Starting school has a whole new meaningFollow

So we’ve given a lot of thought to this matter, but as of today we’re officially beginning an interesting experiment with our kids. My oldest is still young, still 3 years of age, and has a lot of anxiety about starting school. Too much in fact. Not surprising given her age, but given she did relatively well last year, we weren’t expecting this.

In addition, we’re starting to get fed up looking at the public school systems in the area. While our local school district is doing well by our standards, we’ve had to face the fact we won’t be able to afford a house in the district anytime in the near future. So we have to decide, stay and rent, or move out of district. The other school districts in the area frankly scare us. Cuts have been happening left and right. Fewer teachers and more students, extra charges for just about every special program, and the trend seems to be getting worse. 35 kids in a kindergarten class? Seriously?! How do they even learn anything?

Low standards don’t seem to impress us either. I mean, our daughter already has 90% of what’s on their ‘must know by kindergarten list’ and I have high hopes for her ability to dress herself, given her interest in playing dress-up and everything. Private schooling is an option, but boy is it expensive. So the wife got to thinking “you know I can’t believe we can’t do better than this” and “I could do so much more for her with that money.”

She started researching, getting books from the library, finding websites, local support groups and so on. Now its official, we’re going to try and home-school our daughter. I don’t know how long it’ll last, or if we’ll be able to do it or not, but we’ve decided homeschooling sounds like the best option for our family. Maybe we’ll be singing a different tune in a couple of months, but hey we’re trying it.



So does anyone else here home school? Know anyone who does? Thoughts and opinions on it?

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Check to see if the other school districts have the following:

- Full immersion of all students at all levels, or separation of the smarter kids from the ones struggling
- Gifted programs if they don't do immersion

I went to public schools from day one, but I was separated out into advanced everything, and then plopped into the gifted program so I wouldn't get too bored. (And even then, my 8th grade lit/reading teacher gave up and sent me to the library once a week to write.)

If any of the school districts have those features, then the public schools may not be so bad for your daughter. 90% of bad school problems are caused by unmotivated parents, not by the school system or the teachers themselves.

However, if the school systems don't offer separation of slow learners and faster learners, then yeah, home schooling may not be a bad idea.

What Eske said. While I could never home school, I understand why some parents want to go that route. But make sure your kid gets time with other kids. All kids have to learn the heartbreak of having their toys snatched out of their hands by other kids, or getting knocked off the swings or having their lunch money stolen.

Oh, and there's some positives too. I think.

The short answer is "it depends." Some are more of a lottery based system, others have been cut altogether. Sometimes there are additional fees. Some districts have them, others don't, others offer only some classes. Probably the best part is that this that homeschooling means we don't to worry about these programs, whether they exist, and how stable their support is in the local population.



Things we're looking at include: sports, other activities/classes at museums, etc. Also, there a couple of local groups who seem to plan some 'field trips' and other activities. We'd be looking into that as well. Some of the reading we've done seems to hint this problem is more of an 'old wife's tale' than a strong trend.

Edited, Sep 4th 2012 12:02pm by someproteinguy

What do you mean?


we rented for years so we could live in the town we did - for the schools. But the community over-all was pretty nice for kids too. I was happy enough with the results I guess.

I taught both my kids to read before they started school, that was a breeze. But they were little then and just happy to suck up books I'd stick under their noses. Later, middle-school on up, I had a hard time instructing them even with homework - especially in my strong subjects. I was their nurturer, not their mentor or something. More power to you if you can provide a custom-fit education to your daughter, but don't hesitate to get tutors or other outside help if necessary. None of us can do everything.

It's been quite a few years since I've been in kindergarten, but there really isn't a whole lot to learn at that level. Mostly finger painting and paste eating.

I couldn't imagine not sending my kids to school. There's just no way any one person can know enough about a breadth of subjects to effectively teach their children. The idea is for your children to be better than you, why limit them to your personal knowledge and skills?

Of course, I'm Canadian, just about everyone goes to public school here and standards are pretty good.

Through elementary school it largely is one person (per grade) teaching your child. Assuming you take the time to bone up on the next year's study matter, I don't see much difference there.

So going by the last two comments you guys have some sort of homeschooling package that gives you the materials expected at certain grade levels?

I'm always amused that that the biggest reason people give to not homeschool kids is "they're so weird!" Thing is, they care way less than you do.

We were taught to count. I only recall this because one evening I spent my entire night counting to 1397 or something in that area just so I could have the highest score on the counting scoreboard.

Didn't say they were, did I? You might be for assuming otherwise, though.

The point is, you get a certain about of built-in social experience in a public school that you have to go the extra mile for if you home school. Depending on parental availability, this is certainly a valid consideration when deciding whether to home school or not.

No need to plaster the walls with your insecurities, dude. Have a little decorum.