GANEIDA'S KNOT.

Go mbeannai Dia duit.

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Quaker by conviction, mother by default, Celticst through love, Christ follower because I once was lost but now am found...

Monday, March 30, 2009

Somebody burst my bubble.

“We do not have to visit a madhouse to find disordered minds; our planet is the mental institution of the universe.” Goethe

I worry about me. Organisation is not my strong suite. It's one reason we use an umbrella school ~ that & to keep the government off our case because the school does that bit. And I had that bit together; I really did. Three examples of Ditz's work in each subject each term. Even I could manage that & I did. At about this point in the term I start rounding up Ditz's work to send in so I was a little bit puzzled by today's phone call. I don't think our supervisor has a grip on paperwork organization either.

We had a most interesting conversation about Ditz's math ~ which has gone missing. Between us we've lost about 3 term's worth. Now I know I'm a klutz so I keep all Ditz's work to be returned in one folder & I've always been particular about sending it in. What I don't do is keep the returned work. I have no storage space & no use for it so out it goes. An entire book of Math~U~see has not been recorded. No way did I not send that in. I don't order new math until we are doing the last lot of tests. I tear the tests out the day I bundle them up & send them in to be recorded. So here I was wandering round with the phone glued to my ear looking for returned work. I found 2 lots ~ with little stickers on. I don't do stickers so I know it's been in to the school & been returned to us.

Now every time Marilyn visits with us she does a math session with Ditz. Sometimes it's more needed than others. I know she knows exactly where Ditz is with her maths ~ we just don't have the paperwork to prove it. Marilyn was madly apologetic. These things happen. *shrug* The bit I mind is having to tell Ditz she's got to redo at least one test. You have no idea!

Now all this is bad enough but the school has obviously had some trouble tracking work so these little bar coded stickers have been sent out, one to be attached to each work sample. Sound simple? How I wish. Firstly, even with my glasses on these are almost impossible to read. Reading them is necessary because they tell you which work samples they want. I have just discovered this. Now math & science are not an issue. They are very straightforward. Where we come unstuck is with our history & English. As they are our strong academic area I am sooo not impressed! Firstly we do a lot of dictation & grammar work. Ditz does a lot of creative writing but she doesn't like to share so getting samples is like pulling hen's teeth. Our analytical writing is done in history. I try to get one essay a term out of Ditz. So I don't have one piece of analytical writing for English, or one piece of creative writing & I don't have reading comprehension examples because we don't do them. Ditz has read the first dozen books of this year's curriculum & by the time we're done with the Sonlight stuff she's got a pretty good idea of what the book's talking about. Now for History we scrapbook. Map work, notes, craft stuff goes into a scrapbook because Ditz really, really doesn't like to write. Not school stuff at any rate.

So I am sitting here scratching my head wondering what I'm going to send in. We did our poetry analysis. Does that count as reading comprehension? That's one; three to go. I can see me sneaking stuff out of Ditz's novels to cover us & she'll shoot me. Ditz finished her essay on Hitler. History we are always on top off & her scrapbooking pages always look good. I have all bar one of the math tests ~ the one that has disappeared between here & the school. Science we are working towards.

Just in case you think Ditz does no actual school work I must dissuade you though we sometimes veer so far towards unschooling I scare myself. Ditz is her mother's daughter & tends to get obsessed about a topic. Hitler was her last one. At present it is pirates. Gypsies is the next one. For these Ditz does all her own research & reading & notetaking. That she can actually do this is one of our success stories. Unfortunately her methodology is not strictly academic. More like research notes for an acting part or background research for a novel. Not strictly useful for anything. *sigh*

And the thing is I am so not interested just now because the curriculum I've been waiting on for 5 months arrived today! Finally! This is our bible stuff & it looks terrific ~ & music history. I'm keen to start & give Ditz something a little different but instead we will be pottering round redoing math & looking for Ditz's science. I might just do a Ditz & have a meltdown. Do you think it would help? Nah, me either but it would sure feel good!

11 comments:

Diane Shiffer said...

oh my! of all things to "go missing" it would have to be math! yipes... if i were ditz i'd have a meltdown too. i'll be praying (for both of you;))

could you take one or two of ditz' interests and call them a "unit study?" then just pull out the best of her work on that and send it in? i've been known to do that when we veer wildly off our planned curriculum, lol. could you maybe do something on tape with her instead of strictly written... maybe tape a discussion where she shows her understanding/comprehension of some of her reading material.

i know, i know.. probably no help at all, but at least my hearts in the right place, right?
hehehe

Happy Elf Mom (Christine) said...

Uggggggg... I don't suppose Ditz could decide what English she wants to send on? That is so annoying that the state has to keep track of you guys. Maddening.

It's one of the few things that makes me NOT want to move from Missouri. I don't think Emperor has ever taken a test in his life. :]

Diane Shiffer said...

ganeida... i'm wondering if you might be able to do me a big favor? there appears to be something wonky with my blog. i posted something (a new post called so faux) and it's not showing up for some reason... my other accounts with google (email and such) are acting odd too. i don't know if it's just my computer or what. but if you could let me know whether you can see my new post- or not! that would help me☺

feel free to delete this comment after you've read it;)

seekingmyLord said...

I have a headache just reading about what you are going through! I am so thankful I live in a state that only requires attendance records--though the monthly submission of them is rather on the far side of ridiculous.

However, I am *so* glad you got the History of Classical Music from Beautiful Feet in finally. I am *so* interested in your impression of it. I would like to do that one, if it is good, when we finish the History of the Horse--or even before...depending.

Mrs. Darling said...

Goodness what an ordeal! I cant believe the state is so unorganized. Poor Ditz. Tink would have a screaming meltdown if she had to retake a test!

Britwife said...

I don't blame Ditz for having a meltdown - I would too, because it's about Math. Ugh.
I'm jealous because you are homeschooling, and I am not.

Ganeida said...

Persuaded: our biggest problem is Ditz is technically now a highschooler by Oz standards & in grade 9 so everyone wants more formal work from her. Ditz doesn't do formal. *sigh* I give the school a list of the curriculum we're doing & in the past I did whatever & sent in examples of what we'd done. Lots of project type work, not so much writing, for obvious reasons for anyone who knows Ditz. Now they want wrtten work. Hmm. I'm sure there's a way round this.

MrsC: I asked Ditz to choose something herself ~ You'd've thought I asked her to run naked down the main street of Brisbane. Her reaction was a little extreme I think but you get the idea.

Seeking I am so looking forward to starting the music! I even ordered the timeline as I want Ditz to have a really good grip on this stuff. More & more stuff is coming up in her lessons & I know she hasn't got a clue. If we do this then she has a reference point.

MrsD: me too.

Britwife: And this of all the fun you coul;d have with math chasing that shared poundage! Oh my! Cracks me up every time I think about it!

Diane Shiffer said...

thanks so much for coming on over to my place and checking things out for me, dear. i really appreciate it♥

Anonymous said...

Oh, I feel so sorry for both you and Ditz! We'll be praying for you both (that is if you want it?)...sounds like you could do with the prayers at the moment.

Molytail said...

Lots of project type work, not so much writing, for obvious reasons for anyone who knows Ditz.

Hmmm, never heard of any kids like that before, nope nope. *grin*

About math tests - does your printer do copies as well? Maybe - just to be on the safer side - copy the tests that you do so you have an extra...

What a pain to deal with "the system" like that....heh, though I don't know what it'll be like here yet... maybe I'll be complainin' too. PEI had nothing much more than a "send in your letter" thing... here, you have to meet with a 'facilitator' twice a year and whatever... of course, having moved here part way through, we're a bug of a different shade... we'll see, I guess...

Heh, about English... perhaps they'd like to get a sample of her writing in the form of an essay that speaks about how ticked she is that they lost her math. :-P

Ganeida said...

HSmum4Christ: Prayers always welcome.

Diane: you are most welcome, my friend.

Moly: lol. You always make me laugh. That is so a Ditz attitude. Thankfully I talked her out of that one. She did pirates instead. Something about being bonked on the head & waking up somewhere she couldn't escape from. Talk about freudian!