If your kids started in b&m school

[hadera]

Did you deschool? And if you did, what did that look like for your family? How long did your kids need and how did you know?

[My3girls]

Nope.

[HeWillSoar]

I did not but they started homeschool after having a summer off.  My kids were 11 and 14 at the time and the one was really behind so I didn't feel like we had time to waste. 

[Kareni]

My daughter attended public and alternative schools from kindergarten through sixth grade.  We started homeschooling when she began seventh grade.  We too began homeschooling after a summer off so did not deschool.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[EKS]

My son went to a Montessori preschool, kindergarten, and first grade.  We did not deschool, because as far as I could tell, my son was having a grand old time in school (he didn't learn anything that last year, which is why we moved to homeschooling).

[Garga]

My kids didn't start in B&M, but there's no shame in deschooling and there's no shame in jumping right in. It depends on the child and the experience he or she had at the school.

[theelfqueen]

We did not.

[snowbeltmom]

We started to homeschool when my kids were 7,9 and 11. We did not deschool, but they had the summer off before we started to homeschool.

[regentrude]

We did not. I pulled them out in the middle of the school year in 5th and 6th grades, respectively. We homeschooled because they were not learning enough in school - so they jumped right in. DD's words on the day I brought her home: "I am glad I don't have to go to school anymore. I can finally learn something!"

I have no idea what "deschooling" would even look like in this context.

Edited January 18, 2016 by regentrude

[Janeway]

Sort of. The way it happened and the timing, there was a natural time off in there. I do not think everyone needs to deschool. But deschooling is about changing the way you view education and recharging. If you just pick up and do B&M school at home, it is not really deschooling, it is just being in break, or recharging.

[MrsWeasley]

Yes. We pulled her at the end of K but didn't start formal academics until the spring of first grade.

[hadera]

Thank you for your responses!  We will be bringing the kids (4th & 6th) home in the middle of next month. My plan is to give them a 2 week break. I then plan to start our homeschooling, which will start out very relaxed. Then we will to do an 8 week block mainly focused on math. I want to improve their skills (they both struggle at school with math) but have a good time. I have been reading through the relaxed math thread. The intention is to have my 6th grader work through a curriculum, but because of my 4th graders perception about himself and math I think we will do lots of games, play with math manipulatives, read books, watch videos and work on math facts. Other than that we will do some read alouds, start doing things like poetry teas and establishing some other routines we will enjoy, that foster learning. I will also let the kids choose what they want to study and get books movies etc. and whatever topics. I think this will work... but I guess I won't know till we try it. My kids aren't completely miserable at school. There are absolutely things they don't like about it. My ds 4th is having a harder time and is VERY eager to come home

 

 

 

 

 

 

edited for clarity

Edited January 18, 2016 by hadera

[The Girls' Mom]

We did for a few weeks.  We pulled them out in October and took a camping trip before we even thought about starting school.  Then we kind of eased into our school work.  Then we did a lot of local field trips the first year.  My oldest was NOT happy at the time about leaving school, and I tried to show her the perks of not being stuck in school all day.  FWIW, she thanks me for homeschooling her now.

 

The hardest thing for my girls was the transition to more freedom.  I had two third graders and a 6th grader.  They were kind of conditioned to have every moment of their day scheduled and rules to follow for all of it.  After several meltdowns, I ended up setting up a much more rigid schedule than I had planned at first just to get them through the hump.  
 

[Ellie]

Did you deschool? And if you did, what did that look like for your family? How long did your kids need and how did you know?

 

I took my older dd out of school at Easter break of first grade because she was just burned out. She wasn't quite seven yet. It was a year and a half before she was herself again.

 

We did lots of things--ballet, Camp Fire, field trips--but nothing that looked like School.

[Reefgazer]

No, we didn't deschool, partly because I think such a concept is nonsense (barring trauma of some type where you need time for therapy or soemthing) and partly because the kids had completed a full school year and had a summer break between classes.  If we had left public school in the middle of a school year, I probably would have given them a break of a few weeks to re-group and refresh.  I don't see that as "descooling", which I interpret as a way to flush the ideas of school from their little minds. I think that is not even possible, actually.  If a child went to school for any significant amount of time, it is forever part of them and imprints and won't be gotten rid of (much like feral cat behavior stays with a cat a dozen years after it is adopted into a warm and loving home).  Yup, I just compared a cat to my kids.

Did you deschool? And if you did, what did that look like for your family? How long did your kids need and how did you know?

 

Edited January 18, 2016 by reefgazer

[Reefgazer]

I think this is a good and reasonable plan.

 

Thanks for your responses!  We will be bringing the kids (4th & 6th) home in the middle of next month. My plan is to give them a 2 week break. I then plan to start our homeschooling, which will start out very relaxed. I plan to do an 8 week block mainly focused on math. I want to improve their skills (they both struggle at school with math) but have a good time. I have been reading through the relaxed math thread. I will have my 6th grader work through a curriculum, but because of my 4th graders perception about himself and math I think we will do lots of games, play with math manipulatives , books  videos and work on math facts. Other than that we will do some reading alouds, start doing things like poetry teas and establishing some other routines we will enjoy, that foster learning. I will also let the kids choose what they want to study and get books movies etc. and whatever topics. I think this will work... but I guess I won't know till we try it. My kids aren't completely miserable at school. There are absolutely things they don't like about it. My ds 4th is having a harder time and is VERY eager to come home.

 

[MEmama]

No, but he wanted to come home in order to work and learn MORE. He was very eager to get started.