Our district continues to strike and an end doesn't seem to be in sight. But by law, the students have to be back in their classrooms after 30 days. Then, if they choose, the staff can strike again after the New Year.
My brain hurts just thinking about all that...
With that, our Christmas vacation and Easter break will be terminated and students will be in school until the end of June. Not to mention, it'll leave the children scrambling around trying to end the year on a positive passing note. After being away from academics for such a long duration. And, I'm sure the remaining months will be a game of "catch up." As the teachers will have to review everything they already taught to the younger students.
So, as much as I have enjoyed the short structured homeschooling experience and my daughter's receptive ability, I did loosen up by mid week. Not because of problems, but because technically, this is all our holiday breaks and some of summer break wrapped into one. So I want her to be free of school work and have fun during her supposed time off.
Also, we read daily anyways, it's her favorite thing to do. So it's not like we have to sit in a classroom atmosphere for that to happen. But, I now throw in some math as we saunter throughout our days.
But for now, we have been to the park, bike riding, library, bookstore, the farm, went outdoor exploring, walking, and played indoor hide and go seek all during those short winter day light hours...
We are taking advantage of this rare experience of enjoying each others company during the time when the sun is at it's highest point, without being pressed for time.
To breakdown our week...
She was eager and excited to work and really respected me in my educator role. We completed a days worth of work in four hours, included recess and lunch. We did activities from worksheets and played a few games, I thought we were having fun. But, she said I wasn't a fun teacher and the class was boring. I guess that's what you get when your daughter is lucky enough to have such a wonderful, real, teacher. So, I thanked her for her critique, adding, I'm not a teacher and I do have a lot of room to grow.
As much as I love having both of my children with me all day, I still feel a sense of frustration that my daughter won't be allowed to share our holidays at home with her family. The day after Christmas, she is expected to be back at school, with not even a day in between to be allowed the chance to play with new toys, go visiting family, or watch some holiday movies while eating Christmas cookies. But, it's the realization that the state feels they have more rights to your child than you, as the parent, have, that really irks me. That, they think they know what is in their best interest. Then at the same time, they're the ones trying to encourage families to be together more.
It sounds a little oxymoronish to me...
So for now, we'll hunker down and enjoy our time at home with some homeschool thrown in. And we'll patiently wait out the strike, while crossing our fingers it will get resolved in enough time that our holiday breaks won't be conceded.
But until that happens, we'll catch up on The Thundermans and decorate our home for Christmas during the commercial breaks. We'll throw some math problems in between while she skates around my dining room table. We'll read some of her new books we loaned out from the library and we'll even do some science experiments.
So homeschool will still continue, just our own version of it. Equipped with lots of fun and learning, from the new and improved, non boring teacher.
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