Hi everyone! I am brand new here and am still in the research phase of homeschooling. My DH and I have four children ages 11, 8, 5, and 4. I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom, but have never had any support from my DH. For the last nine years, I have been a public school elementary teacher (I've taught 2nd, 1st, K, and PreK). I've tried to make the best of it, although there are definitely aspects of my job that are not ideal. I put A LOT of time and energy (and money) into my job and try to do the best I can for my students. I and a lot of other teachers that I know really do have the best interests of our students in mind and it breaks my heart to read some of the stories of what children have been through at public school. I have seen my oldest DD (who has been identified as Gifted) be left to teach herself because she was so far ahead of the kids in her class, be shuffled into an older class for half the day to attempt to find a "reading group" she fit into, and be forced to work way below her ability in order to "keep the class together". Basically, the things she has learned at school have been through her own initiative to take her assignments to another level. My middle DD (also identified as gifted) is my social butterfly. She makes friends easily and gets along with everyone. She is almost always used as the "student teacher" to help the other children who are having trouble in class or who have discipline issues because she can get them to do their work. So, rather than getting to progress at her pace, when she finishes her work, she gets to repeat the same work again while she "helps" someone else. My youngest DD is the sweet, quiet kid that teachers often overlook. She goes with the flow and does what she's supposed to do even when others around her aren't. Her job in the classroom is usually to sit between two naughty kids to keep them separated. So instead of socializing with her friends, she sits quietly and keeps to herself. My DS just started Prek this year and has had a HORRIBLE time. He has issues with ADHD that we are still trying to get diagnosed and find an intervention for. We have been around and around with his teachers about how to deal with him-the way you word things for him is key-but she insists that she doesn't HAVE TIME to deal with him because she has 19 other kids. I won't go into all the details, but he has ended up on an IEP for speech and a behavior intervention plan that includes being removed to a special education room when he needs to "chill". Finally, through all the drama with our DS, my husband has opened his eyes to the downside of public school. He now realizes that our girls have never been given what they needed at school and that our son will also not receive the education he deserves and is capable of in public school. So, a couple of weeks ago, DH said "I think you should pull them all out of school and homeschool them." I almost fell over because he has NEVER even considered it being a possibility before. This time, though, he meant it. Our plan is to finish out this school year, then moved back to our hometown (a condition for our doing this has always been that I get to stay home with the kids if we moved back. It took 14 years for him to agree to it). He is going to try to find a job working the overnight shift and then work part time for his father during the day. It's going to be a BIG adjustment for our family, but I think it will be for the best. For the first time, we will have family close by to help with things like babysitting and driving kids to pracitices, etc. It will also help us a lot on the holidays because we won't have to travel. I'm really excited, but also a little nervous. I am very confident in my abilities with the younger two. Early childhood is my expertise. I'm pretty sure that i can even do 4th grade well. My biggest concern is my middle schooler. I'm trusting that this is the move that my family is supposed to make and that things will work out. Has anyone else made the move from public school teacher to homeschool mom (or dad)? I'd like to know that I'm not the only one.
My dear friends are both former PS teachers and they are HSing their kids (married couple who now teach college on alternating days so one is always home with the girls). I can't speak from personal experience, but I know others on here can... and hopefully will. What I can say is this: Relax. Educating your children is not really anything like teaching a classroom full. There will be some areas where you are at a distinct advantange and other areas where you may struggle to dump the classroom mindset. In the end, however, your love for your children will rule out over everything else and you will find what works best for them (even the older child).
Wow - your plans sound exciting. I really wish you every success! As a teacher in PS, do you find the learning style of boys to be very different from that of girls? At one time, at our local elementary school, I couldn't help but notice that EVERY child in our daughter's gifted class was a girl; there was not one boy. As parents, we observed that some teachers require boys to learn as if they were girls, and this caused problems. Indeed, the boys were just viewed as troublemakers because they had a hard time just sitting still. Could this be a factor in the issue you're facing with your son? Controversial question, I know, but it's what came to mind when I read your post.
Welcome! I taught Special Ed for 13 years, my husband still teaches in a public high school, though last year the district decided he was no longer qualified to teach the computer classes he'd taught for the last 15 years. He's technology certified, and if the district considers them BUSINESS instead of TECHNOLOGY, they get more money from the state. So now he's taking classes to become business certified, too :roll:. In the mean time, he's teaching high school math. ANYWAY, the biggest problem a former teacher often has is not being able to think outside the "school" box. Don't try to imitate the public school; we call that "school at home" as opposed to "homeschooling". Also, many times when you first bring your kids home, you need about a year to do what is called "de-schooling". Kind of "unbrainwashing" your kids, lol! Many things you will be able to teach your kids together. (Think of it as a small one-room schoolhouse, lol!). There's lots of currculum written for various ages, especially in science and history. So plan unit studies. Do what comes naturally for you, and ENJOY your kids!
I've never been a public school teacher. One of the most difficult things for most homeschooling parents is getting away from the public school mindset. I can only assume that it would be more difficult if that's your background. I agree with the pp. You should spend some time deschoooling. They can still learn during that time. Just keep it light. You will all need that time to adjust & get away from the public school way of life. Spend the time learning about your kids. What are their interests? What level work are they capapble of doing? What are their learning styles? Spend that time showing them that learning can be fun. I have 2 kids, both have ADHD & both are gifted. The best benefit of homeschooling is that I can allow them to work at their own pace. My daughter attended public school for Kinder. She was ahead of her class from the first day. The teacher wasn't allowed to give her more challenging work. So, she asked my daughter to help the other kids learn. She figured that it would at least give her something to do. Being home, working at their own pace, and being allowed more time for their own interests has allowed my kids to flourish. My daughter is 11 & my son is 5. There's myriad of materials to help with all grades. Many do find the Jr High & High School grades to be frightening, at first. There's so much out there, though. The big problem usually becomes figuring out which, of the many options, to use.
Welcome, Tiff! What a wonderful, exciting time for you! My story is VERY similar to yours, although I was not a teacher. I was in another professional field, but my husband also had trouble seeing the value of a stay-at-home mom. Thankfully he also came to see the light after not QUITE so many years! My main struggles were adjusting to the income loss and keeping my husband pleased. It was a new, entirely different lifestyle, from the income, to the homeschooling, to growing our own food to help make ends meet! There were some HUGE adjustments for everyone! I'm so glad to see you already making plans! That is so great! I think you'll get a lot of good information on this site. Try to take time to visit someone in your area who homeschools as well. They can be a wealth of information. Try to connect with a homeschool group. As to the school-at-home mindset, that IS a struggle, but for me, well....I could already see that the traditional methods weren't working - it appears you also have seen that. My middle son was ADHD, and I think that was what made my husband "click" as well. The struggle is in finding what fits in with your family. I think you'll get a lot of good info by reading some of the old posts on here. There's a wealth of information there. With multiple children (I had three spaced 11 years apart), we did a lot of unit studies. They worked WONDERFULLY for me, as I could gear each child's work to thier level. Then we supplemented with each one's own grammar(at times) and math. Everything else was brought into the unit studies. I hope you enjoy it here, and Best of Wishes on your exciting venture!
Wow, don't you have a bit of a change coming up -- but I think it will be wonderful. You can slow your pace and do what you do so well (teach) your favourite students ever, and at their pace and style. They are blessed to have you
there are others!!....... I went to school to be a teacher and quit just short of getting my degree, and I do know there is one other here that has decided to homeschool her children instead of going back to teaching.
After I posted the other day, I realized that I know a lot more than one couple who's chosen to go from PS teachers to homeschoolers. - I know two families where dad is a PS teacher but mom homeschools. - I know two moms who recently (in the last three years) quit teaching to homeschool. - I know one mom who teaches high school electives so she only works every other day (we have a rotating A/B day schedule here) and homeschools her children every other day. All that to say: You aren't a hypocrit. You aren't alone. What's best for the masses is often not best for the individual students.
Thanks everyone for the wonderful welcome. I am still a little nervous about the changes, but I am more convinced every day that it is going to be the right thing for us. Just to have the decision made has been a big weight off. I think the hardest part will be to stick it out through the next 7 or so months until the time comes. I love my students and they deserve the best, but I already find myself fighting the "I don't really want to be here" attitude. I am thankful, though, that I have some time to research and get some ideas as to how I want to do things before I actually have to make the jump. Thanks again for the welcome. I'm sure I will have many questions for all of you in the future.
Cornish Steve,I do intend to answer your questions, but time is scarce at our house right now. We are in the middle of swim meet season and getting ready to start gymnastics meet season. I haven't forgotten you though.
I still miss being in the classroom! But I sure don't miss all the crap and paperwork that went with the job! And I know that quitting was one of the best decisions I ever made. I'm hoping to be able to teach at the co-op next year. I'd like to teach the American Revolution first semester, and the Civil War second, to ages 8-11.
I soooo agree with Jackie. I taught high school physics and math for 10 years before I quit, but didn't homeschool until a few years later. I do NOT miss all the non-teaching stuff that goes along with the job. I LOVE hsing my kids, and tutoring other kids after school. I get to TEACH, usually kids who WANT to be taught. I also echo others in that your biggest obstacle might be getting out of the school mindset. Remember, worksheets, reports, or similar products are not the only way to show learning is happening. Best of luck! Carol
