Start of a New Year

I left off blogging abruptly last spring when everything got chaotic during the move. I continued homeschooling Casia for a couple more weeks, but then just gave up when my list of to-do's got bigger and her excitement about the move got too distracting. We picked it up again for a few weeks over the summer, but with a constant stream of visitors and activities, it seemed like more effort than it was worth trying to squeeze it in here and there.

So here we are, the second week in September, with one week under our belts in our second year of homeschooling. I think it is really interesting to see how both Casia and I have grown in our roles as student and teacher over the last year. 

The changes I've seen in Casia from the start of last year to the start of this year are huge. To begin with, her attitude has improved immensely. She's more accepting of my dual role as parent and teacher. She transitions from one activity to another more smoothly. And most importantly, her enthusiasm for learning has increased.

In addition, her ability to work independently has come a long, long way. Since she's technically in Middle School this year, I've incorporated a 'study hall' into the day's activities. It's the last hour of school before we go pick her brother up at the bus stop. She has a calendar of due dates and assignments, and anything she couldn't finish earlier in the day, she has that hour to complete it. If she doesn't have any assignments to work on, she can use the time to practice her violin or read. If it's not finished by the end of study hall, she has homework; a dreaded concept for her, so she becomes very motivated to use the time wisely. At the start of last year, when  she had a block of time for independent work, she would continually come back to me for guidance and reassurance. This year, I only see her if she has a question for me or if her work is complete. It's so reassuring to see her blossoming self-reliance.

Another area of growth for Casia is in her test taking and assignments. A year ago, she was interested in giving the most concise answers to get it done quickly. This year, she is much more deliberate. She takes her time and gives well thought out answers with a lot of detail. Overall, I feel she is in a much better place to begin the new school year than when we started last year. 

On my part, I think I am a lot more relaxed than last year. I'm still a person that thrives on a schedule, so I do make daily and weekly ones. The difference is, that this year, I don't get (as) frustrated when we can't keep on track. In fact, I've come to expect it. I also put more wiggle room in our plan to accommodate disruptions and to allow for added time on discussions that take us onto interesting tangents.

I think the biggest change in me this year is that I no longer really care what people think about the fact that I homeschool. Initially, I felt the need to explain why we were homeschooling. I felt like I had to convince people that it is a good option and in Casia's best interest. Now, frankly, I don't give a damn. I'm tired of explaining myself, only to find that people that are against the idea, still think I'm making a mistake. I'm tired of being asked how Casia's going to get the 'appropriate socialization' or how am I qualified to teach her what she needs to learn and how do I even know what she needs?

The academic success of homeschooling Casia is glaringly obvious to me. At nine years of age, currently in 6th grade, she is successfully working at the high school level in multiple subjects (something she was not allowed to do while in public school). She has many friends, is involved in team sports, is participating in various musical groups and has managed to make more acquaintances in our new neighborhood than even I have. She's a social person by nature and with the freedom to interact in the world around her (more freedom offered her than if she were confined to a brick and mortar school for seven hours a day), she is successfully navigating peer relationships and interactions with children of various ages. She will independently  place an order at the deli counter, call the local toy store to see if they have a product she desires and converse with adult neighbors about the new houses being built on the block. Socially, I think she is doing just fine.

With one year into this educational endeavor, I have become confident enough in my own judgement; I witness daily the academic and social opportunities that only homeschooling can offer; and I can see by the eager smiling face that greets me every morning, that this is definitely the right choice, the best choice for my daughter.