Part of our "curriculum" this year is maintaining a blog. A space to share our daily life through pictures, projects, poetry, plays, diy videos, etc. Whatever we dream up. This is also a confessional of sorts. A place to talk through what is working for us and the struggles we face along the way. I'm not sure what our blog will end up looking like, or how it will evolve as we move through the school year...it's only the beginning after all. It's excitingly terrifying. Like I'm going up the first big hill on a roller coaster...just hang in there with me.
So, choosing to home school is a big damn deal. Choosing to give up the few precious hours of free time a parent has during the day in order to give even more to the child that you already give everything to, is a huge sacrifice. As I mourn the loss of my limited freedom, I celebrate the opportunity to write the script. To use our family story, personal philosophies, and lifestyle choices in order to guide my child through learning to be a fully functioning adult. so, no pressure.
I spent the summer taking a homeschooling mom's course on the Internet, as well as collecting curriculum, materials and inspiration to prep for 1st grade. The home school methods I plan to use are varied, a collaboration of classical scholar and unschooling. The classical scholar method is right up my alley, a loose structure, emphasizing that children should learn skills not subjects for the K-8 years. I will have a separate post on the classical scholar method and how I used it to plan Jojo's 1st Grade school year.
Public school started a week ago, and all week I found myself torn. Am I making the right decision? Should she be in school with the other kids? Do I NEEEEED a break from her during the day? Everyone else is sending their kids to school, so shouldn't we? Can I do this, is it in me?
It's difficult to break away from the way I was raised, from the way I was taught how things are done. It's difficult to change course, and live on the outside. I like rules, structure, black and white...but I love a little chaos too. I have to step outside of myself in order to rediscover the world with my children. We can always adapt, but we can't turn back time. I have a chance to be brave and live the way I have dreamt life should be. I want to live in the great wide open. I want to show my daughter how it's done.
So here we go, chain clicking as my cart is pulled to the top, I see the drop, my stomach in my throat...I'm throwing my hands in the air and giving my best rebel yell. Bring it on roller coaster, I'm ready for the ride.
Tomorrow is the first day of first grade.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
#AttiJogetsschooled
Everywhere we go Atti Jo makes a friend. Once they have talked with her for a few seconds, they will inevitably ask how old she is or what grade she's in. Her answer these days is, "I'm homeschooled."
We made the decision to homeschool Atti Jo for her 1st Grade year. She had great success in public Kindergarten, but nevertheless she has requested to be homeschooled. We have several friends who homeschool and we are delighted by the prospect.
Ever since Atti was born I have tried to find ways to be with her, to be her primary teacher. I tried selling vintage clothes online, owning my own retail business and not working at all. When she was two I got a job as a preschool paraprofessional, we eventually moved to St. Louis so I could pursue a masters degree which meant Atti had to go to school too. She's attended Mother's Day out, UCP, a progressive preschool in St. Louis, St. Joe School District Preschool and my Mother took care of her at home for a year. She's been here there and everywhere. We have always had pleasant experiences. She gets along well with teachers and students, and excels at learning. I guess what I'm getting at, is I know she will continue to thrive in a homeschool environment.
We purchased a home based on school districts, so it was never our intention to homeschool. The decision to pull Atti from public school, like many major decisions we make, came to us while sitting on the couch drinking beer together. That's just us. We realized how much our lives are controlled by public school. When we wake, when the baby naps, when we vacation, who Atti becomes friends with, what values she learns, everything she learns is all dependent upon public school. The idea to make all of those decisions ourselves kinda blew our minds. To wake when the child is ready, to read and write about topics that interest her at a pace that suits her learning capacity and style. Freedom, it offers freedom to shape your child's life and love for learning.
I was pregnant when Atti started school and gave birth to her baby brother in January, and to be honest it wasn't a great year for me. Between working full time, taking care of Atti, managing a household, maintaining a healthy relationship with my husband, and creating life in my body I became very stressed and unhappy. As a result of my circumstances, my job performance suffered, my house was in disarray, I faltered as a mother and didn't take proper care of myself. Most of our worst moments as a mother daughter duo came in the morning. Getting up, getting ready and being on time created a lot of ugly moments in our lives. If homeschool only changes that part of out lives it will be worth it, but I know it will change so much more.
Here's to changing our lives, deciding our own fate, and living outside the lines. It's going to be the greatest adventure we've undertaken, and I'm ready for the ride.
We made the decision to homeschool Atti Jo for her 1st Grade year. She had great success in public Kindergarten, but nevertheless she has requested to be homeschooled. We have several friends who homeschool and we are delighted by the prospect.
Ever since Atti was born I have tried to find ways to be with her, to be her primary teacher. I tried selling vintage clothes online, owning my own retail business and not working at all. When she was two I got a job as a preschool paraprofessional, we eventually moved to St. Louis so I could pursue a masters degree which meant Atti had to go to school too. She's attended Mother's Day out, UCP, a progressive preschool in St. Louis, St. Joe School District Preschool and my Mother took care of her at home for a year. She's been here there and everywhere. We have always had pleasant experiences. She gets along well with teachers and students, and excels at learning. I guess what I'm getting at, is I know she will continue to thrive in a homeschool environment.
We purchased a home based on school districts, so it was never our intention to homeschool. The decision to pull Atti from public school, like many major decisions we make, came to us while sitting on the couch drinking beer together. That's just us. We realized how much our lives are controlled by public school. When we wake, when the baby naps, when we vacation, who Atti becomes friends with, what values she learns, everything she learns is all dependent upon public school. The idea to make all of those decisions ourselves kinda blew our minds. To wake when the child is ready, to read and write about topics that interest her at a pace that suits her learning capacity and style. Freedom, it offers freedom to shape your child's life and love for learning.
I was pregnant when Atti started school and gave birth to her baby brother in January, and to be honest it wasn't a great year for me. Between working full time, taking care of Atti, managing a household, maintaining a healthy relationship with my husband, and creating life in my body I became very stressed and unhappy. As a result of my circumstances, my job performance suffered, my house was in disarray, I faltered as a mother and didn't take proper care of myself. Most of our worst moments as a mother daughter duo came in the morning. Getting up, getting ready and being on time created a lot of ugly moments in our lives. If homeschool only changes that part of out lives it will be worth it, but I know it will change so much more.
Here's to changing our lives, deciding our own fate, and living outside the lines. It's going to be the greatest adventure we've undertaken, and I'm ready for the ride.
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