I’m so excited!!!!!!!

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We are DONE with the charter school!! I’m so excited! I didn’t realize how happy I could be finally disentangling ourselves from them! Not that the people involved weren’t the best…but it was a real burden the last few months!

J2 has some learning disabilities and having to work at their pace and on their standards just sucked the fun out of homeschool!

We signed out this morning and the first thing I did when I got home was to get out our history projection that I had created two years ago and dusted it off! Right now it looks like we are going to do World History for the next two years, then California histoyr followed by 2 years of US History. After that 4 years of World History – but slower and finally, US Government the last year of school. Knowing me this will change many times…but just knowing I have the freedom to plan our schedule again — I’m sooo jazzed!

How to Read a Book – Chap 4 Comments

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“The Second level of Reading: Inspectional Reading”

“…you can not read on the inspectional level unless you can read effectively on the elementary level.”

There are two types of IR:

INSPECTIONAL READING 1: Systematic Skimming or Pre-Reading
Main aim is to discover whether the book requires a more careful reading. Also, skimming can tell you lots of toher things about the book – even if you decide not to read it again.

Acquire a habit of skimming:
a) Look at the title page and preface – it will give you a good idea of the subject and help you categorize it with other boks you’ve read.
b) Study the table of contents – to gain a sense of the book’s structure — a road map on a trip.
c) Check the index (if applicable) – quick estimate of the range of topics and books and authors referred to.
d) Read publisher’s blurb (dust jacket) “It is not uncommon for author – in these blurbs – to try to summarize as accurately as they can the main points in their book.” If the blurb is fluff…mayb the book is too!
**”At this point you may already have enough info about the book to know that you want to read it more carefully, or that you do not want or need to read it at all.” If not,
e) Look at chapters that seem pivotal to it’s arguement.
f) Finally, flip through the book – reading a paragraph or two or even several pages in a sequence (but no more). Do not fail to read the last 2-3 pages (not the epilogue).

NOTE: Due to some newish features at amazon.com and the like – we can do much of this online now. Features that I use EVERY time I try to figure out if I want to buy a book or not.

This is very active reading. You are a detective looking for clues to the book’s general theme or idea.

INSPECTIONAL READING 2: Superficial Reading
Rule – In tackling a difficult book for the first time, read it through without ever stopping to look up or ponder the things you do not understand right away.
Pay attention to what you CAN understand. Go right on reading past things you don’t understan until you get to that which you do understand. Even if you only understand 50%-it will help you the next time you read it.

p 37 – reading Shakespeare – exactly!! No fun!

On Reading Speeds – Inspectional reading shoud happen quickly. P 40-41 how to speed read.

SUMMARY: p 42 “You can not comprehend a book without reading it analytically; analytical reading…is undertaken primarily for the sake of comprehension (or understanding).”

Today

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Today we had three games at three different parks again – what a morning! They all did great! And, at J2’s game we ran into TONS of people we know – gosh, it’s great to live in a town like this. Our years in Portland were so exciting but lonely without family. And, just when we started to fit in The Dalles, we moved…and then Reedsport was…well, so lonely again. There’s nothing worse than being the odd man out in a small town. 🙁

When we got home two really neat things happened….
1) J3 and I got a phone call inviting us to a picnic at the park with a preschool buddy of his and his mom!
and
2) DH found a turtle in the neighbor’s yard! Sadly we can not keep him/her, but we hope to find him/her a good home!

I also finally did some more knitting!! It’s been weeks since I really picked it up and it felt great! I did a bit at the games and then watched “The Importance of Being Earnest” and knit. By the way, that was a very enjoyable movie – I hope to watch it again before we send it back to Netflix. It reminded me of another that I have not watched in awhile “The Ideal Husband” — maybe I’ll watch that one tomorrow!

If you think about it – please pray for J1 – he’s got a fever again. I think it’s time to go to the doctor and see if there is something wrong! 🙁

True Confessions: I saw the Da Vinci Code

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I woke up this morning wondering what, if anything, I would share about last night. I went to a prescreening of “The Da Vinci Code” with my friend Ruth after she won free tickets.

Let me back up and explain….I haven’t read the book. I haven’t wanted to read the book. And, I love books. But I just never had any interest in this book – before or after the controversy started. We even had a Sunday School on the book/movie and the heresy contained – but Eric and I couldn’t go, and we thought no biggie – we don’t care to read/see the book anyway. But we were surrounded with it! The school where Eric teaches was providing booklets to educate the parents about the heresy. The church where we used to attend is showing some sort of video in June to which we were invited. And, of course, I mentioned that our own church had taken time out of it’s series on theology to explain the heresy.

But, then Ruth called and she had won tickets and would I like to go…I admit I agreed more out of a desire to have a girls night out than a desire to see the movie. But we went and it was good! I wish I had read the book because books are ALWAYS better than movies and this was a good story.

And, as far as the heresy – well, I can’t wait to open the theology and history books that we have (and believe me we have TONS) and read the truth. I feel the same way about this movie as I did about “National Treasure” – it was highly entertaining and I can’t wait to read the REAL history.

Would I recommend anyone else go? Well, that’s your decision. As far as the heresy…I think it will open a door for some great discussions. However, there is a couple of scenes involving a monk that were VERY graphic. My friend and I were both looking away for those scenes. I think they could have done without them!

I’m glad I didn’t pay for the movie – but it was an entertaining evening with a friend. And I look forward to some great conversations with my DH and others after they view the movie.

Where I’m from

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I am from a purple bike with silver streamers, from McDonald’s hamburgers for 25 cents and cheese pizzas because we didn’t know there were more options.

I am from flat farmland with high mountains in the distance, from the smell of rich dirt on the wind.

I am from the mosquitos biting at twilight and the sweet smell of warm tomatoes on the side of the road.

I am from Grasshopper pie on your birthday, from Clifton and Magdalene and Ward and Helen.

From “work first, play later” and smiling eyes.

I am from dozing on Momma’s shoulder while I listened to the pastor. Now I’m the Momma – same pastor.

I’m from Northern California Ag land, walnuts and Grandpa’s garden vegetables.

From the coffee can aroma quelling my naseua in the backseat, sucking the sea salt out of my hair after a day at Dillon’s Beach, and making s’mores at the cabin.

I am from old photo albums – black pages and white spidery letting. I am from rolls and rolls of old movies with no sound.
I am from Grandma’s attic.