Monday, June 30, 2008

Taking the Plunge

Big news -- we've committed to homeschooling this fall! (I know -- it's a little like deciding to have children, but it's big for us!) I just have to write a letter to the county and tell them. THEN the real work starts. Between The Husband (certified to teach in the CT public schools), and me (helped write five years' worth of Individual Education Plans in FL), we can do this. I'm knee deep in Sunshine State Standards for 2nd and 3rd grade. It's FUN! And I haven't said that about my job in years!

If I thought that The Boy could harness the synergy of 17 other freakin' bright kids in the same room, I'd keep him in the public schools. But his nervous system just can't handle it right now. What I'd like to do is put him back in the schools at 5th grade, so he can make the transition to middle school the year after with his little nerdy friends, but we'll see. I'll probably keep The Girl. Again, we'll see.

The one real loss in homeschooling is that you miss out on the explosive synergy you get when you have bright kids working together. And synergy is what makes think tanks so awesome and makes IT departments really rock. But you do what you have to do, when you have to do it. And it's now.

In addition to working on curriculum and unit plans all weekend, I also built a set of shelves to hold the homeschooling stuff. (AM I EVER STIFF TODAY. I have got to start getting some exercise. This is silly.) The shelves require one more stop at the hardware store. I'm starting to realize that having no money is going to take the fun out of scheming to get that new reciprocating saw... Maybe it's time to hit up the Brother In Law. YEAH! THAT'S THE TICKET!

It also occurs to me that if I homeschool, I'll have time to fix up the house in the summer. Yayyyyy! I'm already scheming a trip to visit The Sister in the mountains when the leaves turn. That's studying botany, right? :)

No comments: