Homeschooling vs. Public Schooling - Leslie

I will start out by saying that I have zero judgment towards parents who choose homeschool over public school, public school over homeschool, private school, or no traditional schooling at all. There are so many factors that go into deciding our child's education and not all of them are things we can do much about. Also, my saying "public school" throughout this post really means any kind of organized, get up in the morning and go to a building where there is a staff that would teach my child rather than doing it myself. I KNOW it's not all considered to be public. But for the sake of convenience, I will use it that way.

That said, the school system in my area is absolutely terrible. So much so that I wish I could take my school-aged niece and nephew out of it and homeschool them myself. A will not be going to public school, and ESPECIALLY not if we are still in this area when she is that age. However, even if we move I don't think I will put her in school. I have always loved the idea of homeschooling. We get to choose the curriculum, the trips, the activities. We can do things during "school hours" that we wouldn't normally be able to do. It would be less hectic, and A would get a lot more out of what she's learning because we will be able to teach her the way she learns best.

I love, even now, being able to teach A at the pace she is ready to learn at. She is doing A LOT of things at 2 1/2 years old that most 4 and 5-year-olds are just now learning in school, and with other things she's not quite progressing as quickly. In public school, she would be hindered in both directions. She wouldn't be allowed to blossom fully where her strengths are concerned and she wouldn't be given the time and attention to learn what she may struggle with. To have a scale from below average, to average, to gifted (as a public school does) doesn't really give kids a chance. Some kids learn faster than others, and not everyone can comprehend something the same way, but they are all put through and all are expected to perform the same, which doesn't happen and that approach is ineffective. I believe that most of the kids who struggle in school would benefit if they stopped trying to keep everyone at the same level and just worked with them on an individual basis. 

I want A to have the best possible chance at a good education, and I know I can provide that for her. I won't let her education be a competition to see who is the smartest and who will go into the dumb kid class. No child is dumb, but some are made to feel that way because no one will take the time to figure out what THEY need to succeed. I don't think public education would be a bad idea if more people cared about making it the best it can be, and making sure EVERY student has a shot. The teachers who care, and the parents who want the best for their child need more support and people need to see that these kids ARE our future. Though, I guess that would be getting more into politics and investing in education what with having enough teachers and enough money to be able to do all of those things. That is a topic for another time.

Every parent has to make that decision for their child and their family. I choose homeschooling, because I feel that it will give A what she needs to do the best that she can. I choose to take responsibility for her education because while there are SO many wonderful and hard-working educators out there trying to give kids the best, there are too many who just don't care. I'm not willing to put A's future in the hands of those people. What better way to ensure my daughter has a good education than being taught by someone who knows her the best? Me. 

If you are interested in homeschooling or just want more information, here is a good resource:

http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp

If you have any topic suggestions, please pass them along to thecaseofthemissingcheerio@gmail.com 

Home-school vs. Public School ~Tori

This week we are going to broach the subject of schooling. Now this can tend to be a very controversial topic between moms, so just remember to keep it nice. Our opinions may not be yours, nor each others. But we are all here to lend our personal wisdom on this view.

Now I started homeschooling Lucas when we was 3. It may seem a little young to some people, but we worked on numbers 0-10, the alphabet, shapes, colors, etc. We just started with the small stuff. He did have some pronunciation troubles and as I tried working with him on it he didn't seem to want to respond. As we patiently trudged on he became more and more frustrated. We noticed he started acting out more especially when we couldn't understand all of what he was saying. We would ask him to repeat, sound out, etc., but he would get too frustrated to try. He mainly pointed at stuff for the longest time. Then I was told about a preschool class that met once a week and was a speech class. I checked into it, met with the speech therapist, checked out the classroom, etc. We loved the therapist, Lucas responded so well to the classroom environment because where he wasn't around many kids his age before, he loved having others around him that he could identify with closer. Then he started correcting himself on his own, growing in class (and at home), and he just all in all loved it. Where he refused to talk to anyone new before sometimes he will just say the most random crazy things now. He is so much more friendly and outgoing.
After much discussion between me and hubby, we decided to go ahead and keep him in public preschool, he really wanted to stay and make more friends. This is the second year he has been in public school and this year he gets to start kindergarten. He is more than excited to be starting a new adventure. I am biting my fingernails struggling to let go. :)

Now don't get me wrong public school was not my intention. I'm constantly worrying about it because I'm not right there. What if he falls at recess and scrapes his leg? What if his coat isn't zipped and it's windy out? But these are things he is going to have to do without me sooner or later. While I would rather them be later I can't ignore the happiness on his face when he is on his way to school. Hearing all the details about his day as he enjoys his after school snack. The running up to me and getting a big hug and kiss because he missed me, and we talk to each other about our day. So my main problem with public school is that it's just hard to let go. I want to hold on. He's growing up, and I'm not ready. I don't want the distance. But I also went to public school and I met some of the best friends that I have to this day. I had to just suck it up and realize that while each child is different, for him, this is what made him happy. He has made friends, his socialization is so much better, and while he is still a bit shy and reserved he does interact so much better.

Now I do worry about him away from me in public school especially in today's dangerous day and age. But to be honest I made it through public school, and you just have to do your research on the school. Shootings are the main worry on my mind what with everything happening, bullying is a huge concern, but I know that I can't shield him from life. Those are risks you take in a grocery store, or at a park. Bullying happens at every stage of life so it's something that can't be escaped no matter what. But I can talk to him about these things and teach him how to handle it, and not let it get the best of him.

I prefer to home school him, I'm a stay at home mom so I certainly have the time. But then he doesn't get to interact with other kids his age as much as he would like. He doesn't get to do group projects with his peers, he doesn't make the connections with the same kids on a daily basis. Later on if he wants me to home school him I will be all up for it and ready to go. But for right now I do believe that public school has been the best thing for him. He has gotten so many opportunities. That doesn't mean that we don't go on the occasional field trip as a family, that doesn't mean I don't teach him things at home, we do both so he gets the best of both worlds. He loves it. I plan on attending every single field trip, being a part of all his school functions, and still spending the same amount of time with him I can.

Every child is different, and public or home school choices are for your family to decide. It really comes down to the child. Children all learn differently, they respond differently to various settings, but either way schooling is very important.

Whether you are choosing public or home school just be active in your child's schooling above all else. Talk about the day whether you were there or not because it's very important to know they can talk to you. This creates such a lasting effect that will carry on years down the road. If you don't ask about the small stuff and listen intently then they aren't going to talk to you about the big stuff. And always remember no matter what you choose, you are your child's first teacher.