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Parenting & Farm Kids:  "why aren't your kids in school?!" - PART 2  |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 23 2013 : 5:53:53 PM
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Same here Laurie. Be careful not to be sucked into one that you don't want though. I almost was!
Some states have SEVERAL programs you can choose from. I didn't know that till this year.
ok here's my story, when I first was pregnant with DD1 I started doing research, I settled on wanting Calvert (a private homeschool cirr, you can do it on your own and do all the filing etc, or you can do it where you get a teacher assistant and they keep all records etc).
Then some where in time a girl friend of mine contacted me asking what I thought about homeschool. Well I had went on vacations and heard some states had programs (NYC did not) and my girl friend was from a different state so I told her to look into the state paying. She did and told me that her state was paying for Calvert and she was doing that. I thought she must be wrong and not understanding things right. It seems like I even called Calvert and they were like they didn't know what I was talking about-but this was like maybe 4 or 5 years ago!
Ok as time was getting closer for her to start money was getting shorter and shorter and I wasn't sure how we would afford it. (cause I wanted the teacher assistant too!)
Then we moved to Kansas, with in the first few weeks I was seeing these commercials for MVPS (Maize Virtual Preparatory School). Irony here is Maize is the school district in Kansas that is hosting it for the entire state. And it was the district we were actually living in when we moved here! Cause my parents lived only blocks from Maize (could of walked to the school building!). And yet, they were up in arms I wasn't sending her to the superior Maize schools! They didn't even look into it, when they were all upset that I was homeschooling and not sending her, even AFTER I told them that it was MAIZE school district...any way...they are very black and white and once they get something in their heads they don't really listen...my step mom has even made remarks that they probably dumb the program down for homeschool cause they know mom's wouldn't be able to do it, and such as that. Absolute nonsense!
Any way on with my story! lol So I call the phone number on the commercial and they are like well we haven't started it yet, we will be starting it the next school year but PLEASE come to our open houses and learn about it. Well I was asking questions over the phone that I had-cause the MVPS was being advertised that you were doing Calvert but the state was paying! So I wanted to know, was it going to be like K12, K12 wants you to be on the public school calendar and if you don't check in every day you get in trouble, etc. I really wasn't wanting to do K12 cause of that. So I was asking are they going to be like calvert and give us year around school option or only public school calendar, well they didn't know. I called Calvert and they didn't know either. They said they were too much in trial with this and wasn't sure what was happening. Well, I got pregnant with in a couple of weeks of that and was just too sick to get to the open houses.....
Two years ZOOM by. I don't hear any more commercials, I don't hear any more about MVPS at all. But, it's time to enroll Lela in school.....ARG! So I call the K12 number that is on the commercials, oh they don't know anything about MVPS or Calvert, or anything else in Kansas. All Kansas offers is K12....so ok...I'm disappointed but start the sign up. Then they want some info (birth certificates and what not that takes me a few days to round up). Well literally just as I was about to fax every thing to K12. I get a email from MVPS hurry enroll today it's almost time for school to begin! I quickly called them, oh yeah they were still in Kansas. And they tell me all about it.
Then I find out there's LOTS of programs that Kansas pays for. Also other states are the same. My original girl friend at the outset of this post, said her state has like 10 different programs they will pay for.
So now, while you can figure out what you want that your state pays for.
I looked it up on the site and CO does pay for the same kind of Calvert program I am doing. I LOVE it!
To the point here-we live very close (not as close as we would if we still lived with my parents though!) to the MVPS building where they have classes you can choose to attend or not. We choose to attend to any that relate to any interest or age group of Lela-mainly arts and crafts at her K level. They've done glass painting, Eric Carle workshops and such as that. They also have writing workshops, and history work shops, and webinares and web optional classes too. ALL field trips are free, and we've done every thing from pumpkin patch to theater plays. They send you the complete Calvert Cirr, plus you get a teacher-but it's a school district teacher. Sadly our teacher is located in another state. However, a lot of kids are given local teachers and they get to see them on field trips and things like the optional classes at the MVPS building. But, we have never actually met Lela's teacher and probably won't since she is never at any of these things since she lives in another state.
I love it, and love that the state pays. They also send us extras we wouldn't get if we were ONLY enrolled in Calvert. Like weekly readers, extra math manipulation type aids and toys and such as that.
And it has ALL the benefits of Calvert! Yes it IS year around. We don't get the teacher year around though, only Aug-May. But, in the summer time we can keep on going and just send the stuff in through email, and if we have questions or need help Calvert will still help you when you call them and they are open year around. I've called them during holidays when the teacher is off, and they have helped me already.
It's also very very hush hush cause every one will say it doesn't exist, but here in Kansas Calvert goes all the way to high school! BUT, on the calvert site it will say only to 8th grade. I am not sure why though...but it's like top secret or something! lol I'm hoping by the time Lela needs high school it won't be so underwraps!
And yes with this program she can still take what ever classes she wants at the public school too! But, like I said the MVPS building actually has quite a few hands on classes as well.
So all in all I highly recommend it!
But, I also recommend calling your local school district office and making sure you know ALL your options and don't get pushed into something you really didn't want. I am still kind of upset with K12 for lying to me. I mean I know it wasn't their job, but they just should of said, lady we have no idea what Kansas offers, we are only K12 reps, and you will have to call your local district to find out what Kansas offers. Instead of saying oh no Kansas only offers K12, we have no idea what MVPS program you are talking about, must not of lasted and must not of stayed around! ARG!
Oh and I also joined some local home school co-ops just to have more people to go on field trips with. Cause I want more field trips. The Calvert site actually had a directory of the co-ops in my area. And that's how I found them and joined them!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
Edited by - MagnoliaWhisper on Jan 23 2013 5:55:44 PM |
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annielaurel
True Blue Farmgirl
912 Posts
nancy
fernandina beach
florida
USA
912 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2013 : 05:28:51 AM
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I am always happy to hear that kids are being homeschooled. I am a retired public school teacher and I think that with what is being taught in some of the schools today homeschoolers are getting a better education. I agree that time can be saved with homeschooling and the children have more time to do other things.
My pastor's wife homeschooled her two older boys when homeschooling was not the norm. She had to develop her own lessons. All 4 of her sons are college educated.
I know there are some parents who are not homeschooling for the right purpose but the majority are diligent parents who want the best for their children.
I say "hooray" for those of you that are homeschooling. The children are benifiting greatly.
Hugs,
Nancy
Make everyday a celebration of the heart. |
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Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2013 : 5:32:28 PM
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My biggest concern is always the social aspect. we have time yet and the program here does offer opportunity for it. It will be one of those play by ear things when we get started.
Laurie
http://www.inntheorchardbnb.com/ |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2013 : 9:39:53 PM
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Awesome Nancy.
The great thing about the cirr we are doing is it's been around for over 100 years. But, there probably wasn't internet back when your friend did homeschool so actually finding the cirrs out there that you could buy was probably harder. But, I have friends whose children are may age (near 40) and used Calvert to homeschool.
Laurie, homeschool is as social as YOU make it. Socialization of public school is a farce, as there's no real other situation in life that you are surrounded with only people your own age. Most other things in life, work, and church etc you are surrounded with a variety of age groups, and have to learn to get along with all of them.
With us and homeschooling, we are socialized pretty much daily. We go to church at least twice a week. Two to three hours at a time.
We go to the playgrounds at least once a week. We go to the library at least once a week. And as soon as I get my drivers license. Working on it, I just haven't had time since moving back to Kansas and didn't need it in NYC. We will be going to this museum here called Exploration Place, it's owned by NASA and has a variety of age level activities, and usually at least once traveling show-like maybe a CSI show-meaning you go in and it has all this stuff about Crime Scene Investigation to learn. One time my sisters college class had to go to this "body" show there. It was a controversal traveling show-human body cut into slices....I went with her and really learned a lot! The traveling show usually changes Monthly-as then the show travels on to the next town/state. Any way they have a homeschool group that meets once a week. Then we do once a month field trips with a co-op, and then other field trips with another co-op, all the field trips age/grade appropriate that the MVPS program offers (at least once a month). And we have a zoo membership, which many of our friends/family do so we meet up with them at least once a month there, and they actually have 2 times a week homeschool group meeting there. When I get my license, we'll likely switch on and off each week between the NASA place and zoo. We also go to LLL twice a month-lots of children there.
So in reality she is getting a LOT more socialized I think then she would in a school situation.
Then I think back to my grandma's days. school was in a one room building. Her's was extremely small-about the size of the shed we have in our backyard! (I've seen the pics!) School was very seldom-it was the depression and either they had to work in the fields or the weather was too in-climate to walk with out shoes, and across flooded rivers to get to it. So there was only small gaps of time each year that school was actually in session. They lived so rurally in the fall her dad would slaughter the hogs and go by himself to the "city" to sell and bring back the supplies needed for winter. He would be gone 4 days-wagon. They would be in the house just their family for the whole winter-again wagons, no shoes, etc made it really not a option to go much further then the creek to get water. But, no social type things. Yet through all this, her and her sisters, and brother...in my opinion were very socially acceptable people. Friendly, nice, could talk to a variety of people, her oldest sister grew up to be a RN, her middle sister a seamstress/tailor, and grandma-a investigator and school bus driver. I can't remember a situation where grandma was just socially backwards, she always seemed to be able to talk to just about any one and get along well anywhere we went. She was well liked. My mom and dad were only married a few years, but even though they never have liked each other, my dad and his mom, and his family have always commented on how much they loved my grandma.
So it's just something I keep in my mind. The "socialization" we now know in public school hasn't been around that long...yet, people were getting along before that....lol
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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annielaurel
True Blue Farmgirl
912 Posts
nancy
fernandina beach
florida
USA
912 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2013 : 05:23:44 AM
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Heather, I love the way you expressed how things were years ago. Public schooling has not been around all that long when you put in the perspective of hundreds of years. I also agree with your comments on socialization.
You are doing beautifully at getting your children out to see things and to the library.
Hugs,
Nancy
Make everyday a celebration of the heart. |
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MrsRooster
True Blue Farmgirl
1168 Posts
Amy
Seabrook
TX
USA
1168 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2013 : 07:18:33 AM
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I agree with Heather. What other time will your kid only be around kids of their own age? My daughter has friends that are 6 months old to 96 years old. She can go anywhere and start a conversation. She goes to the nursing home with her AHG troop and they spend time with special needs patients.
I had to stop and give the socialization a break last year because I had such a full calendar. I had three activities in one day. So I think the problem with making sure that you kid is "social" is a big problem. Running around from morning until night isn't exactly a great thing either. We pick a few things that we would like to do. I hate to see kids that get run from school to dance class, to practice, to this, and to that. I think having dinner at home is very important. I had to look at my life and determine what I thought was important. A full social calendar doesn't mean a full life. Sometimes, it is just stress and no one is really enjoying anything. I make sure there is just time for Bri to unwind and find something to keep herself busy. She needs the time to discover what she likes to do. I think time to get "bored" is a good thing. They discover lots about themselves and what they like.
We sometimes forget to stop and smell and enjoy the roses. Life can become a blur of activity.
www.mrsrooster.blogspot.com
www.flossesandcrosses.blogspot.com
www.morganicinstitute.blogspot.com
http://mrsroosterbooks.blogspot.com/
Farmgirl #1259
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2013 : 11:08:34 AM
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Thanks Nancy, it's just something I always keep back in my mind...that they turned out ok, and weren't exactly "socialized" by todays standards.
And I totally agree Mrs. Rooster. I don't think kids should be over scheduled. Most things with exception to "church" are not mandatory on our list, but if we have time and can then we do. If it's going to make us too crazy then we skip it. But, by and large there's a lot of socializing going on! But, we ALWAYS eat all our meals together. And some days we just stay home and play board games and go no where! lol
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2013 : 6:04:49 PM
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Good points Heather and thanks. Sometimes you just need to hear perspectives. it's too easy to worry. I shouldn't be as large as hubby's family is. :)
http://www.inntheorchardbnb.com/ |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2013 : 9:33:58 PM
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No problem! lol
Funny thing is like Mrs Rooster said, our city has so much to do, I sometimes can get too much going on!
I left out a lot of things we don't do regularly (like weekly/monthly) and a few things we do pretty regularly!
for instance I try to remember to keep track of our other museums (not just the NASA one) but the botantical gardens, the history museum, the Kansas history museum, the art museum, etc as well, we go to all those things at LEAST once a year. Sometimes more. We have went to botanica more then once already. And last year during october the history museum was having a tour in the dark, after hours. That was pretty cool going through the history museum with a flash light. A lot of fun. And I even learned a lot of neat things, I don't remember learning in previous visits.
Then I forgot like I said some of our daily socializing-restaurants and grocery stores. We go to the grocery store more then once a week and every one seems to be exceptionally social there. Then my DH and I like to go to hole in the walls family owned restaurants where when we find one we like we go back often enough we often know the owners by name, and really get to know them. That's the way I was raised too. Funny last Friday I went to a restaurant I grew up going to....I was waited on by the girl I remember seeing as a baby in the restaurant at the family table in a high chair during meal times, during non meal times playing in a small room off the main dining room with the door cracked enough for mom to watch while grandma stayed in there with her and her sisters. I've known her dad, Rick, the owner for almost 40 years now. They are Chinese, and we have become like family, and I really feel we have a feel for their culture in this relationship we have. And now my kids are experiencing that. Another one we go to is a Korean restaurant, again I grew up going there, have known the owner my whole life, and she brings out food for my "babies" as she calls them, for FREE! Again in my relationship over the last 40 years with her, I feel I have a little knowledge of her Korean culture. Recently we have had a influx of Pakistani restaurants. One I particularly like I go to at least once a month-more likely twice a month and if I have my say we go weekly cause I love it! lol I've been going there for over 2 years now. When I first started going there only other Pakistani's seemed to be there, more recently I've noticed others start to go too. Any way I remember my first visit there, they really really wanted me to buy kids meals for my kids that were a deli sandwich and fruit, instead of having them eat the Pakistani food. I said absolutely not, I'm not the kind of mom that goes to a ethnic restaurant and buys chicken nuggets for my kids....they have to try the food. Turns out my kids love it! And we have really gotten to know the owner there too, he comes out and talks to us quite frequently! lol They play Pakistani films and music while we're there, and so again socialization that in my opinion far out reaches what she would be getting in a class room.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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Parenting & Farm Kids: "why aren't your kids in school?!" - PART 2 |
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"why aren't your kids in school?!" - PART 2
