This year we made an almost instant decision to homeschool our youngest son Derek. This was an educational and social decision on what we felt would benefit Derek. He needed a lot of one on one and was moving into a classroom of over 30 kids. That scared us. With a co-morbid disability of Aspergers, ADD, SID I had a strong feeling he would slowly start falling through the cracks.
I knew my job of 12 years would disappear this year, so we took the leap. PA has very strict homeschooling laws and requirements (still crossing my fingers I did everything right). I am running a full curriculum of History (including PA history), Civics, Math, English, all the way to Fire Safety. He also has to provide the school district a Standardized Test since he is in 3rd grade. At the end of the year I will drop my portfolio off at the school, pray I did everything right and pray some more that my son is benefitting from homeschooling.
Halfway through I can say he is so much happier. There is not any anxiety trying to fit in or dealing w/ a peer he does not get along with. That would consume Derek. We do not have flourescent lights bothering his eyes. A friend tapping a pencil and distracting during a test. It is a much more controlled social environment too! We have gym weekly with a very large homeschool group – over 50 children! We have field trips and monthly Enrichment Days. Derek and I are starting a lego club for our homeschool group. I am thinking he is more socialized now than he was before.
For education, I have chose not to buy a boxed curriculum. I chose to devise my own based on a few books (Well Trained Mind and What Your Third Grader Needs to Know). This has been very tough. There are general Standards that your third grader should study the Mayflower. In my opinion, they should start history in the beginning. The beginning of man, the Nomads. So I have been running a double track of History and of Science. We do weekly chemistry experiments but, also study plants, animals, etc. This spring we will be planting a garden and that will be part of our studies.
I love homeschooling Derek. It’s a ton of work. More than any other job I have had. More than photographing a wedding, more than being a Business Analyst for a top telecommunications business. Every Sunday I draw up our weekly lesson plans only to have some of them fail or not be completed. But he is happy, he has someone to answer his questions, he is learning, and he can do his math in pj’s. Life is good!
Our classroom at Christmas.
