Homeschool Chat

[Mouseketeer67]

Thank you so much for this! My older daughter has been wanting to learn a language and I have been relcutant to get something. She is loving the Mango! If nothing else it will give her something to do this summer.

Your welcome! My kids love it too, I love the fact that it's free!!!

 

[JesB]

I'm so very glad I found this theard. I've just started home schooling my DS due to extreme bullying at school. We've made it through 9th without too many problems. Were using an umberella school at the moment because I had questions about the diploma. I had DS when I was barely 15 and was forced to attend a christian school offered by a local chruch. They wouldn't allow us to attend the local high school. My diploma actually came from a school out of town so I had no problems attending school. Once I got my BS degree no one ask about high school. I was worried about his need for a diploma. I have a couple of questions if anyone has the answer. We are moving after Dec. to Florida if everything works out job wise and will either need a new umberella school or make other arrangements. I would rather do without the school if possible. Does anyone know the steps I would need to take? Also DS's only struggle is with math, I'm looking for a really good Algebra 2 and Geo curriculum for him. Thanks.

 

[dis-happy]

I'm so very glad I found this theard. I've just started home schooling my DS due to extreme bullying at school. We've made it through 9th without too many problems. Were using an umberella school at the moment because I had questions about the diploma. I had DS when I was barely 15 and was forced to attend a christian school offered by a local chruch. They wouldn't allow us to attend the local high school. My diploma actually came from a school out of town so I had no problems attending school. Once I got my BS degree no one ask about high school. I was worried about his need for a diploma. I have a couple of questions if anyone has the answer. We are moving after Dec. to Florida if everything works out job wise and will either need a new umberella school or make other arrangements. I would rather do without the school if possible. Does anyone know the steps I would need to take? Also DS's only struggle is with math, I'm looking for a really good Algebra 2 and Geo curriculum for him. Thanks.

You can check HSLDA website for Fl. Homeschooling Laws. I just read it and it looks pretty straightforward: keep a portfolio and have a standardized test once a year. Umbrella schools look optional, and personally I prefer the autonomy of not being linked with another group for homeschooling.

I've used both Teaching Textbooks and Saxon Math (with DIVE teaching cd) for high school math. Both are very good.

Wishing you the best!

 

[Nicolepa]

Your welcome! My kids love it too, I love the fact that it's free!!!

Yes! I didn't want to buy her something have her lose interest in a week. She is loving this and being that she has a photographic memory is already speaking much more than I'd expect. (She's answers everything in Spanish if she can. LOL)

 

[JesB]

Thank You I've looked at Saxon and think it may be the best one for DS. They used it at his middle school.

 

[MiniGirl]

I'm so very glad I found this theard. I've just started home schooling my DS due to extreme bullying at school. We've made it through 9th without too many problems. Were using an umberella school at the moment because I had questions about the diploma. I had DS when I was barely 15 and was forced to attend a christian school offered by a local chruch. They wouldn't allow us to attend the local high school. My diploma actually came from a school out of town so I had no problems attending school. Once I got my BS degree no one ask about high school. I was worried about his need for a diploma. I have a couple of questions if anyone has the answer. We are moving after Dec. to Florida if everything works out job wise and will either need a new umberella school or make other arrangements. I would rather do without the school if possible. Does anyone know the steps I would need to take? Also DS's only struggle is with math, I'm looking for a really good Algebra 2 and Geo curriculum for him. Thanks.

Welcome, not only to Jes, but to all of you who have decided to start homeschooling. I always love hearing that more people are rising to this challenge. I must say though that I am so saddened that so many are doing it because of all the bullying in the schools. It really breaks my heart to hear about so many going through this, and I just know that there are so many more who have to endure it because the parents just feel they cannot, for whatever reason, homeschool their child.

Anyway, Jes, my children are much younger than yours, so I'm not sure if I can help. Homeschooling here is pretty easy. You will need to submit a letter to your local school district stating your intent to begin a home education program. Once a year you will have to either have your child tested or you can have him evaluated with a state certified teacher. You do need to maintain a portfolio and a reading list to show your evaluator (if you use that option) and also have it on hand should you be asked to show it. (Although I have never heard of anyone asking to submit their portfolio.) You do not need to operate under an umbrella school, but you would have to keep track of credits, etec. Honestly, I'm not sure how all that works because we aren't at that point yet. Also, there is a Florida Virtual School you could take advantage of for Algebra and other subjects. You could also look into dual enrollment if you will be moving near a community college. It is free and a great way to get some college credits under their belt.

 

[dis-happy]

Thank You I've looked at Saxon and think it may be the best one for DS. They used it at his middle school.

When you move, look into homeschool co-ops too. In our area we have several options for high school kids to take classes...everything from lit to launguage to math and science. Some are parent taught and others are fee based with an experienced teacher.

 

[JesB]

Thank you. I hadn't thought about a co-op. We're still new at this, we just keep bumping along. A co-op for math might be a good idea, I admit math is not my best subject either.

 

[Soarin' Mama]

Hi, homeschoolers!

I am a vacation planning, homeschooling mom to a lovely 8 year old ds. He's finishing up second grade now and has never been in a school or day care setting.

We are planning our second trip to WDW in May 2011 and are just nuts with excitement. We're looking at staying in a Pirate room at CBR. We stayed there during our first trip several years ago and loved it.

Just wanted to chime in and introduce myself. I look forward to getting to know some fellow Disney loving homeschoolers!

 

[Mommy2three]

right now at abcteach.com they have for a limited time 9.95 3 month summer memberships if anyone is interested.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Soarin' Mama~ Glad you are here!! I think the pirate rooms would be sooo cute!!! We are 'too many' to fit in one of those rooms..and we have pirates and a princess...so it would be weird! Ha!!! Glad you found us...jump right in!!!

 

[Denine]

We are back from our wonderful and relaxing WDW vacation.

Time to look more seriously into curriculum for next year.

Sonlighters: 4 or 5 day program? I was thinking 5 and DH is thinking 4.

 

[Dannielle_1]

Hi Everyone...

So I'm considering homeschooling my DS. He's 4.5 and still has one more year before Kindergarten. I have decided not to send him to preschool for a number of reasons, one of which is I have this feeling I'd like to try the homeschool thing.

A few questions:

Has anyone used Five in a Row? I've glanced through a copy at the library and thought that it might be good for "preschool." Anyone use this as their primary cirriculum into elementry ages?

I know I don't want to be too structured this year by any means. This will be a "get your feet wet kind of year and see if I want to continue on next year" year. So what do I need to cover this year? DS can count to 100, working on reading (we'll continue to work on this this summer - we are using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons), he knows all of his letter sounds and even some blends, we're currently working on calendar stuff and simple math. I'm just not sure what he should know going into K, even if it is at home.

I've read some of the 100 Top Picks, primarily about the styles of homeschooling and am not sure which direction we'll end up going, but wondering what styles others out there use and your thoughts on how that works for you and your kids.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Nicolepa]

Hi Everyone...

A few questions:

Has anyone used Five in a Row? I've glanced through a copy at the library and thought that it might be good for "preschool." Anyone use this as their primary cirriculum into elementry ages?

I personally haven't used Five in a Row, but a good friend has used it for K. She did not like it at all and ended up switching 1/2 thru the year. She didn't like the setup of the book. It would have her jump around and she felt she was spending more time finding the pages she needed than actually teaching it. She did feel like her kids were learning w/it but it was too frustrating on her end.

 

[robinsegg]

Hi Everyone...

So I'm considering homeschooling my DS. He's 4.5 and still has one more year before Kindergarten. I have decided not to send him to preschool for a number of reasons, one of which is I have this feeling I'd like to try the homeschool thing.

A few questions:

Has anyone used Five in a Row? I've glanced through a copy at the library and thought that it might be good for "preschool." Anyone use this as their primary cirriculum into elementry ages?

I know I don't want to be too structured this year by any means. This will be a "get your feet wet kind of year and see if I want to continue on next year" year. So what do I need to cover this year? DS can count to 100, working on reading (we'll continue to work on this this summer - we are using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons), he knows all of his letter sounds and even some blends, we're currently working on calendar stuff and simple math. I'm just not sure what he should know going into K, even if it is at home.

I've read some of the 100 Top Picks, primarily about the styles of homeschooling and am not sure which direction we'll end up going, but wondering what styles others out there use and your thoughts on how that works for you and your kids.

Thanks for any input.

I know a lady who has successfully used it at least through elementary grades and loved it!
One of the things she likes most about it is that it uses the Charlotte Mason Method a lot . . . or it can be used with CMM. I'll try to see if I can find her blog for you

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Dannielle...we used FIAR and we liked it! I used it for lower elem levels..you could supplement a different math/phonics if you want to..we did. I just loved all the literature and the little guides in the book...also, we got the laminated disks and put them on the large wall map....My kids still know where the Yangtze River is in China from the book Ping...one of the best stories we have ever read!!!
And yes the 100 Top Picks book is awesome!

 

[disneymom3]

I liked FIAR but I changed it a bit. After about the third day my boys were NOT impressed that we were going to read the same book again. So, I didn't. We would look at the pics that had to do with the activity we were doing that day and discuss what was going on in the story. I thinik this gave them really good experience at retelling and narrating.

 

[SGMCO]

Are there any who have High School aged and are doing Homeschool?
Most of the thread seems to be little kids thru Middle school.
The HS are few and far between.

I'm considering Free public online HS because I don't have the knowledge to teach the math or the science course needed in HS but Ds has already taken a entrance test with one online Public HS and found glitches in the program which took DS much longer to finish than it was suppose to.
Worried that all there programs will be messed up--don't look forward to dealing with that.

Does anyone have any information for reasonable priced computer programs for HS? how do you find a Teacher to accredate the work?
or if you choose this path you can only get a GED?
Thanks for any information you can give me. I'm getting scared.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Are there any who have High School aged and are doing Homeschool?
Most of the thread seems to be little kids thru Middle school.
The HS are few and far between.

I'm considering Free public online HS because I don't have the knowledge to teach the math or the science course needed in HS but Ds has already taken a entrance test with one online Public HS and found glitches in the program which took DS much longer to finish than it was suppose to.
Worried that all there programs will be messed up--don't look forward to dealing with that.

Does anyone have any information for reasonable priced computer programs for HS? how do you find a Teacher to accredate the work?
or if you choose this path you can only get a GED?
Thanks for any information you can give me. I'm getting scared.

Good Morning ladies!!
Well, my oldest is entering high school this year...actually he did some freshman level work this past year...for Math Teaching Textbooks cannot be beat!! For Science, we use & love Apologia....Rod & Staff have a 9th & 10th grade are interchangeable..depending on what you want to use when...they are very thorough and I have heard that they can compare with college level...some people who never use a sticter type of Lang course put their kids a year or two lower than what the grade level really is. They have a website and you can look through and see sample lessons/pages. If you have any other questions about certain currilums, I am sure somewhat here has used them!! Again, I recommend the Cathy Duffy book 100 Top Picks....it is great! has all levels of schooling with decriptions and websites.

 

[Denine]

Anyone used a Latin program for their young children? I found one called Prima Latina that is for K-4th grade that looks good.