my son to not be bored at or dislike school? He went to Montessori preschool, but we can't afford elementary. He's going to a WONDERFUL alternative charter school. But his teacher had to take over as director halfway through the year (temporarily until they hire a new director, but that won't be till the summer and he'll have a new teacher next year) and his new teacher is, well, new. As in her first year teaching and he is in a class with 7 boys and 3 girls. At least half of the boys were in regular public school last year and their parents switched them to our school b/c of behavior problems and possibly to keep them from being medicated or put in sp ed. Which I can't blame them for at all, I'd do the same, but now ds is no longer getting the individual attention he got last year and during the first half of this year (b/c his original teacher was very experienced and GOOD. Seriously the best teacher I've ever seen in action. She made every day as fun as possible.) He actually had 3 more boys in his class, but 1 they moved to 2nd grade, 1 back to Kindergarten, and the third went back to Montessori. Those 3 boys were his closest friends which really doesn't help at all. He hasn't learned anything new in weeks. He was learning multiplication before his teachers switched and when I ask him about math, he says it's boring and he's doing the same thing everyone else is doing (he was the only first grader doing multiplication, so I seriously doubt ALL of them are doing it now.) His new teacher also still has him reading the same level he was in before break and I think he's probably 10 levels past that by now based on the books he reads at home. No wonder he's bored.
He doesn't hate school, but he doesn't particularly like it anymore either. He says he only likes 3 things at school now--art, recess, and enrichment classes (every Fri afternoon, parents teach enrichment classes for 2 hours. Usually 5-6 kids per class on any subject the parent wants to do. I taught a "Fun w/ Dough" class once just for fun. THe kids helped make playdoh, made sculptures out of it, made pretzels, etc. I've also taught a basic chemistry of soap class. Right now I think ds is taking astronomy. They're usually 2 hours every Friday for 6 weeks and then new ones.) He tells me he wants to stay home with me and my brothers every day. And sometimes he also says he wants to go back to Montessori and he hasn't gone there since he was 4. Maybe b/c his best friend is going there now, but he used to say that sometimes before his friend left his school.
How do you make the call to say enough's enough? Is boredom enough or does a kid have to truly hate school before you consider trying something else? My dh thinks I'm overreacting. I HATED school! Seriously hated it. Dh didn't like school either, but he thinks it's a necessary evil and you have to force the kids to go. I'm considering homeschooling, but I'm not sure if I have the energy or the organizational skills. Dh is a grad student and rarely home and I'm drained by the 2 little ones w/out having to find time for lessons, etc. This whole situation is really stressing me out. Any thoughts?
He doesn't hate school, but he doesn't particularly like it anymore either. He says he only likes 3 things at school now--art, recess, and enrichment classes (every Fri afternoon, parents teach enrichment classes for 2 hours. Usually 5-6 kids per class on any subject the parent wants to do. I taught a "Fun w/ Dough" class once just for fun. THe kids helped make playdoh, made sculptures out of it, made pretzels, etc. I've also taught a basic chemistry of soap class. Right now I think ds is taking astronomy. They're usually 2 hours every Friday for 6 weeks and then new ones.) He tells me he wants to stay home with me and my brothers every day. And sometimes he also says he wants to go back to Montessori and he hasn't gone there since he was 4. Maybe b/c his best friend is going there now, but he used to say that sometimes before his friend left his school.
How do you make the call to say enough's enough? Is boredom enough or does a kid have to truly hate school before you consider trying something else? My dh thinks I'm overreacting. I HATED school! Seriously hated it. Dh didn't like school either, but he thinks it's a necessary evil and you have to force the kids to go. I'm considering homeschooling, but I'm not sure if I have the energy or the organizational skills. Dh is a grad student and rarely home and I'm drained by the 2 little ones w/out having to find time for lessons, etc. This whole situation is really stressing me out. Any thoughts?
ANd honestly, if I get frazzled enough by the other 2, I may let him do that way too often!
. I disagree w/ that, obviously. I tend to think that it's more of a problem w/ trying to teach boys w/ a teaching style that is really geared towards the way girls learn. But hat's another topic, I guess. ANd this school is much better about that than regular public school.
