(no subject)
I have a meeting with Ian's teacher and the resources teacher, to discuss Ian and possibly an IEP. Poor kid - he dreads school more and more. When we were in Florida, he cheerfully announced to me that he loved going to Florida because he got to meet "some kids his age who would talk to me." I will see what tomorrow brings, and how much of it will br
e useful, but I keep returning to the idea of doing something different. I investigated some local charter schools, but they didn't thrill me much either. One that would be close by isn't accepting applications for this year. That leads me to come back to the idea of homeschooling, a thought that both thrills and frightens me. I have some friends that homeschool, and one told me once she was often surprised that I didn't - after all, I like to teach, I'm trained to teach. And I love some ideas about it - my kids will get more individual attention, we can work on areas of weakness and explore their own individual strengths and interests, and go at their speed. I love the idea that we could travel and make appointments at more convenient times, since we won't have to conform to a school day. I love the fact that the school day will be considerably shorter and more efficient. Lots of things worry me - will they get a lopsided education, due to me teaching more of what I'm interested in? Will there be too much togetherness? Can I find ways to give them social groups? My kids need to learn to socialize with other kids - that's certainly one of their weaknesses. I want to make sure thry learn to give and take, to compromise, listen to others, and work in groups. I had hoped that they would learn that in school, but Ian, at least, is learning how to cope when people around him are mean to him and leave him out. Not a lesson I hoped for. Will I have the patience to get them through their weak areas? Will I be able to provide enough structure? Without external monitoring, will I tend to take the easy way out or put off lessons in favor of other things? And, selfishly, will I be able to hsve time to pursue my own interests, not to mention running errands, etc? Argh. As always, I wish I had fewer questions and more Answers. For now, though, I can put off introspection temporarily. More later; right now, off to a weaving clas...
e useful, but I keep returning to the idea of doing something different. I investigated some local charter schools, but they didn't thrill me much either. One that would be close by isn't accepting applications for this year. That leads me to come back to the idea of homeschooling, a thought that both thrills and frightens me. I have some friends that homeschool, and one told me once she was often surprised that I didn't - after all, I like to teach, I'm trained to teach. And I love some ideas about it - my kids will get more individual attention, we can work on areas of weakness and explore their own individual strengths and interests, and go at their speed. I love the idea that we could travel and make appointments at more convenient times, since we won't have to conform to a school day. I love the fact that the school day will be considerably shorter and more efficient. Lots of things worry me - will they get a lopsided education, due to me teaching more of what I'm interested in? Will there be too much togetherness? Can I find ways to give them social groups? My kids need to learn to socialize with other kids - that's certainly one of their weaknesses. I want to make sure thry learn to give and take, to compromise, listen to others, and work in groups. I had hoped that they would learn that in school, but Ian, at least, is learning how to cope when people around him are mean to him and leave him out. Not a lesson I hoped for. Will I have the patience to get them through their weak areas? Will I be able to provide enough structure? Without external monitoring, will I tend to take the easy way out or put off lessons in favor of other things? And, selfishly, will I be able to hsve time to pursue my own interests, not to mention running errands, etc? Argh. As always, I wish I had fewer questions and more Answers. For now, though, I can put off introspection temporarily. More later; right now, off to a weaving clas...