Coming Late to Home Schooling ?s

[schatterjee]

I'm not really sure if this is the right place to post. I lurk here quite a bit and I know I've seen this topic on this board before. We've moved to Missouri about a year and a half ago and my kids are having a really hard time w/the school system. Not the work - but the rest of the experience. I've never really considered home schooling and my kids are older (5th & 10th grade) but our current problems are really making me wonder if this isn't the best and safest choice for them.

When I was a kid I always liked school - the classes and the social part of it. I'm not sure what feels right.

Has anybody else come to this so late in the day? Where is the best place to go to read about the ups and downs? I don't want to do something too drastic and yet I don't know what else to try. Just trying to learn more...

 

[wahmtexas]

this is very common these days, trust your mom instincts, homeschooling is growing and there are so many resources available, a lot of schools even offer 2 days a week then 3 homeschool with curriculum provided, there are many yahoo groups and groups at cafemom, meetup.com for homeschoolers, join the forums and get to know some local moms in your area, good luck with your decision

 

[beansmom]

#1- despite their current 'problems' or unhappiness, i think that learning to deal with change and new situations is a very important life skill. #2-I homeschooled my dd for the first half of 6th grade..while she and the work were fine, she really disliked not having the social contact of going to school and begged and pleaded with me to let her return to school.

this is, of course, just my experience but you did ask.

 

[gillenkl]

I believe there is a homeschool posting on the Family Board. I have been a homeschooling mom for 7 years.

 

[pigletto]

If you feel that it is something you could do effectively and your kids would thrive I would encourage it.
I always wanted to but stopped short for two reasons. One .. my kids had zero interest and enjoyed their friends. Two.. it's virtually unheard of where I am so I felt we'd have very little support or other homeschoolers to interact with.

In the end, we've decided private school will be a better fit for us and we're in the process of applying for my third grader.
However, if the circumstances had been different I would have done it in a heartbeat.

ETA) One thing I say to myself often is that there is ZERO reason I should be putting my child on the bus every morning with a knot in my stomach. Nobody should. If that's where you are, then I encourage you to make the choices that will bring you all some peace.

 

[nchulka]

I am in Missouri also, and just started homeschooling my 3rd grade son this year. My 5th grade daughter is still in school. I'm not sure where you are at in Missouri, but I have been very happy with our school district. I planned to take my kids out after elementary and homeschool based on that fact that our families worldview is very different from that held by public schools in general. At the elementary level we have had no problems, but I know we would in middle/high school. Last year DS started saying that he wanted to begin homeschooling earlier, and like you I was torn. In the end I let him and I'm glad I did, it's been going very well. If I were you I would take the 5th grader out and homeschool, but I think by 10th grade it would be too big of a transition, especially with college right around the corner. Maybe you could look into a private school for your high-schooler Missouri is a very easy state to homeschool in, you really have no one to answer to about what you do at all. You are to keep a log of 1,000 hours of school throughout the year, but there is no one to turn it into, and no one asks you for it. It's just for your own records. All you have to do is call the school and tell them that you are now going to be homeschooling and that is it. There are tons of homeschool groups in Missouri also, it is hugely popular right now. I just joined one that has it's own band and orchestra and everything They offer art classes and higher level math/science classes for older kids. There are even classes in Latin!

 

[sfarmbo]

Have you looked into any virtual schools. K12, connection academy, or charter schools in your area.

 

[superme80]

I was homeschooled in high school. I fought it tooth and nail, but in the end what could I do? Honestly looking back it was the best thing my mom could have done for me. I got to do lots of extra activities and I was done with school by 1 pm. My mom taught all my classes and by the time I went to the local CC I was well ahead of my peers. I was orginally attending a private school, but was being bullied and lost interest in my studies. My mom taught me to focus, study, and write. I am forever grateful.

 

[bumbershoot]

ETA) One thing I say to myself often is that there is ZERO reason I should be putting my child on the bus every morning with a knot in my stomach. Nobody should. If that's where you are, then I encourage you to make the choices that will bring you all some peace.

Aw, if only my mom had felt that I shouldn't be getting on the bus, or in the car, with a knot in my stomach. I was nauseated every morning with the nervousness of going to school, and in HS I had hives at the end of most days, from the stresses of the social interaction (with people I had known for YEARS). Alas, switching high school and being moved from "college track" to the "just get you graduated" track simply because the CA and NY school systems didn't work with each other and nothing she had done before transferred, destroyed her self-confidence and she felt too stupid to teach me. So she actively kept the concept of homeschool from me. (she apologized when I was in my 20s and found out about it, and explained it all to me)



Two resources for the HS aged kid: http://www.hslda.org/highschool/ and http://www.thehomescholar.com/

I've run into the HomeScholar people at the local homeschool convention, and they seem nice.

Something I enjoy doing, even though DS is only doing 3rd grade, is look at the BIG colleges and find their homeschooled-applicant pages. Duke has had an absolutely wonderful page for several years now, for example.

 

[schatterjee]

Thank you all for the responses. Many things to consider but I'm actively looking into it!

 

[Granny square]

I'd hit the library and grab a book or two. There are tons of concepts and curriculums. If you don't get good vibes put that one aside and grab another.

 

[Praise2Him]

I homeschooled my son 11th & 12th grades and my daughter 8th-12th grades. My DH wasn't sure about it at first, but he agreed for us to try it for a year and see how it went. We loved it! (And continued until they graduated.) DS graduated from college and DD is a Junior in college now. I just wish I'd started sooner!

You can always try it and if it doesn't work out try something else - public school, private school, etc.

 

[npmommie]

I homeschooled my dd for the first half of 6th grade..while she and the work were fine, she really disliked not having the social contact of going to school and begged and pleaded with me to let her return to school.

this is, of course, just my experience but you did ask.

why did you choose initially to homeschool her the first part of 6th grade?

 

[Daisy'sMama]

Welcome to Missouri! We are homeschooling our DD for the first time this year. She went to a good private school for K-5th, but I hadn't heard good things about the middle school and high school there. She wanted to try it, so we did. We love it so far. We are 7 weeks in and getting along great. just find a support system, really look for a curriculum that will fit your personalities, and go for it. Missouri is one of the easiest states for HS.