No no ... this doesn't mean I have decided. Will Isaac remain at home and be homeschooled another year or will I find the 'perfect' school? Only time will tell.
Being the mother of a 3 year old I am drawn to the conversation of schools all the time. I get pulled to it like a moth to a flame. I cannot resist asking other parents who have children Isaac's age on where they plan to send their child. Why a particular school? And those who have recently started school - whether they like their school.
Most parents have plenty of good to say about the school they have choosen and poor reviews on other schools around. I guess that is the way it is supposed to be. Else why would they choose that school right? But there are a few things that have happened that keep making me sway back and forth.
1. And very important ... Suresh seems to be very keen on me homeschooling. Some conversation at office brought his home in an absolute negative light on how schools were not the way it used to be 20 years ago. Then again I remember my parents learnt Shakesphere and I didnt know the guy till I watched 'Shakesphere in love' (exaggeration since that movie came out when I was 20 - but something to that effect). His friends at work had brought out the topic on schools and mentioned that the teaching style and material were not up to standards. I wonder who defines standards.
2. Isaac's best friend for his mid-morning play has started going to school. This leaves Isaac all alone to play/fight with Ziva. While I think it is very important for brother and sister to enjoy each others company -- they also need some outside influence. Isaac seems very bored at the park and I hear from the maid that he keeps asking to come home. Last evening he wanted to come home and play with his puzzles. While it is very exciting for me to see him play quietly with his puzzles I think outdoor time -- two times a day -- for a 3 year old is very important.
3. Homeschooling has been going very well recently. Isaac has been doing a lot of coloring within the lines, lot of phonics, lot of tracing alphabets and lot of puzzles. But the homeschooling good days comes in bouts and gets very affected by holidays, illness and visitors. While we have a good round on and off we take a long time to rebound when we come back from holidays or have family visit. While it may not matter for a 3 year old ... it drives me crazy that I cannot keep a regular schedule. I don't need 9-12 ... but at least knowing that I am spending 15 minutes in phonics, 15 in alphabets, 15 in numbers, 15 in rhymes, 15 in story time and 15 in extra curricular like music or puzzles or some other activity. I believe everything else is either a filler or a blown effect of the above. (will write more about this in another blog)
4. I call her the queen of schools. But a recent conversation with Vishaka has caused me to reconsider schools. I dont remember details of the conversation but from what she had looked around there was a school that was making sure that underage children were not permitted into higher standards. I have heard stories from Vishaka on kids being forced to write .... write and write. Kids=3 year old. My cousin is experiencing the same thing with her 4 year old daughter who is given a page homework for half a day's worth of school. I wonder what they are doing at school? While Isaac loves holding a pencil I dont think he is ready for homework. But Vishaka's recent research has led her to a school that seems exciting.
5. We live in the middle of nowhere. All good schools I have heard of are at a distance of 45 minutes from home. I am not terribly excited about a 3 year old taking his naps on the school bus. But I wouldn't mind a 5 year old looking out of a bus window and observing the real world .... This being said we haven't bought property yet so it may not be so hard to choose a school and then fix a home location based on this choice.
So we are going to visit our first school tomorrow. And while I am all excited ... I have a feeling I have already made up my mind ...
Any guess which way I may be going? Please comment!
Being the mother of a 3 year old I am drawn to the conversation of schools all the time. I get pulled to it like a moth to a flame. I cannot resist asking other parents who have children Isaac's age on where they plan to send their child. Why a particular school? And those who have recently started school - whether they like their school.
Most parents have plenty of good to say about the school they have choosen and poor reviews on other schools around. I guess that is the way it is supposed to be. Else why would they choose that school right? But there are a few things that have happened that keep making me sway back and forth.
1. And very important ... Suresh seems to be very keen on me homeschooling. Some conversation at office brought his home in an absolute negative light on how schools were not the way it used to be 20 years ago. Then again I remember my parents learnt Shakesphere and I didnt know the guy till I watched 'Shakesphere in love' (exaggeration since that movie came out when I was 20 - but something to that effect). His friends at work had brought out the topic on schools and mentioned that the teaching style and material were not up to standards. I wonder who defines standards.
2. Isaac's best friend for his mid-morning play has started going to school. This leaves Isaac all alone to play/fight with Ziva. While I think it is very important for brother and sister to enjoy each others company -- they also need some outside influence. Isaac seems very bored at the park and I hear from the maid that he keeps asking to come home. Last evening he wanted to come home and play with his puzzles. While it is very exciting for me to see him play quietly with his puzzles I think outdoor time -- two times a day -- for a 3 year old is very important.
3. Homeschooling has been going very well recently. Isaac has been doing a lot of coloring within the lines, lot of phonics, lot of tracing alphabets and lot of puzzles. But the homeschooling good days comes in bouts and gets very affected by holidays, illness and visitors. While we have a good round on and off we take a long time to rebound when we come back from holidays or have family visit. While it may not matter for a 3 year old ... it drives me crazy that I cannot keep a regular schedule. I don't need 9-12 ... but at least knowing that I am spending 15 minutes in phonics, 15 in alphabets, 15 in numbers, 15 in rhymes, 15 in story time and 15 in extra curricular like music or puzzles or some other activity. I believe everything else is either a filler or a blown effect of the above. (will write more about this in another blog)
4. I call her the queen of schools. But a recent conversation with Vishaka has caused me to reconsider schools. I dont remember details of the conversation but from what she had looked around there was a school that was making sure that underage children were not permitted into higher standards. I have heard stories from Vishaka on kids being forced to write .... write and write. Kids=3 year old. My cousin is experiencing the same thing with her 4 year old daughter who is given a page homework for half a day's worth of school. I wonder what they are doing at school? While Isaac loves holding a pencil I dont think he is ready for homework. But Vishaka's recent research has led her to a school that seems exciting.
5. We live in the middle of nowhere. All good schools I have heard of are at a distance of 45 minutes from home. I am not terribly excited about a 3 year old taking his naps on the school bus. But I wouldn't mind a 5 year old looking out of a bus window and observing the real world .... This being said we haven't bought property yet so it may not be so hard to choose a school and then fix a home location based on this choice.
So we are going to visit our first school tomorrow. And while I am all excited ... I have a feeling I have already made up my mind ...
Any guess which way I may be going? Please comment!
So, how did it go? We are looking at schools too and trying to get a better sense of our options. There is so much to considee
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