That leaves Lukie, who will start back up at preschool next week, and Sami. My 6th grader....my tween.....my oi.....do I dare suggest homeschool? I do,and she LOVES the idea. Here is my reason for selecting homeschool (mind you as a PK-3 certified educator I swore I would and could NEVER homeschool my own children)
Megan is a piece of work. She is a lovable, cuddly little squirt, but she can bring stress level in our house to an ultimate high. To top it off, the big girls have dance most nights and between getting homework, dinner, cleaning, etc our house is chaotic between the hours of 430-830. (which really is understated). As days went on last year, I could see that stress level coming out in Sami. A shorter temper, talking mean to her siblings. An unhealthy combination of hormones and myself being a bad role model in the handling stress category. So I made the suggestion of homeschool because I thought it would be a time that, with all the kids in school, that Sami and I could work together, bond and she can see that there is a healthier way to handle life.
With that decision came the choice of how to homeschool. Do I go all primitive and put together my own curriculum? Do I go with an online program? I talked to several parents who also home school and felt the best choice for us fell somewhere in the middle. We chose the K12 Curriculum.
http://www.k12.com/
This is an online public school. Coursework is done online, she has an online teacher, and I am a learning coach. I thought this was good because I am the one teaching her at home, but there is still someone else monitoring her progress, mentoring me through the process, etc. As I read over the program It sounded like the perfect fit to our busy lives. And the best part...It's FREE!
That's right, free. Everything. The curriculum, the computer, the books, the science materials, the art materials. It's structured if you need it to be and flexible when you want it to be! So the first step, get registered.
Easy as pie. Fill out the online request for information. Print the registration form and fax in along with birth certificate and grade card. The process was received and complete in about 2 hours. I didn't have to gather info from her current school, or anything tedious. Once we completed registration (which we did about June 1st) we were able to participate in fun online camps K12 offered. Camps were on things like photography, movie making and fingerprinting. Again FREE.
Mid July came the most exciting part..The arrival of the "equipment" 3 large boxes containing a brand new computer, printer, headset, books, maps, art/science kits. It was like Christmas Morning. Lets get it all set up (unlike Christmas morning, nothing required batteries or had those annoying little plastic straps that make opening toys impossible)
We had bought a used desk off craigslist. So it was there, lonely, awaiting the day the shipment would arrive with it's new electric friends. We got everything all set up and organized. Now what? We have to wait?!?!!? A whole month before school "starts" Oh no!
I think Sami spent a little time each day sitting at her desk. Sometimes reading, sometimes creating a new desktop wallpaper using MS Paint. Then came the "day" August 15...The "day" K12 released the new coursework. Now, school doesn't "officially" start until the 29th, but Sami has been busy busy doing Math, Language, Art.
Look up the course list. 12 classes in all. Including a study group, foreign language. Wow.
Teacher called today to welcome us. We talked for an hour. She wanted to know our story and learn about Sami. She told me she wasn't Sami's "stalker" but there to assist us in this new journey. She sounded wonderful. We have the power to learn anywhere we want, in the kitchen, in a book, in New York. We are both really excited. I'll check back in and let you know our progress.
Sami on her unofficial "first day" of homeschool.
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