Next year

We've been trying to figure out next year for Chen.  Should she take another college course online?  She was thinking maybe she has the stamina for two courses next semester.

First she thought of taking Business Math.  It's 4 credits and will probably be easier.  She wanted to take an easier course because she really wants to take Bio as a prereq for neuroscience, which is what she really wants to take.  (Coursera has a neuroscience course that recommends Bio first.)

Then we discovered coding bootcamps, where you learn intensively for 3 months and then get a job.  We read up on the pros and cons of a degree in computer science vs bootcamp, and based on it being extremely practical, just a few months, and very little lecture to very high ratio of projects, it seems suited to Chen's nature.  In order to apply, they assign you things to learn.  So in order to plan to do that, Chen decided against Business Math and to focus on programming.  I sent her a bunch of links so it's in her hands. 

She has not enjoyed her gemara class as much as I had hoped she would.  The girls in the class were not motivated and spoke a lot, and there was not classroom management.  So I'm looking into getting her a tutor for next year.  She tried to learn with Ari at one point, and tried to attend a class.  The class didn't work out because her processing speed and method were not the same pace of the class.  Learning with Ari isn't as consistent as getting someone to come in and do it. 

I still wish we could learn more together.  But I have always wanted to learn more with my children than they want to learn with me.  I've had way more success just being available as a resource if they want to ask me questions.

Chen seems to be taking her future extremely seriously.  She'll be applying to college next year, but maybe this coding camp is a better option.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I feel like at so many stages with my kids, I find myself saying, "It will be interesting to see how this plays out."  It's kind of a mindset of being open to however things go and being prepared to adjust to it.  It's about not having an agenda and cultivating an enjoyment of the ride of life and parenting and the many wondrous moments along the way.