It's done!
As a follow up to my last post about wanting a temper tantrum...I had one. A really good one actually, later that same day. Just before dinner, Shelbie was complaining about being sick, Sam was complaining about all the homework he had and everyone was at the end of their frayed rope. I said, "Wouldn't it be great to have a temper tantrum right now? We could all lay on the floor and kick and scream and roll around like we are 5 years old!" So, we did. It ended with us laughing out loud at our silliness. Oh well, sometimes a little kicking and screaming is good for the soul.
Sometimes, it is the indecision in a decision that is worse than the actual situation. Does that make sense? I finally called the Principal over this whole school issue with Spencer, and asked him if he could help me come to some conclusions about what to do. He invited Spencer's school counselor as well and we had a productive meeting. I laid out all the facts for him and he reported that Spencer had missed over a third of the trimester because of illness.
We talked about the Home-bound program, changing schools to the Alternative High School where they have different hours and work at a different pace and then the option of Home-schooling. Home bound is really for a child who has a predictable health situation or injury; like, they get Mono and know they will feel lousy for a month or two. It's not for a kid like Spencer who has 2 or 3 good days and then a few bad days. It's unpredictable. Not only that, they have to miss 10 consecutive days before they can be placed on Home-bound. That hasn't happened because I keep forcing him to go to school even when he isn't doing well. The Principal even suggested that I just don't send him to school for the next 10 days and then he will qualify.
In the end, we decided that the best thing to do is withdraw him from school. It was a really hard decision but having the support of those two great men, Mr. Hampton and Mr. Hawkins, helped me feel a little better as I left the school. They will help me get the curriculum to teach him at home. The downside, well, there are lots of downsides but it is not free. $50 for each class he has to take. We will concentrate on one class at a time and in theory, he will finish up the same time as his graduating class and walk with them for graduation.
Let's be honest, I am not a teacher. I am definitely not a High School teacher. I almost started crying in the Principal's office at the thought of teaching him math. I can not wrap my head around math and I tried teaching him math last year and ended up having to pay for a tutor. After I admitted my stupidity with numbers, they said, "Don't worry, we will put together something like a consumer math program that he will be able to manage easier than trig." Thank goodness!! There is a God!
So, as of Monday, welcome to Run A Muck Academy...that's what I'm calling our new school here at home. I have no idea how this is going to work. I home-schooled Shelbie through Junior High and the last two semesters of her Senior Year she was on Home-bound but this feels a little more overwhelming. Maybe because I know what to expect! When I home-schooled Shelbie, I was working 50 hours a week and she came to work with me and sat at my desk and did her work while I did mine. It was interesting.
I guess this weekend, I will have to start making 'Hall Passes' and Reading Charts and hang the alphabet up around the front room and whatever else teachers do...Looking forward to the course on Botany, me and my green thumb just can't wait!!! (Note the hint of sarcasm)
Sometimes, it is the indecision in a decision that is worse than the actual situation. Does that make sense? I finally called the Principal over this whole school issue with Spencer, and asked him if he could help me come to some conclusions about what to do. He invited Spencer's school counselor as well and we had a productive meeting. I laid out all the facts for him and he reported that Spencer had missed over a third of the trimester because of illness.
We talked about the Home-bound program, changing schools to the Alternative High School where they have different hours and work at a different pace and then the option of Home-schooling. Home bound is really for a child who has a predictable health situation or injury; like, they get Mono and know they will feel lousy for a month or two. It's not for a kid like Spencer who has 2 or 3 good days and then a few bad days. It's unpredictable. Not only that, they have to miss 10 consecutive days before they can be placed on Home-bound. That hasn't happened because I keep forcing him to go to school even when he isn't doing well. The Principal even suggested that I just don't send him to school for the next 10 days and then he will qualify.
In the end, we decided that the best thing to do is withdraw him from school. It was a really hard decision but having the support of those two great men, Mr. Hampton and Mr. Hawkins, helped me feel a little better as I left the school. They will help me get the curriculum to teach him at home. The downside, well, there are lots of downsides but it is not free. $50 for each class he has to take. We will concentrate on one class at a time and in theory, he will finish up the same time as his graduating class and walk with them for graduation.
Let's be honest, I am not a teacher. I am definitely not a High School teacher. I almost started crying in the Principal's office at the thought of teaching him math. I can not wrap my head around math and I tried teaching him math last year and ended up having to pay for a tutor. After I admitted my stupidity with numbers, they said, "Don't worry, we will put together something like a consumer math program that he will be able to manage easier than trig." Thank goodness!! There is a God!
So, as of Monday, welcome to Run A Muck Academy...that's what I'm calling our new school here at home. I have no idea how this is going to work. I home-schooled Shelbie through Junior High and the last two semesters of her Senior Year she was on Home-bound but this feels a little more overwhelming. Maybe because I know what to expect! When I home-schooled Shelbie, I was working 50 hours a week and she came to work with me and sat at my desk and did her work while I did mine. It was interesting.
I guess this weekend, I will have to start making 'Hall Passes' and Reading Charts and hang the alphabet up around the front room and whatever else teachers do...Looking forward to the course on Botany, me and my green thumb just can't wait!!! (Note the hint of sarcasm)
Glad to hear you figured out the school situation. That would be a tough decision, but I bet you'll feel better about it as time passes. I'm glad the principle and counselor worked with you to figure out the best thing for you guys.
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