Homeschool Chat

[Disney Mommy 3]

Mommy2three~ Just wanted to say I am proud of you for sticking up for your kids! You are doing the right thing!!! I think your husband is going to really be surprised in the changes you see in your son. It will probably be slowly and gradually, but he is gonna be a much happier little guy!! WAY TO GO!!

 

[nuzmom]

We'll be at WDW in October as well. I'm trying to work diligently to get as much done as possible before we go.

I thought I recognized your username. I checked back in my PM's and I realized we tried to do a meet up a few years ago...without success. Maybe we'll run into each other some day. After all, we have Disney and Homeschooling in common. I'm sure we'd find something to talk about!

Wow, that is so cool. We must think alike
Are you "ready" for your vacation? I feel like I still have so much that I want to do. We have a family wedding in Atlanta prior to WDW and will be spending the first 4 days there. I think this will feel a little odd for us. When we leave home, I'm sure it will feel like we should arrive in Orlando, not Atlanta.

 

[wvdislover]

I am muddling thru so far with the K-12. Thanks for all the advice. It is pretty easy to follow and we are catching up on the week we missed while on vacation. It is taking a while for the brat child to get used to doing something everyday on a sort of schedule. (me too actually) She is flying through some of the assignments so catching up is not bad. (gotta love educational programming...lol)

The teacher isnt calling quite so many times but the phone does get shut off while we are schooling which unfortunately coincides directly with the teacher's official office hours HEHEHE! I have a message on my voicemail with our "OFFICE" hours now..

I do need some advice tho in general (not necessarily K-12 specific). Like I said the brat is flying thru most of the stuff but seems to have this horrible mental block on rhyming. She does ok if there is a visual (like a worksheet) but just CAN'T seem to grasp the concept when it is verbal. EXP (From the actual cir.) ...... "what are the rhyming words in ?".....

Twinkle twinkle little star
how I wonder what you are

When I ask her which words sound the same/rhyme, she repeats the whole line to me. Any suggestions on how to help her "GET IT" I dont want to overdo it by constantly bombarding her with schoolwork (she needs to rest her little brain occasionally ) but I have no idea how to make her understand it better. Help!

We used to (and still do, actually) play "the rhyming game" a lot. We'd play it while we were outside swinging (works really well), when we're riding in the car, or when we're waiting somewhere (in line, doctor's office, etc). Making a game out of it may be more fun and not seem like work. Take turns rhyming words back and forth, and hopefully she'll get it soon

 

[Ellester]

This thread is getting so few posts! What is up?

Guess I've been too busy reading the homeschooling slams on some of the other posts to post here. I'm sure many of you have noticed the fairly new DIS member who posts on almost every family board thread who doesn't think most parents are "qualified" to homeschool. I admit I get too wrapped up in reading her ridiculous assertions.

We are actually on our fall break this week. Our "official" school year with the county goes from Oct. 1-Sept. 30 and we finished up our required days in August. We have schooled this month, but I'm taking the rest of it off to try to get some things done around the house/yard before I get too big to move! Of course, we'll still have our two park days this week along with tennis and reader's theater class. Too bad I'm always stuck at home with these poor unsocialized kids...

Well I finally did it. I sent in the paperwork today to the department of public instruction to pull my son out of public school and homeschool. I am just sick and tired of fighting with the teachers and principal to get him what he needs. They did put my son into another room but for only 2 hours in the morning from 8-10 and then the rest of the day he is in the other room with the bully, and all my son has been doing the last 2 weeks is sitting under table crying and refusing to come out from under the table, and I never got a phone call or a note stating that this was happening. So I went in and told the teachers AGAIN yesterday that I need a daily note so we can track his behaviour and work it out with his counselor, they sent a note home yesterday, but nothing today. I have requested a daily note everyday several times this year and nothing. And now since they wont meet his needs at school, not that they can't because they can, but they wont give him a new IEP even though i requested one, I have to drive him a few times a week 45 minutes away to have OT to help with his sensory disorder. Which will take alot away from his learning if in a public school, missing 2 days a week, and then hes not learning anything anyways if he's just sitting under the table crying all day. I'm so fed up and frustrated with the school. They do an excellent job with my special needs 8 year old daughter, just not with myt 6 year old son, who has the same teacher this year that my daughter had last year.

GOOD FOR YOU! I know your son will benefit from being out of that hostile environment. Please give him time to decompress and "deschool", the poor little guy has been through so much. It really breaks my heart to think of him sitting under the table crying. Shame on his teacher! I have not heard of the website you asked about but I'm guessing someone who has will chime in soon.

 

[sha_lyn]

Guess I've been too busy reading the homeschooling slams on some of the other posts to post here. I'm sure many of you have noticed the fairly new DIS member who posts on almost every family board thread who doesn't think most parents are "qualified" to homeschool. I admit I get too wrapped up in reading her ridiculous assertions.

We are actually on our fall break this week. Our "official" school year with the county goes from Oct. 1-Sept. 30 and we finished up our required days in August. We have schooled this month, but I'm taking the rest of it off to try to get some things done around the house/yard before I get too big to move! Of course, we'll still have our two park days this week along with tennis and reader's theater class. Too bad I'm always stuck at home with these poor unsocialized kids...




GOOD FOR YOU! I know your son will benefit from being out of that hostile environment. Please give him time to decompress and "deschool", the poor little guy has been through so much. It really breaks my heart to think of him sitting under the table crying. Shame on his teacher! I have not heard of the website you asked about but I'm guessing someone who has will chime in soon.

I rarely even click on "Disney For Families"
I just check my subscriptions to see if anyone has posted on this thread. I
don't know if I want to even look at the other threads LOL.
I have a strange feeling of who that poster might be. She's recently showed back up on the community board with an alias that somehow failed to get banned with all her others.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

OH NO!! I think I know who it is (was). Who is she now? I don't want to read anything she puts out!

 

[sha_lyn]

OH NO!! I think I know who it is (was). Who is she now? I don't want to read anything she puts out!

I sent you a PM

 

[mommyof2princesses]

Unfortunetly, there are always going to be people who are hateful to others...whether it is about homeschooling or nursing or anything.

We are getting ready for Disney. I am having such a hard time focusing on schoolwork! Wednesday I take Sara beth to see the play Peter Pan! She is very excited and wants to wear her Tinkerbelle dress. then her 5th b-day in thursday, we have grandma and papa over Friday to celebrate her b-day and Saturday we pack!

 

[livndisney]

Unfortunetly, there are always going to be people who are hateful to others...whether it is about homeschooling or nursing or anything.

We are getting ready for Disney. I am having such a hard time focusing on schoolwork! Wednesday I take Sara beth to see the play Peter Pan! She is very excited and wants to wear her Tinkerbelle dress. then her 5th b-day in thursday, we have grandma and papa over Friday to celebrate her b-day and Saturday we pack!

Hey! A friend from the boutique board!!!!

Once again, I am clueless, I must have missed negativity about Home schooling. But I am learning to stay off other threads, there are some SCARY people out there LOL

 

[mommyintn]

Just wanted to say "Hi!". I used to be a regular on the disboards then we started homeschooling and then I started posting on homeschool board. This is my second year homeschooling and my boys are in K & 4th. Nice to meet some other disney loving homeschoolers!

 

[lori1043]

I tend to ignore the negarive threads(although I HAVE succumbed once or twice!) as I try to come here for advice, education, "friendship" and fun!

Our year is rolling right along with TUESDAYS as the killer day-but I haven't visited in a day or so- so I am cramming it in this morning!

Anyway- happy homeschoolin' ya'll!

Lori

 

[3princesses+aprince]

TLHB70, that's good to hear. It really does sound good to me that records are kept! I like that feeling.

Lori1043, thanks for the welcome.


Does anyone have children who they homeschool and children that also go to Public school. Homeschooling sounds like the PERFECT option for my dd9 in every way possible, but when it comes to my dd7, i'm just not sure. She loves the school environment and loves to go everyday. I think she would be asking me "ok, but when am I going back to school" If we did homeschooling with her. So, I was thinking about maybe starting with my dd9, and if my dd7 feels that she would like to do it as well, great, but I don't feel comfortable making that decision without her really understanding that she wouldn't be going to school, she would be learning at home. This is tough

I know I have plenty of time as well, we just started the new school year at Public School of course, and I don't think I would want to start this half way through the year, this is probably something I would start next fall. Unless dd9 ends up having too much of a hard time, and I feel I should do it sooner for her.

Ok, so a few weeks ago I posted quite a few questions on getting started and everybody here was so helpful. I was really thinking about starting this next school year. Well things have changed, my dd9 is having a hard time, I'm ready to go now. I believe I'm going to give myself a week or two to get everything together, and send a letter to the school.
My poor dd9 struggles in school. She has already been tested, she is not special needs, so i'm not sure what is up. Parents night at the school last night did it in for me. There were papers hung up on the wall of the kid's hopes and dreams. I read through a bunch and they were all silly and happy things that a 3rd grader would say, One said he hoped everyone here would someday win a gold medal at the olympics, the other one hoped for a room full of legos, another wanted a to go a chocolate factory and so on...
My daughter HOPED(in capital letters) and prayed that she could read and write better, like everyone else can. I wanted to cry right there. She is a happy , silly girl, but not in school. She tells me her stomach knots up every morning when she has to go in there. Now she has always been like this, but I'm noticing it more now. And I believe i'm noticing it more now because I realized homeschooling was an option. It never crossed my mind before, so I believe I tried to ignore the way she felt about school because what could I do, she has to go to school.
This morning I mentioned it to her and her eyes lit up, she was so excited we talked about it all morning and the things we would do.
I'm pretty sure we are going to order the curriclum from Abeka. I hope i'm making the right decision with who I go through. There is just so much out there for someone just beginning, I feel going through a set up program like that would be my best option. Sonlight looked good as well, but much more expensive. Sorry such a long rant, i'm nervous, but excited to get going at the same time.
Thanks for listening and thanks for all of the great advice.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

MOMMY2THREE


I was reading your posts and was torn apart, your poor son. Some kids are so cruel.
My dd9, who I am pulling out in a few weeks to homeschool used to cry in school on a regular basis(not from bullying though) I think she would still cry in school if she wasn't embarrassed.

So, CONGRATULATIONS to you for pulling him out to HS, he will be so much happier. That's what I keep thinking about my dd, I think we are going to see happier kids for doing this. We're such wonderful Moms and Dads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good Luck getting started, i'm in the same boat as you are!

 

[GlendaO]

I was just wondering if anyone here uses time4learning.com. I found the site last week and have been curious if anyone here uses it, and if so how do you like it, and do you use it as a full curriculum or just as an addition?

We used it last year as a supplement. The girls loved it! After we finished schoool for the day. I 'let' them go to time4learning for an hour, then the Playground for 1/2 hr.

We'll be signing up again when we get back from WDW.

 

[livndisney]

Ok, so a few weeks ago I posted quite a few questions on getting started and everybody here was so helpful. I was really thinking about starting this next school year. Well things have changed, my dd9 is having a hard time, I'm ready to go now. I believe I'm going to give myself a week or two to get everything together, and send a letter to the school.
My poor dd9 struggles in school. She has already been tested, she is not special needs, so i'm not sure what is up. Parents night at the school last night did it in for me. There were papers hung up on the wall of the kid's hopes and dreams. I read through a bunch and they were all silly and happy things that a 3rd grader would say, One said he hoped everyone here would someday win a gold medal at the olympics, the other one hoped for a room full of legos, another wanted a to go a chocolate factory and so on...
My daughter HOPED(in capital letters) and prayed that she could read and write better, like everyone else can. I wanted to cry right there. She is a happy , silly girl, but not in school. She tells me her stomach knots up every morning when she has to go in there. Now she has always been like this, but I'm noticing it more now. And I believe i'm noticing it more now because I realized homeschooling was an option. It never crossed my mind before, so I believe I tried to ignore the way she felt about school because what could I do, she has to go to school.
This morning I mentioned it to her and her eyes lit up, she was so excited we talked about it all morning and the things we would do.
I'm pretty sure we are going to order the curriclum from Abeka. I hope i'm making the right decision with who I go through. There is just so much out there for someone just beginning, I feel going through a set up program like that would be my best option. Sonlight looked good as well, but much more expensive. Sorry such a long rant, i'm nervous, but excited to get going at the same time.
Thanks for listening and thanks for all of the great advice.

To you and your DD.
My DD was the same way last year. I woke up one morning and said-enough! Took her to school to say goodbye and withdraw her. We haven't looked back! She is reading so well now. She is so much happier and wants to learn everything! (Drives me nuts with all the questions LOL). We are also using Abeka. It works for her.

 

[Mommaof3]

I encourage all of you to keep going, I just started my 14th year homeschooling. I have seen it all, used it all, and heard it all. But I have NEVER regretted my doing this. Many times I have cried because it IS hard sometimes. It is so worth it all. My twin boys are juniors this year. They will finish next year by taking courses at the Jr. college. They work at a Target store part time. They are polite and hard workers. They have girlfriends and do "normal" things. So keep going everyone! Do what you know is right for your child. When you don't know what to do next, ask questions here and others places that strive to HELP, but keep going. It is so worth it

Melissa

 

[Ellester]

I encourage all of you to keep going, I just started my 14th year homeschooling. I have seen it all, used it all, and heard it all. But I have NEVER regretted my doing this. Many times I have cried because it IS hard sometimes. It is so worth it all. My twin boys are juniors this year. They will finish next year by taking courses at the Jr. college. They work at a Target store part time. They are polite and hard workers. They have girlfriends and do "normal" things. So keep going everyone! Do what you know is right for your child. When you don't know what to do next, ask questions here and others places that strive to HELP, but keep going. It is so worth it

Melissa

Thanks for the encouragement! It's always nice to get a boost from a veteran! Good for you for sticking with it, I'm sure your boys are great young men.

Ok, so a few weeks ago I posted quite a few questions on getting started and everybody here was so helpful. I was really thinking about starting this next school year. Well things have changed, my dd9 is having a hard time, I'm ready to go now. I believe I'm going to give myself a week or two to get everything together, and send a letter to the school.
My poor dd9 struggles in school. She has already been tested, she is not special needs, so i'm not sure what is up. Parents night at the school last night did it in for me. There were papers hung up on the wall of the kid's hopes and dreams. I read through a bunch and they were all silly and happy things that a 3rd grader would say, One said he hoped everyone here would someday win a gold medal at the olympics, the other one hoped for a room full of legos, another wanted a to go a chocolate factory and so on...
My daughter HOPED(in capital letters) and prayed that she could read and write better, like everyone else can. I wanted to cry right there. She is a happy , silly girl, but not in school. She tells me her stomach knots up every morning when she has to go in there. Now she has always been like this, but I'm noticing it more now. And I believe i'm noticing it more now because I realized homeschooling was an option. It never crossed my mind before, so I believe I tried to ignore the way she felt about school because what could I do, she has to go to school.
This morning I mentioned it to her and her eyes lit up, she was so excited we talked about it all morning and the things we would do.
I'm pretty sure we are going to order the curriclum from Abeka. I hope i'm making the right decision with who I go through. There is just so much out there for someone just beginning, I feel going through a set up program like that would be my best option. Sonlight looked good as well, but much more expensive. Sorry such a long rant, i'm nervous, but excited to get going at the same time.
Thanks for listening and thanks for all of the great advice.

Your poor dd, I'm sure seeing that paper just tore you apart, I know it would have me. Just remember that if the curriculum you choose doesn't work out, you can always change. Even right in the middle, that is one of the many advantages of homeschooling. You may want to see what you can get used first to try Abeka (or whatever curriculum) out. I know some families who absolutely love Abeka and others that weren't so thrilled. A lot depends on your dd's learning style, which may take you a while to figure out. Also, I've seen the general rule many times to allow your dd a week or two for every year she's been in PS to adjust to homeschooling. So if your dd is in 3rd this year, you can expect an adaptation period of at least 4-8 weeks. I also subscribe to the theory that the first year is a learning period for mom and kids, don't get overly stressed out. It can be overwhelming at first, but you can do it!

 

[sha_lyn]

Ok, so a few weeks ago I posted quite a few questions on getting started and everybody here was so helpful. I was really thinking about starting this next school year. Well things have changed, my dd9 is having a hard time, I'm ready to go now. I believe I'm going to give myself a week or two to get everything together, and send a letter to the school.
My poor dd9 struggles in school. She has already been tested, she is not special needs, so i'm not sure what is up. Parents night at the school last night did it in for me. There were papers hung up on the wall of the kid's hopes and dreams. I read through a bunch and they were all silly and happy things that a 3rd grader would say, One said he hoped everyone here would someday win a gold medal at the olympics, the other one hoped for a room full of legos, another wanted a to go a chocolate factory and so on...
My daughter HOPED(in capital letters) and prayed that she could read and write better, like everyone else can. I wanted to cry right there. She is a happy , silly girl, but not in school. She tells me her stomach knots up every morning when she has to go in there. Now she has always been like this, but I'm noticing it more now. And I believe i'm noticing it more now because I realized homeschooling was an option. It never crossed my mind before, so I believe I tried to ignore the way she felt about school because what could I do, she has to go to school.
This morning I mentioned it to her and her eyes lit up, she was so excited we talked about it all morning and the things we would do.
I'm pretty sure we are going to order the curriclum from Abeka. I hope i'm making the right decision with who I go through. There is just so much out there for someone just beginning, I feel going through a set up program like that would be my best option. Sonlight looked good as well, but much more expensive. Sorry such a long rant, i'm nervous, but excited to get going at the same time.
Thanks for listening and thanks for all of the great advice.

Your story sounds a lot like ours.

The school started insisting around 4 grade that DS had ADD. Ped ruled it out and asked for the school to test DS for LD. School refused and claimed that they didn't do testing. I had to "remind" them that the mother of one of DS's classmates was one the psychologist that did the testing for the system. They insisted that it was just be better if I found a Dr that would write a prescription for ADD meds. They even offered to to give me the name of osmeone who would write a prescription. I wish now that I had taken the name and reported the Dr.
DS used to love school, but by 5th grade he hated it. He came home the first day of 6th grade crying. DH and I felt the same way you mentioned. What could we do, DS ha to go to school and we couldn't afford private school. Then one day DS came home from school and I had an appointment that afternoon. I said something like "we need to leave at at quarter til 4". At 3:25 DS asked me why i wasn't ready to go. I told him we still had 20 min.
Anyway to make a long story short, my 13DS who was in the highest math level in 6th grade thought 1/4 equaled 25 because 1/4 of a dollar is 25 cents.

After my appointment that day we went grocery shopping. In a matter of about 10 min using a produce scale and some fruit I had DS understanding the concept of fractions. I knew I had to do something and that little lesson in the produce section of Walmart gave me the drive to look into homeschooling.

I started looking at the test scores for that school and the system. They were horrible. That yr the system lost accreditation for a short period and was but on probation for a time. That finalized my homeschooling decision. This was probably mid April or so. I think there was only 6 weeks or so of school left. We decided to leave DS in school for the remainder of the yr. When we talked to DS about homeschooling it was like a dark cloud was lifted from the entire house.

 

[mickeyvixie]

I encourage all of you to keep going, I just started my 14th year homeschooling. I have seen it all, used it all, and heard it all. But I have NEVER regretted my doing this. Many times I have cried because it IS hard sometimes. It is so worth it all. Do what you know is right for your child. When you don't know what to do next, ask questions here and others places that strive to HELP, but keep going. It is so worth it

Melissa

Thanks for the encouragement and thank you to the others that responded to my "i need ideas" question about rhyming. It is still a struggle but I am just re-adapting that part of the phonics lesson to help her understand it more. She was so excited that she could read a few words that she had to go tell her "CRUSH" across the way at 8:30 at nite. LOL She just LOOOOOVES the teenage neighbor boy and he is great with her and the mom thot it was cute that she wanted to come show him. Once she got there she wouldnt talk tho...oh well. LOL

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Sha Lyn , that last sentence you just wrote "It was like a dark cloud was lifted from the entire house"
That is exactly what went on here this morning as dd and I talk about homeschooling.
You know, sometimes as a parent you're not sure if you're making the right decision. Then something happens and you feel so good because you do know that you are making the right decision. That is how I feel right now, I am so ready to start, I can't wait. My dd is going to be so much happier
I'm so glad this thread was here on the disboards because this is where alot of my first questions were answered.

THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!