Children in Public School

[jayr74]

I want to first thank everyone on the forum. Reading through all the post has been a glimpse into the mind of so many dedicated people. I am new to The WTM and classical education. My children are still in public school while my wife and I play all the What if? games about homeschooling. I appreciate the wonderful resource that I have found in this site. How am I able to use the WTM if my children are still in school? Thank You, In his Grip. Jason

[scrapbookbuzz]

Yes, the big What If? I think you'll find yourself doing alot of that REGARDLESS of how your children are being educated! That being said, I would HIGHLY encourage you to do what you believe to be right for YOUR children. (And I think you may already have that answer; now to just make it happen!) As for using WTM while children are in school, I know some work it in after school. However, some schools pile on the homework to the point where 1) You wonder what they did in school all day? and 2) It's too much to add anything 'extra' on during the week.

Perhaps you can talk it out with your spouse and think about what 1 or 2 points of the WTM you'd really like to instill in your children and see how you can work that in to your daily life. If nothing else works, perhaps you can give them "holiday assignments" to do over their breaks using resources mentioned in WTM.

I feel like I'm rambling now but I hope I was able to help you somewhat! :0)

[Cadam]

TWTM has a short section on afterschooling. I think most of us tend to choose something that is most important to us or that is lacking in our ps and add to that at home. I am happy with a number of things about my dd's school but that math is not great (TERC investigations :glare: ) and there is no Latin, so after Christmas we will be adding those in and doing them in the Summer as well.

I would much prefer to homeschool her along with the rest of my kids, but it's just not the right thing at this time.

[Melinda in VT]

We are generally happy with our schools.

We afterschool reading in preK and K (to make sure they get phonics), history in grades 1-4, and logic in grades 5-8 (theoretically; I've struggled to fit this in and I'm not wild about the middle school logic resources I've found). My husband supplements the foreign language they get in school.

We also keep supplemental math materials around for use in the summer or when the kids want. I've dabbled in art history and want to do more with music history. (They get some of both in school, but not in chronological order.)

[MIch elle]

Listen to The Story of the World series audio in the car & other classic books from the library or free from Librivox.org
Read aloud classic works of literature to your children that you ALL will enjoy
Watch Masterpiece Theatre productions of classics
Visit science, art and other types of educational museums
Attend classical music concerts
Help your children connect to other areas of life - looking at the sky, studying nature
Talk to them about your values - ask THEM lots of questions & discuss
Read the Bible with or to your children

Even if your children attend school full time, parents are STILL the primary educators IF they engage and nurture their children intellectually.
:D