Ugh...this sucks...
James is 5...he will start kindergarten this fall. But now I'm in a quandary. Do I homeschool, as planned. Or enroll him in the public school system.
You'd be AMAZED at the amount of guilt I feel over this because there is no RIGHT choice.
James is a smart kid, I'm not just saying that because I'm his mama, he truly is a SMART kid. He can write, spell, read...he's just a little sponge...he really is quite intelligent. So..because of this I want to homeschool. I truly believe that while public school is a wonderful institution that has done fantastically by the vast majority of Americans that it lacks in individualized attention and really is forced to teach to the lowest common denominator (I mean you can't leave behind the kid who doesn't know his letters even if 2/3 of the class is already reading Dr. Seuss). I wish our public school did testing prior to kindergarten and put the kids in classes based on their intellect so that the smart kids aren't being held back but the 'average' or below average kids aren't being rushed through important educational milestones.
But, he's also a social butterfly. He really THRIVES with other kids, he LOVES other people. I think being around peers would do him a world of good. He's not social at inappropriate times so his friendly personality wouldn't be a detriment but he is one that NEEDS peer interaction. There is a homeschool group but I think James would love DAILY peer interaction.
And then there is the other 2, I think they would suffer if I was putting their wants on the back burner to focus on teaching James...I think Aldria would blossom and grow soooo much if she could have some semi-individualized attention from me, and if James was in school for 7 hours a day she'd just bask in it and maybe her behavior would improve greatly.
And it's not like I'd be sticking James in a failing public school system where kids can barely read. The district here is one of the best in the state.
Ugh...
I don't question my ability to educate James, but I do question my ability to give him all the experiences he NEEDS (IMO) if he's not in the public school system.
If we were in another town (Knoxville for example) it would be a no brainer. There is no social experiences in the world worth risking my child's education, but we're in Pella and the schools are top notch. His education would not suffer in the slightest here...in fact I wonder if it wouldn't suffer if I hs'ed since the schools here ARE so good.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
The mama guilt SUCKS!! I want what is 100% the best for my child but I'm completely unable to figure it out. There are an equal number of pros and cons on each side...I just have to figure out which pros weigh more.
Forehead, meet keyboard
1 comment:
What a tough decision for you. Here are a few thoughts that may help or hinder your thinking. :)
If you chose to send him to public school and you found they are not stimulating him enough, you could always supplement at home. But what we found (and this could be unique to our district, but it is an earmark of excellence in education) is that teachers/schools today do a great job of meeting kids where they are educationally and socially. My kids have always been ahead of the curve academically and the school keeps pushing them forward, expecting them to go further and further. In fact, it is not a question of meeting the end-of-year expectations but seeing how far beyond them the kids will go. The kids who struggle are also worked with so they keep up. They do this in a variety of different ways such as small groups, peer modeling, special activities and all kinds of stuff. It is fascinating to watch how they really refine the curriculum to fit individual needs.
My other thought, if you choose public schools, you can get involved and be used as a resource for the teachers. I find that to be extremely helpful in keeping the kids ahead of the curve. The teachers know they can come to me if they see their focus shift and we will work together to keep them going.
And, lastly, if you choose public education, and find it is not at all what you hoped it would be, you can always change your mind.
Good luck. I know whatever decision you make, it will be perfect for your family!
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