Thursday, June 05, 2008

Educators Who've Never Heard of Homeschooling

So we started the registration process at the public high school today, sans vaccination records. We chose classes for Blondechick15 to take next year as a sophomore: Honors English, Algebra 1, Biology, U.S. History, Spanish 102, Honors Women's Choir, Fundamentals of Art/Design and half-year courses in Health and Desktop Publishing. That's a full load, but she's looking forward to the electives, especially Art and Choir.

For Bantam17, planning for his junior year, we'll plan his schedule after they receive his IEP, so he can continue to receive special education assistance, and his transcript from his freshman year at our old public high school.

Someone called in the special ed coordinator to talk about getting him assistance in the summer school class he's going to take, Health. (Blondechick will take a summer class too, in PE.) This guy was shocked to hear that neither child had been in public school for this year. "So he didn't take any accredited classes this year?" he asked incredulously. "He may have to retake a lot of classes!" I took a deep breath and explained that we knew we would be moving, so rather than switch schools mid-year, we had opted to homeschool them both this year. "Oh, are you accredited, then?"

Drawing another deep breath, I asked, "Would it help if I wrote a course description for each subject they took, listing the textbooks and curriculum used, with a detailed reading list? It's quite extensive, and I'm sure you'll see that..." The guidance counselor turned to him and said, "Rhoda takes care of all that. Don't worry about it."

Later, after he left, I asked the guidance counselor, "Surely you've had other homeschoolers transfer here before, right?" "All the time," she responded. "Just email Rhoda and see what she needs from you, but there'll be no problem."

Phew!

6 comments:

Heather said...

I mean no offense by this (after all, I AM a teacher), but your experience reminds me of "those who can't do, teach."

At A Hen's Pace said...

Heather,

Though I know that expression can occasionally be true, don't you just hate it?! I know so many teachers who could have excelled at almost any other career they might have chosen, including many of my own family members. (And I was an education major myself!)

I think this man was just insulated by being in the special education department. I'm sure there's not as much "in and out" with special needs students as there is among the general student body.

But I was amused, no doubt!

~Jeanne

Megan Cobb said...

When I first read your comment in response to Heather, I thought you'd said he was *insulted* by being in the special ed dept. I am thankful I reread. Insulated was the perfect word choice, afterall! hee hee.

Anonymous said...

So glad you're making progress in all this, after the answered prayers of finding the birth certificate!!! It'll feel good to know that's all done, come September. Well, hopefully they'll all be pleasantly surprised at how educated your two are, after all....maybe teach that coordinator a thing or two!! Love, Pianomum

truevyne said...

I'm putting my oldest son in public high school next year for the first time since first grade. I'm hanging on for the wild ride...

Anonymous said...

You still haven't explained why they're going to public high school. I'm curious. Is it because I am a product of Wisconsin public schools and you saw how well I turned out? ;)

Taryn