Ziana
April 22nd, 2008, 04:52 AM
It's pretty much a done deal. We are going to homeschool our son and possibly our daughter next year. My son brought home a 52 on his report card for reading this past grading period and that was the final straw. We encourage him to read at home, and I ask questions about the books he is bringing home. Things like 'what happened in the chapter you just read, what is the book about', etc. However we have no control over what he does when he is actually in class. This wasn't his only failing grade, but to us it is the most important. We have no problems with his math and science scores, but reading and social studies are a nightmare. For him and for us. Also his school nurse has gotten to know him very well, since he is in her office at least twice a day for minor things. If he gets so much as a bump on him he is running to her office. The last time I spoke with her when I went to pick him up for a doctors appointment she couldn't even remember what it was he had gone to her for earlier that day, it was so minor. Even she knows that he is only going to get out of class and avoid doing whatever work it is he is supposed to be doing. So, homeschool. One on one time with just us, so that we know what he is doing and there is no more forgetting to bring home vocabulary, and we won't have to worry about frivolous busy work disguised as homework. Plus since he is really good at math and science I can advance him up in those subjects at his pace.
As for our daughter, she is a straight A GT student. But her mouth is starting to get her in trouble. She is bored in her classes, finishing her work quickly and then has nothing to do but read or talk. We discussed trying to move her up a grade, since she is also very mature for her age, but we aren't sure if the school system will allow it. I am going to discuss the possibility with her principle this week. The other thing is her school councelor is a pain in our patoots. I don't know how many of you will remember what we went through a few years ago. I know that I posted a lot about it here, and possibly the threads are here still somewhere. She is still having trouble keeping her thumb out of her mouth, and her hands from where they don't belong. We are working on these problems, but with the trauma that she had it isn't the easiest thing in the world to stop. We recently had a visit from CPS, and can only figure that the councelor is the one who called. This cannot be confirmed of course but logically she is the only one. I will post about that in a different thread, it's to much to go into on this one. So the idea is to pull her from public school as well, that way she can advance as rapidly as her mind will let her, and she won't be held back by teachers who are unable to feed her brain the way she needs it. For three years now I have had to explain to her teachers that she really can read and understand Harry Potter. She's been reading them on her own since the end of first grade. She doesn't like the idea, since she is very much a social creature, but I have to put her needs above her wants when it comes to her education. Besides, from what I have seen, there isn't much difference between 4th grade and 5th grade anyway. Both my children are bringing home the same science and social studies vocabulary, as well as roughly the same maths. I figure we will try it for a year at least and see what we see.
As for our daughter, she is a straight A GT student. But her mouth is starting to get her in trouble. She is bored in her classes, finishing her work quickly and then has nothing to do but read or talk. We discussed trying to move her up a grade, since she is also very mature for her age, but we aren't sure if the school system will allow it. I am going to discuss the possibility with her principle this week. The other thing is her school councelor is a pain in our patoots. I don't know how many of you will remember what we went through a few years ago. I know that I posted a lot about it here, and possibly the threads are here still somewhere. She is still having trouble keeping her thumb out of her mouth, and her hands from where they don't belong. We are working on these problems, but with the trauma that she had it isn't the easiest thing in the world to stop. We recently had a visit from CPS, and can only figure that the councelor is the one who called. This cannot be confirmed of course but logically she is the only one. I will post about that in a different thread, it's to much to go into on this one. So the idea is to pull her from public school as well, that way she can advance as rapidly as her mind will let her, and she won't be held back by teachers who are unable to feed her brain the way she needs it. For three years now I have had to explain to her teachers that she really can read and understand Harry Potter. She's been reading them on her own since the end of first grade. She doesn't like the idea, since she is very much a social creature, but I have to put her needs above her wants when it comes to her education. Besides, from what I have seen, there isn't much difference between 4th grade and 5th grade anyway. Both my children are bringing home the same science and social studies vocabulary, as well as roughly the same maths. I figure we will try it for a year at least and see what we see.