My Boy

The Boy is taking a different route to his sisters because of his dyslexic thinking, which we are celebrating and utilising and channelling. He is developing a huge interest in engineering, mechanics and all things cars. He has his sights firmly set on an apprenticeship with a Formula 1 company so we have just over three years to get him through GCSEs and a Marine Engineering BTec.

We've bought him a new desk and wobble chair to go in our peaceful living room, and two new courses: language arts which includes English language, literature, grammar, geography and art, as well as a new maths course to get him up to speed for GCSEs. He's also started an astronomy GCSE with a tutor, which will allow him to test the waters this coming term. 

In September we are hoping to add to this timetable. For now his timetable starts at 10am and finishes at 4pm, and also includes guitar lessons, a daily run, Taekwondo pattern practice, science and using his punching bag. Rugby has finished for the season but he's still busy with Royal Marines Cadets, Taekwondo and Youth Club. 

Good luck, my Boy. We love you. X 

 

Spring and Engineering

The Boy is now at that point where his studies will become more serious and tailored to his future education and career interests. We've been pondering his options considering his dyslexia, which we love about him, but may hinder his qualification opportunities because of the workings of the education system. Ugh!

The three older girls have finished/are studying a US High School Diploma with SATs. Their education is just beautiful, teaches them critical thinking and how to study autonomously, but it is extremely writing-heavy and I think this is a route that The Boy may find difficult. Instead, we are exploring the GCSE route for him and then a potential apprenticeship.

With this in mind, they Boy did one last thematic unit with me: engineering, while Sunbaby did a unit on Spring. I haven't previously split units so I've just uploaded photos from both units:

Studying Brunel

Matching garden birds and their eggs

Enjoying Spring and Easter crafts

Making an indoor garden

Weather matching

Flowers and numbers

Looking for bugs

Cards for The Boy and us to chat about through lunch

Bridge work

Electronics and supplies for The Boy to design and make vehicles

Working out the circuits to begin with by making a fan

Phonics for Sunbaby

Design 1

Spring patterns for Sunbaby

Spring numbers

Initial sounds

Vehicle design 2

Some lovely work by this beautiful girl

Minibeasts

Design 3 

Bridges

Making her own Spring book

Making a bridge

Monkey Girl worked with Sunbaby on a rabbit picture which they made together depending on the number the dice landed on.

Working hard and listening to one of his hundreds of audio books

Egg hunting

Designing her own Easter bonnet

Learning about the different types of bumble bees

Forest school

Free play

Working on a new design

A Spring Shop

Numbers, adding and subtracting, weights and measures for Sunbaby

Pond play

A magical Spring set up for Sunbaby

Shapes play

Colouring for Sunbaby. Boat design for The Boy

Free play for Sunbaby

Vehicle design 4

Vehicle design 5

Fox play

Making a bird house

Spring activity trail

Decorating egg biscuits with Panda Girl

Library craft

In the coming term, Monkey Girl will complete her High School Diploma and then we will head to Virginia, USA for her graduation. She will then spend some extra time in USA, return for a dance exam and then head to Germany for an international peace camp. Two years ago she won an international poetry competition and the prize was a trip to this camp. Covid meant the trip was postponed and so she is thrilled that the opportunity is there this year. In september she will commence her university studies.

Panda Girl is working hard on her Diploma. She continues to paint at every possible opportunity, plays basketball with her club and has three dance classes a week. She will shortly commence part time work as a life-guard to fund her studies and her travels. I am so excited for what the future holds for her and her brilliantly artistic mind!

We've had a second round of Covid in the house which has lengthened our Easter holidays by a week, but we are good to go now and looking forward to the Summer term. Watch this space!