Yesterday was Week 24 at CC, meaning our official school year has come to a close. We still have Faces of History coming up this weekend and several parties and events coming up. But, as far as a typical Tuesday with our amazing community goes, we're done!
I was filled to the brim of thankfulness yesterday for this community of families, linking arms, doing the best we can at educating, nurturing, disciplining, and enjoying our children! We honored the 5 students moving up into Challenge - including Jaden and Jack, who we've been in CC with us for 4 years. We gave them a really nice copy of Narnia, signed by all the families and gathered around them to tell them the character traits we see growing in them. We prayed for them and lifted them up, encouraging them to thrive and enjoy this next season of their development. In this type of education, with this type of community, we are really invested in each others' kids. We were all super proud and emotional over all of the "graduates". I'm just so impressed by all of these kids, and I'm sitting here at the computer in tears! I'm so thankful that these respectful, fun, smart, loving, joyful, servant-hearted people are our dearest friends and that we have the privilege of this road of education with them.
Lucy had Mrs. Carr this year. She's the most experienced momma among us and the wife of the headmaster at our local Classical Christian school. She's has a wealth of knowledge, lots of creative ideas, and a big love for Latin! Lucy has loved her class, especially having Lucy Caldwell in class with her. They are pretty inseparable on Tuesdays, leaving just enough room between them for Charlotte.
Noelle had Mrs. Vacca, a sweet, fun, humble, faithful, CUTE, and fun woman. It's been a fun year for her, though she'd say her class had too many boys. Bailey and Noelle had to stick together, and it was fun to see their friendship grow.
Isaiah was the youngest in the oldest class this year. It was a blessing to have a final year with the oldest kids before they move up to Challenge. His class was energetic, tweeny and very experienced in CC. Mrs. Bailey did an awesome job guiding, teaching, encouraging, and loving them at this age. It was a really fun year for him.
It was my first year to tutor Essentials, and it was great!! I learned a lot and just loved having my 2 hours of intense teaching each week. I was super encouraged to hear along the way that the mommas were understanding what we were doing and that both the kids and moms really enjoyed coming to Essentials. Essentials really does contain essential knowledge to understanding the English language and how to write well. Yet, I'd say that, for 100% of the moms, much of this is new to us. We all shake our heads, thinking how much better our education would have been had we learned this. It's NOT easy for the moms, and a huge part of teaching Essentials is teaching the moms. Mastery of language and writing is so important for learning ANY subject (as Dr. Tallon can attest to!), and I am thrilled with the tools that Essentials gives kiddos when the are young and ready to tool-up for the future. I loved tutoring alongside my friend, Andrea, in the other class. It was just a really good year.
The big Memory Masters Proof happens a few days before Week 24 classes. This year, Isaiah worked hard and breezed through his 4th round of Memory Masters. He actually mastered this cycle in our first year of CC when he was in 2nd grade. Noelle and I attempted Memory Masters for the first time, which was a BIG deal for both of us! This year was Cycle 3, which includes 24 US History Facts, US Geography States/Capitals and features (mountains, rivers, canals, bays, deserts, etc.), 12 Anatomy facts, 8 Chemistry facts, 4 Origins, facts, Times Tables and Math laws, Latin vocabulary and John 1:1-7 in English and Latin, 24 English grammar facts, and the 12 minute Timeline. Noelle worked SO hard this year to prepare for MM. We worked through a lot of tears, frustration, and angst. And we enjoyed lots of bright moments of enthusiasm, confidence, and celebration! The big proof is the "Tutor Proof" (3rd Proof). During this proof, one must remember every single thing correctly. A mistake must be corrected. By this point, 2 Proofs have already been completed, so everyone is in pretty good shape, but it's a big deal and pretty nerve wracking. Noelle headed upstairs with her precious tutor, Mrs. Vacca, while I went to proof with my friend, Jennifer Green. It was a good experience for me to be on that side of things - it's a lot of pressure!! When Noelle successfully finished and came downstairs, I ran up and gave her a big hug. I was so proud of her, and she was so proud of her, too! When I turned around the other mommas were in tears. These sweet friends LOVE US and are cheering for us. Noelle has been cheered on and loved and supported through this process not just by me and Luke but by a community of amazing mommas and kids. It's such a gift!! I went back into my MM room, where I had been STUCK on 10 Neon Ne20 for a few minutes. I was starting to get a little scared that I wouldn't get it, honestly, but it clicked and I remembered and I also passed :)
Sweet Lucy has been amazing over the last few months of LTC and MM. She's gotten her fair share of "solo play time" and has handled it very well. She's done a lot of reading, playing, and making messes. (For such a cute, sweet little person, she can create so many corners of chaos in our home!). She didn't complain about the big kids getting the lion share of my attention and we are super proud of her, too. She did the History songs and of course worked through all of the grammar throughout the year. I didn't MM proof her, but I bet she would have gotten quite a few of the questions correct. She especially enjoyed reading "Presidential Pets" this year and singing the History songs.
After we completed Proof 3, we were on a CC high! Luke was in Grand Rapids and a big storm was coming our way for the evening. So we decided to go out for lunch instead of dinner. We went to BJ's and celebrated with big mugs of root beer, pizza, and pazookies. Noelle kept hugging me and saying, "I can't believe I did it!" She was so thankful she had been up for the challenge and conquered this huge milestone. This girl has grown up a LOT this year and it's really amazing to see her abilities and maturity growing in many ways, We all thoroughly enjoyed a long special lunch then headed home to tuck in for the afternoon and evening. We watched a movie and weathered a huge storm.
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