In part 1 of Knowing You have Found the Right Curriculum, I talked about our personal journey in choosing our first curriculum and then transitioning over to a new curriculum as the kids got older. Our first curriculum was an online program, and our second curriculum is through a local homeschool program called Masters Academy of fine arts. When it was obvious that our kids needed a change, we started taking them to the History and Fine Arts program that was available one day a week. As their academic needs grew, we also put them in the programs academic program.
While I have been pretty secure in the fact that we made a good and sound decision for my kids, the events of this past week made me secure in the fact that our kids were on the right path for them.
Last week we spent deeply exploring the history of the US Prohibition of the 1920’s along with the resulting gang violence. In the process of learning about this period, a direct parallel was drawn that allowed my kids to discuss how wars and turmoil of the ancient times was similar to the gang wars. My kids learned all of this while participating in a full-scale production of Bugsy Malone Jr. My daughter played Dottie one of the chorus girls and my son ran the soundboard. I was amazed by how much they learned and the discussions that emerged at home from doing a play.
Yesterday, I sat in the back of my son’s Masters Class where each child perfects the artistic craft they have been doing all year and prepares for their final recitals. First of all, this is not a class that I could ever teach myself as the teachers’ were all obviously artistically gifted where I am only gifted in one small area. Second, having majored in the arts in college, it became apparent to me that my kids were getting college level instruction and critique. I left that classroom knowing that this homeschool program was exactly what my artistically inclined kids needed. I only wish that I could have received this kind of attention in high school, as I think it would have prevented me from struggling with my craft for so many years, and that I am still struggling with.