The Joys of Schooling- At Home

This is our first year homeschooling Dylan. Well, its not technically "homeschooling" as he attends a virtual school that has a structured approach with a specific curriculum. Nevertheless, he completes his classes from home, at his own pace. Looking back, I know that we made the right decision.

Withdrawing Dylan from school was a big decision, one his father and I discussed in great detail before making the leap. Dylan had been enrolled in a really great charter school. One of the best in the state. Getting him into that school had not been easy (he was on a waiting list for over a year) and we knew that if we withdrew him, we may not be able to get him back in. But because Dylan had become successful in professional modeling, we knew we needed to find a school that would accommodate his work schedule. We found it in Florida Virtual School.

Florida Virtual School is considered a public school in the state of Florida, and every child who is a Florida resident has the statutory right to attend. It is free to attend, and textbooks and other materials are shipped directly to our home. The day we received the large box of books and materials, we were amazed. They supplied texts, coaching guides, workbooks, art materials, physical education materials, science supplies, and more. My husband took a picture of the set of materials with his phone:

Starting classes that first day was exciting, but scary. Essentially, one parent is assigned the role of "learning coach." In our family, that person is Dylan's dad. The classes are set up for the child to do the lessons online. Basically, each lesson starts with a video, followed by reading material, then worksheets, and ends with a quiz. At the end of each unit, there is a comprehensive exam. The learning coach's role is to make sure all of the work is fully performed and to help if needed.

For the first few weeks, Dylan's dad sat with Dylan and walked him through the assignments. It was very time consuming. Now that Dylan understands how to move through each lesson from beginning through completion, his Dad only jumps in when Dylan does not understand something. Dylan's dad also like to elaborate on things. For example, a simple history lesson once turned into a long walk through our family history. That can be a good thing, as it helps Dylan to remember the lessons when it is test time.

We have learned that the lessons can be great fun. One subject we enjoy in particular is science. I don't remember science in fourth grade being so hands on, but he is assigned some really cool science experiments. Here is a photo of an experiment where we recreated various landslides:

Here is a photo of an experiment involving plant growth and the way they absorb water through their roots:

Thus far, the experience has been wonderful, allowing Dylan to learn without limitations. He can do his lessons any time, at any place, and at his own pace. He has been a great student and has excelled in all of his classes. In fact, I see that Dylan is learning so much more this year than he ever learned at a regular school. He is learning things in 4th grade that I did not learn until high school. The program works because he does not move onto the next lesson until he fully grasps the current lesson.

In addition to the virtual classes, we are supplementing his education. My husband and I both believe firmly that music is important for a child to learn. Of course, he was learning to play the recorder while in school. Remember recorders? Well, now he plays these:

That's right! Dylan has his own set of drums and has become pretty darn good at playing them.

We also take family field trips. In the past three weeks we have been to the Miami Children's Museum, the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science, and the Miami Science Museum. Below is a picture of him sitting in an interactive cockpit simulator exhibit:

Here he is learning how a crank battery can be used to light various lightbulbs:

Just recently we decided to incorporate a language lesson. The plan is to study a foreign language for one year, followed by a trip to the county where the language is spoken. I want to study french and take the family to Paris. I'm still trying to convince Dylan's dad on that one (he doesn't like to fly).

The only downside to his virtual education is that not everyone agrees with this system. It is tough having to explain why we choose homeschooling to family and friends. The big question everyone always asks is: what about socialization? That question is really funny when you think about it. I mean, why is socialization about kids learning how to get along only with kids their own age. Shouldn't kids learn how to interact with everyone, regardless of age? My opinion is that the typical school system sets up a hierarchy within itself, where kids learn to look up to other kids as examples, and follow their behavior. This can be devastating when a child who takes the role as "leader" is not a good influence. In contrast, in a homeschooling environment, socialization occurs both inside the home, with parents and siblings as role models, and outside the home, with playmates of all ages. Dylan is not forced to spend time with the same kids every day as he would be in school. Hence, Dylan does not have to choose between conforming or being an outsider. We don't have to worry about bullying, and Dylan is able to find friends he truely enjoys being around.

As a final thought, one unexpected benefit I have witnessed is that Dylan has become very self-disclipined in his schooling. He wakes up on his own every morning and is ready to start classes with a smile on his face. He takes his lessons seriously. I am constantly amazed at what he has learned and accomplished.

All in all, this schooling at home venture has been a great experience. I have absolutley no regrets. There may come a point where Dylan's needs change and we enroll him into a regular school system, but for now this works for us.