This is our last week of first grade. With move details, Mama being sick, and most of our curriculums being finished, we've mostly been focusing on our summer writing curriculum the past couple weeks. Its not the big finish I was hoping for, but we'll do something over the weekend to celebrate before we officially declare summer has started.
I have a lot of mixed emotions as we finish this year of homeschooling. We've never felt like we'd always be a homeschooling family, but we've also always been open to that possibility. The best advice I received when we were first asking the questions about Jonah's early years of education were from a mama (who had done a mix of public, home and private schooling) who said, "Look at every child every year and decide what is best for them and what works for your family. There is no one right way to educate a child." I've quoted this to countless others and to myself many times over the past few years.
Have we enjoyed homeschooling? Yes. Am I sad to be finishing this chapter (at least for now)? Yes.
But, I'm equally excited to be joining an educational community that shares our values and love of education. I also feel a sense of relief to be sharing the huge job of educating the boys. The classical method is a wonderful fit for Jonah and I'm confident he is ready to launch into a more intense academic environment. We're grateful that we'll be living nearby and that Jim will be at school too. I'm praying that school will not feel fragmented from our home community, but instead be an extension of it.
When I was growing up my mom always said "We homeschool, you just go to public school too." And it was true, as I look through all the homeschooling lists of literature I find that I read most of them as a child and as I think back on my childhood I remember being taught so many things by playing games and romping on the farm. And, in the same way, I don't picture our home life changing all that much next year, we'll still be learning and reading together, because that is what we love. We'll just have a community to help us as we educate the boys (and I'm thrilled to be passing off the job of handwriting taskmaster!)
I'm excited. A little sad, but mostly eager for this new adventure.
3 comments:
Oh, so many emotions involved in these decisions! When the girls first started school after 4 years of homeschool, it was so quiet in the house that I took to listening to the radio all day! Time passed and I adjusted...and Cameron learned to talk, too. I can't imagine needing the radio on at home now, but those first few months, it really helped. Change is gradual...give yourself grace.
Oh, such happy memories of our childhood; your boys will certainly have that too!
Looks pretty amazing! Enjoy!!
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