What I do with Fix it!

I love Fix it!  At first sight, it looks like a simplistic curriculum, but it is actually very in depth.  I like the flexibility that a cumulative repetition gives in grammar, and this program lends itself well to an individualized approach, where the assignment can be tailored

The approach with Fix it! is that if your child is getting most things right, you are not on the right level for that child.  Learning from mistakes is the method.  So, each week there is a set of assignments for four days of the week in which the student becomes the editor of a story which lasts the entire year.  He or she slowly makes the corrections on a couple of sentences each day.    On the fifth day, it is copywork of corrected sentences for that week.  

One week's work

 I use different colored pens/highlighters to indicate different mistakes for that day, then I write a question or an additional assignment related to that grammatical error, color-coordinated on the left page.

In the beginning, I used to check and correct each day's assignment, but I've found that correcting at the end of the week gives a larger picture, where my children can see how that mistake would change the meaning of the story.

So, that's the scoop.  Fix it! has been a great addition to our English curriculum.  My college aged student is acing his essays.  He is a history major, so his classes are writing intensive.  

Thanks IEW!

UF Law & Florida Natural History Museum

Last weekend, we took a trip up to Gainesville and visited the Florida natural History Museum at the University of Florida.  They had several interesting exhibits there, but what we really liked the most was the butterfly garden and immense collection of butterflies from around the world.

Not only was the size and diversity of the butterflies in the garden impressive, but so were all the beautiful plants.  This could also be called an enclosed botanical garden...  

We all enjoyed this part of the museum very much.

Another reason for the trip was Michael's interest in UF Law.  He went to an orientation type lecture, got to speak with current students and admissions advisors, and got a tour of the campus.

**Fall 2017 update - Michael was admitted to UF Law with a FULL SCHOLARHIP -- Way to go, Michael!!!

One of the many cases on display, beautiful!