Language Learning

I just realized today that I don't think I have taken any pictures of my kids in the past month. I haven't really had much to write about either. Each day is very similar to the same before, other than the crazy little things kids can throw in almost every other minute, and each day is very scheduled. This month I have been studying language using a new learning method. It is good and I think is going to be helpful, however is also very intense and requires a lot more preparation on my part. I have been studying five mornings a week 2 1/2 hours each day and also spend time each evening preparing for the next day. The past two years all of my study has been book based, learning characters along with the phonetic way of pronouncing the characters. This new method uses no text books. My tutor and I use objects and pictures, a lot of repetition, and a lot of listening and hands on manipulation of the 'stuff'. I don't think I shared this before, we have a goal to reach a certain level with our language in our first few years of living here. Jared reached that level last month! Our hope is that I may be able to reach that level in the next 6 to 9 months. The boys are also involved in language learning at their school each morning. Josiah was recently promoted into the next class and is now reading and writing characters, reciting math facts each day, learning poems and cultural sayings, and learning how to get along with others in his class, all in the local language! Jacob is still getting to play a lot and has a lot of one on one attention from his beloved teacher. Jared and I sometimes refer to him as our 'little emperor'. With all that one on one attention at school he sometimes returns home with the same expectation from his family. Boys return from school worn out and often emotional. I try to be ready for them, the best I can, and ready for whatever unexpected event was faced at school that day. We are all ready for a good nap in the afternoon (so, so thankful for that time). Each afternoon, after naps, Josiah and I do homeschool. I have taken it pretty easy in this area. His local school stuff really picked up pace, about the same time as we started homeschool. I quickly realized that formal reading instruction was too much for right now so really cut back in that area. Homeschool right now basically involves reading aloud, writing/learning letters, a little history, math, and science. We are expecting our schedule to be much the same for the next six months. It is good, however I am often very tired. We'll see how many pictures get taken, and emails and blog posts get written :).