Hone School...or not Home School...

We've been considering Home Schooling our two little ones. Various reasons, but very necessary ones.
Our 7 year old daughter was threatened at school by a classmate because she was "mixed". He and his "band" were going to kill both her and her little brother. We had a very wild weekend that weekend, and I've been to the school twice since then dealing with how the school is going to handle it (or actually how they are going to ignore it!). I am not totaly convinced they are doing all they can to keep her feeling safe. I really don't believe the second grader has the means to carry off his threat (if I did she would be out of there so fast!), but my daughter's perception of what he could do is the real issue. They're answer was to have the two children sit at different tables...

The principal actually told me I could not take every obstacle out of her life, she had to learn to deal with these types of people eventually, so why not now!!!? Funny, I always thought a school was a place of refuge, a place to feel safe and to learn. Not a place to be worried that someone could possibly hurt you... If this is the way times are changing, then I don't like it one bit!

Our other son, will be six next week, has severe learning and emotional disabilities. His teacher just doesn't get it! They complain about his behavior and then tell me they forgot his medicine at lunch. Well, DUH!!

He can't do the handwritting they are trying to teach him. They are using D'Nealian handwriting and he is just not 'getting' it. (besides the part that he still can't even hold a pencil) His therapist suggested we try Handwriting without Tears. That is what they teach, and from what I can see it is really a great teaching method. Unfortunately, his teacher will not even consider it as an option, even though it is approved by the state as a valid teaching method... evidently not in her class room though!

So, the question becomes, do I have the patience at 53 to teach two small children? (we'll worry about the legal ramifications later... you can't home school foster children) Frankly, I look forward to dropping those two off every morning for some quiet time when I get home. I know that homeschooling would mean multiple computers at home, and maybe I could still get some 'quality' time on my computer, but can I really teach them anything from home? I've seen one cirriculum that has all students actually studying the same things at the same time, regardless of grade level, just different assignments for the various grades. It is Bible based and you study about Moses and the plagues of Egypt while studying ancient Egypt for History, Hyroglyphics for language, and how the plagues affected people for science. I really like the concept of that methodology, so I am still researching all the pros and cons.

Who knows, I may be opening up my own quilting and homeschooling business...maybe Alyssa can be in my Pre-K class some day... we'll see