Do you feel your dc learns as much at home as s/he does at school?

[mamaduck]

I was just thinking about this. My ds goes to a really great little school, and he's learning a ton there, but for whatever reason DH and seem to think of it as an "extracuricular activity" for ds, and we still spend a huge portion of our family time engaged in learning. Gardening, cooking, projects, reading, disscussions, museum trips, etc. I taught him to read, and while school helps with that -- he really coasted along there while I did the harder work with him at home. I have no problem whatsoever with him spending lots of time at school playing, socializing, or doing purely "fun stuff." (And we pay tution!) I'm perfectly willing to help meet whatever educational needs he has at home.

I'm not complaining at all! He's growing and thriving and the time we spend with him is enriching to us as well. I just think its kind of funny -- sometimes it feels like we are homeschooling and regular schooling at the same time! Anyone else relate?

[Tiacsophno]

Interesting. My oldest will start kindergarten in the Fall, but I have been hanging around with homeschoolers and hoping to learn a thing or two about how to make our family time rich with learning. So far I haven't been very structured about teaching DD, but I do read to her a lot and try to incorporate academics into our fun time. Tonight, for example, I managed to tell her about how yeast works when we made pizza dough, and then we discussed fractions while cutting the pizza.

It's funny, I teach an extracurricular nature class for kindergartners, and sometimes I forget to teach my own dd the same things. Y'know... like the cobbler's kids wear no shoes? Maybe I'll enroll her in my class next year... it would be like pseudo-homeschooling!

[momtokay]

Actually, that would be my ideal. I would love to send my girls to a part time school where they could learn some things and spend a bunch of their time playing and socializing and then to supplement their school education with lots of time spent learning at home. I don't think that full time homeschooling is right for our family, especially my extremely extroverted oldest DD, but I also don't think I'll find any school that will do a better job than our familly at tailoring an education plan to fit our kids. Plus, sending a six or seven year old to school for 35 hours a week just seems like a lot to me. So if anyone knows of a "part-time" school, especially around the Seattle area, let me know.

[mamaduck]

MomtoKay! Thats a fabulous idea! I think you are a genius! Pt. schooling. I love it.

Ds has school for 27 hours a week, btw.

[marilynmama]

I live in Oklahoma and we do have some part time private schools here that a lot of homeschoolers use. And right now for the life of me I can not remember the name but they are a national school...2 full days a week and the rest of the work at home (sounds like perfection to me, we are just too broke to afford it).

So, they are out there.... and yes, it's an excellent idea.

I am a homeschooling mom with an extremely extroverted 6 year old and a 2 year old. So for my 6 year old who needs a lot of sociization she goes to a lot of different classes (plus I need a break from her...lol). She has sciences classes that are taught at the science musem here, art class, PE class, we go on a lot of field trips to the zoo and stuff with friends, this summer we add on swimming class and a season pass to the waterpark here. It doesn't take much and I dont have a lot of time (or money) because I am a full time college student myself.

Marilyn

[momtokay]

Ooooh, Marilyn, if you remember the name I would love to hear it! TIA!

[phathui5]

momtokay-

I've heard of people doing that with the public schools. Call your school district. You may be able to have your kids take a class or two there while you homeschool the rest.

[siddie]

Hmmm, my ds is naturally inquisitive but he really doesn't care to sit and do any "booklearnin'" if you know what I mean. He learns a lot at home by helping us cook, garden, wash cars, and stuff like that. I did buy a few workbooks and some Montessori type pre-reading and pre-math materials but he really doesn't have much interest in it. I think he will learn more at school just because of the structure and peer pressure. He is very smart though and remembers everything he learns.

[LunaMom]

My daughter is starting kindergarten in the fall, and I imagine that we will be doing "homeschooling" in addition to her regular schooling as well, if you call enriching activities such as museum trips, lots of reading together, cooking, etc. "homeschooling."

I know that she will be doing lots of "work" in school as she moves through the grades, but I feel it is my job to make sure her life is rich in opportunities to learn and grow in more natural ways, rather than doing pages in a workbook.

[almama]

The part-time option is what I'm interested in -luckily CA has it in the public schools. I think you can do it through many charter schools too. Ask the folks in the homeschooling group - they know a lot about this option.