Sunday, May 30, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
School
(This one is all me. Sometimes that's just going to happen.)
So school has been some tough decisions for us. We live in a not so stellar school district. But we can't afford private school. And the one private school we did consider anyway was Christian which is fine in theory but I'm just not religious enough to handle it.
So we did the best we could with what we had and picked an alternative but public school that is close by and wished for the best.
And it's not working. My son is being picked on more than the other kids. And it's causing him to hate school.
The thing of it is, he's kinda a geek. He loves the concept of school. He loves learning. He loves having a recess. He loves his teacher. But he has no friends and hates going to school.
If you ask him he'll tell you he loves school, and I truly believe he does, but how long does that last?
The best case scenario is to get a better paying job, or jobs, and to move into a better school district. One where he doesn't have race working against him. One where it's ok to be smart. I think the suburbs would be a little more open minded to his inner geek.
I mean shit, the boy prefers non-fiction over fiction.
So here's the bottom line: We're considering home schooling him (and then Luke as well). Pat and I had already pretty much agreed that we were going to through middle school regardless. Middle school is tough socially. It's not just tough, it's brutal. Pat and I both have horror stories from middle school and I think we both agree we'd prefer to shelter our boys from that. So middle school was definite. But now we're considering starting at grade 3.
And my biggest fear is that Pat and I aren't educated enough to teach our kids anything school related. But the thing of it is, now a days there are online programs that do all the work. It isn't so unlike college online. They give you a computer for the kids, and there is a teacher available online to answer any questions. There are set assignments with set deadlines and aids in teaching the assignments. It's a good program that's been around for at least a few years now that doesn't rely on parents, though he would of course have our help. And we would of course be instrumental in making sure he gets his work done.
So why third grade? We want him in a classroom while he's learning to read. He's already reading beyond his grade level. By the time he's in 3rd grade he'll be reading most words and will be able to read the assignments by himself. By 3rd grade he'll be reading novels, knowing Thomas. Or rather encyclopedias. Mom, you still have those outdated encyclopedias?
Will he have a say in this? Yes. Pat is pretty set that he'll be home schooled but I am going to give Thomas a choice. Who knows by the time 3rd grade rolls around the problem may have sorted itself out and he may have dozens of friends at school.
Are we really willing to home school him because of some teasing? Let's just say the school years were pretty traumatic for me and Pat both. You'd be surprised the lengths I'd go to to shelter my boys from that.
What about high school? High school sucks. Period. No one enjoys it. It's just something you get through. And I will force my boys to get through it. They will go to public or private, we'll see when the time comes, but they will be in a building for high school.
What about social interaction? He'll have church and parks and the neighborhood kids for that.
What about Luke? I don't know. I really don't. He may love school and have millions of friends no matter where he's at in which case home schooling may be a crime. He may want to be home schooled like his brother. Either way he'll be in school until he has learned how to read, just like Thomas. I have to figure this out one kid at a time, one year at a time.
I will confess I'm a little torn on it. I could use your two cents. And questions, don't forget to ask questions.
I just honestly wish we could afford the suburbs. But we can't afford a three bedroom there and we need that third bedroom for dad. And it's really starting to sink in that my children's education might be less than perfect because of the decision to move dad in. Was that really a sacrifice I was prepared to make?
So school has been some tough decisions for us. We live in a not so stellar school district. But we can't afford private school. And the one private school we did consider anyway was Christian which is fine in theory but I'm just not religious enough to handle it.
So we did the best we could with what we had and picked an alternative but public school that is close by and wished for the best.
And it's not working. My son is being picked on more than the other kids. And it's causing him to hate school.
The thing of it is, he's kinda a geek. He loves the concept of school. He loves learning. He loves having a recess. He loves his teacher. But he has no friends and hates going to school.
If you ask him he'll tell you he loves school, and I truly believe he does, but how long does that last?
The best case scenario is to get a better paying job, or jobs, and to move into a better school district. One where he doesn't have race working against him. One where it's ok to be smart. I think the suburbs would be a little more open minded to his inner geek.
I mean shit, the boy prefers non-fiction over fiction.
So here's the bottom line: We're considering home schooling him (and then Luke as well). Pat and I had already pretty much agreed that we were going to through middle school regardless. Middle school is tough socially. It's not just tough, it's brutal. Pat and I both have horror stories from middle school and I think we both agree we'd prefer to shelter our boys from that. So middle school was definite. But now we're considering starting at grade 3.
And my biggest fear is that Pat and I aren't educated enough to teach our kids anything school related. But the thing of it is, now a days there are online programs that do all the work. It isn't so unlike college online. They give you a computer for the kids, and there is a teacher available online to answer any questions. There are set assignments with set deadlines and aids in teaching the assignments. It's a good program that's been around for at least a few years now that doesn't rely on parents, though he would of course have our help. And we would of course be instrumental in making sure he gets his work done.
So why third grade? We want him in a classroom while he's learning to read. He's already reading beyond his grade level. By the time he's in 3rd grade he'll be reading most words and will be able to read the assignments by himself. By 3rd grade he'll be reading novels, knowing Thomas. Or rather encyclopedias. Mom, you still have those outdated encyclopedias?
Will he have a say in this? Yes. Pat is pretty set that he'll be home schooled but I am going to give Thomas a choice. Who knows by the time 3rd grade rolls around the problem may have sorted itself out and he may have dozens of friends at school.
Are we really willing to home school him because of some teasing? Let's just say the school years were pretty traumatic for me and Pat both. You'd be surprised the lengths I'd go to to shelter my boys from that.
What about high school? High school sucks. Period. No one enjoys it. It's just something you get through. And I will force my boys to get through it. They will go to public or private, we'll see when the time comes, but they will be in a building for high school.
What about social interaction? He'll have church and parks and the neighborhood kids for that.
What about Luke? I don't know. I really don't. He may love school and have millions of friends no matter where he's at in which case home schooling may be a crime. He may want to be home schooled like his brother. Either way he'll be in school until he has learned how to read, just like Thomas. I have to figure this out one kid at a time, one year at a time.
I will confess I'm a little torn on it. I could use your two cents. And questions, don't forget to ask questions.
I just honestly wish we could afford the suburbs. But we can't afford a three bedroom there and we need that third bedroom for dad. And it's really starting to sink in that my children's education might be less than perfect because of the decision to move dad in. Was that really a sacrifice I was prepared to make?
Monday, May 17, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Lessons
Momma is trying to teach me a lesson about being mindful of my words and actions. I like to say and do things to be mean and on impulse. Most of it is normal little boy stuff, but momma wants to break me of it.
I've had a few hard lessons this week.
I've had a few hard lessons this week.
- Last Sunday when I was being dropped off at home after a weekend at Grandma's I, out of anger, said I wasn't going to Grandma's next (this) weekend. Momma said ok. And then today Grandma came to get Luke and boy was I mad that I didn't get to go.
- The other day when we were playing outside I got mad that the neighborhood kids wanted to play something I didn't so I went to sulk on the front step. When momma called after me to get me to come play I started to storm into the house out of anger and momma called me on it and sent me in the house for good. I was not happy.
- Tonight I was watching a movie with mom. Half way through the movie we both came upstairs for something. While upstairs I asked if I could write in my blog. Mom said sure but we should finish the movie first. I didn't like that answer and started to sulk going upstairs and momma called after me "good night!" She then went back to the movie. When I went back to apologize so I could finish the movie mom accepted my apology but still sent me to bed! I was not happy.
Friday, May 14, 2010
It Is A Good Day
i red a first grade book!!
(He was tested in reading today. He read a book, with ease, that was at a first grade level. He is suppose to be at a reading level D and he's at a reading level H.)
(He was tested in reading today. He read a book, with ease, that was at a first grade level. He is suppose to be at a reading level D and he's at a reading level H.)
Friday, May 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
i had a goog day
i had 6 sticks 2 day.
good day.
(Today we are learning periods. They are the little dots that go at the end of each thought (Or story as he calls them. Each line of text is a story.), is what I'm teaching him.)
(P.S. I'm also trying to encourage him to write more but so far no luck. I guess I need to keep in mind that this is more of a learning experience than it is a story of his journey. Though I am working his journey onto here none the less.)
good day.
(Today we are learning periods. They are the little dots that go at the end of each thought (Or story as he calls them. Each line of text is a story.), is what I'm teaching him.)
(P.S. I'm also trying to encourage him to write more but so far no luck. I guess I need to keep in mind that this is more of a learning experience than it is a story of his journey. Though I am working his journey onto here none the less.)
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
good day
i like school !
i had 4 sticks ! two day
good day
(We've discovered exclamation points. I'm guessing they've learned about them in school recently.)
i had 4 sticks ! two day
good day
(We've discovered exclamation points. I'm guessing they've learned about them in school recently.)
Wives vs Computers
"I don't want a wife until I'm 33. I want to live alone for awhile and be a computer geek."
Sunday, May 2, 2010
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