May 9, 2007
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Sunny Day in PA
This afternoon, Gockle and LibbyK had their homeschool portfolio reviews. Here in PA, we have to keep a portfolio of each child’s work (including a log of 180 days and what was done) and hire a certified teacher to review the portfolio and write up a report. This report and the portfolio are then turned into the school district for a second review. I like our reviewer. She’s a homeschool mom (former school teacher) and is nice and chatty.
Tomorrow, Hunter and I drive to Laughsalot12′s house so the two of them can go to the PHAA Homeschool Prom. Woo! I plan to take many pictures.
It was gorgeous weather today, so much so that it rallied me from sickness enough to go out and garden. Yes, I have a cold-like thing. But, more important than my puling illness, my four tomatoes are planted, some weeds are pulled, the yard is mown and weed eaten (?), and the porch and sidewalk are swept. I enjoy sweeping the sidewalk. It makes me think that I am living in Holland. Somewhere, sometime, I read a story about how the homes in Holland are so tidy and the women always sweep the street and sidewalks. Or, sometimes I think that I’m like a newspaper vendor in New York City (or Mr. Hooper on Sesame Street) keeping my little bit of the city clean and litter-free. Do you have chores or activities that send you into a world of pretend?
Comments (16)
Hey, we are fourteen blocks west of the river. We are high and dry here, thankfully. We have many church members up in St. Joseph, MO that are flooded, so we’ll be helping them clean out.
I pretend no matter where I am, lol.
I pray you feel better Mary. God bless you.
Cynthia
Get Well! Are you ill or suffering allergies?
When I walk the dogs on a nice afternoon, I strap on my iPod, (if noone is watching) and I sing like I have a good voice. hahahaha
Sounds like you have a pretty strenuous job of homeschooling in PA. I am not sure of the homeschool review process here in OK. I know that when a student enters the public system from home schooling they are required to take the same End-Of-Instruction tests as the student body of the school. Sadly, many times the homeschoolers don’t pass and must retake the courses they don’t pass. I wonder if the parents of these students took the home schooling seriously. There is a family down the road with 2 Middle school age girls and they are home schooling. They take it very seriously. I have no doubt, they will pass their EOI tests!
When I lived in Sicily the women were always out sweeping their porches, too. They always wore dresses and the men wore nice shirts and trousers. So different from here. I pray you feel better soon, but at least you were able to do some work outside and get some fresh air. Have a great day.
Lucky you to get outside. It rained here a lot yesterday, but I was out a few days ago, pulling some weeds. The garden isn’t started yet.
Hope you’re feeling better soon. Glad you could get your portfolios together. We don’t have regulations like that here–fortunately, but I do keep track, and use the 180 days as a ballpark goal. (I think we were at 170something last year.)
Looking forward to the prom photos. Have a great day!
I think we have reviews next month. I am soooooooo ready to be done with school!
You are so good at ending your posts with a question – I love that! I don’t have any comments on the homeschooling requirements – except I think they are pretty lenient here in IN. (I don’t homeschool due to circumstances in my life). Good for you to get out and sweep your porch – I often think I need to do that and it doesn’t get done. I find weeding very theraputic generally though.
I thought I was the only odd one who actually enjoys sweeping the front porch, sidewalk, and back patio, lol. I love to see the area nice and neat.
I’m in my world when I’m doing crosstitches.. Another one is reading a book.. I already lost into my world when it comes to those things.. lol I really enjoy your comments/inputs..
I know, the weather is soo nice!! although, it just started to thunder, man…………….
ryc: No, you do not have a poochy tummy! I can tell in your pictures because you do not look 7 months pregnant 7 years (or however old Little Miss is) after having your last baby (unlike me…. but it’s only 4 years for me, so I still have time, right???)!! Do you have a lying mirror?? Your face is very thin, too, so, I don’t know what your complaining about, woman! (SO not fair!!)
Yes, I hear you about obsessing over appearances. I, too, tell myself one thing (“You’re beauty comes from Jesus living inside you!!”), but, worry about another (“Yuck-o!! Why does my tummy have to pooch out so far and my chin multiply??”)
Sorry you’re not feeling well today. You did get an awful lot accomplished for being sick! You amaze me!
I’m so glad, though, that I do not homeschool in PA. I think I would not have ever started in the first place. MI is about the easiest place to homeschool and homeschooling is growing like crazy here.
…… ooops! gotta go finish dinner….. B. will be home any minute!
Well, if you count schoolwork to be a chore, I imagine I’m playing basketball in the NBA while studying for AP tests. =) What bball has to do with schoolwork, I’ll never know.
oooh, your tomatoes are planted? I need to do that. I cannot WAIT for fresh tomatoes. mmm.
I generally pretend I’m on stage, or narrating my life for a rapt audience. I do wonder why they’re so interested, but eveidently they are, because I tell them the whole story.
And there’s a very good reason why I will never willingly move to PA! Yikes– I would be pretty desperate if I had to come up with something like that!
Fresh tomatoes do sound good, but it’s too early to plant them here.
Can’t get used to this. It’s about a 4 week different between planting seasons here & Lancaster County!
About the log– you really only have to show them that you did 180 days of school, the portfolio should speak for the rest (unless you have a demanding evaluator). I used to have a glorious logtype planner to show my evaluator until someone told me that the law only states we have to show that we did 180 days. After that, it was just a list of days 1-180 & each day was checked off. Much easier!
Unfortunately, all housework brings me back to reality.
I’m glad we don’t have to do portfolios and reviews here in Illinois. I know you PA folks are used to it, but it seems like such a chore. Hey, we cleaned off our porch, deck and patio today, also; except here, that is accomplished by means of a power washer. It’s one of those tools I wouldn’t live in the woods without. Hope you feel better very soon. ~M.E.
I thought I was the only one who remembered Mr. Hooper. I loved those schticks with Big Bird messing up his name. I also liked Don Music, but nobody seems to remember him! Congratulations on getting your planting done. We are watching seeds sprout here, and looking at bare spots that will need a second sowing. I have two or three tomato plants.