Pack your bags, it’s time for simulated public school

I stepped up what I expected of the kids because they’re getting ready for high school. This has led to certain children in my life complaining I am a terrible tyrant and I expect way too much of them. I laughed in my head at the strange thoughts of my child and didn’t say any of my responses. The complaining continued. Finally, after our trip to Universal Studios, I had had ENOUGH. “That’s it, you’re going to public school for the week,” I informed the children, “the bus stop is at the corner.”

They looked at me in shock, there was great crying and consternation. We did this once before in elementary school, and the kids didn’t like it. That’s putting it lightly, my daughter informed me that was the most humiliating week of her life.

She’s lived a sheltered life in some respects….

I documented the week on Facebook, much to the amusement of my friends

 

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Lesson plans for our week of mock public school. The #lessonplan pages are from @tinashomeschool and part of the homework this week is reading @case_of_adventure Singapore this week. I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to hear the screams of my kids all the way over to Singapore as they go through this. #ihsnet

A post shared by Ticia (@ticiam) on Sep 23, 2018 at 7:39pm PDT

It started with a picture of my lesson plans as I typed up a class schedule and school rules. Rules like wearing shoes and no hats.

I will say, it’s been a bit since I wrote out this detailed of a lesson plan. With the kids planning their schedules this year, my lesson plans are more of checking in with the kids on how they are doing with their work.

Sunday night I handed the kids this sheet. They were told the bus stop was at the corner, and to be there by 8:00. The bus would pick them up then. They had to pack a lunch on Monday, but after that a hot lunch would be an option, the lunch menu was at the bottom of the sheet: spaghetti, taquitos, corn dogs, and the traditional Friday meal of pizza: cheese or pepperoni.

Monday morning was met with my kids up and out the door by 8:00 to wait for the school bus.

 

The bus ride

 

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They’re waiting for the “school bus” and are greatly amused by all of this, so far. #pretendyoureinpublicschool #ihsnet

A post shared by Ticia (@ticiam) on Sep 24, 2018 at 6:58am PDT

I picked them up and was informed, Superman was a new to public school kid, Princess was the know-it-all, and Batman was the bully. It was a bit of an insight into their view of public school, they thought every class needed a bully because that’s what they see on TV and movies. I found it highly amusing my kids were trying to talk to the bus driver. I always had grumpy bus drivers who wouldn’t talk to anyone.

Here is what my kids learned from the bus ride:

1. The bus ride is long and boring, and it can be hard to get work done while riding the bus.
2. Buses don’t have air conditioners, so the bus driver can’t turn the AC down if it’s hot (I’ve since been corrected that buses do have that now).
3. Your bus stop doesn’t change just because bugs are biting you at your current location.
4. Sometimes your bus is late and you wait outside for 20 minutes.
5. Sometimes the bus driver gets lost. This might make you late for other events.
6. No one gets to sit in the front next to the bus driver, I’ve been informed that’s stupid by a child.

 

Classes, sitting in chairs, and scheduled time

Last time we simulated public school the kids were in elementary school. They sat in the same room all day long, except for P.E. and recess This time they had to change classes and go to the correct classroom. They also had to change clothes for P.E.

The first period, the kids were laughing and amused by the day.

The second period was P.E.

They ran laps.

After running three laps, I was told this is too horrible and you should never expect us to do this again.

I may not have been the most sympathetic Mom, I remember doing a mile in 100 degree heat. It was in the low 80s. My friends had more suggestions to make it even closer to what their children experienced. At lunch yesterday my friend told me her son runs “tiger miles,” which is running up and down the bleachers. I think my kids got off easy.

After P.E., they had science. Part of the way through science I started to hear rumbles of dying of starvation, but they didn’t get lunch until noon, and they had a full class to go through.

Now, in their defense, we usually eat lunch around 11:00. However, in high school, my lunch schedule changed from day to day. One day it would be at 11:200, and the next it would be at 1:00. So not fun.

The rest of the day passed fairly normally.

Tuesday, I didn’t take any notes during the day but did have this to add at the end of the time.

1. You can’t leave your seat just to take a picture of the dog.
2. The gym teacher really doesn’t care if you’re sore, or if you don’t want to, you’re going to do the lesson regardless unless you have a doctor’s note or a note from your parent. I was not willing to send a note to the PE teacher from their parent…
3. The inflexibility of the lunch schedule.

 

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Cafeteria food at its finest.

A post shared by Ticia (@ticiam) on Sep 26, 2018 at 10:15am PDT

Incidentally, doesn’t this remind you of YOUR cafeteria meals? One of my friends IS a cafeteria lady, and she corrected me, it should be a much bigger can and should be served with an ice cream scooper. I laughed.

 

By Wednesday we were all ready to be done, but I was determined to see it through. Even if I was DONE WITH WEARING SHOES. My teacher friend laughed at me.

I probably deserved it.

I also was done with this whole communicating with people early in the morning.

Thursday the kids all earned a detention. None had done their writing homework.

NONE of them. I guess they’re not used to the idea of “homework.”

So, they wrote lines after school.

They threatened to write “I will complete my schoolwork” on their hand in permanent marker.

I caused a child to almost cry when I wouldn’t let said child get the missing notebook.

 

What did we learn from our week of simulated public school?

I actually have an entire paper from the kids to grade on this that will be turned in today with the pros and cons and their suggestions from simulated public school, but here are their paragraph summaries of their week:

Princess’ take:

It was a regular morning the sun was shining the birds were out tweeting and collecting food, all in all, it would be a good day but then Princess remembered that she was starting simulated public school. Her Mom had come up with this idea and she DID not agree with it. The day started with her bothers and her rushing around the house making sure they had anything then they walked out to the “bus stop” (which in reality was an actual stop sign) and waited. When the bus finally picked them up they drove around for thirty minutes and then were “dropped off” at the “school” they started with history which was basically a lecture after they did P. E. and ran laps. After PE they had science which was making “model earths” out of play-doh then they did writing and finally, the cafeteria, they all pulled out sack lunches and devoured them within twenty-five minutes and were off for study hall. The rest of the day wasn’t very interesting besides doing Math and acting they had a relatively normal Monday, well for regular people that is.

Her take is more of a “story,” she was the most vocal in her opinions.

 

Batman’s take:

We felt the different version of school. Public school is the twisted version of education, they don’t even allow you to wear hats. That is why it is a twisted version, there are different versions of torture, like writing lines, and worst of all P.E. I think if I ever go to public school then I would bring my hat so I can put it on in the bus. So I think I would never go to Public school.

He’s my hat kid, so he really hated that no hat rule.

Superman’s take:

Our week of simulated public school. When we started I thought it would be fun to try it. When it started the schedule will not be fun. Mommy gave too much time for everything on the schedule. When we went to the second PE it was very hard to do the stretches. Then I see that we are supposed to do that again and I find it annoying. In all, I thought there was to much time for all the things.

More “traditional” homeschool ideas