There are so many options out there when it comes to the education of our children. What is or will be your choice?

Magnet, Private and Home thats it.

Home

Carter has been accepted at NHJones(Magnet). Magnet was our first choice because he needs to be challenged and kept busy. From working in the regular public school setting, I knew the focus tends to be more on struggling students while the "gifted" children are expected to learn and keep busy on their own with gifted classes only being once a week. That being said, if magnet placement doesn't pan out, I plan to homeschool.

Magnet

We are homeschooling. Something I never thought I would do..LOL! But after lots of research and talking w/ other homeschooling families, we have decided to do it. Marion County is a great place to do it. There are a lot of activities for children to do, so they can get the "socialization' that many people worry about. There are so many curriculums out there to choose from. Its nice to know we live in a county where there are many options for schooling no matter what fits our families best

Boogsoup, my Cooper will (hopefully) be there next year. I taught K there b4 I had my kids. My mom taught there and my cousin still teaches K there. It is a great school, w/ a great balance between public/private. The millennium program (for the highly gifted kids)there is great. It is full time instead of pull-out. Project child is also another option there, too.

yeah my daughter goes to Jones and is in Project Child! We are very pleased!

We are thinking about doing virtual school with our daughter (only 3 now). I teach for Florida Virtual School now, currently it serves middle and highschool only, but plans to have an Elementary program up and running next fall. It is a public school with top notch curriculum and my collegues are amazing.

Could you tell me a little about Virtual School, from a teacher's standpoint? How does the schedule work? Do you have a set schedule or is it flexible? I may look into teaching once they get the Elementary area up and running. Is there a website that I could go to?

I absolutely love teaching for FLVS (flvs.net)! There is not a set schedule, other than being "available" from 8am to 8pm by phone or email. If you are full time, you are issued a laptop so it gives you mobility to work anywhere. It is hard work but (if you are a good teacher you are going to work hard no matter what school you are at) you get to be home with your kids. Top notch curriculum (actually teach for mastery of concept), support from supervisors and other teachers is great, students/ families are wonderful, and professional develoment opportunities that are not the norm in "brick and motar" schools. I could go on and on with how wonderful the school is, we have an event coming up at Trinity Baptist Church with HEART a homeschool organization on August 12 from 7pm to 9pm. This would be most beneficial because you could talk with several teachers and some families that we already serve.

quote:

Originally posted by boogsoup:
Carter has been accepted at NHJones(Magnet). Magnet was our first choice because he needs to be challenged and kept busy. From working in the regular public school setting, I knew the focus tends to be more on struggling students while the "gifted" children are expected to learn and keep busy on their own with gifted classes only being once a week. That being said, if magnet placement doesn't pan out, I plan to homeschool.

Totally agree. I was one of the gifted kids always bored out of my mind even w/ the extra busy work teachers gave me that took no time and then I got criticized for being too fast again!! Our one-day-a-week program was not enough. By jr. high my parents ended up pulling me to a private school for a challenge!

quote:

Originally posted by mlb:
I absolutely love teaching for FLVS (flvs.net)! There is not a set schedule, other than being "available" from 8am to 8pm by phone or email. If you are full time, you are issued a laptop so it gives you mobility to work anywhere. It is hard work but (if you are a good teacher you are going to work hard no matter what school you are at) you get to be home with your kids. Top notch curriculum (actually teach for mastery of concept), support from supervisors and other teachers is great, students/ families are wonderful, and professional develoment opportunities that are not the norm in "brick and motar" schools. I could go on and on with how wonderful the school is, we have an event coming up at Trinity Baptist Church with HEART a homeschool organization on August 12 from 7pm to 9pm. This would be most beneficial because you could talk with several teachers and some families that we already serve.

I am glad to hear this from a teacher's point of view that is local. From my stand point as a parent, I would have to pretty much stand behind you. My daughter started her senior year a half of credit short in science. Thank goodness for FLVS! By taking on a course online, done at home over the computer at her leisure, she was able to make up the half credit that she was missing at the beginning of the year. She of course had until Christmas to do everything and "turn it in" but it did not take her that long. It was a little after the 2nd 9 weeks started when she was completed. The teacher she had was based out of Orlando and every so often she had to make a phone call to report in and talk with her teacher. This was a wonderful way to work things out and I highly recommend it to others. I have heard some of the parents of the kids my kids hang around with talk about their kids doing classes online like this not for the same reason as my daughter did but because they wanted to. And the main thing is that it counts the same as a course they take in class at their local high school. I could go on forever about this method of teaching and learning but I won't! GO FLVS!

Here's a devil's advocate question...

Don't you think that home schooling your child or children is robbing them of social situations that help them grow and develop?

I know a plenty of great teachers who teach at great public schools and have plenty of very well-rounded and well-adjusted students who go on to do great things (like college at Duke, for instance.)

Public schools may get a bad rap in the pop consciousness, but I disagree that home schooling and private schools and these other types of "child shields" are as good as they are perceived to be.

I have met private school students and alumni who are as "bad" as anyone I ever met in public school, and I know home-schooled kids who are about as wacky maladjusted as it gets.

Just throwing that out there...

I don't know anymore what the answer is? I am trying out the public schools first when my daughter goes to kindergarten next year. I don't like the FCAT and hate the "No Child Left Behind" nonsense. I agree with Boogsoup that they focus on children with problems rather than encourage gifted students. All I can do is try the public schools and go from there. Dave, I agree there are maladjusted children from home schooling and private schooling as well.

The main thing is that as a parent you must participate daily with your child and not expect the teachers and staff to do all the work. My mother is a teacher as well as my best friend. That is there number one complaint, parents that don't help their children with their schooling and then blame the teachers for not doing their job properly.

I can't give anymore of an opinion until I actually send my child to the Marion County Public School System. For now I will send my children to public school and if it doesn't work out I will send them to a private school or home school.