Sunday, September 7, 2014

School is in session.....

Ooohhh it is just like christmas.... the kids are so excited to get all of their school supplies delivered.  We received the 5 boxes of supplies from Calvert Charter School.  Each of these boxes I swear weighed 50 pounds... What the heck... This school is known for working with cruisers... they should know that this amount of weight will definitely put us below the water line... It took 1/2 a day just to go through all the materials and decide what we really need and what can we do without.  5 science scales probably not necessary...  Maybe these will be a donation to the BVE science lab.  It was a little overwhelming for me to go through all of this material.   I think it finally sunk in how much work this is going to be for me to sit and teach 4 years of school in one year.... Especially since I am not a teacher.   I kept thinking to myself... Okay, here we go... let's just DO IT!


I am so proud of my students... I mean kids.  Alexia and Tristan decided to start their school a day early.  I had some doctors appts for the little girls so they took it upon themselves to go through the 10 workbooks/manuals that were sent and decipher what they needed to do.  They fumbled through and got organized and familiar with what each of the manuals were referencing and after about 6 hours finished most of their first day of school.

The next day I started officially sitting with the kids and helping them with their school work.  I sat between Alina and Amaia and went back and forth between subjects.  Starting with Math and then moving on to reading, comprehension, grammar, science, geography and social studies.  I have to tell you that I was worn out.  I was answering questions and explaining for 4 different grades simultaneously ... I felt like I was a pinball going back and forth.  I have to say that it didn't take very long for the kids to understand patience and also the art of disappearing when the teacher was distracted with another student... UGH>  I truly have always given credit to teachers but now more than ever... To keep the kids focused and on task with be a challenge.  Even with the complications of a small area, a lot of distractions and noise the kids handled it very well and I am really looking forward to their progress and spending this time with them.  It is really fun to watch their little wheels turning.

Alina was finished in about 3 1/2 hours with what she was assigned to complete.  Amaia's work assignments took about 4 hours and we didn't finish all of it... and tristan and alexia are at about 6 hours so far.  I hope that once we get the system down better and understand the manuals and programs better that it won't take as long to get through... I really thought that the schooling part of our day would be maximum 6 hours... I may have underestimated the task at hand.

After about 4 hours of school... I decided since we were in Sausalito and in the Marina right next to the Bay Model and the building of the new Bay Area Tall Ship we HAD to go on a FIELD TRIP... The kids thought this was the best idea ever.



Tomorrow starts a new week and I think I may add a PE section into the mix... How about paddle boarding and small boat sailing... Love it!

1 comment:

  1. Oh Heather, I must disagree: You are a teacher! I have known you only a very short while, yet I have learned much…..how to ask for what you need, do what needs to be done, laugh and smile and love, embrace dreams whole-heartedly, grow beautiful children and dogs…..live life full on! Yaye you! and Thank You. Peg

    ReplyDelete