Oh wow, I'm a home schooler now

[clyrc]

I'm going into week three of being a homeschooling mom to my two daughters, and I still have mixed feelings about it. It is just about perfect for my oldest daughter, who hasn't needed much help for me so far, but I'm still not sure about my youngest daughter. For one thing, she has always been a very social child, and she misses time with her friends. In a few weeks she can start playing soccer with a team on the campus where we live, and I'm hoping that helps. We are also going to be volunteering at a nearby animal shelter, and that should help, too.

For another thing, though, I don't like being a learning coach. I find it boring, I can't help it. I found it boring back when I was in school, and it's worse now. I know that I'm going to have to find a way to deal with it, because it really is the best option at the moment, but it isn't ideal.

For a little background, I live in the United Arab Emirates on a university campus. For seven years we sent the girls to British curriculum schools, and some things I liked about them but a lot I didn't. This last year the administration really went insane. It was always the case that teachers were hard to contact and that the girls faced subtle discrimination because they were the only white Americans in the school, but nothing is perfect and we dealt with that as best we could. Then last year they got a head of girls' section who was openly anti-American (she is from New Zealand), and from what I can tell anti-child. The pointless rules got enforced more and more, and the final straw for us was when the girls got suspended for dyeing their hair red. I was angry not only that they did this in the first place, but also because of the way they handled it, refusing to talk about it until finally we had to go to the school and hunt down the most reasonable admin there, who finally talked to us.

I had wanted to send the girls to an American curriculum school for a while, but there isn't really one in my city. For that, I would have had to send them on a bus before 6 am and they would get back around 5. And it would have been very expensive. I wasn't willing to send my girls away like that, it would have been too hard on them and us. Online learning from an American Curriculum source seemed like the best option.

[clyrc]

1. oh and I have to add

Last year at my youngest daughter's last school conference, her homeroom teacher told my husband and me to make my daughter stop reading novels. We were both shocked speechless. She was telling this to the wrong people, as my husband is a Writing Studies instructor, and I'm a complete book addict. I would never, ever stop my children from reading novels, and I can still hardly believe a teacher suggested it. She also told me something along the
lines of "She don't always pay attention in class like she should." UGH.

I actually liked most of my daughters' teachers, but honestly that visit helped to make up my mind to take them out of the school.

[Maat]

2. Hi, Clyrc.

I've homeschooled for four years now, and I love it. My daughter is in 8th grade, and will be fourteen relatively soon. We love discussing novels. One of the best parts about homeschooling is that you don't have to worry about what pompous a-holes think of your kid anymore; and you don't have to deal with a stupid assessment and labeling system (trust me, I know - I have an advanced degree in psychology).

I don't post here much, as I've become a Green and moved left of most here; however, I'm wishing you the best.

Please hang in there - you will never be sorry. My daughter is in an advanced art class, through a private instructor who is top-notch. She's in a class with great kids - one day a week. She's in another class one day a week. She has more friends (very nice kids) than she ever had when she went to the conventional classroom. Hang in there - a great routine will develop as time goes on.

Just PM me if you ever need any encouragement.

We tend to use a conventional curriculum, but there's always time for great field trips and great discussion.

:)

[clyrc]

3. Hi, Maat

Thanks for the encouragement. I never really saw myself in this roll, and it is certainly an adjustment. Then again, life over here has been a series of adjustments, and we've gotten through them well enough. It is truly amazing to me to see how well this kind of schooling suits my oldest daughter. She told me that she really does feel smart for the first time in ages, which kind of floors me. This delightful, quick-witted girl who makes me laugh and understands things instantly and writes good poetry and has such a great memory didn't think she was smart? Right now, this school makes my youngest feel smart, but my youngest doesn't feel as confident. I've told her repeatedly that this is a bigger change for her than for her sister, because her sister went to school in the US for 3 years, and she never did. She isn't doing badly, really, but it is different and I think it will take her a while to get more confident.

As a side note, my family is UU, too, or as UU as we can be in this country.

[Maat]

4. My daughter feels confident and is a good student now, too!

She never felt that way in the conventional classroom.

It sounds as if we have a lot in common.

It also sounds as if your family is having a great adventure! Enjoy it!

[clyrc]

6. I never could really get the teachers to tell me what the problem was

they kept on saying that my oldest isn't organized enough. A few teachers worked with her on this, but she had 11 classes each school year ( which seemed a little insane to me, anyway) so it was always a problem. The funny thing is that even though she never did well in school, apparently she learned a lot because she is breezing through her work now, and doing really well. I had a problem with that when I was young, too, I was learning but my grades never reflected that until I got to college.

[clyrc]

5. UGH, I meant in this role

and I meant my oldest feels smart, not my youngest. I hate making mistakes like that.

[Maat]

7. They were vague as to what my daughter's issue was also.

Things are going well at home! Everything has its ups and downs, but this works much better for us.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. How are things progressing for you?

I hope you've all settled into your program well, and are enjoying it!

[elleng]

9. How's it going? Let us know, clyrc.