This was a good week, in some ways, and a difficult week in others. Last week, after an emotional student breakdown (all I did was ask him to read the next poem in our book), my son and I had a chat and did some research that led us to the conclusion that he was, basically, addicted to Mine Craft. So he had us disable it on his computer. (He was willing that we should remove it, but another authority in our home didn't want to do that... Don't ask!)
So, it was a difficult week in that he was having to adapt to that change, but it was a good week, nevertheless, because his behavior was so much improved now that we've gotten this addiction out of his life. (Addicted behavior included anger, impatience, disrespect, rudeness, lack of desire to do anything in "real life", but a driving desire to finish whatever he had to do to get back to his gaming.)
So, yeah, a better week. So here are the things we worked on this week.
Bible:
We were working on reading the Bible through in a year, but in light of events in "the student"s life right now, I decided to switch and read things that would specifically minister to him. So we switched from our readings in Deuteronomy (or maybe Exodus), and read some in Ephesians and Phillippians, and are now reading each day some from Romans and Psalms and Proverbs.
I am also working on learning piano, and reading music, and have been working on playing "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God". The old hymnal version. There's a place for remakes, but I'm mostly interested right now in the older versions of hymns. They minister to my soul. Next week I think I'm actually going to pull out the hymn book to keep on the keyboard.
Math:
My son has worked on a lesson a day. This week my son took Test 9 and did lessons 91-95.
Science:
This week we've been working on Supercharged Science, specifically the Electric Unit and some Solar Electric projects that my son came up with on his own.
JD also attended his 4-H Club and worked on the project that the club members are currently working on.
History:
This week we continued to work our way through Reconstruction and Reform. Related historical reading, we have been reading Then Darkness Fled, a biography of Booker T. Washington.
Language Arts:
JD has continued his work in Latin. This week he finished chapter 7.
We have also continued to work on Excellence in Writing.
We also worked this week on The Art of Poetry. We will be setting this aside now, and will pick it up again next school year.
In the general area of reading, we finished our biography of Ralph Moody, the 2nd book in the series, called Man of the Family.
We also continued our reading in The Pilgrim Adventure, by Sue
Kilbride; we will finish it next week, and I'll write a review.
We also began working our way through The Hobbit, and are working our way through the Progeny Press Study Guide for the Hobbit simultaneously.
Geography:
We have been working our way through With Stanley in Africa for many weeks.
It was really cool the way this readings in With Stanley in Africa dovetailed with our readings in Halliburton's Book of Marvels, The Occident. This week our readings in The Occident were also about Stanley and Livingstone's discoveries in Africa. Very cool.
Art:
Well, we've really dropped the ball on art this week. Next week I'm hoping to start JD on a paper mache face mask made over an inflated baloon.
Music:
This week Jonathan wanted to listen to Ravel's "Bolero" again, so we did.
We've also been working on learning to play the keyboard with Adventus MusIQ, a program that I will be reviewing soon.
Health(/Character):
We had continuing discussions about internet game addiction, as well as discussions about acceptable alternate activities. In addition, it was necessary to have discussions about the importance of respecting adults in his life, which he really struggles with. We went to a college fair, where the college representatives were treating him with great respect, which he craves, and I tried to help him understand that other people in his life will be better able to respect him if he begins by treating them polite and respectfully. We went over scriptures about "Do all things without grumbling and complaining," etc.
PE:
JD walked on the treadmill several times this week. He had a Boy Scout 10 mile bike ride last Saturday, and has a 30 mile bike trip with them tomorrow. It's been difficult to get him to go outside to exercise this week because 1) it has been very cold this week, and 2) there are some boys in the neighborhood harassing and bullying him over something that he did which he shouldn't have done and regrets. How they knew about it (a private matter) is beyond me, but now they bully him and harass him every time they see him.
