I found and love the A2 Curriculum. For a low price I was sent a curriculum I could use for all 3 girls; it cover k - 12. They have two versions, you don't have to get the LDS one. The only difference is that when I have the girls doing copy work or memorizing they are memorizing Articles of Faith or scriptures. It outlines what each grade should work on throughout the year. I can add or take away as needed from other sources although it really covers all the basics. It covers math, reading, writing, science, history, grammar and more. If you are thinking home school you should check it out and see if it something that would work for you.
www.accelerated-achievement.com
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Why I don't Homeschool my oldest
First it is important to me that my girls have their own personalities, their own set of needs. Alyssa is a leader, she does extremely well in school and she knows what she wants in life and isn't afraid to go get it. She's also a social bug and school meets her needs. She's in journalism and won the leadership potion of sports editor as a freshman. *note we are not sure how she got in on the newspaper staff as a freshman the teacher had requested no freshman* But she stayed and proved to be a hard enough worker that she got her way. She is also on the tennis team. although her days are long, she starts at by 6AM she is in Seminary (religious studies) by 8Am she's in school and often I don't pick her up until 7:30 PM after tennis practice. But she's in her element, this is where she thrives. Sometimes she hits a bump in the road, but she gets back on stronger than ever. The negative school environment and teachers that yell she brushes all that off and moves on.
Monday, October 5, 2009
The decision to Homeschool
I began Home schooling my 3 younger girls the fall of 2008. So I guess you could say that I'm still a newbie to it.
At the time my youngest Brooklyn, had been diagnosed with Juvenile diabetes when she was 2 and everyday at school she went to the nurses office 3 to 4 times a day. I felt that she was missing many important lessons. If here Blood sugar was too high or too low the 5 minutes office visit turned into 10 or 15 minutes. And She was pretty slick about finding ways to prolong the time spent there. Yes I could have fought for her to stay in the class to do her testing, but she already felt different and she didn't want to have all the kids watching every time, and I knew it would be a distraction every time she pulled her meter out. I come from a long line of teachers so I know both sides of this argument. So already missing lost of class time only got worse when anytime another kid in her class got a cold she got it. Only when they missed a day or two she would miss a week. Add into this me getting calls several times a week to the school to fix this problem or bring in more supplies or any number of reasons I felt like I couldn't go anywhere cause I'd likely be needed at the school. Also factor in that she is Celiac. She can not have gluten. gluten is in just about everything from bread, cake, cookies, and pasta. All grains contain gluten except rice. So she would sit there in class at times with her 'special' gluten free treat and watch the other kids eating cupcakes brought in for someone's birthday. She also had to take her own lunch which isn't easy to come up with when you can only use gluten free and sugar free foods. At home her food choices are greater and she is not as sick as much.
About this same time my 7th grader Kaylee, was not having an easy time in school. She has been shy most of her life, and I was watching her slide farther into her shell. Becoming painfully shy. She wouldn't ask her teachers for help and even when I tried talking to her teachers they didn't seem to care much. As her grades began to slip a formerly A student bringing home D's I stepped in and tried working things out with her teachers. I felt they were treating her as a failure with out being willing to understand her needs. Now I'm the last one to demand 'special' treatment I was asking for better communication between the teachers and I and their willingness to maybe have to explain things to Kaylee a second time. I felt that I was hitting a brick wall nothing was improving. Now this was only from two teachers, but it affecting how Kaylee felt about herself. I felt I had had enough as I walk through the hallway and as I past classroom I heard negative comments from teachers to kids, and some teachers yelling at classes, It just wasn't the environment I wanted for my kids.
I felt Kaylee and Brooklyn would do better learning at home. Well my 3rd kiddo Emma fell in the middle. Although she really didn't have medical or personality reasons she never liked school much - well okay she doesn't like to be away from me (weird). School, Sunday school, babysitters didn't matter she cried or at least as she got older it wasn't so much crying as pouting. She really has begged me to home school her since kindergarten. Once she got to school she would be fine and I waited for her to grow out of the separation issue it never happened. That is until I started home school. She doesn't have much of a problem when I leave anymore.
If I was going to home school Kaylee and Brooklyn I might as well work with Emma too.
This past summer Kaylee was also diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes. So that puts her in the same boat as Brooklyn as far as medical needs. I do have to say that although I know they can and do get sick it is not as often, and I'm happy that is a bonus to home school.
At the time my youngest Brooklyn, had been diagnosed with Juvenile diabetes when she was 2 and everyday at school she went to the nurses office 3 to 4 times a day. I felt that she was missing many important lessons. If here Blood sugar was too high or too low the 5 minutes office visit turned into 10 or 15 minutes. And She was pretty slick about finding ways to prolong the time spent there. Yes I could have fought for her to stay in the class to do her testing, but she already felt different and she didn't want to have all the kids watching every time, and I knew it would be a distraction every time she pulled her meter out. I come from a long line of teachers so I know both sides of this argument. So already missing lost of class time only got worse when anytime another kid in her class got a cold she got it. Only when they missed a day or two she would miss a week. Add into this me getting calls several times a week to the school to fix this problem or bring in more supplies or any number of reasons I felt like I couldn't go anywhere cause I'd likely be needed at the school. Also factor in that she is Celiac. She can not have gluten. gluten is in just about everything from bread, cake, cookies, and pasta. All grains contain gluten except rice. So she would sit there in class at times with her 'special' gluten free treat and watch the other kids eating cupcakes brought in for someone's birthday. She also had to take her own lunch which isn't easy to come up with when you can only use gluten free and sugar free foods. At home her food choices are greater and she is not as sick as much.
About this same time my 7th grader Kaylee, was not having an easy time in school. She has been shy most of her life, and I was watching her slide farther into her shell. Becoming painfully shy. She wouldn't ask her teachers for help and even when I tried talking to her teachers they didn't seem to care much. As her grades began to slip a formerly A student bringing home D's I stepped in and tried working things out with her teachers. I felt they were treating her as a failure with out being willing to understand her needs. Now I'm the last one to demand 'special' treatment I was asking for better communication between the teachers and I and their willingness to maybe have to explain things to Kaylee a second time. I felt that I was hitting a brick wall nothing was improving. Now this was only from two teachers, but it affecting how Kaylee felt about herself. I felt I had had enough as I walk through the hallway and as I past classroom I heard negative comments from teachers to kids, and some teachers yelling at classes, It just wasn't the environment I wanted for my kids.
I felt Kaylee and Brooklyn would do better learning at home. Well my 3rd kiddo Emma fell in the middle. Although she really didn't have medical or personality reasons she never liked school much - well okay she doesn't like to be away from me (weird). School, Sunday school, babysitters didn't matter she cried or at least as she got older it wasn't so much crying as pouting. She really has begged me to home school her since kindergarten. Once she got to school she would be fine and I waited for her to grow out of the separation issue it never happened. That is until I started home school. She doesn't have much of a problem when I leave anymore.
If I was going to home school Kaylee and Brooklyn I might as well work with Emma too.
This past summer Kaylee was also diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes. So that puts her in the same boat as Brooklyn as far as medical needs. I do have to say that although I know they can and do get sick it is not as often, and I'm happy that is a bonus to home school.
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