UPDATE ON HOMESCHOOLING IN BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS

Grandson Jack, during his first days
of homeschooling last year

From the editor:  Young students all over Brownsville started school recently, most at BISD, increasing numbers at one of several charter schools, others at private schools.

The following article deals with yet another option; homeschooling:

A grownup recently asked grandson Jack what grade he was in.

"Well, actually, I'm homeschooled.  We don't go by grades," responded Jack.

That's true.  When Jack's dad withdrew him from BISD last January 17, asking me to take over the boy's schooling, Jack was in the middle of the first grade.  

On a hunch, I ordered 2nd grade workbooks in math, spelling, grammar, science and geography, plus a book on the Alamo and another about the Lewis & Clark expedition.

Jack completed that work as well as 3rd grade material before summer, but then ran into a roadblock.  The more advanced math required knowing the multiplication tables and the grammar book had instructions in cursive.  

Up until this point, I'd been unsure of the future need for cursive writing skills.  Aren't most kids already typing on the computer?  After researching the pros and cons, it seemed like cursive was still a useful skill.

Jack completed this cursive
workbook during summer.

Working around many interruptions, we concentrated on the math tables and cursive writing during the summer.  

Class days are two, possibly three hours.  There's no hurry.  

"What about socialization?" you may ask.

Well, a kid can learn to interact with a lunch table of 7-year-olds or, if homeschooled, adapt to communication with people of various ages while learning social skills.  Other kids can always be found at the Burger King playground.

Unique flash cards that teach the relationship
of numbers.  One corner is covered, leaving two
numbers.  The student multiplies if the numbers
are the same color, divides when they're different.

As today's informal class day wound down, grandma stated a bit loudly: "Did you tell Jack how well he did today?"

"Jack, you did great today," I responded.

"Well, I don't think I appreciate that after you and grandma had a consultation," the grandson responded.  Little Jack is not being disrespectful, just holding his grandparents to honesty.