The Homeschooling or The Unschooling Update

[Guest guest]

Loquacious these days aren't I?

 

First, I did take someone's wonderful advice and went down to CJ's school and

spoke w/ the teacher and principal. DH came w/ me too but somehow I always

think of him as being in the background. We did begin w/ the 'what we really

want is to work with you' attitude and did use those words. Never said 'but'.

Went on to say that we are definitely vocal and don't mince words and by being

so we felt that some folks took our words as personal judgement and indictment.

Sorry for the hurt feelings but here's the truth: can we work together? It

definitely changed their attitude towards us. We still came away completely

unimpressed that anything for our child's educational good was going to change.

I certainly feel better knowing that I can truly look to other options firm in

the belief that this school will not cut it for us.

 

So, I took my genius gifted daughter (tongue in cheek) to a private school to

see if she could pass their admission test.

 

The catch? They are a school that begins w/ 5th grade, not 4th grade as she is

technically meant to be.

 

She passed w/ flying colors and they would be pleased to allow her in early

(skip the 4th grade). The one area that she would need a little catching up in

is math. Additionally, they were very astute and complete in advising me that

emotionally her maturity level must be guarded and they would be very attentive

to that. And you know what? They pegged her right. She is not a math lover

but she can learn it. She is a bit on the MTVish side of growing up and a

little too much Lizzie McGuire. I blame it on the public school system and the

kids she's exposed to. LOL...just kidding. We do though have friends in the

film industry and so for the past two years she's gone to some film festivals w/

them on the nights where it was teen scene.

 

Anyway, her classroom size in this school would be 9. Yes, nine students. She

spent one day w/ them this week. Her most memorable moment? During the history

lesson the teacher followed through on a science development moment that

occurred around the same time period that they were studying and which another

student had posed an interesting thought. So her words " we got blown off track

but it was cool with the teacher. We didn't get in trouble for thinking about

something else. "

 

Now my dilemma is this...I KNOW I can do better than her public elementary

school as far as the education I personally can give her (homeschooling). But

can I do better than this school and if we decide not to send her there will I

ever wonder what more she could have had and done?

 

On face value the noble answer is what I give her is more precious because I am

her mother. But as a mother who loves her child deeply and wants to lift her as

high as she can fly I feel afraid to let her down....what if I drop her???

 

Reality check: the price tag. I wonder if they take money off for packing her a

home lunch instead of their gourmet lunch??? I would have to apply for

financial aid and that in itself goes against my liberal conservative self.

Really, DH and I are the most conservative liberals you will ever meet.

 

Last, as if to further cement my judgement on the school their open house was

held this week. I swear I tasted blood from biting my tongue. In my son's

classroom I heard a parent asking if it was okay that his child wanted to read

more than the assigned 20 minutes that would be their only homework load each

night for the remainder of the year. I wanted to shout out " No. Reading around

here is like your cell phone minutes. Don't go over. " I wanted to cry for that

poor kid too. Instead I took note of the parent and talked to him outside w/ my

own thoughts. I wasn't radical - just stated our experience in the kids'

previous public years in Brooklyn compared to here and let him know that I

thought he was on the right track to keep feeding his son's brain. Hope I

planted the right seed to help that little one.

 

I could go on w/ other moments that I have taken advantage of and spoken my

piece with other parents. Left quite a few w/ wheels turning (I could see it on

their faces) in their heads this week. But I won't. You get the picture of

where we are now.

 

Sort of like the birth advocating I do. Feel like I have to ensure that people

keep thinking for themselves. AKA...I've got a mouth and I'm not afraid to use

it.

 

Dale