This is a benign question that we’re often asked that frequently leads one or more of my children to mention that we’re homeschooling. What should you say? I know one lady who begins to prattle off what grade level each child is performing at in any given subject. I know another person whose child is working about two grade levels ahead and so despite her child only being 9, she says that her child is the 7th grade. I however, always answer with the grade my children would be in if they were in public school. If you’re tempted to tout your child’s achievements, think again, and consider just putting your child in the grade they are supposed to be in. Here are a few reasons why:
1. Grade level is just a number. As we all know when we’re homeschooling, you don’t have to use just one level curriculum. My 3rd grade daughter does 4th grade science along with her 1st grade brother. She does 3rd grade math but reads on a middle school level. My 1st grade son does 2nd grade math, 4th grade science and 7th grade science labs. In other words, what I put on paper doesn’t necessarily mean that I have to stick with that grade curriculum.
2. Keeping your child with their same aged peers. For many extra curricular activities, participation is considered according to the grade that was finished. Generally speaking, I want my children with other children their age in these types of situations. For my son in particular, it does him a lot more good to be with other 6 year olds than to be in the 2nd grade class with kids who are a year or two older.
3. No one cares. I realize that sounds a little funny–but what I mean is that the person asking probably doesn’t care that you homeschool, doesn’t care about all the various curriculum options you have and how you teach at mixed grade levels based on your child’s ability in that subject area. I think often time we invite criticism of homeschooling by making it known that we do it. If it genuinely comes up in conversation, I don’t make a point to hide it, but simply answering someone that my child is in such and such a grade is a lot easier than explaining that it’s not illegal, that we do socialize, that I’m not a teacher, that they have curriculum, etc., etc.
So what do you do if someone asks you your child’s grade level?
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