Just food for thought I think, but what part of public or private schools do you wish you could recreate for your child in your home school environment? I was reading over the why you homeschool this week thinking, ya but..... There are simple things I wish I could get my kids into and still be the one controling ( yes I am keeping it real) thier learning situations and such. I think I would like them to be on a team, other than our local jr sports teams here... but one that they can walk around with friends who are also on that team ... I really enjoyed school sports as a jr/sr higher and even in grade school I was into track and feild. We can only do so much here with that, they have all the info for sports go to the schools, so I have to learn about it by going to city hall andhope its not too late. I would like them to be in clubs that help set up for big events-- thus I push my kids to join up with events at our church to help set up decorate etc. Problem is most of the kids at church dont join in so then they are again seperated. I would rather not be the brunt of thier anger when they hate school, which is part of life but when you are teacher and mom you get the brunt of it all. It is hard to keep a good eager teaching possition when you are not appreciated lol! I wish they could go help out in another class room- so I spend three hours wandering around one night a week so dd can help 5-10 yr old girls learn about the bible and play games. I loved the dances, even though I went alone or withjust a group of friends and rarely danced I love it just being in the crowds--- so I allow my teens to go to concernts with thier youth group... So- What do you do to make jr/sr high as exciting as it was for the kids? I guess mine are seeming bored lately with doing school so even though the work is exciting and challenging I need a shot in the arm so to speak a jumpstart to get me through the rest of this 2008 year. ***Question is what do you wish you could put in your homeschool that was good about JR SR high school or even grade school?
A long break each day for me? I am certain I would quickly tire of that though. There really is nothing to miss for us.
I would like my kids to be able to participate in gym and sports teams. Thankfully right now, my 3rd grader is allowed to go to "Saturday basketball" at the school with all the other kids. He loves that. I also wish they could go to art class and to science (which I hate teaching). I like to make sure they have the basics in math and language but would like help sometimes with some of the other classes. I also wish my kids could go to band. Both of my children take instruments already - piano and violin but I'd like them to be able to go to band.
I honestly cannot think of one thing I did in jr. or sr. high that my kids will miss out on! (if we continue homeschooling that long - we INTEND to, but sometimes life circumstances change the game, ya know?) We happen to be in an area where there are a lot of homeschool groups, so I'm fairly sure they'll be able to be a part of the things I did in those grades (chorus', bands, plays, dances, etc). Not to mention Science, History and what-have-you fairs. Our favorite is International Day where each kid prepares a presentation of a country and displays it, etc.
Well, my ds already goes to band at the middle school, so we are ok there...I guess I wouldn't mind the sports aspect...the hs kids can only do one activity...so he will have to chose band or something else as he gets older. There aren't any school sports until next year. He is pretty small so I don't think he is going to be that interested in sports or girls...so the dances are not a big deal yet. How about hanging out with kids you don't really like just so you are not alone at lunch? oh wait. you wanted GOOD things. hmmm
There is not too much that my kids will miss except on the larger scale. I am blessed to be in a community that has sports for homeschoolers, mind you it is seperate for ps leagues but they can still compete and have fun. We have a hs prom so they can go to a dance once a year. Co-op provides class room settings and opportunities for involvement. The only thing I can think of is some field trips (programs at museums that are cheaper for parents of kids in ps than the homeschool groups) and some of the technology. We can not afford some of the fancy things that the ps has but I think the trade off is well worth it.
The only sport that our local schools have is football really. They list a few other sports, but it is the sort of thing where they only put in those sports because I guess some law said they had to have stuff for girls too. So, they have a golf team what allows 5 kids total. There are over 3000 kids in the high school. The tennis team has 30 or so kids, but that includes all of the high school and the 7th and 8th grades for the middle schools, so those kids draw from over 5000 kids. Unless you are very very elite and advanced, you cannot even do tennis. My son got on a waiting list for chess club one time when he was in school but never got on. My neice is very naturally talented in singing and has won awards over it from places other than school. She took voice lessons for a while and then was able to get in to the 6th grade choir. But my own daughter thought about going back to school at about that age, but could not get in to beginner band. It was the first year they offered it. Turns out, you had to have already had private lessons prior to the first year in order to make first year band classes. The public schools never offered it before 6th grade so unless you were wealthy enough to pay for private things, you could not do that sort of thing. Now, privately, I pay for cello for my daughter. It costs over $300 a month. She would have had to have done this for at least a year before 6th grade to have gotten in to 6th grade band. We live in Lewisville ISD in Texas..I call it "LISD; the Land of No Opportunity." What really gets to me is all the taxes I pay for other peoples children to go there and do those things. Of course, only the wealthy kids get to do the extra curricular stuff because they had previous extensive private training. The parents I have asked who have children on tennis tell me their children did private lessons from 5 or 6 yrs old on up. The parents of the kids on band generally tell me their kids took at least piano from early grade school on up to make beginner band. I do not see where it is lawful to force us to pay taxes for those elite programs that are denied to the ordinary people. But how would you go about fighting it?
I went to a secondary school - 7th through 12th. I had fun at the dances and football games and just getting together during lunch and talking. Oh - I liked sharing a locker too - cause my BF and I would always meet up there. However - then I look at the schools now.... the "high school" here is only going to be 11th and 12th next year because of space issues and so many other things like that. They don't seem to have as many after-school things as we used to have because there are a ton of kids "hanging out" at McDonalds all the time. Just gets a little much. I went to a good HS in my opinion - however I can't tell you a dang thing I "learned"
We are also in an area with a lot of groups and park district sports. In fact, we are fotunate to have full, sometimes traveling, sports teams in about every spot through the park district. DD has been ona competitive cheerleading team for a year and it goes through 18 years old. I suppose I wonder if she misses it for the social part. She still sees friends on a regular basis, but considering how unhappy PK was for her, I think the social part with the kids was the saving grace for her. Occassionally she mentions that they still go without her, but she told my mom today how happy she is she does not have to go to school - so it must not bother her that much.
What is there to miss? I am fortunate to live in a location that has co ops and many homeschoolers so I probably already have that as an advantage. Plus the ps s around here allow the home school kids to participate in their sports programs. I put my 2 ds s in a dance studio so they get an outlet there plus we belong to a co op that meets every Monday. Plus AND THIS IS VERY BIG to me, they are involved in their youth group. However, this youth group is not just a hang out. It is a youth church complete with young married leaders that have small group meetings during the week. The kids are divided according to age (middleschool girls in one home and middle school boys in another, high school girls in one place and the boys in another, college-age men in yet another, etc...)and this has been so awesome for them to get to know kids their own age. They are able to form bonds when the crowds are down; they can let their "hair" down at these groups. But there are parents that don't have "time" to let their kids go to things like this. Kids need this, especially hs ones. Our youth leaders support what parents are teaching in the home. I've seen massive changes in my kids these last couple of years. Social output? Be cautious. Our kids are like sponges, who do you want them to soak up? When it comes to sports, I've always encouraged my kids to be involved BUT, the hype associated with some sports overshadows a greater probem...lack of integrity, honor, and sportsmanship. Not all coaches are role models so be careful who you allow to model for your kids. Look for adults and peers that are strong morally and ethically. Teaching your children to serve is a great avenue to teach community and government involvment and duty. Invite other friends to come over for fun days. And you, Mom, be an example by spending time with your friends too! Host a Mom get-together...after holiday tea. Pajama and popcorn evening with the "girls". Cookie or ornament exchange with other families. Collect something for a homeless shelter. Host a bake sale to raise money for camp with another family. There are many ways to find social outputs. Music? There is so much available on line now days. My oldest taught himself how to play guitar and is now learning to read music. Then he taught himself to play 5 harmonica's (each one has it's own key) from watching youtube videos. WHO KNEW? He is now teaching at least 3 other people how to play the bass guitar for free. If you can dream it, you can find a way to it with God's help. Take your teens out for coffee! They love it. Yadayadayada... lol I'll chat more later. Beth
We use a charter school so that takes care of all the outside stuff maybe I felt like they might miss out on when they left ps since when they left ps they were going into the 7th and 5th grades. Our charter school offers workshops and has sports teams, however you have to be a high school student in order to actually play but anyone can come to practice. So that's a little tough, but really my kids are only interested in basketball and bmx. So they do the yearly 3 month tournament and then we have to drive 2 hours away from home to race their bikes. Since everything close to us closed and there's nothing else my kids are interested in. I don't regret hmsing it's just a different way of life, and truly going from one event to another just was to time consuming to even get their homework done in ps.
I was going to say music/theater. Right now my kids are dressed up at pirate princesses and my son is a space pirate and dancing to pirate songs. So for now I don't think they are missing it.
I'd love for Jeanne to have a real music class. Four years later, we still don't have one, and I try to scrounge something up each week. I wish homeschool classes were held to the same standard public school classes are. I'm getting so tired of putting up with what we can get cause it's all we can get.
As of now, I do not think Ems is missing anything. We used to be enrolled in a private program that allows homeschoolers to take classes, play sports, and participate in school dances, including prom. So if the time comes that I see Ems is missing someting, perhaps I might enroll her again. But I do not see myself doing this.
Did you ever look into reader's theatres, Amy? You know, just some story made into a script? You've got four participants! There have been some I've found, but with just Jeanne and me, it wouldn't be easy.
Has anyone read the book "Do Hard Things" by Brett and Alex Harris? There are lots of great things our older children can do if we break out of the limits of public school thinking. If we think of our teens as small adults instead of big children, it changes our perspective about what they can do.
I am sure they can do a lot, Id rather keep them young though I am not looking to grow them up fast. I have only one problem with the different hs groups in my area , they seem to have people on the othe rend of town and I am kind of my own person as for what they learn. I want them to learn certain ways and near me there is a great co op, we go to that, but this year we are not taking the science class, as we are not on that one yet, it is at ds's level next year I think? And the History one is great, but we only meet up for certain times, so thats okay to but.. I want PE, I am not a paid member yet, the how to be part of the big organisation part I have not yet come across, I thught I could do it online someone said no, so still have not joined officially that way, I have paid my dues for CO Op though like a good mama! hehe I really need to get us into some sort of PE thing, but like someone mentioned, how do we do this if its not there? and someone else said they are tired of doing only what we can... I agree with that. And we have done dramas with the older two but nwo the youngest asked me why he never gets to do wht they got to do.... so I may have to start up the Jr Choir and Drama team just for him? YIKES!
A PHYS ED SOLUTION!!! Check this book out- Homeschool Family Fitness, by Dr Bruce Whitney. It has fitness tests, phys ed stuff to do as units, even a President's Challenge like back in my day. I'm halfway through this book, and it is dynamite. I think even my Mama Cass butt can do this, it's just a matter of making it a priority. You build up in this program, so you don't even have to start out being fit to teach your kids. In fact, they encourage you to be real with your kids about your fitness level.
I'm disgusted with our gym because of the same old same oldness of it. It's always team sports of some kind, and Duck, Duck, Goose every few weeks. My third grader doesn't need DDG, she needs activities more on her age level, that will build her up.
