"School Days" Update: Week 3

Since our camera wasn't working and I lost all of Nate's first day of school pictures, (holding back tears, here) here are some 12th-ish day of school pictures. Ha ha

What a charmer!

Waiting for the bus

Although we've had a couple rough patches, school has been going a lot smoother than I expected. The teacher keeps "wondering" (pushing) why we don't let him stay for lunch then the afternoon classes. We are fine with the way things are now (9 am till 1:00 pm) for 3 reasons :

• He's only 6 and needs time to play. Sending a kid that age to school from 9 am till 5 pm is just wrong. It's also a waste of time.
  
• He home schools. He's learning how to read and write in English now. He also does advanced math at home but that's just because he's a nerd. We do experiments and such, anytime it strikes our fancy, as well. Today we made a microwave chocolate cake in a mug. Very cool.
  
• This is the first time he has been submerged in an atmosphere that is completely Mongolian. That in itself is a huge adjustment! It can be very tiresome (ask me how I know this) and we feel it's best if he only goes half a day and then is in an English environment the second half of the day.

The principal of the school has been after me to teach English. I'm kind of on the fence about that. I've taught English off and on over the last 10 years I've been here, and if you ask me, I'm really not very good at it. English is almost like a second language for me. I'm good for conversation, that's about it!

I already told them "no" but Hetee and I are still thinking about it. It would only be like one day a week for very few hours. The only reason I'm even considering it is because we could cut a chunk out of Nate's tuition that way. Sort of a bartering deal, if you will. We could use all the help we can get.

Nate has adjusted well to his classmates (11 in all) and teacher. We made a happy discovery the first week. Nate's friend, Tavinaa joined the class! Nate and Tavinaa are desk mates, for the time being. The teacher told me today that their days are numbered, though. She said they talk too much.

I went to my first Parent/Teacher meeting last week and it was so neat to meet the other parents and see a few I already knew. I walked away with Nate's brand spankin' new school books. He was one excited boy!

Today marks the beginning of week 3 and the rough patches seem to be behind us. But with Nate, you never know. I think I've mentioned once or twice that he is very strong willed and, although generally well rounded, doesn't cope well with the unexpected or sudden changes. Part of it is being a 6 year old boy and the other part is that he's a big fat perfectionist like his daddy. =)

Stay tuned for more "School Days" updates about both Nate and Abi. Abi and I are loving our home school experience. Today she breezed through 9 pages in her beginner math book! I'm trying to keep it slow and steady but she's way ahead of me most of the time.

Till next time!