Need Info on Homeschooling! (Updated)

[Isla]

Well, my 13 year old said the magic words today:

"Mom, I want to be homeschooled"

I have been waiting for her to come to her senses.

Please, any information you all can share, please post links or PM me.

I'd like to get organized and start ASAP!

Thanks~

Update: Wahooo, here we go! Apparently, she is sick of being in an overcrowded facility with a bunch of barbarians. "It's uncivilized" is what she said. She's been shoved, spit at, harrassed by the boys, etc.

So, tomorrow, we are going to send an official letter return receipt requested, withdraw her from her crappy public school, and go shopping for the appropriate textbooks.

This is really pretty cool.... she was getting weird on me for a while, but now it feels like I am getting my cool little chiquita back!

She hugged me and said "Mom, this is the nicest thing you have ever done for me!"

Now the real work begins...

 

[FrogDog]

I wish I could be homeschooled! Damn HS is a hell hole...

 

[Optimus]

Wow - you want to talk to my mom? She home-schooled 7 of us!

I'll look around for some info, but to say right off something important - make sure your daughter still gets plenty of social interaction. Sports, clubs, friends... whatever. The biggest drawback to home-schooling is when the kids don't get to socially develop properly (and they miss friends!).

Lemme see what I can find....

 

[Soybomb]

I'm sorry Isla I have no links for you, but I do urge you to think of the social development that public schooling brings about. I have some peers who decided homeschooling was the best for them, but now in college they are quite behind academically and not comfortable in many social settings. Are you ready to teach trig based phsyics, pre calc, and chemistry to your child? Important stuff I'm sorry if my thought are not quite what you are looking for but I just wanted to give me thoughts and nothing more Best of luck no matter what you decide!

 

[ltk007]

I would've liked to be homeschool, but the fact that I was smarter than my mom by the time I was in 6th grade made that a little difficult

 

[Optimus]

ltk - doesn't matter, from about grade 9 on we learned on our own or more from the home study course.

Of course, having someone smarter to go to for help is great, but Isla has this entire forum if needed!

 

[compuwiz1]

Home schooling is cool. Be careful that it's not an isolation tactic. Kids sometimes go thru bumps in life (peer pressure) and the path of least resistance is to find a way out. School is an environment where kids can develope needed social skills. Consider what kind of social life she will have if home schooled. Just some thoughts...

 

[konichiwa]

I agree with compuwiz. It's totally your choice, Isla, but if it were me I most likely wouldn't homeschool at all, and I certainly wouldn't so quick to make a judgement. I think, first off I'd ask her why she said so just now. Because if it's something like the kids made fun of her, she got dumped by her boyfriend, the teacher yelled at her, etc., it could just be a knee-jerk reaction.

I wasn't HomeSchooled myself and to be honest I'm glad I wasn't. Now, granted I went to a private High School so that may be part of why I feel this way, but I really think that the environment of a school is of the utmost importance. HomeSchooling can be very isolating. </rant off>

Just my opinion, take it with a grain of salt. Or maybe two?

 

[micron]

Try the HSLDA. Or Switched-On Schoolhouse.

 

[Viper GTS]

...I do urge you to think of the social development that public schooling brings about...

It's not all it's cracked up to be. Properly structured home-schooling can give just as much, if not more, social development than the pseudo-social public school environment. For example...

Did you know that legally public schools cannot exclude home-schoolers from participating in activities? That's right, band, orchestra, sports, field trips, etc. can all be arranged with a local school. I was in orchestra for four years, as were both my brother and my sister. They were both also involved in PE, field trips, &amp; other school activities. Develop a relationship with your local principal, &amp; use it to your advantage.

Also, there are groups that specialize in providing extra-curricular activities for home-schoolers. When I was home-schooled I took swimming lessons during an aquatic center's home-schoolers time.

The &quot;social&quot; development obtained in high-school &amp; middle school is more how to get drunk, high, and laid with your fellow peers. If that's what you want your children to learn, go for it. I haven't been in a public school since I was 12, &amp; I haven't missed a damn thing.

Viper GTS

 

[BoberFett]

Looking at the product of public schools lately, I'm not so sure I necessarily want my daughter being &quot;socially developed&quot; in that environment. There are other ways to put your child in social settings.

Isla

Home schooling is going to differ greatly from state to state, from what I understand. You could start by hunting around Florida state web sites.

 

[Total Refected Power]

ISLA:

I echo Soybombs sentiments. But of course it depends on the quality of the school she is attending. We have been out of high school for some time but in my day I took AP Biology, AP physics, AP English and AP Calculus. Add computer science (a must these days!) to the mix and it very heady stuff to be competent in. There is no way I could have been helped from anyone in my family. I am not saying you are not capable of doing it but sounds like a tough experiment.

Also make sure she is just not running away from something. My first year was an adjustment academically but after a few months all was well.

It is a difficult decision and only you and your family knows whats best for your children. I had a blast in High School and wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

 

[denali]

Isla, Have you ever listened to Home Education Radio Network, you should be able to listen to it on WWBA 1040AM on Saturdays at 5:05pm.

Also check out Google home schooling directory.

 

[Isla]

Soybomb,

You are absolutely correct, and it is a big undertaking. I'm only planning to do it through the middle school level at this point, but if she wanted to be homeschooled for high school, Mr Isla could easily provide instruction in higher math while I handle the sciences, English, etc. Our combined backgrounds should serve her needs well.

Ultimately, we will send her to a private school(for high school) but we will have to wait another 18 months before the budget will allow.

So, I am just looking at homeschooling her for roughly one year--- the 8th grade.

Ironically, this is a child who is a social butterfly. However, she seems to want to take a break and likes the idea of finishing middle school at home and then entering a private high school year after next.

I have a tendency to pay very close attention to my children's 'cues' and it really seems she has had enough of the crappy system for now. This is the best temporary solution for now.

 

[Viper GTS]

Add computer science (a must these days!) to the mix and it very heady stuff to be competent in. There is no way I could have been helped from anyone in my family.

So what's your point? The parent doesn't have to be an expert in everything to effectively home-school. Past 5th or 6th grade, most of the learning is handled by the child, or through correspondence schools. Besides, home-schooling feeds perfectly into the community college environment. I went from being home-schooled to full time at a local community college, &amp; that's where I got my calculus, physics, chemistry, engineering, etc. &quot;AP&quot; classes are a bunch of bull, they're just toned down collge material. Give me the real thing.

Also, the college environment is much more conducive to learning. With very few exceptions, community college students are there for one reason - To learn. They're not there because they have to be, they're not there because all their friends are there. They're there because they want to better themselves. Having been in college, it pains me to walk into a high-school. People that are my age are so... Immature. Even if the same material's being offered in the high-school as in the college, the college will provide the better learning environment.

Viper GTS

 

[Electric Amish]

Social interactivity in HS??

Not for me. I went to a public HS and I hung out and took classes with the same 4-5 people that I hang with today....

Did not join any clubs.
Did not participate in any sports.
Did not attend any dances or sports activities.

Also, both my parents worked, so they couldn't home school, not to mention the fact that, like ltk, I outpaced their knowledge relatively early..

My AP classes (English,History,Calc,Physics,and Chemistry) weren't toned down college classes. I took more of those classes in college and they were right in line with what I learned in HS.

amish

 

[konichiwa]

<< The &quot;social&quot; development obtained in high-school &amp; middle school is more how to get drunk, high, and laid with your fellow peers. If that's what you want your children to learn, go for it. I haven't been in a public school since I was 12, &amp; I haven't missed a damn thing >>

I'm of the belief that anybody can get into this if that's what they choose. Like I said I went to a private high school, but it had just as many drinkers, potheads and parties every weekend as any other school. I even had friends who were into drugs and alchohol...but I've never smoked a joint/cigarette/drank a beer/shot/done any other drugs in my life. So I guess what I'm saying is that a kid doesn't really need a school to teach him/her how to do this if that's what he/she wants to be doing. It'll happen anyway (IMO).

 

[ltk007]

<< The &quot;social&quot; development obtained in high-school &amp; middle school is more how to get drunk, high, and laid with your fellow peers. If that's what you want your children to learn, go for it. I haven't been in a public school since I was 12, &amp; I haven't missed a damn thing. >>


While a large part of that is true (not that I'd know anything about any of that, especially the laid part ), I know that personally I'd miss the social interaction from my high school. I'm a pretty introverted person, but I have a select group of friends, and they make going to school and being forced to learn a little more tolerable.

 

[Viper GTS]

...but I have a select group of friends, and they make going to school and being forced to learn a little more tolerable...

Thank you, Evan, you said it better than I could have.



[EDIT]Not to slam you, of course, 'cause I felt the same way when I was in the public school system. I was bored, &amp; I hated it.[/EDIT]

Viper GTS

 

[Total Refected Power]

Viper:

My point is who does the student (child) go to when there someting good ole mom or dad doesn't understand? We also tend to emphasize our strengths and neglect areas that we are less competent in. I sure wouldn't want ONE teacher for all my classes just as I wouldn't want one physician to be responsible for all my health care needs. Plus, how do you do labs and obtain a practical understanding of the theory? Quite often this is where things fall into place.

Perhaps I just had an exceptional experience.

 

[ltk007]

Hey, you are forced to learn at home as well. I can't stand learning something that I know I'll never use, seems like it would make more to focus teaching on more selective skills for some kind of career starting at a younger age. In 10 years whether I knew the molar mass of 1.24g of NaCl is not gonna matter. It just bugs the hell out of me.

 

[Soybomb]

Right on koni!
I was public schooled and really have no regrets about it either. Of course there are groups of potheads, drinkers, etc, but it teaches you who you should and should not associate with. I wasn't involved with many clubs or activities or anything either, but in classes is still where I met all my friends. So you cant exclude a child from teh sports teams etc just because they don't go to the school? How much fun is it going to be for them to be the stragner standing out on the field while everyone is talking about what the teacher did today?

 

[Viper GTS]

My point is who does the student (child) go to when there someting good ole mom or dad doesn't understand?

Home schooling isn't for everyone. Up through middle-school, keeping up isn't that difficult. Beyond that, people generally seek other options. I went to college, some people go to private high schools. Honestly, though, I NEVER asked questions in school, so not having an &quot;expert&quot; there didn't mean anything.

As for labs, experiments, etc... That's where other options come in. I had some chemistry while I was home-schooled, probably above average for that grade level. But my real experience came in college.

Home-schooling is not designed to be the end-all solution, it's an alternative for the crucial years of a child's life. Once somebody reaches high school age, they're pretty set in who &amp; what they are. Then other options are available.

How much fun is it going to be for them to be the stragner standing out on the field while everyone is talking about what the teacher did today?

Why does it matter what the teacher did today? In a year, nobody will remember or even care what the teacher did that day. As for being a part of the group, that greatly depends on the personality of the individual(s) involved.

Viper GTS

 

[Optimus]

TRP:
We all learned fine and far surpassed our parents in knowledge level at the time. Research, the Internet, and discussion can figure out anything you can learn at that age!

Soybomb:
When done right, being homeschooled is like going to a different school from your friends. It worked out great for us, and sports, friends, etc... were all part of it. I have seen it done badly though - as long as the home doesn't turn into a compound!
Honestly - I totally see what you worry would happen to kids, and it can. But take it from those of us who were homeschooled here - if we had hated it we would not be saying it was/is a good thing! (Its not a cult)

Also - it isn't for everyone. Some kids need more social interaction, or more structure. It all depends, and the parents must know and react to their kid's needs.

 

[BoberFett]

Different strokes for different folks.

I hated every minute of high school. I had a couple good friends, and didn't socialize much outside that, and save for a year of track in junior high didn't do any school sports; I played on community and traveling soccer teams instead of the school one. As for learning, I screwed around in class, never did homework, disrupted the teacher, and generally didn't get much out of it.

But I would have done the same thing being homeschooled too. Heh.

I should have just entered the workforce at 14.