Why do you home school?

[hentob]

Hate to break it to you but you are wrong. Just because you don't know about something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. There are plenty of opportunities for HS'ers to participate in team sports.

Our school district allows all homeschoolers to participate in sports. They just "opened the doors" last year, but it is a fact that, yes, if you are homeschooled--You are still welcome to play on the PS teams.

It seems illegal _not_ to allow homeschooled students to play Their parents pay taxes, why wouldn't they be allowed?

 

[MELSMICE]

I'm curious about the sports team thing.............do the HS children try out for the competitive sports teams at the high school level or are they on a rec/after school league?

 

[Nikel]

I'm curious about the sports team thing.............do the HS children try out for the competitive sports teams at the high school level or are they on a rec/after school league?

Depends on the district, school, and child. We're a long way from high school here. The elementary schools don't have school-sponsored competitive sports, so community teams are the answer for us for many years if they decide they want to play a sport.

 

[sha_lyn]

I'm curious about the sports team thing.............do the HS children try out for the competitive sports teams at the high school level or are they on a rec/after school league?

It really depends on the area, what is avalable and what the parent/child want.

As I mentioned earlier...There are a couple of HS organziations here that have teams that compete against the "regular" smaller schools such aspriavte schools and small public schools.

Many yrs ago the laws here didn't really even address HS students playing on PS highschool teams. My DD's preK teacher had a homeschooled grandson that played soccer for the local highschool team. Other than that I don't personally know of anyone here that has played. Hhowever I have been told that it does (did?) happen on occasion.

I have a homeschooling question. I've always said that I could never homeschool because I'm not an "EXPERT" in all subjects! (I don't have kids
yet, so it's not like it's an issue right now). Like all of us, I was stronger in some subjects than others. Science was always a struggle (even though I made a C or better). There is no way I would be able to teach a science lesson past the first grade!!! Or advanced math (calculus,trig,etc).
So for the HS's......how do you teach subjects that you were not great at in the first place???

There are so many options out there. I'll name several but I'm certain I'll leave out a few.
co-ops...... They range from the very informal 3-5 families getting together around a kitchen table to huge organizations like Timothy Ministries. There are several "levels" in between.

2 or 3 days a week academies.... they are sort of a hybrid between private school and homeschooling

Computer programs such as Switched On School House which pretty much do all the "thinking" for you.

Correspondence or Umbrella Schools..... The level of service can vary from simple grading and transcripts to online or phone tutoring

Detailed Teacher guides. Some complete curriculum such as Calvert give detailed scripted daily lesson plans. Other individual subjects do something very similar. Shurley English for one has as home-school teachers book that is basically a script for each and every lesson.

Hiring a tutor

Each parent teaches the subjects they are strongest in. IE... I was OK in algebra (had to work had to keep a b average). I haven't really had to use algebra since school. DH OTOH has used it more recently including taking classes for reserves.

For some subjects I find myself learning right along beside them. I've found I actually enjoy history now. When I was in school it seemed to all be about remembering endless list of dates and facts. The curriculum I'm using with DD uses a narrative format and lots of hands on proojects and research.

 

[Ellester]

I chose "other" since our reasons were several-fold. Mostly, we decided to homeschool when we realized that our oldest dd was already hopelessly bored in the 1st grade and no remedy was forthcoming. The teachers basically ignored her since she was beyond grade level, they needed to focus on the kids who needed extra help to pass NCLB. Religion played partly into it. I didn't appreciate one of her classmates getting in trouble for inviting her friends to an event at her church meanwhile there were plenty of books on witchcraft and the occult in the school library. If you are going to ban religion, ban it all, not selectively. I didn't like that my kindergartener knew what a "lock down" was. I didn't like my neighbor's daughter getting molested on a fieldtrip bus by a classmate, a bus that parents were not allowed on, only school employees permitted. I didn't like the attitude our dd had with us and her siblings when she came home from school. I could go on, but suffice it to say that our reasons were many. Hence, the selection of "other". I'll just add that our local school was considered one of the best in the area.

 

[Principessa Alba]

I'm surprised to see this thread still going.

While there are many hasty and incorrect assumptions, I'm sure, about homeschooling, I really believe there are as many if not more that homeschoolers make about traditional schools. JMO.

 

[Ellester]

I'm surprised to see this thread still going.

While there are many hasty and incorrect assumptions, I'm sure, about homeschooling, I really believe there are as many if not more that homeschoolers make about traditional schools. JMO.

Just curious as to what those assumptions might be?

 

[Nikel]

Just curious as to what those assumptions might be?

Especially since throughout the thread the majority of hs parents homeschool have stated that they hs because of specific experiences or needs, not due to any assumptions about ps in general.

 

[Principessa Alba]

Just curious as to what those assumptions might be?

I've read this whole thread and I there are people who believe that the traditional school is not a good learining environment period.

I didn't say that everyone has made incorrect assumptions, but there are definitely lots of them to go around on both sides.

 

[Ellester]

I've read this whole thread and I there are people who believe that the traditional school is not a good learining environment period.

I didn't say that everyone has made incorrect assumptions, but there are definitely lots of them to go around on both sides.

Certainly there are some hs'ers who believe that, just as some not familiar with homeschooling think we hs'ers are all denim-jumper-wearing, TV-avoiding, bread-baking fundamentalists. Generalizations are rarely accurate in my experience. In our personal experience, PS was not a good learning environment for our children. YMMV

 

[Principessa Alba]

Certainly there are some hs'ers who believe that, just as some not familiar with homeschooling think we hs'ers are all denim-jumper-wearing, TV-avoiding, bread-baking fundamentalists. Generalizations are rarely accurate in my experience. In our personal experience, PS was not a good learning environment for our children. YMMV

See, I think you made the assumption that my remark was directed to every home schooler who has posted here, and it was not.

I know that there are those for whom it is the best option.

 

[JennyMominRI]

I'm surprised to see this thread still going.

While there are many hasty and incorrect assumptions, I'm sure, about homeschooling, I really believe there are as many if not more that homeschoolers make about traditional schools. JMO.

IME, this is true..It goes both way.
To the poster who mentioned books about witchcraft, what sort of books do you mean?

 

[Ellester]

IME, this is true..It goes both way.
To the poster who mentioned books about witchcraft, what sort of books do you mean?

I agree, it does go both ways.

As far as the books, I don't remember the titles as this was several years ago. I'm not necessarily opposed to having them in the library, I just didn't like the way the school seemed to handle religion. They were fine with providing access to alternative religions but not to mainstream ones. Again, this was in our particular school and it is not the main reason we chose to bring our daughter home.

See, I think you made the assumption that my remark was directed to every home schooler who has posted here, and it was not.

I know that there are those for whom it is the best option.

Nope, I try not to make assumptions as a general rule. I did not think you directed you remark to all the homeschoolers who posted. As you said, there are plenty of assumptions on both sides. I guess I was just trying to illustrate some of them.

I totally agree that homeschooling is right for some families but not for others. My niece and nephew are thriving in PS. They are in PS out of necessity as their mom is a single mom. But, honestly, she is one of those people who when they say "I could never homeschool, I'd go crazy", I believe it! She is a great mom, but I really don't think her family is cut out for homeschooling. It's the right fit for us, for now, but it's not for everyone. I'm just thankful we live in a country where it is legal and for the most part, readily accepted.

 

[JennyMominRI]

I agree, it does go both ways.

As far as the books, I don't remember the titles as this was several years ago. I'm not necessarily opposed to having them in the library, I just didn't like the way the school seemed to handle religion. They were fine with providing access to alternative religions but not to mainstream ones. Again, this was in our particular school and it is not the main reason we chose to bring our daughter home.




.

Maybe the school is in a heavily Christian area and they assume most kids already know the basics of Christianity? Even in places with somewhat less Christians they assume that most kids are going to have a woking knowledge of Christianity?
Are you talking about books like Wicca for dummies( a real book ) or just books with *witches* in them like Harry Potter, Wizzard of OZ?

 

[sha_lyn]

Maybe the school is in a heavily Christian area and they assume most kids already know the basics of Christianity? Even in places with somewhat less Christians they assume that most kids are going to have a woking knowledge of Christianity?
Are you talking about books like Wicca for dummies( a real book ) or just books with *witches* in them like Harry Potter, Wizzard of OZ?

I would bet it is the latter. I doubt they have anything truly about Wicca such as books by Cunningham, Reavenwolf etc. After all it is Columbus GA.

If Ellester is referring to books such as Harry Potter... you do realize that books such as the Little House on the Prarie series talks about church, praying etc right?

As for your daughter getting in trouble for inviting a friend to church..... I know here in Cherokee Co School policy is that a student can't extend an invitation to one child to an event during school hours without inviting the entire class. DS was actually written up for inviting friends to his birthday party in 1st or 2nd grade because he didn't invite the entire class.

 

[Ellester]

Maybe the school is in a heavily Christian area and they assume most kids already know the basics of Christianity? Even in places with somewhat less Christians they assume that most kids are going to have a woking knowledge of Christianity?
Are you talking about books like Wicca for dummies( a real book ) or just books with *witches* in them like Harry Potter, Wizzard of OZ?

They were nonfiction books, not stories. I wish I could remember the titles, but I just don't. Yes, the school was in the "Bible belt".

 

[JennyMominRI]

They were nonfiction books, not stories. I wish I could remember the titles, but I just don't. Yes, the school was in the "Bible belt".

I wonder if my kids library has non-fiction books on religions? I would assume they do..This is a heavily Catholic area and I would hope they had some books with basic info about Judaism/Islam/Buddism/Hinduism/ Paganism etc..

 

[Ellester]

I would bet it is the latter. I doubt they have anything truly about Wicca such as books by Cunningham, Reavenwolf etc. After all it is Columbus GA.

If Ellester is referring to books such as Harry Potter... you do realize that books such as the Little House on the Prarie series talks about church, praying etc right?

As for your daughter getting in trouble for inviting a friend to church..... I know here in Cherokee Co School policy is that a student can't extend an invitation to one child to an event during school hours without inviting the entire class. DS was actually written up for inviting friends to his birthday party in 1st or 2nd grade because he didn't invite the entire class.

Hey sha_lyn! This was actually in Charlotte, NC, slightly more urban than where we are now. They were definitely nonfiction, although I don't remember whether or not they were Wicca per se. I think they were more on the occult, but again I don't totally remember. And, it wasn't my daughter, it was another girl in her class. She did actually invite the entire class, it was to some event that her church was sponsoring. She had invitations for everyone. And once again, I was not opposed to the books being in the library. I would hope that from my posts on the homeschooling thread that I don't come across as the type who objects to "The Wizard of Oz"! I certainly don't have a problem with Harry Potter, et al. We actually just ordered the first six books from Amazon. I've read them but DH doesn't like to start a series until it is finished.

I'll try not to take your insult to Columbus to heart. Remember it's a military town, lots of more "unusual" ideas here than you might find in other small towns around the US. Although, my kids are having to ask their friends whether or not they "do" Halloween. We are having a party, but many of their friends won't be able to come. So, maybe I need to take back what I said about Columbus....OK, my break is over, time to reign the kiddos back in. I've got Mesopotamia and Capri to read aloud yet today! Maybe we'll do it outside, it is glorious out there today.

 

[sha_lyn]

LOL about Halloween
A HS'ing friend spent a good amount of time in Columbus growing up(miltary brat). Her parents have since retired there. Her son dresses Emo and gets a lot of flack from the "funddies" when he visits his grandparents.

As for Charlotte.... it does seem to be a different atsmosphere than the typical bible-belt towns.

I'm glad you don't seem to have taken my post the wrong way. I tend to jump on my soap box when it comes to "speculations" about Wicca and paganism. I've "been there done that to death" argued over comments like
"why would you homeschool if you aren't Christian. If you don't care about their soul, why would you care about their mind." and comments like "secular homeschoolers just means you can be any Christian denomenation. Of course we don't allow non-Christians. We care our children's safety" This comment was actually by someone who had just joined the secular group and was in no way an authority in the group. She was booted out on the spot and a member of the board called me to make certain I was OK. All of that started after the woman commented that she was looking forward to the groups Drama club installing good Christain values in her children. I asked her what did Christianity have to do with a secular drama club. I told her that the groups entire focus was to offer secular activities the the HS comunity and that several of the member were not Christian.

Sorry for the long winded post. Just thought I would give a little insight into why I tend to get on my soap box when the subjects of homeschooling and religion are combined

 

[Ellester]

No problem, Sha_lyn, I feel like I've gotten to know you some from the homeschooling thread. I remember you writing about the woman from the drama club, it's amazing how uninformed some people can be. I can understand your need to get up on that soapbox sometimes.