Yes, I know it's already a full month into the New Year. And honestly now that the business is closed I feel like I have a much better handle on my time for the most part. Or, rather - now that the business is closed, Larry is overseas, the kid aren't going to fulltime school and I'm not trying to juggle working and a dozen other commitments I feel like I have a better handle on my time.
That said I'm back to hash out my thoughts. I am open to GENTLE suggestions. Yes, I'm talking to you, Mom and Dad.
So.. I signed the kids up for a well known school program. I felt like I was floundering and not really reaching the potential of all they could be learning and wanted more. Like the really smart homeschool kids I had in my mind that graduate college at age 16 sort of smart because they ARE that smart if their mother says so herself.
So this program is a once a week program with lots of memory work that is supposed to form all sorts of foundations for the rest of their schooling. They memorize a timeline of events from Creation to Sept 11. And if you buy the $35 CD set you too can own the 16 minute long song. Actually it's about the best (only) thing on that CD worth listening to all that much.
They "learn" (memorize) the songs for states, capitals, presidents and hand gestures to go with it. It's impressive to see their showcase 6 year olds be able to recite all the presidents of the US when I can barely remember half of them.
HOWEVER.
I'm 3 weeks into this and I'm really having second thoughts on this whole model and company.
First of all- it is not cheap. Their "corporate" gets fees for each child and if you have a 4th grader and up they get 2 fees for each child. I'm not entirely sure what these fees go to other than paying the lawyers they hire to try to keep their proprietary system out the the hands of non paying classical teaching parents. Frankly my 3 interactions with them trying to order my books has left a bitter taste in my mouth. They let me buy them, but refused to ship them until they had confirmation I had paid the fees for a class in the future and then did not send all of them because they were 'backordered.' Then to boot the newest edition which isn't officially a revised edition is 2 pages off of everyone elses' book PLUS the 'recommended to go with' timeline cards were not the ones to go with this cycle but I didn't realize they had shipped and I had ordered the wrong ones until I had opened them. If they girls they have answering their phones are graduates of their program I'm getting off this trail now. BUT it's a no refund policy so I'm pretty much committed for this year. And I'm trying not to finish burning this bridge with 17(or whatever) more weeks left in the classes.
The whole method is they have 'tutors' which 'teach' you child (read from the pre-approved verbage of corporate and demonstrate approved hand gestures) for the facts of the week. Then sing song about them and drill said facts and facts from previous 6 weeks. OK. information is being imparted I'm ok with that.
The first week I watched the older class (parents are supposed to be in there helping/watching/whatever) and the tutor was engaging and organized. BUT.. I added 3 kids to the class and the tutor didn't want to continue so they split the class into 2 classes and gave them 2 new tutors(teachers) the following week. One of which started the same week I did. OOOOkkayyyyyy. No longer impressed. Daughter 1 was in a class with one other girl who's mother was the teacher . Granted there was another girl absent but when you have one sullen teen with their mother and my daughter in a room I don't see a whole lot of the 'socialization' aspect that this community promised to deliver. So that was week 2.
Week 3 (today) I went into JMs class. He told me he was the oldest in his class. I didn't realize he was in with kids who couldn't even spell their name or speak intelligibly. Sure I'm an over-achieving parent but you can not possibly expect that my kid is going to learn in this sort of environment. EVEN with the song method of teaching - because the chaos was so loud I couldn't figure out was was being taught. And we missed 13 previous weeks of material.. I was mad. I asked the teacher if he was too old for this class and then asked the director why he was in a class with 4-5 year olds. She said 'oh, there were other kids absent who are older' which was total nonsense because there was ONE kid missing and she was 7. Talk to the other teacher and she has 7 -9 year olds. So why was my kid in the class with the kid that wouldn't keep his hands out of his pants or nose? And why are you telling me that in other communities there are 4-10 year olds in the same class as justification? If other schools have kids smoking pot are you going to say it's ok? *I* teach 8-11 year olds in one house and I can tell you from experience that it's a HECK of a lot easier to teach them at their level rather than trying to teach an 8 year old 7th grade math or expect a 11 year old to not be bored to tears with basic writing. Sure, some subjects would work. EVEN this timeline stuff could work in theory. I sure as heck wasn't seeing it work in real life.
So. Next week he will be in the "other" class that they still defend are the same age. I call BS if the director can't tell the difference between a 5 year old and 9 year old perhaps she should try teaching that age spread.
The afternoons JM goes to "Bible study" which is akin to nursery at church where it's basically babysitting with a Bible picture to color in. (It's a "christian") program. Today he was whining that he would rather stay with me which for me is all sorts of red flags. I'll probably keep him with me next week.
Where am I when this is going on? I'm in the afternoon grammar/writing class for the 4th-6th graders. It's old school. I mean older than me school- they still teach diagramming sentences. And after having to teach myself and the kids 13 weeks of this we are finally caught up and getting it, more or less. The diagramming part I could take or leave. It has a cult like following, almost reverent worship among parents who do this program, but I honestly can't see how it's all that useful. Not even at the college english major level useful. Sure you can identify subject/noun/adjective/adverb/pronoun but my kids learned that doing ad libs. Writing is a weak area for my kids and the IEW book and DVDs they use I actually find useful, but that's 1/3 of the afternoon. And THOSE books I don't need to be a paying member to buy since it's a totally different system.
Next year the 7th graders are supposed to graduate into a 'amazing/wonderful/challenging/make-your-child-guaranteed-to-succeed-in-life' program. And all the costs associated with this will nearly double. If we want to try to secure a spot I have to register for it next week. NEXT WEEK. There is all sorts of 'it will sell out, so register fast' pressure especially since I want to transfer to a campus here in town rather than commute an hour. I've hear they are larger campuses and I have hopes that means that they'd be more organized out of default and that they kids would have more opportunity to make friends their ages.
But I'm torn. This is one of those programs that you're supposed to commit to 3 years to get all that memory foundation. I see some benefit to memory. I think I'd like to keep JM and Kayla in it. I';m just so very torn on what to do with Sonia and Joey. Sonia wants to go to public school based solely on the fact that she would have more regular access to a library. Joey wants to homeschool based solely on his desire to not be in school from 7:30-3:30. I think they're learning more this year and we're fixing alot of bad habits and learning what was missed along the way. But I'm not in love with this program and I'm a bit creeped out by the way this program has a cult like following that you MUST love it and I find myself frustrated that the corporate office control and propaganda.
Some of my biggest frustrations come from the degree of propaganda and control. They won't let you buy the curriculum until you enroll in it. So I can't see next years until I enroll? So I can't make an educated decision I just have to go based on their testimonials that this is the best academic program out there, well worth the high cost. If I wanted to make decisions based on testimonials alone I'd buy all my household goods off late-night TV.
I have until Feb 10 to decide. I know Larry thinks I should send them to school because he thinks social interaction is key. I find this incredibly ironic coming from one of the least social people I know. I haven't met anyone who has said 'wow, jr high years in school were awesome' and have met countless people and count myself among those that would rather chop off appendages than have to live through those years again, especially everything that involved the interactions with others in school.
I approached the director asking to see a copy of the 7th grade program before committing and since her kids are not that age she doesn't have one. I can ask the local overseer on Feb 18th when she's visiting.. but that's exactly 8 days too late.
Maybe I'll email her directly. At this point I have few reservations. I already gave my current campus my 'I'm not returning in the fall' notice. EVEN IF the rest are full I can't see it worth going back there. I have the books. I'd buy the CDs and call it a day. Maybe that's my problem, that deep down inside I'm not a social person? That I'd rather raise my kids in a vacuum that I enjoy than go out in a world that I have to regularly filter what I say. This particular area I'm needing to filter alot.
But since this is my overall dumping ground.. let me say a few things:
First of all- I know we live in the south here and all... but seriously "Lincoln's war between the states" and "Lincoln went to war against the southern states" has a serious bias. And while I like and appreciate Jim and Elizabeth Eliot, Missionaries to Equador are they really world events? Seriously- he got killed that first year he attempted to reach that people group. Their legacy lives on and all and I really respect what Mrs Elliot had since done in life but really? They're on par with the War of 1812 and China's Ming Dynasty?? I understand they(the program) used to use Veritas Press timeline. I may go buy that instead if we flunk out of this system. At least then I'll have something to compare it to.
And lastly. Some of those songs on those CD's.... ugh. just ugh. Like if the kids fight in the car I threaten to play them but only if I first put on headphones. Screeching soprano, no accompaniment. Seriously. Just. No.
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