home schooling, what do you think?
I'm thinking about home schooling. I've always wanted to spare my children middle school, but i've also read that formal schooling before ages 8-10 simpply frustrates and burns out children's learning processes. So maybe until high school, perhaps with a year or two enrolled before middle? would it be worth switching around? maybe see what they'd rather?
I know i want to live abroad with them a bit. Kids that have lived in other countries always concretely know that even if the people in one place suck, there are other opinions in the world. Maybe live abroad when they're younger, homeschool in the us a bit and phase them into public? I do think public schooling is a part of the American experience, and a decent intro to the college experience, in that you have to learn to adapt to different teaching styles, resist distracting factors, develop social jockeying skills or adapt some resistance thereto... just lots of important stuff. It might suck, but life does at some point.
I'm requesting a book on it for Xmas, and will be kicking it around my head for a bit. I have decent memories of elementary school, other than the nightmares, but my mother tells me that while i liked going, I often came back crying. My nightmares had to do with being trapped at my desk, and not being allowed to move. Trusting my mother's opinion of how sad i was about the learning environment, and looking at how much of the strictures really blocked me learning, I do think it's largely unnecessary for actual education. Necessary if you can't school them yourself, but I'm thinking it might be worth my time and effort actually teaching my kids in a supportive manner than trying to de-traumatize them after they come home. I could easily handle language, history, American civ and art on my own, science and math with help, at least up to the start of high school. I wonder if there is good certification for such? Any thoughts?
I know i want to live abroad with them a bit. Kids that have lived in other countries always concretely know that even if the people in one place suck, there are other opinions in the world. Maybe live abroad when they're younger, homeschool in the us a bit and phase them into public? I do think public schooling is a part of the American experience, and a decent intro to the college experience, in that you have to learn to adapt to different teaching styles, resist distracting factors, develop social jockeying skills or adapt some resistance thereto... just lots of important stuff. It might suck, but life does at some point.
I'm requesting a book on it for Xmas, and will be kicking it around my head for a bit. I have decent memories of elementary school, other than the nightmares, but my mother tells me that while i liked going, I often came back crying. My nightmares had to do with being trapped at my desk, and not being allowed to move. Trusting my mother's opinion of how sad i was about the learning environment, and looking at how much of the strictures really blocked me learning, I do think it's largely unnecessary for actual education. Necessary if you can't school them yourself, but I'm thinking it might be worth my time and effort actually teaching my kids in a supportive manner than trying to de-traumatize them after they come home. I could easily handle language, history, American civ and art on my own, science and math with help, at least up to the start of high school. I wonder if there is good certification for such? Any thoughts?