Well, a new adventure awaits us this fall. Harrison will be in 9th grade, and decided he wanted to be homeschooled again. I guess, depending on how things work out, we might try to get him enrolled in the charter high school, but it is about 25 minutes away, and yeah...
He really really really doesn't want to go to public school. Considering his past adventures in that arena, I can't say that I blame him really. Maybe I'm paranoid, but all I see is him getting beat up and not realizing his potential. He's a really smart person intellectually, but like most kids with ADHD he still struggles with social norms.
I know, you're probably thinking that if I take him away from the school environment, won't he miss out on getting used to social norms? I really don't think so. After seeing how Harrison has progressed in the charter school, which has been awesome, versus the other kids that have been going to public school, and the kids in our neighborhood who are home schooled, I would say he behaves more like the home schooled kids. Not in the social norm arena, but in the, I'm not too worried about peer pressure and being "cool" and "liked" and changing myself so I fit in arena.
Anyway...
Once again, I have had to deal with people telling me why they think what we are planning to do is wrong.
I find this so strange and bizarre. Why do people really think that it's any of their business? Am I abusing my child? No. Am I neglecting him? No. If anything I am trying to prevent both of those things.
Personally I find it to be a very old way of thinking. The, "public school is the only way a child should be taught" way of thinking. I find it wonderfully amazing at all the options kids have available these days that we didn't have when I was growing up.
Harrison is signed up for an online charter school that has some of the best rates in the state. He has the ability to take college classes when he's a junior, just like any other public school student. I find that wonderful! He could almost or completely have his associate's degree earned by the time he graduates from high school, if he wants.
Aside from that, he will also be taking orchestra at the middle school, and seminary, and he will still be in the youth chamber orchestra. Plus, because he is going to be doing the bulk of his schooling at home, he can be in seminary the whole school year, and he can take orchestra the whole school year. I think that is really cool.
If we want we can even become involved with the local home school groups that get together for outings once a week. It may be every other week...I can't remember. Still, he will have seminary, church, scouts, youth chamber orchestra, and orchestra, I think his social needs will be more than met!
For some reason there is this stigma and idea that if you don't learn how to deal with all the negative awful social things while your teenage brain is still developing and you are still trying to figure out yourself, that you just won't succeed in life. Really? Really?!
I also keep thinking, whether or not someone agrees doesn't matter. As long as we are okay with it, he's going to get a high school diploma, and be ready for college, what difference does it make in how that is achieved?
Plus, if we find out that it's not working out so great, we have other options.
To me, it's all win, win, win, win, win. There it is.
1 comment:
I love it. Nick went to an engineering school in Logan for two years, and then went to Bear River. I remember the conversations about it. He just was fed up with all the problems all around. You are a fantastic mother and because of these choices he will continue to love learning.
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