Over a year later, we are back on the homeschooling track, be the course as it is.
This is what we have learned:
Online schooling is great, and does have all the advantages I expounded on previously. It did not work as well for our family though, and not what we would choose to do again.
Public schooling is not what it was 30 years ago when we were in school. It is not as safe, educational, or enriching. One of the saddest, yet most telling statements that we have said over the past month is "We don't send our kids to school to learn." It wasn't said in a lamenting fashion, but more matter of fact while we sat in cramped principal's office discussing how Snickers had been tormented by other boys on the playground and on the bus, and how we could make a safer environment for him. The bottom line, the school couldn't.
The school also couldn't make a safer environment for Starlet, who came home scared and with black eyes.
The school also couldn't alleviate the stress that consumed Sunshine as she raced through the halls to make her sure her siblings were safe, being late to class in order to walk them to theirs. She skipped her own lunch and recess to make sure that Snickers and Starlet were able to eat theirs safely.
So now where are we?
Now we are edging closer to enabling what should have probably always been.
We are going to make sure our children learn and grow at the pace that is appropriate for them.
They are going to get to explore and be enriched.
They are going to be safe and secure.
Are we going to use a designated curricula like the big all in one bundles you can buy?
Probably not. But we do have a plan for the information to be presented over the course of the year, and how we are going to do it. A plan, like a map. A treasure map....and education is the greatest treasure....hmmmm maybe we could be pirate theme this year. Yes I am exactly that cliché and geeky.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Online school sound bite
There are many different types of homeschooling - including unschooling, which we will get to later. We have chosen online schooling, and some may be wondering what is it and why more than what I have elaborated on in the past.
What is online schooling?
Online schooling is when a student attends a school in a virtual classroom instead of a traditional school setting for the educational careers.
Why online schooling?
Well, that is a great question. Online schooling can be many things, and it is important to find a program that works within your goals and beliefs. There are both public and private school options. Songbird attended one the past two years that was more of a self study program. This year we have switched schools to one that is very hands on and quite literally like a "brick and mortar" school in our home.
*Both programs were fully accredited and received both state and federal funding. They provided all supplies at no cost, including, with income qualifications, a computer system. There is actually more interaction between the parent and teacher in our current program, through regular emails and bi-weekly phone calls, than the typical interaction we had with our children's teachers while they were in traditional settings.
*Many of the online programs are national, so children can move even across states and not be behind.
*Students can work at their own pace. If they are having problems and need a break, or to spend a little more time on certain material, they are able to do so without causing embarrassment or holding back the rest of the class. (Remember all the boos and under the breath hisses, along with hot- cheeked-red-in-the-face feelings when you had to raise your hand and ask a question everyone else seemed to know the answer to? Yeah, none of that in online school). The same is true if they really grasp a subject and want to work ahead. Teachers are able to adjust the curricula to the student and their level.
*If you have a child that is...challenging, online school provides a homeschooling option that takes the focus off the parent being the "bad guy." You aren't asking too many questions, not being fair, or grading to heavy. The teacher through the online school is. The school has the requirements that need to be met, not you. Many students will do work they otherwise balk at because of this exterior factor.
*Security. I loved public schools, and many people still feel that a home based education may not allow students to receive all the education that they need to be "out in the real world." Online schools follow the same curricula used in the public school classroom, thusly allowing people to feel secure in their choice.
*Socialization - there are clubs that are both local and national. Field trips happen every few weeks, and there are also message boards within the school setting for both parents and students.
Socialization is a big elephant out there with the fight between homeschooling and not homeschooling. Our children need to be socialized. I used to hands down agree, but in the past few years have changed my answer from "absolutely" to "why?" Not really why as in why at all, but more of a why as in why the public school setting verses other options.
Children learn from their peers as well as their parents. In our house we have declared all out war against the behavior popularized by many Disney and Nickelodeon shows aimed at girls ages 6 and up. When other girls do it at school though, it is hard not to follow suite. Snarky cruelty and mean girls seem to have become more of the standard of acceptability, not an exception. In urban schools there is more sex, drugs, and violence than ever. I know from experience - I have been there as a teacher, and every day I sat in my car and cried for the children that we were loosing. Even in the small, isolated, and "safe" community that my family lives in now children learn bad things from school and bring them home. They may not come home singing the latest Eminem song, but they do come home with prejudice, bigotry and a surprising herd like mentality. I would rather they sing Eminem personally.
What is online schooling?
Online schooling is when a student attends a school in a virtual classroom instead of a traditional school setting for the educational careers.
Why online schooling?
Well, that is a great question. Online schooling can be many things, and it is important to find a program that works within your goals and beliefs. There are both public and private school options. Songbird attended one the past two years that was more of a self study program. This year we have switched schools to one that is very hands on and quite literally like a "brick and mortar" school in our home.
*Both programs were fully accredited and received both state and federal funding. They provided all supplies at no cost, including, with income qualifications, a computer system. There is actually more interaction between the parent and teacher in our current program, through regular emails and bi-weekly phone calls, than the typical interaction we had with our children's teachers while they were in traditional settings.
*Many of the online programs are national, so children can move even across states and not be behind.
*Students can work at their own pace. If they are having problems and need a break, or to spend a little more time on certain material, they are able to do so without causing embarrassment or holding back the rest of the class. (Remember all the boos and under the breath hisses, along with hot- cheeked-red-in-the-face feelings when you had to raise your hand and ask a question everyone else seemed to know the answer to? Yeah, none of that in online school). The same is true if they really grasp a subject and want to work ahead. Teachers are able to adjust the curricula to the student and their level.
*If you have a child that is...challenging, online school provides a homeschooling option that takes the focus off the parent being the "bad guy." You aren't asking too many questions, not being fair, or grading to heavy. The teacher through the online school is. The school has the requirements that need to be met, not you. Many students will do work they otherwise balk at because of this exterior factor.
*Security. I loved public schools, and many people still feel that a home based education may not allow students to receive all the education that they need to be "out in the real world." Online schools follow the same curricula used in the public school classroom, thusly allowing people to feel secure in their choice.
*Socialization - there are clubs that are both local and national. Field trips happen every few weeks, and there are also message boards within the school setting for both parents and students.
Socialization is a big elephant out there with the fight between homeschooling and not homeschooling. Our children need to be socialized. I used to hands down agree, but in the past few years have changed my answer from "absolutely" to "why?" Not really why as in why at all, but more of a why as in why the public school setting verses other options.
Children learn from their peers as well as their parents. In our house we have declared all out war against the behavior popularized by many Disney and Nickelodeon shows aimed at girls ages 6 and up. When other girls do it at school though, it is hard not to follow suite. Snarky cruelty and mean girls seem to have become more of the standard of acceptability, not an exception. In urban schools there is more sex, drugs, and violence than ever. I know from experience - I have been there as a teacher, and every day I sat in my car and cried for the children that we were loosing. Even in the small, isolated, and "safe" community that my family lives in now children learn bad things from school and bring them home. They may not come home singing the latest Eminem song, but they do come home with prejudice, bigotry and a surprising herd like mentality. I would rather they sing Eminem personally.
"These ideas are nightmares to white parents
Whose worst fear is a child with dyed hair and who likes earrings
Like whatever they say has no bearing, it's so scary in a house that allows
no swearing
To see him walking around with his headphones blaring"
Whose worst fear is a child with dyed hair and who likes earrings
Like whatever they say has no bearing, it's so scary in a house that allows
no swearing
To see him walking around with his headphones blaring"
- Eminem "Sing for the Moment"
4 little pumpkins
Just so we are clear, it is highly unlikely I will ever post anything Pinterest worthy on this page. As in we discover that eating copious amounts of therapeutic brownies is good for you likely. Once upon a time I was creative and did neat little things that were original and unique. Then I had five kids, a semi permanent case of Mommy - brain, and a supportive role in my husband's business. So my relationship with Pinterest became a love/hate with mostly hate deal. I love the ideas and pictures but hate how it makes me feel like my status as a mom is somewhat lower than slacker and that everyone is "perfect" but me.
This weekend we went on our annual "Pumpkin Walk" trip. The "Pumpkin Walk" is where local groups such as schools and businesses design scenes with painted pumpkins around a designated theme. We go every year - last year we went three times - and always enjoy it.
Afterwards we purchased our pumpkins, along with donuts and cider... from the grocery store. We have also done this abominable thing every year here since moving here, because there are no farms within a reasonable drive. I should probably add that just because there is no farm involved does not mean I am going to miss out on pumpkin picking pictures; so the children are forced to pose in the display at the front of the store with their pumpkins. Yes, actually in the display. During store hours where people might see. Surprisingly I get little resistance when they are forced to do this. I figure either they think that the lack of resistance will get the torture completed faster, or that they are using the time to develop an intricate and diabolical plot involving trigger switches, pumpkin avalanches, and my person. It is probably the later. I may have another year, tops, before this is no longer an option.
A miracle happened - we carved our pumpkins on the same day we purchased them. Before November. For the first time since 2005. Shhh....no one can tell when you mix the picture order up a bit. Don't spill the seeds!
Though Songbird and Sunshine put in a valiant effort, in between squeals and shudders of disgust, I ended up scrapping all of the pumpkins out. This is why our pumpkin purchases of up to 8 pumpkins in the past has dropped sharply down to 5 this year. It's hard to remain festive or keep the peace in the household when you spend an hour with pumpkin guts up to your elbows. Thank goodness for LED lights, because recent cold snaps at night made the pumpkins somewhat fragile and a good scrapping might have done them in entirely. Smash had no interest in any of the process and entertained himself by trying to consume the remaining fruit in our yard. This did not entertain me, and with scrapping and gross parts done, Songbird took over. She has proved to have a knack with it and next year she may end up with the much coveted pumpkin carving dremmel. Especially if I can catch a clearance sale.
"This is Halloween! This is Halloween! Pumpkins scream in the dead of night! "
-Nightmare Before Christmas
This weekend we went on our annual "Pumpkin Walk" trip. The "Pumpkin Walk" is where local groups such as schools and businesses design scenes with painted pumpkins around a designated theme. We go every year - last year we went three times - and always enjoy it.
Afterwards we purchased our pumpkins, along with donuts and cider... from the grocery store. We have also done this abominable thing every year here since moving here, because there are no farms within a reasonable drive. I should probably add that just because there is no farm involved does not mean I am going to miss out on pumpkin picking pictures; so the children are forced to pose in the display at the front of the store with their pumpkins. Yes, actually in the display. During store hours where people might see. Surprisingly I get little resistance when they are forced to do this. I figure either they think that the lack of resistance will get the torture completed faster, or that they are using the time to develop an intricate and diabolical plot involving trigger switches, pumpkin avalanches, and my person. It is probably the later. I may have another year, tops, before this is no longer an option.
A miracle happened - we carved our pumpkins on the same day we purchased them. Before November. For the first time since 2005. Shhh....no one can tell when you mix the picture order up a bit. Don't spill the seeds!
Though Songbird and Sunshine put in a valiant effort, in between squeals and shudders of disgust, I ended up scrapping all of the pumpkins out. This is why our pumpkin purchases of up to 8 pumpkins in the past has dropped sharply down to 5 this year. It's hard to remain festive or keep the peace in the household when you spend an hour with pumpkin guts up to your elbows. Thank goodness for LED lights, because recent cold snaps at night made the pumpkins somewhat fragile and a good scrapping might have done them in entirely. Smash had no interest in any of the process and entertained himself by trying to consume the remaining fruit in our yard. This did not entertain me, and with scrapping and gross parts done, Songbird took over. She has proved to have a knack with it and next year she may end up with the much coveted pumpkin carving dremmel. Especially if I can catch a clearance sale.
"This is Halloween! This is Halloween! Pumpkins scream in the dead of night! "
-Nightmare Before Christmas
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Wednesday Wor - Wait it's Thursday
All day today I thought for no logical reason that it was Wednesday. I did do our Wednesday things yesterday even, which means going to the library and the grocery store. It probably had something to do with that I spent a total of FIVE hours yesterday doing online orientation things for the new online school that the girls are attending. Five hours. Not because I am not tech savvy - it just takes that long. The orientation had informative videos and review sessions so that I could answer questions at the end of each segment proving that I comprehended what they presented and in turn was capable of processing and utilizing the information. To be fair, I actually did learn a lot and understand this system far better than the previous online school that Songbird attended. I am excited about it, and pleased that it engages the students in a far more comprehensive manner. That being said, at no point do I want to ever have to sit through a five hour orientation again.
As a group we made Halloween collages on construction paper with old magazine pictures. We did this in a similar manner last year as well. We always enjoy looking at the pictures, though this year there was some contention on technique.
Starlet decided that it was best to cover the entire paper with glue before the applying pictures so that it was prepared. And then laid across her paper so that she could reach the pictures in the middle of the table.
Snickers decided that though collages traditionally involve covering the "base" paper in pictures, ideally layers of pictures, that since we were using a black paper as a base, that his pictures had to be individually centered with vast amounts of space around them. "They are floating in outer space like aliens. If you want, we can draw stars," was his reaction when I tried to explain that we should add more pictures, and that the goal ultimately was to cover the black space.
Smash was delighted by the crinkling noise of the magazine pages, as well the shrieks of his siblings when they realized that he was crumpling the next picture they planned on using. Other than that he couldn't see what all the fuss was about. The paper really didn't taste all that great, and glue from the glue sticks, despite the fun color, was undesirably sticky on his fingers.
Sunshine and Songbird have been down this road many many times before, so without much direction they selected a theme they wanted their pictures centered around and set to work cutting and gluing. It may not have been their favorite choice, but apparently was better than chores or technical schoolwork.
Songbird loves to cook and bake, and has a real knack with it. She did her first attempt at making Zucchini bread today - and was a stellar success.
Sunshine was able to start her first full official day with the online school today. She completed a few lessons last night, and therefore knew what to anticipate. She was so excited to get started this morning that after coming in the bedroom for a good morning giggle fest she announced that she was going to go get started on her work, even before breakfast. Ultimately she completed both science and social studies lessons before she convinced that she needed to fuel that brain power.
Starlet and Snickers practiced cutting and pasting from their work book pages (which is what led us to creating the collages). Starlet was surprisingly good at cutting, which is likely because she has had so much practice... on hair - Barbie's, hers, and her big sisters. Starlet also worked on a book she wrote about herself - in her self portrait she even added fingers and toes, including in the correct amounts - verifying on herself first. She can write words if you spell them for her or help her sound them out, and if she isn't sure what letter, she verifies it by using it phonetically with a different word. I am all sorts of impressed with her development, and hope that she waits at least another year or two before she decides that as she has always suspected, she truly is smarter than me.
Snickers decided he was not up for school today, but did start off the day making his own peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast. He also insisted that I take a video of his step by step how to process, including eating the first bite. I know for a fact this child is not familiar with the wonders of You Tube, and am slightly worried about when he becomes so.
Though avid sports fans, and even willing sports participants, we don't always get the physical activity that should each day. I try to help increase this by making sure we have plenty of the Wii games available that make us move. We tried Zumba for the first time today - whew! It definately makes you sweat.
Today - which is Thursday
As a group we made Halloween collages on construction paper with old magazine pictures. We did this in a similar manner last year as well. We always enjoy looking at the pictures, though this year there was some contention on technique.
Starlet decided that it was best to cover the entire paper with glue before the applying pictures so that it was prepared. And then laid across her paper so that she could reach the pictures in the middle of the table.
Snickers decided that though collages traditionally involve covering the "base" paper in pictures, ideally layers of pictures, that since we were using a black paper as a base, that his pictures had to be individually centered with vast amounts of space around them. "They are floating in outer space like aliens. If you want, we can draw stars," was his reaction when I tried to explain that we should add more pictures, and that the goal ultimately was to cover the black space.
Smash was delighted by the crinkling noise of the magazine pages, as well the shrieks of his siblings when they realized that he was crumpling the next picture they planned on using. Other than that he couldn't see what all the fuss was about. The paper really didn't taste all that great, and glue from the glue sticks, despite the fun color, was undesirably sticky on his fingers.
Sunshine and Songbird have been down this road many many times before, so without much direction they selected a theme they wanted their pictures centered around and set to work cutting and gluing. It may not have been their favorite choice, but apparently was better than chores or technical schoolwork.
Songbird loves to cook and bake, and has a real knack with it. She did her first attempt at making Zucchini bread today - and was a stellar success.
Sunshine was able to start her first full official day with the online school today. She completed a few lessons last night, and therefore knew what to anticipate. She was so excited to get started this morning that after coming in the bedroom for a good morning giggle fest she announced that she was going to go get started on her work, even before breakfast. Ultimately she completed both science and social studies lessons before she convinced that she needed to fuel that brain power.
Starlet and Snickers practiced cutting and pasting from their work book pages (which is what led us to creating the collages). Starlet was surprisingly good at cutting, which is likely because she has had so much practice... on hair - Barbie's, hers, and her big sisters. Starlet also worked on a book she wrote about herself - in her self portrait she even added fingers and toes, including in the correct amounts - verifying on herself first. She can write words if you spell them for her or help her sound them out, and if she isn't sure what letter, she verifies it by using it phonetically with a different word. I am all sorts of impressed with her development, and hope that she waits at least another year or two before she decides that as she has always suspected, she truly is smarter than me.
Snickers decided he was not up for school today, but did start off the day making his own peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast. He also insisted that I take a video of his step by step how to process, including eating the first bite. I know for a fact this child is not familiar with the wonders of You Tube, and am slightly worried about when he becomes so.
Though avid sports fans, and even willing sports participants, we don't always get the physical activity that should each day. I try to help increase this by making sure we have plenty of the Wii games available that make us move. We tried Zumba for the first time today - whew! It definately makes you sweat.
And in the words of Ice Cube - "Today was a good day."
Why the Blog?
As a disclaimer I should announce that I am not tech savvy. I sometimes can plug in my laptop and figure out how to turn it on without asking for help from four year old Snickers. That being said, this summer I envisioned a marvelous thing. In my mind I saw a giant blogplex - if there is such a thing. A blog with blogs inside of it/attached to it. I wanted a blog that would chronicle what we did each day as a homeschooling family, that the kids could take turns being historians on - so that we could look back and see all the memories, have a record of progress, and ensure that we did more than sit in our jammies and color pictures of leaves and pumpkins each day. Attached to it I wanted to have my personal blog about being a homeschooling mommy, as well as Songbird's blog about being a teen with depression issues, living in a conservative small town community, being bullied, and being a birds of the same feather type bird. Her blog is to help her have an outlet for all of the emotions that get squish squashed deep inside, a place to express herself. Sunshine gets a blog too, to help her writing and typing skills, as well as the positive outlet. Our blogs would help round out the main blog about our homeschooling activities, giving it a very dimensional effect.
I shared this dream with my family. They shared a look of pure horror in return. There may have even been a terrified scream or two.
I put down my foot in resolve to make this dream real, and they crossed fingers and hoped that my inability to develop tech skills would make it fade away. As I pushed more, they pushed back - flatly stomping on any names I came up with ....Owl learn with you? False advertising. Fried eggs and Fairy tales? Sounds like a gruesome end to Humpty Dumpty. Homeschool and Hogwarts? Possibly...but could be confusing and irritating to people who are search of fan fiction. (Fan fiction is an art that lives on my friends...and on...and on). The situation was beginning to look desperate and the opposition was about to win out. I finally just typed some names that weren't already taken on the screen and hoped for the best.
So far I have almost managed to figure out how to change the text color, deleted everything irretrievably six times, and though I added a gadget to include the links, can't figure out for the life of me how to get them on there. Please hang in there with me. I hope to get it all connected at some point, and when I do it will be awesome. Maybe then I will be able to convince Starlet to let me share some of the lime light for a minute...instead of being one of her "back singers" as she has informed us that we all are.
I shared this dream with my family. They shared a look of pure horror in return. There may have even been a terrified scream or two.
I put down my foot in resolve to make this dream real, and they crossed fingers and hoped that my inability to develop tech skills would make it fade away. As I pushed more, they pushed back - flatly stomping on any names I came up with ....Owl learn with you? False advertising. Fried eggs and Fairy tales? Sounds like a gruesome end to Humpty Dumpty. Homeschool and Hogwarts? Possibly...but could be confusing and irritating to people who are search of fan fiction. (Fan fiction is an art that lives on my friends...and on...and on). The situation was beginning to look desperate and the opposition was about to win out. I finally just typed some names that weren't already taken on the screen and hoped for the best.
So far I have almost managed to figure out how to change the text color, deleted everything irretrievably six times, and though I added a gadget to include the links, can't figure out for the life of me how to get them on there. Please hang in there with me. I hope to get it all connected at some point, and when I do it will be awesome. Maybe then I will be able to convince Starlet to let me share some of the lime light for a minute...instead of being one of her "back singers" as she has informed us that we all are.
Why we homeschool
When I was little I loved school. LOVED it. I liked getting my new backpack every year and walking into classrooms that smelled like peanut butter and jelly mixed with pink erasers and Elmer's glue. My anticipation was palatable, and my association of scents with memories has caused me to have a life long love affair with office supply stores. I couldn't wait to send my own children to school, where they would be introduced to the wonders of Halloween parades and library day. Where they would make macaroni necklaces and clay pots for me to treasure forever...
Wait ! Doesn't this blog have homeschooling somewhere in the title? Am I a little confused? Well I am always a little confused, but that is a whole different point entirely. I have five children, four of them school age, and none of them are in a traditional school. How did this happen?
It didn't happen right away, that's for sure. When Songbird was little she was sick frequently, which we later learned was due to high anxiety. She missed so much school it seemed that there was no other option other than to homeschool. She was with me more often than she was there anyway. I figured it was okay, that she would be homeschooled in elementary school, but I would never ever homeschool in middle school and high school. Those years were to critical in allowing her to develop her own identity, experience relationships on new and different levels, and try out new ideas on her own. Fast forward seven years, and we are homeschooling Songbird as a high school freshman, and she attended only one year of traditional school in the middle school years.
Sunshine was in a traditional school until the middle of last school year. After dealing simultaneously with an undiagnosed learning disorder and relentless bullying we decided to remove her from the environment and educate her ourselves.
Starlet missed the age cut off for starting school this year by 12 days. She is ready and easily completing first grade level work - even tackling fourth grade work over her sister's shoulder. So we are doing what we can to foster and nurture her growth, and she will be able to start school at a higher grade level next year.
Snickers should be in preschool, but with everyone else at home....
It's not for everyone. There are days that I wonder if it is truly for us. But it is what we are doing and what works best for our family.
Okay, but what's this dark side about?
Our family is a little non conventional, which is immediately apparent when we interact with other homeschooling families and groups. I feel choosing battles and allowing freedoms is imperative in child rearing. So Songbird has had different colored hair, spent a year dressed in black or skulls, and has been given permission to get her cartilage pierced when we can take her the 45 minute drive to get it done. I allow them to wear tank tops and clothes that they are confident in.
In a house full of people, and a budget so tight the shoe strings might snap, privileges are awarded by allowing them to choose what books and music (within reason) they get to read, and how they spend their free time. So we have some video game geeks in our house, along with Terry Pratchett fans.
We are Christians, but are definitely liberal, and as the middle ground moderate gap closes, we find ourselves leaning more and more towards the left. Songbird feels that she may prefer birds of the same type of feather, and we are supportive of her.
We allow choice, and educate our children that we shouldn't make laws that take away other's choices.
If the sorting hat were put on our heads, most days we would be Slytherin, and proud of it. (Though I apparently according to my family would be Hufflepuff).
We decided that October should be celebrate the collected works of Tim Burton month.
Lastly, I am not the organized mom who comes up with her own curriculum for each grade level, files it neatly, and has neat respectful kids on a reasonable schedule. I would like to be, I think. But my children, who like to be free range Orcs, are not likely to comply, especially considering I put up a daily schedule on the fridge, illustrated and Pinterest worthy cute, three separate times in the past seven months and it was largely blatantly ignored.
I must post this now, I have another schedule to go make.
Wait ! Doesn't this blog have homeschooling somewhere in the title? Am I a little confused? Well I am always a little confused, but that is a whole different point entirely. I have five children, four of them school age, and none of them are in a traditional school. How did this happen?
It didn't happen right away, that's for sure. When Songbird was little she was sick frequently, which we later learned was due to high anxiety. She missed so much school it seemed that there was no other option other than to homeschool. She was with me more often than she was there anyway. I figured it was okay, that she would be homeschooled in elementary school, but I would never ever homeschool in middle school and high school. Those years were to critical in allowing her to develop her own identity, experience relationships on new and different levels, and try out new ideas on her own. Fast forward seven years, and we are homeschooling Songbird as a high school freshman, and she attended only one year of traditional school in the middle school years.
Sunshine was in a traditional school until the middle of last school year. After dealing simultaneously with an undiagnosed learning disorder and relentless bullying we decided to remove her from the environment and educate her ourselves.
Starlet missed the age cut off for starting school this year by 12 days. She is ready and easily completing first grade level work - even tackling fourth grade work over her sister's shoulder. So we are doing what we can to foster and nurture her growth, and she will be able to start school at a higher grade level next year.
Snickers should be in preschool, but with everyone else at home....
It's not for everyone. There are days that I wonder if it is truly for us. But it is what we are doing and what works best for our family.
Okay, but what's this dark side about?
Our family is a little non conventional, which is immediately apparent when we interact with other homeschooling families and groups. I feel choosing battles and allowing freedoms is imperative in child rearing. So Songbird has had different colored hair, spent a year dressed in black or skulls, and has been given permission to get her cartilage pierced when we can take her the 45 minute drive to get it done. I allow them to wear tank tops and clothes that they are confident in.
In a house full of people, and a budget so tight the shoe strings might snap, privileges are awarded by allowing them to choose what books and music (within reason) they get to read, and how they spend their free time. So we have some video game geeks in our house, along with Terry Pratchett fans.
We are Christians, but are definitely liberal, and as the middle ground moderate gap closes, we find ourselves leaning more and more towards the left. Songbird feels that she may prefer birds of the same type of feather, and we are supportive of her.
We allow choice, and educate our children that we shouldn't make laws that take away other's choices.
If the sorting hat were put on our heads, most days we would be Slytherin, and proud of it. (Though I apparently according to my family would be Hufflepuff).
We decided that October should be celebrate the collected works of Tim Burton month.
Lastly, I am not the organized mom who comes up with her own curriculum for each grade level, files it neatly, and has neat respectful kids on a reasonable schedule. I would like to be, I think. But my children, who like to be free range Orcs, are not likely to comply, especially considering I put up a daily schedule on the fridge, illustrated and Pinterest worthy cute, three separate times in the past seven months and it was largely blatantly ignored.
I must post this now, I have another schedule to go make.
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