homeschool ? Please help.

[sha_lyn]

But, again, that is a personal choice. DD is extremely social yet has no interest in going to school with her peers. She chose to stay home through high school and we supported that. She has great homeschooled friends (along with her traditionally-schooled friends) and the local homeschooling group has a yearly semi-formal along with regular social activities. Just because it isn't the traditional way doesn't mean it isn't equally valid and just as rewarding.

I always find it humorous to hear the anti-homeschooling arguments. In most cases it is clear that the posters have little knowledge of what homeschooling is really like.

Well said.....
There are plenty of "club" and social opportunities in the home school groups. As for "just hanging out with friends" that can happen other than between the hr of 7:30 am and 3:30 pm in a government owned building.

 

[Crankyshank]

If you are keeping home in part due to him being disorganized at school with assignments and notes home, then you are doing him a huge disservice homeschooling him. He needs to learn consequences and how to act in the classroom is a step in learning how to act as an adult in the workforce through organization, interraction, and other ways.

He wants to go to school. Let him spread his wings and go. If it doesn't work out, then you can pull him out.

 

[lyzziesmom]

To read some of the opinions of HS'ing on the DIS, you would think we homeschool from a cave with only a rock to scratch onto the cave wall.
I hate to burst anyones bubble, but there are things such as books, co-op classes, tutors, online classes, correspondence courses etc. There are homeschool groups that organize field trips, proms, sports, choir, band etc

Thank you for this informative post. As I stated, I know nothing about homeschooling. The only experience I have with it is a family from our church when I was a teenager, this family actually lived in a log cabin that they built themselves and the mother homeschooled her 5 young children. So yes, my idea of what homeschooling involves is probably way off base. I was under the assumption that the parent is the primary teacher, and the base school would send materials to educate the parent on what and how to teach their children, and that the only interaction the children had with the actual "school" was taking tests to evaluate their progress. Perhaps that is the way it used to be done, but I see that it is very different now.

I do think that if the OP's son wants to go to school, he is old enough to make that decision. However he is also old enough to deal with the repercussions. If he does not bring home papers or complete assignments, he needs to take responsibility for his inaction. I agree with the PP who stated that the OP might be hindering his "real-world" preparation by keeping him home to curb his irresponsibility. He needs to learn social skills and how to be responsibile for himself, which are among the many "soft skills" learned in a school setting.

 

[Barb D]

I loved every minute of homeschooling, but we made the decision to put our kids in public school. DS was in 8th grade and DD was in 6th grade at the time. It's been great for DS, who is very academically oriented and plays football. Not so much for DD, who is very independent and doesn't "need" the social component of school. They are now entering 11th and 9th grades, and I've made a deal with DD that if she still despises school after a year of high school (and if she can convince her dad) that we'll consider pulling her out and letting her homeschool herself for the rest of high school. We would definitely use an accredited correspondance school like American School.

The bottom line is that it really depends on the family and the kid. I knew I wasn't prepared to hs DS for highschool because I work and it would be difficult for me to keep up with his math/science etc and/or get him to co-ops or community college classes. My sister hs's all her kids through high school, with the help of co-ops and community college classes.

ETA: OP, you can edit the typo in your title by hitting the "Advanced edit" button.

 

[sha_lyn]

I was under the assumption that the parent is the primary teacher, and the base school would send materials to educate the parent on what and how to teach their children, and that the only interaction the children had with the actual "school" was taking tests to evaluate their progress. Perhaps that is the way it used to be done, but I see that it is very different now.

There again I think you are making assumptions. Home schooling is not public school at home. In most areas the PS system does not over see homeschooling. In some areas you can/are required to use a private umbrella school. The PS system (if that is what you meant by base school) doesn't provide "materials to educate the parent on what and how to teach their children".
As for testing. That really depends on the state. Some require no testing. Other require yearly testing. Some fall somewhere in the middle (GA requires it every 3 yrs beginning in 3rd grade)

 

[Karel]

(On an unrelated note, did you know that many schools, beginning in 2008, are no longer going to require SATs? The consensus is that they don't give a true indication of what a student knows or how well they learn. It's about time. There is nothing I detest more than standardized tests!)
.

Is there a reference you could provide for this? As I have two sons starting their junior and sophomore year in high school, this would be a major deal for us. I could use more specifics. Thank.

 

[Karel]

I hate to burst anyones bubble, but there are things such as books, co-op classes, tutors, online classes, correspondence courses etc. There are homeschool groups that organize field trips, proms, sports, choir, band etc

I know this is going to sound very dense... but I feel I'm missing something.

I've learned a lot about homeschooling in the past years and actually know a handful of homeschool families in my town but I can't understand this one part...

if you use college classes, online classes, correspondence classes, co-op classes, how is that different than GOING off to school, whether it be private or public?

Personally, I'd rather have my kids go and be taught by a real live person than take classes on the internet all day. And I'd really be worried about my 16 year old taking classes with 19 year olds.

 

[Mary2e]

I've always been curious about why people would homeschool their children.

I know only 1 person who has done so, and it was because her son was so bright he was bored in school in advanced classes. He went to public high school. He is currently in MIT, and was also selected as People Magazine's Teens Who Will Change the World 2 years ago. This is one bright child.

But his parents are both highly educated and well regarded in their fields.

Why would you want to purchase materials to home school your children rather than send them to a public school? In some cases the education might be better, but I dare say, in some it's going to be far worse. And those are the cases I would worry about.

 

[Taqwus]

My 13 yr old son (who will be in 9th grade) and I are battling about school. He wants public school and I want him to homeschool. Last year we did Alpha Omega Lifpacs and he didn't really like them. I'm not sure what to do for high school. Any suggestions would be great.

My next question is-has anyone used James Madison High School or Keystone National High School as a correspondance course for a high school diploma? Any input good or bad would be appreciated. Thanks.

I am curious do you think he wants to go to a public school for social reasons
Also I do like the comment about having an outside person grade thier work from time to time to keep them from getting in a pattern that might be bad
I say let him try it for a semester or 2 and see how it goes. You can always keep in touch with teh teachers to make sure he is getting his work done

 

[CraftyMouse]

Is there a reference you could provide for this? As I have two sons starting their junior and sophomore year in high school, this would be a major deal for us. I could use more specifics. Thank.

It is listed on the Worcester Polytechnic Institue website (www.wpi.edu) and it was mentioned at the admissions talk DD attended. At that talk it was said that many schools will be adopting this idea, starting with 2008/2009 enrollments. I do not have more specific information as to what schools are taking this path but perhaps you could do a web-search.

Hope that helps.

 

[sha_lyn]

if you use college classes, online classes, correspondence classes, co-op classes, how is that different than GOING off to school, whether it be private or public?

Not dense... you are just looking at it from a different prospective.

The simple answer is there is more variety and freedom.

The curriculum can be designed around the child's needs, learning style, grade level, interest etc. What is being taught is not dictated or limited by what is offered by a private or public school.

We decided to home school our 2 children for different reason (although as I look at the issues deeper it all boils down to the PS not being able to offer what is needed). Simple answer for homeschooling DS is that the PS he was in was horrible and we could not afford private school (here the non religious private schools run about 8-12K for middle and high school).
For DD we actually decided to HS after talking to her Pre-K teacher and MD. We sent her to a small private pre-k and planned on sending her to a different public school than what DS had attended . Due to the schools poor record a law/regulation was started that allowed parents to move their children to another school in the county. However DD's teacher felt she wasn't ready for full day K. She was youngest/smallest in her class due to her birthday being just days before the cutoff. She had not developed the fine or gross motor skills the teacher felt DD needed. Due to that she didn't have the eye tracking needed to start reading (she could read flash cards but could not track a sentence across a page). Neither the teacher or the MD felt DD had a learning disability. She was just small for her age and her development was right along the lines for her size. We continue to HS because it is what works for us.

 

[LadyShiva]

It is apparent that several here did not have teachers who were good at teaching manners.

Manners have nothing to do with this situation, and you're rude to imply that it does.

The OP has MULTIPLE typos in her first post, and has not edited them out yet. She is looking for information on teaching high school at home for her child. Last year, they used correspondence courses and her son didn't like the format. I know I despised my one correspondence course in Mississippi government, so I can't imagine trying to academically excel for a whole year learning only from a book, without interaction with a great teacher and an intelligent group of classmates.

I think that may be what it comes down to for me. At some point, it no longer is what you can stuff in your kid's head from a book, but when your kid starts interacting with others to make their own logical connections. High school is when laboratory Physics, laboratory Chemistry, and laboratory Genetics classes start making sense. I think if you decide not to allow your child the opportunity to take the academic classes needed to make the world make sense, you aren't fulfilling your responsibility as a parent. If you can fulfill that parental mandate by partially homeschooling, bully for you. I know my mother had to send me to a public residential high school to meet her responsibility by me. I got to take Modern Physics, lab-based physics, lab-based genetics, lab-based chemistry, along with a host of other AMAZING classes I would not have been able to take safely at my house. I also played soccer and volleyball, served on Hall Council, and was part of a Physics Demonstration team, among other extracurricular responsibilities. And I did all of this in the PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN MISSISSIPPI. If I could do all of these accomplishments in the absolute worst school system in the US, I'm not buying homeschooling being a requirement for a good education for those of you in better states!

Don't prepare the path for your child; prepare your child for the path.

Brandie

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Is there a reference you could provide for this? As I have two sons starting their junior and sophomore year in high school, this would be a major deal for us. I could use more specifics. Thank.

If your JR. does not take the PSAT test this Oct. regardless of requirements you have no chance for becoming a National Merit Scholar.

I do not think the requirements are going to change for MOST schools.

 

[meandtheguys2]

I've always been curious about why people would homeschool their children.

I know only 1 person who has done so, and it was because her son was so bright he was bored in school in advanced classes. He went to public high school. He is currently in MIT, and was also selected as People Magazine's Teens Who Will Change the World 2 years ago. This is one bright child.

But his parents are both highly educated and well regarded in their fields.

Why would you want to purchase materials to home school your children rather than send them to a public school? In some cases the education might be better, but I dare say, in some it's going to be far worse. And those are the cases I would worry about.

Statistically speaking, HSed students do better academically than their peers. There is also a great deal of difference educationally speaking amongst schools. So, as you stated about HSers, "In some cases the education might be better, but I dare say, in some it's going to be far worse. And those are the cases I would worry about."

We homeschool because we are good at it. I've seen 100's of kids mature from pk through college and the benefits far exceed the drawbacks for us and for those we know.

Collegewise, ours welcomes HSers with open arms. (Top 100 school, per Newsweek's funky stats...)

One of our friends has a child at MIT, also. He was HSed entirely by a mom who earned he GED at 16. He has a sister headed for the Ivy League, also.

This isn't to say it is for everyone. It is to say that we are blessed to have options.

Disclaimer: All spelling and grammatical mistakes are to be blamed on the migraine meds...and are not indicative of my educational level, or ability to teach...

 

[LadyShiva]

Disclaimer: All spelling and grammatical mistakes are to be blamed on the migraine meds...and are not indicative of my educational level, or ability to teach...

Glad you put the disclaimer, and I hope you feel better soon. Migraines stink. I'm surprised you're able to type with one!

Brandie

 

[lyzziesmom]

Don't prepare the path for your child; prepare your child for the path.

I absolutely LOVE this statement. It succinctly sums up so much of what I see going on these days. Parents try so much to bend the world to accommodate their child, but really what needs to be done is to teach the child how to deal with things like disappointment, rejection, and challenges. A parent's one and only job is to prepare a child to be a productive, responsible adult. How can that happen if you hold your child's hand all along the way?

I'm not making a comment on homeschooling in particular, I see many of the same issues (probably even at a higher degree) in public schools as well. This was more of a commentary on society and life in general.

 

[Karel]

I've always been curious about why people would homeschool their children.I know only 1 person who has done so, and it was because her son was so bright he was bored in school in advanced classes. He went to public high school. He is currently in MIT, and was also selected as People Magazine's Teens Who Will Change the World 2 years ago. This is one bright child.But his parents are both highly educated and well regarded in their fields. Why would you want to purchase materials to home school your children rather than send them to a public school? In some cases the education might be better, but I dare say, in some it's going to be far worse. And those are the cases I would worry about.

I know that there are others that will give first hand testimony about why they home school but as just an innocent bystander, I'll throw in my two cents:

Some for religious reasons, some because they feel that they know their child's needs and strengths better than strangers in a very large system, some because they feel that schools can't meet their child's needs. Some feel that a lot of learning time is wasted when a teacher has to deal with 15, 20 or more different learning styles. I hear a lot of parents say that the classroom has to wait for the slowest child to understand the concept so their child has to wait to learn the next step. Some feel that the joy of learning gets corrupted in their child at an early age - they want their children to be responsible for their own education so that they retain the joy of education - they can pursue things that they are interested in.

Also, a lot of parents do not like the school's curriculum and would rather choose their own teaching methods.

ETA: I forgot about parents who get their children out of harm's way - schools that are violent and filled with harmful people. Yes, some of it is imagined but I'm afraid that some is real too.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Glad you put the disclaimer, and I hope you feel better soon. Migraines stink. I'm surprised you're able to type with one!

Brandie

lol Thanks! I don't usually have really bad migraines, but typing is taking the focus off of my poor upset stomache.

 

[sha_lyn]

1 I've always been curious about why people would homeschool their children.I know only 1 person who has done so, and it was because her son was so bright he was bored in school in advanced classes. He went to public high school. He is currently in MIT, and was also selected as People Magazine's Teens Who Will Change the World 2 years ago. This is one bright child.

But his parents are both highly educated and well regarded in their fields.

2 Why would you want to purchase materials to home school your children rather than send them to a public school? 3 In some cases the education might be better, but I dare say, in some it's going to be far worse. And those are the cases I would worry about.

1 There are probably as many answers as there are children who are home schooled. See my above post for my reasons.

2 I have to ask. Would you ask someone why the would want to pay private school tuition when they could send their kids to public school? As I said before, there are many reasons why people home school.

3 I don't fully disagree with you there, but then again do you worry about the kids in poor public or private schools? Homeschooling is not easy. I really don't see why anyone undertaking it if they didn't have their child's needs foremost in their minds.
I have ran across a small population of home schoolers online who do so for very fundamental religious reasons. Those kids I do worry about. I've read post about how girls aren't taught higher math, science etc. They are taught home ecc and how to be a good subservient wife etc. However if homeschooling was not an option they would just form a private religious school.

 

[CraftyMouse]

I've always been curious about why people would homeschool their children.

I know only 1 person who has done so, and it was because her son was so bright he was bored in school in advanced classes. He went to public high school. He is currently in MIT, and was also selected as People Magazine's Teens Who Will Change the World 2 years ago. This is one bright child.

But his parents are both highly educated and well regarded in their fields.

Why would you want to purchase materials to home school your children rather than send them to a public school? In some cases the education might be better, but I dare say, in some it's going to be far worse. And those are the cases I would worry about.

Okay...I'll take a stab at this one. DD is also very bright and was working well ahead of grade level. There was no gifted/talented program at her elementary school and their only suggestion was to allow DD to skip a grade (or two). She is small, physically and at age level emotionally so we did not feel that was a good option for her. Instead we chose to homeschool her.

She has been allowed to work at her own pace, to discover areas of study that interest her (rather than the sometimes myopic course of study the schools have decided students should have) and has become a very independent learner. She has not lacked for social interactions, nor has she been sheltered from the world.

Had she been in traditional school at the high school level we would have sent her to the semi-private school in the next town over, as it offers a vastly superior program to the school in our town. That would have cost us $9,000 per year. We purchase her homeschool program (some homeschoolers put their programs together on their own) and yet it costs less than half of what the semi-private school would have cost. Keep in mind, however, that we do not have to buy back-to-school clothes/items, participate in fundraising activities (which in my experience means I will be writing a check to someone) or pay other school-related fees/costs throughout the year so our homeschooling cost is offset a bit.

I think one misconception is that children need to learn what the school systems say they need to learn. While I agree that a basic, core education is essential, I do not believe that the school systems always provide an adequate education, particularly since the No-Child-Left-Behind law went into effect. At the very least, there are many ways to educate a child that can get the job done equally well.

Homeschooling has allowed my kids to explore their own interests while still receiving a solid core education. For us it has been a wonderful experience. I can understand why many would not want to make the commitment to homeschool their children as that commitment is huge, however please do not make the mistake of thinking that homeschoolers are receiving any less of an education. While it is true that some kids are getting very little of what they need the same can be said of children in traditional school. In both there are kids who succeed and fail, kids who get what they need and those who don't and teachers/parents who provide a quality education and those who don't. Homeschooling is simply another way to educate a child.