I have always wanted to work with kids, and by the end of high school I knewI would end up teaching. For many years I was against homeschooling and private schools. I felt that it is most beneficial to all of our children if we all supported public education. If we as parents poured ourselves into public education as we often do into homeschooling and private schools, then public schools would be so much better. I became enlightened when my own daughter was in first grade.
I have always known my chid is intelligent aand the school confirmed that when we received a letter inviting her to participate in GATE for the following school year. By that time, I had already begun the process to enroll her into CAVA, a charter homeschool program. It was not that I didn't pour myself into her education nor did I dislike her teacher. I was frustrated that my child spent all day at school, studying reading, writing, and math and came home with several pages of homework every day. I wanted to spend time with my daughter at night doing something other than homework. I did not understand why there was no time for social studies, science, art, or music.
I considered transferring her to another school in the district where I substitute taught on several occassions and liked what the teachers got into their classrooms. Around the same time, I spent some time with a friend who homeschools through CAVA. It is the best of both worlds. This public school allows parents to teach but provides all of the curriculum and materials needed, including language arts, math, history, science, art, and even music. There are many families that use this program and they meet regularly to meet the social needs of children. The children have time to do things other than school.
Without hesitation, I enrolled my daughter and she will successfully finish second grade with CAVA. When I say that is an individual choice, I don't just mean for each family, but each child. I would not consider homeschooling my four-year-old until she is at least in first grade. I know that she needs to be in a classroom, even if she has rough days dealing with the other kids. She needs to learn to be part of a group, follow directions, and other social skills that she would not get in a homeschool setting. And then there is always our baby who may do something entirely different from the others.
For more info on CAVA, click here.
