Anyone homeschooling this year?

[EverythingDucks]

I've been homeschooled nearly all my life.
Compared to public schoolers I think I have a lot more interests because I've had the time for it. I love learning about nature and animals, and since I'm always home with my dogs I've enjoyed training them (and spoiling them), I'm staring a business making and selling pet clothes and accessories, and I like learning about politics.
I've learned how to research and learn anything I want.
I am taught how to think, not what to think.

When in school kids are told when they can use the bathroom, what to wear, when they can go outside (if at all), to only speak when told to, to only eat when told to, that there is only one correct way of thinking. Ect.
It's a very controlling environment for kids to grow up in. Kids nowadays are being raised by the government. Like sheep. They are brainwashed.
Parents don't know what their kids are being taught.


We currently use Acellus. We can do it completely on our own schedule. This is an easy way to get in Math, science, history, and language arts. That's not all we do though. We get lots of books from the library on subjects we're learning about. Read articles on it. And lots of field trips to learn more.

I would write more but I'm in a rush

 

[Pullet Press]

I've been homeschooled nearly all my life.
Compared to public schoolers I think I have a lot more interests because I've had the time for it. I love learning about nature and animals, and since I'm always home with my dogs I've enjoyed training them (and spoiling them), I'm staring a business making and selling pet clothes and accessories, and I like learning about politics.
I've learned how to research and learn anything I want.
I am taught how to think, not what to think

When in school kids are told when they can use the bathroom, what to wear, when they can go outside (if at all), to only speak when told to, to only eat when told to, that there is only one correct way of thinking. Ect.
It's a very controlling environment for kids to grow up in. Kids nowadays are being raised by the government. Like sheep. They are brainwashed.
Parents don't know what their kids are being taught...

You are my new best friend.

 

[cheepteach]

I've been homeschooled nearly all my life.
Compared to public schoolers I think I have a lot more interests because I've had the time for it. I love learning about nature and animals, and since I'm always home with my dogs I've enjoyed training them (and spoiling them), I'm staring a business making and selling pet clothes and accessories, and I like learning about politics.
I've learned how to research and learn anything I want.
I am taught how to think, not what to think.

When in school kids are told when they can use the bathroom, what to wear, when they can go outside (if at all), to only speak when told to, to only eat when told to, that there is only one correct way of thinking. Ect.
It's a very controlling environment for kids to grow up in. Kids nowadays are being raised by the government. Like sheep. They are brainwashed.
Parents don't know what their kids are being taught.


We currently use Acellus. We can do it completely on our own schedule. This is an easy way to get in Math, science, history, and language arts. That's not all we do though. We get lots of books from the library on subjects we're learning about. Read articles on it. And lots of field trips to learn more.

I would write more but I'm in a rush

I think you are lucky you are happy with your education, but don't have a fair opinion of public schools. As with home schooling, all is not equal. There are wonderful public schools that offer much more than the average home school experience. No matter how a student is educated, the parents are the primary teachers--should be involved.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

.....
I've learned how to research and learn anything I want.
I am taught how to think, not what to think.

When in school kids are told when they can use the bathroom, what to wear, when they can go outside (if at all), to only speak when told to, to only eat when told to, that there is only one correct way of thinking. Ect.
It's a very controlling environment for kids to grow up in. Kids nowadays are being raised by the government. Like sheep. They are brainwashed.
Parents don't know what their kids are being taught.
.....

Just FYI, some parents out there do have kids in public schools but they are very involved. We do know what they are learning and some schools/teachers/districts do let kids think for themselves. I know my kiddo in particular is known for having a different perspective and is no where near to a sheep. Mine will research areas of interest (all different kinds) and knows how to. Mine does think outside of the box and knows how to. And mine has been supported in a public school environment to do these things.

I'm piping up here because I too have looked deeply into homeschooling ever since mine was little. I believe in home schooling. And like many, I also checked into an independent homeschool program because of covid. Had mine been younger I would most certainly have chosen this route, as I think it will take longer for things to return to normal.. or semi-normal, than many think. For now we are doing distance learning through our school. Like some places, there have been some challenges, but because my kiddo has a lot of great skills the challenges are not set backs. Mine is able to go with the flow, think around the challenges, and prove to be rather creative, independent, and reliable.

While a school setting is certainly different than home, it still can be a good learning environment. Many types of learning environments are out there, and should be, because kids are not cookie cutters. Each one is unique.
And there are some really good and nurturing public teachers too. Not all districts, schools, or teachers should be painted as the same with one broad stroke of a brush.
...just sayin'

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

I'm doing Hybrid. My school has 2 options, full steam ahead with masks, or accelerate education. I'm doing virtual in the mornings, and in person in the afternoons. My sister is at home all day as her school does not require masks. Accelerate Education is doable, but not ideal IMO.

 

[Chickstarrs]

My youngest is in grade 12. He had the option of online courses but was definite that he did not want to do that. Our school board is doing quadmesters to reduce the amount of interaction between individuals. They have 2 classes/quadmester. They do one class all day every day for one week, then switch to the other class all day for a week. Since my son has a spare this quadmester, he gets every other week off to help his dad around the property at home. It certainly is a different year for learning and will take some getting used to. If my kids were still young, I would seriously consider homeschooling.

 

[cheepteach]

I agree that this remote learning is not so traumatic for older students who have benefitted from "normal" school experiences in past years. Glad my granddaughter is in 7th grade and still has a small group of "safe" friends

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

As an older child myself, I do find it difficult to be seperate from my friends. Glad two of my best friends sit by me in the afternoon. One has been drinking water through his nose. Gross

 

[FloorCandy]

So far I feel really happy about my choice to homeschool. I went to public school for my entire education and I’ve always felt that I received a great education. My 2 half brothers are 11 and 17 years younger than I am, and I saw them progress thru school, not much really changed. However, in very recent years, maybe 5-7 years, I’ve seen an abrupt change in the education system. I realize that where I live has a lot to do with my opinions, many places still have excellent public schools, however, NJ had excellent public schools, and I’ve seen some troubling things in recent years.

Last year my husbands best friends daughter was taught some really disturbing scared straight stuff about climate change, to sum it up, her teacher told her the world would end before she graduates (she was 10) if America doesn’t stop polluting. The text book backed this up. I’m fine with teaching kids to be responsible for their footprint, but don’t give kids nightmares.

Last year my daughter came home telling me she learned about Martin Luther King Jr, and she said some pretty harshly anti white things for a first grader. I spoke with her about how he lived long before she was born and it was not her fault etc. You can’t hang the responsibility of all the wrongs in the world on the shoulders of children, it’s too much stress for them.

I feel like for some reason, very recently, school became very joyless for kids even before covid. There are outside factors that aren’t even because of teacher interpretation or curriculum. It makes me so sad that my kids had lockdown practice, and that my 5 year old understood why they were doing it. But it’s one of those things, it’s a necessary evil if you want to attend public school. Now kids have to wear masks, get their temp checked, they needed to be taken for a covid test before school started. The feeling at the school is tense and fearful, no one touching each other, sitting alone at lunch. If you’re sad, your teacher can’t hug you. I was irritated already by the school policing my kids lunch, no nuts, no candy, no sweets, etc. but you can buy ice cream cups, cones, sandwiches, pre packaged at a markup, some with nuts. There are soda vending machines in many public schools, then they wonder why kids can’t sit still.

Perhaps if enough parents pull their kids out of bad schools, maybe the schools will have to change, maybe they can’t change and this is the new norm. I’m not sure where we are headed, but right now my kids are working on day 12 of 170 of their curriculum. It’s been hard every day, it takes a long time to properly monitor and help them, it’s harder than going to work ever was. But, they’ve made noticeable progress in such a short time. I just received an email from their old school, the distance learning kids will be receiving their textbooks this week! My kids have 12 full learning days, their friends using the schools distance learning haven’t even received books. Tbh I may not send them back. But I do look forward to the return of CCD class, karate, ballet and the other activities, because they really need to see other kids.