The beauty of homeschooling is that you can meet the student exactly where he or she is, academically. You can tailor a program to hit her "sweet spot" of learning, to cultivate artistic and musical pursuits, to spend more or less time on any given subject... it has the potential to be learning at its best. I think this is a journey - after 2 years of researching, praying, considering, and weighing heavily with Jee - that we will finally start in January with Emilie.
It's becoming apparent that Emilie's current preschool is not a good fit for her. She enjoys her classmates (except for the one bully in her class), art time, and playing outside -- but she is the youngest in her class, and sometimes struggles to do what is set before her. Now to be fair this PreK curriculum is ridiculously advanced -- presenting 1st grade material such as a unit on economics, fractions, nutrition, and expecting complete sequential narration of a story upon first hearing (?!?!) -- and only half the kids are "getting it" according to the teacher, but for some of these things, Emilie doesn't get any of it.
The negative consequence is now Emilie is becoming fearful of school. I ask her if she likes it and she says "sometimes it's too hard". This is preschool! Preschool should NOT be hard. I am not paying $300 a month for Emilie to develop a complex about learning. Having her develop a fear of learning -- because of fearing failure -- this early in life is absolutely not ok!
So anyhow, God willing, I'll be schooling her at home in January. We'll see how it goes and take it one year at time! Prayers are appreciated!
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Wow, sounds like a wise decision for the best! Her preschool definitely sounds like a lot of pressure and Emilie should not be fearful or hating school at such an early age. When we lived in Chicago we knew so many people who homeschooled, and most of their kids were all happy and socially well-adjusted. It was an adventure for sure for the parents! January comes soon, and we'll definitely pray that you enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteyou will be so great!! she will LOVE having you teach her at home. totally awesome. just from browsing your homeschool "pins" - i think you will rock it!! :)
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