Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Snow again



Well, I'm glad I got out and enjoyed the past few beautiful days. This is what it looked like outside my window this morning! Ugh! I'm SO ready for spring. "OK now (this is me talking to myself), it's only February. Spring doesn't come until next month. The snow is pretty. Warm weather will be here soon enough." That's what I have to keep telling myself.

Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day working on MY DAUGHTER'S project for school. Yes, the homework subject again. She's doing a presentation about The Diary of Anne Frank and her project is the music of the 1930's and 1940's. She wanted to buy songs online to make a CD. Well, I'm not buying any songs, so I went to the library and got the Cd's to copy songs from. I decided it would only save me time by going while she was in school, so I only had to take my 4-year old, instead of ALL the kids. Even though SHE was doing the project, it was constant questions about who she should pick, does this look good, did she make any mistakes. I like the projects that are done in school. Then the kids really do it by themselves. What about the kids who don't have parents to help them at home? My daughter told me, "It's too bad everyone doesn't have a mom to go to the library for them and get Cd's." My daughter has a friend who not only has no money, her mom has no car to take her to the library. She has no computer at home. She even has a mom who once made her stay home from school to clean the house. Kids like these are at a real disadvantage when it comes to doing projects at home.

On the bright side, my daughter is really learning a lot from this activity. She's heard a couple of the songs that were popular back then, but she's never heard of any of the artists. She never heard of Doris Day or Bing Crosby! She's printing out pictures of the singers, so she can put a face to these names, too. Like most projects, getting started is the hardest part. Now she's so interested in this and is trying very hard to get all of the 100 points it's worth. So my philosophy on getting through this with her:

1. Help her. She needs some guidance in how to get started and some tips along the way. I don't want her to just rush through it because she's frustrated and doesn't know exactly what to do.

2. Show an interest in what she's doing. My daughter's a big talker and likes to know I'm interested.

3. Get her motivated. Last night we talked about how we think the easiest way to help your grade is to get an A on a project. The teachers usually give a detailed list of what they want in a project. Follow every step exactly, and maybe even add a little extra to it. This project is worth 100 points. Tests are usually 30-50 points, and it's easy to think you know all the material, then get confused when you get the test. What about pop quizzes. Those are easy to mess up too.

I always say, it's more work for me when the kids are in school. They always need something for school. They need help with homework. They need me to pick them up from after-school activities. Everything is "Hurry up!". OK, now I'm looking forward to summer vacation!

17 comments:

Debbie @ Three Weddings said...

We had a nice day yesterday and then the temp dropped again. We got some flurries, but nothing major.

School projects are so fun! I'm with you, I'm looking forward to summer vacation so we can have a break as well.

Ally said...

My countdown calendar says there are only 23 days until Spring. That's less than a month!! Seriously, I am so tired of the snow. It's beautiful n' all, but so exhausting!

Maria, you're such an awesome mom. I love the way you talk about being so involved with your children. You're awesome!!

Kitty said...

We've had no snow this winter at all over here in the UK (my part of it, at least). I don't much like being in it, but it's lovely to look at! Nice picture. x

Ice Cream said...

My daughter's school doesn't give at home projects or weekend homework for that very reason. There are too many kids who don't have parents help at home. It is so sad.

You are a good example and it is so nice to hear that your daughter knows this and appreciates it.

Chanin said...

Hey! Just found you and wanted to stop in and say hello! I'm a mommy of 4 also - all girls. We too have snow, snow, snow and I can't wait for spring and summer!!

Karen said...

Gotta love projects! Our kids were home all last week with the flu, and oldest son had a project due. Guess what we did last evening?

Amy said...

sounds like you have a really good perspective on school projects. i always thought that stuff was fun!
i hope she gets an A, but more importantly, she's learning. it's nice that you are helping to make it fun!

OHmommy said...

I am looking foward for my kids grade school years... you are awesome!

We have snow too.

Leah said...

I'm sending my kids to you with their school projects! You sound like you're on top of things with just the right amount of helping, not DOING.

enjoy the snow. we've had 1/2 inch in our area this year. hardly sled, snowman, snowball fight worthy. LOL

Lizzy in the Burbs said...

You crack me up, Maria! I feel the same way, when summer vacation is coming to an end I'm ripping my hair out waiting for school to start, and then once the kids are in school for awhile, I wish it was vacation again because I'm tired of all the projects, homework, and activities! I wish there was a happy medium!

Your daughter's project does sound interesting, though! I'm sure she'll get a good grade with all the work she's putting into it.

Lizzy

dawn klinge said...

It sounds like you do so much schoolwork with your kids you might as well call yourself a home schooler :) Your daughter is lucky to have the kind of help your giving. Her project sounds really interesting. I love the music from that time period.

Zoe said...

yeah more snow here today too. fun fun. amonte is being home schooled right now due to his health and it is pure hell!

Amy said...

We got snow today too...I swear I feel like Smilla..ok if you've never seen the movie that probably doesn't make sense...Smilla's sense of snow...?...anyway that sounds like a really interesting project, I love history, and my boys do too, glad it's sparking an interest for her...good advice, Mom!

Kellan said...

You sound like a great mom and your kids are LUCKY to have such a great, involved mom!! I am on a comittee right now at my girls' HS where this is the very thing we are working on - how to get parents more involved with thier kids - those parents that can't due to no transportation, no jobs, too many jobs, etc. It is challenging and hard on those kids that don't have parents that are able to be so involved. Good for you! Take care - Kellan

I wish I could say that I didn't know who Bing Crosby or Doris Day was - sigh.

Don Mills Diva said...

I visited Anne Frank's house when I was in Amsterdamn and I have never forgotten it - it's such a tragic and poignant story.

AutoSysGene said...

You just made me feel a lot better about doing my daughter's homework. I mean come on, she's home with the FLU, do you really think she's going to get up off the couch and do homework...she won't even eat.

Whew, I'm glad I got that off my chest. Good luck with your project!

And yeah, I'm pretty much done with the snow, too!

Tammy said...

Yes, the snow does look pretty (nice photo by the way!), but I'm sure glad I don't have to deal with any here and it feels and looks like spring already here too.