Georgia went to school three days a week but when school starts again after Christmas break she isn't going back.
First, let me say it IS NOT her preschool that is causing me to make this choice. It's actually her preschool that is making this decision so SO hard. We LOVE her teachers.
But, I'm not in love with public school in general (any where) even though she's zoned to the best one in our area. And, home school is something Jonathan, Georgia, and I are all three interested in. (Jonathan's sister has always home schooled her boys. The oldest is in 3rd grade.) I'm a certified teacher and Jonathan is a certified teacher, assistant principal, and has a masters in education so it's something we take very seriously at our house.
So, we want to give home school a TRY. I say try because I don't know how Georgia will react to it having been in school already, I don't know how I will react to it having no time to myself, I don't know how our family will handle it in that the three of us will have to be in a different routine and with my photography business taking off time is a big struggle.
I do not think she will go back to preschool unless she flips out...just totally loses it about not being at school anymore. If that's the case back she will go. I can't do a battle of the wills of that magnitude everyday.
So, the plan is home school the rest of this year and if any of us hate it then back she goes. Hopefully we can at least make it through preK 4 and if any of us just don't like it anymore she will go back to public/private school at the Kinder level. But, if we like it we're just going to keep on at a year to year level/basis.
Here are the struggles we are facing with home school:
Here are the struggles we are facing with home school:
My confidence in teaching. How she handles me as her teacher.
Being OK with "failing". She won't fail academically but I may have to face that home school won't work for us...it might. It might not. I have to be realistic about it.
No matter which choice we make I don't want her to have an OK or sub par education
I do have a more detailed post on this topic but I will wait for another time to delve into it. Please leave any thoughts, comments, or encouragement!
6 comments:
I'm going to be following your journey very closely =). My daughter is 2 (3 in August) and I've always liked the idea of homeschooling. I also am not a fan of public school and we can't afford private school. I like the idea of taking time off when we want and doing more hands on things and focusing on things she is more interested in. So I'll be watching you to see how it goes!! Good luck! I think you will do great and hopefully Georgia will like it too!
Good for you for giving it a try, Emily! I think taking it from a year-to-year basis is a good way to look at it. Whether you decide to keep homeschooling after this year or not, I am sure you'll do great!
I'm sure you'll do just fine. Make it fun and don't push her if she's having a hard time. Baby steps! There are a lot of great homeschool blogs out there. My oldest just turned 3 in December and I do an hour to two hours of play school every Tuesday and Thursday. If she's having a hard day I just back off and we do something fun but a "learning activity". I think every homeschool parent has a hard time with thinking they will be good enough. It's also good to find friends that homeschool too that have children your kids age. Those are my two cents :) not sure if I've ever commented on your blog before but I've been a visitor since you were pregnant with Georgia! Good Luck.
I think this is the perfect approach! I think homeschooling is one of those things that you almost have to do year to year and just evaluate as you go! Even though I seem gung ho about our family homeschooling I have always said we are PLANNING to...planning to for now and that could potentially change in the future. I hope it doesn't, because I am so excited about it, but realistically it could. I am excited to swap ideas with you and see what you are doing with Georgia. Are you guys going to be following a curriculum or just coming up with a mix of stuff on your own? I think for preschool I want to try using Confessions of a Homeschooler's letter of the week curriculum, but I am still not sure if I am going to start next fall or wait another year since her birthday is after the cut off.
Great approach to the situation! I hope it goes as planned! You have always been a great teacher and I know Georgia will love you being her teacher.
Glad you are going to give it a try! We are too come fall when she would normally enter preschool around here. I just can't send her to school at 4. She's been with me 24/7 since birth and yeah while she is very dependent on me and used to having me around all the time she needs to have time away from me too. I have felt in my gut kindergarden would be that time. Preschool is definitely doable at home and is a good place to start to see if anyone can make it work (I'm hoping we can too). I understand all your fears as I have many of the same ones as well!! Please keep us posted on how it goes!!!
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