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Joined:  Mar 2010 Posts: 487 Member |  
|   Member Joined:  Mar 2010 Posts: 487 | 
Hi Chris, welcome to the dark side.    Seriously though, it is a pretty full on decision. I think your qquestion sjhould be "do we have a pressing reason to stay? Maybe something at home or school you want to do first. If not, jump right in! |  |  |  
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Joined:  Apr 2009 Posts: 687 Member |  
|   Member Joined:  Apr 2009 Posts: 687 | 
Congrats. It can feel like a big leap but it is so liberating to be the one who gets to make the decisions. Best of luck! |  |  |  
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Joined:  Jul 2010 Posts: 1,777 Member |  
|   Member Joined:  Jul 2010 Posts: 1,777 | 
Wassa matter?  They couldn't handle the truth?! 
 Youth lives by personality, age lives by calculation. -- Aristotle on a calendar
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Joined:  Feb 2009 Posts: 72 Member |  
|   Member Joined:  Feb 2009 Posts: 72 | 
We started homeschooling for basically the same reason. It's been a great experience for our family. 
 In first grade, my son had to read Judy Moody. (At home, he was reading Harry Potter.) He was asked, "what do you think of this book." His response was that everything in the book was very obvious and required no further thought. The teacher was EXTREMELY offended by his comments.
 
 We recently read The Giver at home (not a book he would choose on his own) and he had tons of constructive analysis. I guess it just turns out that the material has to be stimulating and isn't dependant on whether or not he likes the story itself. I wish teachers would understand that about gifted children.
 
 I wish you lots of luck whether you choose to stay in school or come home.
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Joined:  Oct 2008 Posts: 1,167 Member |  
|   Member Joined:  Oct 2008 Posts: 1,167 | 
I agree with Minnie. Jump in! Happy Holidays DS!! January gives you time to put some things in place, but for now let him de-frag and enjoy! 
 Shari
 Mom to DS 10, DS 11, DS 13
 Ability doesn't make us, Choices do!
 
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Joined:  Aug 2008 Posts: 748 Member |  
|   Member Joined:  Aug 2008 Posts: 748 | 
The short answer is "You can do better!" 
 I pulled my DS 8 this year from 4th grade. I cannot even begin to tell you the amount of peace homeschooling has brought to our lives. Had you asked me a year ago, I would have told you there was NO way the two of us would be able to work together. Hours of fights about homework, tantrums about reading "stupid" books, so much drama, has all dissolved into a cooperative, inspired and enthusiastic learner.
 
 We get to do the most amazing projects because we have the time and space to do so. He gets his extracurriculars that he couldn't have before due to school not getting out until 3:30pm and at least an hour of homework every night.
 
 I miss grown up conversations, but we have the internet for that!
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Joined:  May 2007 Posts: 1,783 Member |  
|   Member Joined:  May 2007 Posts: 1,783 | 
Once we made the decision to home school, I couldn't figure out a reason to make the kids stay in school until the end of the term. |  |  |  
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Joined:  Jun 2008 Posts: 1,897 Member |  
| OP   Member Joined:  Jun 2008 Posts: 1,897 | 
So an 11yo boy was asked to write an essay about a depressing coming-of-age girl's book in his own voice, he did as he was asked, and he was punished for it.  Did you suggest that perhaps the teacher could pick something he's less likely to detest next time?  Or could she communicate the message, "Write in your own voice, but voice my opinions" more clearly next time? 
 I agree with minnie here... since you're talking about a de-schooling period anyway, there's no better time than the present.
 
 On 2gift's comment, my DD homeschooled last year (she's eligible for the gifted program this year, though we're not very happy with it so far, and a return to homeschooling is currently back on the table), and Wednesdays were art day, where that was the only thing they did (apart from an outside Spanish class, because that's when it was offered) all day.  One of the projects they did was a color wheel, where DD was presented with blue, yellow, and red paints, and got to mix her own colors to fill in the rest of the color wheel.  It's still on the wall in our entrance hall, along with a few other color-mixing projects.
 
 Fast forward one year, and DD's 1st grade class did a color wheel.  This one involved a sheet of paper with different circles, which gave instructions to color this circle red, this one red-orange, etc.  Ye gods.
Wow, just noticed all the additional encouraging comments, thanks!   Total LOL on the 'write in your own voice but use my opinions!'  Yes, we jumped in right before Thanksgiving with homeschooling and we are not looking back!  Especially after one last discussion with the vice principal, where she said, 'oh this was just a way for me to get to know the kids', (not a way for me to scare your obviously 'very smart' kid , or have a power trip, or avoid telling the teacher to go back to her desk and do her own job). La Texican...no, I don't think they can handle the truth. Not really any part of it.  
Last edited by chris1234; 12/05/11 05:12 AM.
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Joined:  Jun 2008 Posts: 1,897 Member |  
| OP   Member Joined:  Jun 2008 Posts: 1,897 | 
Hi Chris, welcome to the dark side.    Seriously though, it is a pretty full on decision. I think your qquestion sjhould be "do we have a pressing reason to stay? Maybe something at home or school you want to do first. If not, jump right in!Exactly, after I asked if he would miss being in the chorus concert, and the answer was 'nope', it just felt really perfectly, profoundly correct. |  |  |  
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Joined:  Jun 2008 Posts: 1,897 Member |  
| OP   Member Joined:  Jun 2008 Posts: 1,897 | 
Now, I am so excited, and we have just dipped a toe in. I went to the used book stored to just 'see what might appeal'... I knew what I wanted to do with math, science etc., but I figured I wouldn't find much to exactly fit the bill. I did get out of there with what so far looks like a perfect physics lab experiments workbook (doesn't need a separate text). Hits exactly where he was working in algebra with the math, as well, so that was good to see. Intermediate algebra book that I might/might not use...a FANTASTIC text on the evolution and extinction of the dinosaurs. Truly well written, I am astounded it sort of seems to be falling into place without much effort. (so far).
 
 Only couple of questions still lingering, what sort of 'standardized testing' to do at the end of the year..but I figure I have time to figure that out. If folks have suggestions, however please let me know.
 
 
Last edited by chris1234; 12/05/11 05:21 AM.
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