Big changes are afoot in my household. Today was my practicum interview with MCFD. I think it went quite well. Also, today I contacted the public elementary school I'd like my boys to attend for the remainder of the school year.
The boys have been home with me for the last few months, homeschooling through Self Design, an online publicly funded private ("distributed learning") school. We chose this based on the upheavals and transitions in our lives as we moved, for the first time in 6 years, from South Surrey/White Rock to north Surrey/Bolivar Heights. I felt that I couldn't manage finding a new school and a new childcare provider (we've been with ours for 5 years) on top of the move and the new semester. As well, we chose homeschooling because the boys were HATING school, the structure, the repetition, the endless worksheets. I was having to force them to go every day (not physically, they did comply when I said they had to go), which does not represent who I say I am as a professional, as an anti-oppressive practitioner, as an advocate for social justice.
However, my practicum will be from 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday through Thursday, for 16 weeks. I don't have the funds to pay for the childcare required to cover those hours, and I don't have the family support to get those hours covered for free AND have their learning supported. Thus, the boys will be returning to school.
The program I am looking at for them, however, is not mainstream. The school is a "choice" program, with a district-wide catchment. They have less than 90 students. There is a gr K/1 class, a gr 1/2/3, and a gr 4-7 class. They work to foster a strong sense of community in a non-competitive environment. I think this will be such a good fit for my son!
(Last May, I went to our old school's Sports Day. The school was divided up into 4 teams, and earned points for each event. At the end, the scores were tallied, and ribbons were handed out, from 1st to 4th place. My son's team came in 3rd, as they did the previous year. My son was devastated, sobbing, and refused to take a ribbon. I carried him off the field and into the classroom to pick up his backpack. I think this is damaging. I think primary aged children are not developmentally ready to be designated winners and losers.)
I've also sent off an email to the local community services agency's (MCFD funded) child care referral program. I'm nervous and excited about the prospect of finding a new caregiver. We've been with our current provider for 5 years. Before that, I had 5 different arrangements over 2 years. It was too much, and I was feeling overwhelmed and desperate, and was so happy to find a provider who got my son.
We are attending a fall fair at the new elementary school tomorrow so that the boys can have a look around the school. I'll get a phone call from the principal on Monday. I'm starting to feel that fresh, new year vibe.
I love new beginnings :)
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