Schola et Studium

Yes, we did have one, though I am late writing it down. The days have been so busy recently.

On Friday, Kieron asked if he could finish reading St Francis Xavier and the Seven Seas on his own time. I said yes. After that he asked if we had any more saints' books. I showed him our shelf of Vision Books and since then he has read St Francis and St Clare, St Anthony and the Christ Child, St Isaac Jogues and the Indians, and is now reading St Benedict. I guess this is where it's difficult to tell whether we are "schooling" or "unschooling".

We read several stories and poems from Book of Virtues. Then it was his "easy day" -- a bit of Latin review, then an online math drill (geometry -- figuring out the missing angle, which is really a form of early algebra, too). And handwriting.

We went to the library and he and Aidan looked around a bit while I settled some late fines.

I decided I am just not too great as an informal-learning agent for my little ones, and that I was going to have to simply sit down with them and a workbook occasionally. I did a page of Math 1 (an old Heath workbook) with Paddy. He was reluctant until he realized he only had to decide if a group of objects was one or two. Then he ended up doing about 20 pages, making up stories about the objects. Then I did a couple of pages of MCP Phonics B with him. Then I did a page of Math with Aidan before I got interrupted by several phone calls and the like. Informal learning also happened. Aidan played for a long time with his letterbox and Paddy read a bit from The Best Nest. I will have to back off on Paddy tomorrow since that was a full academic day for such a little one. He is just such a quick learner. Aidan is not, but Aidan will putter around for ages with letters and numbers, which Paddy won't. I feel blessed to be still bringing up such little ones when my older ones are already grown.

In the evening we walked down with Aidan to meet Sean coming up from the bus stop. The evening was devoted to study skills. I also had the Plato discussion session that I am a member of, this evening. Wow, lots of learning things going on recently -- of one kind and another.