I read Amy's post last night about getting motivated and it motivated me. I did sleep-in (perk of summer vacation) but then I got up, took a shower and did my hair. It is time to start my new life. Time to get back on track with being healthier, eating better, moving more. Time to accomplish more each day and finish each day proud of what I accomplished.
Brady and I have decided to make a lot of major changes in our lives. Not only are we in a new home, in a new state, with a new job, but I am going to stay home with the children. And now after much discussion and investigation, we have decided to home school the kids. I am not impressed with the local public school options and am excited by the ideas I have been reading in the Thomas Jefferson Education books.
We have had a love/hate relationship with public schools as our 3 children have been moving through them since Katrina was 3. Most of you know Katrina had some speech delays and learning delays starting very young and we were lucky enough to get her into a great program called "Kids Who Count," a special needs program in Salem, UT, for children with learning delays. We were lucky. My mom recognised the same speech problems in Katrina that I had, and we were quick to get her evaluated and get her help. She progressed quickly through her Title 1 Preschools and had GREAT teachers. We were lucky enough to end up at Lindon Elementary School for her first 3 years of elementary school and her teachers, Mrs. Bird and Mrs. Combs worked miracles. I have now learned that they were GREAT Mentor's. Katrina flourished under their tutelage. Her communication skills and self esteem increased 10 fold. Then we moved, the next school was a short relationship and though they tried, we didn't spend enough time there for an impact to be made. Katrina loved Brookside Elementary, but it became apparent to her, when they put her in a "self-contained unit," that she was different. This had never occurred to her before.
At Brookside, Tyler, who had always believed himself to be fabulous, was told by a well-meaning, 3rd grade teacher that because his cursive handwriting was so bad, he needed to go back to printing. He was devastated and worked countless hours to correct the problem for her approval. You would think this is a good thing, the problem was, his love of writing disappeared and was replaced with a need for great handwriting. His stories became shorter and less detailed, as he tried to stick with words he could spell correctly and write neatly.
Carter is brilliant. He LOVES to learn. All my children are very smart in their own way, but Carter grasps math and reading concepts well beyond his age. Before kindergarten the concept of having him skip a grade was discussed thoroughly with the trusted school Psychologist that worked so well with Katrina. She said she would approve the skip but would advise us against it. She told me that just like Katrina's individual situation, I would have to take a hand in Carters education to make sure he was receiving what he needed. That often very, bright students have similar problems in school as children with some learning delays.
This last year was an eye opening experience as we moved out of our dominate white, middle-class school to a socially diverse school where a majority of students were ESL. Katrina had a loving, resource teacher and a fabulously fun, 5th grade teacher, but both told her on a regular basis that she wasn't ready for the 5th grade material and that they were worried about her transition to middle school. Tyler got lost in a score of bullies and school yard politics, and Carter was in constant trouble for being a distraction. His defence, "I already know this stuff so I want to play instead."
Before the decision to move to Cali, we had already decided it was time to make changes in the kids education. Time to get them into a Charter School, drive them to Lindon Elementary, or look into options such as home schooling or online classes. Then came the decision to move to California. We came out house hunting and found that the areas where we could afford to live comfortably, did not have the best school districts. We found our home and went in search of the schools. I found exactly what I was afraid of. A school where security and conformity was the number one priority. Where children come to school in shifts, after school programs for children with working parents are the norm, and my daughters IEP,that allows me to dictate her education, was brushed off as a non-priority. I knew right away this wasn't going to work for us.
I went online and looked into Charter Schools and I called my sister, Amy, who home schools her children. As a matter of fact, all my sisters home school their children using Thomas Jefferson Education. I started reading the books she suggested and realised that is exactly what we need. Yes, I am nervous and I am a bit scared. Me? In charge of my children's education? Terrifying- but I know I can do this, and I will even become more educated myself along the way. So we are taking the summer off. We are on summer break, or at least the children are, while I begin the process of becoming educated, to prepare myself to help my children educated themselves. I am excited, this will be fun, and it will be a time I will never forget. There are only a few years left to determine what kind of adults my children will be. And I want Brady and I have the biggest impact on that outcome.
Brady and I have decided to make a lot of major changes in our lives. Not only are we in a new home, in a new state, with a new job, but I am going to stay home with the children. And now after much discussion and investigation, we have decided to home school the kids. I am not impressed with the local public school options and am excited by the ideas I have been reading in the Thomas Jefferson Education books.
We have had a love/hate relationship with public schools as our 3 children have been moving through them since Katrina was 3. Most of you know Katrina had some speech delays and learning delays starting very young and we were lucky enough to get her into a great program called "Kids Who Count," a special needs program in Salem, UT, for children with learning delays. We were lucky. My mom recognised the same speech problems in Katrina that I had, and we were quick to get her evaluated and get her help. She progressed quickly through her Title 1 Preschools and had GREAT teachers. We were lucky enough to end up at Lindon Elementary School for her first 3 years of elementary school and her teachers, Mrs. Bird and Mrs. Combs worked miracles. I have now learned that they were GREAT Mentor's. Katrina flourished under their tutelage. Her communication skills and self esteem increased 10 fold. Then we moved, the next school was a short relationship and though they tried, we didn't spend enough time there for an impact to be made. Katrina loved Brookside Elementary, but it became apparent to her, when they put her in a "self-contained unit," that she was different. This had never occurred to her before.
At Brookside, Tyler, who had always believed himself to be fabulous, was told by a well-meaning, 3rd grade teacher that because his cursive handwriting was so bad, he needed to go back to printing. He was devastated and worked countless hours to correct the problem for her approval. You would think this is a good thing, the problem was, his love of writing disappeared and was replaced with a need for great handwriting. His stories became shorter and less detailed, as he tried to stick with words he could spell correctly and write neatly.
Carter is brilliant. He LOVES to learn. All my children are very smart in their own way, but Carter grasps math and reading concepts well beyond his age. Before kindergarten the concept of having him skip a grade was discussed thoroughly with the trusted school Psychologist that worked so well with Katrina. She said she would approve the skip but would advise us against it. She told me that just like Katrina's individual situation, I would have to take a hand in Carters education to make sure he was receiving what he needed. That often very, bright students have similar problems in school as children with some learning delays.
This last year was an eye opening experience as we moved out of our dominate white, middle-class school to a socially diverse school where a majority of students were ESL. Katrina had a loving, resource teacher and a fabulously fun, 5th grade teacher, but both told her on a regular basis that she wasn't ready for the 5th grade material and that they were worried about her transition to middle school. Tyler got lost in a score of bullies and school yard politics, and Carter was in constant trouble for being a distraction. His defence, "I already know this stuff so I want to play instead."
Before the decision to move to Cali, we had already decided it was time to make changes in the kids education. Time to get them into a Charter School, drive them to Lindon Elementary, or look into options such as home schooling or online classes. Then came the decision to move to California. We came out house hunting and found that the areas where we could afford to live comfortably, did not have the best school districts. We found our home and went in search of the schools. I found exactly what I was afraid of. A school where security and conformity was the number one priority. Where children come to school in shifts, after school programs for children with working parents are the norm, and my daughters IEP,that allows me to dictate her education, was brushed off as a non-priority. I knew right away this wasn't going to work for us.
I went online and looked into Charter Schools and I called my sister, Amy, who home schools her children. As a matter of fact, all my sisters home school their children using Thomas Jefferson Education. I started reading the books she suggested and realised that is exactly what we need. Yes, I am nervous and I am a bit scared. Me? In charge of my children's education? Terrifying- but I know I can do this, and I will even become more educated myself along the way. So we are taking the summer off. We are on summer break, or at least the children are, while I begin the process of becoming educated, to prepare myself to help my children educated themselves. I am excited, this will be fun, and it will be a time I will never forget. There are only a few years left to determine what kind of adults my children will be. And I want Brady and I have the biggest impact on that outcome.
Good for you Amanda! WIth Amy as a mentor (as well as your other sisters) you'll have a great support system. It is a big step, but you and your kids will be so blessed!
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