My Crazy World

Oh my goodness.  I am WHOOPED.  We officially started school yesterday.  Well, we did really well, Jacob and I.  He behaved really well, and I stayed on task and we actually got a TON accomplished in about 2 hours.  More than he probably would have gotten accomplished in a classroom.  There are statistics ranging from 73-84 minutes of ACTUAL learning that takes place in a classroom.  Between shuffling papers, changing textbooks, disruptive students, recess, lunch, beginning and end-of-the-day routines, interruptions like announcements, fire drills, etc.... teachers TEACH very little.  And I'm not saying it's their fault.  It's not.  It's the way the system is set up.  I am NOT attacking teachers in any way.  I AM a teacher!

Regardless of where the fault may lie, students LEARN even less.  I know this to be true, because I went to college to be a teacher, and I did my student teaching, and I subbed for 3 school years.  Half the time it's more like crowd control than school.  

Nowadays, especially with younger children, a female teacher isn't just teacher, she's a mother figure, a counselor, psychologist, nurse, and more.  This is only ONE of dozens of reasons I am homeschooling my son.

That being said, it's TOUGH.  I also have a jewelry business (www.facebook.com/MGKerriJewelry)  and a household to run.  Oh, and then there's that pesky neuromuscular disease I have.  It's 7:30PM right now, and I have been working since about 8:30 this morning.  Haven't had dinner yet, haven't finished what I wanted to accomplish today...and I'm exhausted.

I started my day by laminating 36 sheets of school things.  Each page had at least 3 things in it.  I haven't cut them out yet.  Ug.  NOT looking forward to that with these hands.

So anyway...I will try to post more often, but if I'm not quite up to par, you will know why.  I'm drowning in base ten blocks, cuissinaire rods, plastic people and money and shapes and flashcards.

Calgon take me away........