End of Summer
Over the last three weeks I've been preoccupied with just a few things - our beach vacation and finishing my backyard landscaping. The vacation was a week, followed by another week of cleaning sand out of everything, and then one very hard week of hauling 20 square yards of bark and planting trees, bushes, flowers, and ground cover all over the yard.
So I was kind of shocked the other day when I looked up at the calendar and realized that my son will start school in seven days. Or maybe it's eight days. Could be nine, we're still negotiating.
You see, we will begin home-schooling my eight-year-old son next week. He is enrolled in a public charter school called The Idaho Virtual Academy. The IDVA is an innovative program that gives guidance, direction, organization and, most of all, curriculum to home-schoolers.
The other day we attended a series of courses to introduce us to the IDVA system. It was extremely gratifying to see a local convention center packed with parents and kids all desiring a better education for their kids. We were also surprised to see two of our neighbors and three of my wife's co-workers in the crowd. The IDVA staff was overwhelmed by the turn-out of over 300, but did a great job of helping us clueless parents get with the program.
My son is excited about learning at his own pace, with one-on-one instruction from his parents. If he's having trouble with a subject, we go over it until he understands it. If he's bored, we move on to the next subject. I expect him to thrive on this stuff. What kid wouldn't love to learn under these circumstances?
I've talked to many people about our decision to home-school and not once have I heard a negative remark about the academic side of it. The only argument I ever hear from anyone is, "What about the social aspects of the classroom?" I've learned to laugh at this. My son has learned his social skills from his family and the experiences we have out in the community. In fact, from kindergarten through second grade he had very little opportunity at his school to socialize with anyone. At lunch the kids sat with their class and didn't talk. On the playground my son usually played by himself or with one other boy. In the classroom there was no talking and very little interaction with anyone other than the teacher. So I don't get how being locked in a room with 24 other kids of the same age group and socio-economic status is going to result in a socialized child.
With the IDVA, my son will have many more opportunities to be with other children, and not just those in his own age group. The IDVA has a full-time activities coordinator for this area. She arranges weekly and monthly field trips, picnics, and other get-togethers. At my son's old school, field trips were limited to one each semester because of the logistics of hauling hundreds of kids around. In addition to the planned activities of the IDVA, I will find educational experiences in the community that match what my son is studying. He's not just going to learn, but he's going to see how what he studies affects the real world. And he's going to have some fun at the same time.
Not everybody can home-school their kids. But I've been given this opportunity, and I'm going to take it. I really have no doubt that he's going to thrive in this environment.
So I was kind of shocked the other day when I looked up at the calendar and realized that my son will start school in seven days. Or maybe it's eight days. Could be nine, we're still negotiating.
You see, we will begin home-schooling my eight-year-old son next week. He is enrolled in a public charter school called The Idaho Virtual Academy. The IDVA is an innovative program that gives guidance, direction, organization and, most of all, curriculum to home-schoolers.
The other day we attended a series of courses to introduce us to the IDVA system. It was extremely gratifying to see a local convention center packed with parents and kids all desiring a better education for their kids. We were also surprised to see two of our neighbors and three of my wife's co-workers in the crowd. The IDVA staff was overwhelmed by the turn-out of over 300, but did a great job of helping us clueless parents get with the program.
My son is excited about learning at his own pace, with one-on-one instruction from his parents. If he's having trouble with a subject, we go over it until he understands it. If he's bored, we move on to the next subject. I expect him to thrive on this stuff. What kid wouldn't love to learn under these circumstances?
I've talked to many people about our decision to home-school and not once have I heard a negative remark about the academic side of it. The only argument I ever hear from anyone is, "What about the social aspects of the classroom?" I've learned to laugh at this. My son has learned his social skills from his family and the experiences we have out in the community. In fact, from kindergarten through second grade he had very little opportunity at his school to socialize with anyone. At lunch the kids sat with their class and didn't talk. On the playground my son usually played by himself or with one other boy. In the classroom there was no talking and very little interaction with anyone other than the teacher. So I don't get how being locked in a room with 24 other kids of the same age group and socio-economic status is going to result in a socialized child.
With the IDVA, my son will have many more opportunities to be with other children, and not just those in his own age group. The IDVA has a full-time activities coordinator for this area. She arranges weekly and monthly field trips, picnics, and other get-togethers. At my son's old school, field trips were limited to one each semester because of the logistics of hauling hundreds of kids around. In addition to the planned activities of the IDVA, I will find educational experiences in the community that match what my son is studying. He's not just going to learn, but he's going to see how what he studies affects the real world. And he's going to have some fun at the same time.
Not everybody can home-school their kids. But I've been given this opportunity, and I'm going to take it. I really have no doubt that he's going to thrive in this environment.
Permalink posted by Phil at 10:52 PM
11 Comments:
We have also decided to homeschool once our kids reach school age. Of course if I were to give myself any credit, I realize I have been homeschooling since my kids were born! Everything they know they learned from us and who better to teach their own kids but their parents? Most homeschooling parents will tell you that the socialization thing is never an issue...It's one of the biggest myths associated with homeschooling. I'm so psyched you are doing this and I can't wait to hear all your stories. Best wishes...I know you'll both do great!
Congratulations, we are new homeschoolers too.
Cool! I will be thinking about homeschooling Oda Mae as well when the time comes. Sounds like there is a really good group where you live.
-OD
Great! You'll never regret this decision. I homeschooled my whole life - it was worth it.
Just don't let the virtual teacher take control. Know what your kids are studying and interact with them. Especially during highschool.
You're right, not everybody can homeschool their kids. I need patience and self-discipline myself as a mom. This idea is still frowned upon in Malaysia.. but we've heard a lot about it from other countries. Even the idea of an educated SAHM or SAHD is still very new here, but I believe the time will come for us to catch up. I agree with you, school sometimes can be a place full of cruel people making our children more unsociable than ever. All my best wishes for you!
Phil, this is so interesting. Well done on making the decision to do it, let us know how it goes, your son/children are very lucky that you'll do it, it sounds challenging but great fun too. The children in Australia's Outback, cattle stations far away from towns get home schooled too and they make use from teacher assistants who call via phone/computer or the two way radio systems-somethingy...
I agree with you about the social aspect, they learn more and better from home, my older two actually picked all the bad habits up from school, things they've never done/say at home, so school is not always the perfect people try to make out! You go for it!!
I attended a Post Falls IDVA Dicovery Day last week, thinking of homeschooling my older son who is high level, coming from private school here in Sandpoint.The IDVA is full now so we are on the waiting list for this year. It looks like a great way to school with a high parent committment! :)
You'll never regret the decision to home school your children. We managed for 13 years ... years I would never trade for anything. Congratulations
The perspective that you've provided on socialization is one that I've never considered before but so very true. Just because you are with a large group of people certainly doesn't mean that you will be 'social' with them. I can honestly say I've never really heard any 'bad' stories about homeschooling. I wish you guys the best in this.
Yeah! My heart gets so happy whenever I hear of a new homeschooling family. I wish you and your son the best! Life seems so much more fuller, events more fun, and learning together that much better when you homeschool. It is my passion and joy and often times my torment and frustration. But you've got to take the good with the bad, right?! If you ever need any encouragement, just look me up - or any of the homeschooling support groups in your area.
Nice to meet you!
Phil, you know I think it's great. I hope you post on how it is going so we can all learn from your experiences.
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