OT - Are we doing homeschool already?

[lucincia]

DD8 is in 2nd grade (her bday is in November, so she's one of the oldest one in the class), public school right now. In the morning before school we do math and Chinese with her. After school she comes home to writing and spelling. In the evening, she reads and teaches "school work" to her younger sister (DD4) in a play/learn format. DD8 reads and does math at higher grade level than her peers and she's constantly her teacher's helper. Every Saturday afternoon she goes to a local Chinese school to learn Mandarin. Yes, we have fun too. We play games on weekends and visit with friends and families. We designate couple hours on weekends in which we play Zelda on our Wii together as a family

Question - we're totally new to this, just started looking into it tonight. But, based on what I described above, are we homeschooling already? My wife is worried about time committment. She's stay at home mom right now with a side seamstress business.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Sounds like the biggest issues for your family would be dealing with the state legal requirements. Because you look at life as educational in its self, the day to day transition might not be too difficult. Good luck with your decission.

 

[meandtheguys2]

It sounds like youare doing a lot. It would definitely be easier on your daughter to HS rather than being schooled before, after and on Saturdays. And it seems like you've already made a huge time committment.

Good luck on your decision. Totally jealous you have a school for Chinese. We've hired a college student to help us.

 

[Hannathy]

I am a little confused but if she is spending the day in PS why are you over doing it at home. Relax let her be a kid. Review and homework in the evening or after school is great but why in the morning? is she behind. If she isn't, stop. it is too much, she is little, why make life so stressful she'll just end up hating school or you. By the way in our school she would not be the oldest most are 8 by Christmas. Kids learn many of the things they need to learn from play, not structured lessons. IMO you need to decide one or the other but not both. How does your DD feel about school,does she like being with the kids?, will she have a lot of chances to be with other children because that is important for a well rounded child.

 

[lucincia]

Actually, most of the time she wants to do the extra work. She enjoys doing it and enjoys teaching it to her 4 years old sister. She has lot's of friends in school too but she gets bored easily. She's typically the first one to finish any assignment at school and the teacher has been using her as her teacher's little helper since she was in K. We're not really pushing her that hard. We give her something, she absorbs it. So we give her something more. She plays a lot and do spend a lot of time reading "non-school" books. She's reading the Narnia series right now. She has also been selected by the teachers for the gifted program at school.

Just curious what other parents' experience on this is like. What we feel like is that PS is like 6 hours of recess to her. It's too simple. And she seems to enjoy the extra "work" she's doing before and after school, so why stop it.

So just curious if we're doing all this work already, should we make it official and do homeschool - or dual-enroll her, bascially homeschool and then use PS for extracurricular activities.

 

[Krisj]

The advantage of homeschooling her is that you don't have to waste her 6 hrs of school as recess. She still has to sit still and do as she is told. It isn't free fun time for her. It seems like homeschooling her at this point would free up her day to be a kid.

We homeschool and have for 5 years now. My oldest was in a similar situation. School for him, was a waste of time. He spent his time helping other kids review stuff and didn't get to work ahead of grade level. Now he works at his pace and is about a year ahead of schedule. Also, he has time to work on things he really enjoys like writing and karate. He hopes to have his first book published in a few years. He wouldn't have had the time to write, compete in karate, and do school if he were in public school.

Homeschool is much more efficient than public school too. You will find that you can accomplish much more in your day.

 

[Darcy03231]

As long as she is enjoying it I would continue on as you have been. That way, if she starts to not like it you can adjust your schedule at home pretty easily so long as you are doing it on your own.

 

[dfarner]

Homeschool is much more efficient than public school too. You will find that you can accomplish much more in your day.

This is definitely dependent upon the teacher, school, and district. To make a statment that broad is a disservice to many public school educators.

 

[billwendy]

HI,

Just wondering if you had checked out any private schools in your area that might be for gifted children. This would give her an education that may be more challenging.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Efficiency has nothing to do with being offensive to teachers, etc. I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't agree that it is easier (more effiicient) to teach one child a concept than a class of 20.

Let alone saving time with transportation, etc.

But, of course, this is the DIS, and I could say the sky is blue and the grass is green, and someone would surely disagree.

 

[dfarner]

Lucincia-
I would make this suggestion to you: talk to your daughter's teacher about giving her opportunities for more challenging/rewarding work. By this I mean, instead of being the teacher's helper in her class, ask if she can peer teach in other classes (either higher or lower grades). The answer is not more work, it is the quality of the work. Do not let her teacher get complacent, she should be challenging her. Also, please remember that one of the very big lessons learned in PS is socialization, how to follow rules, how to adhere to schedules, etc...and although it sounds like your family has a handle on all of this, the interactions she has at PS with her peers and elders is a life lesson.

 

[dfarner]

HI,

Just wondering if you had checked out any private schools in your area that might be for gifted children. This would give her an education that may be more challenging.

Great idea!!

 

[1of6]

Efficiency has nothing to do with being offensive to teachers, etc. I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't agree that it is easier (more effiicient) to teach one child a concept than a class of 20.

Let alone saving time with transportation, etc

I agree. My kids "waste" 50 minutes a day on the bus. Plus the transition time between subjects and activities at school would be minimal at home. The amount of time that is wasted on the "put your math book away and please get out your science book and turn to page ___" is laughable. I can't begin to add up the amount of time it took my 25 first graders to all get to the same place.

 

[meandtheguys2]

1of6, That is just it. It isn't anything that the teachers or schools do wrong or bad, it is just the way life is when you are dealing with groups of people. If I have 1 kid home, we can be dressed and out of the house in 10 minutes, 2 take twice as long, and all three = about 25 minutes. Just because there are more issues that need to be coordinated.

 

[dfarner]

Meandtheguys2, to me your comment came across in a negative way. This is my experience with homeschooling (neighbors, acquaintances): "school" starts and a lesson is done, kids go out to play, lesson done, wait...it's only been 20 minutes and kids are out to play again, lesson done, mom takes kids to grocery store, family comes home, eats lunch, and oh...everyone is tired and cranky, kids take nap, kids wake up and eat snack, lesson done, kids go out to play and mom sits in front yard talking on the phone. Hmm...
Now obviously homeschooling is not that unstructured in a majority of homeschooling families and I would not make a broad statement as to the inefficiency of homeschooled education. We may just have to agree to disagree.

 

[sahwifeandmommy]

That is pretty much the way our homeschool day looks except it is closer to 30 min and then break and then an hour and then break etc. lol. It works for us because my children are young and right now it is more important to me that they get their wiggles out and pay attention when I need them to. I would also say that I would rather them get their work done and then play then have to sit still in a chair and listen to the same thing over and over again because Johnny doesn't get it or stay in his seat etc. And I know (as a former public school teacher) how much time can be wasted by everything that a teacher is expected to do and I have the utmost respect for those that are teaching and dealing with all of the issues that go with it. I am glad that mine have the chance to play and work ahead. It works for our family but it is not for everyone and everyone must do what works best for their family. I also never thought that we would be homeschool family-but never say never you don't know what God has planned for you.

 

[Gillian]

Meandtheguys2, to me your comment came across in a negative way. This is my experience with homeschooling (neighbors, acquaintances): "school" starts and a lesson is done, kids go out to play, lesson done, wait...it's only been 20 minutes and kids are out to play again, lesson done, mom takes kids to grocery store, family comes home, eats lunch, and oh...everyone is tired and cranky, kids take nap, kids wake up and eat snack, lesson done, kids go out to play and mom sits in front yard talking on the phone. Hmm...
Now obviously homeschooling is not that unstructured in a majority of homeschooling families and I would not make a broad statement as to the inefficiency of homeschooled education. We may just have to agree to disagree.

I don't see what's so bad about this kind of a schedule. My son is in 1st grade, and their lessons are only 15 minutes long. Any more and the kids don't pay attention. They learn in between in other ways. The best thing is that they each get a chance to work with the teacher one on one. It may only be for 5 or 10 minutes each morning, but it's enough to make a difference.

I LOVE that last week when it snowed his class got to go outside 3x in one day! If we homeschooled, we'd do the same thing. The learning will always happen. The snow won't.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Meandtheguys2, to me your comment came across in a negative way. This is my experience with homeschooling (neighbors, acquaintances): "school" starts and a lesson is done, kids go out to play, lesson done, wait...it's only been 20 minutes and kids are out to play again, lesson done, mom takes kids to grocery store, family comes home, eats lunch, and oh...everyone is tired and cranky, kids take nap, kids wake up and eat snack, lesson done, kids go out to play and mom sits in front yard talking on the phone. Hmm...
Now obviously homeschooling is not that unstructured in a majority of homeschooling families and I would not make a broad statement as to the inefficiency of homeschooled education. We may just have to agree to disagree.

Even in your worst case scenario, the children are not only being educated, but getting real play time. A necessity for all kids.

The lessons are taking 20 minutes instead of an hour, kids are getting rest (also important) and the grocery shopping is done.

OTOH, all of the parents I am in close contact with have children that don't nap, that manage to cover math, english etc., science or history (most do just one longer lesson a semester, writing, and a language before hitting lunch. And that is with play breaks. Afternoons are spent on longer projects, reading, housework, grocery shopping cooking, and playing with the neighbors when they get home. Or co-op. Or 4-H.

I am sorry you are offended by my comments, but I find it extraordinary that someone could be offended by someone saying hsing is efficient. To each his own.

 

[Gillian]

Question - we're totally new to this, just started looking into it tonight. But, based on what I described above, are we homeschooling already? My wife is worried about time committment. She's stay at home mom right now with a side seamstress business.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

The only problem I see with homeschooling in your situation is time for your wife's business. She's right to be concerned because it's difficult to get work done while your children are home. Even if they play quietly and do their work, it is not the same as not having them there. Scheduled time out of the house for the kids would be important so your wife could do her work.

It does sound like your family could handle homeschooling, but there are other commitments, like choosing a curriculum, planning lessons, etc. The actual school work takes less time, but the behind the scenes part may be challenging for the parents.

A private school might be more engaging for your daughter.

 

[lucincia]

OP here - DW and I used to laugh at homeschoolers. We mocked at those granola and kool-aid drinking freaks who homeschool kids. But, now, with our oldest DD8 in second grade, and watching her through last couple years in PS, our view on homeschool starts to change. Maybe there is something there. We're not doing this for religious, behavior, or non-academic reasons. The only reason we're looking into this is purely academic - if we set her lose in a homeschool environment, how much can our DD8 achieve?

Thanks for all the insight. If we decide to do this, I guess we can try it for next year (3rd grade). If it doesn't work out, we can always go back to PS, right?