Homeschool Chat Part III

[robinsegg]

I'm looking for some guidance and hoping this is the right place to post. I have a DD (8) who has mild Aspergers. She is currently in 2nd grade and has had an IEP for the entire year, but we are seriously considering taking her out for 3rd grade and homeschooling her because the way the school is set up, it just doesn't work for her personality.

I guess what I'm needing is some guidance about curriculum, programs, and such that many of you use or have found helpful. As many who look into homeschooling say, I have absolutely no idea where to start and there is so much out there it's overwhelming. Also, my DD has social skill problems and really needs the socializing public school can give and also the programs they have available to teach her social skills. Is there any hope for her in terms of learning social skills? I only ask this because she is an Aspergers kid and I live in a very very small town and basically if you are not part of the only elementary or high school, then you really don't exist. Also, while there are other families who homeschool, everyone keeps to themselves and has no desire to form a co-op or to really interact with any other homeschooling family. They have their very set way of doing things and aren't looking to group together in any way.

Anyway, we're still on the fence about what we should do, but after what has happened this year, something has got to change.

Thanks!

I've read that kids "on the spectrum" do *really* well with Charlotte Mason Method teaching. You may want to look up Five in a Row, Living Books Curriculum, or see if you can find a Charlotte Mason Method instruction book (her original writings on the subject fill 6 books, I think).

I'm not really sure what you're looking for in social skills. Are you members of a church where she could form lasting friendships? Could you choose one or two "field trips" to go on throughout the year so she becomes very comfortable with the place and staff to learn conversational skills? Does the local library have a summer reading program for elementary-aged kids where she could interact with others? Could you set up (or enter her in) a kids' bowling team, sport, dance, or scouts?

As far as interacting with other homeschooling families, you could ask the local librarian to give your name and contact info to the homeschoolers that come in. It's one of the most effective ways to get in touch with other homeschoolers I know about (since many homeschooling families make extensive use of the library).

 

[JoanneDisFan]

Need some advice from home schoolers. I did the K12 virtual school for 2 years and homeschooled for 1 year. Homeschooling on my own didn't work for us. I needed the help of the school. When we stopped homechooling my DD had just started grade 5 work, but by age was grade 4 and placed back in grade 4 public school. She is now in grade 5, and I'm starting to get frustrated with the public school. My DD is good at math, but never challenged, but also needs help in English but doesn't seem to get much help. I'm thinking about going back to the virtual school if they have openings.

My biggest concern is that we will just end up fighting again. I gave up on homeschooling when it became a constant battle just to get her to do any work. She wouldn't listen to me and it was ruining our relationship. Add in the fact I had been pregnant and suffered a miscarriage and I just needed to take a break.

My second concern is homeschooling with a baby around. Luckily my little man is very easy going and very adaptable.

So I've started the application process for the virtual school. I think and feel that this is the right thing, but keep second guessing myself. What it comes down to is I want the best education for my DD. And I'm willing to do what ever it takes for her to get it. Tell me I'm not crazy, for even thinking about going back.

 

[chris31997]

Need some advice from home schoolers. I did the K12 virtual school for 2 years and homeschooled for 1 year. Homeschooling on my own didn't work for us. I needed the help of the school. When we stopped homechooling my DD had just started grade 5 work, but by age was grade 4 and placed back in grade 4 public school. She is now in grade 5, and I'm starting to get frustrated with the public school. My DD is good at math, but never challenged, but also needs help in English but doesn't seem to get much help. I'm thinking about going back to the virtual school if they have openings.

My biggest concern is that we will just end up fighting again. I gave up on homeschooling when it became a constant battle just to get her to do any work. She wouldn't listen to me and it was ruining our relationship. Add in the fact I had been pregnant and suffered a miscarriage and I just needed to take a break.

My second concern is homeschooling with a baby around. Luckily my little man is very easy going and very adaptable.

So I've started the application process for the virtual school. I think and feel that this is the right thing, but keep second guessing myself. What it comes down to is I want the best education for my DD. And I'm willing to do what ever it takes for her to get it. Tell me I'm not crazy, for even thinking about going back.

Of course you are crazy but than again to a degree we all are I think you are wise to do what is best for your child. She needs to be challaneged and helped where and when needed. You are doing the right thing

 

[Mouseketeer67]

Are there any other homeschool moms here about to graduate their high school seniors?

 

[NHWX]

Are there any other homeschool moms here about to graduate their high school seniors?

We are! There are many annoying things in his life now - scholarship applications, a truly annoying online teacher, etc. But that's to be expected. His friends, whether they're homeschooled or went to a brick and mortar school are all looking beyond high school at this time. They're thinking about college, summer jobs, time spent together, etc.

We're just planning a backyard graduation and party. What are other people planning?

NHWX

 

[Cynestra]

Any phonics curriculum suggestions for an 8 year old who HATES reading and fell behind? Help!

 

[MiniGirl]

I know some of you are using these, and I know GrayGables really likes HOAC. However, is anyone familiar with ....

http://www.ajourneythroughlearning.net/

or Knowledge Box Central (I think it is called). We are wanting to do some lapbooks to go with our Apologia science studies, and I notice these companies (and a few others) have them designed to go specifically with these books.

Anyone familiar with them and could share with me the pros and cons? Thanks.

 

[graygables]

Any phonics curriculum suggestions for an 8 year old who HATES reading and fell behind? Help!

1st, I recommend seeing an eye doctor who offers tracking testing to see if there is a problem there. Sometimes vision is fine, but tracking is an issue. One of mine needed vision therapy and it worked wonders. If you don't want to go to that extreme, Where's Waldo and maze books (using the eyes only, no fingers, pencils, or pointers) were what she brought home for homework.

I used Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for both of my younger 2. Start at the beginning and move forward to see if you can identify gaps that may have caused frustration and an early hatred of reading. There may be an a-ha moment.

Find a book or series that REALLY interests your child. My now 12yo was NOT a reader until she met Harry Potter. I was VERY reluctant as our family has always been a bit sensitive regarding what was perceived to be the subject matter and it not aligning with our belief system, but after some serious research and study, I happily allowed her the boxed set. She is now a willing reader, working on becoming avid.

Finally, you may have a non-reader on your hands. My husband is one. He will read bits of this and that relating to football and news online, but I've not seen him pick up a book in probably 10 years. I don't understand it as I have been reading since I was 3yo and have always been precocious and voracious (read the entire works of Shakespeare the summer between 6th and 7th grades...shere's the "nerd" smiley? ) I own a Kindle and read constantly. I have downloaded a few books to my Kindle for my 15yo and she grudgingly and reluctantly reads them, but I'm still not sure she is processing literature well. Some people just can't do it. (She's fine online, with message boards, and with technical reading)

One last thing, I used to teach a 10th grade English class that was considered "grossly remedial". I was limited to 10 students per class. These were kids who could not read at all and were failing school. The purpose was to re-teach reading via a computer program designed for young adults/adults so their self-esteem wouldn't be damaged. Most of the kids emerged very successfully after having had gaps in their knowledge filled in, but there were always a few who simply could not process the language. They knew the mechanics, could read, could read aloud, but could not UNDERSTAND as they were reading. We were at a loss and wound up losing a few as drop outs b/c they didn't want the stigma of an IEP with recorded textbooks.

 

[sweetsusannah]

I have been giving some serious thought to homeschooling my dd, next year. Does anyone have experience on K12 or any other virtual public school versus homeschooling? My main concern is socialization. Homeschooling is very popular here is SC, so I know we have a ton of groups that we could participate in as a homeschool family. What about online public school though, are the groups as plentiful? I have had a hard time finding information online about this. Any other pros or cons I should consider when comparing the two? Thanks!

 

[mommymack]

I have been giving some serious thought to homeschooling my dd, next year. Does anyone have experience on K12 or any other virtual public school versus homeschooling? My main concern is socialization. Homeschooling is very popular here is SC, so I know we have a ton of groups that we could participate in as a homeschool family. What about online public school though, are the groups as plentiful? I have had a hard time finding information online about this. Any other pros or cons I should consider when comparing the two? Thanks!

There are definite pros and cons to both homeschooling and virtual schools. As far as socialization, some homeschool groups are welcoming to virtual schoolers. My kids take a park and rec art and gym class that is for both traditional homeschool and virtual school students and it has been great, both for the content of the classes and the friends they have made.

What are your reasons for considering home/virtual school? I am struggling a bit right now because my biggest motivator is to retain the love of learning, which has been a little tough with the end of the school year pressure. Virtual schools are great at cutting down (not totally eliminating) the planning and prep work but in exchange, you give up some of your freedom. It is totally individual what that balance is, how important the convenience (and to some extent confidence) of having someone else plan it is vs the inconvenience of being tied to someone else's schedule and curriculum choices.

Ann (virtual schooling with Connections Academy K and 2nd Grade and chasing a toddler boy)

 

[MiniGirl]

I have been giving some serious thought to homeschooling my dd, next year. Does anyone have experience on K12 or any other virtual public school versus homeschooling? My main concern is socialization. Homeschooling is very popular here is SC, so I know we have a ton of groups that we could participate in as a homeschool family. What about online public school though, are the groups as plentiful? I have had a hard time finding information online about this. Any other pros or cons I should consider when comparing the two? Thanks!

I looked into virtual schooling before we jumped in. Here are the pros and cons as I saw it.

Pros:
Cost... all computers, books, etc are provided
Ease... all the work/schedule is laid out for you
Support... with a teacher assigned to your child, I could be fairly sure my daughter was progressing and staying on target with her peers. (This was very important to me as a new homeschooler as I was somewhat unsure of my own abilities.)

Cons:
Schedule... We would still have to follow a public school schedule.
Districting... We would be in a virtual district instead of our local school district. Meaning, if I needed services from the school or wanted my child to participate in school activities, we would be unable to since we were no longer in that district.
Computer time... I didn't necessarily want my daughter spending a lot of time on the computer -- even if it was for school.
Curriculum... Basically, my child would still be in public school, and everything would be the same in that respect. For some, that is no big deal, but I really wanted the flexibility of being able to pick and chose what I teach and when I teach it.

As far as socializing, I attended an online "open house" for the virtual school here, and there was mention of field trips and get togethers. I think they were once a month or something like that. They were in different parts of the state, though, so I know we wouldn't have been able to attend them all. Around here, local groups will generally welcome virtual schoolers into their groups, but there are some who are a little adament about virtual school not *really* being like homeschooling, and will correct those who call themselves homeschoolers. Those are few though. I just mention them because they are out there.

In the end, we decided not to go the virtual school route. I know many people do and are happy with it, but it just really wasn't for us. Choices out there can be overwhelming, so I ended up just going with a boxed curriculum that looked interesting. It came with a schedule for me to follow, and I even followed their recommendations for the subjects not included in the curriculum. I ordered it and didn't look back. As we got into things, I was able to see what worked and didn't work for us. As my confidence grew, I was able to change things and not be so "by the book." Also, it is an ever changing process. As the girls grow and our needs change, so does our homeschooling. It doesn't mean what we did that first year (or since) wasn't right. It was great for us at that time.

Good luck to you whatever you decide. It is a wonderful lifestyle, and I'm so happy we took the plunge.

 

[Nicolepa]

I have been giving some serious thought to homeschooling my dd, next year. Does anyone have experience on K12 or any other virtual public school versus homeschooling? My main concern is socialization. Homeschooling is very popular here is SC, so I know we have a ton of groups that we could participate in as a homeschool family. What about online public school though, are the groups as plentiful? I have had a hard time finding information online about this. Any other pros or cons I should consider when comparing the two? Thanks!

What age are your children? I did VA for 2nd and part of 3rd grade. My son tolerated 2nd grade but the workload increased dramatically in 3rd grade and he just flat out refused. It wasn't that the work was hard but it was, to be honest, school at home. Lots of desk time. TONS of papers. It just didn't work for my child.

Because you have attendance and progress requirements I also felt like we could never go do a fun field trip. Yes I could count the field trip as science or history etc, but then I had to make up the work so we met our progress goals. It just wasn't worth taking the day off.

I might go that route for K & 1st grade when the time comes, only because I've heard their phonics program is great. My VA also lets me pick and choose which courses to take so I don't have to take math (or history etc) if I don't want. (I HATED their math program, loved their history.)

 

[sl_underwood]

I'm looking for some guidance and hoping this is the right place to post. I have a DD (8) who has mild Aspergers. She is currently in 2nd grade and has had an IEP for the entire year, but we are seriously considering taking her out for 3rd grade and homeschooling her because the way the school is set up, it just doesn't work for her personality.

I guess what I'm needing is some guidance about curriculum, programs, and such that many of you use or have found helpful. As many who look into homeschooling say, I have absolutely no idea where to start and there is so much out there it's overwhelming. Also, my DD has social skill problems and really needs the socializing public school can give and also the programs they have available to teach her social skills. Is there any hope for her in terms of learning social skills? I only ask this because she is an Aspergers kid and I live in a very very small town and basically if you are not part of the only elementary or high school, then you really don't exist. Also, while there are other families who homeschool, everyone keeps to themselves and has no desire to form a co-op or to really interact with any other homeschooling family. They have their very set way of doing things and aren't looking to group together in any way.

Anyway, we're still on the fence about what we should do, but after what has happened this year, something has got to change.

Thanks!

We homeschool our son who has autism. He did go to public school through kindergarten but it was not working for him. He uses a variety of resources for curriculum. We have the Abeka curriculum as a guide but have added a great deal of multisensory activities to help cement what he is learning. For example, we use manipulatives to help with math concepts, have a moveable alphabet to aid him with spelling, we write his spelling words in shaving cream or paint, if we are spelling an action word, we do that action as we read the word, etc. This has helped him greatly. As for social skills, we have some very active homeschool groups in our area and he goes to a social skills therapy group as well. There is a thread on the disabilities board regarding homeschooling with ASD, you might check it out.

 

[sweetsusannah]

Thank you so much for your responses! My DD is 4, so we are looking at kindergarten. She is a sweet girl but she is very independent and strong willed. She has been in a church preschool program for the last two years and does very well educationally; her teachers there love her and are very good to her. I know they have to relate to her differently than the other kids though since I sub oftend and have become friends with her teachers. I realize that in a public school setting she would be expected to conform and I know she is unable. It isn’t lack of discipline, it is her personality. In addition the schools in our district are not performing well and I worry about the quality of the education she would get. She is eager to learn but focusing may be a problem and I worry that the online program would be too strict and regimented. On the other hand I am not a trained teacher and I have a newborn as well so I am concerned about my abilities to set up a curriculum that is effective and online schools eliminate that worry. Having the tools paid for is also a bonus but I won't sacrifice her education for that. Again, thanks for the information, I have found it overwhelming yet exciting in researching the options and I really value experienced opinions.

 

[MiniGirl]

One thing to remember is that if you go with your own curriclum, you would not be "doing school" for 6 hours a day like they do at school. I would think that the one on one stuff could be done during your newborn's nap or later in the day after your dh gets home from work and is there to either do the schoolwork with your older dd or watch the newborn while ya'll do the work. Reading and some other things can be done snuggled together on the sofa or lounging in the bed before bedtime or right after you wake up. My girls love to do review at the dinner table. They love telling their dad what they have learned. We are finishing up 5th and 3rd grade, so our workload has gotten a little heavier this year, but when we first started it was very managable.

Good luck with your decision. You know what is best for your dd and your family. You may not be a certified teacher, but it sounds as if you have already been a fine teacher to your child, and I have no doubt that you would continue to be one.

 

[chicagoshannon]

Thank you so much for your responses! My DD is 4, so we are looking at kindergarten. She is a sweet girl but she is very independent and strong willed. She has been in a church preschool program for the last two years and does very well educationally; her teachers there love her and are very good to her. I know they have to relate to her differently than the other kids though since I sub oftend and have become friends with her teachers. I realize that in a public school setting she would be expected to conform and I know she is unable. It isn’t lack of discipline, it is her personality. In addition the schools in our district are not performing well and I worry about the quality of the education she would get. She is eager to learn but focusing may be a problem and I worry that the online program would be too strict and regimented. On the other hand I am not a trained teacher and I have a newborn as well so I am concerned about my abilities to set up a curriculum that is effective and online schools eliminate that worry. Having the tools paid for is also a bonus but I won't sacrifice her education for that. Again, thanks for the information, I have found it overwhelming yet exciting in researching the options and I really value experienced opinions.

Your daughter's personality sounds a lot like my daughter. My daughter is also 4. We had her in Montessori school this year but she'll be home next year. She is very strong willed. She flat out refuses to do things unless she KNOWS she'll do them perfectly and correctly. We certainly have to take a different approach with her.

We'll be using Sonlight curriculum with her. She learns really well by listening to stories.

Good luck with what you decide.

 

[DawnM]

Does anyone know if the Legoland in Florida will be offering homeschool days? Legoland CA has one per month. Just curious if FL will do the same.

Thanks,

Dawn

 

[DawnM]

bump

 

[NHWX]

Hi all!

I'm trying to be organized and ds15 is trying to enjoy the spring weather so we're not getting a lot planned for next year.

So far we've got
physics co-op (Exploring Creation with Physics)
Latin 2 (state's virtual charter school, good teacher, free)
calculus somehow
maybe government using ????
some literature work for my writing hating second son
and I'm not sure what else

I know the calculus will be a lot of work for him so I'm not sure that else we should choose. He'll be a junior next year and definitely headed towards some sort of science or engineering career.

Any ideas? Lower cost is definitely a plus.

NHWX

 

[chris31997]

Hi all!

I'm trying to be organized and ds15 is trying to enjoy the spring weather so we're not getting a lot planned for next year.

So far we've got
physics co-op (Exploring Creation with Physics)
Latin 2 (state's virtual charter school, good teacher, free)
calculus somehow
maybe government using ????
some literature work for my writing hating second son
and I'm not sure what else

I know the calculus will be a lot of work for him so I'm not sure that else we should choose. He'll be a junior next year and definitely headed towards some sort of science or engineering career.

Any ideas? Lower cost is definitely a plus.

NHWX

Is there an engineering firm around that he might be able to do an internship at? It would give him expierance and a head's up as to if that is what he wants? There is so much to pick from in the engineering field. My DD has done this for ballet, I count it towards school.

Sorry, Dawn. I have no clue about Legoland. Maybe contacting them directly to see