Week 1

I have had a lot of insecure feelings, still trying to figure out my overall philosophy--Great Books? Montessori? Unit Study? Unschooling? I need to read, read, read, learn, learn, learn, but when to do it all?! The unfortunate paradox of homeschooling; the mother who needs personal development time the most will end up getting the least of it. My main positive observation has been that LoLo has an ability to tell me himself what he is ready to learn. This week we have discussed in depth much more than I would have expected a 4-year-old able to absorb: Viruses; the Revolutionary War; Allergies; Math concepts like advanced shapes (hexagons, pentagons, cones, etc.)...hmm...what else?? I am trying to keep a better log. Because we need to report to the school in a couple weeks. The aforementioned topics are ones that he suddenly seemed deeply curious about and it seemed his brain could readily handle wonderfully complex information in learning about them. I had expected to start doing Unit Studies on Bugs and Monsters (two of his interests). But those materials haven't come yet from OGCS, so I was sort of meandering around letting LoLo's random daily interests take the lead. One day, he opened a package sent in the mail from our Hong Kong family. It was milk bottles (glass ones, wrapped in protective bubble-wrap, very charming). Completely on his own, he began measuring objects, asking "How many milk bottles high/long is ____ or ___." I asked him to estimate how many milk bottles high Mr. LoLo is, and he guessed "10," which turned out to be pretty much correct (when we measured, turns out he's 9.5 milk bottles high). It felt natural, fun, and oh yeah--it was math and science for the day. I discussed estimation a bit, but he was already familiar with the concept from watching Sid the Science Kid. We do have some issues with motivation. Often when I ask him to do something, he says, "I don't want to." I'm totally against forcing him, in most cases. But can I really trust him to learn--to practice--all from his own heart? He doesn't much like writing/drawing ANYTHING. The fine-motor skills might not have developed enough yet for him to feel comfortable with a small writing utensil. I need to do more painting/dry erase marker "big" font practice with him. That way, he can use gross motor arm movements to practice the proper motions of forming letters, drawing, etc. Our ES just reported back to me today that she put in a PO for his gymnastics class. Yay! Still need to look into the swimming class a bit more. And then our money for the semester will be almost gone... :/

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."