Why do you homeschool?

[kadaten]

Thank you, everyone for your thoughtful answers.

Peggy, you especially have given me some things to think about. I have a few years yet before any decisions have to be made, but I like to plan ahead.

Can any of you that do homeschool point out some of your favorite online info sources? Looking for ones that maybe go through a few different "how we do it" scenarios, getting started info, etc. Just wondering what all it entails and whether it's something I think I could do if I feel the need arises.

My first thought is I'm not very organized and would have trouble getting a coherent, workable plan together, especially if I did both DD and DS. I never really outgrew my procrastinating tendancies and would worry that that would interfere with my ability to give them a better education that they might receive at a good public or private school. I'm not worried about the knowledge base at all...I was graduated with honors with my BS and DH is one of those "scarily smart" people so we've got that covered. Just wouldn't want my kids to miss out if I couldn't get my act together. Any of you struggle with this when you were first starting?

Thanks for any info...
Katie

 

[Princess Aurora45]

There is hardly any home schooling in the UK. When it does happen it is because of bulling problems or if you child is an performer (if they work in the theatre they work tonights and have the next day of school).

When I have kids I will send them to school. I was sent to a private boarding school, and loved it, I would of missed out on so much, and would really want my children to have the same experiences of doing school plays and sports. But then again if my children were really unhappy I would give them home schooling (get a governess).

 

[peg2001]

Originally posted by kadaten
I have a few years yet before any decisions have to be made, but I like to plan ahead.

Can any of you that do homeschool point out some of your favorite online info sources?

I'm not very organized and would have trouble getting a coherent, workable plan together and would worry that that would interfere with my ability to give them a better education that they might receive at a good public or private school. Just wouldn't want my kids to miss out if I couldn't get my act together. Any of you struggle with this when you were first starting?

First, I applaud you for thinking about all this so early. We never even considered homeschooling as a possibility until we had tried PS.

There are many good starting places on the internet. Homeschool Oasis has tons of articles. HSDLA isn't a bad place to start either, even if you aren't a conservative Christian as they are. Favorite authors (check your local library!) include John Holt and Rebecca Rupp. A general google search will give you more homeschool sites than you will every have time for! Similarly, there are many active Yahoo groups related to homeschooling. I have a favorite site for homeschool message boards as well and would be happy to PM it to you if you are interested. I don't want to post it here for fear some anti-homeschool sentiment may follow and disrupt those boards.

As for worrying, I've learned that ALL new and even most experienced homeschooling parents worry. For that matter, most parents with children in public or private school worry too. It comes with the territory.

There are many styles of homeschooling and I bet if you started to read and become familiar with them, one of them would speak to your heart. If you are less organized, more laid back, perhaps an eclectic approach would work well. This is what we do. We guide/teach specific skills (reading, math, etc.) and have a more child-led approach in the knowledge areas (history, literature, etc.) There is no need, IMHO, for a strict formal curriculum in the early grades. Young children are learning by leaps and bounds. Homeschoolers will often start requiring more formal work as the child gets older and especially through the high school years.

Finally, one way to look at it, what if your local school approached you and offered the following options:

1. You can register your child for their regular classes.

2. You can register for a new program where the child would be given one-on-one instruction, moved along at their own pace, and allowed ample time to follow their own interests.

Which would you choose?

Peggy

 

[sha_lyn]

kadaten


IMHO there are 2 improtant thigns to consider. Your teaching style and your child(ren)'s learing style. Hopefully the 2 mesh together well.

Basically what I mean is what is the optimun way you can teach, and what is the optimun way they can learn.

If you are like me and not organized at all, you might find that a very ecletic or unschooling aproach gives you too much room to be lazy. However a very set "school in a box" curriculum might be over whelming for a child who is procastinator like my DD.

We tried a "school at home" approach last yr (Calvert) that didn't go over well at all with DD. It wasn't creative enough for her, and had lots of work sheets. Toward the end she would cry when we had to do school work.

This yr we've been very eclectic, using various sources.
Saxon Math
Hooked on Phonics, Bob books and Color Phonics
Jason Expedition IV (science)
The Mail Box-Health and Safety
Many online free games and activities.

However while we've had a lot of fun this yr, this approach is too scattered for me. I feel we need more "flow" in what we are doing.

Now I'm looking at The Tanglewood School for next year. I had planned to order their history and literature for DD this yr, but she's still struggling with reading right now. Once she passes that hurdle we will be ordering most of their subjects. I like that it blends Classical Education (ie the Well Trained Mind) with the teachings of Charlotte Mason.

 

[kadaten]

Thanks, Peggy and sha_lyn, for all the info!

Looks like I have lots of research to do, just to see if this is for me and mine!

 

[dorisdvu]

Originally posted by sha_lyn
dorisdvu... Is that what she told you, or is that what you have concluded just because you don't like the fact that her kids don't have to be on a bus at 6:45. Do you really think it is easier to teacher your kids all day long, instead of putting them on a school bus?

Her mother (my aunt) told me this. In fact, my aunt and my cousin recently had a big fight over this issue and the child is now going to school. Since they live in the same household, my aunt could see first hand that no teaching was going on. As far as me not liking the fact that her kids don't have to be on a bus at 6:45, I could care less what she does. I was just using her as an example for how some parents can homeschool without being qualified. My original post said that I was curious how parents can teach a child, when they do not know how to do the work themselves.

 

[sha_lyn]

I was sent to a private boarding school, and loved it, I would of missed out on so much, and would really want my children to have the same experiences of doing school plays and sports.

Children do not have to miss out on anything because they homeschool. My kids participate in sports. Yesterday they both place in the AAU Tae Kwon Do GA State Championships (DD place 3rd, DS 2nd). We will be going to Ft Lauderdale in July for the national championships.

There are many opportunities for homeschoolers in this area in drama, theater, dance, music etc. A local children's theater offers a very good class..... the little girl, Dakota (I forget her last name) from that Sci Fi Channel series about alien abduction, trained there (no she wasn't in homeschool class). She was also the girl shown in the very beginning of the Movie Sweet Home Alabama as Reece Witherspoon's character as a little girl.


dorisdvu ... IMHO you are using baited questions to try to start a debate, which the OP does not want. If you want to debate the topic feel free to start your own thread.

 

[I Love Tigger]

There is hardly any home schooling in the UK. When it does happen it is because of bulling problems or if you child is an performer (if they work in the theatre they work tonights and have the next day of school).

I have to disagree as there are many homeschooling families in Britain and for many different reasons, not just because of bullying. Our son aged 12 asked us to home school him last year, as he felt so frustrated with the lack of progress he was making in his education at school. We now study a much wider range of subjects, at a pace that suits him, and he is so much happier than he was when at school. We only wish we had had the courage to do it much sooner, and have been surprised at the positive comments which we get when we explain that we now homeschool.

We see many of the reasons that Peggy gives for choosing homeschooling as being benefits we gain from educating at home.

Bev

 

[Michelemouse]

First, peg2001, your list is fabulous and sums up exactly how we feel.

Second, we chose to pull our DD(then7) out of 2nd Grade because she was bored and not getting the challenging work she needed. She would regularly ask the teacher for more challenging assignments (wanted to learn to multiply, wanted to read more advanced books, etc.) and was consistently told that she had to do the assignments the rest of the class was doing. The school's only option was to have her skip a grade but this was unacceptable to me as she is quite petite and, emotionally, she is right on track for her age. Putting her in a higher grade level would have solved the academic issues but brought equal social issues.

DD would be in a 6th grade class in the public schools but because we are homeschooling she is able to work at the 8th grade level. When she reached the 7th grade we began purchasing a program for her through Laurel Springs in CA. We did this because we wanted her to have a formal transcript of grades, particularly through the high school years. The Laurel Springs program has been great and has completely met her needs. They are flexible and willing to give each child the program that suits him/her best.

DS would be in the 3rd grade in public schools but is currently working at an early 4th grade level. We chose to keep him home because we were already homeschooling DD. He is currently doing much of his learning through a very open, unschooling type of environment. As he approaches 7th grade we will begin to transition him to a more formal learning environment and then purchase a program for him through Laurel Springs.

Both of my kids are very social and have no problem meeting and keeping friends. Socialization was my biggest concern when deciding to homeschool and I have made it a priority to put them in different social environments over the years.

Homeschooling is not the best choice for everyone. You must be committed to your child's educational needs and put those needs above your own. You must realize that you will have very little free, personal time and that your kids will be with you almost 24/7. And you must realize that there will be days when you want to pull your hair out and run screaming into the great unknown! But for us the trade offs (please see peg2001's list) have been more than worth it.

 

[Denine]

This is a wonderful thread!

My DD is 17 months. I hear about what is being taught in the public schools and DH and I just don't care for it. We have discussed homeschooling her. We both have college degrees. I know we have some time yet, but it is never to early to start thinking about it.

 

[Waffles]

Our kids aren't homeschooled, but my niece is because she's a performer. She's currently going to cyber school, but she did do regular homeschooling for a period of time last year. It's good for her because of her schedule, and she also wasn't being challenged.