Anyone Home School their kids? How do you start?

[mommykds]

My DS is 8 & will be going to 3rd grade in the fall. I am considering homeschooling him. Where do I start? Thank you.

 

[chb]

Here are my top three "how do I homeschool" tips.

1. Check out your state laws at HSLDA.
http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp

2. Find a local support group or another family that can help.

3. Go to the library and check out every book on homeschooling that they have. The more you know, the less intimidated you will be. My favorite book is So Your thinking About Homeschooling by Lisa Whelchel.
http://www.amazon.com/So-Youre-Thin...0732802?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180986637&sr=8-3

She gives you a glimpse of different families and how homeschooling works for them. It will help get rid of any preconceived notions about homeschooling you might have and help you figure out how to homeschool for your family. That's the beauty of homechooling! Don't try to do it the way someone else does it. Do it the way that is right for your son.

Good Luck!!

 

[WDWCPAlumni]

I also would like to hear more, my kids are young. How do you decide if this will be the right decision?? I am so scared that I will decide to do it and it will not go so well. It is so much to gamble on.

 

[Ellester]

I totally agree with CHB's top three suggestions. They would be my top three as well. From HSLDA's site, you should be able to link to the association for your state and they usually have a listing of local support groups. In my experience, many stay active in the summer so you can probably hook up with some local homeschoolers and pick their brains. If you are lucky to have a homeschooling store nearby, they are also usually a wealth of information. I'm partial to www.sonlight.com because that's the curriculum we use. Also, it is prime convention season. You may still be able to catch one near by. The sheer amount of available resources is amazing!

As far as knowing whether or not it is the right decision for your family, no easy answer there. Remember that you can always choose to go back to public/private schooling if it totally doesn't work out. We looked at it as a one year experiment three years ago and haven't looked back. There are lots of HS'ers on the DIS so feel free to post whatever questions you have. Maybe someday we'll get our own board, but for now many of us hang out here. I'll bump the ****homeschoolers**** thread once I find it and I'm sure you'll be able to glean some info from that as well.

 

[sahwifeandmommy]

The heartsathomeboard.org had a section on homeschooling and you may get more answers to your questions there. I am a former public school teacher and when i first heard of homeschooling I had no children and was teaching-I must confess that I thought homeschooling was the craziest thing I had ever heard of. Then I had children and thought there is no way I can send them to traditional school. I read every book I could find on homeschooling and I love Lisa Welchel's book. It is very much a family choice and i hope you are able to do what works best for your family.

 

[mamaloya]

The first response was an excellent one. I have heard about LW's book so much, I NEED to read that one. I would also find a used curriculum store and look at all the choices to see which one looks like it is for me.

You also need to find out your child's learning style and your teaching style. It has to be taught in a way that your child can learn it and a way that you can teach it. If it is too complicated for you, you will burn out. If it is not his/her learning style, he will be miserable. I spents years fumbling through curriculums and wasted a lot of money before I found what works for us. We use My Father's World. www.mfwbooks.com

Some curriculums are just basic workbooks and textbooks (Abeka and Bob Jones for example). These are just like attending a traditional school. There are some that are a series of 10 workbooks for each subject done in order at a pace that your child sets (Alpha Omega Lifepacs and Accelerated Christian Education). These are also close to traditional school. Alpha Omega also offers Switched on Schoolhouse that is the workbooks and texts on the computer with all of the recordkeeping basically done for you. I have tried all of these so if you have any questions, just ask.

Then there is Sonlight and My Father's World. I am not sure exactly how to explain them. They are both wonderful curriculums that are more hands on than the others. My dd11 is a tactile kinesthetic learner (this means that she needs to touch and do to learn). I use My Father's World because it seems easier for me to follow. A few of my friends and many people on this board use Sonlight. With both of them, there are no textbooks. You are given a reading plan focussing on books surrounding a certain subject for the year such as World History or Geography and cultures. For science you use hands on books. You choose your own penmanship and math curriculum as welling as spelling. Most everything is woven together. They give you examples of how to make your reading come alive. You can be as creative as you want and don't have to do everything. The main difference, I think, is that Sonlight sells you all the books that you need in one package. You don't have to buy or checkout books on your own. My Father's World gives you a list of books for each week with many levels to choose from and you can buy or checkout the ones that your kids want. This makes My Father's World more economical, but you have to look ahead and either order or go to the library for the books. Sonlight is pricier, but there is no "legwork" on your part.

OK, now I am rambling. I think that LW book that everyone is talking about will go into detail about the choices.

If you would tell us more about you and your child, maybe we can help point you in the right direction. There is no one curriculum that works for everyone. I hope I have not overwhelmed you.

BTW, I am so glad to find a disney board with so many homeschoolers!!

 

[dijid]

If I could add a #4 to the top list, I would add that you also tell yourself, "I can do this". I've heard from so many people who say things like, "Oh, I wish I could homeschool, but I don't think I could" or even, "I could never do that" All it takes is a change in your attitude from, "Maybe" to "Yes, I can" and it's amazing how much easier things start falling into place.

There are many great internet resources you can check out. Lots of different online forums. Lots of resources to help you find out what the different styles of homeschooling entail - such as Charlotte Mason, Classical (The Well Trained Mind is the most popular classical), Unschooling, school-at-home (which is the workbook-y types mentioned previously) and eclectic just to name some.

And lastly, there are soooo many curriculum choices it is mindboggling. But you can read reviews on Amazon.com and HomeschoolReviews.com and find things at the RainbowResource.com online catalog. You can check things out of the library, ask friends, and go to a homeschool convention and/or curriculum fair to see things in person. Whether you want a Christian curriculum, a Catholic one, a secular one, or anything, it is most certainly out there!

Best wishes. Remember, you can do it!

 

[mollyseven]

Calvert Homeschooling curriculum
They sell whole packages for the year with everything you need and daily lessons. THey even have daily routines you can follow to get you started.
They also have teacher on hand every day if you have any questions or concerns. You can choose the option of having a teacher for marking and getting transcripts. ALot of military personnel use this curriculum for their children.
Check it out...it's a non-religous based curriculum.

 

[graygables]

You were your child's first teacher. You are the one who taught him to walk, talk, use the toilet, brush his teeth, etc. Often, you have already taught him to read or have laid the groundwork for that. Chances are you taught him the alphabet and how to count.

Continuing to teach them is NOT hard. You have to get your head out of the "school mode", though. I don't know how many people who are when summer's over and school is back in session. I don't get it. You also have to get your head around the idea that just b/c someone has a degree in elementary or secondary education does NOT necessarily qualify them to teach YOUR child any better than you. There are SO many resources available to you if you need to fill in your own "gaps in knowledge". When my older ones reached the level of math that I no longer felt comfortable with, we hired a tutor and got them involved in study groups.

It is more difficult pulling a child from public school to homeschool than to start them off at home. Both my older 2 had a notion of what school 'looked like' and when homeschool didn't look like that, it was a hard transition. It also depends on your and your child's teaching/learning style. We more "unschool" which means we work on concepts as they arise in daily living. My DDs are learning fractions while cooking, math by helping me with my business and their own money management, and history by taking a trip to Williamsburg. As we come across things, we learn about them. We do use a curriculum, but are switching this year. I know homeschoolers who actually run a formal classroom. As a former teacher, I don't want to do ours that way, and that's OK. Our way fits our family, the more structured way fits others.

The "S" word comes up frequently which drives me insane, but my children have learned to socialize with people of all ages and from all walks of life. The homeschooling support groups are great for activities and get-togethers. Also check with local rec centers; we have one near us that offers classes for homeschoolers in swimming, ice skating, basketball, "gym time", and more. That on top of dance class, piano lessons, and church activities, our DDs are plenty busy. We travel a LOT and run a booth at scrapbook shows, so it's nice to be able to have DDs along. My 11yo spent this last weekend helping my DH teach a make & take. She is learning important life skills.

When people start on me, I ask them, "When was the last time you got beat up in the break room for your lunch? When was the last time you had a coworker offer you drugs? When was the last time someone knocked your files off your desk just for fun?" Public schools do nothing to prepare children for the real world and the lessons learned are not the important ones in life. My older 2 spent so much time worrying about the "social" aspects of school that they had very little time for the things that really mattered, like creative and critical thinking.

Good luck to everyone who is trying to make the decision!

 

[mommykds]

Here are my top three "how do I homeschool" tips.

1. Check out your state laws at HSLDA.
http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp

2. Find a local support group or another family that can help.

3. Go to the library and check out every book on homeschooling that they have. The more you know, the less intimidated you will be. My favorite book is So Your thinking About Homeschooling by Lisa Whelchel.
http://www.amazon.com/So-Youre-Thin...0732802?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180986637&sr=8-3

She gives you a glimpse of different families and how homeschooling works for them. It will help get rid of any preconceived notions about homeschooling you might have and help you figure out how to homeschool for your family. That's the beauty of homechooling! Don't try to do it the way someone else does it. Do it the way that is right for your son.

Good Luck!!

Thank you. I have them notebooked in my computer now.

I totally agree with CHB's top three suggestions. They would be my top three as well. From HSLDA's site, you should be able to link to the association for your state and they usually have a listing of local support groups. In my experience, many stay active in the summer so you can probably hook up with some local homeschoolers and pick their brains. If you are lucky to have a homeschooling store nearby, they are also usually a wealth of information. I'm partial to www.sonlight.com because that's the curriculum we use. Also, it is prime convention season. You may still be able to catch one near by. The sheer amount of available resources is amazing!

As far as knowing whether or not it is the right decision for your family, no easy answer there. Remember that you can always choose to go back to public/private schooling if it totally doesn't work out. We looked at it as a one year experiment three years ago and haven't looked back. There are lots of HS'ers on the DIS so feel free to post whatever questions you have. Maybe someday we'll get our own board, but for now many of us hang out here. I'll bump the ****homeschoolers**** thread once I find it and I'm sure you'll be able to glean some info from that as well.

Thank you

The heartsathomeboard.org had a section on homeschooling and you may get more answers to your questions there. I am a former public school teacher and when i first heard of homeschooling I had no children and was teaching-I must confess that I thought homeschooling was the craziest thing I had ever heard of. Then I had children and thought there is no way I can send them to traditional school. I read every book I could find on homeschooling and I love Lisa Welchel's book. It is very much a family choice and i hope you are able to do what works best for your family.

Thanks!

The first response was an excellent one. I have heard about LW's book so much, I NEED to read that one. I would also find a used curriculum store and look at all the choices to see which one looks like it is for me.

You also need to find out your child's learning style and your teaching style. It has to be taught in a way that your child can learn it and a way that you can teach it. If it is too complicated for you, you will burn out. If it is not his/her learning style, he will be miserable. I spents years fumbling through curriculums and wasted a lot of money before I found what works for us. We use My Father's World. www.mfwbooks.com

Some curriculums are just basic workbooks and textbooks (Abeka and Bob Jones for example). These are just like attending a traditional school. There are some that are a series of 10 workbooks for each subject done in order at a pace that your child sets (Alpha Omega Lifepacs and Accelerated Christian Education). These are also close to traditional school. Alpha Omega also offers Switched on Schoolhouse that is the workbooks and texts on the computer with all of the recordkeeping basically done for you. I have tried all of these so if you have any questions, just ask.

Then there is Sonlight and My Father's World. I am not sure exactly how to explain them. They are both wonderful curriculums that are more hands on than the others. My dd11 is a tactile kinesthetic learner (this means that she needs to touch and do to learn). I use My Father's World because it seems easier for me to follow. A few of my friends and many people on this board use Sonlight. With both of them, there are no textbooks. You are given a reading plan focussing on books surrounding a certain subject for the year such as World History or Geography and cultures. For science you use hands on books. You choose your own penmanship and math curriculum as welling as spelling. Most everything is woven together. They give you examples of how to make your reading come alive. You can be as creative as you want and don't have to do everything. The main difference, I think, is that Sonlight sells you all the books that you need in one package. You don't have to buy or checkout books on your own. My Father's World gives you a list of books for each week with many levels to choose from and you can buy or checkout the ones that your kids want. This makes My Father's World more economical, but you have to look ahead and either order or go to the library for the books. Sonlight is pricier, but there is no "legwork" on your part.

OK, now I am rambling. I think that LW book that everyone is talking about will go into detail about the choices.

If you would tell us more about you and your child, maybe we can help point you in the right direction. There is no one curriculum that works for everyone. I hope I have not overwhelmed you.

BTW, I am so glad to find a disney board with so many homeschoolers!!

Thanks for the info. My DS is gifted & his school does not have a gifted program nor are they responsive on developing one. He has an IQ of 146 & has been reading & writing since he was 18 months old. He has become so frustrated at school & my heart is breaking for him. The other kids tease him because of his level & he is bored out of his mind. I thought if I could home school him that we can learn new & challenging things at his pace so he would not be bored anymore & be more challenged. I feel like I must do the best I can for him so he doesn't lose this. No one I know here in NY home schools so I knew I could find some helpful info from many of you here. Thanks

If I could add a #4 to the top list, I would add that you also tell yourself, "I can do this". I've heard from so many people who say things like, "Oh, I wish I could homeschool, but I don't think I could" or even, "I could never do that" All it takes is a change in your attitude from, "Maybe" to "Yes, I can" and it's amazing how much easier things start falling into place.

There are many great internet resources you can check out. Lots of different online forums. Lots of resources to help you find out what the different styles of homeschooling entail - such as Charlotte Mason, Classical (The Well Trained Mind is the most popular classical), Unschooling, school-at-home (which is the workbook-y types mentioned previously) and eclectic just to name some.

And lastly, there are soooo many curriculum choices it is mindboggling. But you can read reviews on Amazon.com and HomeschoolReviews.com and find things at the RainbowResource.com online catalog. You can check things out of the library, ask friends, and go to a homeschool convention and/or curriculum fair to see things in person. Whether you want a Christian curriculum, a Catholic one, a secular one, or anything, it is most certainly out there!

Best wishes. Remember, you can do it!

I hope I can! Thanks!

Calvert Homeschooling curriculum
They sell whole packages for the year with everything you need and daily lessons. THey even have daily routines you can follow to get you started.
They also have teacher on hand every day if you have any questions or concerns. You can choose the option of having a teacher for marking and getting transcripts. ALot of military personnel use this curriculum for their children.
Check it out...it's a non-religous based curriculum.

That is what I am looking for, a non religious curriculum. I am his cathechist so we teach that separately.

You were your child's first teacher. You are the one who taught him to walk, talk, use the toilet, brush his teeth, etc. Often, you have already taught him to read or have laid the groundwork for that. Chances are you taught him the alphabet and how to count.

Continuing to teach them is NOT hard. You have to get your head out of the "school mode", though. I don't know how many people who are when summer's over and school is back in session. I don't get it. You also have to get your head around the idea that just b/c someone has a degree in elementary or secondary education does NOT necessarily qualify them to teach YOUR child any better than you. There are SO many resources available to you if you need to fill in your own "gaps in knowledge". When my older ones reached the level of math that I no longer felt comfortable with, we hired a tutor and got them involved in study groups.

It is more difficult pulling a child from public school to homeschool than to start them off at home. Both my older 2 had a notion of what school 'looked like' and when homeschool didn't look like that, it was a hard transition. It also depends on your and your child's teaching/learning style. We more "unschool" which means we work on concepts as they arise in daily living. My DDs are learning fractions while cooking, math by helping me with my business and their own money management, and history by taking a trip to Williamsburg. As we come across things, we learn about them. We do use a curriculum, but are switching this year. I know homeschoolers who actually run a formal classroom. As a former teacher, I don't want to do ours that way, and that's OK. Our way fits our family, the more structured way fits others.

The "S" word comes up frequently which drives me insane, but my children have learned to socialize with people of all ages and from all walks of life. The homeschooling support groups are great for activities and get-togethers. Also check with local rec centers; we have one near us that offers classes for homeschoolers in swimming, ice skating, basketball, "gym time", and more. That on top of dance class, piano lessons, and church activities, our DDs are plenty busy. We travel a LOT and run a booth at scrapbook shows, so it's nice to be able to have DDs along. My 11yo spent this last weekend helping my DH teach a make & take. She is learning important life skills.

When people start on me, I ask them, "When was the last time you got beat up in the break room for your lunch? When was the last time you had a coworker offer you drugs? When was the last time someone knocked your files off your desk just for fun?" Public schools do nothing to prepare children for the real world and the lessons learned are not the important ones in life. My older 2 spent so much time worrying about the "social" aspects of school that they had very little time for the things that really mattered, like creative and critical thinking.

Good luck to everyone who is trying to make the decision!

I just had to ask my DH to come over here to look at your comment..how well said, I love what you wrote!!! Especially the last part, you are so right. Thank you .

I will be picking your brains some more if you don't mind. Thanks again!! I really feel much more positive that I can do this for him.

 

[mamaloya]

If your son is gifted, I would highly recommend a curriculum such as sonlight. I is very heavy on reading, which he seems to enjoy. Their reading list is extensive and impressive. Full of must reads!! I think he would love it. It is so deep and thought provoking. It is Christian at heart, but it is not overt. It encourages being open to all views and does not push religion, in fact, Bible is a seperate curriculum from its "core". You should really look into Sonlight. I am very impressed with it, even though I don't use it. Their website is www.sonlight.com . Definitely request their catalog and read through it. Even if you opt not to use it, it has a lot of info in it that can help you a lot.

 

[Pixiedust34]

If your son is gifted, I would highly recommend a curriculum such as sonlight. I is very heavy on reading, which he seems to enjoy. Their reading list is extensive and impressive. Full of must reads!! I think he would love it. It is so deep and thought provoking. It is Christian at heart, but it is not overt. It encourages being open to all views and does not push religion, in fact, Bible is a seperate curriculum from its "core". You should really look into Sonlight. I am very impressed with it, even though I don't use it. Their website is www.sonlight.com . Definitely request their catalog and read through it. Even if you opt not to use it, it has a lot of info in it that can help you a lot.

We use Sonlight and enjoy it. It is full of rich literature, and for older kids (approx. grade 3 and up), your history books will tie in with your reading books. For example, while my children are learning about slavery in history, they are reading a biography of Harriet Tubman for reading class. This history and reading connection enhances our learning experience. History comes alive when you're reading stories about the time period you are studying.

If you request a catalog, take a good look at the book lists (especially the readers and the read alouds) and I think you'll be impressed. Even if you don't use Sonlight, the booklist can come in handy if you'd like to add some extra readers to whichever program you are using.

 

[LUV2BNWDW]

I am so thankful you started this thread. I also have been considering this for the next school year. I have been asking everyone I know who homeschool questions. I am going to a homeschooling conference on Thursday.

Tracy

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I am going into our 4th year and would never do it differently!! My older started in our local Christian school, and when it closed he went to our public school for part of 1st and then 2nd grade. How I wish I would have went straight to hs !! One of my life regrets! I looooove it soooo much!! I must agree with all the things on the list-they were what I would have told you! Also, get the book 100 Top Curr.Choices, by Cathy Duffy. She explains lots of different curriculum choices and why she likes them.

Another great thing- depending on how many school days your state requires, you can start and stop your school year anytime you like!! That of course means Disney trips on the off season!! We generally do 9weeks with a week off. Then we are out the end of April, and we start back in July. Our summers here are soooo hot that, by Sept, when the other kids are just starting back , we are ready for a break and some cooler days to play outside.

Of course, we will all be happy to answer any questions and nudge you along.I did have one ? though, what is a cathechist?

 

[Heluvsme]

You know how some parents will say "We just KNEW, we knew it was right for us and we never looked back!" ? Well, that wasn't me! I had my daughter in public school and my son (with various challenges that would probably frustrate him to no end in a public school) was getting Kindergarten age. I was thinking about HSing my son, I wanted to HS my daughter also, but she loved school and didn't want to (that was fine with me, as long as she was doing well and we were happy with how things were going).

I started talking to other families at my church who were HSers. I asked them not only questions about curriculum, but other things like how their daily routines went, how their family dynamics changed, etc, etc.

I also spent a TON of time on the internet. I read everything I could get my hands on regarding HSing. I found out my state's laws and requirements. I talked ad nauseum with my husband about EVERY aspect including delaying, or possibly never, going back to work. I bought several books and read them cover to cover. I tried to read the good and the bad.

Finally, I went shopping at our local Teacher Supply store and picked up a starter math, reading, science, and critical thinking workbooks. I thought, it's Kindergarten....let me try it this year, let's see how it goes, if it goes well and it agrees with us as a family, then great, we'll take it one year at a time.

Well, we recently wrapped up our first 'official' year and I have to say my son SOARED!!! He did so well, he finished up all the original curriculum I had bought by January. I bought more and he finished that up also. He's reading on a 2nd grade level (this is a kid who more than likely has PDD, although all the testing he's had doesn't indicate it yet, but there's somthing...he didn't talk at all until he was 4!). He's spelling on a 2nd grade level too. His math is right on level but he still needs a lot of leading on it, we might review last year's math for the first couple months this next term.

My point is, I was really hesitant. Now, I am so glad we did it, it agreed with us completely! I was more tired than I had counted on though, I didn't think it would take that much out of me. My daughter is still in public school and got all A's this past year, the whole year. She's doing well, is happy, and for now that's fine. If ever it takes a turn in a direction we don't like, then we'll know we can HS her and I won't have near the trepidation I had making the decision with my son.

We are still taking it year by year though. If at any point I think he would be better off in a school setting, then we will make that call. For now though, it's wonderful. We do an eclectic approach, instead of buying ONE curriculum, I searched out for different methods that I thought would reach my son the best. It's what works for us; for him.

Good luck in your decision!

 

[DVCJEN]

My ds is only 2 but I am interested in possibly homeschooling. Would anyone be willing to share their daily HS schedule? I mena how your day flows? Do you HS 5 days a week?

 

[dijid]

Now that I read your post about your gifted child, I can provide a little more info. Homeschooling a gifted child, especially one as gifted as yours, makes a lot of sense. It's the reason I started homeschooling. Most boys my DS's age were red-shirted last year and are just entering K. He's already read the first two Harry Potter books and finished 2nd grade math, even though we didn't "do math" for over a month last year.

Do some research on homeschooling gifted kids. There's actually a CA-GT-HS forum on Yahoo which is really good, albeit not the most active. A lot of people unschool their gifted kids. I know others like the K12 curriculum and Calvert. Singapore Math is a favorite (I really like it), but if your child is a true math wiz, they might like EPGY or CTY math (online classes). I follow the Core Knowledge Sequence, which essentially gives me a list of topics, some good lesson plan suggestion, and a lot of information on what to cover month-to-month for K-8. I can choose to go as in-depth into an area if I want, based on my kids interests. This year I'll be supplementing history/geography with Learning Through History Magazines, which I'm really impressed with. And using Real Science 4 Kids, which is another one that is popular among gifted homeschoolers.

Ok. Now I'm getting too long-winded. There's a lot of good stuff out there. Too much of it!

 

[disneymom3]

I would recommend Creative Homeschooling for your Gifted CHild by Lisa Rivero. REally awesome. I recently reread it because I was getting stuck in a rut and def not being creative!

As for a typical schedule, we really don't have one. I have certain goals to accomplish each week and everyday we do some table work, some reading, some hands on etc. We also do our co-op one day a week and most weeks a play or a field trip.

 

[Ellester]

My ds is only 2 but I am interested in possibly homeschooling. Would anyone be willing to share their daily HS schedule? I mena how your day flows? Do you HS 5 days a week?

Our schedule is very loose, but we usually try to get started by 9:00-9:30am (my dd9 usually reads in bed for an hour or so right when she gets up before that) and are done by lunch. For my dd9, I print out a sheet each Monday that lists what she needs to accomplish for the week then she has to manage her time to get it done. I do provide a fair amount of coaching/reminding so that she's not left with 85% of the list on Friday morning! We try to get spelling and math done each day with her. My dd5 is just learning to read so I try to work with her on her language arts curriculum each day in addition to math 3-5 times a week. I usually read aloud to the girls for an hour or so, then again for a 1/2 hour or so before bed. Usually our bedtime story is part of the curriculum too (we Sonlight). Our first summer, I used Five in a Row (www.fiarhq.com) and we really enjoyed that. I may break it back out in the fall or winter to use with the little guy (he was 3 in March). Right now he hangs around when he wants to, sometimes doing his own "math". I did get him the preschool workbooks from Rod & Staff this year since he wanted his own "school" and I like their preschool stuff and they are very reasonably priced (less than $3 per workbook). He just colors in them now, although I can occasionally get him to follow my oral directions.

We usually do 5 day weeks. In our state we are required to have 180 days "that satisfy the instructional requirements". That leaves plenty of time for breaks and/or 4 day weeks since we school year round. I count fieldtrips as school days so we have some 6 and 7 day weeks when we are traveling (went to the Space & Rocket Center a few Saturdays ago, definitely a school day!). We also don't have to report attendance until the child reaches age 7, so I don't track my dd5 yet. I have friends that have a much stricter schedule than ours and those that have basically no schedule whatsoever (the infamous unschoolers!). One of the many beauties of homeschooling is that you can do what works best for you and your child!

I am so tired tonight that I don't know how much of that was coherent, but hopefully you can glean something from it!

 

[maroogreen]

I am so glad someone started this thread! I am a public school educator and have been seriously considering homeschooling now for several months. Much like the person who started this thread, my oldest DS9 has an IQ of 150, which comes with its own set of issues. There is a pullout GT once a week and even that is sporadic. DS7 loves school and likes the socialization. DS9 stresses constantly and is bullied because he is "different." DD3 is not in school yet but I would definitely consider HSing.

I was never a believer in homeschooling, but I am beginning to see the light. I am frustrated about the GT situation in our district, but for work-related resasons, am limited with my options for changing this. I KNOW I can do it, but I am concerned about teaching different levels of curriculum at the same time? Any thoughts on teaching different ages simultaneously?