We met with the teacher today and it was so fabulous!

I'm excited about our learning plan. It's rather informal and we get to do such COOL stuff.  She said not to get stuck on the curriculum content but focus on the skills - yes!!!!!

The teacher was just amazing.  She gave me some excellent books to read.  Have you heard of Dumbing us Down by John Taylor Gatto. Wowee.....talk about interesting reading.  Take a look if you ever get the chance. It will  honestly make you think twice about schooling and education.  A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

We are starting with Simple Machines, Immigration, Bats (not even part of the curriculum but how cool is it that I can find something that my kid is interested in and work it in???) and Math.

We're ditching the Math Makes Sense textbook because quite frankly, I hate it.  Math doesn't make sense when I use this textbook.  I'm quite familiar with it and worked with the series a few years ago and I just hate it.  I've heard that you either love it or hate it - there's no in between.  Instead, we're using Jump Math 5.1 which at first glance, I quite like.  What I love about this approach is that I can pick and choose the resources as long as we're meeting outcomes!  Ya baby!!  I think my grade 5er will enjoy this series much more than the other which has a large oral and group component that's not really suitable for home learners.

Immigration - we're going to work on our family tree and interview Gramma who is a Dutch immigrant.  From there my kid will get to pick how he wishes to present his information.  He'll get to do some Dutch cooking and perhaps explore some Dutch art which dabbles in various areas of the curriculum.  This also hits on various Cub badge areas....now we're really talking!!

Simple Machines - again, my kid is going to take the lead.  Use the camera and scan the house for simple machines or present 5 of them and explain how they work or  take your bike and describe all of the simple machines or create them out of mechano or some other sort of building materials.  He gets to choose what he's most interested in and we'll go from there to accomplish the ministry criteria.  

He's doing martial arts and participating in a coaching program at a local college.
He's taking piano lessons, theory and participating in a children's music program at church.
He's participating in Cubs which hits on SO MANY curriculum outcomes it's not even funny.

It's a whole new approach to education and schooling....it's family oriented and we're going to rock it.
Do I honestly feel this way at the moment...not yet, but tomorrow I will.