Monday, March 17, 2008

I have my inbox down to 20 now!

And it's spring break this coming week... for some of our activities. One of the struggles with homeschooling is that we are at the mercy of several different organizations for spring break and not all of them take it on the same week. So while our homeschool co-op is taking the break this week as well as the junior college, the school district and dance studios decided to take it the week after Easter. So we have seminary this week since they follow the school district, but next week there's no seminary and no dance classes. Oh well, at least it gets us up in the mornings!

In other news, my NEW & IMPROVED job chart is working miracles...truly! My house has been spotless without me yelling, bribing, threatening, and barely lifting a finger. My kids rooms are clean and the laundry is all caught up. The showers are all scrubbed and the floors mopped and vacuumed. Life is bliss! But I'm not going to tell you anything about it until three months from now because consistency is the hardest thing for me, so the trick will be to see if it can last more than two months.

Since it's spring break (sort of) this week I might even be able to get caught up on some of my blog reading. I've actually read a few here and there, but I might even be able to get around to commenting!

About the Literature class. It's really not anything too over the top, just lots of reading. See what happened is my oldest daughter was going to be taking two classes this semester and was all set to go, but after the first week the teacher had some personal struggles and was unable to continue teaching. She is an awesome teacher (and friend) and my daughter had been looking so forward to the classes, so in order to soften the blow a bit I volunteered to teach the Literature class (not that I can hold a candle to my friend, but I was willing to give it a try). The other class was one you have to be trained to teach, but the Lit class was just mostly reading and discussing Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and Les Miserables on alternating weeks. I love Les Miserables and feel I can hold my own there, but Shakespeare is a little different story, so I've been having to do a lot of extra reading of commentaries and finding discussion questions so that I can sound like I know what I'm talking about.............yeah, mmm hmmm, I don't think I have them fooled, but it's been fun trying.

I think Shakespeare is a lot like Isaiah in that there is language and history I'm not familiar with and there's lots of imagery that is obscure and hard to find, at least for a novice like me. But you know me and Isaiah, we are getting along pretty good these days...speaking of Isaiah, I thought there were only 63 chapters, but it turns out there are 66. Yea, you're thinking, "big deal, what's three chapters?" Well, we're talking Isaiah here, that means at least two to three more weeks of study! But guess where I am........tomorrow I start chapter 65! I'm almost there! I've been studying him now for nearly 8 months, that's averaging about 8 chapters a month (with some days off here and there!). I have to say that this is the longest I have ever stuck with anything and these past months have been ones of incredible growth and understanding of so many things. It's no wonder I love the man!

Well, it's late and I need to get to bed...dang seminary!

Have a good one!

7 comments:

Yvonne said...

Great job on the job chart--won't mention it again for two more months ; )

I bet you are a great teacher. (We're starting Isaiah tomorrow--so I'll be going back to your Isaiah posts.
In fact, that was one of the first posts I read way back in July (I think).

I love Les Miserables but really am not much of a Shakespeare person--other than I love Romeo and Juliet.

Enjoy your Spring Break--ours isn't for another two weeks.

Elizabeth said...

Please please please tell me your cleaning seceret! I can't even bribe my kids anymore. It stinks.

I don't think I could teach literature like you are. Congratulations on the oppertunity though.

Michal said...

i can't wait to learn your secret to having the kids clean your house. fill us in! i can use more help than i'm getting. :)

Rebecca said...

Can you give us details on the job chart? I'm really, really longing to know! I'm still on a break. I will get pictures of the play posted when I get back. Too much going on right now!

For some reason I didn't realize that you homeschool too! You can appreciate the excitement then that we're awaiting some new books. I found this science curriculum that looks incredible!

Nancy Face said...

Hmmm...maybe a job chart would help my skuzzy showers! :S

I love Les Miserables, but Shakespeare just confuses me! :0

Maine Mom said...

I can't wait to hear about this job chart! I'm hoping it has the magic touch for an almost 5 year old who is always too tired or busy to help clean up. :-)

Way to go with your Isaiah goal. You're almost there!

1/2 a Dozen said...

Okay ... you're killing me Min! I have to know your secret job chart! That is an ongoing struggle for us. Glad you're enjoying it though, you deserve a little "bliss"!