My mind is flooded with thoughts and words but literally putting them into sentences may prove to be impossible. We'll see. I will type what comes so that I can later in life read where I was.
I love the idea of home school. I love how I could wrap my arms around my kids at any moment in the day and they'd be right beside me. I love thinking about shipments of new textbooks at our home and the kids and I diving into their crisp, freshly printed text. I see it as a journey of knowledge for each person in my family. It would be an opportunity for us to grow together in so many ways.
I understand that there are children who have been adversely affected by being home schooled. That argument as a reason to not home school to me is null because I also understand that there are children who have been adversely affected by being public schooled (that may not be a term, but you know what I mean).
First and foremost I fully believe that Kjel would NEVER allow me to home school the boys. I'm not certain about this but when he rolls his eyes at me (he must be checking to see what's on the ceiling) I get the feeling that this is another one of my crazy ideas and I should slowly back away from the situation.
So for those just dying to know why I would want my kids with me 24 hours a day and to school them at home. Here's the list...
- I can individualize each moment of their education. Being a teacher to 5 gives me the ability to search out the curriculum that will best suite their learning methods. It also allows me to introduce subjects that they would not otherwise have the opportunity to receive or address material sooner than they would in school.
- I want my kids to have a Core Knowledge based curriculum built around Classical Education.
- I'm sick of the nasty garbage the world is leaving on my kids. Say what you will but the world really doesn't need THAT much influence on my kids.
- Each day my kids waste time at school. We could accomplish significantly more with them at home in a smaller class.
- Some of my kids need challenges in their education that the school is just giving me the run around about. Some of my kids could use extra time and focus on a subject so they can get a better grasp of the concept.
- I like the idea of us being home together. Although this may not be a valid statement because I also like the idea of living on a piece of land with 50 miles of nobody around us. We could farm and raise our own food. We'd sit on the porch and drink lemonade and never answer the phone. I was once told it sounded like some place authorities would happen upon and our faces would be on the cover of Newsweek with some text written up about our freakish clan found on a compound. (very interesting)
I fear the kids are missing out and so badly want them to have the knowledge that is available.
There are many good reasons to go to school. And honestly, our elementary school in Kenosha is fantastic. I DO very much miss the charter school we left behind. Leaving Utah wasn't easy because we left family and friends but seriously the worst part was leaving NPA. It's not that our family and friends are loved. they.are. We keep in touch with them and miss them. NPA, however is gone. My kids had an opportunity that was untouchable anywhere else and it's gone. I knew we were supposed to move. There was never a doubt in my mind that Kenosha, WI was supposed to be home. I guess I'm just thinking that I need to give my kids a taste of NPA while we're here.
Comment, don't comment. It's interesting to hear others thoughts on the subject. Let's not get nasty though. I don't like nasty.