Why are we doing this?

Dagfari (no, not his real name; it's from a Viking Name Generator) is nine years old. Instead of going off to fourth grade next month, he's going to be homeschooled.

Why are we doing this?

The short answer is, because it's what Dagfari wants and needs. School -- even his lovely and progressive private school -- does not fit the way he learns. He's intense, an introvert who likes to think things through before speaking. He needs quiet, solitude, and time to pursue a subject in depth. He's not antisocial, but he prefers to socialize with people who share his interests, regardless of age or gender. School is not conducive to any of this, and it was making him frustrated, depressed, and physically ill.

By the end of third grade, it was clear that we needed to try something different. So Stratford Grammar School was born (in NC you have to give your homeschool an official name, which is not as easy as it sounds-- and there are no Homeschool Name Generators on the Internet!). We're taking an eclectic and unschooly approach, with no particular curriculum as of yet. ProfessorDad will be as fully involved in instruction as I will, since I'm planning to continue working full time. We have no religious agenda, and our politics lean toward the left, so I don't think we'll be participating much in the conservative Christian local homeschool association. We will be oddballs even among homeschoolers, I'm afraid.

But it should be an interesting ride!