Home + School = Home School

Many of you have asked about (or expressed shock over) the fact that we are homeschooling at present. I wrote a post about it last night, but it was like two pages long -- you know, just detailing all the likes and dislikes thus far, etc. You know how I like to ramble. Anyway, I couldn't bare to put two pages of home school on my blog. I could only imagine how lengthy it would be in this skinny long format. So, you will not get all the details. If any of you care to know my many thoughts, I will happily email them to you. In the mean time, here is the quick and easy version:

Home school was always for very odd sorts growing up. Still, it seems that some people who do it are strange or just view it in a fanatical way, but up where we were living in WA it was really huge. People seemed quite reasonable about it -- it wasn't a religion. They used it for some of their kids now and then depending on their needs. Plus, I discovered that most of them used this super organized program that sounded very impressive. I had one or two years of school that were seriously awful growing up, and I liked the idea that if I had a kid struggling with a particular year of school down the road I could give them an alternative.

My kids have been in public school for the past two years and, despite the normal frets that most mothers have when sending their little ones into the world, I have been very pleased with their experiences so far. Still, when we found out we would be moving a few months ago, I knew that we might not be settled in a permanent (or semi-permanent) place for awhile and I really hated the thought of possibly moving my kids in and out of two or three schools in one year. I am sure they would have survived as many of your kids have probably had to do that and been fine, but I had been wanting to become familiar with the program anyway, so now seemed like a reasonable time -- particularly while I still had connections with so many people up in WA who had used it and could answer questions, etc. My plan is to put my kids back in school just as soon as we are in a home or at least know where we will be for a steady length of time.

As for how it is going -- It really is a commitment. I have to be far more there, prepared, and involved than I'd even realized. There are things (mostly fun things) that I see they clearly miss out on by not being in school, but it doesn't worry me too much since it is temporary. As for what they are learning, it is pretty amazing. I think they learn more each day than they generally did in a week or more of school just because it is so learning intensive and so one on one. One on two?

Anywho, hope that answers some of your questions -- no, I have not become a home school fanatic. Yes, it is pretty hard and some days I think it is way too crazy. Yes, they will be back in public school again, BUT I am very happy to know so much about how this particular program works now, and I amazed by the curriculum, and a good deal of it is pretty rewarding. I think I will use it down the road with a kid here or there if it seems like something they need. Whew, I tried to be brief, but I hate not really expressing my thoughts fully!