The Busy Days of Fall

I want to update this blog AT LEAST once a week, but find I'm barely managing once a month! :)

It's funny how busy fall seems when you've had off from regular activities during the summer. We're trying to be more involved with our local homeschool group this year.  They've started some new things which are less co-op oriented (I like this since I've never really liked co-ops - too expensive and too much work in addition to what we're already doing).  There are now Connections groups meeting at least once a month.  They are age-grouped.  So, Carys is part of the K-2 Connections group, and Chase and Gerren participate with the High School Connections group.  We've been to one park day for each, and Carys' group has a trip to Peachwave (a frozen yogurt pay-by-the-weight place) and another park day tomorrow.

Gerren is overwhelmed with school, even though he doesn't have as much to do as Chase.  I think he's tired.  He's never been a very academic kid.  Now that he's seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, he's getting more antsy and less able to buckle down and finish.  He's taking the SAT the first Saturday of November, so we're in the last throws of prep for that.  He's halfway through Economics, only 9 weeks left.  He finished Calculus I and opted to do a personal fitness course to get ready for Basic Training (he plans to go into the Air Force immediately upon turning 18 in March) rather than Calculus II.

I think what's mostly overwhelming him is the Computer Programming I course he's taking on Florida Virtual School.  Although he loves the material and is naturally good at it, there is a lot of busy work like all other FLVS courses.  Sigh!  He's on the last module of the first semester.  His teacher is very slow about getting things graded, and then he'll have to go back and redo lessons when he's already on the next module.  So frustrating!  This semester has covered programming using Python.  Next semester is programming with Java.  So, I told him if he will just persevere and finish this module, he can use TeenCoder's first semester course which is programming with Java instead of doing the second semester of FLVS.  He breathed a sigh of relief, but he still is getting behind every day.

Right now, he has two things he didn't finish yesterday (not including the programming - he's still on Monday's assignment and now has three lessons from the last module which were FINALLY graded to correct as well).  Those two assignments are added to today's work, which probably means he'll miss youth group again tonight.  He just wastes so much time during the day.  I'll be glad when this is all over, and I know he will be, too.

In the meantime, Chase is working so hard at her Freshman classes.  I've really been impressed.  She's not been a kid that I needed to teach how to study or prepare for a test.  I think that just comes naturally to her.  I do have to work with her on her math quite a bit.  She doesn't have a natural affinity for it like both of the boys did, but she works very hard and is getting an A in Algebra I using Thinkwell.  Thinkwell is accelerated, but she chose to use it as she wants to study meteorology in college and will need a lot of upper level math.  I like a girl who knows her own mind! :)