Options!

Today was a big day. Noah and Asher's first (ever) day of school. Okay, so it wasn't "really" school...as in we didn't change our minds and decide to send them to public school. But, we happened upon this program, called Options, run through a public school district where homeschoolers basically go to school one day a week (8:30 to 3:30). We get the benefit of enrichment classes and some structured learning opportunities with a bunch of other homeschool kids. The program gets the partial funding from the state based on the hours attended by the students.

Some highlights of the program:

- It's all homeschoolers. Many of our local homeschool group colleagues are also attending, so the boys already know some of the kids. (And I appreciate knowing that if I'm not there, chances are good that one of the other moms that I know will be to look out for my boys.)
- Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend any time. (Micah and I did hang out there all day today as Noah was particularly concerned about making sure he get to the right classes and all...and I was curious.) I'll likely have lunch with the boys often.
- The building where the classes are held is a private school, but we're the only program there on Mondays.
- The staff and teachers are all excited to be teaching homeschoolers, and many (if not most) of them homeschooled their own children.
- The program understands homeschoolers enough to have listed in their FAQs that one of the "costs" of the program is the loss of one of your own days of instruction each week. (Incidentally, the only financial cost is a small annual activity fee that goes toward things like tee shirts and a yearbook.)
- The kids get to experience classroom life with smaller numbers and still got the joy of some back to school shopping for supplies. :) Okay, I probably enjoyed that part more than the boys, lol!

I could go on. :)

So, Asher's in the kindergarten class. The kindergarten is unique in that it stays in the same classroom with the same teacher all day. Asher's class has 12 kids. At the Open House/Potluck a couple weeks ago, Asher...when asked what he thought of his new teacher whom he'd just met...said that "she's a bit too happy." Today, though, he seems okay with that and was pretty much delighted with his day...a nice morning with some coloring and math and reading...to the gym for lunch with everyone (well, particularly with Noah, Micah and I along with some friends)...a bit of unstructured play time (aka recess)...then back to his class for some science and art and other stuff. The kindergartners also get to have snacks and short recesses (at their own playground on a different side of the building than the big kids). All in all, he seems very happy with the program thus far.

Noah is in the second grade class. He also has 12 kids in his class. Like the other grades (except kindergarten), he switches rooms and teachers every hour. But, he stays with the same kids. This year he has PE, math, reading, lunch, art, music/drama and science. By all accounts right now, he's having a grand time. Today was a good bit of first day stuff and feeling out where kids were starting from, but he was content and prefers the slower start to figure out how things work in any case. Yup, he's having a great time, too. :)

Micah, btw, tagged along with me in the backs of classrooms today. In the future, they'll have on-site child care available which I may take advantage of on occasion. Today, though, Micah did an impressive job of cooperating. Once we have the routine down, Micah and I will find ways to spend some time just the two of us. 

So. Though I do have a few minor concerns, I am confident that things will sort themselves out. Overall, I'm darn excited about this opportunity for the boys to experience "school." Yay! Let the school year begin...

Comments

[Nan]

Good report! I wondered off and on all day how it was going. Glad that the boys enjoyed it.