A numbered list, because I'm sleepy:
1. The weather is splendid.
2. Hudson has decided to nap again. Helena, who usually falls right asleep at naptime, is currently in there singing "Happy Birthday" to each of her many bed animals. Big Bird just had his turn. I may have to go confiscate in a minute.
3. While Harper is reading and writing very nicely these days, she can't be bothered with correct spelling. Yesterday she colored a little fall picture for me, with all of the illustrations labeled. There are "Pukin's, Maypole's, and Aconors" (pumpkins, maples, and acorns, of course). She handed me some labeled pictures of fruits and vegetables while I got dinner ready a couple of nights ago: "Origi's, Shrobare's, grap's, and Tomato's" (oranges, strawberries, grapes, and tomatoes). Clearly we need a little work. Clearly I need to properly explain the apostrophe and how, contrary to many Christmas cards we've received over the years, it is never used to denote a plural, unless said plural is possessing something. She also said "Hudson and I's turn" in the backyard yesterday and I almost came unGLUED. Is she planning to star on reality television someday?? I calmed down and corrected her.
4. This morning during our memory work, we were reviewing our Latin nouns and I said, "Hudson, 'nihil' (it's pronounced "nee-hill" in case you, along with me, aren't fluent in The Language of Caesar)? And he responded, with alacrity, "Illinois!" which is absolutely the correct answer if I had said, "Springfield" instead of "nihil." It was funny and we all laughed. It made me realize how much of this stuff just sounds like gibberish to them. The promise with classical education is that, at some point, all of this memorization is going to have meaning attached to it. I've never been to Springfield, incidentally, but I am certain it is something, and not 'nothing.'
5. Speaking of geography and meaning, why do New Hampshire and Iowa basically get to decide who the nominees for President are going to be? It's weird. I know everyone complains about it, but why doesn't anyone actually DO anything? Plus, Herman Cain needs to stop referring to himself in the third person if he wants me to take him seriously.
6. Helena figured out how to push herself on the swingset glider this week. I love it when they work me out of the equation that way.
7. We went to Oil Ranch on Monday (more photos to come on Friday) and I fell in love with this adorable creature:
I told Sasha we are going to trade her in for a baby donkey.And that will be all. Harper is ready to read Pooh and laugh derisively at Owl when he spells his name 'WOL'. Irony, irony.
6 comments:
ouch that really was funny and very good read! Tell Harper she would be fine in my CHAV land here in England. Chavs speak very much how she spells often making me want to just teach English at least....
Anyway no English yet has been able to tell me how is it correct to say: We was going to cinema.....rather than We were going to cinema....?! One of the many earch scratching things I keep comming across.....there is hope at least you know your stuff and HARPER WILL TOO.:)))) as for England I seriously worry....no one knows around here (unless primary teacher or old school people) what a pronoun is or an adverb and slowly but surley no one knows what a verb (not to say irregular verb) is......sad! Now that to me is very sad. On a happy note I am gona pass on my gramatical knowledge to my sons....I hope they will get me....:))))
The apostrophes made me laugh! Mis-used apostrophes are one of my pet peeves, but quite forgivable in the very young. :) Loved the Pooh irony too - that is funny.
Are you doing the Classical Conversations program? I am very casually researching the options for home school, and CC is one that is popular in our area.
Spelling correctly is one of those tricky things. We're getting better, but my 3rd and 4th grader still could use some work. We just keep working on it consistently! I've wondered what Oil Ranch is like. The mom of a dear heart friend of mine, owns Oil Ranch. (was that comma misplaced? I am very much the grammar dummy.)
Maria--Our school program specifically teaches all of the English irregular verbs, and 'to be' was the first conjugation we memorized. It's hard even for native speakers!
Zoe--Yes, we ARE doing Classical Conversations! This is only our sixth week, but so far, we are all enjoying it. My husband is a BIG believer in classical education, but I was a little overwhelmed (even though there are so many good curriculum options available)at getting started totally on my own. I think CC gives just enough guidance (and help with Latin pronunciations!)and Harper, who is my most social child, really loves the weekly meetings with the other kids and her tutor. I really thought Hudson wasn't quite ready, but he is surprising me with how well he's doing. Though, honestly, if I had the option, I would have left him and Helena at home and just done it with Harper this year. I'm sure you are beginning to see that making decisions for the well-being of all three kids (with such different needs and personalities) can be tough.
Kristin--This is our second year to go, and we LOVE Oil Ranch!! All summer, Harper kept asking when it would be fall so we could go back. Tell your friend her mom is doing an amazing job!!
Patti - catching up. This made me laugh: I find the whole apostrophe thing pretty horrifying; most of these people are college graduates! What does this say about our educational system? Glad to know E isn't the only misspeller - she still phonetically spells everything, which gives me a real clue into how she hears words.
Had no idea about nihil, and have surely mispronounced "nihilism" before. Reminds of the time I said to my roommate (I was a college graduate at this time, myself), "I don't have any 'staMYna.'" She looked at me and said, "You mean stamina?" I had read it, but never heard it pronounced. Embarrassing.
Margie--I think you are probably saying nihilism correctly--it IS NIGH-il-ism in English. Apparently, the pronunciation of Latin is acceptably variable (even by classics professors--my husband asked one!) because it's technically not a spoken language anymore. So, for example, we say Cicero "Sisseroh" and not "Kickeroh" which would be the traditional pronunciation. I'm sure there are certain circles (kirkles?) where the rules are more stringently enforced. I'm also pretty sure I don't want to hang around those people.
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