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I'm busy today finishing up the kids' fourth quarter reports for the correspondence school we use. I have to fill out their grades and give one work example for every subject that we are taking through them. It's not fun, but it's definitely worth the funding to me. I get $1800 to spend on Ellie and $1600 to spend on Kate for the year - for classes, books, curriculum, supplies, etc. The kids have been able to take dance class, we bought a nice stereoscope, and TONS of books of course. I am already drooling over everything that I want to buy for next year. The year after next, Lexie will officially be a Kindergartener too - which means another $1600 :)
We have had such a good experience homeschooling here in Alaska. On top of the money we get for the year, we get $30 a month for our internet access, and they have a computer buying program (you get paid back quarterly for a computer that you buy). It has definitely been worth it to us. We get to choose our own curriculum (and even the classes that we want to take through them). I made my own "parent-designed courses" for science and social studies this year and I will probably do the same for next year. The teacher contact is VERY minimal too. I just have to have contact (phone, email, or in person) with our resource teacher once a month - just to say how we're all doing. There are 4 quarterly reports to do during the year and we have to participate in state testing. It's a great trade-off in my eyes. I am able to afford things for the kids that I otherwise wouldn't be able to.
We had a completely different experience with a charter school we used for a year in California. We were not given any money to spend, but had to choose from certain textbooks and classes they offered. We had to meet with our resource teacher WEEKLY at our house! I can't even believe that I put up with that intrusion for so long. It was during Ellie's Kindergarten year and the only reason we kept with it is that she liked the resource teacher so much :)
Well, I had better get to work. I need to get these turned in before the baby comes. I would hate to go into labor and have to finish it later!!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
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2 comments:
What kind of correspondence school is that? I've never heard of such a thing, but it sounds great!
Blessings ~ Diane
http://underthemonkeybars.blogspot.com
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/victorious
The school we use is called Raven Correspondence School http://www.ravenschool.com/ but there are a few different ones in Fairbanks to choose from. They all work pretty much the same - they are state-funded, so technically a public school. We can use a certain percentage of the money (half?) for PE, Art, and Music and the rest has to be for core subjects. I love that I get to write my own ILPs (Individual Learning Plans). We can buy what we need as long as it pertains to the ILP. Anything that costs $200 or less, they consider "consumable" and we get to keep. Alaska is a great state to homeschool in!!
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