I have 3 children aged 9, 11 and 13 that are in school in Spain. They are now in their 7th year of Spanish school. They of course do all their school work in Spanish. They start at 3 and do 3 years of infants before entering 1st grade at 6. There is no help here for children who are highly intelligent only for those who struggle. My 9yo son is failing everything (although from everything I see he is extremely intelligent) and yet all the summer work we have done he did really well. He has no interest in school and from what his teachers say he shuts down in lessons. They say he has no problem and should be doing really well. He started school here at 3 and rapidly learned the language and was one of the top of the class until entering 2nd grade when he just stopped having any interest. My 11yo daughter is doing well and always puts in her best effort, she will I believe do well in any enviroment. She is excelling in maths but is complaining of being bored. My 13yo daughter is also really intelligent but completely uninterested. She learned the language sufficiently to do all her schoolwork alone in just 10 weeks at age 7. She has suffered for many years with bullying and recently this has escalated to the point that the police have become involved - long story. I no longer feel they are completely safe. My dilema is this - I homeschooled her for over a year until my husband left and I had to put her into school part way through first grade before moving to Spain. She tested 3 years ahead and now is scraping by. I have always wanted to return to homeschooling as I feel very strongly that the 9 and 13yo do not respond well in the classroom enviroment and the 11yo could do more but it is against the law here. My ex husband and I are now considering the option that we return to the States and take up the homeschooling again. For this to work we will have to move in with him and make the best of it. We are not the type of couple to scream and fight and generally get along quite well but obviously we are divorced. Sorry its so long - any suggestions/cautions? If we do this what sort of things will I need to work on with two of the children having so little interest in school work?
Wow - there is a lot going on in your life right now. My first comment was going to be what are the homeschool laws in Spain, but I see that you are considering moving back to the States. I think if you felt you did well, and your children did well, prior to this issue, then go for it. Of coruse, moving to another country will bring total upheval to your family, maybe not all of it good. Your children have made friends and assimilated into another culture. Will they want to leave? I know it is not up to them, but you need to consider their state of mind when they get here (if you come back) and how it will affect their schooling. Your children sound like good candidates for homeschooling - intelligent but uninterested or bored. If I were you I'd do it - all of it - move back and everything. But you will have to listen to your heart. Good luck! :love:
Home schooling is against the law here in Spain or I would have tried that - unfortunately there is also no help in the school system for intelligent children so I feel we are left with only one option - albeit a scary one. You are right about the upheaval which I think will be huge but probably more stressful for me than for them as they will have the great advantage of having their Father in the same house again. They will of course be behind in English but as they speak another language I think they still have an advantage. Oh the dillema of it all. I desperately want to fix the school issues and I loved home schooling but is it too strange to move back in with their Dad for their sake. Will this confuse them? Thanks so much for your support and encouragement.
I also give a thumb's up to the idea of moving. How much research have you done for yourself on children who are talented/gifted/accelerated/etc. (Everyone uses a different word these days, and some are hesitant to use any word at all.) If an unusually bright child is put in a normal environment, the early result is great. They're the top of the class. They're the star. Then, they get bored and become the class clown to get attention. Then they shut down and realize all of their efforts are wasted. School's a bore, so life must be a bore. What's the point? Why try at all? Blend in or quit. Those are the options. Homeschooling is an excellent solution when you're in a situation where the system can't be adjusted to fit a child's needs. No matter what you do, giving them a safe environment to explore any subject at any pace will be a more ideal situation than sitting in a classroom full of bullies learning things they taught themselves 3 years ago! For some kids, skipping a grade is the answer. For most, it's not. ... yeah, some say it's because they're socially weird if they're in a class full of older kids. That's NOT the reason. The reason is that those who are extremely bright don't learn anything "on schedule". They might be on target for one class, but 3-4 years ahead for another class. They might learn an entire year's worth of material in only 6 weeks. Then what? Sit and twiddle thumbs until the class catches up? Frustration leads to anger and resentment. So many of the world's brightest minds have been squashed by schools who don't know how to adapt. Schools teach to the middle of the bell curve where most students fall. Those on the far end who are struggling get extra help. Those on the far end who learn incredibly fast and with unbelievable depth are tied down and left to rot. Sorry... soap box... sore subject among many in my family. Things are changing. I can point you to resources if you'd like. *edit* Actually, here are some things you might like to start digging into: http://www.sengifted.org/articles_learning/Tolan_IsItACheetah.shtml http://www.educationaloptions.com/resources/resources_levels_giftedness.php http://www.accelerationinstitute.org/nation_deceived/ http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/browse_by_topic_articles.aspx http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/young_children.htm http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/ http://www.stephanietolan.com/dabrowskis.htm http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/ http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/weblinks/gifted.htm http://www.accelerationinstitute.org/Resources/IAS.aspx http://www.nagc.org/ http://www.sengifted.org/articles_index.shtml http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10494.aspx http://www.educationaloptions.com/resources/resources_levels_giftedness.php
Thank you so much - you seem to have hit the nail on the head - they did do well early on and my eldest has even been top of the class in Spanish exams (obviously not as a second language but as the main language) and beaten native Spanish children - but now she is just doing the bare minimum to get by. Sometimes I doubt my conviction that they are gifted as they seem to have gone so long now with no interest. Thank you for the links I will work my way through them - it's great to get any info on the subject. Thanks for your help and advice.
I think even if its weird being back in one home for the kkids, not knowing why you divorced of course, it is brave and wonderful to attempt for thier sake. They will no doubt enjoy it, if it is hard for you two well parenting is always hard and homeschooling has its hard times too. So I say give it a try, if it doesnt work out he can always find an apartment near by.. some people even keep thekids in the house and the parents go back and forth these days. There are many ways to make it work though. Just remember to keep the focus on the family,such as it is.
That's very true, they will for sure enjoy it. Their Father and I will just have to concentrate on what's important ie the children which we agree upon anyway. We will have to have a go and adjust where necessary. Thanks for your encouragement.
You sound like an amazing mom. I think that it's wonderful that your ex husband and you are willing to work together to do what is best for your children. I applaud you! I think what your children will see is the love you have for them and the respect you and your ex have for each other.
Thanks so much for all the support - it's scary but I don't think we have another option for the childrens sake.
