First, let me say that I never, EVER thought I would be a homeschooling mom! I had always admired mom's that home school their children but also secretly thought they must be a little insane or masochistic. So the fact that we are even going there is proof-positive it is coming from the Lord. Only He could have possibly "talked" me into this!
Will is looking like he has some brain damage thought to be from fetal alcohol syndrome. He has very poor problem-solving/reasoning skills, he is barely at 2nd grade math level and he has many asperges-like behaviors (though his pediatrician here has ruled it out). I can't help but feel like it's too late to start this with Will who is now 13!, though he can't possibly stay in school or go to high school. His many asperges-like characteristics include very poor social skills and he is extremely vulnerable to getting coaxed into doing things to get a laugh or fit in. Our relationship has been nothing if not tumultuous and I pray homeschooling will repair some damage in that area.
Graham, now nearly 9, has developmental delays due to having lived in an orphanage, having a congenital heart defect (now repaired) and having been "bounced around" until we got him not quite 3 years ago. He has fine motor delays, speech delays and started school a year late due to his unstable family-life before coming to us. NZ schools are laid back regarding just about everything except kids being in the class with "their peers", so he was placed in a class 2 years ahead of where he left in the states. He is very bright but those basic and fundamental skills of speaking, reading and writing had been skipped in the move! And being such an adaptable, easy-going kid that causes no disturbances when work is too difficult, he was getting overlooked. He had page after page of 2-year-old-like scribble in his "writing journal" at school and no one noticed for weeks!!!
I'm so nervous!!! I'm not the most organized person, though I can be rather OCD-ish. Our boys have special needs that don't fit into any cookie cutter program. And I'm in a foreign country!!!! Not to mention Nani wants to be home-schooled too but I feel I need to just start with the boys who really have immediate needs.
I've got about 2 weeks to get organized and develop our lesson plan so that, if nothing else, the boys "think" I know what I'm doing. I've gotten material, mostly from the states, with the guidance of a veteran homeschooling mum of 8 at our church. She has been an absolute God-send, with encouragement, tips, material, advise and just an ear to vent to.
NZ requires an application for exemption in order to withdraw children from the school system so I've had to do a lot of research and planning for that. I sent our packet in just after Christmas. The Ministry of Education will likely have further questions for me regarding my lesson plans and such but I've not heard anything yet.
Yesterday I had the kids (I included the girls for peace sake) decorate with markers and colored pencils large poster boards. I'll take them to Stationary Warehouse (like Office Depot) to have them laminated. This will be the boys' portable work space for the kitchen table or bench (Kiwi for counter top/bar). This will give them their own space to work since we don't have room for desks, while also protecting my kitchen table from pencil points.
I've also discovered another invaluable resource in confessionsofahomeschooler.com. Erica's blog is absolutely amazing and full of organization, planning, ideas, etc. for a Christian homeschooling environment!!!
My planning is coming together. Our small office is almost ready. The boys are eager to start. But I am nervous! Maybe it's just this tremendous weight of being these kids' primary source of education. Maybe it's the guilt I have for not doing this sooner or for not doing this with all of our kids. Maybe it's my selfish dread of giving up my self, my days... my life really, to do this, even though I know it's what God wants us to do. Nevertheless, I'm ready to take the plunge and see what happens. I'd appreciate any prayers you can shoot our way and I promise to keep blogging throughout this adventure; good, bad or ugly!
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