K12: 5

In my old way of doing things, a missed day here and there was no big deal.  We would just start up where we left off--even if it was a day or two later than it should have been.  This online school business is not like that; yet another symptom of the overkill of public school.  Now, some things need a lot of work.  Math takes practice and constancy, reading, on the other hand, happens all of the time around here.  Why, for goodness sake, does my son read a 700 page book then have to read his literature assignment and fill out the literature assignment forms?  Frustrating for both of us.  I am not sure how to rectify this situation.  We can have an in-depth conversation about the state of the United States economy (the report came out today that the recession ended in June 2009, yet many people are still out of work), but that doesn't count for anything.  We have to go to the textbooks and fill out the workbook about whatever time in history the public school curriculum writers decided sixth graders need to know.  Ineffective!  If he wants to learn about the Civil War, he'll learn about it.  If he doesn't, well, he won't.  Maybe I've just been too independent for too long.  I understand that not all homes work like our home.  I also know that part of the reason I chose to go with K12 was because I felt the boy (or his mom) needed someone else to create his curriculum.  Still, we are back to the beginning:  If we were doing so great and the program we were following was working, why did we change???

I talked to the girls' teacher on the phone tonight.  I had a misunderstanding about progress requirements.  We are behind.  It is only the first month and it is our first time, but it is frustrating to be behind already.  I say this because I expect April to be tough--it is always hard to encourage the children to study when they are sick of it and ready to go outside after a long winter stuck inside.  September is supposed to be the prime study month!  Crap.

We had book club today.  It went great.  My six year old was motivated to work harder on her reading so she could be a regular member.  It didn't count toward "school."  B.S.  (Ooooh, I almost typed the real words.)  I am so disgusted with public school and my perception of what it teaches our children about learning (learn only what is required, when it is required) and here we are.  Am I deluding myself in thinking K12 isn't exactly public school?  Sure, we don't have recess conversations or bus-riding worries or the other social negatives.  We don't have worn out teachers who don't have time to teach the three R's because they have to teach about bullies and manners, but those aren't the biggest reasons we kept our children home.  The biggest reasons were academic heavy.  Not that we intended them to be the bee winners, but we do intend for them to love learning for life.  We intend to encourage their curiosity and ask questions.

I'm not giving up, but I'm also not yet convinced.