First Homeschool Meeting

I joined a local home school group, that a friend told me about, and went to my first meeting tonight, joined the group "officially" and all that! It was a curriculum show and tell, so probably one of the best first meetings to go to! Everyone brought their curriculum, laid it out on tables so we could walk around and look at things, people would stand up and share what they've used, what they like, don't like, what was good for their kids, what type of learning style it works best for, etc. I have a few curriculum choices already made, but nothing purchased, but it was good to see the ones I want, and get confirmation that I chose a good one! I'm slowly but surely making my way down the list of things we need. The bad thing was, I thought I had it narrowed down to one or two, and after the meeting I realized there are a few more options to look at.

But, for math, I've decided on one called Math U See. I've heard nothing but good things about it, and I think it will work for both kids, since it seems to be a very hands on type program. I know Riley has a kinesthetic learning style, so it should be great for him, Regan I think is auditory, but I'm not sure, and I am not sure how well her math skills are at this point, so I think at least it will be a good starting point for us.

The history, the "main" part of our curriculum is still up for debate. I am vacillating between My Father's World and Story of the World, which is from the Well Trained Mind. I've gotten good reports on both, I know I want to do the 4 year cycle of history, but I am still on the fence.

And that's about all I have narrowed down so far. There is still Language Arts, Latin, and Science, and those will probably have to be more specific for their grades, so I don't really have an idea. But, I'm counting on going to some sort of curriculum fair or home school conference to see more of them hands on, and hopefully that will help, or more likely, overwhelm me further!

But it's exciting. I can't wait to get books in my hand and start the process. I never in a million years considered home school and now that I have made the decision, I can't wait to start. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

The Big Debate

Every day I wake up and wonder...should I take Riley out of school now, or wait until he finishes his fourth grade year? I'm not too worried about Regan, I know she has plenty of time to catch up whatever area she may be lacking in. But Riley, I feel like the past three years have been like playing Chutes and Ladders, and losing. We just keep sliding back farther and farther.

I'm not a quitter. I don't let my kids quit either. I'm not sure where I got this from, because my parents were both of the opinion that we should quit anything, anytime, as it usually meant less money and less driving for them. My kids have had to stick it out for a lot of things. Mostly Regan, she wants to try something just once, and then she's done. Like soccer, and I hauled her butt to every game and every practice for a couple of months, kicking and screaming all the way. You sign up for something, you follow it through, no matter how much you hate it. You made a commitment to the team, and the coach, now get out there!

And most recently Riley. He signed up for Agents in Action at church, where kids could help out in different areas around the church. I told him SO many times the area I thought he would like the most, but it was one of those things, he made the decision (to help in the children's church with kids around 3-4 years old) and I knew he would be over it in a matter of weeks, and sure enough, every time he's supposed to serve, he wants to go with his friends who are helping in the store. Sorry kid, you made your bed, now lie in it! I'm hoping they will learn to stick to things, your word is important, if you say you'll do something, you do it, no matter how badly you want to quit or give up.

So, the thought of just giving up on 4th grade, I can't reconcile myself with it, but every day I feel like I'm sending him off to 7 hours of wasted life. Throw in some bad friends, a few trips to the principal's office, a couple days of ISS, what is he really going to miss by not going the last 2 months of school? Especially now that I've made up my mind to home school, I'm anxious to get on with it. The times that he's here with me, doing his homework, and we sit down together and work on it, I see the smart kid he used to be, shining through. Not that he isn't smart anymore, he is, so scary smart, but I feel like where he's at now has stifled him so much that it takes time, and attention, personal attention to get that smart boy out again.

That's my internal debate. I still don't know what to do. I know when I have both of them home at the same time, life will not be peachy keen. I have the only siblings on the planet that like to fight with each other. It will be interesting to say the least. But, I just wonder if 2 months of dedicated one on one time will help him out, or if just going through the motions, and letting him finish 4th grade, TAKS and all, will help communicate the message that we are NOT quitters! And which is more important in the long run?

Overwhelmed!

I'm somewhat anal about research. When we planned a trip to Disney World, I had lists for each day, each park, each ride. I researched the rides to find out which would be suitable for the kids age/height, which ones we HAD to ride, which ones to ride if we had time to kill, and which ones were low on the list, to do ONLY if we had nothing else going on. Which park had the best restaurants, the best bathrooms, the best fireworks shows, etc. You get my point? Sadly, I'm not exaggerating. I like to research.

So, I've googled every book on home schooling, gotten several books at the library, joined just about every Yahoo group in Austin and the surrounding areas, from Classical Education groups to "unschooling" groups, even some field trip groups. I've bookmarked every website I've come across that even has the words "home school" on it. I've talked to every person I know that home schools, about schedules, curriculum, and what they would do differently.

I don't think you can ever know enough about anything, but especially when it comes to my kid's education, I'm probably a little over thinking it. But I can't help feeling like I just want the absolute best, and want my kids to just take to it and love it, and all of us to be happy and for everything to just magically *click* because I picked the right curriculum.

I realize I'm a bit obsessive also. But, like I said, this is my kid's education at stake!! This determines whether or not they get into college, or end up living with us the rest of their lives (God, no!) So, how do you just take the plunge and pick one? There are pros and cons to every curriculum I've looked at, and I just get anxiety when I think that I will actually have to BUY something SOON!

And as usual, I get overwhelmed, and say, like Scarlett O'Hara, "I'll think about that tomorrow!"

Well Trained Mind

My WTM book came in the mail today! I'm so excited. I feel like I've been waiting on this book before I can decide which curriculum to use. I'm hoping this clicks it all into place for me. I know I want to be an active home schooler, I know I want to do things "outside the box" and I know I want a Christian based, VERY academic curriculum, and so far I've found some that fit the bill, but I'm also hoping I can find something that will allow me to teach both my kids together, somewhat. I know they will be on different levels with math, spelling, writing, etc. But it would be nice if our core curriculum could be the same, and expound on it with my oldest.

So, in my quest to find the WTM at the library, I found a book called The Trouble with Boys, by Peg Tyre, and it's quite the eye opener. It's talking about how our school system is just set up to make boys fail, how boys are diagnosed with learning disorders at a much higher rate than girls, and how teachers just can't handle active boys in the classroom. Every page is like a new "Aha!" moment for me. Riley has been "officially" diagnosed as ADHD, and I've stubbornly refused to have him medicated, maybe against my better judgment, but I just refuse to medicate my kids based on the fact that he's a little extra work for the teacher. I know it's hard, I know he's active, but surely there is a way to appeal to him, to get him interested in learning, without drugging him up and making him sit still and quiet like a little soldier. There just has to be a better way.

I'm hoping that through home schooling I can learn his learning style, which I' m thinking is kinesthetic, and help him with his truly active side, and still have him learn what he needs. I will only have 2 students, surely this is possible, right? Regan is probably a little on the hyper side as well, so we may be on the go a whole lot!

Anyway, I'm so excited to have The Well Trained Mind and get ideas and have an outline of how it should be. I feel like I'm finally on the right track here!