Week 2 Begins

Today started week 2 of the school year. I don't know why but it seems the children always have a more difficult start to the week after a 3 day week-end. They both dawdled over math. M forgot common measurements (i.e. how many pints in a quart). B was negotiating if he really had to show the work if he figured out the answer in his head. An hour spent on something that should have been 30 minutes at most. Grammar went off without a hitch. B started reading a biography of Albert Einstein and M continued reading Minn of the Mississippi. Then we moved on to dictation and copy work. All smooth.

We stopped what we were doing to watch the President give his speech to the students. I really do not understand what all the parental hoopla was about. I thought it was an inspirational speech and impressed upon the students that the choice to doing something with their lives was on them. The parents can be involved, the government can make sure they have the tools the need, but ultimately it is up to them to make their dreams happen. That it would take work on their part to be successful. That failure is how you learn. It was refreshing to hear a speech that involved personal accountability for how your life turns out.

After a discussion about his speech we moved on to chemistry. Learning about the periodic table and how to read it. I have been reminded that chemistry is one of my least favorite subjects. However, thanks to the TV show "The Facts of Life" my two will not forget the symbol or gold (AU). When you are walking down the street and a bad guy takes your gold necklace you shout.........A U come back here with my gold necklace. They thought that was just about the funniest things ever and spent a good 10 minutes pretending to be mugged and shouting A U.

We finished up the day with reading out loud from Poor Richard. Ben Franklin was a funny kid.