Clarity, more math, and another trip

Well, as you may surmise from some previous posts, I've been weighing how to proceed with Oldest school-wise. I think I'm getting there though. I am coming down on the side of a second full year in First Grade. Of course it matters not what grade we name it around here - you shall not hear the words First Grade and Oldest in the same sentence in this house, lol - but what we do matters. A lot. It isn't that I'm feeling guilty for starting First Grade with her at age 6. I did what I thought would meet her needs, and last year I couldn't fathom trying to do letter introduction with a child who's been reading chapter books for over 2 years. But on every other level, I see a First Grader in front of me. I think what made it hard for me to give up the idea of doing Second Grade work this year, was the simple fact that we've done most of the academic material for First Grade. I simply assumed that when you're through with all that, you move on. Turns out that this isn't necessarily the best way to assess what your child needs from a developmental standpoint.

Clarity came with the help of Donna Simmons, and her suggestions of more time spent crafting, making dioramas etc. Suddenly I knew: we will spend the rest of the school year deepening our knowledge of letters, words and the four math processes, we will again explore the quality of numbers in a completely new and different way (thanks to this book by Henning Andersen), we will tell and act and stage fairy tales together, we will model and craft and work our hands, we will paint and draw and explore forms. Suddenly, I recongnize the blessing of having all this additional time to deepen the work of First Grade without feeling rushed by it. November begins our long block of craft and handwork. I'm planning on some nature stories and fairy tales, but the focus will be entirely on the artistic. I can't wait.

The last two weeks have seen us working on more math. With the help of the two books I mentioned, I have been able to create creative, engaging practice problems for Oldest. How great to keep hearing her disappointment when it's time to end our lessons together.
As always, I am humbled by the creativity with which Waldorf teachers bring material to the children in their care. How wonderful that I can learn from them! With the help of these teachers, we will be working on multiplication and division this week.

And then we get to go on another trip! Husband's grandparents are celebrating their 70th Anniversary next weekend, so the family is gathering on a pretty hilltop in North Carolina, to celebrate togetherness. I am hoping for weather warm enough to allow us to take the girls boating on the lake, and with a bit of luck a trail ride is in our future. I think this small vacation will do us good. While away, I plan to knit this hat. I've become very rusty in my own handwork, so it is time to hone those skills again.