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Feb. 11th, 2005
All homeschooling, all the time
Feb. 11th, 2005 07:17 pmHomeschooling choir & swimming with Daniel today, then a long visit at A's (homeschooling mom). Slowly getting used to the idea of taking the h/s plunge for next year. It certainly helped to talk to A, for many reasons.
One of which was that she asked, "So what brought this on?"
"Well, it's been percolating for a while - I told you about his wingy English teacher last term-"
"Oh, god, the woman who wanted him to cut his hair, yeah-"
"-but it's not just her. He's had so many problems at school-"
"Really?" she was very surprised. "Like what?"
"You know, discipline-"
"What?!"
It was very odd. I had great difficulty convincing her that Daniel was a 'discipline case'. That he's a regular at the principal's office (down to about 1/month now); that we get notes from his teachers; that we have to constantly work on his behaviour at school; that this has been a problem for years. She has known him for almost two years, has had him at her house a number of times, has been around him at museums and choir and other public places, and this was totally bewildering to her. She kept saying, "Daniel? Really?"
Food for thought, at least.
***
In other homeschooling news, Bart Simpson is in our choir. I thought last time that he'd been brought in by a grown-up who wasn't his parent, because nobody was kindly but firmly telling him that his various smart-aleck comments at the director ("Oh, like, is this where we get to wake up, or are you gonna keep talking?") and exaggerated groans at the music selection and rude little jokes at the other kids' expense ("Whoo! Talk about screechy!!") were unacceptable.
No, he's there with his mom. She just seems to think he needs full freedom to express his ickle self. How nice.
***
Homeschooling can build great community spirit. Parents, dedicated to giving their kids the best start in life they can, can come together to support one another in a way that's truly inspiring. People work together to plan outings, events, share curricula, support one another through trials and tribulations - sometimes it feels a bit like Little House on the Prairie, with that great old-fashioned small-town feel.
The Little House books and TV show normally shied away from showing the less sunny side of community spirit: Shunning. Ottawa's homeschoolers are less likely to shy away from it. It's currently happening to a friend of mine, and it's... bloody ridiculous, is what it is. Her kid, who has 'impulse control problems' (please - who doesn't?) dunked a kid at swimming class a couple of weeks ago. This was serious, and she apologized profusely to the kid's mom, gave her son hell for it, offered to have him apologize to the other kid, offered to be on deck during swimming classes, yadda yadda yadda... but she is still being Shunned. Because her child is Not The Kind Of Child We Approve Of. And because Homeschooled Children are Non-Violent. And because Homeschooled Children Deserve Protection From All Violence. And because Homeschooled Parents Get Bees Up Their Butts Like Nobody Else.
One of which was that she asked, "So what brought this on?"
"Well, it's been percolating for a while - I told you about his wingy English teacher last term-"
"Oh, god, the woman who wanted him to cut his hair, yeah-"
"-but it's not just her. He's had so many problems at school-"
"Really?" she was very surprised. "Like what?"
"You know, discipline-"
"What?!"
It was very odd. I had great difficulty convincing her that Daniel was a 'discipline case'. That he's a regular at the principal's office (down to about 1/month now); that we get notes from his teachers; that we have to constantly work on his behaviour at school; that this has been a problem for years. She has known him for almost two years, has had him at her house a number of times, has been around him at museums and choir and other public places, and this was totally bewildering to her. She kept saying, "Daniel? Really?"
Food for thought, at least.
In other homeschooling news, Bart Simpson is in our choir. I thought last time that he'd been brought in by a grown-up who wasn't his parent, because nobody was kindly but firmly telling him that his various smart-aleck comments at the director ("Oh, like, is this where we get to wake up, or are you gonna keep talking?") and exaggerated groans at the music selection and rude little jokes at the other kids' expense ("Whoo! Talk about screechy!!") were unacceptable.
No, he's there with his mom. She just seems to think he needs full freedom to express his ickle self. How nice.
Homeschooling can build great community spirit. Parents, dedicated to giving their kids the best start in life they can, can come together to support one another in a way that's truly inspiring. People work together to plan outings, events, share curricula, support one another through trials and tribulations - sometimes it feels a bit like Little House on the Prairie, with that great old-fashioned small-town feel.
The Little House books and TV show normally shied away from showing the less sunny side of community spirit: Shunning. Ottawa's homeschoolers are less likely to shy away from it. It's currently happening to a friend of mine, and it's... bloody ridiculous, is what it is. Her kid, who has 'impulse control problems' (please - who doesn't?) dunked a kid at swimming class a couple of weeks ago. This was serious, and she apologized profusely to the kid's mom, gave her son hell for it, offered to have him apologize to the other kid, offered to be on deck during swimming classes, yadda yadda yadda... but she is still being Shunned. Because her child is Not The Kind Of Child We Approve Of. And because Homeschooled Children are Non-Violent. And because Homeschooled Children Deserve Protection From All Violence. And because Homeschooled Parents Get Bees Up Their Butts Like Nobody Else.
