It's Academic

ECDC does a phenomenal job. I am astonished by the material that they cover in the limited time. This past month Julia's class has talked about everything from history to art and always scripture. Below are just some of my conversations with Julia this week.

You are learning a lot in school right now. Especially about our presidents. Can you tell me about them?

George Washington had a pointy hat. And George Washington put his hair in pony tails. He was a soldier and was always excited to see his big brother.

Why was he important? Because he was the first president.

Did I already tell you about Abraham Lincoln? Abraham Lincoln had a candle hat. He was a president too. The 15th I think...(Not too bad. Only one off.) He died--someone killed him because they didn't like him. They didn't like the choices he made. He wanted to get rid of the laws. The laws like the black people not playing with the white skinned people. And the black people couldn't drink from the same water fountain as the white skinned people.

Wait a minute...Are you confusing him with someone else? (The probable lack of water fountains in the 1860s tipped me off.) Oh! I forgot. I was remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. That's all I can think of now.

What about the president now? Do you know his name? Ummm. No. I can't think of it. That's okay. We don't speak of him in this house.

~

What about artwork you took home today? What was special about VanGogh?

You know about VanGogh??? Mr. VanGogh is very famous. And he was an artist. His favorite colors were yellow and blue. And most of all he liked sunflowers. He went everywhere. VanGogh made his paint as thick as toothpaste.

Anything else? What about his face? He had a beard.

I guess the lesson did not include that he cut off his left earlobe and gave it to a brothel wench. I love listening to Julia as she rattles on about what they learned in school. To hear her excitement about history and art and math. She won't always feel that way about school, but it sure sparks new found excitement in me when her eyes light up about a subject.

Julia's take on VanGogh~

In chapel you are learning about the Fruits of the Spirit. Yeah. What are they?

Watermelon, cherry, coconut, banana, strawberry and also...I look over and the little turkey has the sliest smile on her face. Are those really the fruits?

Hee-hee. Love, joy, goodness, kindness, self control and something else...

Yesterday Julia had her annual check-up and her measurements are...

Weight: 51 lbs (90-95%)
Height: 46.5 in (>97%)

When Dr. Michel was testing her cognitive skills, he sat across from her with a doodlepro and asked her to write her name. The top of the doodlepro was facing Dr. Michel. She took the pen and moved her hand all the way to the right side. I started thinking, she's not giving herself enough room. Then she proceed to write her name upside down from right to left. In the middle, Dr. Michel asked, "Are you writing so that I can read it?" Yes. When she finished Dr Michel somewhat surprised said, "Well Julia, that is quite remarkable." I thought she could do a better job than my high school history teacher writing on the transparencies on the overhead projector. Then Dr. Michel asked her to write her name so that she could read it. Well by then it was a game and she wrote the letters in the correct orientation, but backwards and again right to left. I wish I had my camera.

But yes, I think she is quite remarkable too.