5th Grade Fun for our Older One

Our daughter had a difficult transition into our current school last year.  After homeschooling in her PJs and a short stint at a different school "with a homeschool feel" which prides itself in it's lack of structure and relaxed, low stress atmosphere, entering a very strict, private  elementary school was quite a change for her.  While the lessons were all a review of material we went over previously in homeschool, the nitpicky grading nearly drove her mad, and she had one of the strictest teachers in the school.  I met with this teacher more than once with tears streaming down my face begging her not to exasperate my child any further and wondering if my daughter's love of learning would ever return.  The school seemed like such a mistake for her, and she begged me every day to resume homeschooling.

This year has been completely different.  She has made lots of friends and has the most nurturing, supportive teacher imaginable who goes out of her way to help each student achieve his/her goals.  Lately, she's been tutoring my daughter one-on-one after school in math while I tutor high school students upstairs in math. While my tutoring schedule stays full, my own daughter does not want to come to me for math help.  Yet, she really enjoys that special time after school with her teacher.  I can't thank her teacher enough for pouring into her heart and mind and have thanked her profusely.

This year, when I asked her if she would like to be homeschooled again, she said, "No way," for she thrives best when surrounded by other students.  Her class has a reputation for being one of the most competitive and "spirited" classes to ever move through the school.  That reputation concerns me, for our daughter fits that description when in a group of peers.  She puts too much pressure on herself, but miraculously, she is not comparing herself to others, at least not yet.  Instead she rejoices with them when they receive awards she does not.  That character quality in her astounds me.

She pushes herself so much that we don't put any pressure on her academically as other parents seem to do.  We do not help her with her homework or put her any any supplemental programs after school  We do not help her with projects and try not to let school take too much priority in her life, so she can remain well-rounded and enjoy learning. The school wants students to do the work on their own, and we honor that.  We also choose a hands-off approach to teach our kids independence (they pack all their own lunches for example) and responsibility.  When they forget an assignment, I don't always rush to bring it back to them at school.  Perhaps I'm lazy, but I am no helicopter parent, and I'm determined not to place undue pressure on my kids when I see such high levels of anxiety, burn-out, and even suicidal thoughts among teenagers today.

Her class room mom recently shared some photos from various class adventures over the last semester.  Here are some scrapbook pages I made with those pics to remind her of how well she had adjusted to the school by 5th grade.