Thinking about the future

[mmconde]

I have a concern I've been mulling over for a while now. It's a far distant one, but I'm a planner.

A few months ago, after nearly a year of deliberating while I tried to learn patience, my husband agreed to my homeschooling our kids through elementary school (with a very hesitant 'maybe' on middle school), so long as they attend school when they are older.

One of my two primary reasons for wanting to homeschool our kids is so they can move forward at their own paces. As a child in public school, I found it very frustrating to be held back to the level of the lowest common denominator in the class. But if I allow my kids to move forward at their own paces, I suspect they may be far ahead of their peers by the time they hit middle or high school. If they then have to enter school with their age-peers, will they just be far more frustrated than they would have been? But then, I wouldn't want to give them less than what seemed best for them at the time in an effort to avoid a possible future problem.

[KAR120C]

But if I allow my kids to move forward at their own paces, I suspect they may be far ahead of their peers by the time they hit middle or high school. If they then have to enter school with their age-peers, will they just be far more frustrated than they would have been?
On the other hand, at least in some middle schools and high schools, there are a great many more options available for accelerated students. In our local PS (which isn't particularly amazing, just "pretty good"), once you hit high school you have all the AP classes, some dual enrollment options with the local colleges, etc. And you can specialize in a way you couldn't before that. Some places have a lot of flexibility even in middle school. My major problem with elementary education, at least here, is that it is almost entirely structured around age rather than ability. You're nine, you're in fourth grade, and fourth graders learn this.

The other thing is, once you're past a lot of the elementary level skills-based work of learning to read, write and do arithmetic, the options for "going wide" just explode. You don't have to do the same Biology-Chemistry-Physics science progression, or even Algebra 1-Geometry-Algebra 2-Precalculus. You can do Marine Biology and Discrete Math and Victorian English Lit and History of Science, and save the "normal" stuff for when they go back to PS. It doesn't solve everything, but it might be enough.

[radiobrain]

Concentrate on the here and now, and the slightly immediate future.

Enjoy and maximize the time you do home educate, don't worry about a distant hypothetical. ;)

By middle school or high school ALL of you will be different. Your kids might want to go to school, your husband might end up seeing how it has more positives to continue homeschooling (if, indeed, it does). You might be burned out. Who knows what life will bring? By then your husband also might change his mind about what he thinks about all the schooling processes.

I know that I *hope* to home school through HS, but I try to honestly reevaluate our situation each year.

I know you said you like to plan, so... have an idea in your head about "what you would do if....." and fill in some blanks.... have a few general ideas ready, do research if you like, but don't sweat it too much. :D

[TracyP]

One of my two primary reasons for wanting to homeschool our kids is so they can move forward at their own paces. As a child in public school, I found it very frustrating to be held back to the level of the lowest common denominator in the class.

This is my primary reason for homeschooling. The pp is correct, I have a, umm, not very good local PS and they offer a lot of options to advance at high school level. It scares me sometimes because I think what if they have to go to PS for some reason before then. I worry about it, but not letting them go at their own pace "just in case" would be silly of me. I am definitely a planner too. Some things just need to fall into the "cross that bridge when we get there" category.

[2smartones]

My hubby also wanted the kids in PS at some point... until he realized just HOW far ahead they are. There's no way in heck he'd put them in PS now.

[mmconde]

Thanks everyone. I guess I already knew that was the right answer, but it's hard for me to let go of unknowns. Thanks for letting me air the concern.

[Dinsfamily]

I was worried about this when we first started last year too. I'm a planner too and can't help it. I've always planned on enrolling my boys in a high school when we get there for many reasons (even though I'd like to hs high school subjects). I got really concerned when I realized that my ds is currently running 3-4 grade levels ahead.

BUT...then I realized that he's only 6 and high school (or middle school for that matter) is a long time away and I just want to do what's best for him NOW. I did find out that our public hs has a lot of options for AP classes and electives. We also have a (very expensive!) private school here that is good for dc who are quite advanced. So we do have options out there. Worst case scenario: I have to hs my dc in high school or enroll them in some kind of college program early. Oh well, we'll deal with all of that later.

[dmmetler]

I have to be honest-I try not to think of the future too much because it scares me! Having, somewhere in the back of my mind, the idea that ps will be a better fit at some indeterminate future-maybe 3rd grade after GT starts, or high school where there are IB schools or AP classes...something... may simply be denial, but it's also a reassurance I need when I'm trying to balance a kid who's playing with Algebra and wants to learn Latin with t-ball practice and "doesn't yet know addition facts by memory".

[LisaDSB]

I think it does get harder and harder for these kids to fit back into the system. Not only are they way ahead of their peers academically, but they've not had the "benefit of school socialization", and as a result tend to be way more mature, thoughtful, organized, and intolerant of the petty behaviours and rudeness of the school kids.

My husband, too, had the view that we would just try this for a bit and probably go back to school at some point. Now, he sees the benefits so clearly that he encourages me to stick with homeschooling when I'm having one of those days.

I can't say they'll never end up back in school, but it seems increasingly unlikely as time goes on...and that idea is also becoming more comfortable to us as time goes on.