I've mentioned that my Avon Lady, Bible Study Leader, Neighbor, Friend Louci has agreed to teach the big boys Portuguese, and thought it's about time for an update on how that's going.
Louci is truly a dear lady, and I'm grateful to have met her. As one who does not believe in accidents, I truly believe she was sent to us on purpose, and I'm really, really glad that we were seen fit to receive the blessing of meeting Louci. I hope that we can be a blessing to her as well.
The boys had their 3rd lesson yesterday, right after the birth of the kitties. To say they were distracted would be an understatement, but Louci handled it beautifully, fully understanding the excitement of small children welcoming small animals into their family.
She is a very capable teacher, and as she is also a Christian, she begins each class with a short prayer; she is teaching the boys to pray in Portuguese, which I think is a good thing. She is having them memorize a prayer, which is not my preferred method, but for the meantime, I think it is okay.
She then works through the day's lesson, progressing at whatever rate suits that boy. She teaches them separately, which is new for us and I think very beneficial for the boys. The Artist can no longer coast through class on The Writer's coat tails, and The Writer is no longer bothered by The Artist's distractability during class. Each of them can now progress at his own rate, moving through as few or as many pages as he is able to absorb in a single hour. It's really wonderful.
Louci also tailors the content to fit each boy, delving deeper into more complicated conversation with The Writer than she does with The Artist, as his age, maturity, and willingness to learn allow. Her patience is tremendous, particularly with The Artist. He is not a bad student, not disrespectful or slow or defiant, but his mind wanders and he is easily distracted; it is hard for him to focus for so long on one thing. Louci does not mind this, and works quite well with him. I could not have asked for a better teacher for him.
During or at the end of class (she's begun having this time in the middle for The Artist, which I was going to suggest but she did on her own), she sings with the boys. She is teaching them common praise songs in Portuguese, and helping them to learn the words & melodies. I think that perhaps her motive here is partly to get them comfortable enough with the language that they might come with me to Bible Study (it is a family small group), but I'm not sure. Or perhaps just to get them comfortable enough that they won't mind attending church. Maybe she just enjoys singing praises to our Lord, and wants to encourage that in the boys. Whatever it is, I don't mind. The songs are fun, so far they are songs we know in English, and the boys seem to enjoy it as well.
The materials she is using are very practical, much more so than waht they were doing before. She spends much time in conversation, gently correcting pronunciation and grammar, but only enough so that they don't make embarrassing errors. She was quick to teach them to be careful of casado and cansado, the first meaning married and the latter meaning tired. I did not share with her my years-ago mistake with just those same two words, but I smiled to know that my boys will be spared such an embarrassing slip-up.
The boys do grumble about class, but half-heartedly, in a manner that says "I don't like adding new things and new work and being stretched a bit out of my comfort zone" rather than "this class is utterly terrible and I cannot believe you are making me do it." I think given a few more weeks, the grumbling will stop and they'll relax into the new routine. Already it's slowing down, which I find promising.
I really can't express just how glad I am that Louci found us; she's already blessed our family in so many ways. She is a treasure, and I hope we can show her that we consider her as such.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
What My Kids Are Learning....
Since everyone in the US is in "Back to School" mode, I thought I'd at least participate with a "What the kids are learning" post. We school along the Brazilian school calendar, from Feb to Nov, with our summer break in Dec/Jan (southern hemisphere, ya know...). As such, we're approaching the end of our school year, not the beginning, but we are expecting a shipment or two of school supplies soon, thanks to the Grandmas back home. Fun times those will be, opening those boxes! We all love new school supplies.
So, what are the boys learning this year?
They are learning about people around the world who don't know about Jesus or the One True God.
They are learning about people around the world who might know about Jesus, but don't yet have the Bible translated into their language.
The Writer is learning about fractions, and percents, and performing complex word problems with same. You know, Sue sold 2/3 of her muffins in the morning, and 1/4 of the remainder in the afternoon, and then had 36 muffins left over; how many did she have to start with. Serious stuff.
The Artist is learning to multiply and divide, and is amazed that the one is just the reverse of the other. Glad he enjoys it.
The Adventurer is learning to count. For real this time. He understands numbers pretty well, and knows at a glance if there are 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 of us at the table. But ask him to count a line of shoes and he counts 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 4, 10, 14. He is finally asking me to help him sort that out, and so I'm doing my best.
They boys are all learning what signs to look for to tell if your pregnant kitty is going to deliver soon. Nothing like lessons from real life, huh? Haven't I mentioned yet that we're expecting (kittens, I mean)?
The big boys are learning Portuguese, thanks to dear, sweet Louci. The Adventurer is learning to hide upstairs whenever she comes over. I am learning that Portuguese Class Time is my most productive time of day, because all the boys stay occupied and out from under foot.
The Writer is learning, and sometimes The Artist sneaks in a listen, about US/Japan relations in the time of the Shogun, and how steam ships were a scary looking thing back then.
The Artist is learning about God's faithfulness to His people, thanks to a great book "Missionary Stories with the Millers."
The Adventurer is learning that sometimes Mom is right when she says things like "Don't do that, you might get hurt." So far he's learned that "falling off" the bunkbed ladder to the bean bag below might hurt your back if you fall wrong. And he's learned that jumping from the rolling chair to the non-rolling chair, and back again, might send you crashing forehead first into the hard, tile floor below. No lasting injuries, but hopefully lasting lessons.
They are all learning to return their new pencils to the proper place, not spread them out across hundreds of hiding places in the house, never to be found again. 'Cause Mom does not like losing brand new pencils.
I hope the boys are learning that Mom enjoys school time with them, and play time with them, and that family is the most important thing. I can see they are learning to help each other, to interact with all age groups, to take care of little ones or weak ones, to give respect to older ones, and to get along with people, no matter the differences between them.
In short, they are learning plenty of things that will help them be successful, Godly young men one day. At least, that is my prayer.
What are your kids learning?
So, what are the boys learning this year?
They are learning about people around the world who don't know about Jesus or the One True God.
They are learning about people around the world who might know about Jesus, but don't yet have the Bible translated into their language.
The Writer is learning about fractions, and percents, and performing complex word problems with same. You know, Sue sold 2/3 of her muffins in the morning, and 1/4 of the remainder in the afternoon, and then had 36 muffins left over; how many did she have to start with. Serious stuff.
The Artist is learning to multiply and divide, and is amazed that the one is just the reverse of the other. Glad he enjoys it.
The Adventurer is learning to count. For real this time. He understands numbers pretty well, and knows at a glance if there are 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 of us at the table. But ask him to count a line of shoes and he counts 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 4, 10, 14. He is finally asking me to help him sort that out, and so I'm doing my best.
They boys are all learning what signs to look for to tell if your pregnant kitty is going to deliver soon. Nothing like lessons from real life, huh? Haven't I mentioned yet that we're expecting (kittens, I mean)?
The big boys are learning Portuguese, thanks to dear, sweet Louci. The Adventurer is learning to hide upstairs whenever she comes over. I am learning that Portuguese Class Time is my most productive time of day, because all the boys stay occupied and out from under foot.
The Writer is learning, and sometimes The Artist sneaks in a listen, about US/Japan relations in the time of the Shogun, and how steam ships were a scary looking thing back then.
The Artist is learning about God's faithfulness to His people, thanks to a great book "Missionary Stories with the Millers."
The Adventurer is learning that sometimes Mom is right when she says things like "Don't do that, you might get hurt." So far he's learned that "falling off" the bunkbed ladder to the bean bag below might hurt your back if you fall wrong. And he's learned that jumping from the rolling chair to the non-rolling chair, and back again, might send you crashing forehead first into the hard, tile floor below. No lasting injuries, but hopefully lasting lessons.
They are all learning to return their new pencils to the proper place, not spread them out across hundreds of hiding places in the house, never to be found again. 'Cause Mom does not like losing brand new pencils.
I hope the boys are learning that Mom enjoys school time with them, and play time with them, and that family is the most important thing. I can see they are learning to help each other, to interact with all age groups, to take care of little ones or weak ones, to give respect to older ones, and to get along with people, no matter the differences between them.
In short, they are learning plenty of things that will help them be successful, Godly young men one day. At least, that is my prayer.
What are your kids learning?
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
A New Schedule
Remember my sweet Avon Lady + Bible Study Leader + Portuguese Teacher? Well, Louci comes today for her first lesson with the boys, and so we are trying out a new schedule to accomodate things.
Since we currently school in the afternoon, starting around 3 and finishing around 5, and since Louci will come Tues/Thurs from 4:30 to 6:30, we need to tweak our schedule a bit. I mean, the kids can't be finishing up history and listening to Portuguese grammar at the same time, now can they?
So, on Portuguese days at least, we'll school from 11 to 1, or thereabouts. That will give everyone time in the morning to have their wake up period and finish the morning routine, and still give plenty of time in the afternoon for a break between lessons. The kids would be worthless going from an intense math lesson straight into Portuguese grammar, so the tweak in the schedule is totally necessary.
Which is why I got up early, did my cleaning, got the house ready, and am now, at this very moment, a quarter of the way through the morning's school schedule. The bathrooms are clean, the dishes are done, the main areas of the house are picked up and neat, I've had my Wii Fit time and my shower, and the day is rolling along smoothly.
I mean, I wouldn't goof the new schedule on the very first day, would I? Would I???
Well, I didn't mean to, let's put it that way. I intended for my morning to go as I just described, only, well, I got up very early (6:45....) and then when Quentin left for work (8:00), Zach asked me to play in his room. So I did. Only it involved lying down in his bed to watch him play, since he took over my part anyway. And the next thing I remember is Zach asking me for cereal, and it was 10:15. Apparently I fell asleep.
So I jumped out of bed, fixed Zach's cereal, cleaned the kitchen, cleaned the front bathroom, and....oh, wait....I already confessed that I didn't do all that, didn't I? Oops.
What really happened is this: I stumbled out of bed, fixed his cereal, kicked Timmy off the computer and sat down to check my blogs. Not "my blogs" as in the ones I write, 'cause there's only this one, but "my blogs" as in, your blogs, the blogs I read. I got all caught up, and started this post, and a few interruptions later, here I am finishing my post and now, at 11:32, we will finally start school. And I'll clean during the "break" between school and Portuguese.
I'll even clean a little extra, because a bored 4 year old, with no adult awake, makes a large mess of toys in the living room. I hate to think what it would look like if Timmy hadn't woken up when he did. He very helpfully corraled Zach and played computer games while Zach watched. Love that helpful boy; I'm so glad to have a responsible pre-teen in the house who takes charge when I fall down on the job.
Now, where did that boy run off to? Doesn't he know it's time for school?? (and, by "time for school, I do mean that it is now officially 38 minutes past our planned start time....)
Since we currently school in the afternoon, starting around 3 and finishing around 5, and since Louci will come Tues/Thurs from 4:30 to 6:30, we need to tweak our schedule a bit. I mean, the kids can't be finishing up history and listening to Portuguese grammar at the same time, now can they?
So, on Portuguese days at least, we'll school from 11 to 1, or thereabouts. That will give everyone time in the morning to have their wake up period and finish the morning routine, and still give plenty of time in the afternoon for a break between lessons. The kids would be worthless going from an intense math lesson straight into Portuguese grammar, so the tweak in the schedule is totally necessary.
Which is why I got up early, did my cleaning, got the house ready, and am now, at this very moment, a quarter of the way through the morning's school schedule. The bathrooms are clean, the dishes are done, the main areas of the house are picked up and neat, I've had my Wii Fit time and my shower, and the day is rolling along smoothly.
I mean, I wouldn't goof the new schedule on the very first day, would I? Would I???
Well, I didn't mean to, let's put it that way. I intended for my morning to go as I just described, only, well, I got up very early (6:45....) and then when Quentin left for work (8:00), Zach asked me to play in his room. So I did. Only it involved lying down in his bed to watch him play, since he took over my part anyway. And the next thing I remember is Zach asking me for cereal, and it was 10:15. Apparently I fell asleep.
So I jumped out of bed, fixed Zach's cereal, cleaned the kitchen, cleaned the front bathroom, and....oh, wait....I already confessed that I didn't do all that, didn't I? Oops.
What really happened is this: I stumbled out of bed, fixed his cereal, kicked Timmy off the computer and sat down to check my blogs. Not "my blogs" as in the ones I write, 'cause there's only this one, but "my blogs" as in, your blogs, the blogs I read. I got all caught up, and started this post, and a few interruptions later, here I am finishing my post and now, at 11:32, we will finally start school. And I'll clean during the "break" between school and Portuguese.
I'll even clean a little extra, because a bored 4 year old, with no adult awake, makes a large mess of toys in the living room. I hate to think what it would look like if Timmy hadn't woken up when he did. He very helpfully corraled Zach and played computer games while Zach watched. Love that helpful boy; I'm so glad to have a responsible pre-teen in the house who takes charge when I fall down on the job.
Now, where did that boy run off to? Doesn't he know it's time for school?? (and, by "time for school, I do mean that it is now officially 38 minutes past our planned start time....)
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