I know you haven’t heard from me in awhile. I’ve been doing lots of behind-the-scenes learning. Now that my son has returned to public school, mom gets to do some learning on her own. I’m finding it quite enlightening.
But for now, let me bring you up to speed on the youngest kiddo.
By his choice, he worked his way into a pre-AP program based on work samples and mom (former teacher) recommendations. So far, pretty good. I’m SO glad I kept some advanced demonstrations of his capabilities. He was itching for the structure, the limitless knowledge in a welcoming and intellectual atmosphere such that we all call “public school”. Okay, stop laughing. He’s enjoying it overall though he hates to admit it. Other days, the “evil humans” come out and make him wonder where he’ll ever satisfy his quest for knowledge without the others who just don’t get it. The “evil humans” also sit at his small table for lunch sometimes. They remind him that not everyone thinks like he does. My son is a big time INTP; absent minded professor type with a hyper-focus on the mind who still forgets to change his shirt every once in awhile.
Adjusting to the schedule wasn’t as hard as I imagined for him (though mornings are not fun). I think secretly he realizes that because it was of his choosing, he can’t throw in the towel even on days he mulls it over, because that would be he was wr-wr….wrong. haha. Karma. The kid still never has homework and yet is managing quite well. Teacher conferences found the teachers shocked that he handles EVERYTHING on his own. He’s very much his own man.
On days that are boring, it’s a bad day in his mind. On days when he discovers something new or a tiny bit challenging, those are called the good days. He’s finding he loves to learn more than most. His reading dropped off immediately, but has returned. He’s a lover of comfort but is itching for a new series or new author to tackle. He’s finding the literature selections and work at school to be quite limiting so I’m glad he’s stretching off on his own. It reminds me of myself. I have to grin at that.
His biggest challenge and secret love is Weight Training. The kid despises physical activity of any kind (I get it) and yet, he’ll come home demonstrating the various routines complete with the specific terminology and added notes on what “not to do”. He’s still shocked at the fact that others cut corners and it offends his integrity even in his least competent area of skill.
Amazingly, he has several friends; most who seem to be gifted by the content of their discussions. Even the banter between he and his teachers seems to be of the positive kind. They delight in his questions and he’s been appointed the student “expert” in science. No fear of retribution at this stage, so it seems to be a worthwhile title in his mind. He yearns for more challenge even now though and is only beginning to catch onto the redundancy that we call organized schooling. His understanding that the classroom is not only for his benefit is encouraging his magnanimous attitude when his mind begins to wander. So far, so good.
But does he ever reconsider homeschooling?
It would seem not.
His new toy (public school) seems to keep him busy during the day and still allows for plenty of video time at night after his chores around the house are complete, so it seemed that the mere question was a silly one to ask, but I did.
He paused for a moment and then answered, “Yes, some days.”
He went onto explain that some days; especially during weight training (which happens to be the last class of the day), he imagines me waiting in the parking lot and plots his escape. Other days, he continues to wonder if they’ll ever get to use the weights in the weight room or whether they’re only made of plastic.
His mind was put to rest yesterday.
Now I’ll get to hear stories about how to lift the dumbbells. No, not the “evil humans”; the 20 pounders, and that’s just fine with me.
Lisa Swaboda is Atlas Educational 