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Called the cyber school location here in town and left Jason(the guy in charge)the message that I am going to sign DD up for Kindergarten homeschool!!!
I've been secretly surfing this forum for a while and trying do decide for sure,but have decided to just go with my gut...she's staying home.
I think we'll do best with this.She turned 5 Dec 28 and already knows sooo much.
I have already also called a new place we have in town and signed her up for art classes.
It's every Saturday from 11-11:45 4 week course for $40.I also signed her up for the reading club at the library.And she gets a membership to the YMCA through cyber school,so I am also going to sign her up for swimming lessons in the summer.
So that's a start on extra things she can do to be around other kids and stuff.Of course to with summer coming we go to the park alot and tons of playgrounds.
So,the flood gates are open and I am all eyes and ears...if any of you have any hints,tips,advice anything I would so greatly appreciate it!!!
Thanks in advance!!!
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Just reading this, I guess I realized that perhaps I need to take a more active roll in my sons education. He is 4, but already knows his letters, numbers etc... He can not start school for another year and a half. Perhaps I need to look into teaching him more at home.
Good luck in your endeavor! How did you find out about the cyber school??
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We have other older kids in our family in cyber school so I knew it was here and who to call...but they are all over.Just maybe try googling it in your area.
Through our cyber schools the kids get their own computers and you get either $30-$40 off your internet bill(reimbursed)
So I plan to use that for other activities for her.
I'm pretty excited really...She can count to 100 knows abc big and small.Can count to 10 in spanish along with colors(in spanish)and a good handful of other words.Knows phone address city,state.Is reading good and writing.Has a huge vocabulary.I'm hoping to get through the kindergarten class pretty fast as I don't want her getting bored with it.
Have a little section plowed in the yard for her to garden herself this summer.(shes super excited about this)She also already gets to do alot of cooking and baking(loves this)
It's exciting to get to incorporate your ideas,values,and morals and such into their learning.
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Congrats! My advice would be to do alot of research and reading, my favorite I would suggest (you might already have read) Mary Pride's Guide to Getting Started in Homeschooling.
I know you are excited, but don't do too much or go too fast! Enjoy the moments, take it slow, have FUN! That's what these early years are all about. If you put too much pressure on yourself then you are bound to end up with burn out and a frustrated dd!
Have you looking into curriculums? We love Sonlight K, it's literature based which works with our dd b/c she is a bookworm.
Have you looked for a homeschool group in your area? Ask your local lib. they will know!
Any questions please ask!
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My oldest ds turned 5 in Nov and will start Kindergarten this fall. We live in Pennylvania and are very interested in the Pennsylvania Cyber School. They give you the computer, printer, ink, books and workbooks, reimburse I think $20 a month for internet service ($40 a month if you are in the virtual classroom classes which are offered in grade 4-12.) They have a great fine arts program and you can pick your PE requirements from the YMCA or your school districts sports teams. I know they can get you in touch with other cyber schooling families in your area.
My dh works with a guy whose wife has home schooled their 4 kids and 2yrs ago started the cyber school and he can't think of one bad thing about it. Him and his wife love it and so do the 4 kids. His ds graduated high school through the cyber school last year and already has 50 college credits through there early college program. He said his kids start at 8 or 9am and after each class they do the homework for that class. They have lunch and are done around 2pm. His older 2 kids do the virtual classroom and the youngest I think is in 1st or 2nd grades so he does his workbook. He said the virtual classroom is great, you get to interact with kids and the instructor in real-time.
We were so torn as if we should send our ds to school or do the home school. For right now though I think we'll have him start Kindergarten and continue in Elem school and see how he does. We can always pull him out and start the cyber school if we feel it's necessary to. I would love to know how you and your dd like the cyber schooling though. I know it's a long way off but would love to hear of an update! Good luck and I'm sure your dd will really like it!
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4 hours or home/cyber school is the equivalent of all day at regular school they say.