Thursday, May 23, 2013

To Homeschool or not to Homeschool- That is the Question

So here we are the end of another school year thinking about what to do next year. For the last year my kids have been attending liberty Academy charter school in a program called CAP three days a week. They absolutely loved it. my first grader and my third-grader were in the same class they loved their teacher and I was able to feel good about their education because with moving building a house being pregnant with twin's and moving again I wasn't in a great position to have a very consistent homeschool schedule.
In my heart, I always want to homeschool. I think that homeschooling can be the absolute best education. There are so many reasons that I love homeschool. I love the flexibility it offers us. I love that we can choose our content and study from classics and go on field trips. I love that my kids Play with each other and are best friends with each other. I always have these grand expectations of what we are going to accomplish and what we are going to do, but to be quite honest we always fall short of what we think we're going to do.
And I'm always doubting myself and wondering if I am going to ruin my kids. I wonder if they're going to think that the world revolves around them. I wonder if they're going to be too shy to try new things or to meet new people. Do I have the patience and the ability to keep our house in order to keep my kids on track to foster love of learning without major contention in our home?
And though it really doesn't matter I do sometimes worry about what people think and how my kids will be perceived or if they'll fit in with the kids in the neighborhood.
Next year that charter school program that we were doing is going to be gone there's a new director of liberty Academy, And the school is changing all its policies to reflect to that of American preparatory Academy in Draper.
I think, in general, it will be a very positive thing for the community and for the school. We went to a meeting last night that discussed the changes. They have a very structured methodology. Their test scores are outstanding and their curriculum is sound. They have high expectations when they don't mess around. Much of what the teachers are teaching is scripted. The children break into Achievement levels that can go across grade level. There are many things that I like about what I was hearing.
Sometimes the worst thing about homeschool is the lack of consistency the lack of discipline the lack of a strong work ethic- Will I really be able to teach my kids to work hard? Will I prepare them academically and socially for life?
Where and how to educate your kids is such a personal choice. It all comes down to what my commitment level is.
Homeschooling is a lot like the decision to have kids in the first place- it's between parents and God. There are so many opinions. And they are strong opinions. There are so many options and ways to do things. There's something for every style of parenting. I have the children that I do for a reason.
So what are we going to do next year?
I have absolutely no idea.

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