Description
Musings of a relaxed, identity-directed homeschooling mum in New Zealand.
My Links
*
*
*
|
A New Year - and a Major Change
Well, Christmas is over for another year and New Year has come and gone. We have a summer break at the moment and will probably begin homeschooling once more beginning of Feb.
So its time to turn my heart and thoughts to a new year of academics. These are some thoughts I have at the moment of my intentions.
Keep to the basics - ensure the foundations or reading, writing and maths are good and strong.
Study skills - put the emphasis on How to learn, rather than What to learn.
Common everyday skills such as form filling, typing.
Spiritual - might look at the major doctrines of the bible.
Relationships first, having fun together.
Thats about the extent of my planning so far. No doubt I will become more organised over the next few weeks.
And our MAJOR CHANGE for the year - for the first time since beginning homeschooling our numbers are going down!!
Son number one is off to "UCOL" (stands for Universal College of Learning), which is our local tertiary institution. He has wanted to do building for the past few years and he is doing a year long 'pre-apprenticeship' course.
It looks really good. He has the sort of personality to really 'go for it' if it means something to him. It has been hard motivating him at home academically, like pushing a bus uphill, unless he feels it is of some benefit. Yet if he is interested in something he just goes for it - such as his wargame hobby and lately his fly-fishing. So he will do well I think. The course is Mon-Thurs 8-4.30, half day in class and half day in workshop. Two weeks of this and two weeks on a building site, alternating. A real hands on course which will suit him well. We have met some of the tutors and they are incredibly supportive, and have plans in place to make sure everyone is supported and they provide extra academic tutoring if necessary. He plans to work Fridays and Saturday in his current job. When the course is finished he will have about 75% of the theory towards a building apprenticeship. And even if he doesn't do an apprenticeship the skills he learns will be invaluable in life anyway.
It has been so good to see him 'own his education', to save up to pay for it and have the determination to not get a student loan.
So he is excited, we are excited for him. A little nervous about how he will cope having never been part of an 'institution' before, a little relieved that I won't have to plan academically for him, and a little sad that this stage is upon us so quick - he is just 16. And most of all there is an overwhelming sense of grace, that in God's strength, somehow, we didn't give up homeschooling, but were kept on the path we started. |
Posted: 6:03 PM, Jan. 13, 2009 |
|
Untitled Comment
I got goosebumps reading this. My oldest is 13 and I feel like we need to begin planning what he'll be doing at the high school level. And I'm a little sad that he's already gotten this far! The program your 16 year old son is beginning sounds great - I hope it goes well for him. It sounds like he's ready - thanks, I'm certain, to how he's been raised!
Enjoy your summer break. I live in the Northwest of the U.S. and it's cold and rainy. Would love some warm weather about now.
Kate |
Posted by callmekate at 9:38 PM, Jan. 13, 2009 |
Link |
|
|
|