Homeschooling, how much of an investment is needed, and any other advice

[dreiwhit]

The VAST majority of homeschool kids who end up back in regular school (or go to college) do fine.

Agreed. We've known several that have gotten full scholarships to 4 year universities.

 

[aprilchem]

The VAST majority of homeschool kids who end up back in regular school (or go to college) do fine. Its just easier if you make sure you keep "I might not do this forever" in the back of your head.

I'm a college professor who has taught a lot of homeschool kids - both high school kids whose parents don't have another option for them to take chemistry, and college students who were homeschooled K-12. I'd say about 60% of the students I see do fine, and the other 40% really struggle. The struggling happens for different reasons - some clearly haven't had a stringent or structured curriculum at homeschool and just aren't academically prepared for a college course, some aren't very socially well-adjusted and flounder when they're exposed to kids their age, and some aren't used to homework/lectures/tests and just don't know how to handle it. I think a lot of it is related to the quality of the homeschooling they're receiving and how much their parents choose to shelter them from their peers during the homeschooling years.

 

[crisi]

Agreed. We've known several that have gotten full scholarships to 4 year universities.

My experience has been that the majority of them are - as you would expect - average. Just like most of them won't have an issue integrating into a more typical lifestyle (high school, college, employment), most won't get a scholarship. There isn't anything about homeschooling that will turn a child exceptional - but exceptional children often do well if they are homeschooled.

(And exceptional at both ends - sometimes kids with autism or learning disabilities or social challenges do far better homeschooled).

 

[crisi]

I'm a college professor who has taught a lot of homeschool kids - both high school kids whose parents don't have another option for them to take chemistry, and college students who were homeschooled K-12. I'd say about 60% of the students I see do fine, and the other 40% really struggle. The struggling happens for different reasons - some clearly haven't had a stringent or structured curriculum at homeschool and just aren't academically prepared for a college course, some aren't very socially well-adjusted and flounder when they're exposed to kids their age, and some aren't used to homework/lectures/tests and just don't know how to handle it. I think a lot of it is related to the quality of the homeschooling they're receiving and how much their parents choose to shelter them from their peers during the homeschooling years.

Exactly, you don't want your kids to be the 40% where homeschooling is why they struggle with a traditional college or high school. And building those foundations starts when they are small.

 

[wendow]

I'm a college professor who has taught a lot of homeschool kids - both high school kids whose parents don't have another option for them to take chemistry, and college students who were homeschooled K-12. I'd say about 60% of the students I see do fine, and the other 40% really struggle. The struggling happens for different reasons - some clearly haven't had a stringent or structured curriculum at homeschool and just aren't academically prepared for a college course, some aren't very socially well-adjusted and flounder when they're exposed to kids their age, and some aren't used to homework/lectures/tests and just don't know how to handle it. I think a lot of it is related to the quality of the homeschooling they're receiving and how much their parents choose to shelter them from their peers during the homeschooling years.

We know a college professor who was totally against homeschooling years ago but now he has seen so many homeschooled kids come in to his classes who are so well-prepared, articulate and who have greater success in college than the public schooled kids he mostly sees, that he and his wife made the decision this school year to homeschool their own children. They are not Christians so that piece did not play a part. Maybe this is more regional? The state I am in has a lot of oversight and requires testing for homeschoolers. We cannot fall behind. My kids have never scored lower than the 95th percentile on standardized testing. I do think there are some poorly run homeschools but I think there are some poorly run public schools also.

I am a huge proponent of homeschooling because I have been doing it long enough to have seen many families graduate kids out who have no problem integrating and succeeding in the real world. However, I would never encourage someone to undertake homeschooling who does not understand the great responsibility of this 'job'.

 

[wendow]

Agreed. We've known several that have gotten full scholarships to 4 year universities.

Us too In fact, some colleges are now actively looking for homeschooled kids. One of my friend's dd got a full scholarship to a school in Georgia and I am not remembering if it was the school she is going to or just one of the ones she applied to, but their website actually said they preferred homeschooled candidates (or something like that). Oh and my friend did homeschool her dd all the way through.

 

[Nayan]

I am a huge proponent of homeschooling because I have been doing it long enough to have seen many families graduate kids out who have no problem integrating and succeeding in the real world. However, I would never encourage someone to undertake homeschooling who does not understand the great responsibility of this 'job'.

Agree 100% with this. Not only are you the parent, but now you also become the teacher. You are responsible if they pass/fail, keeping records, making lesson plans, teaching the plans, dealing with frustration if kids don't grasp the concept (twice the frustration if you don't either), plus all of the other things you have to do as not only a parent but also an adult. You will have your kids with you all day, every day so time alone is almost non-exsistant. And like a PP said, both parents have to be on board 110%, otherwise I would suggest you not bother. If I had known then what I know now I wouldn't have gone down the homeschool road, but I did and I think I did a pretty good job .

 

[wendow]

If I had known then what I know now I wouldn't have gone down the homeschool road, but I did and I think I did a pretty good job .

Curious why you say this. I am in my 11th year of homeschooling and have talked to more homeschool parents than I can count. I have never heard someone who regretted doing it. I don't count those who only do it for a year with the plan to put their kiddo back into school. Those parents usually follow a more traditional school model and never full embrace the homeschool 'lifestyle'. Over the years, I have only heard regrets from parents who did not homeschool but looking back, they wish they had. So, your comment has me curious

 

[Nayan]

Well, let's just say life threw a ton of lemons and while I could have given up and put my son in school I forged on instead. While he did learn a lot and headed off to college well prepared, for awhile I had some serious doubts as to whether I made the right decision, both for him as well as me, hence my comment.

 

[crisi]

Well, let's just say life threw a ton of lemons and while I could have given up and put my son in school I forged on instead. While he did learn a lot and headed off to college well prepared, for awhile I had some serious doubts as to whether I made the right decision, both for him as well as me, hence my comment.

For us, it was the right decision for the year we did it - but I couldn't have given my son the material he really wanted - metal shop for instance. He isn't four year college bound. And we would have driven each other nuts for more years than we did.

With my daughter, I simply can't cover the material at the level at which she is taking it - AP Computer Science, AP Spanish, AP US History. AP Lit. College Prep Chem. She'd have to be at community college. But she had the choice of doing full time PSEO this year and chose to stick with the AP track in high school.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Well my 11 year-old daughter really does have a hard time learning and that is one reason I am thinking about it. And with common core thrown in the mix, ugghhhh. My two kids are polar opposites as my other daughter graduated high school a few years ago with the 3rd honor in her class.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

We have been implementing common core curriculum for the last few years, and I find my students (special ed, mainstreamed) who started with it in the primary grades are really starting to get it. The various facets are difficult for them at first, but they start learning how to meet those standards. The resource teachers at my site are also pretty amazing at teaching the students various strategies.

If your daughter is not involved in special education, maybe you will have a similar experience as my daughter. She struggled with elementary (6th grade about killed her), but almost breezed through middle school. They start leveling the students in middle school, so it takes the pressure off of teachers to teach to the honor students. FWIW, my daughter has decided to enroll in honors courses in high school (after her 2 year "break").

 

[scrhsa]

I'm gonna echo what some people have posted...
The 1st thing to accept with homeschooling that except in extremely rare cases/states, you pay for everything.
The 2nd thing to accept is that it is not school and trying to replicate "public-school-just-at-home" is not always the optimal path. Most parents start very structured and then realize how wide and deep the learning world can be if they let it.
The 3rd thing to accept is that if you want a group thing done, you normally have to organize and do it yourself...but if you build it, they will come. Some areas have well-built support systems and group activities, but even in those areas, they may not fit your schedule/your kid/your interests/etc.
The 4th thing to accept is that it will be a much larger investment in time and loss of "alone" time for you than money. Making sure you still carve out time for you will be really important to keep the whole family happy.
The 5th thing to accept is something usually has to give - when kids are around 24-7, some "thing" has to be let go or you won't be able to do thing #4. Some homeschoolers, especially with lots of littles, don't cook a lot, some give up jobs, some accept a slightly messy house, etc, etc...but you will probably always have 1 thing (here, it's the messier house than I'd like) that you wish you had the time and energy for, but you accept that you don't for a time...that's just life...

But, the biggest thing to know - it can be an amazing experience for you and your family. You'll have bad days, and you'll have good ones, but years down the line, you won't regret any day you spent with your kids seeing them blossom both under your guidance and eventually on their own...

I was the opposite on #2 we started open ended but ended up with more "schooling at home". It worked for us. My girls needed the structure

#5--my house was cleaner when we were homeschooling We had "home studies" before school started Now, for some reason, I can't find the time to clean up like I used to! And I cooked more. Though usually it was a mid-day meal. My husband was gone most of the the time(Coast Guard) so it was just my girls and I.

I loved every minute of it. Even when stressed and overwhelmed. I loved the time with my girls.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[MommaBerd]

Well my 11 year-old daughter really does have a hard time learning and that is one reason I am thinking about it. And with common core thrown in the mix, ugghhhh. My two kids are polar opposites as my other daughter graduated high school a few years ago with the 3rd honor in her class.

Of course, I don't want to assume anything, but maybe she has a hard time learning because they aren't teaching in a way she understands. But, it also may be that she isn't quite ready to learn the concepts. I *completely* understand how different kids can be in how/when they learn. My 12 year old essentially taught himself to read (thanks to Starfall.com for the basics) and could pretty much read anything by the end of kindergarten. My 8 y.o. also taught himself to read and was a fluent reader at 4; however, he really struggles with math! We are still working on basic addition and subtraction (sigh).

BUT, my 10 year old was a completely different story. He really did not learn to read until he was 8 years old. It was really uncomfortable for me because I did try to teach him prior to that, but he just wasn't ready. Once he "decided" he wanted to read, he did. He also isn't a great speller. I think he is probably a little dyslexic, but not so much so that I have had him tested. However, he remembers most everything he hears or sees on videos. And, he is a whiz at math! But I totally believe his self-esteem could have been damaged early on because he would have been so "behind" the expectations of a traditional school in where he SHOULD be in his reading/spelling skills.

I say all this to emphasize the beauty/advantage of homeschooling in that you get to tailor the curriculum to your child's strengths and weaknesses. It is worth the sacrifice, in my opinion (obviously). But in the end, only you can decide if it is the right thing for your family. Good luck!

 

[katyjeka]

We homeschool and have for fifteen years. It works so well for our family. We live in Pa. so I can't help you with the laws in your state. I do remember our first year. I spent like crazy and went overboard with supplies. My advice, don't buy a lot in the beginning. Wait and see what you need as the weeks go on. A copier has become my best friend as it saves on buying the same book for the next.

 

[Nayan]

We homeschool and have for fifteen years. It works so well for our family. We live in Pa. so I can't help you with the laws in your state. I do remember our first year. I spent like crazy and went overboard with supplies. My advice, don't buy a lot in the beginning. Wait and see what you need as the weeks go on. A copier has become my best friend as it saves on buying the same book for the next.

True, plus there are quite a few places to get free worksheets, lesson plans and ideas, as well as online learning itself (Khan Academy is a favorite).

 

[wendow]

I agree with pp's. One of the most common mistakes new homeschoolers make is dashing out and buying every workbook or curriculum kit they can find. Take time to figure out your particular child's learning style and then do some research on what might be beneficial for them. There are so many choices, it can truly be overwhelming but talking to others and visiting online homeschool forums can really help narrow choices down.

And if homeschooling more than one child, know that what works for one, may not work for another. My kids sound a lot like @MommaBerd 's kids. I have two who taught themselves to read at 3-4 yo and were reading chapter books in K. Then I have one who didn't read until she was almost 8yo but is a math whiz. My youngest is K and is not reading yet. He can barely recognize letters but already does mental math. Each child is different and the beauty of homeschooling is being able to meet them where they are.

 

[DawnM]

I worked part time while I homeschooled for almost 3 years. What I found was that we were cramming in school the time I was home and we rarely had time for the fun stuff.

When I quit and stayed home full time, we were able to do it all.

 

[DawnM]

My oldest is going to Community College and getting a 4.0 so far. He went last semester as a dual enrollment student and this year as a college student. He is 18, has some special needs and had he gone to a traditional school I really don't think he would be where he is. The 1 on 1 attention is what he needed.

Meanwhile my middle son started PS last year as a 10th grader. He is doing well. The only issue we had was that we had the sciences in a different order. He did Physical Science as a 9th grader and the PS does it in 11th grade. He then missed Earth Science in 9th grade so he took it as a 10th grader. This year he is taking Biology as an 11th grader. He is on the A/B honor roll and very involved in theater. He plans to go directly to a 4 year college.

Youngest is 7th grade and going to school for the first time this year. He is already thriving. He thrived at home, in scouts, at church, in co-op, and now in school. No surprise to us, he is just fits in wherever he goes.

I have also just gone back to work full time. Huge changes for us.

All the above to say......do what works for you and your kids!

 

[DawnM]

As far as curriculum, for the early grades we focused on real life experiences, hands on projects, and real literature. We used a lot of Sonlight materials and Amy Pak's Time Traveler's projects.

I tried to spend less than $500 per year for all the kids combined. It didn't always work, but that was for actual curriculum. I didn't count things we did outside the home because those would be expenses no matter what, HS or PS.