*** Homeschool List ***

[jaycns]

Someone in my homeschool group mentioned this, I thought it was cute. Instead of a "first day of school" they have a "not going to school" day. Sometimes it is a field trip, sometimes they do the opposite of what people are doing in public school. I thought it sounded like fun

We always start the new year on Aug. 15. We really do something "year round" but we do take it very easy in the summer. Just a subject or two a day to keep us in the habit (and many summer days go by without us cracking a lesson open, we just grab some good books and head outside).

For our first day we like to go on a field trip with friends. Every year we do a "fall day" at the local park on the day that other kids have to go back to school. This always makes for a good day!

Lastly, we plan on vacations for the fall so we really take off at least 3 weeks in the September/October time frame and that is a treat for our kids as well.

 

[nuzmom]

We start back into a structured routing at the beginning of August. This year it will be July 31st. On our first day of school, I take a picture of the my DSs standing on our front porch. It's a small thing, but it puts us back into the "we're really starting" mode. We kind of make a big deal of wearing nice or new "back to school" clothes and they say "we're in Xth grade" while I take their picture.

We start a bit early because of taking a vacation in the fall and also liking to finish up in early spring. So, you can see, our summer break is long, just moved up a bit. We love being outside when the weather is just starting to warm up Anyway, around here August is Hot and HUMID - so we're indoor 1/2 the day anyway - we just start schooling then. It's also a nice incentive for the boys to get their work done - then they can go swimming

I'm interested in what other's do. The field trip idea is nice, but since we start back before PS, I don't like dealing with the summer crowds.

Oh - rainbow resource catalog - LOVE IT!!!!! It's amazing, isn't it?

 

[Denine]

Maybe we should start a list of when everyone is going to be at WDW so maybe we could take advantage of the HS at EPCOT. It would need to be in a separtate thread. We usually go 2-3 times a year.

I need an idea to distinguish the first day of school from just being home with mommy since DD has never been to school and this is our first year of school.

 

[Tired Mama]

Wanted to

We are an unschooling family

 

[mom2att]

I read TWTM the when I first started homeschooling dd--she was kindergarten age. I was hooked after the Prologue--this was the education I wish I'd had, and definitely what I was looking for for my kids. We started with their 1st grade recommendations that year, and while we have tweaked it to make it work best for us (we don't use their math recommendations, and have switched spelling programs, for instance), we are still pretty much following TWTM path now, as dd is going into 5th grade and ds #1 is entering 1st.

As far as Latin goes, we started in 3rd grade with a program called Latina Christiana. We are now about to complete the second year of the program and move on to something more "meaty." It's been a great introduction--dd and I have both learned so much! It's very easy to implement, which is important for a latin newbie like me. For more info go to www.memoriapress.com.

Best of luck in your homeschool journey!
Barbie

 

[taraprather]

Hello everyone!
My son is 7 years old and going into the second grade. I have really been considering doing this homeschooling with him. Where do I start? Is it to late to sign him up for this coming up school year? I know there are plenty of places that are FREE, and that's exactly what I'm looking for. I live in Ohio.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Tara

 

[disneymom3]

Ok, I won't flame you... I hope I don't need an asbestos suit after this!
Not insulting choices here, I know some work for some people,some don't...we all have our own choices to make!
I know this can be a hot issue, but I side with the "no thanks" on the govt involvement... In time, it has the potential for too much misuse,and if it starts with "asking" a certain amount of criteria be met, it will end somewhere, but not necessarily where we, the parents might want it to. Hence, my position on this.
And, it may be a great alternative to actually sending your kids to ps,if you don't want to,but it's not quite the same thing.
Homeschooling involves taking back resposibility(good or bad) for our kids education,and the direction our families head in. This is the big difference, if I still have to "ask" an authority figure about attendance,compliance with certain rules, standards, then you can see why there are differences.
And, you can see the drawbacks for those of us homeschooling this way to calling them the same name- then if we're all hs'ers, what's to prevent the set criteria for your curriculum you've signed up for then being forced upon the rest of us who didn't want this?
And the obvious benefits of calling distance schooling,or charter schools homeschooling as if there were no distinction- now, if one set of "homeschoolers" readily asks for and complies with this 'help', then why not all of them? And thus the creeping in of perhaps unwanted "help" into our lives ...
So while I have no problem with choosing charter or govt funded virtual schools, I really believe that it's different from homeschooling in those fundamental ways. If I was given no choice but to send the kids to ps,or distance school at home, I'd opt for the home courses too, but homeschooling is a choice that right now we're lucky enough to be able to make!

That is pretty much a direct quote of my opionion. Very well stated--better than I would have. I just want to reiterate that I believe most in choice. If the choice people make is a virtual academy for instance and that works best for their family, I am all for it. I want ALL of us to continue to have hte freedom to choose.

Hi Julie, I saw a cartoon series by Disney on Colonial times. I haven't seen it in awhile. It was done well and was interesting. If it still comes on it could be a fun way explore the topic.

Here's a list of books on Colonial times (scattered titles apply throughout) on this website: http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/recommended/social_studies/bk_PreK-2.shtm

HTH!

Annie--you always come through for me! Thanks!

I use the WTM approach to a degree. Our co-op uses Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer as our history curriculum. We also have Intermediate Language Lessons which I believe she recommends (?) but don't use it much as I think most of it is below the level DD is at.

 

[Denine]

Hello everyone!
My son is 7 years old and going into the second grade. I have really been considering doing this homeschooling with him. Where do I start? Is it to late to sign him up for this coming up school year? I know there are plenty of places that are FREE, and that's exactly what I'm looking for. I live in Ohio.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Tara

If you want free, Ohio has 2 online programs that give the computer and everything you need. One uses Calvert curriculum the other uses K12.

Ohio Virtual Academy

Connections Academy

Hope this helps.

 

[disneymom3]

We start back into a structured routing at the beginning of August. This year it will be July 31st. On our first day of school, I take a picture of the my DSs standing on our front porch. It's a small thing, but it puts us back into the "we're really starting" mode. We kind of make a big deal of wearing nice or new "back to school" clothes and they say "we're in Xth grade" while I take their picture.

We start a bit early because of taking a vacation in the fall and also liking to finish up in early spring. So, you can see, our summer break is long, just moved up a bit. We love being outside when the weather is just starting to warm up Anyway, around here August is Hot and HUMID - so we're indoor 1/2 the day anyway - we just start schooling then. It's also a nice incentive for the boys to get their work done - then they can go swimming

I'm interested in what other's do. The field trip idea is nice, but since we start back before PS, I don't like dealing with the summer crowds.

Oh - rainbow resource catalog - LOVE IT!!!!! It's amazing, isn't it?

THis is about what we do. My kids go to VBS at our church the first week of August and then we start a light schedule the following week. The first year we homeschooled, we went to the Children's Museum the first day the neighborhood kids went to school, but now we just watch the bus go by and are really glad we aren't on it. Especially since we are usually still eating breakfast when it goes past our house!! We stop doing school by mid May because after a long winter here in MN, May is just too beautiful to resist. By August the kids need some more structure and routine.

Denine--that Rainbow catalog is really something else isn't it? Makes for interesting but sometimes rather expensive reading! I find all kinds of things I never I knew I needed but realize are absolutely vital!

As for WTM, I wanted to add--someone mentioned having kids at different levels of it. The beauty of the idea of cycling through is that you just start the younger ones where you are (IMO) So everyone learns Early Modern Times together and then you cycle back through and the younger ones still benefit from the Romans or what have you. No way could I teach kids at two different grades this stuff if they were doing two different time periods. It is hard enough to manage that with math, reading, etc.!

 

[disneymom3]

If you want free, Ohio has 2 online programs that give the computer and everything you need. One uses Calvert curriculum the other uses K12.

Ohio Virtual Academy

Connections Academy

Hope this helps.

There are also tons of free resources on the net if you are looking for something to put together yourself. Try edhelper, enchanted learning, dltkkids, atozteacherstuff, abcteach and just do a general google search for the age group you want.

OceanAnnie would have put those in links for you, but I am lazy.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

If you want free, Ohio has 2 online programs that give the computer and everything you need. One uses Calvert curriculum the other uses K12.

Ohio Virtual Academy

Connections Academy

Hope this helps.

Does every state have a virtual school? I searched for NJ, but couldn't find anything. Is there a listing somewhere state-by-state?

 

[sha_lyn]

No not every state has virtual schools.
Some like GA are in the process of trying to get them in place. I believe they will fall under charter schools.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

No not every state has virtual schools.
Some like GA are in the process of trying to get them in place. I believe they will fall under charter schools.

Ok thanks. I guess NJ is like Georgia then, b/c I can't find anything.

 

[disnutt]

I read TWTM the when I first started homeschooling dd--she was kindergarten age. I was hooked after the Prologue--this was the education I wish I'd had, and definitely what I was looking for for my kids. We started with their 1st grade recommendations that year, and while we have tweaked it to make it work best for us (we don't use their math recommendations, and have switched spelling programs, for instance), we are still pretty much following TWTM path now, as dd is going into 5th grade and ds #1 is entering 1st.

As far as Latin goes, we started in 3rd grade with a program called Latina Christiana. We are now about to complete the second year of the program and move on to something more "meaty." It's been a great introduction--dd and I have both learned so much! It's very easy to implement, which is important for a latin newbie like me. For more info go to www.memoriapress.com.

Best of luck in your homeschool journey!
Barbie

mom2att-

Thanks. Your kids are exactly where mine are gradewise.

Do you think the LC program would be good enough for my 5th grader to start w/ since neither of us knows anything about Latin?

thanks,
Kiena

 

[jaycns]

There is only one other book that more profoundly impacted our style of home schooling (or even the question of "should we home school?") than The Well Tranined Mind.
It is called, A Thomas Jefferson Education It's by Oliver Van DeMille

It's a great book and even my husband read it and took it to heart. It's just a GREAT book. I would highly suggest it to anyone who home schools, teaches in a school, is a parent, is thinking of home schooling....well, just about anyone who has a child or will teach a child!

 

[mom2att]

mom2att-

Thanks. Your kids are exactly where mine are gradewise.

Do you think the LC program would be good enough for my 5th grader to start w/ since neither of us knows anything about Latin?

thanks,
Kiena

LC would be a great place to start. It's so easy to just go through the lessons via CD or dvd, and then you just have to try to keep up with your kid (mine has a much better grasp of Latin than I do at this point, though we've been learning it side by side, and I have the teacher's manual!).

I've heard great things about Latin for Children, too, but since we were already committed to LC, I haven't looked into it further.

 

[disnutt]

There is only one other book that more profoundly impacted our style of home schooling (or even the question of "should we home school?") than The Well Tranined Mind.
It is called, A Thomas Jefferson Education It's by Oliver Van DeMille

It's a great book and even my husband read it and took it to heart. It's just a GREAT book. I would highly suggest it to anyone who home schools, teaches in a school, is a parent, is thinking of home schooling....well, just about anyone who has a child or will teach a child!

Oh, my goodness!!! I read the sample pages of this book on amazon and bought it immediately (on another site where I found it cheaper)! The idea that the type of education offered in the public school system is the type that used to be considered for those with no other choice really struck me as amazing.

I live in CT and there are several private academy high schools in our area. I have envied the families for their ability to give their kids a private school education. Once I started looking at their brochures and realized that most of them are doing a version of a classical style education I realized that I can help my own children get that same quality education without having to send them to boarding school!

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Nascia]

Ok thanks. I guess NJ is like Georgia then, b/c I can't find anything.

Not all states have virtual charter schools in place, and some only have them in certain localities. I believe Connections Academy will be enrolling students in certain districts in Georgia this fall. There are private schools, run like virtual schools, but you would have to pay out of pocket, unless you can use vouchers. There are sooo many differences in schooling laws and opportunities from state to state, it's impossible to keep up.

To the poster that was asking about Ohio, I believe there a few more virtual charter schools. I have a friend who just signed her children up with BOSS. I think there is also a school called ODELA.

Hope that helps someone.

 

[sha_lyn]

I know the legislation finally passed in GA. Last I knew there was still some question as to what online schools GA would allow. I guess they are pushing forward enough to get it started for this school year.



Edit:
I just checked the connections website, and GA is not listed as one of the states they are accepted in. Also checked K12, and GA is not listed there either.
I know that it (the start of vitual charter schools) has not been mentioned on any of the homeschool list I am on.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

Not all states have virtual charter schools in place, and some only have them in certain localities. I believe Connections Academy will be enrolling students in certain districts in Georgia this fall. There are private schools, run like virtual schools, but you would have to pay out of pocket, unless you can use vouchers. There are sooo many differences in schooling laws and opportunities from state to state, it's impossible to keep up.

To the poster that was asking about Ohio, I believe there a few more virtual charter schools. I have a friend who just signed her children up with BOSS. I think there is also a school called ODELA.

Hope that helps someone.

Thanks for the info. When you said there are private schools run like virtual schools did you mean Georgia or NJ? Paying out of pocket would be nothing new for us since we are coming from a private school. Unless the tuition would be more than $13,000
for my 2 girls, it would still be a break for us.