Today he's done math, lots and lots of music (he found some videos online a few days ago to teach himself how to play Carol of the Bells as a surprise for someone), and wrote a letter to someone about doing some volunteer work. He'll read and write something before he he hits the sack tonight, so I think it was a pretty good first day for such a last minute decision.
As a parent, it was really neat to read both the mass letter and personal notes he wrote to the staff members of the school. I love watching the little Ws grow up, see what they value in other people, and watch them express their gratitude toward those who have made their lives better. I also love the fact that his public school experience was such a positive one.
I sent a mass e-mail to several school employees this afternoon and will just copy it here, minus faculty names, because it sums up, in my typical wordy way, how I feel.
To (some of) the staff of NMMS and the NMSD office –
As you probably know by now, Silas has chosen, with our blessing, to return to homeschooling and withdrew from NMMS this morning.
Our approach to school choices is “one kid and one year at a time” and until this year that meant our kids have been exclusively homeschooled. Silas, however, has always wanted to experience a traditional classroom setting. That was understandable, partly because he's an extrovert who likes to try new things and partly because he has a public school teacher for a dad.
The timing seemed right to send him out for a public school experience this year. If he thrived and loved it, then we'd have him stay put. If it was a negative experience or if he simply didn't think the pros outweighed the cons, then we'd pull him out at the end of the year. However, in mid-November he said that he'd like to be done with public school at the end of the term.
I was a bit torn. On one hand, his time at NMMS has been a positive one and it didn't seem logical to pull him out before the end of the year. He's made new friends, enjoys and respects his teachers, and has had opportunities to do and learn things he hadn't experienced at home. Additionally, it's important to us that our kids finish what they start and I wasn't sure if quitting mid-year was the best choice.
On the other hand, he had put a lot of thought into the situation, had a realistic view of the pros and cons of both school options, could articulate the things he would gain and lose by changing things right now, and had come up with possible solutions to areas of homeschooling that we would need to change from last year. He is not a person who gives up easily or who bounces from one thing to the next, so quitting mid-year would not be the reflection of a character flaw in this situation. And, depending on how you look at it, he's not quitting. He'll still be receiving an education, but will simply be changing the location of where that happens.
Evidently our plan to evaluate things one year and one kid at a time turned into one term and one kid at a time. Over the weekend Tim and I agreed to let him come back home, explaining that if he ever chooses to go back to public school in the future, then mid-year changes will not be an option because he will know exactly what to expect from both home and public school choices.
I share all of this with you for two reasons.
First, he really appreciates all of you and I want you to know that his decision is not a reflection on anything you've done. In fact, I think all would be perfect in his world if he could homeschool and have you all just come to our home for periodic visits or lessons. For him, it came down to a good choice and a better choice. I love the analogy that he came up with yesterday morning, which he alluded to in the note he gave to many of you. He said it's like having two chocolate chip cookies. You could eat either one and be happy, but you're always going to want the one with the most chocolate chips. He believes there are more chocolate chips, so to speak, at home right now.
Second, I really appreciate all of you and want you to know that I have nothing but positive things to say about the time Silas has spent at NMMS. As we pulled away from the school this morning, it was me, not Silas, who was all emotional, even though I’m thrilled to have him home again. Why? Because I’m so grateful that my child was surrounded by such an amazing group of people for the last three months.
XXXX – Silas wasn’t able to be in your Lego robotics class for very long, but that was his favorite class for the first two weeks of school. That little taste of computer programming appealed to him and now he’s finding ways to do more of it.
XXXX – Silas really appreciated the way you managed your class and he learned a lot while he was there. He writes more now than he used to and I frequently hear, “XXXX says ...,” when he’s trying to figure out how to word something.
XXXX – From registration to conferences to a quick chat as we left the campus today, you have always been encouraging and had a big smile on your face. I appreciate that.
XXXX – You were the first non-parent teacher that Silas ever had and the first NMMS teacher of his that I met. The warm welcome you gave him when we walked into your class on the first day of school was the perfect start to his time at NMMS. He enjoyed you and your class so much.
XXXX – You have always been so kind and helpful when I’ve had questions or need things taken care of. You are, in many ways, the face of NMMS and you do the job incredibly well.
XXXX – Silas loves all things physical, so PE was one of his favorite parts of the day. He would often come home and enthusiastically show us the things you’d taught him, including some wrestling moves on yours truly.
XXXX – Whether I was interacting with you about ODS or Silas, you have always been gracious and helpful. You have an ability to be efficient and clearly focused on the task at hand, while not appearing to be dismissive or uncaring. That balance is perfect for a principal.
XXXX – We registered Silas the week before classes started and things were hopping in the front office, but you were smiling and friendly to every person who came to your desk. The same thing happened when I came in to pick up a box of See’s bars for Silas several weeks later and again when we withdrew him today.
XXXX – You were the first person from the NMSD that I interacted with and you’ve always been so kind. It started with my call to find out if it was possible to transfer in and pointing me in the right direction. Then it was asking for our transfer request to get signed the minute it was sent over, as time was running short, and calling me right away to say it had been approved. Today it was making sure the decision to withdraw wasn’t because of any problem in how Silas had been treated, validating the thought that has been put into the decisions to both put him in public school and take him out of it, and letting us know about the district’s online option. I’m thankful for you.
XXXX – Silas came to your class a couple weeks after school started and he came home so frustrated one afternoon because he didn’t understand the project everyone was in the middle of doing. The next day, after asking for some help, he was on track and appreciative of the way you explain things.
XXXX – Silas came to you a couple weeks into the school year and said he needed a more challenging math class. You immediately contacted me for previous achievement test results, gave him some extra work to do so that he wouldn’t be bored, and had him in a more suitable class within a day or two. I appreciate you working to make sure he was where he needed to be.
XXXX - Silas hadn’t anticipated being in your class and started two weeks late, but he absolutely loved it and you. He was thrilled to have a solo part at the school concert and his interest in playing the piano has been renewed, which means I’m hearing lots of piano practice at my house these days.
XXXX - You were willing to meet with us in August when we were trying to decide if we should send Silas to public school and, if so, whether we wanted to stay at a local Woodburn school or transfer to NMMS. The time you spent with us was really helpful.
This got way longer than I intended, but it was really important to me that you all know how much we appreciate the work you are doing. As a homeschooling mom and the wife of a public school teacher, I know how encouraging it is when people acknowledge and praise the work you are doing with the kids in your life. I’m incredibly grateful that we live in a time and place with so many options available to families as they choose how to educate their children. I’m also very grateful that all of you played a part in educating Silas. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Bethany Weathersby
1 comment:
Glad you were able to make a decision so quickly!
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