Children at a summer school camp in Portmore, St. Catherine. - ANTHONY MINOTT
WHILE SOME PEOPLE home-school their children, 36-year-old Antoinette is planning to host summer school at home.
In addition to her three children, the teacher and final year university student, is planning on hosting at least five other children, all of family or close friends, in her close friend's large St. Andrew home for part of the summer. And she plans to not only save money, but build a bond among the children and instruct them in just what she thinks they need.
"Summer school is not cheap and you do not know how much individual attention the children are getting," Antoinette said. "In addition getting there on time, not to mention picking up the children on time, can be a problem for people who work regular hours."
With a few less than satisfactory experiences behind her (permanently, she hopes), Antoinette has devised a summer programme which will combine education, exercise, television, a few field trips and lots of fun.
DISCIPLINE
It will run from mid-July and certainly for four weeks, maybe five if enough people are interested," she said. "It is at home, but there has to be discipline, so we start at 9:00 a.m., Monday to Friday. The movies will be on DVD at home. Many times people have summer school and do movie trips that cost an arm and a leg. We will have ours right at home, where the popcorn is homemade and good," she said.
"The thing is that the children are from three to 11, so we are going to pay individual attention to the areas that need working on," Antoinette said. The 'we' is herself and another teacher with a child in the proposed summer school.
There is no fee as such, just a contribution towards a general pool of art and craft supplies, such as paint and paintbrushes. And for the field trips, which include at least two beach runs, there will be car pooling on Saturdays.
The exercise classes will be run three days a week for half an hour, as Antoinette says, "You can't be too young or old to get the muscles active".
"It should be fun and it certainly will be cheap," Antoinette said of the home summer school project.
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