Pretty much every Thursday, I say to Jacob, “I love Thursdays! It is my favorite day of the week!” And then Jacob says to me, “I know, you say that every week.” (It’s his favorite day too—only he doesn’t have to say so every week. I’m a verbal processor, what can I say??)
It is my favorite day because on Thursdays we have our homeschool co-op. What a blessing the co-op has been to our family!! This year, Jacob is participating in 4 classes: Physics Lab, Spanish 2, Web Design and an English class, called Inklings, that complements our English curriculum at home. (The name of that class comes from the name that C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien gave their group of friends who got together regularly to read and discuss literature and share their writings.)
Over 300 kids attend each Thursday with a ton of class offerings of every type, from pre-school up through high school. It is a great ministry and support to homeschool families—and it has been such to our family. It has allowed Jacob to participate in a class setting on his own terms, with people who were willing to bring him in, understand his needs and try to make things work for him. And he has excelled.
He started with just one class his freshman year. A class called Building Big where he and a bunch of other boys who love building stuff, got together and constructed things like potato cannons, mongonals and pinewood derby cars. That one class allowed him to ease into a sometimes loud and chaotic classroom setting, which was something that was very difficult for him. He managed that beautifully and the next year he took two classes, then two classes his junior year, and now 4 this year.
The co-op has also given me an amazing opportunity to teach some of these great kids! Last year I taught one class, a middle school science class, and this year I teach that class and one more. And I love it! (Shout out to my Rainbow Science and Zoology peeps! Holllahhh!)
Jacob has come so, so far in the last 4 years. He started as a struggling kid, who could barely enter any place without having major anxiety and wearing earplugs because of the noise—and sometimes have to leave that place because it was just too overwhelming. Now, I can’t remember the last time he wore earplugs, he is taking 4 classes at the co-op, he is interacting with his peers, he keeps up with his own work for his classes there and he is HAPPY. The child who used to say EVERY day how much he hated himself and how stupid he thought himself to be, never says that anymore. In fact, he has not said it in probably 3 years. He laughs more and he even went to a PARTY. He is doing things now that I could never begin to imagine him doing 4 years ago. It is so incredible! I will never, ever, ever, question or regret our decision to bring Jacob home. My only possible regret? That we waiting so long to bring him home.
I am so thankful that we can homeschool and for the amazing progress Jacob has made (Thank You, Lord!). I am so thankful for the wonderful, supportive group of homeschool peeps we have come to know over the last 4 years. I am so incredibly thankful for our awesome co-op. I am grateful for the opportunities it has offered Jacob and me. I am so appreciative of the people behind the scenes who make the co-op go.
Yes, I love Thursday, and everything that comes with it.
“We can get too easily bogged down in the academic part of homeschooling, a relatively minor part of the whole, which is to raise competent, caring, literate, happy people.”
― Diane Flynn Keith
{Linking up to the Almost Friday Thursday Blog Hop today at Satisfaction Through Christ}
red van ramblings 