Using PDF Files in my Home School

I'm really happy that so many texts are now available as PDF.  I love the freedom of being able to just print out the pages I need, as many times as I need them.  It's been especially useful now that I'm on round two with much of our curriculum. However, technology has started to change the way I've been thinking about using the PDF files.  For one, my child is forever losing the sheets I print out, or they become a wrinkled mess.  This leads to much frustration on the part of all of us.

Now that we have iPads, I've been looking into ways to utilize them more.  The kids never seem to lose their iPad or wrinkle it up.  So I've come across a few apps and I'm giving it a try.

App #1: Dropbox:  Dropbox is a fantastic file sharing app.  You can access your documents, files, or photos from just about any device.  It also makes it easy to share documents through its public folder.  You upload your file here and it creates a link that you can then share out.  You get two gigs of free storage, so it'll manage even your largest of files. We have found it useful for the kids to save their compositions into Dropbox so they can easily edit or print them from other computers.

App #2 Notability: Notability is another app that allows you to create notes and annotate those PDF files. It's not free, but at $2.99, and often on sale, it won't break the bank either--much cheaper than a ream of paper and ink!  It works along with Dropbox to get those files onto your iPad and make them more than just readable files.  You can use Notability to mark up and highlight, fill in blanks, you name it.  I recently uploaded my son's daily grammar work into Dropbox, and then used the import function on Notability to bring the file into the app.  Using a stylus, he can now use his favorite color to do his work, without all that wasted ink and paper.  No more loose pages anywhere! There will never be an excuse again for not knowing where his work is and if it's been done.

We are still working out the bugs, but I have great hope that these two apps will really help us out this year. To give some more instruction and insight, I've found this blog entry that really goes into detail. How are you using your iPads, tablets, or Kindles in your home school?  Do you have a clever way to utilize technology and school work?

House Hunting in Yokosuka

It's that time of year again, PCS season! One of the first thoughts one has when moving is “where am I going to live?”  When you’re cramped in the Navy Lodge, it’s also one of the first things you want to take care of.  Last year, CFAY changed their housing policy and made it mandatory for all military to live on base, unless quarters were not available.  Civilians no longer have the option of getting base housing or living “out in town;” civilians are automatically out in town.  It’s also become mandatory for civilians currently living on base to move off base, once they've been in base housing for five years.

So how does the process of finding your Japanese house work? First, unlike the US, you are not faithful to just one realtor.  Here, houses are only assigned to one agency.  This means you’re better off working with several different realtors in order to see as much out there as you can. The housing office has books of listings, but it really is much easier to go and find someone to show you what they have available and meet your needs, rather than hunting through pages of what looks like a foreign language.  Have a list of your wants, must-haves, and go from there. Ask your friends, or KPHS, for realtor recommendations. Many of our members live out in town, or have lived out in town. As for fining the agents, just walk out either of the gates, you can't miss them! Look at the houses they have posted and see if any interest you.

What do you want? This is where it gets tricky.  What you consider “normal” in an American home, is often completely unheard of here.  Master baths?  Probably not going to happen.  Dishwashers, few and far between. Large rooms and living spaces, maybe.  To be honest, the houses you look at may not even have ovens.  But there’s always the exception and it seems most agents and landlords are willing to work with you.  Don’t be afraid to ask, as it could be negotiated into the lease.  Houses here do tend to be much smaller by American standards, but layout and hidden storage can make all the difference. Just remember, this will be your home for the next few years.

In the past few years there has been an increase in Western-style homes.  These tend to have better equipped kitchens and hardwood floors.  In the more traditional homes, the Japanese don’t sleep in beds, but on futons on the tatami floor. These are bed rolls that are folded up during the day and stored—not American futons that you’re used to seeing. Thus closets are also very different.  Some older houses have been “westernized” and have had the tatami replaced with hardwood or even carpet, but the odd-sized closets are still there.  This is something you’ll want to pay attention to.  Some houses may have one or two tatami rooms, others may be entirely tatami.  These need to be treated carefully as you’ll be responsible for any damage.  Many just put carpets over them.  Also be aware if you have serious grass allergies, as this could be a problem. When talking to the agents, they’ll talk to you about room size in number “tatami mats,” even if there is no tatami.

Japanese futons on tatami floors

Location, location, location.  How do you even know where you want to live when you have no idea where anything is? Where are the good areas?  Where are the bad?  Even if you don’t plan on using the trains, keep public transit in mind.  You may have friends who want to visit, but no extra parking. Your house may only have one parking space, making you a one-car family, or that parking space may be very small. Using the trains here is so easy and convenient, you probably want to be close to a train station or at least bus stop. How far is the walk to your nearest station?  Is it straight uphill?  Downhill? (There is very little flat land here.) What kind of shops do you have nearby?  Restaurants?  Will bicycling be a mode of transportation?  How will that ride be?  Again, ask around.  There are some heavily American communities close to base.  Further away, you may find yourself the only gaijin in the area.

After questioning KPHS members here are some things they suggested you keep in mind:

• Is the house close to public transit?  Just don't take the word of the agent or what is listed, actually walk to the perspective house from the nearest train station.
• What shops do you have near-by? Check them out, buy some goods. 
• How long is your commute to/from base? A ten minute drive at one hour, can be much longer during commute times.
• Don't jump at the first house you see.  This can be very tempting when you want to get out of that lodge and start really getting settled.  Go back and look again. Take time to make sure it's really what you want.
• Make sure you understand your agent and they understand you.
• How old is the house? Does it have adequate cooling and heating? Do you smell any mold? Feel any drafts around closed windows?
• Any allergies that may affect your comfort? If you have grass allergies, living with tatami or up against a bamboo forest may have its issues.
• Is there space for you to set up your homeschool? Where would you school?
• If you see other Y-plates, go talk to your potential neighbors about their experiences.
• Drop pins in Google Maps so you know where you were.

Part 2 will follow with more specifics on housing features and appliances.

National Mythology Exam

There are several students in KPHS with a love and passion for mythology.  ETC, Excellence through Classics, offers the National Mythology Exam each year and our students were excited to take the test in March. This week we presented our seven participants with their certificates and medals.  We had two silver and one gold amongst the kids!

 The test is available for students in grades 3-12, and it’s the same test for all students.  How much they are required to take, depends on their grade.  Everyone takes the first 30 questions of the test dealing with general Greek and Roman mythology.  The next 10 questions pertain to the theme for the year.  Each year a new theme is assigned and for 2014, it was Transformations. This section must be done by students in 5th grade and up.

The third section of the test deals with the great epics: Odyssey, Iliad, and Aeneid. Again, only one book from each epic is assigned for the year so it’s not overwhelming. Each of these is also 10 questions each, and one is required for grades 6th and up.

Finally, there are several additional tests of ten questions each that pertain to different mythologies: Norse, African, and Native American.  One of these tests may be substituted for the epics for grades 6 and up..

Beyond your assigned tests, anyone can do as many additional tests as they wish.  The only restriction being once the test is started it is graded.  In order to be awarded a medal, one must score above 90%. Except at the 10^th-12^th grades, only gold medals are awarded.  Gold medals are only awarded for perfect scores. 

Next year we hope to have more participants and involvement with the DoDEA schools.  (We had one student from Sullivans participate and she medaled, missing a gold by one question, on a sub-test she didn't even need to do!)  Stay tuned in the fall for the syllabus and registration information for the 2015 National Mythology Exam.  We are also looking to start a Classics Club to help us prepare and share our love and knowledge of things Greek and Roman.

Summer Reading

It's that time of year again! The school year is winding down and summer is fast approaching. Have you picked out your summer reading yet? Are you aware of the programs that are out there that reward your child for the books they read this summer? This week I learned of some great programs and tools to help encourage reading.

You can sign up now and start logging your minutes for the Scholastic Summer Reading program: Reading Under the Stars. They are looking to beat last year's reading record of 176,438,473 minutes! This reading challenge runs May 5 --- September 5, 2014. Scholastic also has age appropriate reading lists to help inspire your child to read something new.

It looks like the MWR Library page is up and running to begin registration for their summer program too. It officially kicks off June 15^th and runs through August 15^th. Even if you are not here this summer, you can still log your books/minutes and pick up your prizes when you return.

I know everyone knows about movie trailers and how excited we get when new movies are being released. Did you know there are book trailers too? These are too cool! The YMS digital resource site has several links to trailers, but you can also search for them online. In Google, put the title of your book in quotes, then follow it with official book trailer. Pinterest and Youtube are also fantastic places to search book titles. Who knew? If your kids have a creative bug, they can even make their own book trailer. YMS has lesson plans for this too. What a fun alternative to the traditional book report.

With all the e-readers out there today, the MWR library offers e-book rentals from Overdrive, for free. There's an app for that! You can download e-books, videos, and audio books to your computer, i-device, tablet, Kindle, or Nook. You will need to go to the library to get an account created for you. Fill out a digital request at the checkout counter, and you will be contacted via e-mail with your log-on information. (It will be a different site from the above Overdrive site.) I heard back the next day and downloaded my first book that afternoon. The MWR library really is an amazing resource and has so much more than meets the eye. Be sure to stop by to learn about all the tools they have, most offered for free!

Finally, maybe you'll be on a trip this summer or lounging by the pool, not wanting a book. Audio books are a great solution. Listen to your favorite book in the car, on a plane, or in a train. I love audio books for those longer, more difficult reads. It's such a wonderful way to introduce your child to the classics, especially with a narrator they might already know. There are multiple sources for audio books including Overdrive and iTunes. My favorite site is Audible. You can purchase individual titles or purchase a subscription that gives you a new audio each month and a discount on other books.

Here are some other Summer Reading Programs. If you're out traveling, check out the local libraries too, as they might offer something. I know our hometown library does a challenge for In-N-Out Burgers! (That one is always a hit with my kids.) Being overseas, and not having some of these options available, get creative and offer your own challenges. On a homeschool message board, I came across a thread where parents were mentioning their ideas. A penny a page, with a goal towards 2000 pages. Read yourself a Lego set: break up a Lego set and offer awards based on pages, minutes, or books. Someone even randomly taped money to the ends of certain books!
Barnes and Noble

Pizza Hut

Applebee's

Book Adventure

Check out Pinterest for even more incredible Summer Reading ideas!

 

Literature Adventure

The KPHS Yokosuka Literature Adventure will be concluding another year shortly. Our reading list this year has been quite varied, and the kids have really enjoyed it. We met with dragons in Dealing with Dragons, the first of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. We discussed if we'd want to live forever, and at what age, after reading Tuck Everlasting. We discussed the classics and mythology with the Aeneid, only to find that the kids much prefer Homer over Virgil. After the New Year, we read a book that really pertains to us as Americans living overseas, Homesick, by Jean Fritz, the fictionalized story of the author's life in China and her move to the US in the 1920s. As a companion work, the parents were encouraged to read Third Culture Kids by David Pollock and Ruth E Van Reken.

This has been a very eye-opening book and thoughtful read. I had so many ah-ha moments while reading it. For this lesson, we put out a small, informal survey to get an idea of how our group compares with others, particularly those at home in the US. We didn't get as many entries as we would have liked, but the information made the kids think. Some of them realized that growing up overseas makes them different, others didn't see the big deal. Pollock and Van Reken define a Third Culture Kid as someone who "spend(s) a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture." I think the biggest impact will occur when these kids move back to the US. I have always found that the reverse culture shock, is so much more difficult to deal with than the initial move. As Ms. Van Reken states in the book:

". . .disappointment was greater because they had always presumed if they could make it 'home,' they would no longer feel so different from others. . . . Friends, relatives, and classmates are shocked at the TCK's ignorance at the most common practices necessary for everyday living. If they were true immigrants, no one would expect them to know all of these things." Pages 227-228

Being in the military world, moving often is common place and moves overseas always a possibility. Summer is approaching and that means PCS season.  Van Reken's comment about being sure to unpack and "plant trees" upon arriving really resonated with me. One can't relax or enjoy life, if you're always looking for that next move. Yes, it can sometimes come faster than expected, but it may not happen for some time either. When I think it about it, we planted our first garden only three years ago. Prior to that, there had always been the thought of why bother, we're just going to move. So yes, she really says to plant trees! Plant something and watch it grow while you're here. Take advantage of all that your host culture has to offer. and perhaps someday you'll be able to return to see the fruits of that tree.  

Do you have any suggestions or advice for a move overseas?  Something you did to help make the transition easier?  What about the "re-entry," how did you deal with those stresses? We'd love to see your comments.

Our Survey Results:

Earthquake Preparedness

It’s been over three years since Japan was hit with the Tohoko earthquake, the “big one.” Last week, Tokyo experienced one of the largest quakes since then and we had another shaker this morning  I’m sure for many who are new to Yokosuka, and have never felt a quake before, it can be quite a scary experience. I know it got my heart racing!  Do you know what to do during an earthquake? Are you prepared to ride one out?

Down in Yokosuka, not far from City Hall, is the area Emergency Preparedness Center. This is a great little facility to check out and learn about disaster preparedness here. Yes, it is all in Japanese, but the pictures are pretty obvious and the staff very helpful.  If you can go with a Japanese speaker, even better.  KPHS took a field trip here last year that was a fantastic experience. 

The facility’s main attraction is the earthquake simulator.  Here you can ride out a 6.5 earthquake and really get a feel for the power of Mother Nature.  Although only a few of the kids were here in 2011 to feel the big one, they all enjoyed the safe experience.  For another few, this was their first time feeling the sensation.

Earthquakes here are frequent.  Some are small, some have been pretty good, such as that last week.  The buildings here are built to sustain large quakes, and that is a comfort to know.  (Down at the Edo Museum in Tokyo, you can see just how they’re built.) It is always a good idea to know your surroundings.  To have flashlights at the ready; be prepared. Check out Ready.gov for earthquake preparation and what to do.  To get information about an earthquake, visit the Japanese Meteorological Agency. This is the picture from today's quake. It was a 4.9 in Chiba.