I am homeschooling 1 now

Discussion in 'Homeschooling' started by homeschooler06, May 6, 2014.

  1. homeschooler06

    homeschooler06 Active Member

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    Last edited: Jan 25, 2016
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  3. CrazyMom

    CrazyMom Banned

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    I think you're making a really smart choice. Of course that's just my opinion..lol.

    I can't imagine doing anything different than home school for elementary. I really think public schools get elementary wrong. It doesn't have to be miniature academia. It can be so much more flexible and self-led and joyful. It can be experience based, immersion based, interactive, and SO much less stressful. Kids have their whole lives to be under stress, deadlines, performance reviews. Why start this at a time when it doesn't remotely matter and can cause more harm than good? There's more than one way to do elementary that produces a strong reader who can organize his/her thoughts in writing, and can do basic math. That's elementary ed in a nutshell. Those three goals. If you're getting those three things done...you're accomplishing elementary ed.

    But high school is a little bit different animal, isn't it? If your kid is interested in a career that will lead him to college...the expertise of the teachers is going to make a difference for him. The level of challenge available will make a difference, too. And lets face it, as kids get older, one of their NATURAL psychological crises...is the need to establish independence from their parents and learn to function under their own guidance. That will also make a difference for him.

    I was pretty skeptical about letting Ellen go to public school. I had intended to home school all the way through. But the interesting thing about schooling our kids, is that they grow up and start to have opinions of their own...about the direction of their lives. You still have to be a parent, but if you're not listening to them, you're not giving them much credit. You're not acknowledging that they are resourceful, capable people who can handle themselves. I don't think it's healthy to infantalize older kids. Too much helicopter-mommy can be crippling. Not to say that you won't have a million safety discussions and won't set a few limits he won't care for...but the conversation has to be there. You have to listen to their side, too.

    Frankly, there is no way I could teach the math my daughter does. I'm not ashamed to admit I don't have the aptitude for it. Her math teacher is really special to her, because he shares her enthusiasm for math in a way I never could....and he knows HOW to celebrate her progress in a way she can FEEL, you know? She has other teachers who have been incredibly important to her for other reasons, too. I NEVER expected to have such a positive experience with public school. I went in sort of expecting to have ruffled feathers and a fight here and there....but we've not experienced a single bump. The standard of education she's had access to...frankly, amazes us.

    I love that she has friends. I love that she brings them home! I always have extra kids around, and I love them all. I love that she's had the chance to date a little bit and go to dances, and be part of a theater group and have a best friend. I think these things have been really important to her, and have enriched her life.

    I'm also incredibly impressed by her teacher's and counselor's involvement in writing recommendations, pulling strings, documenting volunteerism, doing everything in their power to help her with college admissions and getting scholarships. They've really pulled for her and gone above and beyond what anyone would expect. They made a huge difference for her.
     
  4. homeschooler06

    homeschooler06 Active Member

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    We saw the inside of school and not impressed. Papa and Nana are going to help pay for some of the classes at a local expensive 'enrichment' co-op with one condition - she must take Spanish. They feel it is very important to take Spanish since the areas were we would live after the Navy have lots of Spanish speaking peoples.
     
  5. CrazyMom

    CrazyMom Banned

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    If the school didn't make you feel safe or felt "wrong" you're doing the right thing! Always a good idea to check things out and have a plan B:)

    Sounds like a great plan B. Good luck to your daughter with Spanish. A second language is a brilliant idea for all kids, IMO.

    Is your son going to the co-op, too? Or is he still insisting on trying public?
     
  6. homeschooler06

    homeschooler06 Active Member

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    He is still going to school which is just down the street.
     
  7. LLMom

    LLMom New Member

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    I homeschooled 2 through high school and won't do it again. I have 2 more high school kids now and they are in school. Best decision we have made for them.
     
  8. martablack

    martablack New Member

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    In our state Homeschooling high school is a nightmare. I did a couple of advance classes for my middle schooler but couldn't commit to doing it full time.
     
  9. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    I'm schooling a high schooler right now. She's in 10th grade. My only problem with it is her slow work pace.
     
  10. TeacherMom

    TeacherMom New Member

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    I actually sent all three out at one time or another, for at least a year> personally I saw personality changes that I would not have had at home, but over all it was good for them to get out when they did.
    The one I hsed till 11th grade and sent out for 12th is an honor student at a University now, one I sent out in freshman year is not as well of a student because of bad habits he picked up at his private school. Now the last one went out for his one year, we are bringing him home and working with some issues. One being staying on task which he did not have much of last year so we allowed him to go to his friends private school for a year. The friend switched to public school mid year due to other personal issues so we are now not looking at the in class time as a plus. Not enough kids for sports either.
     
  11. mschickie

    mschickie Active Member

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    We actually pulled sd out of high school. At this point we would not let dd go to ps for high school. There are way too many opportunities homeschooling and she can get just as good or even better of an education at home than she could from the local school without all the bs in the ps.

    That all being said you have to do what is right for your family and your child. Just because your choice is not my choice does not mean it is not the right choice for your family.
     
  12. TeacherMom

    TeacherMom New Member

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    "like"
     
  13. ShellChelle

    ShellChelle Member

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    I'll be down to one homeschooler in the fall, too! My daughter decided she wants to give high school (9th grade) a try. We went to an open house last Friday at the only International Baccalaureate academy in our city. My daughter has other formerly-homeschooled friends who are there now. She liked it, so we sent her test scores to the principal as soon as we got home, and she was accepted on Monday.

    I think she is so excited and relaxed about going because she knows that she doesn't have to! My husband and I have told her that she'll always be able to return to homeschooling (and I kind of hope that she will).
     
  14. traceycm1

    traceycm1 New Member

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    The bs in the ps.... Love it!! Hehe
     
  15. Maybe

    Maybe New Member

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    I sent my older to public school high school. It was one of the top ranked in the state. But, I still think home schooling was better. I see how things turned out for the people who continued to home school and for mine. Mine were successful, so great to that. But their opportunities were limited. The teaching was all test oriented. My children took tons of AP classes. AP classes, it turns out, are about preparing for the AP tests. Also, there were state tests. Add the tests that everyone going in to college has to take... SAT, ACT, PSAT, SAT 2....it is just a nightmare. I counted up that my daughter spent more than 40 days out for testing in junior year, and our state only has about 168 school days. The rest of the time was spent on prepping for those tests.
     
  16. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    Unless someone comes beating down my door begging me to school their kid(s), I will be HOMEschooling 1 in the fall. My DGS who is 9 will be in 4th grade. As heartbroken as I am that I won't be schooling multiple kids anymore, I'm starting to look forward to doing school in our jammies, not rushing out the door in the mornings, him having no HOMEwork after school... Actual fieldtrips! Field trips can be hard when you're in charge of OPKs. With only him, we can be spontaneous and pretty much leave when we want and get back when we want! We've never been able to do that! Technically, he's not MY kid, so the OPKs in my signature are still OPKs, but I'll only be adding one more when his little brother starts with us too.

    I've also got him to a place in Reading and English that we can do just ONE lesson of each a day and still finish by the end of the year, so maybe we'll have time for penmanship, art, music, and Cub Scout stuff.
     
  17. Maybe

    Maybe New Member

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    Exact same thing here.
     
  18. Maybe

    Maybe New Member

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    If I could afford a good private school, that option might be different for us. But, where we live, the cheapest private school is over $15K a year. The good ones are pretty much over $20K a year.
     

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