Week Two Distant Learning, In the BOOKS......

Two weeks down.  Phew!!!  The big kids have had a TON of homework!!!!  The school has been hitting them hard, all the way down to music class.  I think the principal started receiving lots of emails regarding the 10+ hours of homework a day for the middle schoolers, so by the end of the week he sent an email saying things will be scaled back going forward.  The kids (especially Jack, who has by far had the MOST work!!) were happy to hear this.

Maddie and I have been spending some time helping her teacher with some stuff.  Trying to help her figure out some things online, as the student's end of things looks different than on her end, so it is hard to give directions when she doesn't know what it looks like.

I also had my first Zoom with my pre-schoolers.  That was interesting.....trying to manage a bunch of 4/5 year olds all wanting to talk at the same time.....ha!  But they were all happy to see each other!!

The big kids have been going to bed late and sleeping in, daily!  Even Jack has been sleeping until 10:00, crazy!!!  But I don't think they are ever going to be before midnight.....our schedules have went to heck around here!!  

Peyton finally came out of her room!!!  The entire first week she stayed in there the entire time.  By the second week I guess she needed some change of scenery.  She came down and joined us for a little bit.

Jack's work station has been in the office.  Mark had set this computer up for us a few months ago.  When he set it up we weren't sure how much the kids would use it and such, but holy moly has it been a LIFE SAVER!!!!!  I don't know how Peyton and Jack could be doing all this work at home if we didn't have it!!!

10:00 PM, still going strong on his homework.  He's been a good sport!

Look at this work station!!!  MESS!!!!!!  Super, super bright kid, but not super tidy......can't have it all, i guess!  

I will say, through these first two weeks, the thing that I am most surprised with is how well these kids know the computer.  The way they navigate through different things is pretty impressive, and skills that I didn't realize they were currently learning at school.  For example, Jack was having to make a chart with various locations and the temperatures that the places have every month.  So I told him, "I don't know how to make the 'degree' sign on the computer, I guess you'll just have to write the word out."  He quickly showed me that he knew how to do it, and he sure did!!!!  He also had to make a chart on one of his study guides and he knew how to make and insert the chart into Microsoft Word.  I was pleasantly surprised.

Peyton still says she can handle it all and needs no assistance on work or organization, so I'm just letting her do her thing and hoping she's not missing anything......I guess we will find out once we get report cards.....ha!