This is the question that DH and I keep throwing around. He agrees that DS is not at all challenged at school, and we're waiting to hear what their plan is for next year (the school declined our suggestions).
If DS is not learning any significant academics at school (which DH agrees he's not), but he does have a friend or two, and has PE and Art, etc..., and we let him do CTY classes over the summer when it's not too much with homework/sports/activities, is it enough? How do you know?
Is it detrimental for the long-term if DS has 10-30 minutes per day of homework that is virtually all busy-work? And how do you know at what point the curriculum will become enough of a challenge that at least he has to really think regularly at school, and put real work in?
One of the school's comments was that the next grade's curriculum will be more challenging than the last. I find it difficult to believe that it will be significantly more challenging since it's the same kids as the previous year, and they're not being split into ability-based groups. But maybe it's like I've seen with sports -- the same kids come back the next year after not playing much basketball and they're significantly better -- they've grown more coordinated, and have a better understanding of the game. Does the same thing happen with academics?
If anyone has any comments or suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I am disappointed that the school has declined our suggestions and we are trying to figure out whether it makes sense to stick it out and make do, or whether we just have to bite the bullet financially and homeschool.
Any thoughts?
