My children are now being homeschooled. After a few weeks of searching for a school that wasn't full and then getting word that the board of education refuses to transfer my children to another school even though I would have provided transportation, I decided I was going to homeschool them. I can already see a great improvement in Alex. He is much happier now and the playgroups we go to for socializiation purpose, he talks at. He particaptes in all the songs and games they have. There is a homeschooling store in town where my friend who homeschools her children shops at. I went to that store and it is owned by a teacher so she was very helpful at finding things that I needed in order to homeschool my kids. Reading, writing, math, science, social studies and phonics. My biggest problem is phonics because it requires the kids to sound out words and me being deaf, I cannot really help them out that much with it. Forunately, my family will be helping out with that part. This is going to be a wonderful experience and will bring the kids and I closer as a family.
Now for the final step, I have to hand in a form to the school principal telling him of my intent to homeschool the kids. I expect him to give me a hard time about it but I already researched a lot about homeschooling so I am prepared for it.
Now for the final step, I have to hand in a form to the school principal telling him of my intent to homeschool the kids. I expect him to give me a hard time about it but I already researched a lot about homeschooling so I am prepared for it.
"parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their child"
(1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
This is what I will be using if he refuses to sign the papers.
And the policy/memorandum No. 131 is extremely important because it ensures that homeschooling parents are innocent until proven guilty.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/131.html
And lastly, for a while there, I was concerned about getting into trouble because Alex wasn't in school. (parents can be charged with trundacy and fined up to $200.00) But then I discovered this from the Education Act...
Subsection 21(1) requires every child to attend school from the age of six until the age of sixteen.
For those who doesn't get it, Alex is not yet six years old. He is five until December 30th. :-)
Now that the worrying was reduced, I was able to set up a plan for the kids. It includes playgroups a few times a week and then the kids will join with my friend's children along with their homeschool group that takes place every Friday. Then Alex will go on with his workbooks. Alex with his grade 1 work and Sky with her hands on educational toys. I found that Sky is not interested in workbooks except for math so I didn't purchase any for her except for the math workbook. She's still four so there's a lot of time for her. I bought a math workbook for her because she loves counting and figuring out how many animals, insects, etc there were in a group and matching the numbers to the group of animals, etc..
I've found I am usually exhausted by 9-10 pm each night but it's a happy exhaustion because I know the kids are getting the best now.
Good night all.
And the policy/memorandum No. 131 is extremely important because it ensures that homeschooling parents are innocent until proven guilty.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/131.html
And lastly, for a while there, I was concerned about getting into trouble because Alex wasn't in school. (parents can be charged with trundacy and fined up to $200.00) But then I discovered this from the Education Act...
Subsection 21(1) requires every child to attend school from the age of six until the age of sixteen.
For those who doesn't get it, Alex is not yet six years old. He is five until December 30th. :-)
Now that the worrying was reduced, I was able to set up a plan for the kids. It includes playgroups a few times a week and then the kids will join with my friend's children along with their homeschool group that takes place every Friday. Then Alex will go on with his workbooks. Alex with his grade 1 work and Sky with her hands on educational toys. I found that Sky is not interested in workbooks except for math so I didn't purchase any for her except for the math workbook. She's still four so there's a lot of time for her. I bought a math workbook for her because she loves counting and figuring out how many animals, insects, etc there were in a group and matching the numbers to the group of animals, etc..
I've found I am usually exhausted by 9-10 pm each night but it's a happy exhaustion because I know the kids are getting the best now.
Good night all.
posted by Butterflygal | 12:13 a.m.
4 Comments:
How is it going so far? Is it hard? Do you have to be certified to do this? I have no idea how homeschooling works for parents as a teacher. So the school have to approve this? what about your rights? Dont you have the final decision not the school's?
It has been going pretty well. I have my sister in law and brother to help with the sounds part so it's a great thing.
I think I have the final say but with me pulling hte kids out, they may try to give me a hard time because the public school system is losing a lot of children right now. So generally, they cannot say no.
I don't have to be certified to homeschool the kids. Nobody needs to be but I do need a currilicum to follow. I choose ILC's new elementary school homeschooling program because I am able to send in Alex's work to a real teacher. That makes me feel better knowing he will get a good education and it will help me with his weak spots. I am still waiting for the school to sign the necessary papers in order to recieve ILC for Alex. Meanwhile, I have gotten several books from the homeschooling store for him and Sky to work on so they don't get too behind.
Dont need to be certified? That's neat. How long are you planning to homeschool them?
At least for a year. If I can find a good school for them then that's when I will stop. I doubt I will homeschool for years. Being a single mother means I need to work in order to have an income, you know.
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