School Begins

This week we had our first three days of school. Victoria, having been schooled in Estonia, uses the European aopproach and has high expectations of her young students. At first she will teach intensive English only. Then after about 10 lessons, she'll begin on other subjects. I am so grateful and really am in awe of how God set this up for us.

Using the Fire, Aim, Ready approach with regard to what we were going to do with these boys once we got home, I did recall one thing. That was what Mr. Dick suggested in Charles Dicken's classic, David Copperfield. When Aunt Betsy asked for his advice as to what at she should do with the orphan boy, Mr Dick said, "Why, bathe him!"

I knew that far at least. After all God had done for us before and during our trip, I was totally confident He would show us beyond that. And now here was a young woman, as fun outside of school, as she is strict during school, teaching our boys at my kitchen table. Why do I ever, ever doubt God's goodness and provision?

After one day into it, it became apparent that they needed to be separated because, well, one of them needs rebuking too frequently. He requires a more active and shortened version of school, while the other child is a more left brain learner and eagerly sits waiting to be taught, asking if it can go on another hour.

Victoria began with the "to be" and "to have" verbs, and quickly advanced to the negation of these verbs and a bunch more. No more, "I am is ride bike." We are learning Simple Present. And, with our help, the boys are using it, and its negative and question forms. Is Rob a dog?" "No! Rob is NOT a dog. Rob is a boy." We get along fine until we get to, "Is Skipper your brother?" and Peter answers, "Yes, Skipper is my brother!" and he means it. He is devoted to that dog.

So we concentrate on the "th" sound instead. We stand in front of the bathroom mirror with our tongues out, but not way out; just the tips, and sound "th, th, th". With Peter we are working on not spraying the family with a loud (probably because he hears with only one ear) gutteral 'H' when he says, "Hhhi" or "Hhhello"! In a way I will be sad when Miss Victoria gets her way and he loses his Ukrainan accent. He is too adorable.