Homeschooling

Hi everyone, not sure if you remember me, but you were all so helpful with my first few questions, and I'm back with more.

I was the one with the 5 1/2 yr old in K with sudden major anxiety issues. We decided in Jan to pull him from school and homeschool for a while...when we told him what we were planning to do he had HUGE 'panic attacks' about LEAVING school that really scared me, so we opted to try part time for a while...that has been okay (he goes from 8:15-11:30), but I really just want him out of this place. He doesn't have any big fits about going anymore just says he doesn't like it, and the "please don't make me go today" is starting back up. He even says now he doesn't care if anyone has his desk or his books (big concerns before), that he just has to "get out before first grade!".

I am 100% on board with homeschooling, but DH isn't. Not that he is 100% opposed, but just sees things differently that I do ;-) We are trying to compromise so we can be a happy family again :-) and have found a really nice school with a lot of creativity, free play, room for advancement or one on one when needed (and 2 guinea pigs which was a big hit with our DS!!). DS really liked it (even whispered to me "I didn't want to like it mom, but I really did"). I was really impressed with the curriculum for K (which is where we would start him again based on his age, I think he would benefit from being one of the older ones, seeing as how he has been the youngest this year and it hasn't gone so great).

Anyway, we are waiting to see if there is a space in this school for this coming year, and if NOT we will homeschool for a while. In trying to decide WHEN to remove DS from where he is now, should I remove him now with the intent to homeschool for the remainder of kindergarten? Or should I wait and see if he gets a spot in the new school and then just pull him and hang out ;-) (we should know around the end of the month). If there IS a spot for him next year in this new school, he will be in K again, so no harm done by simply stopping now, but if he doesn't get a spot and we plan to homeschool starting with 1st grade, I wouls assume we would need proof of having compleated K.

I hope this makes sense, as it it all swirling around in my head right now. Thanks in advance for any thought you all may have on this. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot!

Amy

Hi Amy. Welcome back.

This is just my humble opinion, but I'd go ahead and pull him out now. Whether you h/s first grade or he's accepted to the new school, it will save a lot of anxiety for him now. And this time at home will give your DH time to see how h/s works for your family. I know actually living with h/s awhile made a big impression with my DH who was, shall we say, not delighted with the idea of h/s ;0). Either way you win and ds is happy.

HTH

Shari

Hi Amy.  I think that if you're going to hear from the new school by the end of the month whether ds can get in there or not, I'd just leave him where he is (unless he's begging to come home) until you find out.  Then, pull him and either put him in the new school, or homeschool him.  Seems like there'd be a little bit less transition stress doing it that way, but you're his mom and you can gauge best.

I doubt that any state requires proof of completion of kindergarten in order to enter first grade.  Many states don't even require kindergarten, period, tho they sure make a huge deal of kindergarten round-up and make it sound like it's the best thing you could possibly do for your kids!  So I wouldn't worry about having "proof"...if for some reason you do need it, you can easily make up a diploma and a grade card for the end of his year on your computer!

Hi!

Here in Virginia, kindergarten is optional. I don't know what a private school would require, but my understanding is that a public school is likely to take your word for his level if you decide you want to put him in school for 1st grade. I'd call the private school, explain the situation (his being in a school which is a bad fit for him) and ask how they would place a child who had been briefly homeschooled.

Checkout Vahomeschoolers.org for great information about the laws here. Don't worry too mch about the teacher qualification stuff in the law, apparently no one has been challenged on that in at least 10 years. Va is generally a pretty easy place to homeschool, once you figure out which hoops you need to jump through. Also, if you do homeschool this year, as long as your ds wasn't 6 in September, you don't need to test or submit "proof of progress". Just file a Notice of Intent (there's a form at the VaHomeschoolers website) and you're good to go.

You will need to provide some proof of progress at the end of next year if you homeschool First grade, but I wouldn't stress about that now.

FWIW, I'd pull him out of kindergarten and not do too much formal schooling with him this year-- it seems like he's been through a lot, and a little break might do him good. I bet you'll be surprised at home much he learns without formal teaching too (I've been blown away by my dds).

Good luck!

Ellen