home schooling (warning: (too?) LONG!)

[Jennifer Piersol]

Tabouli quoted Amy:

> IMO, spending 6 hours a day with one's own age cohort and almost 
> no adults or older and younger children, while very rewarding in 
> its own way, lacks many of the benefits that come from spending 
> those same hours engaging with members of the community of all 
> ages, one's family, etc.  (...) There are lots of opportunities to 
> learn to interact with others besides the schools.

And then replied:
> 
> A point I have long perused myself.  Once I had got used to the 
> post-school multi-age world, I remember feeling stunned when I 
> talked to schoolchildren and realised how limited their world was.  
> Even having a friend more than a year older or younger than oneself 
> was considered suspect!  I'm sure that a responsible home-schooling 
> parent could easily arrange for his or her children to get social 
> contact elsewhere.
> 
> Hmm...
> 
> Tabouli.
> 

I've been considering homeschooling since I started substitute 
teaching - oh, I suppose it's been 6 years now.  Long before Ginger 
was born.  I used to bring it up to my colleagues and their SOs, but 
after getting a lot of "but how are they going to make friends?" 
thrown at me, I decided to just forget about talking about it to 
women/men who teach elementary school.  ;)  Anyway, I did some 
research, and there are a few options for me.  First, there is a 
"homeschool base" about 30 miles from my town.  It's a place where 
you register your children and take them for mandated state testing.  
You can also arrange for student swapping - one day a week or so, you 
take your kids to be taught by another of the parents... it gives you 
a chance to take a break, it brings the kids together, and it 
highlights another parent's area of expertise.  They also schedule 
field trips to the zoo and stuff... with a van to transport the kids. 
It's sort of a hybrid between "real" school and teaching your kids 
*only* at home.

The other option I would have as a homeschooler is to schedule 
certain classes with my local elementary schools - things I honestly 
*can't* do myself.  For example - group music and p.e. classes.  
Though I can (and will) teach my daughter how to play an instrument, 
I can't teach her to cooperate with other musicians without having 
those musicians in the house with her. :)  I can't teach my daughter 
how to play soccer without teaching her to cooperate with other 
players.  As music and P.E. classes are rigidly scheduled at the 
elementary schools (for example, group p.e. is every Tuesday and 
Thursday afternoon, and music classes are Fridays), it's easy for 
homeschooling parents to arrange with the administration to drop 
their children off for 3-4 hours a week for those specific classes 
only.

Whatever I choose, I am required by state law to schedule times to 
take standardized tests at the local elementary school (or to the 
homeschool "base" where they are officially registered).  

In any case, there are lots of options to "socialize" my child(ren).  
I also remember feeling very strange when I had to make friends 
outside my general age group.  In fact, I'm still having trouble 
feeling "normal" without anyone my age to talk to.  It's very 
limiting.  Don't want Ginger to feel that way.  

Hmm... sorry this is so long - I guess I have a lot of issues!

Jen (who is actually getting a little tired of staying home all the 
time, and is wondering if she'll be able to mentally cope with 
homeschooling after all.  However, seeing the state of teachers 
around here (subbing was VERY informative), I'm not sure I want to 
risk sending her, either)