One of the big pluses about home educating is that it gives time for students to progress at their own pace. Read this encouraging personal story of one family's journey.
WHY YOU SHOULD PULL YOUR KID OUT OF SCHOOL
By Kerry McDonald
A homeschooling mom contacted me recently to share a story about why she pulled her son out of school in the first grade and how he’s fared now that he’s in fourth, at home.
Like many young children, boys in particular, her son was full of exuberance. Kindergarten, with its increasing emphasis on Common Core-influenced academic seat work to the detriment of childhood play, was crushing for him. There was talk of his inattention at school, his hyperactivity, his inability to sit still and concentrate. He was 5.
Once first grade came along, the forced academics and lack of play became even more pronounced, and the pressure to conform to arbitrary curriculum frameworks mounted. At 6, he wasn’t yet reading and the public school teachers and administrators wanted to put him on an IEP (individualized education plan). The parents were torn. They believed that their son was fine, that he would eventually read, and that it was the rigid structure of public schooling that was causing these issues. But they also felt pressure from the school staff to intervene and “fix” him.
They waited a bit longer, debating their options and wondering about alternatives. As the stay-at-home-parent at the time, the dad was pushing to home-school; the mom was a bit more reticent. She was soon convinced after a trip to the public library one day when her son said he hated reading and threw his book onto the ground.
That did it. They removed their first grader from school and haven’t looked back.
Read more at Whole Family Learning.