So. Hey :)
I've been thinking and evaluating and struggling with some things lately. Some of it's academic, some of it's personal, and some of it's creative. This year, you know, my goal is to be more myself. To become more the person I feel like I'm supposed to be. Lately I've been feeling like I have to choose between being myself and keeping up with certain aspects of school.
God has blessed me with two facets to my personality: academic and creative. Normally, they coexist fine, but more and more, I've been feeling like they...well...can't.
I can keep up with my school work. I can do great. I can be a model student and get straight A's and tell you everything you want to know about Nietzsche and his Ubermensch, but when I sit down to write, I've got nothing. Nothing.
For a while I dismissed it as a phase. Writer's block. Um, really LONG writer's block...a year and half's worth of writer's block, and getting worse every day...
In 2008, I read 40 books. In 2009, I read 39 books. In 2010, I read 20. Counting school books.
I stopped journaling. I stopped wanting to call my best friend. I got about eight colds in six months. I started putting on an act 24/7 of being the same Happy Healthy Fun Creative Kendra I've always been. I wasn't really very happy anymore, but I figured hey, I was making good grades and that's what counts.
I was beginning to think that I'd have to make a choice, and I knew I had already decided. Writing is who I am, reading is what keeps me going, but it's not what the world (or my parents, I thought) cares about. I can't even tell you the number of times my mom has told me to "stop working on my story and get back to my schoolwork."
Eventually I could do that for myself, and a little too well. I stopped writing because I didn't have time. I figured I could pick it up sometime when I did.
But guys, it doesn't work that way. You use it, or you lose it. I was losing it and I didn't know what to do. I made time for writing, but the words wouldn't come because I was so stressed out about what I SHOULD be doing. Even when I had legitimate "free-time," all I could do was veg out in front of the TV or click around on the internet because books didn't interest me, my words wouldn't come. I resigned myself to giving up creativity, and although it felt like cutting off my right arm, I was already halfway there.
When this year started, I knew I needed to do something. I was becoming dangerously angry and jealous of the homeschooled friends who had time just to enjoy being alive. I would read blogs and want to tear my hair out, thinking "Why can't I be her/him?" I was doing well in school, but completely miserable and losing myself in the sea of dates, atoms, charts, conjugations and theorems.
Good grades definitely count. Especially when you're (please excuse the potential arrogance) really blessed in the intelligence area and are 150% dedicated to getting into Wake Forest University. Good grades do count. A lot.
But is the syllabus more important than my soul?
I always thought homeschooling was about doing what was right for you, not about teaching to test or squeezing you into a system. I know God wants me to do my best and stretch my mind, but at what expense? I don't think he wants me to sacrifice my creative side for my academic side. I think there's a way for them to work together...maybe? Hopefully?
I finally breached the subject with my parents a few days ago. I tried to explain how I feel. Honestly, I didn't expect a great reaction. I expected something along the lines of, "Kendra, you're just being lazy because you're struggling in subjects that don't come naturally to you. Stop daydreaming and hit the books and everything will clear up soon."
But that didn't happen. My parents listened to me and took me seriously. We didn't argue and we actually understood each other.
That conversation definitely goes in the top three Must-Have-Been-God moments of my life.
We arrived at a pretty simple solution:
- We're ordering an algebra curriculum on DVD that I can do every day.
- I'm postponing chemistry until this summer. Without a background in algebra 2, chemistry is borderline impossible.
It doesn't sound like much, does it? But the way I feel is a 180 degree turn-around. I used to sleep until 10 o'clock because waking up was just too stressful and depressing. I used to write a total of 0 words a week. I used to be frustrated and didn't get alone with my parents very well.
It's been four days and I've gotten up earlier, feeling excited and so much full of ME. I've written more in my notebooks than I did all of last summer. I like my parents.
I just feel good. I feel like I'm enjoying life. I feel like I might try to do chemistry today just because I feel like I can.
I know this was a really long post, and possibly not something you're interested in, but I just felt like posting about it. I guess I sort of want insight. Do you think I did the right thing? I feel good, but every once in a while a shadow falls across me and I wonder if I should have just kept things the way they were and tried harder...
Comments are great... :)
~Kendra
Showing posts with label my school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my school. Show all posts
Friday, January 7, 2011
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
School
Cavender says I hafta post ;P And we talked a lot about this subject today, so he suggested I post about it. Way to open the door for a Kendra Rant, Cavender XD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whether your thoughts are on summer being so close you can taste it, or exams beating you over the head with a 2x4, school is most likely on your mind this time of year.
I'm one of those people who hates school, but loves learning. Every once in a while I can step back and agree that school is really important and it gives you a great foundation for the rest of life.
But some people just plain hate school. They don't see the point. You know what? I don't think that's their fault. I think it's the school's fault.
Schools these days aren't giving you knowledge, they're teaching to test. They're teaching you exactly what you need to know to pass. They don't expect you to understand. They don't expect you to know how to think. They don't expect you to be able to apply what you learn. In my opinion, that's robbing you of half your education.
School should be directly related to life. I'm not saying that it is, I'm saying that it should be. Teach us how to think, not how to spit information back at you. Teach us to read, understand, and be able to communicate ideas. Teach us history so this next generation won't make the mistakes we've repeated for centuries.
You know what I think? I think school is not supposed to be about fitting yourself into an academic box and making good grades. I think school is supposed to be about empowering ourselves with knowledge. Giving ourselves a solid foundation of numbers, logic, history, English, biology, physics, art, music, current events, and public speaking. We go to school to get a foundation that we will use for the rest of our lives!
Every subject we learn is integrated! Our Creator did not just make a bunch of independent subjects to be studied! He made everything fit together in beautiful and delightful ways! He left behind all this knowledge, just waiting for us to soak it in and see how it all works together. When we don't embrace our education, we're cutting off part of what makes us in God's image.
School should not be where our parents shove us because that's just what you do. School should not be about becoming popular because a full social calendar is what it's all about. School should not be where our curiosity and creativity are squashed to promote class efficiency. School should not be a place where we are brainwashed because that's how we're supposed to think.
School should be where we go to soak in the knowledge that God has created for us to learn! School should be about making strong friends who will help you become who you're supposed to be. School should be where we're encouraged to ask questions and be our own person. School should be a place where we're not told what to think, but given the tools to draw our own conclusions.
School should not be about facts or about grades. School should be about gaining life skills in specific areas and learning to think. Because when it comes down to it, understanding HOW to think is a lot more useful than being told WHAT to think.
~Kendra
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whether your thoughts are on summer being so close you can taste it, or exams beating you over the head with a 2x4, school is most likely on your mind this time of year.
I'm one of those people who hates school, but loves learning. Every once in a while I can step back and agree that school is really important and it gives you a great foundation for the rest of life.
But some people just plain hate school. They don't see the point. You know what? I don't think that's their fault. I think it's the school's fault.
Schools these days aren't giving you knowledge, they're teaching to test. They're teaching you exactly what you need to know to pass. They don't expect you to understand. They don't expect you to know how to think. They don't expect you to be able to apply what you learn. In my opinion, that's robbing you of half your education.
School should be directly related to life. I'm not saying that it is, I'm saying that it should be. Teach us how to think, not how to spit information back at you. Teach us to read, understand, and be able to communicate ideas. Teach us history so this next generation won't make the mistakes we've repeated for centuries.
You know what I think? I think school is not supposed to be about fitting yourself into an academic box and making good grades. I think school is supposed to be about empowering ourselves with knowledge. Giving ourselves a solid foundation of numbers, logic, history, English, biology, physics, art, music, current events, and public speaking. We go to school to get a foundation that we will use for the rest of our lives!
Every subject we learn is integrated! Our Creator did not just make a bunch of independent subjects to be studied! He made everything fit together in beautiful and delightful ways! He left behind all this knowledge, just waiting for us to soak it in and see how it all works together. When we don't embrace our education, we're cutting off part of what makes us in God's image.
School should not be where our parents shove us because that's just what you do. School should not be about becoming popular because a full social calendar is what it's all about. School should not be where our curiosity and creativity are squashed to promote class efficiency. School should not be a place where we are brainwashed because that's how we're supposed to think.
School should be where we go to soak in the knowledge that God has created for us to learn! School should be about making strong friends who will help you become who you're supposed to be. School should be where we're encouraged to ask questions and be our own person. School should be a place where we're not told what to think, but given the tools to draw our own conclusions.
School should not be about facts or about grades. School should be about gaining life skills in specific areas and learning to think. Because when it comes down to it, understanding HOW to think is a lot more useful than being told WHAT to think.
~Kendra
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Fact...or Fiction?
Weird Fact Day!
*GASP* I just had a better idea!! :O :O :O What if I change this to Fact or Fiction Day, and you have to guess whether or not the fact is, uh, Fact or Fiction! First person to guess it right gets an award, and everyone who guesses at all gets and award, too.
Ready?
Fact or Fiction? In Missouri, a man must have a permit to shave.
(No fair Googling it -.-)
--------------------
Today Lizzy and my dad and I went shopping for my mom's birthday, which is tomorrow. We got some good stuff, but I didn't quite finish all my school work because of the shopping trip. But, hey, for my mom, it's worth it :)
My mom is one of those people who tries to do everything, and is good at everything, too. She speed-walks seven (I think) miles every day, comes home, works out, then homeschools Lizzy and sort of me, and does her job, which is being the state manager for the company Classical Conversations. She's also really involved at church, including singing in the church band.
She's also an amazing speaker. She's inspirational, and clear. She helps people see the big picture, and how they can get there.
She's good at pretty much every subject in school (physics isn't really her thing, though). She's a great mom, as well as being a great person in general. Happy almost-birthday, Momma!
If she even read that. Which I doubt :P
Anyway, life is pretty good at the moment. Can't really complain, I guess.
I started watching Disney's Alice in Wonderland for the first time in eleven years yesterday. It's not a little kid's movie at all! It's really quite thought-provoking if you want to get into all the symbolism and questions asked. The idea of a world where everything is nonsense in itself has incredible discussion possibilities.
We're reading the book this year in school, and I can't wait to discuss it.
XD I'm such a nerd.
There hasn't been much writing action lately. I've had lots of ideas, but nothing has made it onto paper, or the computer screen, yet.
I have two things to remind you of:
1. Followers Say...On Carpe Noctem is coming up in September! Let me know if you want to do it.
2. Questions for Question Day are always welcome ;)
I hope I don't sound like a broken record...
Anyway, if you want to guess whether the fact is Fact or Fiction, leave a comment! Thanks for reading, y'all! You're the best.
Oh.
Em.
Gee.
I just did the tag that Bethany tagged me in, and now it's not showing up. I am not kidding. I just spent like twenty minutes on it, and it's, like, deleted. *ISMADISMADISMAD*
Sorry, Bethan, but I don't feel like doing it again right this sec. I'll do it later.
*moan* Blogger can be so retarded.
*GASP* I just had a better idea!! :O :O :O What if I change this to Fact or Fiction Day, and you have to guess whether or not the fact is, uh, Fact or Fiction! First person to guess it right gets an award, and everyone who guesses at all gets and award, too.
Ready?
Fact or Fiction? In Missouri, a man must have a permit to shave.
(No fair Googling it -.-)
--------------------
Today Lizzy and my dad and I went shopping for my mom's birthday, which is tomorrow. We got some good stuff, but I didn't quite finish all my school work because of the shopping trip. But, hey, for my mom, it's worth it :)
My mom is one of those people who tries to do everything, and is good at everything, too. She speed-walks seven (I think) miles every day, comes home, works out, then homeschools Lizzy and sort of me, and does her job, which is being the state manager for the company Classical Conversations. She's also really involved at church, including singing in the church band.
She's also an amazing speaker. She's inspirational, and clear. She helps people see the big picture, and how they can get there.
She's good at pretty much every subject in school (physics isn't really her thing, though). She's a great mom, as well as being a great person in general. Happy almost-birthday, Momma!
If she even read that. Which I doubt :P
Anyway, life is pretty good at the moment. Can't really complain, I guess.
I started watching Disney's Alice in Wonderland for the first time in eleven years yesterday. It's not a little kid's movie at all! It's really quite thought-provoking if you want to get into all the symbolism and questions asked. The idea of a world where everything is nonsense in itself has incredible discussion possibilities.
We're reading the book this year in school, and I can't wait to discuss it.
XD I'm such a nerd.
There hasn't been much writing action lately. I've had lots of ideas, but nothing has made it onto paper, or the computer screen, yet.
I have two things to remind you of:
1. Followers Say...On Carpe Noctem is coming up in September! Let me know if you want to do it.
2. Questions for Question Day are always welcome ;)
I hope I don't sound like a broken record...
Anyway, if you want to guess whether the fact is Fact or Fiction, leave a comment! Thanks for reading, y'all! You're the best.
Oh.
Em.
Gee.
I just did the tag that Bethany tagged me in, and now it's not showing up. I am not kidding. I just spent like twenty minutes on it, and it's, like, deleted. *ISMADISMADISMAD*
Sorry, Bethan, but I don't feel like doing it again right this sec. I'll do it later.
*moan* Blogger can be so retarded.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
First School Days and Chicken Glaze
Picture Day:
So, there's this puzzle that's all put together--finally. Every piece is in perfect place, each one fits into the next just as it shoud, there aren't any wrinkles or gaps, and everything is just right. Except suddenly there's a giant piece missing...
Hi! Well, lots of news!
Soccer went...well, pretty fine! The coach is very nice, and he doesn't make us run at all, which is good for me in the short run, but not the long run. He's also not a particularly good coach, but I've had WAAAAY worse, so it's all good.
I bought some ADORABLE new tennis shoes yesterday, and I'm planning to run every day. Since I won't be running at soccer practice, I guess I'll have to get into shape somehow else.
SCHOOL UPDATE: Well, it was okay. Definitely overwheming and there's a lot to do each week. I'm not really excited about the main subjects, and logic isn't the kind I like at all. My teacher does a great job, she's just not my favorite teacher for some reason. I really liked having my dad last year; having a guy teacher was awesome, and the boys acted differently (better), too.
So, pretty much, it was a disappointment :'( Still, I thought Challenge I was going to totally suck and it was AMAZING, so, you never know!
We called Ellie at lunch and put her on speaker-phone, so she got to "eat lunch with us" even though she wasn't there. That was awesome.
Several times, I glanced around at Taylor to ask him something with my eyes, but he wasn't there. No further comment on this issue.
In a minute, I'm going to go outside and kick the soccer ball around with my dad before taking a quick shower.
Okay, I gotta tell this story from dinner.
So, we were having a really fun dinner, laughing and joking, and then Daddy started reading the Bible (we're in Revelation, which is my favorite book, and Lizzy *hates* it). Well, all the sudden, I look down at my arm and it's all nasty and greasy. I'm like,
"What the heck? What *is* this??" I'm kind of laughing and freaking out at the same time.
Then my mom is like, "It's in your hair!" And there's all this grease in my hair. Then we all look at the little cup of nasty chicken-juice sitting by my plate, and we're like, *groan*. So, I use like a million napkins, and we're all sort of chuckling. Then, I'm just like,
"Okay, I am just taking a shower after a while."
Mom: "Why don't you just go over to the sink and rinse that piece of hair really quick?"
So, I go over and start sink-washing. And my dad just cracks up. I'm like,
"What is so funny??"
He's just howling and he's like, "It really is funny!"
Me: "It is NOT--okay...yeah, it really is."
More really hard laughing.
Okay, maybe you had to be there.
At any rate, I think my life could totally be turned into a sitcom.
That's all for now! TTYL!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Losing Losers
*swallows hard* Soccer practice is tonight at 8 o'clock. Not only is Ben-from-class on my team, so is Josh-from-class and all Josh-from-class's awesome siblings (at least the high-school-aged ones). Their family is insanely talented in soccer, and Ben isn't a bad goalie himself, so I think we have a really good team even though I don't know who else is on the team. Except me. But I hardly count. I don't do anything stupid, but I'm not really good either, so I'm kind of like a 0. I don't subract from the team's goodness, but I don't add to it either.
I am so nervous. This is gonna be horrible. The coach is gonna make us run suicides or something and I'm gonna finish dead last and then throw up or something. Omg, this is so awful. Why did I even sign up for soccer? I'm so out of shape. This is awful. Oh my gosh. *MOAN*
*clears throat* Well, um, on a lighter note, I just finished watching 17 Again. I really love that movie. Every other line is a LOL, and the moral of the story is great. If you can get past the billions of inuendos, lol ;) Luckily Lizzy doesn't pick up on half of it, or I'd feel really creepy watching it with her. That's why I didn't want her coming with me to see it in the theater. I was so glad my mom hadn't made me take her, too. I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the movie knowing my impressionable little sister was watching in the next seat.
I did the 16 pages of pre-class biology today. I love the science book. It's written by the same guy as last year's was. The way he phrases things is really easy to understand, but it's still complicated stuff so I feel like I've actually learned something when I'm finished.
After school starts tomorrow, I might not be able to post as often. I'm not sure. I'd still like to post every day, and I'll try, but I'm not sure how hard this year is going to be. We'll just have to see.
In honor of school starting tomorrow, let me post a quick class "cast" and an unfair stereotype to them to help you follow me if I start using names.
1. Me - The Bigmouth
2. Ben - The Dare Devil
3. Tori - The Pretty One
4. Josh - The Nice Guy
5. Amanda - The Normal One
6. Kirsten - The Genius
7. Chris - The Clown
8. Jessie - The Good One
9. David - The Youngest
10. Alex -
11. Cassidy -
Yeah, that's our class. Alex (she's a girl) and Cassidy are new this year, so I don't know about them yet.
Writing that list almost made me cry. Know why? Because two very, very, VERY important people aren't on it. Ellie B and Taylor (he's a guy) aren't going to be in class this year. Y'all "know" Ellie. She's a follower and one of my best friends. She's been going to my school since 7th grade. We've started school together every year since middle school. She's awesome. She's part of the class.
And she won't be there this year.
Taylor goes back wayyy farther. We've known each other since we were five (wow, a whole decade), and done school together since we were like seven. We've both been going to THIS school since fifth grade, and every year as long as I can really remember, he's been in my class. We aren't amazing friends or anything, we don't even talk to each other that much. But we're exactly alike. EXACTLY ALIKE. I honestly can't imagine school without him there, asking the question I was opening my mouth to ask, finishing my sentence, giving me the word I was looking for when I'm talking, making the same stupid mistakes as me in math, helping me remember what I was going to say even though I hadn't said it, glancing at each other when someone says something stupid.
I don't mean to get all...memory-lane on you guys, but...all the sudden, it feels really wrong to be starting school without him. It'll be like half the class is gone, not to mention half my brain. We don't like each other all that much, we never talk, don't each lunch together, don't even see each other outside of class, but I'm really gonna miss him. Way more than I ever imagined. In some ways, more than Ellie. I'll still call Ellie and talk to her like every day, and we'll get together sometimes, but Taylor...I might never really see him again.
I don't know what to do about that. It's not like I want to hang out with him, it's just that I feel like I shouldn't be starting school without him. He's always been there, and I kind of figured he always would be.
Gosh, I hate this. I hate it when people leave that you never even knew you cared anything about. You know how whenever I get an email or Facebook fill-out and the question is "What are you most afraid of?" I always put "losing people"? Well, this is why.
I HATE this. Why can't everyone just stay where they are forever? What is so great about changing, growing up, being a LOSER and LEAVING? What is the deal?
*sigh*
I guess I'm done posting. Sorry for ranting.
Soccer in 2 hours and forty-nine minutes.
Carpe diem. You never know who's gonna just not show up next year.
I am so nervous. This is gonna be horrible. The coach is gonna make us run suicides or something and I'm gonna finish dead last and then throw up or something. Omg, this is so awful. Why did I even sign up for soccer? I'm so out of shape. This is awful. Oh my gosh. *MOAN*
*clears throat* Well, um, on a lighter note, I just finished watching 17 Again. I really love that movie. Every other line is a LOL, and the moral of the story is great. If you can get past the billions of inuendos, lol ;) Luckily Lizzy doesn't pick up on half of it, or I'd feel really creepy watching it with her. That's why I didn't want her coming with me to see it in the theater. I was so glad my mom hadn't made me take her, too. I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the movie knowing my impressionable little sister was watching in the next seat.
I did the 16 pages of pre-class biology today. I love the science book. It's written by the same guy as last year's was. The way he phrases things is really easy to understand, but it's still complicated stuff so I feel like I've actually learned something when I'm finished.
After school starts tomorrow, I might not be able to post as often. I'm not sure. I'd still like to post every day, and I'll try, but I'm not sure how hard this year is going to be. We'll just have to see.
In honor of school starting tomorrow, let me post a quick class "cast" and an unfair stereotype to them to help you follow me if I start using names.
1. Me - The Bigmouth
2. Ben - The Dare Devil
3. Tori - The Pretty One
4. Josh - The Nice Guy
5. Amanda - The Normal One
6. Kirsten - The Genius
7. Chris - The Clown
8. Jessie - The Good One
9. David - The Youngest
10. Alex -
11. Cassidy -
Yeah, that's our class. Alex (she's a girl) and Cassidy are new this year, so I don't know about them yet.
Writing that list almost made me cry. Know why? Because two very, very, VERY important people aren't on it. Ellie B and Taylor (he's a guy) aren't going to be in class this year. Y'all "know" Ellie. She's a follower and one of my best friends. She's been going to my school since 7th grade. We've started school together every year since middle school. She's awesome. She's part of the class.
And she won't be there this year.
Taylor goes back wayyy farther. We've known each other since we were five (wow, a whole decade), and done school together since we were like seven. We've both been going to THIS school since fifth grade, and every year as long as I can really remember, he's been in my class. We aren't amazing friends or anything, we don't even talk to each other that much. But we're exactly alike. EXACTLY ALIKE. I honestly can't imagine school without him there, asking the question I was opening my mouth to ask, finishing my sentence, giving me the word I was looking for when I'm talking, making the same stupid mistakes as me in math, helping me remember what I was going to say even though I hadn't said it, glancing at each other when someone says something stupid.
I don't mean to get all...memory-lane on you guys, but...all the sudden, it feels really wrong to be starting school without him. It'll be like half the class is gone, not to mention half my brain. We don't like each other all that much, we never talk, don't each lunch together, don't even see each other outside of class, but I'm really gonna miss him. Way more than I ever imagined. In some ways, more than Ellie. I'll still call Ellie and talk to her like every day, and we'll get together sometimes, but Taylor...I might never really see him again.
I don't know what to do about that. It's not like I want to hang out with him, it's just that I feel like I shouldn't be starting school without him. He's always been there, and I kind of figured he always would be.
Gosh, I hate this. I hate it when people leave that you never even knew you cared anything about. You know how whenever I get an email or Facebook fill-out and the question is "What are you most afraid of?" I always put "losing people"? Well, this is why.
I HATE this. Why can't everyone just stay where they are forever? What is so great about changing, growing up, being a LOSER and LEAVING? What is the deal?
*sigh*
I guess I'm done posting. Sorry for ranting.
Soccer in 2 hours and forty-nine minutes.
Carpe diem. You never know who's gonna just not show up next year.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Butter Beans and Stuff
“Books have knowledge, knowledge is power, power corrupts, corruption is a crime, and crime doesn't pay..so if you keep reading, you'll go broke.”
Haha, a perfect example of the logical fallacy "the snowball". And it's the Quote of the Day, today being Wednesday.
STEVEN IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG 39 FOLLOWERS?????? THAT IS UNREAL! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!
*clears throat* Okay. Sorry. I'm done.
Today we went mission trip shopping at Goodwill. I went into the Men's section, grabbed the first three pairs of basketball shorts that looked like they might fit, tried them on, they fit, and was done in like six minutes, no lie. Lizzy spends an extra ten minutes and comes out looking like Miss. Gorgeous-And-Put-Together even though she's wearing men's clothing. *sigh* It's not fair.
We saw "Night at the Musuem 2" today, too. It was good. I liked the first one better personally, but everyone else in my family (as well as Matt) liked this second one more.
Lizzy and I went with a bunch of people from church to pick butter beans (lima beans) tonight. It was so fun! I think I would really like living on a farm, for a little while at least.
Besides that, not a whole lot is happening. I'm thinking of making a little sidebar gadget thing with links to posts about my Family, Friends, and School for people to click on if they want to. It must be kind of confusing for you guys when I talk names and stuff. First, though, I'll have to make the posts...
Okay, here's an idea. I'll make them, post them before this one, and then post this last so it still shows up at the top.
Why am I talking (typing?) to myself like this? Oh well. Bye. Carpe diem. Summer is coming to an end, people!!
Haha, a perfect example of the logical fallacy "the snowball". And it's the Quote of the Day, today being Wednesday.
STEVEN IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG 39 FOLLOWERS?????? THAT IS UNREAL! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!
*clears throat* Okay. Sorry. I'm done.
Today we went mission trip shopping at Goodwill. I went into the Men's section, grabbed the first three pairs of basketball shorts that looked like they might fit, tried them on, they fit, and was done in like six minutes, no lie. Lizzy spends an extra ten minutes and comes out looking like Miss. Gorgeous-And-Put-Together even though she's wearing men's clothing. *sigh* It's not fair.
We saw "Night at the Musuem 2" today, too. It was good. I liked the first one better personally, but everyone else in my family (as well as Matt) liked this second one more.
Lizzy and I went with a bunch of people from church to pick butter beans (lima beans) tonight. It was so fun! I think I would really like living on a farm, for a little while at least.
Besides that, not a whole lot is happening. I'm thinking of making a little sidebar gadget thing with links to posts about my Family, Friends, and School for people to click on if they want to. It must be kind of confusing for you guys when I talk names and stuff. First, though, I'll have to make the posts...
Okay, here's an idea. I'll make them, post them before this one, and then post this last so it still shows up at the top.
Why am I talking (typing?) to myself like this? Oh well. Bye. Carpe diem. Summer is coming to an end, people!!
School: Classical Conversations
How my Classical Conversations works:
Overview:
It's like the best of both homeschool and public/private school worlds. Every Tuesday, I go to the place where my location meets and I'm in a class with my grade and a teacher from 8:30am-3pm. We do school like a regular school for the most part, only we're given all the work we're gonna do for a whole week. For elementary school, though, Tuesday classes are only from 9am-noon or 2:30, depending on what classes the kid takes. Then, we all go home and do the work and bring it back the next Tuesday. It's pretty much like a regular school only it's a lot harder (just saying) and it only meets once a week.
Find your grade and see what you would be doing!
Here's how the grades and stuff work:
Elementary School:
It's all called Foundations, and all the elementary grades learn the same thing, only at different levels kinda. There are three cycles, too. Cycle 1, the Cycle 2, then Cycle 3, then it repeats.
What you learn in elementary school/foundations:
-24 history "sentences" (Ex: English King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215 limiting the king's power. Later, England's Kind Edward the 3rd claimed to be king of France and begun the Hundred Year's War in 1337.) Yes, 1st graders memorize 24 of those. And perfectly, too.
-24 science facts (Ex: What are the 7 biomes? Grasslands, Scrublands, Deserts, Desiduous Forests, Coniferous Forest, Tundra, Tropical Rainforests.
-160 timeline cards (Ex: Creation, the Fall in the Garden, Cain and Able, the Flood, the Tower of Bable, the Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt by Pharoh Menes, the Old Kingdom in Egypt, Joseph as a Slave--Okay, I'm not going to recite the whole timeline for you, but it goes from Creation to the War on Terror, and the kids memorize it ALL. It's pretty impressive.)
-24 math facts as well as the square roots and cube roots up to 15
-24 grammer facts including an alphabetical list of all the prepositions (Ex: What are the four sentence types? Interrogative, Exclamatory, Imperative, Narrative.
-A list of the presidents
-Lots of Latin
Middle School:
7th grade: Challenge A
-Subjects: Latin, literature, biology, rhetoric, math, geography (including how to draw all the continents with country capitals, rivers, lakes, and mountain ranges), and some other stuff that I don't remember...
8th grade: Challenge B
-Subjects: Latin, literature, formal logic, history of science, origins, chemistry, math, debate, and Mock Trial.
High School:
9th grade: Challenge I
-Subjects: Latin, American literature, economics, formal debate, physical science, math, philosophy, Shakespeare, and American government
10th grade: Challenge II
-Subjects: Latin, Brittish literature, biology, history of art and music, math, formal debate, and formal logic.
11th grade: Challenge III
-Subjects: Latin, literature, math, and I don't know what else because I haven't gotten there yet, and I don't pay that much attention, lol!
12th grade: Challenge IIII
-Subjects: Same as above.
And that's my school :D
Overview:
It's like the best of both homeschool and public/private school worlds. Every Tuesday, I go to the place where my location meets and I'm in a class with my grade and a teacher from 8:30am-3pm. We do school like a regular school for the most part, only we're given all the work we're gonna do for a whole week. For elementary school, though, Tuesday classes are only from 9am-noon or 2:30, depending on what classes the kid takes. Then, we all go home and do the work and bring it back the next Tuesday. It's pretty much like a regular school only it's a lot harder (just saying) and it only meets once a week.
Find your grade and see what you would be doing!
Here's how the grades and stuff work:
Elementary School:
It's all called Foundations, and all the elementary grades learn the same thing, only at different levels kinda. There are three cycles, too. Cycle 1, the Cycle 2, then Cycle 3, then it repeats.
What you learn in elementary school/foundations:
-24 history "sentences" (Ex: English King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215 limiting the king's power. Later, England's Kind Edward the 3rd claimed to be king of France and begun the Hundred Year's War in 1337.) Yes, 1st graders memorize 24 of those. And perfectly, too.
-24 science facts (Ex: What are the 7 biomes? Grasslands, Scrublands, Deserts, Desiduous Forests, Coniferous Forest, Tundra, Tropical Rainforests.
-160 timeline cards (Ex: Creation, the Fall in the Garden, Cain and Able, the Flood, the Tower of Bable, the Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt by Pharoh Menes, the Old Kingdom in Egypt, Joseph as a Slave--Okay, I'm not going to recite the whole timeline for you, but it goes from Creation to the War on Terror, and the kids memorize it ALL. It's pretty impressive.)
-24 math facts as well as the square roots and cube roots up to 15
-24 grammer facts including an alphabetical list of all the prepositions (Ex: What are the four sentence types? Interrogative, Exclamatory, Imperative, Narrative.
-A list of the presidents
-Lots of Latin
Middle School:
7th grade: Challenge A
-Subjects: Latin, literature, biology, rhetoric, math, geography (including how to draw all the continents with country capitals, rivers, lakes, and mountain ranges), and some other stuff that I don't remember...
8th grade: Challenge B
-Subjects: Latin, literature, formal logic, history of science, origins, chemistry, math, debate, and Mock Trial.
High School:
9th grade: Challenge I
-Subjects: Latin, American literature, economics, formal debate, physical science, math, philosophy, Shakespeare, and American government
10th grade: Challenge II
-Subjects: Latin, Brittish literature, biology, history of art and music, math, formal debate, and formal logic.
11th grade: Challenge III
-Subjects: Latin, literature, math, and I don't know what else because I haven't gotten there yet, and I don't pay that much attention, lol!
12th grade: Challenge IIII
-Subjects: Same as above.
And that's my school :D
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
It's THAT Time of Year
Well, folks, it's here.
Exam week.
Actually two of them. This week and next week. It's the time of year (for me) when I really wish I'd paid more attention in class. And at home. And just generally.
This also means the end of school is in two weeks for me (or maybe it's three...not sure). I know, I know. Go ahead and scream "WHAT?!?!?! LUCKYYYYYYYYYYY!" But it's not like this year was easy for me or anything. I HAVE actually worked hard. Very hard. This has been a challenging year. Challenge I (ninth grade) is supposed to be the hardest of the highschool years, though, so maybe next year will be better. I get to take logic again next year, so it can't be all bad! Yippee! :) I'm such a nerd, lol!
Here's the bad news: in two-or-three-can't-remember-which weeks, I WON'T SEE MUCH OF ANY OF MY FRIENDS! Crap!! I love seeing people. I love hanging out. I love laughing and learning with my classmates. Sure, we'll get together over the summer, but there probably won't be one single time when EVERYONE is there. There will always be the person who couldn't make it. *sigh*
I also found out some bad stuff about a friend. Well, sort of. I sort of found out and he/she (not saying which) is sort of my friend. More like an aquaintace, and "found out" is more like heard it in gossip, but I can totally believe it. It's sad, but I think it might be true. *sigh again* Oh well.
Okay, for the heck of it, I'm going to tell you how my school system works. We call each grade level something different than most schools:
Foundations/Grammar (elementary school):
Abecedarians (infant through kindergarten)
Apprentices (1st and 2nd grade)
Journeymen (3rd and 4th grade)
Masters (5th and 6th grade)
Middle School/Dialectic (middle school):
Challenge A (7th grade)
Challenge B (eighth grade)
High school/Rhetoric (high school):
Challenge I (ninth grade/freshman)
Challenge II (tenth grade/sophmore)
Challenge III (eleventh grade/junior)
Challenge IV (twelfth grade/senior)
Haha, random. But whatever. I thought easier to understand some stuff I say if I explained that.
"Mirror" is going, to put it mildly, terribly. I haven't written much in over a week. I have no idea where this is going anymore. And I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to finish this story. I don't want it to be another Oh-well-that-was-okay-but-now-I’ve-lost-interest-and-it-doesn’t-really-matter-anymore story. I actually really LIKE this one. *moan*
Hmm. I don't mean to be so mopey. Some stuff is going okay. Dance is going well. I can ALMOST do the split I've been trying to do for THREE STINKIN' WEEKS. Today may be the day. I'm going to try really hard before dance tonight.
Studying is going as well as studying can go. I'm working hard and trying and retaining for the most part. Haven't even BEGUN to try with science though. I'm thinking next week is going to be horror on a stick.
There I go, being all depressing again. I'm not depressed, really; I'm just stating the facts and they aren't all that cheery right now.
Finished "The Boxcar Children" and "The Princess Bride." The former was pretty much what I expected. The latter wasn't. I always forget how disappointing the ending is. *shrug* Oh well. It's still good. Just don't read it for the amazing plot or anything. It's more like creative entertainment. I still love it and recommend it to anyone.
I should go. I'm actually done with school work (I even did math well today :D), but I'm rambling and I don't really have anything else to say. Bye!
Exam week.
Actually two of them. This week and next week. It's the time of year (for me) when I really wish I'd paid more attention in class. And at home. And just generally.
This also means the end of school is in two weeks for me (or maybe it's three...not sure). I know, I know. Go ahead and scream "WHAT?!?!?! LUCKYYYYYYYYYYY!" But it's not like this year was easy for me or anything. I HAVE actually worked hard. Very hard. This has been a challenging year. Challenge I (ninth grade) is supposed to be the hardest of the highschool years, though, so maybe next year will be better. I get to take logic again next year, so it can't be all bad! Yippee! :) I'm such a nerd, lol!
Here's the bad news: in two-or-three-can't-remember-which weeks, I WON'T SEE MUCH OF ANY OF MY FRIENDS! Crap!! I love seeing people. I love hanging out. I love laughing and learning with my classmates. Sure, we'll get together over the summer, but there probably won't be one single time when EVERYONE is there. There will always be the person who couldn't make it. *sigh*
I also found out some bad stuff about a friend. Well, sort of. I sort of found out and he/she (not saying which) is sort of my friend. More like an aquaintace, and "found out" is more like heard it in gossip, but I can totally believe it. It's sad, but I think it might be true. *sigh again* Oh well.
Okay, for the heck of it, I'm going to tell you how my school system works. We call each grade level something different than most schools:
Foundations/Grammar (elementary school):
Abecedarians (infant through kindergarten)
Apprentices (1st and 2nd grade)
Journeymen (3rd and 4th grade)
Masters (5th and 6th grade)
Middle School/Dialectic (middle school):
Challenge A (7th grade)
Challenge B (eighth grade)
High school/Rhetoric (high school):
Challenge I (ninth grade/freshman)
Challenge II (tenth grade/sophmore)
Challenge III (eleventh grade/junior)
Challenge IV (twelfth grade/senior)
Haha, random. But whatever. I thought easier to understand some stuff I say if I explained that.
"Mirror" is going, to put it mildly, terribly. I haven't written much in over a week. I have no idea where this is going anymore. And I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to finish this story. I don't want it to be another Oh-well-that-was-okay-but-now-I’ve-lost-interest-and-it-doesn’t-really-matter-anymore story. I actually really LIKE this one. *moan*
Hmm. I don't mean to be so mopey. Some stuff is going okay. Dance is going well. I can ALMOST do the split I've been trying to do for THREE STINKIN' WEEKS. Today may be the day. I'm going to try really hard before dance tonight.
Studying is going as well as studying can go. I'm working hard and trying and retaining for the most part. Haven't even BEGUN to try with science though. I'm thinking next week is going to be horror on a stick.
There I go, being all depressing again. I'm not depressed, really; I'm just stating the facts and they aren't all that cheery right now.
Finished "The Boxcar Children" and "The Princess Bride." The former was pretty much what I expected. The latter wasn't. I always forget how disappointing the ending is. *shrug* Oh well. It's still good. Just don't read it for the amazing plot or anything. It's more like creative entertainment. I still love it and recommend it to anyone.
I should go. I'm actually done with school work (I even did math well today :D), but I'm rambling and I don't really have anything else to say. Bye!
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