I wanted to talk a bit about the curriculum that we are using. Some families use what they can find online so that there is very little cost. Some families use private academies online that offer teachers and grades. Some families purchase bits and pieces of curriculum and put it all together to make their own yearly curriculum. We decided that making our own (or using online free/low cost) was not what we wanted.
I was brought up in a Roman Catholic home. I went to Catholic school from Kindergarten until Fourth Grade. When we moved during the summer between Fourth and Fifth Grade, I was given the choice... PUBLIC or CATHOLIC. I chose public. Now we did live in one of the better areas and better school districts, so putting me in public school was completely my choice. I left a lot of friends behind in that move and I think I figured that if I was going to make a change anyways, what difference would it make if I went from Catholic to public. Little did I know that I should have stayed in Catholic school. I attended CCD (night Catholic classes) so that I could receive my sacraments. My friends went through to Catholic high school and I stayed in public school. I didn't do well... I hated it. I didn't apply myself. I graduated NOWHERE near the top of my class... in fact, I was probably closer to the bottom.
When we pulled Eryn out, I did LOTS of research. With a limited budget (with only one wage earner in the house), we really had to look at what we were getting ourselves into. Schools that we were using through the public school were available to us at a private level... but not without the THOUSANDS of dollars of "tuition and fees". That wasn't going to happen. Then there were schools that would supply us with lesson plans, but we were responsible for the grading, record keeping and books. Once again, being a first time REAL homeschooling mom, that was NOT where I wanted to go. One day I found Seton Home Study School. I feel that God brought me to them. They are reasonably priced and supply all services. Eryn receives NUMEROUS courses, including Writing Skills, Religion, Phonics, Vocabulary, and Handwriting. We supplement with Teaching Textbooks for math. Since Eryn has documented learning differences, we enrolled her with Special Services. It's great... they sit down with you on a phone call and talk about what they think would be the best for the child. It's all based on what you provide to them... We took a CAT test and also submitted work from what she had already accomplished.
Eryn has BLOSSOMED under this program. She began at the end of February and is over halfway through the school year. She has received A's in every subject and is just working her way through very well. She is on target to finish the repeat of Fourth Grade in October. We plan on re-enrolling her and starting immediately with Fifth Grade. That would put her back on target and not losing a grade by June of next year. This has been one of the best things we have ever done.
We area also planning to enroll our son, Riley, in their Kindergarten program. He'll start a year early, but he will be right where he needs to be when he goes to public school. I'd personally prefer to keep him home as well, but he will start and see how he does. If it doesn't work, We'll pull him right out as well.
I'll be posting some more information on their curriculum and services in future posts... We've just been over the moon since we started with them and wish we could "shout from the rooftops" how great Seton is!!!
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