Actually.

I've actually given a little thought to school off and on today.  We usually start the day after my daughter's birthday which is Monday, but this year, we've got the oldest going off to college and it's consuming a lot of our thoughts, at least mine.  I've also been thinking a lot about my mom, since she fell and hurt her back and also feeling sorry for myself since my back still hurts after 2 1/2 weeks of antibiotics.  I may have to go back to the very expensive specialist and I don't want to do that.  :-(
But, in between the busy crazy times, my husband and I both have been thinking about school for our 2 remaining high schoolers.

We're going to do chemistry this year, geometry, writing and MS Office.  Then the girl will also be working on a foreign language.  She wants to switch that from French to sign language, which does count, so I guess we will.   The boy needs to work on his writing literacy.  He has dysgraphia so he's in an entirely different place than she was at this age.  He will also have to continue typing but I'm going to have to get something different from Mavis Beacon because MB wants him to be fast before he can move past the home row and he's not fast.  The girl already types well enough that I think she can stop doing MB every day.  I've started looking for a chemistry curriculum.  I downloaded a free middle school curriculum from someplace but it doesn't look very in-depth so I've been looking for supplements for it, with really no luck so far.  Anyone have suggestions?

So that's it.  I've thought a little bit about school and with as crazy as it's been around here lately, that's an accomplishment.  :-)

On my mind today.

I have various things on my mind today.  My husband and kids are getting rid of things today because our county is doing its annual 'bulky item" garbage pickup this week..  We finally got rid of the couch that I hated in the living room and the living room looks so big now.  (yay!)   I'm also worrying a bit a lot about this choir thing.  My daughter talked me into singing for the Easter concert, and then I got asked to sing this duet and another couple of songs that are way above my skill level.  Consequently, I am stressed about that.  I kind of feel like I should do it because of that whole thing I'm always telling the kids about how they should step outside their comfort zone and should not avoid doing something just because it's going to be difficult, blah, blah, blah.  Oh, how my words have come back to haunt me now.  Should I?  I'll feel bad for the concert attendees and the rest of the choir if I mess it up but I'll also feel  bad if I don't even try.  :-(

Also on my mind is what my oldest son should do.  He's currently on a gap year basically.  He has delayed college to find a job to help with costs and hasn't found a job so he's just helping out around the house (a little) and practicing guitar (a lot) and art (a lot).  Meanwhile, I've been looking around for ways to cut college expenses and have found these that are worth mentioning.

Straighter Line - Freshman year of college for 1000 bucks.

Berea College 

College of the Ozarks

Internships

More internships.

City Vision College - Another work your way through kind of college. 

Clep - College by examination.

Thomas Edison College.  (The tuition here is less expensive than a lot of places and I have heard it rumored that they accept a lot of CLEP courses as well.)

As you can see, my mind has not been a blank today as it sometimes is.  Today, it's just full to bursting with all kinds of stuff.  Makes it hard to concentrate on work.

School Today.

I got up and got my work done pretty quickly today.  The kids, as usual, did not follow my example and started their work right about the time I was finishing mine.  The girl was having quite a few problems with today's algebra lesson.   I try to stay out of all discussions which involve math, so she was asking her younger brother for help on every problem.  He's kind of a math wiz and although he doesn't really like math, he's good at it.   She probably got a good grade, but Dad will need to go over this a few times with her so that she gets it.  The kids started imagining the future when they are in college and he has to help her with math and she has to help him with writing, which will probably be the case.  Really, I don't think everyone should have to do higher math for every career path and I really don't think everyone needs to learn to do a research paper.  I mean, yes, it's good brain exercise, but what good does it do you later on in a career?

Addendum:   What I was trying so inelegantly to say the other night was this.  The training for career paths could be more specific.  There are careers for which writing a research paper would be an excellent exercise and good practice for life and some where higher math is definitely a must.   Sorry, sometimes I just write things and don't realize until later that I have not expressed my point well.  My oldest son wants to be a graphic artist.  He wants to avoid math.  Therefore, he's looking at getting a career diploma instead of a degree.  Should he?  I don't know.  He feels like general studies in college would just be high school all over again and he only wants to study art.  Should he have to study things that won't affect his career path?