How weird, I already typed up a post for this topic, but it is lost somewhere in cyberspace. Seems to happen quite a bit anymore. I know HSB is trying to come to terms with their surge in membership, and I really hope they are able to get all the bugs worked out. I don't blog on here often enough, or use all the cute doo-dads that some of the more talented bloggers use, so I'll probably stick it out here.
But anyway, here is the reason we decided to homeschool. Well, actually, there really wasn't any one particular reason. The biggest reason was that I truly hated sending my kids to school, I missed them terribly. So many of my friends and family can't wait for summers to be over so they can be "rid" of their kids, but I never wanted Fall to come because then I'd be losing mine to the school system that really didn't care about them. The best part of their days were spent with teachers and other kids and I got their worst times. When they finally got home in the evenings, they were tired, cranky, frustrated that they had to do homework, and still try to find time to eat, bathe, and just hang out.
I thought about homeschooling for a good two years before finally doing it. The proverbial straw that broke the camels back was the teacher my oldest son had for 4th grade. She was literally a monster, and should have retired many years before - actually, she should have never been a teacher to begin with. Plus my other son was in Kindergarten, and couldn't concentrate to do his work during class time because of distractions from the other students, so instead of being allowed to burn his pent up energy, he would be kept in during recess to do the work he didn't get finished. And then since there was other kids playing nearby, he didn't get the work done then either and still didn't get to play. He was bringing home hours worth of homework/make-up work every night. I finally decided that if I was going to be doing his work with him everyday anyway, why am I bothering to send him off to school.
We are very electic in our style of education, and we don't use any textbooks at all. We have an extensive library right in our own house and make great use of our local library (which has been rated number 1 in the country for our population size). We use wonderful math curriculums with each of the children, and are teaching the littlest ones how to read with "...100 Easy Lessons," but other than that, we get our education from books and hands on projects. I'll do another entry listing all the books we use throughout our day, it is staggering when I get them all out each morning, but it is amazing watching them learn. Plus, I'm learning some new things right along with them, and that is wonderful too.
I know we are considered the whacko's in our group of friends and families, but this is probably the only time in my entire life that I don't care if others think of me negatively. I know that what we are doing is the right thing for my children and for me too. I do regret that I hadn't done it sooner, but I am also thankful for the miserable years they spent in the public school system. It just helps to remind me that a frustrating day of homeschooling is better than sending them back to public school anyday. Being able to homeschool is something I consider to be one of my biggest blessings. |
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Sunday, March 4, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Nikki