Extricating Myself From The Triangle

Tee is in grade four at the local public elementary school this year. One of the programs his teacher has in place is called Home Reading. As the teacher explained at the beginning of the year, it has been proven that readers become better readers by reading, and for her, the next logical step was [...]

Read Full Post »

Missing Home

These last few months that the kids have all been in school have been eye-opening for me. Sometimes when I was homeschooling, I second guessed. I wondered whether the kids were really getting out of it what I thought they were. My gut said yes, but there was no real proof, no way to be [...]

Read Full Post »

Stuck in Cement

The frustrating thing about having very, very bright children in the public school system is that their needs are hard to advocate for. Because they’re able to handle the work, because they’re clever enough to adapt to whatever situation they’re in, and because they aren’t any trouble, they end up being practically invisible. Time and [...]

Read Full Post »

The Curmudgeon Speaks

I reluctantly agreed to volunteer for Tee’s class field trip to the local Writer’s Festival today. I say reluctantly because I’ve had experience in these sorts of situations, and there isn’t much I’ve enjoyed less than being responsible for a group of school children in a public space. Today was no different. They acted like [...]

Read Full Post »

In Which I Grit My Teeth and Say Nothing

Big girl L found out at school that she’s expected to read 10 books in the next twelve weeks. According to her calculations, based on an estimate of 250 pages per book, and leaving weekends out, she’ll have to read 40 pages every day. Outside of school hours. Which for her is either at lunch [...]

Read Full Post »

Letting Kids Learn

I’ve learned a lot while homeschooling my children, particularly this last year, when youngest son’s distaste for workbooks and learning assignments became very clear. He’s a lot like his mother in that he hates being told what to do, and hates anyone trying to teach him anything. He hated his one year in public school [...]

Read Full Post »

Bunk

One argument against homeschooling that I have heard a few times is that kids should go to school to learn how to deal with “the real world”. Implicit in that statement is the assumption that the school experience is a necessary training ground for adult life, and that “protecting” children from possible hardships they may [...]

Read Full Post »

Happy Terry Fox Day!

Well, actually it’s the Terry Fox Foundation National School Run Day, except that it’s really on Friday the 28th, but the school kids ran today, so Tee and Jay did too. I remember being absolutely inspired by Terry Fox’s accomplishments when I first heard his story. I think he was a profoundly courageous young man.

Read Full Post »