This story starts here.
Helia stripped off her hose before sinking into the couch. The interview had been good but she didn't really like the school. Alistaire had headed back to their bedroom to change his clothes.
"I thought the interview went well." he shouted.
"The money is good." she shouted back.
"The school is well-respected." he said as he sat down next to her.
She loosened her belt before looking him in the eye. "You hate it too?"
"Yep."
"We've gotten spoiled working for the Foundation. You can't replicate that kind of flexibility in a regular school."
"I'm going to miss making it up as I go along."
"Did you see the stack of the previous year's lesson plans? They are required to turn them in!"
"The money is good."
"Really good."
"I'm pretty sure they liked us."
Helia kissed Alistaire before getting up to get changed.
While she was changing, Alistaire switched on the answering machine.
"Hello, this is Janet Michelle of Blair Productions calling to let you know you've made it to the first round of interviews for a teaching position at Childrise School. Please call me so we can discuss times..."
"Childrise School? I've never heard of it. Did we apply there?"
"I don't remember applying to a school named Childrise."
"Whoopee!" Niko came sailing in the the living room waving a print out of an email.
"Yes, and the good news is?" Helia asked.
"We're going to be on TV! Childrise is considering our applications. We're supposed to audition on Saturday! Please, say we can go."
Helia and Alistaire exchanged glances.
"Niko, you wouldn't have submitted applications for us would you?" Alistaire questioned.
Niko exploded. "They want you too! Awesome! We're going to be on TV. We're going to be on TV."
"Did we name him for your father or for Marchiavelli?" Alistaire asked.
"Machiavelli, definitely."
This story continues here.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Uniform Solution
When you put the words "sturdy", "attractive" and "cheap" in the advertising for clothing you have my attention. After all I have five kids who eat clothes--that's only a metaphor for three of them. I got the idea last year to have the girls wear uniforms while we did school, and it was so great! They got up and they put on their uniform. I bought them several options of blouses and various jumper, pant, skort combinations, but the basic colors and details tied us together as a unit. Our class time had a certain respect that had been lacking. Putting on your comfortable clothes was a sign that you had finished your work. Clothing lasted longer, and looked better.
So, we're doing it again this year. We went on a treasure hunt for all the various pieces of last year's wardrobe. Everyone had grown. We had to throw out a few blouses that Iris had, well, eaten. But even so, we are more than halfway outfitted for this year. I've got to order a few items for the oldest and for the fourth who is just young enough to be too short to inherit the third's stuff.
If you homeschool and have a large family, I recommend the uniform solution. I've been very pleased. We use French Toast. They are inexpensive, and the clothes do hold up. I've not always gotten the best service, but eventually they do make things right if they go wrong. Uniforms, who knew? They really work for us.
So, we're doing it again this year. We went on a treasure hunt for all the various pieces of last year's wardrobe. Everyone had grown. We had to throw out a few blouses that Iris had, well, eaten. But even so, we are more than halfway outfitted for this year. I've got to order a few items for the oldest and for the fourth who is just young enough to be too short to inherit the third's stuff.
If you homeschool and have a large family, I recommend the uniform solution. I've been very pleased. We use French Toast. They are inexpensive, and the clothes do hold up. I've not always gotten the best service, but eventually they do make things right if they go wrong. Uniforms, who knew? They really work for us.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Australia, Here I come
Today was one of those days. You know the kind of day that Alexander had. The terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days. The ones where you plan to move to Australia. It started last night actually. I went to my writer's group with a piece I knew was going to be eaten alive. Why I tortured myself doing something so foolish? I thought that the jokes were funny enough to coax them to forgive me. I was wrong. No one got my jokes for all the reasons that I knew they were going to eat the piece alive. I think I'll move TV School to Australia.
Then I woke up and I had a took my medicine late so I could go to the writer's group hangover. The kids were not interested in getting organized on their own, and we were a little late for swim class. I was going to let the littles play on the playground while we shared a box of Junior Mints, but I forgot my watch, so we had to go sit on the benches in the humid pool area, again. Peter stole another child's cars and then tried to run away while I was watching and waving at the three in the pool. I wonder if you have to know how to swim to live in Australia.
We got home and I set them free to play while Peter took his nap. They were having a grand time riding down the middle of the street on their bikes. My friend came by and reminded me that some of the teens drive too fast, and that she usually sits outside with her kids when they play outside. She had a point. I brought them all inside and they got really bored. I bet they'd be able to entertain themselves for an hour in Australia.
My poison ivy began to itch and I was out of the cream to make it stop. The kids decided to gang up on each other, and to test the line between clever dialogue and sass. I had to be momzilla. My popularity sank through the floor. I bet moms are deeply revered in Australia.
I scratched the poison ivy until it bled. Sometimes you have to give in to these things. I officially became a masochist when I splashed it all with Sea Breeze. Then I remembered that I have Zyrtec from a bad reaction to Amoxicillin. Why couldn't that thought have suggested itself before I gave in to the orgy of scratching? I bet Zyrtec is over the counter in Australia.
Then my husband took over and made dinner. He got all those ornery kids to eat and clean up and behave with some decorum. He gave me permission to go blog it out, and he made me up a plate for when I feel better. You know I bet they don't have anyone that great in Australia. I guess I better stay home.
Then I woke up and I had a took my medicine late so I could go to the writer's group hangover. The kids were not interested in getting organized on their own, and we were a little late for swim class. I was going to let the littles play on the playground while we shared a box of Junior Mints, but I forgot my watch, so we had to go sit on the benches in the humid pool area, again. Peter stole another child's cars and then tried to run away while I was watching and waving at the three in the pool. I wonder if you have to know how to swim to live in Australia.
We got home and I set them free to play while Peter took his nap. They were having a grand time riding down the middle of the street on their bikes. My friend came by and reminded me that some of the teens drive too fast, and that she usually sits outside with her kids when they play outside. She had a point. I brought them all inside and they got really bored. I bet they'd be able to entertain themselves for an hour in Australia.
My poison ivy began to itch and I was out of the cream to make it stop. The kids decided to gang up on each other, and to test the line between clever dialogue and sass. I had to be momzilla. My popularity sank through the floor. I bet moms are deeply revered in Australia.
I scratched the poison ivy until it bled. Sometimes you have to give in to these things. I officially became a masochist when I splashed it all with Sea Breeze. Then I remembered that I have Zyrtec from a bad reaction to Amoxicillin. Why couldn't that thought have suggested itself before I gave in to the orgy of scratching? I bet Zyrtec is over the counter in Australia.
Then my husband took over and made dinner. He got all those ornery kids to eat and clean up and behave with some decorum. He gave me permission to go blog it out, and he made me up a plate for when I feel better. You know I bet they don't have anyone that great in Australia. I guess I better stay home.
Pop Quiz for TV School fans
OK, mom and whoever else has read TV School. (I hope you're out there.) I know that the stuff I'm writing is all wrong, wrong, wrong, but I thought it was at least a little amusing. I will be rewriting the whole thing from a fixed point of view and all that crap when I've made this world up in all of its glorious detail. I need to know all the details for reasons that I shall reveal upon publication--maybe.
Anyway, here goes. (Record your answers in the comment section and when all the correct answers have been entered I'll reveal the official answer key.
1. Who wears a blue dress?
2. What cartoon series (that is itself an homage to a silent film series) is quietly given the nod?
3. What ancient myth is the actual inspiration for the plot?
4. One of my goddesses is out of the closet, can you out the other?
5. 1.46 Name it and claim it.
Please somebody figure these out. I'm hopeful that while the scaffolding is just scaffolding, that it has some amusement value of its own.
Anyway, here goes. (Record your answers in the comment section and when all the correct answers have been entered I'll reveal the official answer key.
1. Who wears a blue dress?
2. What cartoon series (that is itself an homage to a silent film series) is quietly given the nod?
3. What ancient myth is the actual inspiration for the plot?
4. One of my goddesses is out of the closet, can you out the other?
5. 1.46 Name it and claim it.
Please somebody figure these out. I'm hopeful that while the scaffolding is just scaffolding, that it has some amusement value of its own.
Monday, August 14, 2006
A Nosegay of Freshly Sharpened Pencils
I'm starting to get school fever. I was really struggling to get my physics study off the ground until I found the God's Design Series. They have all the experiments and helpful text in one place. Phew! I was going to base it all on the Teaching Company Physics course, but I couldn't find any really good books to support my efforts to bring the material down to the kid's level, at least none that were in our family's budget for this year. If our budget grows I may purchase some Science in a Nutshell sets. I've never bought them before, but I've drooled over them for years. If anyone has any input on them, I'd love to hear it.
I'm teaching Shurley English for the second year in a row. I love the ease of preparation and the thoroughness with which she teaches grammar. We'll be continuing our daily quick writes, and hopefully we will make some progress on handwriting. Rosie's struggle with spelling--partly due to an undiagnosed far-sightedness--has convinced me that we need to add Spelling Power to our routine. I also love Color Phonics for reinforcing and teaching phonics. I have had some trouble with the disks having errors that impeded play, but it's still a great product.
History? We are basing our study on the Veritas Press History Cards. I don't like their support materials, but the cards themselves are a simple way to steer through history. I pull in books on the event we are studying from the library in order to make the viewpoint a little more in line with current research. Veritas Press is a lot too retro for my taste, but it is a good gimic. Our study this year will start in 1815 America and continue to the present.
I must admit that I take the wimp's way out with math and leave the bulk of mathematics instruction to the prepackaged curriculum we use during quiet school. I will be doing drills on basic facts and emphasizing counting.
Our study of the Bible will be an oldie, but goodie Betty Lukens flannelgraph. I remember it from my childhood, and it's fun. The girls love it. I may let Mea and Rosie prepare some of the lessons this year.
As always the girls are responsible for their own education in the afternoon--though I may move Quiet School to the morning hours. The older girls use SOS because it is so easy for me. The computer does the majority of the grading and such. Mea is going to give Latin a go. The littles will be working through the Horizons workbooks.
I am so excited about next year. I hope you have a wonderful time preparing for the next school year no matter how you teach your children.
I'm teaching Shurley English for the second year in a row. I love the ease of preparation and the thoroughness with which she teaches grammar. We'll be continuing our daily quick writes, and hopefully we will make some progress on handwriting. Rosie's struggle with spelling--partly due to an undiagnosed far-sightedness--has convinced me that we need to add Spelling Power to our routine. I also love Color Phonics for reinforcing and teaching phonics. I have had some trouble with the disks having errors that impeded play, but it's still a great product.
History? We are basing our study on the Veritas Press History Cards. I don't like their support materials, but the cards themselves are a simple way to steer through history. I pull in books on the event we are studying from the library in order to make the viewpoint a little more in line with current research. Veritas Press is a lot too retro for my taste, but it is a good gimic. Our study this year will start in 1815 America and continue to the present.
I must admit that I take the wimp's way out with math and leave the bulk of mathematics instruction to the prepackaged curriculum we use during quiet school. I will be doing drills on basic facts and emphasizing counting.
Our study of the Bible will be an oldie, but goodie Betty Lukens flannelgraph. I remember it from my childhood, and it's fun. The girls love it. I may let Mea and Rosie prepare some of the lessons this year.
As always the girls are responsible for their own education in the afternoon--though I may move Quiet School to the morning hours. The older girls use SOS because it is so easy for me. The computer does the majority of the grading and such. Mea is going to give Latin a go. The littles will be working through the Horizons workbooks.
I am so excited about next year. I hope you have a wonderful time preparing for the next school year no matter how you teach your children.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
A TV School (Janet's headache)
This story starts here.
Janet had a headache. The West Trust had thrown a fit over the recasting of the teachers. Evidently, their authority superceded Ms. West's authority as headmistress. They were not going to allow her to cast any teachers they had not approved. All the current faculty would remain and any new faculty would have to go through the ordinary Sonrise hiring process. They had scrapped all of her teachers. Janet was under new directions from Daniella. The new emphasis was on the teacher's peccadillos, oddities, and unusual talents. Instead of just finding attractive, sympathetic teachers, she had to find pecuiliar teachers.
Janet culled through the resumes for the seventh or eighth time, and then decided to see if any new applications had popped up. An intriguing pair of applications from a married couple caught her attention. They had gone to good schools, but neither had a degree in education. Sonrise would like that. Working for the Reinvent Foundation, they had entered the education business through the back door. The West Trust had granted money to Reinvent. Janet hurriedly scrolled down to the personal information--wow, five kids. How much do you want to bet that they've applied to be on the show? Sure enough, a quick scan through the clog of new children's applications brought up five little Thistles. Daniella would like this. Big families were hot. She put them on the list for a call-in.
Janet had a headache. The West Trust had thrown a fit over the recasting of the teachers. Evidently, their authority superceded Ms. West's authority as headmistress. They were not going to allow her to cast any teachers they had not approved. All the current faculty would remain and any new faculty would have to go through the ordinary Sonrise hiring process. They had scrapped all of her teachers. Janet was under new directions from Daniella. The new emphasis was on the teacher's peccadillos, oddities, and unusual talents. Instead of just finding attractive, sympathetic teachers, she had to find pecuiliar teachers.
Janet culled through the resumes for the seventh or eighth time, and then decided to see if any new applications had popped up. An intriguing pair of applications from a married couple caught her attention. They had gone to good schools, but neither had a degree in education. Sonrise would like that. Working for the Reinvent Foundation, they had entered the education business through the back door. The West Trust had granted money to Reinvent. Janet hurriedly scrolled down to the personal information--wow, five kids. How much do you want to bet that they've applied to be on the show? Sure enough, a quick scan through the clog of new children's applications brought up five little Thistles. Daniella would like this. Big families were hot. She put them on the list for a call-in.
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