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Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Is home school a good option for middle school?
Many people home school for many different reasons. I’m on the fence as my oldest daughter finishes 5th grade.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After a week of caring for her sick family, Theresa has fallen ill with the flu herself. Keith Still will be blogging for her today, Thursday and Friday. Feel better soon Theresa!
As my eldest daughter approaches the end of her elementary school years, I am seriously contemplating something I never thought I would consider - homeschooling.
We chose to move to our neighborhood eight years ago in part because we liked the schools our children would attend here. I have always loved our public school. Honestly, my children have never had a bad - or even mediocre - instructor. In fact, my eleven year old has adored all of her teachers, and she has formed a tight group of good friends over the years. My friends with older children all agree that our middle school is top drawer as well.
I do not think I am a glutton for punishment, and there are several things I would like to finally get around to doing next year when my youngest also heads off to school.
So WHY can’t I stop thinking about homeschooling? Academically, my daughter has always been grade levels ahead of her age. Every year, we work with the teachers to find ways to enrich the regular class curriculum to keep her interested and moving forward.
In the back of my head, I guess I have been wondering for a while if the school and/or we are challenging her enough. Is she just skating through? Is that okay in the elementary years? What about in middle school? Are the social lessons learned in school as important (or more) as academics at this age?
I have to admit that I was inclined to explore private school options first. That would, I hoped, give her access to a more challenging program of study without removing her from the social structure schools provide. Then I looked at tuition for private middle schools (and high schools) nearby. I considered my younger daughters, who show signs of following in their older sister’s footsteps. I quickly totted up private tuition for three; considered the economy and our family budget at this time; and sat down before I fainted.
That’s when homeschooling entered the picture. It was a fleeting thought at first, but it’s now beginning to grow on me. I like the idea of choosing a curriculum that fits my daughter’s individual needs — one that would allow her to progress as fast as she would like and explore additional subjects. I know we would have to work hard to keep up her friendships with the girls in her “group” from elementary school, and I’m certain we would need to find some extracurricular activities to give her other social outlets as well.
I am nowhere near a final decision on the matter, so I’m not sure where she will be when 6th grade rolls around. Pulling her from school seems like such a huge step. I wonder if the middle school years are the right time - or the absolute worst time - to try homeschooling? What are the social ramifications? Do kids, especially girls, benefit from missing out on much of that middle school “mean girl” syndrome - or are they better at the end for having successfully navigated it?
What if we get to a point in a few years where she wants or needs to return to a formal school setting? From what I’ve read, re-enrolling in public school isn’t that difficult; but is it difficult for a homeschooled child to be admitted into a private school?
Have any of you tried home school? Was the transition from one type of school to another a difficult one for your student? Is there a good (or better) time in a child’s academic career to explore the home school option? Did you get to a point where the curriculum was beyond the scope of either your background or your means at home and you placed your child back in school? Any advice - pros and cons - that you want to share on the idea of home school - especially the older grades?
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