HOMESCHOOLERS...any one

[tobin123]

Oh My Gosh,you all rock, I am so happy that thi sis turning out great and useful for all of us.
Here is our story>>My DS went to PS in K (for 2 wks) then I pulled him out and put him back in for 1st well he broke his arm/elbow,at home on the wood pile,no cast just a brase thing.So he was home for several weeks teacher did send homework BUT no school papers or anything that she was teaching during school time therefore he was behind.I decided to go in with him and sit in a little chair so that he could get caught up(that sucked)I had to make sure NO BODY BUMPED HIS ELBOW AT ALL!!!!!I would go do PTO things to have a break from sitting.YES,I joined the PTO so that I could watch over every move at that school,I am a SMOTHERING MOTHER HEN(so I have been told).And we had him put in a class for 15 minutes with the speech teacher well we went through the same thing he never had time to finsh class work,school didn't care . I pulled him out of that class and they asked WHY Itold them she isn't giving him time to finish.FAST FORWARD the teacher said he passed 1st BUT he will struggle in 2nd,H E L L O WHAT`WHY`are you passing him.He went onto 2 and lets justI cried when I took him in,I panic a lot and had hime start back 2 wks late bc I was not sure what to do.Two months left of school I went into that school and pulled him out for good YES for good.We have been schooling at home since.
SO I KNOW CRAZY,YES BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE TO HELP ME THROUGH THE PANIC STAGE HUBBBY WAS AT WORK AND I DON'T LIKE TO BOTHER HIME WITH MY PANIC ISSUES.
We r at home and will be forever and ever.
I hope I didn't scare you all with my story hopefully I got you to laugh at least.Keep writing and please stop by to read my blog of our daily life.
JAMIE:

 

[Chickenmaven]

wildorchid - I hear you!
I homeschool because special ed was harmful to my child - emotionally AND intellectually. Public schools have a very hard time giving special needs kids what they require educationally - and their attempts to mainstream kids are feeble, at best. Educational systems are based on an industrial model...send as many little cogs down the production line as possible. The large class sizes and "one size fits all" instruction is supposed to maximize "output." Fine, we are efficiently teaching the average kid. That means that "outliers" (the kids that are outside the middle - either too far ahead or behind) do not have their needs addressed. But we have "special ed," right? Okay, that's great.

Except the entire school is set up around the idea of this UNIFORM PRODUCT (the so-called average child). Average is the expectation. The classes are large. How on Earth can you expect a class of 27 kids, who are being *indoctrinated* to be average, to embrace the odd kid out? They don't! The system creates bullies and victims - IMHO. My child - who has a high I.Q., great verbal skills and an art talent - was called RETARD. I pulled her out of PS when a teacher at a parent conference suggested that we work on her social skills, specifically her skills in dealing with and ignoring taunts. My educational goals for my kid does not include an A in Doormat 101.
I am a highly educated person - way too much grad school

- yet I believe that a person with basic reading, writing & math skills can do about anything, provided he or she has a secure sense of self. That is where PS failed my child. I did what alot of parents do, I removed my kid from a potentailly damaging situation.
That said, my other kid is successfully an Average Joe.

 

[mtcookie]

tobin123, I am so sorry you went though that panic stage alone. It's hard enough to make the choice let alone go though it alone. I had someone there and have been there for many others. Your son has a great mama. (hug)

 

[TXmom]

I'm not a Homeschooler...yet... I have 2 kids, 5th grade and 1st grade, and I go back and forth on the Homeschooling idea. Some days, I think it would be a great idea, and other days I think there's no possible way I could do this...I might mess them up for life! I'm ADD (untreated) and I'm sure my son is ADHD, but I don't think my daughter is...or maybe she is a little... Both my kids are A students, but they would rather be homeschooled. They both have big dreams and a positive attitude, so maybe I could do a great job of encouraging them in the areas that really interest them.

My biggest worry is what I lack...organization, consistency, focus, self-discipline...I think my kids could learn those things better from their teachers than from me. Although I never learned those things from public school, so hmmmm... There I go again...back and forth.

 

[tomlinson]

Hey Everybody,

Glad to see this thread! We have home schooled since 1993, we currently teach our 4 younger children (4, 6, 8 & 10) and our 2 older children (21 & 23) graduated from our HS ed program - one went into the USAF and the other is a harpist, pianist, singer/songwriter in Nashville, Tn. We love it and don't plan to consider anything else. My older children enjoyed music...well, for one it was 'her life'...she would never have had the time to pursue what she loved if she had to keep up with PS and all the distractions of 'socialization'. She performed for weddings, tea rooms & banquets since she was 12 and in her last 2 years of HS carried about 130 performances per year. She had plenty of socialization but was able to maintain her focus and not be brought down to the 'lowest common denominator'. She produced 4 CD's of her own arrangements before she graduated and went on 2 mission trips to families that live in garbage dumps in Mexico as well as local ministry. She has just finished her first professional music video (really it is her 2nd video,she made one for her HS graduation) - in which she wrote & sang the song, wrote the script/screenplay, produced, directed & acted in - she and the videographer edited it as well - you can see it on you tube - look for 'Deanna Loveland - Mighty Dreams'.

My 10 year old wants to be a pilot - We are able to adapt his schedule and classes accordingly. We use a educational program for science (which only cost $35 if anyone is interested just ask) from the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Yesterday we went to the Wright Patterson AF Museum for their 'home school day' which was great. When he is 12 he & his dad will be active members of the Civil Air Patrol (one night a week and one weekend a month) and work toward helping him to reach his goals. His goals may change and that is fine, but he has the opportunity to pursue what is important to him at every stage of his educational career. This is important to me.

The other children enjoy art & music, at this time they don't seem to have any special interests. James wanted a guitar, so we got one. We take piano lessons have chickens for eggs & meat, and next years egg laying flock is in the incubator, which we built. The experiences our children gain from living and working within the family unit are priceless. I am grateful that we have been led in this direction. I am so glad to find friends on BYC that we have so much in common with.

 

[sunket77]

Quote:
HA! "smothering mother hen" I get accused of that a lot...like being overprotective... but I have just turn and say... in the world we live in today SOMEONE has to protect these little innocent minds. The days of censorship has gone the way of the 8-track player! You can't drive down the road or go to the grocery store with being bombarded by ads inappropriate to say the least. Now days you have to watch what radio station you listen to ..we decided to stop getting cable because, not only are there any good cartoons left, the commercials in between them are getting worse and worse!
The ps system failed me horribly, I didn't fit in to the schedule either, I passed barely all the way through high school, I hated school and didn't want to be there, never turned in my homework and yet the teachers would push me through.

HOMEWORK is one of the reasons I decided to hs...when my son was in private (kinder and first grade) he would come home with at least an hour or more of hw, after being there for 8 hours he still was not done, then we had to eat dinner get a bath and go to bed...no time EVER to be a kid. Now when he is having trouble focusing on schoolwork I send him outside to run laps, when he is tired enough he sits and finishes his work in half the time it was taking him...he doesn't medication just physical stimulation so he can concentrate!

 

[rhoda_bruce]

We are with Seton Home Study. I have a 6 year old almost finished Kindergarden and a 6/7grader.....she is a half-n-half kid. I got off to a real rough start with the older one and I am trying to get into some kind of system now. I also have trouble keeping the 3 year old busy with something long enough for me to devote any real attention to the school kids.
There are a few relatives that are non-supportive of my decision.
My girls are learning things that they could never learn in the public school system, because it would be (sadly) illegal.
Also I can call chicken raising, wine making and beekeeping a science class sometimes.

 

[tobin123]

Quote:
HA! "smothering mother hen" I get accused of that a lot...like being overprotective... but I have just turn and say... in the world we live in today SOMEONE has to protect these little innocent minds. The days of censorship has gone the way of the 8-track player! You can't drive down the road or go to the grocery store with being bombarded by ads inappropriate to say the least. Now days you have to watch what radio station you listen to ..we decided to stop getting cable because, not only are there any good cartoons left, the commercials in between them are getting worse and worse!
The ps system failed me horribly, I didn't fit in to the schedule either, I passed barely all the way through high school, I hated school and didn't want to be there, never turned in my homework and yet the teachers would push me through.

HOMEWORK is one of the reasons I decided to hs...when my son was in private (kinder and first grade) he would come home with at least an hour or more of hw, after being there for 8 hours he still was not done, then we had to eat dinner get a bath and go to bed...no time EVER to be a kid. Now when he is having trouble focusing on schoolwork I send him outside to run laps, when he is tired enough he sits and finishes his work in half the time it was taking him...he doesn't medication just physical stimulation so he can concentrate!

I was the same way in PS ,I did the least,and well with parents that didn't give a hoot about me I ran with the wrong crowd and did what I had to do to graduate and leave on my on.THIS isn't happening for my son,I will be there no matter what. I hated school,the school Iwent to really oh my gosh,I was sexually harrassed in high school and the sub told me to sit down and the principal just let me call my mom to come get me HELLO,HELP is what I wanted but never recieved.Okay enough of my bad past.
I LOVE YOU GUYS.

 

[giant pumpkin peep]

I have been in public school since second grade. Went to a private school before that, which after I switched I relized I was more happy in public school. I am currently a freshman in high school. So far I have survied just fine. There where some challeges but I am stronger for facing them.

I go to a public charter that is very alternitive. We have experiential or internships on tues, and thurs. We call our teachers by first names. Classes are mixed grades. So in any given class you will have freshman up to senoirs maybe with a few exeptions. Also classes are different. Yes we have to have the science,math, and language. I could have taken some alternitive science but I decided to just get in biology. I have algerbra and spanish 2. Other than that I have a class called Art from Around the World. Currently we are making Oaxacan (wa-ha-can) indian sculpture. Oaxacan in a area in mexico. I also have a class called " Arc GIS:cartgraphy". We are working with GIS (when it works with us

), which stands for geographical information system. My third different class is tech and society. Which is just that. Yesterday we had a discussion on the new iPAD. We disccus how technology is changing the way we go about all aspects of our lives. We have whats called winterm. It bassicly where we have the same class all day for acedemic days. I took a class on the history of rock and roll. Dosn't sound liek much work, does it? There where some nights when I found myself working till I fell alseep, but I procrastinate to much. In the expeirential side of things I work at a day care center with kids around 2 years old. It can fun at times but stressful at others. I have great teachers I can't complain about. Making friends has been easy. MOST of my classmate are open minded and non-judgemental.

Oh, and to the people who say "well i wouldn't have done this or that if I went to public school". I grow giant pumpkins, keep bees, help farm alpacas whenever I can(we own soonb to be 3,helped shear animals last sunday, that was interesting), and soon to have chickens.

 

[Carenm]

Homeschooling here too. I have a daughter in K and son in 1st - we love it ( most days)

We do My Father's World for history, science and bible

Saxon for math

Shurley for LA


Do added activities as well.