As some of you might know, I am new to homeschooling and haven't officially even started yet. Dh isn't thrilled with the idea; he recognizes the need and benefits for hs our dd but doesn't really want do it (mostly because of what people might think)....but I know he'll go along with whatever I decide. Anyway...while I've been on this site, I noticed some talk about using a charter school for resources/testing so out of curiosity, I decided to look into charter schools and what they were all about. When I mentioned it to dh he looked into it too and got excited about the school near us and really wants dd to go there instead of hs...and since dd REALLY wants to go to kindergarten...I agreed that dd could go there IF she got in (the demand for spots is high.) Well they did the lottery for spots this past weekend and her name got picked right away. I don't know whether to be excited or disappointed. I really like a lot of things at this school... they start teaching spanish in kindergarten, they have a level system instead of grades, which I think will fit my dd as she is a fast learner and can progress at her own pace, they do a lot of community projects....BUT I am all pumped to hs and have all sorts of things planned out. I know nothing is set in stone and I can still take her out and hs at any point....I just feel like the momentum is going away from hs and once she is in the school, it'll be harder to take her out. There's no real question here...I'm just sort of venting....and wouldn't mind hearing any thoughts/opinions/experience people have with charter schools.
What are your reasons for wanting to homeschool? Can that realistically be accomplished with a charter school? For example, if you are simply concerned about your local public schools but can't afford private, the charter school may be an option. But if you felt your child would either be left behind or not challenged enough in a "one-size-fits-all" classroom, it might not be a choice.
you come and vent any time, and you are right you can take her out anytime you want... You can still teach her when she comes home from school with work or on week ends.
We use a charter school and we really enjoy it. My kids have the option of taking advantage of other classes if they want and we can plan those around our regular days. Our text books are provided so I don't have much of an expense there as our most of our art supplies. My oldest dd does classes on Mondays and Tuesdays and my younger dd on Monday's other than that the rest of our school days are spent at home. We like it and it fits our family well.
I think you should do whatever you and your family decides is right for your child at the moment. Because you can always change your mind, eh? I would be excited! I believe that we here at the spot, are all for educational choice so no worries about anyone blaming you for being excited. I believe in "Whatever works". It's working today, might not work tomorrow, so I keep my options open. Line up your priorities and see where they fall on both sides of the pros and cons.