I asked my kids how they feel they are doing compared to their peers academically. Middle Child says, “You are right that I need to practice hand writing more, but the math was super easy and the class is reading books that I read years ago.” Eldest Child says, “I can do the math in my sleep, the teacher says I have amazing hand writing, and I finished my assigned work early and was able to help other students with their work, on my first day!”
I asked them if they feel I prepared them well for what they are going to see in school. They both said that they really appreciate how I have guided them towards learning because this all looks super easy and like they are going to be able to coast for months before they see anything hard. They thanked me for being a good teacher.
That felt really good. I have felt a lot of anxiety wondering if I was failing them in the home schooling process. I have worried myself into a frenzy trying to make sure I teach them enough so that they don’t show up and feel stupid/unprepared/singled out for mockery.
Instead they show up and feel very confident that they are among the advanced students. Eldest Child’s reading skills are many many grades above the average it seems. I thought so, but it’s hard for me to be sure with them at home.
Middle Child just needs to practice writing more. To be fair, kiddo has just reached the age where Eldest Child decided that hand writing mattered and started improving dramatically. My kids don’t do very well with being pushed to “start learning” something before they are ready to abruptly hit mastery. I follow similar learning curves and I fought back in school over this topic my whole life.
I am really curious how school is going to go for them over the long run. But their first day was absolutely amazing and they are both thrilled to pieces that they get to do this five days a week going forward. They both met people who might become friends and they want to be there.
MC said, “I used to think Saturday was my favorite day of the week. Now it will be Monday!”
I honestly with my whole heart believe this would not have happened this way in California.
That sounds great. Handwriting was always a problem for me in school. It still is actually, I get Paula to fill in forms for me. When I got my first typewriter in my mid teens it was like getting out of jail, as I could express myself without having to struggle with being neat enough for other people to read. So, if one of your kids struggles with handwriting, provide them with alternatives if you can, and ask the school system to accommodate them where possible.
On the topic of academics being easy – they always were for me (except for languages) for my entire school career, and the first year of university. The problem I hit around my second year at Cambridge was that I did not really have the study skills needed to deal with the hard stuff, because I was used to everything being easy. I responded by becoming business manager of the student newspaper and chairman of the science fiction society, which possibly provided more useful knowledge than Galois Theory or Complex Analysis, but did get me some snotty comments from my Director of Studies.
So, anyway, make sure your kids are academically challenged, or at least keep reading interesting books, and don’t just get used to taking it easy. Major props to my dad who went to bat for me at the local library when I was about twelve to get me a reader’s card for the adult section so I could get at the Science Fiction there. Dad was probably tired of me asking for him to get books out for me on his card. The librarians eventually gave in and after a year or two they were saving the new SF for me when it came in.
Oh have no fear. I am unlikely to let them get lax in their work habits.
this sounds amazing! So glad to hear it.