Home Schooling

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I've goneto public school my wholelife and hated most of it until I went a tech school. I've alwayswanted to 'learn' at my own level. Therefore this summer, I'm going tohomeschool myself by doing 2 online courses through my college.:DIf all works well I'm going to do online in the fall aswell! Well, only because of ARBA Nationals being so close to me!
 
Ah, I went to public school until I was in the9th grade. I absolutely hated it because I felt I wasn't getting theeducation that I needed. I eventually went to homeschooling and let'sjust say, I was doing the happy dance! :D
 
I can certainly vouch for the opportunity for a better education through homeschooling.

Steph's grades in public school had dropped dramatically after we movedto PA. The major cause ofthepoorgradeswasdue to social pressures, teasing andphysical threats from other girls. Because ofthelow grades,she was not going to be allowed to take the hardercourses. The best thing we ever did was to take her out ofpublic school.

Shewill be graduating with 5 math credits, rather than the 3credits required bymost districts (she took two math coursesthis year), and will also be able to take advanced math andphysics-- something that would not have beenanoptionfor herin public school.

Pam
 
I was the same way, except the school screwed meover big time. When I transfered counties, they lost my file and thenput me in remedial classes, seeing that it was the onlythingavailable. The things I learned in middle school, I wasrepeating in high school and I couldn't take it. My grades dropped andI basically got sick of going. I went from being on the honor roll witha 4.0 gpa to a 2.3 gpa half way throughthe 9th grade. That'swhen mom called it quits and let me homeschool. I must say, I have tothank my mother for pulling me when I did. I was about ready to justdrop out and get my GED.
 
I homeschool my 4 year old. He will befive in September. We just finished K4 (preschool) and willbe doing K5 this coming school year. We used the ABEKAprogram also which I really love. At first I was worried alsoabout how to start and if I would be a good teacher. But onceI rec'd the curriculum I couldn't believe how easy they madeit. They actually tell you how to do everything. Icouldn't believe how much fun we had doing it. I have to saythat I love homeschooling very much. It is very exciting tosee how much he learns. He can now read one vowel and twovowel words and can write his name in cursive (not very neat butrecognizable). I buy what I can off the internet (used books)and right now I have about 80% of his books for K-5 and 1stgrade. I bought for 1st grade too because my husband will beswitching jobs and I just want to make sure that I am covered for 2more years. Anyways, I was able to save about 40% doing itthis way.

My decision to homeschool came because my husband and I were youthleaders for our church for 6 years. I can really tell thedifference between public school and home school children.Not only were the homeschoolers able to read better but they alsoconducted themselves a whole lot better. Of course there areexceptions.

I do make sure that my son stays active on the social level.He is in T-ball which he loves and we go to church twice aweek.

I do agree that it isn't for everyone and some kids do really well inpublic schools. It does take organization and determinationto do it. I say determination because I received alot ofopposition to my homeschooling at first but now they can really see thedifference.

I am sooooo... excited that there are homeschoolers on this forumtoo. Anyways, I need to be quiet now. I can just goon forever.........

Charlie
 
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone forall the great advice and stories you have told about yourexperiences.lol I was sent a info pack this morning, It alllooks great and easer to get started than i thought. But Ihave a big problem money! I don't want this to get in the wayof what my son and I really want to do, but at the momentIcant think of a way around it, I don'tknow how it works whereyou all are but here I would have to pay £1,500 ($2,706) fora full academic year, this is what I would get for that;

English/Literacy=a variety of books for use with the lessonsand comprehension material together with spelling, grammar andhandwriting resources.

mathematics/numeracy = key teaching resources, worksheets and games to play to reinforce the lesson material.

Science = appropriate science kits to accompany the curriculum material

I don't have any savings or spare money since I was laid offwork due to a hipproblem,I don't want to have toget a loan and get into dept, this is very frustrating its the onlything stopping me,I also know I will get a very mixedreaction from my family about home schooling, I know you will probablythink whats it got to do with them but you haven't met myGran! She was bad enough whenI told herIwas moving Jordan to a different school, I got really worked upwhenI had to tell her, as one of her daughters worked at hisold school. Then after a while things were ok, don't get mewrong we are very close but she is very controlling, Jordan recentlystarted home dinners, because he asked me if he could and I couldn'tsee why notit broke the day up a bit for him. WhenI told her she cried!!! Said it made her very sad becauseIwas taking him away from his friends, he only came home forabout1/2 and hour then went back for 1/2 an hour playtime. so I can only imagine what she will say tothis. All her 5 children had home dinners so I don't see theproblem with it. Because he is a only child and the otherchildren in the family are 10, 12 and 13,he only really playswith the10 year old in the holidays, as they live 15 milesaway (I don't have a problem with the distance but everyone else doesso we have to go to them as they think its to far to came here, myhubby drives to work everyday to the same place) Gran saysthe poor child doesn't have enough contact with other children so youcan see what shell think about home schooling,I haven't eventold my hubbyyet.I'mgetting worked upalready.
 
I dont think its home schooling against publicschooling.I loved my public school.i know severalfamiliesthat home school.I think its great to havea choice one size does not fit all.bluebird
 
I've gone to public school all my life. I willbe in 11th grade next year, but i think public school is better, youreally learn how to stand up for yourself and you're more sociallyinvolved.
 
One of the biggest misconceptions is thathomeschoolers lack social interaction. In many cases, theyare *more* socially interactive than they would have been in the publicschool environment. I have certainly found this true in thecase of my own children. Studies have shownthatstudents being taught social skills by other studentswith poor social skills is not a production way of teaching children tointeract with others. Our own school district agreed with meon this point and admitted to the poor social skills of publichighschool students in our area.

Here is an excellent site that addresses the "socialization myth".

http://www.familyeducation.com/article/0,1120,58-17910,00.html
 
What I find unfortunate with homeschooling isthat knowledge is not something you can pick from just one place, andeven some mis-information can be taught if taught by a single source ofinformation. By having different source of information (differentteachers) I think it greatly increases the critique skills and itbroadens horizons.

Just my opinion. I dislike ghettoisation.
 
Another misunderstanding about homeschooling.

In public school, students receive information from just one source persubject, per grade. Many homeschoolers are actually accessingmany sources of information -- not just one text or onecurriculum. Many also enroll in additional programs outsideof the home.

I've seen very poor teaching and lack of knowledge on a subjects notonly from public school teachers, but even from teachers at privateschools. Many schools are cutting back on teachers or hiringteachers who have little knowledge in the subjects they are actuallyteaching. One of our friends was dismayed that shehad to access the internet to teach her daughter difficult math skilland Latin because the teachers at the private school her daughter wasenrolled at were not familiar with the material.

"Public schools promote mediocrity" -- a quote from an areateacher. Teachers and school administrators themselvesarefrustrated by the lack of a good solid education in thepublic schoolswith only 30 - 50% of the students showingproficiency in math and English skills. The "No Child Left Behind"programs have resulted in"dumbing down" education in order tofalsely inflate testing resultsso the schools can receivefunding. Our evaluator was shocked to see that the CAT's havebeen literally sliced in half over thepast coupleyears.

My kid's proficiency scores actually went *up* after being removed frompublic school -- and we don't even specifically study the material onthe tests. Unlike public schools, we are not under thepressure of receiving funding depending on the test results.





Pam

 
Also wanted to add that I am appalled by thenumber of public high school seniors in the US that don't know how manystates are in the US, how many months are in a yearandgraduating seniors who can't even spell"graduate". I get emails from high schoolers that I can'tmake sense of due to their poor grammar skills. And this isthe "majority" of high schoolers who lack proficiency in basic skills-- not a minority.

When we moved to Pennsylvania, my son Ryan had to stop writing incursive because the 6th graders in our area can't read cursivewriting. Many Christian curriculum promote learning cursivewriting in preschool -- and in kindergarten, Matthew is alreadyproficient in both reading and writing in cursive.

I am alsoappalled that the mostimportant literaryachievement of mankind and the most widely read text *in the entireworld* -- the Bible -- cannot be studied in public schools.I'm not even a Christian,yet we study the Bible extensivelybased on the fact that this book has had such an impact onmankind. No other publication has ever, or will ever be morewidely read. But you can't even mention it in publicschool??????

Pam
 
I have to agree with lack of knowledge withteachers in some school systems. The school thatIgraduated from however has some awesometeachers!However, with school cuts on a hight lately Iwouldn't be surprised if their teacher knowledge will decrease. Thiscoming up school year there will be loads of change at the schoolwithteachers leaving,being moved to differentgrades etc. The teachers aren't even for sure where they will be comethestart of the school year. Honestly, thesurroundingschool systems are really starting todowngrade on their teachers. If I was still inpublic high school I'd surely want to be home schooled with the schoolsystems down grading.

Not to mention I've even seen a lack of knowledge with my collegeprofessors! Luckily I don't have to have any more math classes for mymajor! It seems those are the professors that lack in knowledge. At thesame time it could be their teaching habits as it seems they just getup in the front of the room and just start doing problems. They don'tactually explain anything till someone asks a question which is sadbecause in college you actually pay for your education. Another thing Ifound is in college they seem to have English professors that canhardly speak English themselves! That really errks me to know end as wehave to spend more time concentrating on every word that comes out oftheir mouth. We should be spending more time on 'learning' thematerial. The rest of my professors have been great! Especially in theAllied Health Departments which is very promising!
 
I have been homeschooled since 5th grade and I love it.

I disagree with the people that say homeschoolers don't have enoughtime to socialize. Well, I can tell you we do!! Often the people thatthink that way couldn't pick out a homeschooler from somebody that goesto a public school.

By the way, school is for learning not socializing. I believe mosthomeschoolers get better grades becausewe are abletofocus on whatwe are learning and we don't have toworry about anything (or anyone!) else.

May I suggest checking outhttp://www.calvertschool.orgitis a wonderful program and is very academic oriented.Thecurriculum comes from a school in Maryland and there isthe option of sending the tests to the teachers at that school forgrading.

That's all for now.

Lissa


 
pamnock wrote:

I am alsoappalled that the mostimportant literaryachievement of mankind and the most widely read text *in the entireworld* -- the Bible -- cannot be studied in public schools.I'm not even a Christian,yet we study the Bible extensivelybased on the fact that this book has had such an impact onmankind. No other publication has ever, or will ever be morewidely read. But you can't even mention it in publicschool??????

Pam




Pam,

My mom works in the public school in our town and is an active memberin the PTA organizations. The issue with religion here is that the kidsand parents more so than thekidsuse it as ascapegoat. I can only attest this in my town I dont know how it isanywhere else. These are middle school kids btw. If they can think itup they use any kind of religious excuse they can to get away withthings. So in that sense there is no leeway here. whenever exceptionshave been made for things concerning any religion there is an uproarb/c someone feels left out or offended and then this is pawned in someway for their kid to get a higher grade. I think some sort of religiouslearning class should be institued. It should invovle learning aboutall different kinds of religions b/c so many of them are so similar andfollow almost the same teachings. I think it would promote toleranceanddispel ignorance and lies concerning other's beliefs
 
i forgot to mention i think homeschooling isfantastic. I was never homeschooled, ..i went to catholic school K-10and then public school for my junior and senior year. I struggled thewhole time there with being bored. I still struggle even in college..iam able to catch onto things verry quickly and having to wait foreveryone else so that i can move on is sooooo frustrating..i feelinhibited. luckily the university i attend has a large offering ofonline classes! i absolutely love them! you are told what materials youneed, what you need to learn and when youre assignments are due. I amable to do and teacheverything to myselfat my ownpace and i find i do the best in these classes. and if there are everany problems, professors are only a phone call, email or office visitaway. i think for this reason, i could be wrong, that i would haveexcelled much better with homeschooling. I think homeschooling allowsfor a much more individualized program. and as far as socializationgoes, i never really hung out with the ppl i went to school with. Ivealways asssociated myself with ppl that are about 5 years older thanmyself. Im 22 and when i speak to other ppl my age i feel like i amtalking to a HS senior. Its impossible to communicate the level ofimmaturity kills me. mom and dad do everything for them ! i cant belivehow incapable so many ppl are these days and i think alot of it has todo with teh school system..everything is handfed and if there are anyproblems all mom and dad have to say is boo and everything is madeokay. princeton recently combated this problem but putting a cap on howmany A's were allowed to be given out i dont think this is necesarrilyfair either but much better than everyone being able to buy their waythru school...sorry for the rant :p
 

In one recent case, a mother was not allowed to read her kindergartenchild's favorite Bible story in class, but others were allowed to shareaspects of their religions.

Here'salist of well known and very successfulpeople who were homeschooled;http://users.safeaccess.com/olsen/famous.html

I found it really interesting. The list includes well knownssuch as John Travolta, whose wife now homeschools their children.

Pam
 
Personally, I think religion, any religiondoesn't have its place in school, but in a church (or place of worship)and is the parent's responsibility, not the teacher's.

my 2 cents. :angel:
 
I think the study of different religions shouldbe included in public instruction because nearly 90% of the world'spopulation is religious. Igraduated fromaprivate Catholic school, so religious instruction is not aforeign concept to me.

I also teach a Christian curriculum, however, I am an agnostic atheist.

You should hear some of the religious debates at our dinnertable! If you want to argue against a God in our household --you'd better know your Bible very well LOL

Pam
 
pamnock wrote:
Ithink the study of different religions should be included in publicinstruction because nearly 90% of the world's population isreligious. Igraduated from aprivateCatholic school, so religious instruction is not a foreign concept tome.

I also teach a Christian curriculum, however, I am an agnostic atheist.
Click to expand...


Really??? For some reason I just assumed your family was Christian orCatholic, because you talk about your kids going to youth group andsuch (I think I read that somewhere). Never knew you were an agnosticatheist.

:)

~Amy
 
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