School Musings
Zeke and I attended his first parent/teacher conference of elementary school yesterday. A lovely way to spend thirty minutes, I think… listening to someone sing my son’s praises! Zeke’s off to a fabulous start in his school career. His reading progress in just the first couple of months of kindergarten has just been incredible. …My children certainly do me proud!
Hillcrest hired a brand new kindergarten teacher this year and Zeke was so excited to get him. Dave and I love him. He’s such a sweetheart. A short autobiography about him was published in the school’s first newsletter, in which he deemed his current job, his “dream job.” How comforting to know that my son’s kindergarten teacher adores his job!
Elijah’s transition into second grade has been a bit of an adjustment. Elijah is a great little learner, but the homework situation has changed this year. Homework in kindergarten was non-existant, and his first grade teacher was pretty laid-back about it. Her mindset towards homework was “if he’s not grasping this concept at school, then here’s something to work on at home” type thing. So, besides reading for twenty minutes each night, and recording it in his reading log, he didn’t have much homework last year either.
So it’s been kind of a shock to have 45+ minutes of homework some nights. His teacher is very scrupulous about homework completion, something that I obviously have to support wholeheartedly outwardly, no matter how I feel about it inwardly! My personal opinion is that second graders shouldn’t have very much homework. Elijah leaves at 8:30 AM, and doesn’t get home untill 4:00 PM each day. A long day for a seven year old, I think! To have to come home and do homework on top of that is just a bit much. But…I guess I’ve gotta roll with the punches.
Well! This has turned into quite a long post! I’ll add one more thing that I’ve been pondering to my “school musings,”…I’m very seriously considering homeschooling next year. The idea both excites me, and frightens me. Could I do it? Should I do it? I want to… mostly because I’m unhappy with the amount of time that my two children will be spending away from me. Sure, it would be a challenge, but I really don’t want to be “that” mom…the mom whose kids-are-driving-her-crazy-and-she-can’t-wait-for-summer-vacation-to-be-over mom. You know what I mean? I want to enjoy my kids. Really enjoy them. Invest in them. They’re gonna be grown up and gone so fast!
Anyway, so ends my “school musings.” I’m done pondering in cyberspace for now.
November 8th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
I love your ponderings…
November 11th, 2007 at 8:49 am
Grade one with Aidan means a required 30 min. of homework Mon. to Thurs. He comes home with much more than 30 min., but we are supposed to stop after 30. I’m sure that we could fill 45-60 min. most days. Most of his homework volume has to do with learning French vocabulary, sounds, numbers, reading, and printing the sounds. And, prepping for vocabulary and spelling tests. It does seem overwhelming to me, but if he only has 30 min., he’s cool with it. Sometimes I know that he hasn’t mastered it, but I’ve got to stick with the 30 min. for now so he doesn’t end up hating it. Grade 12 is far away. (Oh yeah, he brought homework home this weekend…and will for the next 5 weeks…Grrrr.)
November 11th, 2007 at 8:57 am
Another thing, if I homeschooled, I would be the other kind of “that” mom…THE CRAZY MOM. Nobody wants that! If we were in a desperate situation where it was absolutely required, I would do it. But, I also think Aidan would go nuts. He’s so social, and loves to be with others. If I kept him home, he would not have that. I can see how in your setting you would still have tons of kids around you. More power to you!
(Aidan is gone from our house from 8:00 to 2:00 each day, we do the transporting..so not the same situation, either.)
November 11th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Just thought that I’d respond to your “musings”…guess I turned it into my musings, too…sorry. “smile”
November 12th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Yes, the social thing is the main source of my hesitation. But then again, I’m not sure that I’m liking the kind social interaction Elijah (mostly) and Zeke are getting at school these days anyway, something I’m sure will intensify the older they get.
Yeah…I know it would be a constant, daily challenge! I don’t know, though…when I think of how these first eight years with Elijah have zipped by, and then how quickly I know the next ten will go…I just don’t want to come to the end of my time with my kids, and realize that they spent most of their time at school! But don’t misunderstand me…I don’t think everyone should homeschool because I feel this way. I think I should homeschool because I feel this way.
November 23rd, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Hi Janet,
I never imagined myself to be a “homeschool mom”, and actually kinda went into it kicking and screaming. However, with Ray’s work schedule we knew if we wanted to maintain our family life we had to find an alternative. In the end I have really loved it, and feel that when the Lord moves Ray out of the job he’s in now, I will probably continue. Just from what I’ve read of you and your hopes with the kids, as well as your relationship with them, I know you would LOVE homeschooling. Not every day is wonderful, and there are many days I know it isn’t the easy choice, but it is definately rewarding. The cool thing is that there is so much support for homeschooling families now, that the social aspect is almost an absolete issue. There are countless homeschool, co-ops, support groups and classes that help you as their teacher and offer the social element that people always talk about. This year we’ve joined a group called Classical Conversations, and we go to “school” on Thursdays for about 3-4 hours and Sofi loves it. Living at Bethany would be another plus in your favor as far as the social element, though I know the structure is different these days. Still, I’m sure there are still lots of kids around campus. Anyway, I am definately not one of these mom’s that says homeschool and nothing else. Each child is different and has different needs. However, from what I’ve read, I think you should definately try it for a year at least! Anyway, I am still kinda learning as I go, but feel free to ask me any questions you might have. I better run for now. You have a beautiful family. Blessings, Teri (Henderson) Sommer
I found your blog thru Cari Dugan I think. I know I never got to know you and Dave well, but I still enjoy stopping by and seeing your beautiful family, and how you and Dave are doing. Anyway, I’ve been wanting to post on your school musings for awhile now. I am homeschooling our daughter, Sofi this year - she’s in 1st. We actually started last year with K as our trial. I figured if we were going to mess up, Kindergarden was the year to do it!