Tuesday, September 18, 2012

How Are Your Folks? or Days 20-21 (and half of 22)

Saturday George and I sallied forth to Raleigh, to the amphitheatre at the North Carolina Museum of Art to see Paperhand Puppet Intervention's City of Frogs, which demanded a complete suspension of disbelief but then was a wondrous, magical romp along sewers and trash dumps and muddy riverbeds. George's face was joyously lit up throughout. Consequently so was mine.

That was a pleasant addition for this next area of concentration, which is an introduction to folklore and storytelling. Along the way so far we've enjoyed "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" from the Charlie Daniel's Band (note to self: next time make sure to use the version that says "son of a gun") and the stories behind the art of José Guadalupe Posada.

We're currently reading books about both the origins of Halloween and the Mexican Day of the Dead, and in fiction George is very happily plowing through the short stories contained in The Devil's Storybooks by Natalie Babbitt.

In art we've begun making a quite complicated decoration for Day of the Dead using papier mache, paint, and a decent amount of glitter (squee!). We'll be doing some creative writing to create the storylines we use to finish this project.

Unfortunately in math George's fine motor issues and his visual tracking issues have really been wreaking havoc. By the time George manages to write a digit, he can't remember what digit he was going to write next. Also he loses his place on the page frequently, even with a place aid.

Someone (I'm desperately trying to remember whom) some time ago recommended I look at IXL, and after spending a good bit of time exploring it and testing how it interacts, I have signed George up for a year's membership.

It isn't a new curriculum but rather a supplement for our existing one. It basically sidesteps all the issues I mentioned in the previous paragraph. George enjoyed a good bit of time on there yesterday just trying it out.

Bottom line: he logged off with more math confidence, and I can better assess what is frustrating due to comprehension and what is frustrating due to his physical challenges. WIN-WIN.

George's favorite of the 6 bazillion poems we've covered this week: "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly"

2 comments:

RLR said...

You are one of two people I know who uses the phrase "suspension of disbelief" - and reading it made me smile. I thought of it - and was reminded of the other person I know who says it - not too long ago when you posted about George enjoying Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Lucy said...

Well now it's three people, because YOU just used it. :)

He's doing the DOAWK scrapbook thingie now.