Like many people my biggest wish is for my child to be safe. My second wish is for her to be happy. My third wish is for her to have a successful life and to feel confident as she progresses into adulthood.
Two weeks ago, my article exposed some potential corruption and harm created by the Recovery School District and charter schools of New Orleans, and how I realized that these charter schools were not giving my child what she needed for a successful life.
Some people say if we complain we should be willing to do something about it, and I did. I removed my child from public schools, and found a home school group.
Here are the questions I asked myself, and how I found an education option that allows my child to thrive.
- Timing: How do I manage homeschooling my child with my schedule?
Not only am I a mom, I also teach at a university full time and I’m a full time grad student. But I was determined to give my child the best education for who she is and what she needs. So I searched online and found a group for homeschoolers here in New Orleans, and attended a meeting over the summer.
I met with a group of home school parents and some who had started home school co-ops. At this meeting, we received information on state regulations, which were surprisingly a lot easier on parents than I originally thought. Also, the co-ops explained what they offered,
Time was no longer an issue now that homeschool co-ops were a possibility.
- What meets those 3 goals all parents have for their children: safety, happiness, and success?
For some of us, public school and even private schools are not meeting those 3 wishes for our kids. That is what led me to choose to home school my child. When my daughter finished her primary education from K-4, she was expected to move into a middle school. I visited some of the middle schools, and found that the environments were too noisy and confusing.
My daughter is more calm than the average child, and very much in her own head space. She loves to read and discuss her ideas about what she has learned. Socializing and cutting up have never excited her, so the social side of middle school was not a benefit for her; in fact, it was going to be a major distraction and nuisance.
As a result, in order for her to be happy, successful and confident as she develops I realized that placement in a middle school, whether public or private, would not be in her best interest. It could actually deter her progress. Home school was the best solution.
- How does my child learn best?
Some kids learn best in a class with their peers, while others learn best alone or in small groups. It’s important, first of all, to know which of these is best for your kid or kids.
As I mentioned above, my daughter does not do well in noisy environments and she enjoys discussing her ideas. Being in home school allows her that opportunity to dive into topics and fully comprehend them.
Some children learn better in groups and having a teacher present at all times keeps them focused. If your child performs better in a classroom setting, and desires the social element of a school, then you should allow them to stay in school, unless they are not safe there. Home school is a great option only when the child’s learning style thrives better that way.
Are there other benefits?
Another great benefit is she can learn at her pace, and at any time of the day that she is best able to.
Sometimes a child learns quickly, and other times a lesson may prove more challenging and require longer to master it. In a school, children are expected to keep up with the group’s progress, and there is seldom opportunity to spend more or less time on a lesson. Home school allows my child the chance to move faster or slower on any topic or skill so that she always feels confident and in control of her education and development.
As I mentioned, the time of day or schedule is also more flexible since the child can learn any time of the day. If she has a bad night’s sleep, the next day she can catch up by sleeping a little later and then begin her lessons with a rested mind and body.
If breakfast or lunch upsets her stomach, or if she gets injured or any other deterrence during the day, she can simply complete the lesson in the evening. The requirements of most school districts is 180 days of school, so as long as your child/ children complete the lessons in that day, it counts as their full day of school.
Simply choose for your child’s best interest.
Simply put, the choice to home school or send them to a school out of the home is about the kid. Some kids will not succeed in a home setting or a small group such as a home school co-op. Some kids truly learn best in a competitive and large group setting, with the social structures of a large school.
But there are kids, many kids I’ve found, that can learn exceedingly well at home or in a co-op of home school children. Being able to focus is easier in a quiet environment, flexibility of pace and timing is important for their success as well. Kids who are “in their heads” and love to explore topics and skills beyond what they’d get in the class also thrive in home school environments.
What works for your kid?
As long as you choose what works for your kid, you’ve done right.
