This fall, my family is embarking on a new adventure. There will be the arrival of twins, of course, which will be amazing and challenging and a whole list of descriptive words, but I am not talking about this. This adventure is something that I have been thinking/praying about for a couple of years. It is not a decision that I have made lightly but it is one that I feel strongly about and feel a great peace with. This fall will mark our first year of "official" homeschool.
There are many reasons for this decision but I think the one that sums it up best is that it suits our family. Sean does not work the typical Mon-Fri, 9-5, and rather puts in 60 house of work a week and has weekdays off. Sean's holidays come at random points throughout the year and our ability for quality family time is already stretched thin. I will enjoy the flexibility that homeschool will bring to us in this respect.
I love the fact that my kids can learn at their own pace. I don't want their progress to be decided by the majority in a classroom. I want to be able to cater to their interests and allow them to move ahead in areas that they are proficient in. I also want to be able to provide them time to understand their areas of difficulty. I believe that by following their unique learning levels, they will develop a love and desire to continue learning. This love for learning is another strong reason for homeschooling. I believe that all kids are unique and have different learning styles. I think some kids fit into the school system well and others fall through the cracks. Before I make the decision to send my kids to school, I want them to have a strong foundation and be independent learners.
There are going to be big changes in our family next year. I love that Aiden will be home to bond and enjoy the arrival of his new brothers. I love that the kids are close and they can continue to enjoy one another's company. I don't want to send him to school for full days where he will arrive home in time for a quick play, dinner and bed. I want to spend this time with him while he is still young.
We have been working on Aiden's kindergarten curriculum since January. I feel confident that he is meeting his learning requirements and my decision to start early will allow us flexibility in the coming school year. Both Aiden and Caileigh work through the same materials and it has allowed Caileigh to be challenged and enjoy the success of learning along with her brother.
There are many different methods of homeshooling and the one that I have chosen is accountable and systematic. Aiden is enrolled in a distance education school called "Heritage." Aiden has been set up with an individual teacher who's role is to see that Aiden meets his provincial learning requirements and to provide support and advice for me. Each week I am required to send in updates of our course work and several times a year I send in portfolios which highlight examples of Aiden's projects. There are several advantages to enrolling in a school and one of these is, curriculum money! Anything that I deem advantageous to Aiden's schooling is paid for up to a certain amount. I have already purchased Aiden's curriculum package and there is plenty of money left over for his chosen activities like art classes and soccer.
When discussing homeschool with others, it seems that the most commonly heard first words are, "What about socialization?" To be honest, this doesn't even make sense to me. My children are first and foremost socializing on a daily basis with their siblings and family members. Everyday they are learning appropriate and inappropriate ways to engage with others and this learning starts at home. This is not taught at school. My kids are highly involved in their community and have plenty of opportunities to interact with others their own age, and a variety of ages as well. There is a fair amount of "wasted time" in school and when my kids have finished their actual learning time, they have a lot of extra time to engage in activities of their choice. There will be great flexibility for them to follow their interests, whether it be dance, sports or music. Homeschool groups are another great way for kids to interact with others. Our town has a great network of homeschool families that get together for social and school related activities. I believe that if you are conscientious of providing your child with opportunities to interact with others, then they will be socialized well.
I am excited about our new adventure but am also keeping an open mind. I know that the coming year will be busy and crazy, yet I truly believe that this is a good decision. If for some reason, things don't work out, then I will re-evaluate. I want what is best for my kids and I will always put their needs first. Kindergarten is not mandatory. Keeping Aiden home next year provides him with time to continue maturing and growing. I do not know how long I will homeschool my children. My goal is to homeschool through their elementary years and then I will, along with their input, make decisions for their high school years. I don't know what the future holds, but I know it will not be dull!!!
