Another CC question- My director quit!

[maggie10]

Hi all- I've been lurking around here for a while reading about CC, and now I have a question for you.

 

Last spring I visited several CC communities around me. I found one I liked and was very excited to sign my 2nd grade son and pre-K daughter up for CC. I thought it would be a great addition for our next school year. Plus, my daughter begs for school-every day.

 

The director was extremely well organized and the tutors/kids seemed to respect her. So here's the problem- she sent an email to everyone telling us she resigned from CC. She thinks a new director will be found, but I'm wondering if I should forget CC for next year. From reading about CC here, it seems like the director can make or break the experience. If it takes a while to find a replacement, isn't she going to be scrambling to get the new year off to a good start? I was planning to use CC more as a "fun experience" than anything else. I'm wondering if I should find another class that would take less time out of our schedule- maybe spanish? Or maybe I should do something totally different like cub scouts. We have a really active scouting homeschool group in our area.

 

What do you think? Anyone experience this before?

[learningmama]

Sorry you have to deal with this. :( At first it's never a good thing when someone has to start anew. It may work out, but who knows. That's a bummer. I only have experience with church teachers and homeschool group leaders changing.

[G5052]

When we helped start a group six years ago, we didn't get a facility lined up until August, and most of us were brand new. We had a director though, and plenty of tutors. And it was a lovely year!

 

There may be someone in the hiring process who will be just fine.

[endurancerider]

I was planning to use CC more as a "fun experience" than anything else. I'm wondering if I should find another class that would take less time out of our schedule- maybe spanish? Or maybe I should do something totally different like cub scouts. We have a really active scouting homeschool group in our area.

 

First, you may want to consider WHY the director quit....:001_huh:

 

If it's just for fun, I would definitely try something like scouts or a specific interest of my child's.

 

Good Luck!

[SonshineLearner]

I'm interested what state you're in... and if they quit or were "not allowed to direct"..... That may help point you to if you'd like to be involved....

[maggie10]

I'm not sure why she quit. All she said was that it wasn't meeting the needs of her family. And I don't know her well enough to ask her what the really reason may be.

 

Scouting is starting to look like a better activity for next year. Still trying to think it all through!

[PeterPan]

If the CC doesn't work out, your kids are at a really good age to start a sport. My dd took up ice skating at that age.

 

For your preschooler begging for school, have you laid up any specific plans? My ds will be 3 this fall, and he's SUCH a different ball of wax from my first. My dd12 was always anti-school, craving hands-on. My ds is the total opposite, begging for stuff. He loves to sit at his seat and work at things. I've been reading through some blogs gathering ideas, just to try to be a little more organized and pro-active with fun stuff. You might find it interesting to read Cathy Duffy's explanation of the Perfect Paula. Your preschooler may be one of those. Have you given her a desk and set up "school" for her?

 

Well I'm just rattling on. I'm excited about the whole preschool thing. With dd it was much more fluid (nature walks, etc.). With ds I'm looking at Before Five in a Row, some of the tot school lapbooks, etc.

[Hedgehogs4]

My first gut-level response is, "Who is to say the new director won't be better than the one that quit?" I don't know if that would make me quit. If you really don't have a lot invested in it yet and want to wait it out a year, 3rd grade (IMO) is the best grade to start CC. Then you can get through all three cycles once and really get the most out of the program.

[maggie10]

If the CC doesn't work out, your kids are at a really good age to start a sport. My dd took up ice skating at that age.

 

For your preschooler begging for school, have you laid up any specific plans? My ds will be 3 this fall, and he's SUCH a different ball of wax from my first. My dd12 was always anti-school, craving hands-on. My ds is the total opposite, begging for stuff. He loves to sit at his seat and work at things. I've been reading through some blogs gathering ideas, just to try to be a little more organized and pro-active with fun stuff. You might find it interesting to read Cathy Duffy's explanation of the Perfect Paula. Your preschooler may be one of those. Have you given her a desk and set up "school" for her?

 

Well I'm just rattling on. I'm excited about the whole preschool thing. With dd it was much more fluid (nature walks, etc.). With ds I'm looking at Before Five in a Row, some of the tot school lapbooks, etc.

Thanks for reminding me to pay attention to my children's learning styles. I think I sometimes forget they are two totally different people! I want to be able to do exactly the same thing with both!

[maggie10]

My first gut-level response is, "Who is to say the new director won't be better than the one that quit?" I don't know if that would make me quit. If you really don't have a lot invested in it yet and want to wait it out a year, 3rd grade (IMO) is the best grade to start CC. Then you can get through all three cycles once and really get the most out of the program.

 

Thanks for this advice! My gut feeling is to say it can't possibly be as good this coming year! And you're right, I could wait a year. I was just so relieved that I had everything planned out for next year.

 

I was also dreading the parent practicum. I'm just not comfortable leaving my 18 month old with complete strangers for such a long period of time. I don't have family in town and the people I usually use as sitters are out of town or sick!