Starting Month Two

I suffered a sinking spell this weekend, got swamped by doubts, defensive in the company of finger-wagging, and impatient with the student. I said mean things. I fell asleep last night way out of sorts, woke up in a sweat (thank you Ms. menopause), and then the anger bubbled up. I was startled and then bolstered by the strength of my own conviction. I'm sure the vintage homeschoolers will recognize the syndrome and the unititiated won't get it but I recommitted to the idea of giving my daughter my best effort as a teacher. Today was the best day yet. We were studying the periodic table of elements, noodling around with brown and red lentils on file cards to model the number of electrons in each of the quantum shells. Then we arranged the atoms in the order of the periodic table.

"Look" she said, "there's a pattern!"

There ! was the visual explanation of why the noble gases were inert, and the halogens and alkali metals are so reactive. I had forgotten it. E discovered it. I whooped with joy.

It took all of my ingenuity, experience and perseverance for us both to co-learn/teach/experience the wisdom of the elements together. Yeehaw!