A walk to the stables

A walk to the stables
Tamerin at the horses: we walked there on Thursday and talked rugby nearly all the way!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Next year – an Annie Sullivan year?

Last time I said that Tamarin’s Individual Education Programme had come to an end – but not our homeschooling.  (Drum roll) 

Tada!  Next year Tamarin is going to do Grade 10 (first year)!

The first year part is just to prepare for what I deem to be probable or inevitable: i.e. that it is going to take a few years to reach this goal! 

Is it attainable?  To jump from a more or less Grade 4 level to Grade 10?  It’s a leap of faith that’s for sure, but with the amazing progress that Tammy has made so far, anything and everything is possible.  Her subjects will be Grade 10 Math literacy, Geography, Tourism, Computer studies, English and Afrikaans.  Why Grade 10?  Her parents feel strongly that she should be benchmarked and that Tammy herself has an emotional need to be in a grade.  Grade 10 has fewer subjects than the lower grades, and much of the groundwork for these subjects have been done already. 

The math literacy book starts with fractions and decimals and rounding off: we have done this, so this should not be impossible.

Geography starts with learning to use an atlas and maps.  We have often used maps and the globe in the past, so this is not totally new.  The calculations of area, speed etc seem a bit “Wow!” ( Draw a cross-section of Koffiebus… Determine from the section whether tog station number 10 and benchmark 1237.9 are intervisible.What the…”?!!!)

My objective is to use the geography content as I have used previous themes: that is to use the content as basis for conversations and all grammar work e.g. to Rewrite sentences as questions.   I first want to skim through the work with her, and then later return to the same work and “dig the hole a little deeper”.  She first needs to just know the basic terminology in her bones.  (In the geography book there are more than 17 words on the first page alone that she does not know yet !)

Apparently computer studies deal with the use of a computer (it’s not computer science).  Tammy likes working on the computer and she generally remembers computer methods very well.

The languages will present the greatest challenges.  She is still a long way from writing essays and magazine articles and headlines!  And as for Afrikaans: we’ll have to start at Grade 1 level!

Her parents firmly believe that is the way to go and I am up to this huge challenge.  It will be a team effort between me, Tammy and her parents.  How do you eat up an elephant?  Bit by bit.  My job is to cut it up in small digestible pieces and to make the eating fun and to sustain Tammy’s appetite till the last mouthful.  Tammy’s job will be to swallow, chew and digest, swallow, chew and digest….. a big job.  Her parents’ job will be to cheer from the sidelines and to make sure she eats up her bit in the afternoons, so that she will be ready for the next plateful the next day.  (That is they just have to check that she has actually done her homework.)

If God helped Annie Sullivan to help Helen Keller, who is to say God will not help us?  We can only succeed with His help and with Him anything is possible!  We just have to be obedient, even if the going is tough!

Php 4:13  I am able to do all things through him who gives me strength.

Rom 8:14  And all those who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Rom 8:28  And we are conscious that all things are working together for good to those who have love for God, and have been marked out by his purpose.

Rom 8:31  What may we say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

To anyone reading this: Have a special, blessed Christmas full of joy in the comforting arms of Jesus.  May your  last day of the year be a time for reflexion and a time to receive fresh inspiration for the New Year and may 2011 bring many blessings, hope and fun!  Enjoy the holidays.

7 comments:

Happy Elf Mom (Christine) said...

I hope you have an amazing Christmas as well! What a big year you have planned for Tammy; I will look forward to seeing great progress next year. Her parents sound amazing, too.

Keep up the good work! :)

Miekie said...

Hi Elf Mom
Thanks. We'll need all the prayers and support though.

Adelaide Dupont said...

The Romans and Phillipians are some important verses.

If you follow them in 2011 I do not think you will go far wrong.

And there is so much reward when you go right!

I learnt quite a lot of mathematics and geography when I was in the fourth form, some years ago now.

Fewer subjects = more depth and better integration within and outside the curricula.

You might like to read about Helen's time at the Wright-Humason school, when she did systematic study and improved her speech, and then at the Cambridge School for Young Ladies.

She had to do a lot of homeschooling with Annie too, of course.

Yes, her parents had a point.

And tourism is so exciting!

(I would love to know if there are opportunities for developmentally divergent South Africans to go to university and college, especially if they have valuable skills for the economy and for society).

Adelaide Dupont said...

A postscript, Miekie:

(this inspired by the LOLcats Bible).

Paul was a big traveller. He was also one of the first travel writers, and we know what impacts his communications had on Christians and gentiles alike.

This could be an awesome focus for tourism.

Miekie said...

Hi Adelaide
Thanks for the comments - you strengthen our hope. I am not aware of university programmes for students such as Tamarin. Studying Paul;s travels next year could be awesome. We touched on him 3 years ago, when we were still basically doing "Bible Stories" and I think Acts will have great meaning for Tamarin now.

Desire Fourie said...

Alle voorspoed met hierdie grootse verantwoordelikheid. Jy is 'n baie spesiale mens en eks seker dit beinvloed almal om jou en veral Tammy. Sterkte vir 2011 en mag julle die doelwitte oorseil!

Miekie said...

Dankie Desire! Ons het baie sterkte nodig!