With everything going on in the world and the school systems, I have had a lot questions about what type of school our children attend and how it works. Our schooling looks quite different than the ways public schools are doing at-home learning, so I wanted to paint a clear picture of what our education looks like.
Ladybug attends a university-style school, which means she attends classes on campus two days per week and classes at home the other three days. Her home days consist of lesson plans provided by the school that I teach her. The parents within the school have also gone to trainings to be sure we are all on the same page with the teachers for how we are teaching throughout the week. There are no online courses that the kids sit and watch during home days; It is strictly parent and child, and it is all the same curriculum that she is learning on-campus. For example, if her first grade teacher teaches Saxon Math lesson 11 at school on Monday, then I will teach Saxon Math lesson 12 Tuesday at home. She will then turn in any work that she completed at home with me when she returns to campus the next day.
Each home day is a full day of school work. Of course this looks different in every family based on the child, the curriculum, and the needs. In our home, we start school around 7:30 a.m. and finish around 4:30 p.m. due to frequent breaks. Usually our hours of direct instruction and work total to around 5-6 hours per day, which is very similar to public school hours of on-campus learning. Of course we also try to make sure to have art, music, and P.E. in some form or fashion during each day as well.
This model works perfectly with Ladybug and we feel it will likely work out well for Panda based on all of the extra one-on-one tutoring they are receiving. I am a certified elementary teacher with certifications in English as a Second Language and Gifted and Talented, so that helps given our specific situation. I am able to extend, challenge, or slow down concepts based on each of my children's specific needs. For example, vocabulary and speech is an area in which I spend extra time with Panda since learning English came later in his life. With Ladybug we may take a 5 minute grammar assignment and turn it into a 30 minute lesson involving practice with annunciation and correct sentence patterns.
This model also meets our family's needs as far as the vast number of medical and therapeutic appointments we attend each week. When we need to spend a day in the medical center, we just pack up our school work and head that way. No need to be absent and miss instruction yet again.
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| Baby got a paper gown and mask too =) |
A university-style school would be tough to swing if both parents worked full-time unless hours are flexible. We learned last year that teaching three days of school at home is a part-time job, and I could no longer view myself as a full-time stay at home mom. We had to make some adjustments in our daily lives accordingly.
I hope that answers questions! University-style schools are becoming more prevalent this day and age. When we were looking for one a few years ago, we toured four just in our area. And my guess is that this interesting pandemic experience will give birth to more schooling options as well.
I hope everyone is finding their peace and rhythms. School has begun for most, and tensions are sometimes high with all of the changes therein. Praying for you guys as you make decisions for your families and continue to adjust your course with time. Just remember that no decision is permanent and there's always room for error. As a wise woman once told me, just make the best decision you can with the information you have at the time. And enjoy the ride!
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