more to life?

‘There must be more to life

than having everything.’  

~Maurice Sendak

I interviewed the kids to help me prepare for the new school year

I interviewed both kids at the beginning of September to see what they wanted to do this school year.  The questions come from an online home school friend.  Here are their interviews:

What things interest you and what would you like to learn more about?   (the answer need not be the name of an academic subject.   I encourage them to talk about anything that interests them.   It might be chain mail,   it might be get a learner's license, it might be cooking, it might be make a quilt, it might be wanting a penpal.    They might say I want to learn about castles, or I want to make a display box for my butterflies.    My kids were seldom answer:  I would like to learn algebra!    )
Music
Horses
French
Electric guitar lessons

What areas do you think you are doing well in.    What areas of learning do you feel you know fairly well?        (to this they may answer I'm doing really well in reading, or I'm doing really well in my music lessons.)
Basic math
Algebra
Running
Reading
Work skills/work ethic

What areas do you think you need to work/study harder at.     (to this they may answer, I need to be a faster reader, I need to do something about my spelling.    I don't want to play violin any more but I want to play piano.    I don't think I am doing enough in science.)
Writing
Spelling
The science of sound (guitars -- acoustic vs electric)

What is your favorite "kitchen table" activity?    (background - we do our home school lesson book work at the kitchen table.   We do math, vocabulary, spelling workbook, creative writing.)    I ask them what their favorite thing to do - and then incorporate this in the new year or incorporate that method with a subject that is harder material.   For example,, one answer is that they like doing cross word puzzles and fill in the blanks that is used in teaching vocabulary.   so I take that into mind - and think maybe we could do cross word puzzles to study geography.       If they say they like an activity that uses scrapbooking techniques, then I incorporate scrapbooking techniques to teach other subject material.   
Jordan’s first answer for this was eating.  :o)
Internet research
Games

What would you like to see/places to visit this year?
He didn’t have an answer for this one.

What are some new things you would like to do or experience?
Lego teacher

Health?  Anything you would like to change or improve?
Strength training
Cardio training

Volunteer opportunity or job shadowing opportunity?
Will look for a need
Private lego class for Sam

_______________________________________


What things interest you and what would you like to learn more about?   (the answer need not be the name of an academic subject.   I encourage them to talk about anything that interests them.   It might be chain mail,   it might be get a learner's license, it might be cooking, it might be make a quilt, it might be wanting a penpal.    They might say I want to learn about castles, or I want to make a display box for my butterflies.    My kids were seldom answer:  I would like to learn algebra!    )
Animals
Babies
Agriculture
The Twilight unit study Lori told us about

What areas do you think you are doing well in?    What areas of learning do you feel you know fairly well?    (to this they may answer I'm doing really well in reading, or I'm doing really well in my music lessons.)
Math
Calving season work


What areas do you think you need to work/study harder at?     (to this they may answer, I need to be a faster reader, I need to do something about my spelling.    I don't want to play violin any more but I want to play piano.    I don't think I am doing enough in science.)
Spelling
Cooking
Home Maintenance
Money Management
Sewing (maybe?)

What is your favorite "kitchen table" activity?    (background - we do our home school lesson book work at the kitchen table.   We do math, vocabulary, spelling workbook, creative writing.)    I ask them what their favorite thing to do - and then incorporate this in the new year or incorporate that method with a subject that is harder material.   For example,, one answer is that they like doing cross word puzzles and fill in the blanks that is used in teaching vocabulary.   so I take that into mind - and think maybe we could do cross word puzzles to study geography.       If they say they like an activity that uses scrapbooking techniques, then I incorporate scrapbooking techniques to teach other subject material.   
Playing board games
Internet surfing and research

What would you like to see/places to visit this year?
The Guzoo
The Red Deer SPCA
Odd and Unusual Sale in Innisfail (October 2010)
(would like to research places in Alberta to visit)

What are some new things you would like to do or experience?
Volunteer at the Thrift Store
Babysit more

Health?  Anything you would like to change or improve?
No wheat eating plan
Probiotics
Protein supplement
Swimming (not lessons, just more opportunity to swim)
Walking more
Baseball and Badminton

Volunteer opportunity or job shadowing opportunity?
Thrift store (volunteer)
Groomers (job shadow)
Childcare (at a day home, job shadow 

write for yourself

“Better to write for yourself and have no public, 
than to write for the public and have no self.”
Cyril Connolly

id est

I learned something new today.  Jordan asked me what i.e. meant and I told him it meant 'for example'.  But he wanted to what the i and the e stood for.  So I googled it.  It is Latin for id est which means 'in other words'.

You can read more here if you are interested - http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/abbreviations/f/ievseg.htm

Mature?

“The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional to the embarrassment he can tolerate.” 

– Douglas Engelbart

Uh oh... I am in trouble.  I am not good with embarrassment.