Ask:
ok..Monday is our first day of school! I will be homeschooling my 1st grader. I am putting final touches on the work space now. I am totally new to this....used to teach in the public schools in TX, but newbie to teaching my own. Any inspirational words of wisdom or great bits of advice that would make the first week go smoothly. Probably should have asked before tonight!!!
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I have never done it, but it sounds like you are prepared and have planned it all out!!!! I am sure you will do fine!
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You will do fine! I know the ladies on this board who homeschool will be a great resource to you! :rah rah:
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Thanks guys!! The veteran homeschool mommies must be in bed already....and that is why they haven't offered advice! AAGGGHHHH......who writes the rules for homeschool mommies and why didn't they tell me!
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Has your son been in regular school up until now? What made you decide to homeschool? I don't have any advice, my kids go to public school, but I have thought of homeschooling in the past.
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I'd like to know what you've done to get prepared, supplies, curriculum, etc. I'm planning on homeschooling both Aidan and the new baby. Just pm or email me (aphelsley@cox.net). Thanks!
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He has been in regular school until now. We had intentions of homeschooling when he was born, thought it would be wonderful, but decided that he LOVED learning from other adults and was totally into the large classroom setting as a toddler. He thrived in Sunday school, VBS, and community ed type classes, so we put him in a preschool that he really enjoyed. We then did kindergarten and it went great and then started first grade. He went through the entire 1st grade curriculum in the first quarter. The teacher would have to make him slow down to be with the rest of the class. He is very much a leader and would want to "help" other kids! In preschool, they saw this and let him go with it. Kindergarten was the same. The first grade teacher didn't need any help and was not interested in letting him do alternative work. So...for a whole quarter he did barely anything. He brought home no books, he started doing poorly on math worksheets because he just used them to entertain himself. He just didn't do anything. At the end of the 1st quarter the teacher told us he already knew everything he needed for first grade. We asked that he be given 2nd grade material. We were told that they couldn't do that because then in 2nd grade he would be a problem for that teacher.
We were sending him to a private school. We would have switched to a public school, but didn't want to do it mid year. Also, we were suffering some "I hate school" and "School is no fun" comments. Which I would hate it too if I went and sat for 6 hrs each day and didn't get to learn anything new! We thought it might be best if we tried homeschooling and turned that attitude around before we sent him into another classroom.
He is already very excited and we have lots planned for this semester! It may work out and we decide to do this next year. Or it may not and we have discussed with him that it is just an "experiment" and nobody is a failure if it isn't working and we need to do something else!
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My only advice is to go with the flow. You will have great days, when he's excited and learns a lot. You will have "off" days when nothing seems to work. You will have times when you're really excited about a concept or project that just makes him yawn. Then there will be things that you almost didn't try, thinking there would be no interest, and those will turn out to be a big hit. You may get the "I wish I was back in school" comments while you make the adjustment. Don't get too discouraged if that happens. A good HS support group helps. Good luck!
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I'm sure you will do great! Only advice for now is to take it slow, don't try to do to much to fast and wear yourself out! Find a support group that is active that you feel comfortable with! I'm sure you have done tons of reading, but I always recommend Mary Pride's book Complete Guide to Getting Started In Homeschooling. Good Luck!
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Ok...I would have to say that it was a great first day. I think it went well. We asked him at lunch what he would like to do differently and he said "nothing, it was good". Man of few words! He is out at "recess" right now and then will have some reading time and we are done!!
Thanks for the words of encouragement!!!