Friday Classes

We joined the New York City Home Educators Alliance (NYCHEA) and went to Friday classes for the first time last week. Katie got on the subway at 9:30 am with her 2 friends, Margaret and Emma. The subway station is on Broadway and 116th, near the library and at the main entrance to Columbia University. The classes are held at a church on 86th and West End Streets. West End is one block from Broadway.

Katie has been anxious to get her own MetroCard. This was the first time she went without an adult. The subway was so crowded that some kids were sitting on their mother's lap. The girls had to stand and hold the rail. They walked upstairs in the church and had Science first. Katie just observed today. The class made a kite from drinking straws and tissue paper. Then they went to lunch. Each child brought a sack lunch. They listened to jokes during lunch. After lunch they did math packets. Katie did volume, area and addition. Each student has their own math lesson based on their level of ability. After math the kids went to literature. There was an assignment that she had to do and bring to classs. The week before the class read and listened to poems by someone and then were supposed to write their own poem about something they ee everyday but don't really notice. Katie wrote about the homeless. For this week the students read the first six chapters of Mark Twain's Roughing It. In class they talked about Mark Twain and read their poems. After literature the students could choose between drama and chess. Katie chose chess. Both the teacher and another student taught her how to play. We left after chess class because Katie was meeting her Girl Scout troop for a camping trip.

Serena had a really nice visit with her friend, Genevieve, and another home school mtoher, Anne.

Katie's Poem

Every day when I walk to town

There are homeless people on the street

There are no smiles only a frown

Through the coldness and the heat

The sight isn't funny

I bet they want food

But I have no money

It puts everyone in a sad mood

I want to be a friend

But what can I do

This problem won't end