Blue Belt!!

(tiny break while Legoboy finishes writing the next post)


So proud of Legoboy!

While he didn't ENTIRELY pass his belt test, they did still give him the blue belt with a white tape on the end; he re-did the last few requirements the following week and had the tape removed; he handled it rather maturely, while obviously visible disappointed in himself that he didn't get a "full" blue belt at the test day itself. He knew he'd not practiced well enough - and the requirements to perfection get stiffer as belt rank increases. It was a very good lesson!

The difference between full belt and tape? He can't learn the new stuff for the NEXT belt until he gets the tape off. He's there now (full belt!) and so relieved. The instructor even went out of his way to pick him up and take him to class (and return him) on a day that Legoboy was available to attend but I was not available to transport him. (please note: the instructor is one of our neighbors, so this isn't as strange as it sounds)

The belt test itself:

Beforehand - still a purple belt

got the new belt - but covered it up ;) 

turning to bow to the audience of parents

a close-up cuz he just so handsome!!

all that color!

the gentleman who tested him

the instructor - the "master"
(interesting placement of weapons in the back there....)

the master who likes to have fun ;)
(not knowing the weapons already did it, hahaha!)

Leading a portion of a class during the week afterward; and helping with a transfer student who is also a blue belt (not all schools have precisely the same requirements for each colored belt - black belts are all the same though; so Legoboy was asked to transition the boy into the requirements at this school).

helping the new blue belt (transferring in)

leading the kicking portion of basics

note that the other current-student blue belt is quite a bit older ;) 

So what's the deal with the uniforms you ask?

The white uniform is the usual uniform for all tae-kwon-do students at this school. The black uniform is used for those people on STORM Team (Special Team Of Role Models) - for those who are at least green belt (about a year in, if testing is done as quickly as possible) and under age 18. It is a team that has higher standards even than TKD; requirements about participating in demonstrations, attending tournaments each year, maintaining higher grades than the usual TKD kids, and other such requirements. At THIS school, if you are under age 18, you can only learn a weapon BEFORE black belt, IF you are on STORM team. Legoboy was the first one to join the team under age 12, and with more children around his age just coming on to the team, they set up a "Junior" STORM team, with similar but not as stringent requirements. They wear blue t-shirts under their uniform; regular STORM team wears red t-shirts.
(Legoboy's expectations are closer to that of the regular STORM team, since he was on the team for 6 months before the other children came up as the ONLY Junior STORM team member -- just how the enrollments worked for those couple of years).

Black belts (when not on STORM team) usually have the white uniform but it has black trim on it; black or white pants.

Any t-shirt is allowed underneath (including no t-shirt), but I don't like exposed chests, so the household rule is to keep it covered in public and white goes along nicely with the white uniform.


Short answer - haha! ;)

A Day in Elementary

Tuesday: Wood-cutting day.

I run a home-business, a portion of which includes 2D wood figures among other items. My son is the mail-boy, picker-upper, and general handy-man for the business. We go to a family friend's house for the cutting of the wood; his big part there is just taking the cut pieces (in separate bags) back out to the car and keeping things separated.

The plan for the rather unschooly-school-day:

enjoy breakfast together
morning prayers
morning chores
gather school work and games

drive to the other house: listen to "Can You Hear It?" along the half-hour drive (he's re-living the joy of first using this book in primary, having re-discovered the book/CD after about 2 years of not having it around)

When we first arrive, no-one will be home; so he will do some studying while I am tracing wood; we will have conversations during this time. He will then work independently in the living room while I am with the saw. At what work? Whatever he has chosen from his weekly contract, as well as his independent research studies. This week, it is likely he will take some of the science books we have, a magnifying glass, and a drawing pad, to see what kind of crystals he can find in various locations. They also have a piano, and until he gets his late Christmas gift from Grandma (shhh - don't tell him it's a keyboard so I can start giving him piano lessons), he will likely spend some time teaching himself (one of the children in that family uses the same books we'll be using; and he's been teaching himself for the last few weeks, but only practicing once a week...).

The family who lives in the house will return for lunch and the children, including my son, will go outside to work in the garden they are setting up (we have a space there this year too!). My son has responsibility for choosing the remaining "crops" to be planted (I've made my choices; and we've chosen our mutual agreements - now he has his space to fill).

They'll then play games (more in another post! these are part of my son's schooling as well) together for the rest of the afternoon; and I'll probably have them clean out the inside of my car (since the three of them are the culprits!) ;)

 We leave after supper and go to tae-kwon-do practice in the evening. We love tae-kwon-do - it's all about self-control, self-defense, mixed ages, earning rank based on effort and merit not on "privilege", NO criticism of anyone, always being helpful and considerate of others.


So this is actually a typical Tuesday - our busiest day of the week. Lots of planning; coordinating what is going to happen when; following that weekly contract, but also being able to live a real life. Both the school and life get done not in spite of one another, but by supporting one another! 

This is the sort of day that exemplifies why I chose this approach to life and school - Montessori methodology provides the framework, the initial point of departure, and life takes care of the rest. There is nothing artificial here - only joy and peace.