home for high school

Chana went for her interview this week.  I'm having the parent interview on Monday (they know I'm home with the kids and couldn't come in if Chana wasn't home to babysit, so we scheduled the parent interview for a different day).  Chana liked the school, and she came home somewhat in conflict, but still inclined towards homeschooling.  She just doesn't think she can tolerate sitting in class all day and thinks it will be incredibly boring.  I think until she actually saw what class was like, she had been planning to try school out for a year, and try to make friends.  But when she saw what class involves, she balked.

Academically, secular-wise, I think homeschooling is a better choice for her.  Although I mentioned in the last post that the thought of high school kind of freaked me out, I remembered what was so exciting and thrilling about it.  Mainly that high schoolers are basically adults with fully capable brains and the ability to be in charge of their own educations.

And with the possibility of taking college courses at around 16  (I glanced at both Queens College and Nassau Community College and both have programs for high schoolers) it doesn't really make sense to go to high school.

I do think limudei kodesh would be better in high school.  She'd get more bekius, she would learn more detailed halacha, she might gain more skills.  But if Chana doesn't want to go, then we'll see what we can do at home.  I always did have grand plans for high school, but the reality is I have 3 younger children at home plus I have found that by nature, I tend to be a bit lazy and disinclined to sit and teach for hours, which means I won't be sitting and teaching things, most likely.

And, as I mentioned, I have hesitations about Chana being home socially.  Yes, homeschoolers are able to socialize beautifully.  Chana's social skills are fine, she is capable of making friends and socializing.  But I think she'd have more social options if she goes to school.

At the end of the day, I'm going to discuss it with the school and see what the administration thinks, and Chana is going to choose.  If she chooses to stay home, that's not written in stone and I think if she chooses to matriculate in 10th or 11th grade, the school will welcome her.  If she chooses to homeschool and then decides closer to the time that she wants to go to school, that's fine.  If she chooses to homeschool, then that's fine.  If there are things that make her unhappy, we will reevaluate.

I'd like to add that Sarah wanted very much to make a lot of friends, and transitioned to 8am-5:15pm sitting in class with no trouble.  Her major complaints were that the learning was inefficient and that they often moved on when she wanted to think more deeply about something.  She noted that at least you can daydream during class, which you can't in homeschool, because your mother notices immediately.  So although you are in class longer, it doesn't require the same focus as homeschool.