Schools... Private, Home or Public?

[castleview]

What is a Charter school? It's free? How is it different from Public school?

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Charters are basically public schools that have the autonomy of private schools. They can do things regular public schools can't (take private money, throw out underachieving or discipline problem students, turn away special ed students or needs, etc). Again, you have to be careful with them. Waiting for Superman somehow touted charter schools while admitting that only one if five charter schools perform better than public schools.

 

[castleview]

First of all, stop worrying about high school. That is 10 years away, a lot can change. Worry about the next couple of years. Every homeschool family I know (including me) goes on a year by year basis.

Second, of course you are qualified to teach your child. You are more qualified than any teacher out there, especially in the younger years. You know your child better than anyone. Did you teach her the ABC's?, Counting? Kindergarten isn't hard, basic counting, alphabet, maybe reading. You learn how your child learns best as you go. I have 3 children, my oldest goes to public school, my middle child is homeschooled. This is our 2nd year. And my youngest goes to preschool 2x a week. I started out doing a Virtual Academy and after a year that wasn't working anymore, so I switched to something different. It's about being willing to be flexible.

Now for socialization. Kid's don't really get that much time to really socialized in school, they get lunch, but if they aren't quiet enough then it's a silent lunch. And recess, which again can be taken away for behavior, or lack of school work done. Etc. My son is involved in Scouts & Church. That is enough for him. My daughter would need more, but the fact is when you homeschool you have more time to do these activites with them because you aren't spending 7 hours at school and another 1-4 hours a night doing homework.

Most school districts allow you to do the after school activites they offer, and may allow them to do band, choir etc. But, at least here, band doesn't start until 5th grade, foreign language Jr. High, dance, never etc. So again these are things that you don't need to be worried about right now. It doesn't matter if you homeschool or public you will still have to probably pay for things like Dance and gymnastics.

Where are your kids going? Most schools are six hours and that much homework doesn't start until high school

 

[nicki.momof3]

We live in Michigan and we have what is called "schools of choice". You can apply to send you kids to a neighboring public school district as long as you drrive them. This is what we do and LOVE it. It also happens to be the school district I teach high school in.

I am also a fan of catholic school but after I looked into it for our kids I found the high school had so many less choices in electives than the public school and the class sizes were about the same.

Home schooling - you said in your OP that your DD would be on her own as she got older because you are not qualified - how is she going to be qualified to teach herself. Also the social aspect is huge. I have had students that come to HS after being home schooled K-8 and I have to say many have poor social skills when it comes to dealing with a large high school. It is very over whelming.

I also question you thought about how your brother graduated early by home schooling. What is the point of going off to college at age 16 or 17? That is very young. I would rather have my child spend all 4 years in school than rushing through their youth. You are only young once - why rush.

Charter schools -NO WAY - if you look into them further most of the teachers are there less than 5 years and then they move on to better paying schools. Expereince really matters when selecting a teacher.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I didn't vote, because I'm not really adament about one option myself, but I'll share my own thoughts if it might help:

When DS was a baby, I vaguely thought about home-schooling someday, but by the time he reached pre-school age, I felt he really needed the socialization and some time with adults other than me.

Like you, I really liked Montessori, but it was not a financial or logistical option for us (too far away) so we went with a closer, less expensive, private pre-school, which he loved.

When he reached kindergarten, he went to public school with all the neighborhood kids, and it has worked out fine. (He's in 4th grade now.)

But I do worry sometimes about the teach-to-the-test curriculum that is being forced on public school teachers. I remember a lot about school being fun, and he isn't feeling that way. He's even asked if we could "do school at home".

The big thing that stops me is that my teaching style and his learning style are not really a good fit. We tend to struggle just over homework, so I can't imagine how it would be if we did everything. Also, we would need a level of discipline/structure that I'm not sure we've got in a parent-child relationship vs. a teacher-student one.

Someday, we may try it, but for now, public school is working for us.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Public schools - but it is my belief that my children's education is my responsibility. We teach our children, and the school augments - not the other way around.

 

[emma'smom]

At some point one has to decide not to sacrifice their child for the 'greater good.'

This! I'm very involved in our public schools, I'm a licensed teacher, I've taught for years. Our publics do the best they can with the resources they have to meet the needs of the broad population of students who they serve in the current "teach to the test" environment. In fact, by many standards, they are quite good.

However, I send my own dd's to a private, Montessori school. Why? Because they can have what our publics, at least in our area, aren't providing (right now):

-small class size
-curricula that meets their individual ability levels across grade levels (so they bounce back and forth between upper-el/lower-el for different subjects)
-multiage class (which we love)
-personal relationships with teachers (who work with them for multiple years)
-greater parent involvement
-the ability to really explore individual interests
-relaxed environment where classroom management/control isn't the guiding force (because the kids are generally well-behaved and the class sizes are small)*
-less emphasis on teaching to the test (because individual children can focus on this as needed rather than this being a group exercise) and school funding is not at stake because of test scores**
-greater emphasis on 21st century skills (habits of the mind, problem solving, global engagement, etc)
-more field trips (lots more)...which is just a perk of a small school...but we love it!


*Most kids want to be there and value education because it is valued in their homes---otherwise their parents wouldn't have sought out/pay tuition for this school
**Students still take the standardized tests and they are reported to the state for school ratings---but the kids generally do well because it is a self-selected group of children with parents who highly value education (hence they are willing to pay tuition and get involved).

 

[tw1nsmom]

Just to clear up some New York State education facts:

No school choice unless you live in a city with charter schools or you live in a district that has persistently failed via No Child Left Behind.

Much of what may be provided to homeschooling families is left to the discretion of the school district. First, no homeschooled child can be dual enrolled. Meaning that they cannot be homeschooled and take part in any for credit class at the public school. They also may not take part in any competitive sport teams. It is up to the discretion of the local district whether or not a homeschooled child will be allowed to take part in any school-based extra-curricular activities at all. Most school districts do not allow it. It is also up to the district whether they will loan materials out. Most don't. The only thing the New York State schools currently must provide to homeschoolers (and that could change) is that if your child has a documented disability and qualifies for special education services they have to provide those (speech, OT, PT).

You also must register with your superintendent if you intend to homeschool, and provide documentation of your curriculum, testing and attendance.

 

[JLTraveling]

I also question you thought about how your brother graduated early by home schooling. What is the point of going off to college at age 16 or 17? That is very young. I would rather have my child spend all 4 years in school than rushing through their youth. You are only young once - why rush.

And this shows why no one option is right for everyone. I graduated from high school at 14, and it would have been a lot sooner if the educational system hadn't fought me tooth and nail every step of the way. I couldn't simply "not rush," "enjoy my youth," and every other platitude that was thrown around. My IQ is extremely high and I couldn't just turn off my brain. I ended up physically ill when they tried forcing me to stay with my age group. It may be rare, but for some kids going off to college at age 16 or 17 or younger IS the right choice.

...Second, of course you are qualified to teach your child. You are more qualified than any teacher out there, especially in the younger years. You know your child better than anyone. Did you teach her the ABC's?, Counting? Kindergarten isn't hard, basic counting, alphabet, maybe reading. You learn how your child learns best as you go. I have 3 children, my oldest goes to public school, my middle child is homeschooled. This is our 2nd year. And my youngest goes to preschool 2x a week. I started out doing a Virtual Academy and after a year that wasn't working anymore, so I switched to something different. It's about being willing to be flexible...

This. When I was going through school, homeschooling wasn't all that common. My mom kept wanting to homeschool me but she never did, for exactly that reason. She kept feeling that she wasn't qualified, and I would miss out on something important. Years later, she apologized to me. She thought, and I wholeheartedly agree, that we could have avoided most of the awful things I went through if I had simply been homeschooled.

OP, you CAN do it. You are more familiar with your own child than anyone else is. I believe strongly in child-directed learning. What I mean by that is, let your DD decide what she's interested in, and then design lessons around it. Say she gets fascinated by dinosaurs. Okay, you can teach science by studying the different types of dinosaurs. Teach reading by having her read books about dinosaurs. Teach nutrition by studying dinosaur diets and comparing them to human diets. Take a field trip to the science museum and talk to an employee about the dinosaur bones that are on display. Find out where they were located, and then teach geography by finding that place on a map or a globe. Use it as a jumping off point to learn about the people that live there today.

See what I'm saying? If you homeschool, you have a gold mine of opportunities to teach all sorts of lessons based on your DD's unique interests and strengths. Socialization can come with a homeschool group or through extracurricular activities. Like others have said, take it a year at a time and see how it goes. You're not making a hard and fast decision that has to last a lifetime. You're just doing what feels right *for now*. And that's true no matter which option you choose.