fatigue abound.   

The beauty of this new schedule is that it frees me up during the week.  I still have my 12 hours of chart audits, but I can do some of that on Sundays during a lull.  This means more time at home with my student Monday through Friday. This week we seized the opportunity to visit family in Napa Valley. We left Wayne at home to hold down the fort, and drove to my brother and sister-in-law's house, where we were kindly received on short notice. The trip was unbelievably rejuvenating!  So much so, in fact, that we're planning to do it again in a few months.

We've shaken the schedule up, tossed out unnecessary things, added some surprises, and changed my work schedule, in order to cope with a severe case of "mid-year slump".  We're optimistic about the results. Next week Emily will begin working with a home ec tutor on a "design" unit.  We'll let you know how it goes!

"Jerusalem Journal" (fun with history)

Christmas letter, 2008

Dear Friends,

Thank you for caring enough to take the trouble to visit our blog!  We wish you a joyous Christmas season, and a wonderful new year!  Before I forget to do so, I want to mention that the professional photos on this page were taken by Diane Conn, at www.connphotography.com . Thanks, Diane!

First snowfall

 2008 was a good year for our family, and it sped by at unbelievable speed!  We've lived in our "new" home for over a year, and love it! It's a rambling ranch style home with more space than we're used to.  We especially enjoy the animals in the neighborhood--wild and domesticated. There are horses, goats, llamas, and our favorites--a horse and his best friend the pot-bellied pig who appear to be inseparable.  We often see a hawk we call "Howard", a fox, some rabbits, and of course deer.  We love our little corner of nature!  

Emily graduated from 8th grade in June, in a class of 13 students.  After spending two years in traditional classroom school, we decided to homeschool again for 9th grade. That's what this blog is all about! One of Emily's highlights of the year was attending "Pacific Quest" at PUC, where she learned a bit of computer programming, and took some advanced mathematics, along with 23 other students from various schools in California.  Our biggest "field trip" was to Ashland, Oregon, to see two Shakespeare plays at the OSF.  (We saw "A Comedy of Errors" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream".)

Handbells at Pier 39  

    8th grade class, 2008

Wayne continues working at the local dental clinic.  He works some unusual hours, and enjoys his congenial colleagues.  He works hard at home, too, caring for our pets, yard, pool, and house.  

Renee has worked at Community Home Care for more than 11 years, and loves her job--a perfect balance between patient care and office work.  She believes she works for the best department in the hospital, and after all this time, it feels like family.  In these uncertain times we are grateful for our blessings, not the least of which is steady employment. With homeschooling this year, half-time employment feels overly busy, and the remainder of time is spent on the school front.

    All three of us have greatly enjoyed staying in touch, or getting back in touch, with friends on "facebook".  It has been especially nice recently with a PUC Prep alumni group starting, and Renee has gotten in touch with friends she grew up with that she hasn't heard from for over 30 years!  If you're thinking about getting a facebook account, our advice is to jump in with both feet and try it--it will only eat up as much time as you choose to give it!  It really doesn't have to be a big time investment.

I'll close with a poem Emily wrote this time last year.  If you are curious about how homeschool is going, feel free to browse the blog.  Thanks for checking in!  We heartily wish you and yours a blessed holiday season!

The True Christmas Spirit

by Emily Mathe, 2007

When frosty eaves are decked with lights

And snow begins to fall,

You know the time has finally come:

The best birthday of all.

The toy shop windows glint and sparkle 

With gifts of every kind,

But holidays are not about

The presents you will find.

Though dear old Santa "ho ho ho's" 

With jollity and mirth,

Christmastime will celebrate

A far more glorious birth.

About two thousand years ago,

A Savior came to Earth

A dark and rotten stable

Became a wondrous place of worth.

So when Christmas rolls around,

Make sure to keep in mind

That Jesus has come down to Earth

To save us; all mankind!

'Tis the Season. . .

. . .for festive lights, generosity of spirit, shopping, and burnout.  Yes, burnout is no longer looming on the homeschool front. . . .it has arrived, brought suitcases, and moved in.  My goal for the immediate present and near future is to reclaim the joy of the season, so we can focus on the great gift the Advent season represents.  Any ideas?  (Actually, I know the answer:  SLOW DOWN.)

Autumn is fully here, and our giant liquid amber tree has lost nearly all of it's brilliant seasonal garb.  As the many leaves fell I discovered that I LOVE raking.  Like washing dishes, it's one of those repetitive chores that is so wonderful to mingle with meditation (and the house or yard looks better when I'm done!).  Wayne hung the white icicle lights on the house, we have a lovely spruce tree, and all the homey touches that we've grown attached to over the years. Our pellet stove provides warmth on chilly mornings, and we enjoy retreating to the family room and kitchen, where it's cozy.

It's also the season for fund-raising and musical programs.  There are three music programs this week, and the first one was last evening.  Last weekend the three of us went on the annual handbell tour to the Bay Area.  There are 13 handbell players, and we transported five of them in our car.  Between Friday at 3 pm and Sunday afternoon we put over 500 miles on our car. It was a lot of fun, and we especially enjoyed Pier 39.  

We toted Hershey around in a bag.

Monday night held the violin recital. Emily played in the group pieces, but didn't have a solo this time (if she had, we probably would have had to peel her off the ceiling and carry her to a soft room in a straight jacket).   Tonight is the hospital's annual Christmas dinner, which we always enjoy.  

Tomorrow evening is the junior academy's Christmas program, and Emily takes part in the choir, band, and handbells.  She is also accompanying the school in a string ensemble as the school children sing songs from "The Messiah."  On Friday is a low-key "piano party" where the piano students can share what they've been learning.

 First semester is virtually over, or will be in a couple weeks, and Emily is ahead in her core subjects.  We're able to slow down during this difficult time, and not lose too much ground.  We had a shift in history class, and are having to compress some chapters into a too-small time slot, so we can define this year's history as "World History".  That will be do-able, as Emily is such an avid reader.  The burnout problem isn't that the classes are too hard or too demanding--it's more a burnout from going to the school four days a week and not having time to dig in and do the classwork.

Pathfinders has been cut from the schedule--it was a difficult decision, but seems the right thing to do.  The composition of the club went from Emily and a 12 year old girl to Emily and about six kids 10 to 11 years old.  The next step will be to decide which music classes at the school are not necessary, and talk to Wendy, the music teacher.  The handbell choir is going to Disneyland, and I think Emily is committed to that for the year, but band and choir are not necessary.

What we're seriously short on is FUN.  Just playing and having fun.  We'll seek that out, and let you know how it goes!

The photo at the top of the page was taken by Diane Conn.  Her website is:  www.ConnPhotography.com  

Progress Report

It's a beautiful autumn morning, and I'm sitting here enjoying a cup of Peet's mocha java decaf in front of the fire.  Today it will warm up to nearly 70 degrees again, but the nights still get pretty cold.

It's been awhile since I checked in to report on homeschool progress, but it isn't for lack of activity!  

The "Education and Career Planning" class requirements have been fulfilled, and Emily turned her portfolio in to her teacher on Monday (whew!! what a relief!).  Interest assessments suggest that Emily would be a world-class executive secretary, but that is not her career goal. She'd like to include teaching in her future plans, and is also interested in the relatively new field of professional organization.

Geometry and English are both at exactly the halfway mark, with 4 weeks yet to go in the semester.  She's currently writing a research essay on "Bats" (her choice of topic--she thinks they're "cute"). 

We've picked up the pace with history, so she can complete the current book and begin the second volume in January, to meet requirements for "World History".  We've been taking our time and including lots of writing and projects in history.  Now, it will be largely reading and taking tests.  It's kind of a shame, but we'll try to enjoy it along the way. 

Home ec is going well, and she really likes the Lifepac books.  She's in the cooking section right now, and we're enjoying her experiments with new recipes (like ambrosia salad) along with old favorites (macaroni and cheese).  At Pathfinders this week Emily sewed a laundry bag.  

French is coming along well, and I purchased two simple French readers so she can see what stories in French look and sound like.  Excellent though the Rosetta Stone program is, it isn't big on conversational French, so conversing at the beginner level is difficult. Piano and violin are big commitments, and making the time to practice has been a challenge. Youth symphony is a high point each week--the favorite activity. The GROW Bible study will be over this Friday, and although we'll both be sad to see it end, we'll be enormously relieved to be home on Friday mornings, getting schoolwork done.

Emily and I both stay in touch with friends using "Facebook" and "My Space". She's even reconnected with a friend who moved away in 3rd grade, and a couple early childhood friends who moved away several years ago. She also stays in touch with a few friends from "Pacific Quest" by way of "My Space".

The schedule is still crazy, and burnout is looming.  We're in the midst of a mid-term "slump". It's hard for Emily to get out of bed these chilly mornings, and hard to keep the motivation going.  We find ourselves pondering the question of what to do next year for school. . .and we don't have answers.  Busyness is not lacking, and "boredom" isn't a problem.  It's more a lack of "fun".   The church social circle has become--for Emily, anyway--far too small. We're grateful that 2 of her 3 best friends are still in that circle, and getting together with them has saved her from ennui.