al pi darko if you're ADHD

Elazar was determined to keep learning to read Ivrit.  He brought me the aleph bina and spent between 45 minutes to an hour finishing all the nekudos with the aleph beis (the next section is each letter of the aleph beis with different nekudos).  I personally was getting bored already but he didn't want to stop.

He got restless but he insisted on continuing.  He ended up reading while climbing on top of me.

Note that he's blurry because he's moving.

This happened between 5:15 and 6:15pm, known in many households as an unpleasant time of day.  The boys had already made themselves pita pizzas at about 4:30, according to their hunger, and Elazar asked to work.  Jack was so jealous that he first kept sitting on my lap and blocking Elazar.  I tried to give him lots of hugs while still allowing Elazar access to read what he was trying to read.  Eventually he ran off (after shutting the light so Elazar and I couldn't see, and then turning it back on when I told him to) and grabbed a workbook (one of the ones I was thinking about passing along because no one ever touches it) and one of the neighbor kids, who is 6, was helping him write and coaching him how to do it.  So both boys were diligently working.

What the boys are up to

Elazar is 7, in 2nd grade.  He recently picked up the aleph bina again and asked me to review the nekudos.  He remembered most of them.  I started the page with the kamatz with each letter of the aleph beis with a kamatz underneath it.  He immediately grasped the concept of blending and zipped through the page.  He forgot about 4 of the letters, which I told him.  Over the next couple of days, he did the patach and the tzeirei very easily.  He still needed reminders of the kaf/chaf and the pey today.

Elazar wants a laptop for a siyum present and asked what can he learn in order to get it.  He asked if he can learn to read.  I said I'll teach you to read, but a siyum is for limud Torah.

Regarding his English reading, he plays some board game and has been reading some of the cards.

Jack will be 5 next month.  He's been asking to write recently.  He's been writing his name and other things.  He mainly writes at night during bedtime, but he's recently started writing during the day a bit.  Ari took Jack and Elazar to Avos U'Banim learning on Motzei Shabbos and said Jack knew the aleph beis better than Elazar.  Jack still needs to learn the sofises before his siyum.  The siyum will be a selection of candy from Oh Nuts to share with the neighbors (also homeschoolers).

Aharon is 3.  The book by his bed is Aleph to Tav by Yaffa Ganz.  I bought it many years ago when Sarah was young.  We were just reading it every night when I realized that Aharon knew the aleph, so I tried teaching him the next letter.  He is now up to zayin.

This is unschooling and I only do "schoolwork" with them when they ask.  Months and months can go by with no reading or writing.  Elazar is on a reading streak now, but I can't even remember the last time he was interested.  (Actually, I can probably check this blog.  In July he did some English writing and in June he did a bit of English reading.  The last time he did Hebrew reading was May, which was 6 months ago.  And the time before that was... hey, last November.  About a year ago.)  So he learned the nekudos for about an hour almost a year ago.  Then 6 months ago he reviewed.  Then last week he became interested again.  And now he can read Hebrew (though at this point we've done only 3 of the nekudos officially).  So far he is still doing one letter + vowel sound.  I'm going to go through the book in order unless he requests otherwise (let's say, he might bring me a bentcher or a Chumash and ask me to help him read from there).  When I spoke to unschooling boys who were grown up about their limudei kodesh experiences, they assured me that when the time came to get ready for their bar mitzvas, they were interested in learning to read and to leyn and to daven.  In our family, I guess it isn't really left completely alone, insofar as we have lots of aleph beis games and puzzles and some posters up around the house.  And whenever the kids ask to go to the candy store I always say, "Sure! As soon as you learn your aleph beis we will have a siyum from there."  (#~AlfieKohn)

It's fun learning with a teenager

We were doing the Rashi on Bamidbar 14:17 "Hashem erech apayim."

This refers to for tzadikim and for reshaim.  When Moshe went up to heaven, he found HKBH sitting and writing "Hashem is slow to anger."  Moshe said: for tzaddikim.  Hashem said: even for reshaim.  Moshe said: Reshaim should be destroyed!  HKBH said: by your life, you will need this thing.
When Israel sinned with the eigel and the meraglim, Moshe davened before Him with Erech Apayim.  HKBH said to him: did you say to me this is just for tzadikim?  Moshe said to Him: and didn't You say to me even for reshaim?

***

When Chana was reviewing this, when she read that Moshe said: "Reshaim should be destroyed!" she remarked that this seems out of character for Moshe.  He seems more the type to be praying on behalf of wicked people.

unschooling reversal

The other day Chana wanted to get Chumash done and I wanted to sit and relax.  She kept telling me to focus, to stop trying to go on the computer..  Then she wanted to do Rashi and I wanted a break.  I begged for a break and she really wanted to keep going.  So I started whining.  And wheedling.  And pleading.

She told me I shouldn't choose so many Rashis if I'm going to whine about it.

Which Tanachic character would you most like to meet?

Chana said she'd be pretty interested in talking to the Mekoshesh Eitzim (the wood gatherer who publicly broke Shabbos).  She said she thinks it takes a certain amount of guts to break Shabbos knowing there is going to be the death penalty.  What was the guy thinking about?  What motivated him?*



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*I didn't tell her about Tzlofchad and the idea that he did it l'shem shamayim because I never understood that.  But maybe when we get to B'nos Tzlofchad I will.

Relaxed lifestyle

I ran out to the gym this morning at 8am so I could rehab my knee before Ari left to work.  It is a glorious autumn day.  I watched people waiting for the bus, people driving to work and school, and I thought about unschooling.

Every day is like a relaxed weekend.  Except the kids are more inclined to do "academic" things as part of their play or in pursuit of their interests.  

I left my 7yo with a piece of paper with the numbers "383" so he could remember the code for Bowzer in the level he's designing.  (I don't know what that means, but that's what he said.)  My 4yo snuggled me briefly and ran outside to play with the neighbors.  The 3yo opted for TV.

My schedule today (unusually busy) is we are hosting playgroup this morning, then a trip to the library to get a book my 13yo reserved.  Then I call in to my Rabbi's class.  Then my 13yo and I will do algebra and chumash (we scheduled this last night.  Usually it's more fluid when we both have free time but since today is busy, we compared our schedules and chose a time).  Then I'll feed everyone and then take 13yo into the city to Carnegie Hall for a Sphinx Virtuoisi Concert.  On the way we'll probably read some more Dracula.

i feel this way a lot about homeschool

When I reflect, I'm not sure this is a negative thing.  Simplicity and natural are things I strive for.  And it also leaves a lot of space for things I didn't plan, but I'm glad there is space for.