Branching Out

Recently I met some fellow military homeschoolers in the area at a park day. It was there that I learned about a new charter school called Big Sur Charter school. They have been operation successfully down in Big Sur for many years, and this year, they are opening a 'branch' in Monterey.

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After attending an informational meeting, and discussing Hunter's specific educational needs, Justin and I decided to go ahead and enroll.

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This is a state-funded charter school that exists only as a supplement to homeschoolers. Hunter will be attending three hours of class every Tuesday and Thursday starting the first week in September. These classes will be with five other Kindergartners and possibly a few first graders. They will be led by a teacher who will provide opportunities in music, art, and science. In addition to the classes twice per week, there will be field trips at least once per month. The best part of this set-up is that we, the parents, are in charge of content. The parents decide what classes the teacher will teach, and what field trips we want to take. In other words, the way it should be :o)

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I am so excited to be a part of this charter school! It is going to be a perfect fit for us, as Hunter will be able to enjoy all of the 'fun' things about Kindergarten (art, music, recess, field trips, etc...), while at the same time, cruising at his own lightening-fast pace in math and reading at home.

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We will also be starting a new curriculum at home, called Five in a Row. As I have mentioned before, Hunter is well beyond the phonics stage of reading (he was reading Stuart Little to me the other day!). On the flip side, Hunter is still only four years old, so it is difficult to find reading material with age appropriate content. Through Five in a Row, we will be reading classic stories, but delving much, much, deeper, and focusing on content and comprehension, rather than mechanics. Stay tuned, as I'll be sharing our experiences with this new curriculum!