Local Boy.....

Makes BIG In Satellite Beach! Lawson's first 100% spelling test!

Here's the story....the kids have been in public school for 4 weeks I think, since August 9th. A few weeks into the adventure I feel like things are going pretty good. The kids are getting used to the long hours, they seem happy with the situation. We are doing daily homework, and so on. I notice that L has a few low scores, on this and that, but nothing too startling. I plan to pick up the pace w/ him and work more on his spelling, etc. We start to gently increase the pace. A few more days pass, and I am noticing L getting a little quite, not as enthusiastic about his schooling. I ask him how his day went....kinda boring. Hmmmm, that is weird. I am trying to figure out what is wrong. Is someone bulling him, is he being left out? and so on. That night I went into the boys room to tuck them in, Lawson had some papers out behind him on his bed. I asked what they were. He was like, oh, nothing, just these papers. Oh, can I see them, do I need to sign something? Awwwww.....I feel I have discovered the problem. A few more low scores and a request to come and meet with his teacher. Great. Yes. Kevin is able to join me. We sit and she very nice, talks about how much she enjoys having Lawson in her class....what a great kid, he is fitting in wonderfully. Socially spot on. But he is struggling in spelling and has huge gaps in his writing and grammer work. yeeesh! Suddenly I feel very Exposed certainly everyone in the room is wondering what in the heck I was doing for the past seven years at home???? My title of AMAZING homeschooling mother of 4 stripped away in an instant. OK. Tell us what we need to do. We left with a hard core game plan. I am so happy for the conference. Thankful that it was only a few weeks into school. Much needed wake up call on what is required of me and how I can help L be a confident and successful student. We began immediately. I remember back when Tina told me what her son does each week for his spelling tests, and I know he gets regular 100s. They do something each day w/ his spelling words (similar to this) - first day triple write each word, next day write and put in alphabetical order, the next write the words in sentences, last a practice spelling test. We have adopted this learning strategy. I imagine this post is extraordinarily boring to most readers. But I am so happy with the changes that I have seen in such a short time with L. He is happy and excited about school again. A burden has been lifted from his young shoulders. We are a team. He has tasted the thrill of working hard and reaping the rewards for his efforts. He told me when I was giving him his words while making breakfast last Thursday, that he could see the words in his mind, and it was easy for him to put them down on paper. We made a big HURAH about his perfect score....because it was big for him/us. The other boys were like, hey, I get 100%, and 95% on this and that all the time. Well, super! Show us! L has been gifted a new lease on learning, and a desire do his best. He knows he has it in him! I heard him say in an excited voice just a day ago, Hey dad....do you wanna work on my words with me??? It sounded like he was inviting him to come on an adventure to go eat slurpees!