STAR testing

STAR testing

Please keep my children in your thoughts and prayers this week as they take part in the state's standardized testing.

We homeschool, yes. However, we home school through a charter school that is publicly funded. Thus, we are subject to the standardized tests that the state requires all public school children take.

This is DD1's first time to participate in testing. To prepare her, I gave her mock tests at home. I tried to simulate the testing environment as much as I could. Everything was quiet. The other kids were upstairs and were told not to come down till I got them. All media was off, of course. She got a bit unnerved. She burst into anxious tears. She said that she was afraid to make mistakes. She was also afraid because I would not be in the room with her.  I assured her that we were doing the practice tests precisely to help her get used to it.

After her mock tests, she felt better and more confident. I was also glad that we did the mock tests because it revealed some areas where she was a little weak, particularly in Math.

I find it rather odd that in the Math exams, the questions are going to be read out loud by the proctor. The answers/choices are in the students' test booklet but not the questions. The questions are read twice and the students are expected to answer by filling in the bubble of the correct answer. We definitely needed to practice this with DD1 to train her to listen well to the question. As a visual learner, I probably would have had a difficult time with this type of testing. DD1 however caught on fairly quickly and did not struggle as much as I though she would.

There were some multiplication and division problems already but they were fairly simple. They were word problems like if you buy gold bars online from Golden Eagle for $5each and you bought 6 gold bars, how much did you pay in all?

Anyway, they had their first day yesterday. They will continue to test until Friday. I'm not really worried about their test scores. I feel like the tests are not really an accurate reflection of their abilities. If anything, their test scores will likely be more a reflection of how well (or badly) I have taught them. Maybe their test scores will reveal any gaps that I will need to fill up in my children's education.

Preschool Co-op

Preschool Co-op

The girls and I have started homeschool co-op. DD1 is in the Kindergarten class while I co-teach the preschool class where DD2 & DD3 attend. Two weeks ago, at our cowboy theme class, we had a real-life cowboy come. One of the dads is a real-life rancher. His "day" job is as a big animals vet but he also participates in rodeos. He joins team roping events. He brought along a roping dummy, pictured here, which he let the kids play with. He made it look so easy but it really wasn't. LOL!
Their family breeds quarter horses. Had we more space, they would have probably brought one. The kids did get to try on breeches and vests and boots. They also had fun playing with the ropes. :)

Furthering His Career

Furthering His Career

My husband's educational journey did not travel the usual route. He was fresh out of highschool when his family migrated here in the U.S. They arrived in late September when the fall semester had already started. Accdg. to him, he got bored just staying around the house. Upon his cousin's prodding, he decided to enlist in the Air Force. After he finished his 4 years, he decided to leave the military. His family had moved back to the Philippines by then so he had to live independently. He decided to enroll in an online university to pursue his degree while he worked as a licensed vocational nurse. He passed his RN boards. We got married and had kids. A few years ago, he decided to make a slight shift in his career and enrolled in a Physician's Assistant program. He completed this post-graduate program while working part-time. In 2007, he graduated and later that year, received his board certification. If you think that the story has ended, think again. He is now seriously considering entering an Orthopedic fellowship that will last a year. He is actually thinking long and hard about this. He will have to continue to work part-time at his current employment where we get excellent medical benefits even as he is completing his fellowship. He isn't as young and energetic as he was a few years ago. He had less children then too. Whatever he decides though, I am 100% supportive.

It is really wonderful that there are so many opportunities here in the United States to finish and further one's education and career. Good universities offer online mba programs and other post-graduate courses. Western Governors University is one such institution. It is nationally and regionally accredited so you can be sure that receiving a post-graduate degree from them will reflect well in your resume. They are also committed to bringing to their students a high level of academic excellence. Once you graduate, you know that you are ready to compete in the workforce.

Tuition is also competitive compared to other reputable online universities. Compared to other institutions, WGU charges a flat rate per semester and not credit units. WGU was also honored in 2008 as a "Top 20 Military Friendly School." They offer degrees that are approved for educational benefits under the GI Bill.

It was with the help of the education benefits of the Montgomery GI Bill that DH was able to complete his programs. He has now reached the cap of his benefits so he is not eligible anymore but that stipend he received was a huge help then.

I really admire DH for his determination and persistence.

Butterflies in May

Butterflies in May

I took the kids to the "Butterflies in May" class at our local recreation department last Wednesday. I forgot to take pictures so I don't have pics of the caterpillars. But here is a pic of their current state as of this morning. The caterpillars have formed a chrysalis already. FYI, butterflies create a chrysalis while moths create cocoons.

The caterpillars were given in a small container where nutrients were already provided. The kids just basically decorated the shoe
boxes that would house the caterpillar. There was some pre-class preparation that I needed to do. I had to cut a 4x5 hole on top of the shoebox plus a 3x3 flap on the side. I needed to do that for each of the shoeboxes - one per child. I simply used the box cutter to make the holes and the flap. Twas much easier than using scissors, that's for sure! It was just easier to maneuver especially in the smaller box. I was a little worried that one of the shoeboxes I had was smaller than the others (toddler-sized compared to kid-sized boxes) that it would be too cramped for the caterpillar. Then, I was surprised to see how small the caterpillars were. They seemed like just a third of my pinkie. I'm used to the big "higad" back in the Philippines. LOL! If I had known they were all that small, I would have used all my smaller shoe boxes instead of the bigger ones.

Anyway, we've been monitoring the progress of the caterpillars. We're looking forward to see them "hatch"(is that the right word?) It's pretty low-maintenance so we just check on them everyday to see if any are coming out of their chrysalis yet. I hope I remember to take pics once they start to come out. So exciting for the kids and for mama. LOL! This would make a pretty cool science project for the kids once we homeschool, wouldn't it?

I'll post pics here as soon as they transform into butterflies.

To Homeschool or Not

To Homeschool or Not

I've been mulling this decision for over a month now.

It came upon me abruptly. It felt like I was sideswept. DS goes to a Catholic school. DD1 just passed the Kindergarten screening. Everything seemed to be going according to "plan" or so I assumed. Yes, it costs a lot but I thought we could afford it. I assumed all our 4 children would be going to the same school.

We're not in dire financial straits right now. No debt consolidation needed. No creditors runnning after us. No immediate economic stress - yet. The economy is bad. Even while DH has stable employment and is in a relatively recession-proof industry, we cannot foresee the future. We need to be ready in case something happens. We need cushion to land on in case we fall.

This was the impetus that led me to research on homeschooling. I was honestly very emotional in the beginning. I was very comfortable with the life I was leading. This change would disrupt everything that was comfortable to me. I was afraid.

Then, in my prayers and during research, I started to feel a little tug in my heart. I was feeling drawn to homeschool my children. I started thinking that this could be a good thing for our family. I found a Catholic homeschooling group in our area. Aside from park days and adoration days, they also have a very strong co-op that meets every Thursday with 2 classes each day. I've gone with the girls to 2 park days already. I've met some of the moms. I feel comfortable. This could be where God wants us to be.

DH and I have not made a final decision yet. Personally, I feel at peace with what I want right now. I ask that you continue to pray for us. May we be united in out decision. May we choose what is best for our family.