Homeschool.....Why it's right for us!

This week I have been doing a lot of research on home school curriculum's, styles of learning and much more.  I have been thinking about it a lot, since kids in our area are getting ready to head back to school for another year of learning.

I want Ayla to start learning along with everyone else.  She has developed into quite the little sponge in her young life.  Sucking up everything she hears and sees.  I really believe she will have a love for learning.

And I want to find a curriculum that nurtures that.  I have read that the early years of teaching for a child is crucial to developing the type learner they will be.  If it's all facts and no fun, then there is a big chance learning won't be enjoyable to the child.

I want Ayla to love to learn, I want her to be different than her mama.  When I was in school it was a lot of time lines to memorize and centered more around the date an event was happening-than what really took place.  Not that dates and facts aren't important.  But I really think I would have retained a lot more of what I learned in school if I had felt connected to the story in some way...instead of remembering the date it happened and that's all for my upcoming quiz.  Let's face it most of what school focus' on these days are standardized testing!  And I don't want Ayla's entire schooling to be preparation for one big test and no real lessons she will remember and learn from.

And that's why I'm pretty sure Home school is right for us.  It's not right for everyone, and I have to say the School's in our area are highly awarded and some of the best in the state.

I was wondering the other day if Ayla didn't have CF would I even have considered this.  And I'm not really sure what the answer is to that question.  But I know that home school offers the ability for her to stay on her routine with treatments and medicines & for me to be able to monitor her meals.  And let's face it....she will avoid a lot of bugs and germs being in her environment.

Now don't go thinking I'm one of those mom's who shelters her child from other kid's in fear of the sniffles.  We do play dates with other kids and she has many cousins who she sees often.  And socialization is very important for Ayla.  She has always been one of those kids who doesn't have an attachment to much...just keep her around people and she's content.  And home school will not hinder her from that.  There are many mom's groups who get the kids together to do fun lessons or field trips and we will be participating.  Ayla really has a love for people and I love that about her.

How long will I home school her?  Until it's not right for her anymore.  If Ayla gets bigger and wants to be part of the school soccer team or go to the Prom...who am I to stop her?  But for now I think she will really love it.

I am looking into a few different curriculum's...both bible based & very different but the two I am most interested in is Before Five In A Row (BFIAR) and Classical Conditioning.  Each offer very different approaches but there are things I like about each of them.  For example Classical Conditioning offers once a week Co-Op where actual teachers work with students, they get to be with other kids-do arts and crafts and it's a great resource for mom's too.  BFIAR offers teaching through books that you might read your child anyway.  They take children's books (or more mature books whatever the age group) and pull lessons from each area of study out.  The lessons are laid out for you and it's FUN!  There are no textbooks, just words from authors who love their subject instead of a committee of people who put out a book that includes a list of facts they think my child needs to know.  BFIAR covers those same facts and happenings but in a way that Ayla will take away memories & emotion-and carry them with her through life.

I am getting really excited about this, as a stay at home mom- we are all looking for a "purpose" or something besides cooking and cleaning that gives us worth.  And I feel like this is just that for me.

It's funny because years ago I would have never saw myself doing this, a teacher was something I never wanted to be.  But that's what having kids will do for you.  Completely change you in ways you never thought possible.

So thanks Ayla for giving mommy a purpose and I look forward to learning with you!

~krista