Prelude

A few days ago, as we leaned against the post-office counter, the attendant asked a question that gave me pause. His query made me realize that in choosing to homeschool, we have entered the realm of "weird." He asked my son, "Aren't you supposed to be in school?" My son is 4 years old. In some countries (Russia, for example), formal schooling begins at age 7. Here in California-land, formal public schooling CAN begin at age 4, if the kids are going to turn 5 by December 1st or 2nd or some-such date-er-other. My son turns 5 in November, so he could have begun 5-days per week, regular full-time school in a kindergarten classroom. He is officially termed a "transitional kindergartener," but in many instances they are placed with regular kindergarten classes. He would have been quite a bit younger than his classmates--but as the postal worker's assumption revealed, my son appears older than his age. He would have probably fit in, height-wise, verbal-ability, socially, etc. with a kindergarten class. He normally has success initiating play with kids even 3-4 years older than him and operates on their level for the most part. He's bright. Maybe not genius-bright--though aren't ALL kids geniuses??--and I suppose that is the main issue that bothered me about sending him to a regular classroom. Full of 30 kids with varying abilities, one teacher and maybe an aid?? how could each child thrive and reach their potential? I have no doubt he would have been okay. He maybe even would have liked it. But how much more could he have achieved if given the chance to operate on a personalized level of learning? These are the questions that have led me to experiment with homeschooling at least for now. One semester, one year, one childhood--who knows how far we will go or how long it will last. I know next-to-nothing about homeschooling, save that the handful of homeschooled kids I have known are generally remarkable, wonderful *well-socialized* people! In what I consider an inspired encounter, I met someone who introduced me to Ocean Grove Charter Homeschool. It helps support and fund homeschooling families. I am grateful to have it in these early, tender stages of "the experiment."