How I came to my decision to homeschool

During the fall of 2009, my third grade son jumped into the car one afternoon and said, "I'm reading on a third grade level, Mommy!" "I know," I replied, "You've been reading on a third grade level for a couple of years now, Elliot." He said, "Well, my teacher tested me and told me I was reading on a third grade level." I knew that the school district did not require teachers to assess students any higher than their real grade level, but I also knew that a teacher worth her salt would assess a student in his reading ability until he was "frustrated," so she would know exactly where to instruct. Red flag number one.

A few weeks later, Elliot came home with a math paper on which the teacher had written, in three places, in red pen, "Mom, please teach Elliot this concept--he doesn't understand it." So, I pulled out the manipulatives to teach Elliot the concept. He, however, understood it perfectly. I asked him why he had performed so poorly on the paper. He said, "She [the teacher] handed the paper out and told us it was a test, then she timed us." Well, Elliot has a little bit of test anxiety, and he really dislikes being timed. Red flag number two.

That same day, Elliot told me that he had learned about solids, liquids, and gases that day in school. I asked him what his teacher had done to teach him these concepts. He pulled out a "notes page" that had the definition and some sketches of molecules loosely packed, more densely packed, and very densely packed. "What else did she do to teach you these concepts?" I inquired. He said, "This is it, and I have to study it, 'cuz there's a test tomorrow." I decided to reteach solids, liquids, and gases with an ice cube in a pot on the stove; it melted then evaporated--hands-on science instead of a notes page. Red flag number three.

Before I put the ice cube in the pot, I mumbled under my breath, "If she can't teach you properly, then I'll pull you out of school and teach you myself." Well, that's what came to be. Throughout third grade there were a number of other red flags. We muddled through the rest of the year--I questioned the teacher's instruction, I retaught Elliot at home, I transferred Elliot to another third grade classroom, I continued to be frustrated with the instruction, and then I decided to homeschool.

So, I will be homeschooling Elliot (4th grade) and YaYa (2nd grade)** during the 2010-2011 school year. We have named our "school" Frontier West, and our mascot is the Cowboys.

WE ARE THE FRONTIER WEST COWBOYS!!!

**It should be mentioned that YaYa's first grade teacher was excellent--she differentiated the curriculum and constantly challenged YaYa. But if I'm going to homeschool one of them, I'm going to homeschool both of them. Besides, YaYa is excited about getting to sleep late!