Our 2020-21 School Plans

My story starts a year ago, when we decided to switch our boys from their local public elementary school to a local charter school (brick and morter), for a variety of reasons. That decision was agonizing. I briefly considered homeschooling but just didn't feel equipped. It was something I had admired from a distance (my sister homeschooled for a number of years), but I wasn't sure it was the right choice for us. My boys' experience at the new charter school ended up being good. Then in March of this year, they switched to online distance learning due to the coronavirus. Their school was extremely organized, and their teachers were very engaged and helpful during the whole process. However, I could tell this method of learning really wasn't the best for my boys. There was a lot of screen-time, which I truly try to keep to a minimum. The stress of figuring out new technology coupled with trying to make all of our zoom meetings on time was just a lot. We did fine, but I knew it wasn't an optimal way for my boys to learn.

Fast forward to this summer, and we had to once again make a big decision about school (now for 3 of our kids!). Our charter school was sending out surveys with a few different options for the Fall. 5 days a week at school with certain distancing guidelines, a hybrid model where kids would go to school twice a week and do distance learning on the other days, or a full-time distance learning option. At this point, I am not comfortable health-wise sending my kids to school in the Fall. I already struggle with health anxiety, and 3 of us have asthma, so when you add this virus to the mix, it's just a hard NO from me. Which leaves full-time distance learning as my only option. And I know that isn't the best fit for my kids' learning styles.

While all of this was going on, I was homeschooling Jenna through a charter school. NOT the same school my boys attended! I know....the terminology gets confusing. With Jenna, I taught her through a homeschool charter school, which means I get public funding and monthly check-ins with a teacher, but ultimately I choose the curriculum and do all the teaching. The funding pays for curriculum, extra-curriculars, and anything else I need to supplement her education. My experience was really good!

So can you guess what we've chosen to do for the 2020-21 school year? That's right.....we are homeschooling all of our kids! I am very much at peace with this decision, and I'm so happy to have that peace. This is the option that not only makes me feel calm, but also excited. It's something I've always wanted to try, and I've been given the perfect opportunity to do just that. Now, I realize this year may be really really hard, and I may change my mind for next year. And that's fine. I also realize this year will not be a typical homeschooling year. Normally, I would be able to use some of my charter funds to send the kids to supplemental classes, sports, music, field trips, and other activities. This year, I'm not so sure those things will happen. Regardless, I'm praying that by the end of the year I have great clarity for what their education should look like going forward. I am confident that I will not mess up my kids' education this year! My sanity? Now that's another story....

For the last month or so I have been researching homeschool curriculum. And oh my goodness, it is so fun and so overwhelming!! There are a plethora of options out there, and I kind of wish I could just try them all. Right now I am pretty settled on my choices, and I plan to share those all on here next week! It also helps that I am an Usborne consultant, and I have access to the BEST kids' fiction, nonfiction, and activity books. I plan to use those a lot as supplements to our curriculum.

Have you made your decision for the 2020-21 school year??