Parents that homeschool - I have questions?

2009-10-21 09:50:53 UTC

I chose to home school my son because I am a stay-at-home mom and know that I can do it. I also do not care for the school system at this point and the lack of individual attention children get during school hours. I would prefer to be able to choose what my child learns and go at their pace and interests instead of him having to learn on a set schedule.

It can cost you as little or as much as you want. There are set curriculum's out there you can buy, or you can put together your own. I am doing the latter. Most of the books and materials we have gotten have been free from family (lots of school teachers in the family) or online, with some minimal costs at times. No tests that I need to take as the teacher, nothing like that required.

I go week by week lesson planning. I plan the subjects and materials needed, put them together in a folder, get a list of all the books needed for that week, then every monday Morning we go to the library where my son picks out books he wants to get and I get the books needed for that weeks lesson. All I have to do is have lessons in the basic subjects taught in public school, English, Mathematics, Social Sciences, Science, Fine arts, Health, Physical Education. I determine if my child passes or fails.

**For homeschooling in CA, where I live, all I have to do is keep an attendance record and present it to the district if asked for. To start homeschooling, I register myself with the school district as a private school. No tests, no reporting grades, no progress reports to the district.

As my child's parent, you could say I am biased, but not negatively. I have my child's best interest in mind and know their progress best, so I will better make sure they are really learning and understanding what they are being taught, and will continue to "teach" them off school hours. Them lear ning is my goal and interest, not my salary.

Cheryl

2016-05-22 05:30:50 UTC

Part of being a parent is sheltering your child. If you didn't, you wouldn't be a parent. You wouldn't let your 2 year old roam the street, would you? Likewise, a good parent shelters according to individual beliefs, etc. You are asking about being "open minded" and associating with other races, religions, etc. Well, most homeschoolers are Christian. Of course, we don't have a problem with different races. Many homeschoolers are not Caucasian. What's the difference? As far as religion, that would probably depend on the family. I personally would not prevent my children from associating with those of another religion, and we often do. As far as sexual orientation, that is an entirely different matter. Most homeschoolers would be adamantly against this. My daughter has a friend whose parents are gay. I won't prevent my child from associating with her for that reason, but I teach my children our values and encourage her to be a friend without seeming judgmental. It is our family's position that each person has a right to make individual decisions whether we agree or not. If you are gay and considering homeschooling, you might not be well-received.

reddevilbloodymary

2009-10-21 11:03:55 UTC

I am considered an accidental home schooler because I ended up home schooling my 5th grader this year because things just weren't going well for him in public school and this was my next best option.

The problems he was having were: below level in phonics & reading, not completing assignments (hardly EVER), general feeling of being inadequate and stupid. I had a long discussion with his 4th grade teacher and she actually said that for my son, home schooling might really be able to address these issues better than public school, especially since middle school was right around the corner.

I did a ton of research and decided not to do a boxed curriculum, because that would leave us very little room to be creative or make work interesting. Instead, I have put together my own curriculum based on the requirements stated on the state's dept of education website and some other good sources. My son does writing, reading, spelling, social studies, science, math. He does some things online, some in workbooks, some by watching videos etc.

We are still very much in a learning curve, but since my daughter who attends public school just finished her 9 week grading period, I am going to use some of the quizzes and tests and things that my son has done and put together a report card for him too.

I work part-time, but I am able to set my own hours and drag my child into work with me. In a typical day we get up at 6am, drop off the 4th grader at public school, come back home and start our lessons around 8ish. After about an hour and a half of working together, we pack up and head to the office where I do my work and my son completes a list of independent work. We are done by 2:30 when we have to go pick up the 4th grader.

I have yet to figure out how to work in some more fun stuff like skateboarding, but we have managed to go on one field trip to a science museum.

Legalities: each state is different. In my state you register with the public school home school office and notify of your intent to home school. You have to fill out attendance records and for grade-school you must have a high school diploma, for high school you must have a college degree. You can be the home school or you can fall under a state approved umbrella school. Standardized testing for 3rd, 5th and 7th grade must be administered and if test scores are low then action might be taken.

danadeville

2009-10-21 09:48:15 UTC

I don't know much about home schooling either. I'll just tell you what I know from my friend that do home school.

There is a program in our state that is free. They send you all the curriculum. They send you the computer you need to use. Every two years you pack up the computer and they send you a brand new updated one. They pay for all the shipping and everything. They even pay a portion of the internet service. There is no testing for the parents to be able to teach their kids.

There is a real teacher that calls them once a week to discuss things. The teacher can always be called or emailed if there are any questions. Some assignments need to mailed to the teacher. There are online tests to take.

My friend was working part time overnight, her husband worked during the day. Because of other family reasons she had to quit home schooling this year. Her daughter went to public school and she loves it. She is way ahead of the others in her class.

Busy Barbie 007

2009-10-21 10:05:02 UTC

My neice does online school. I came to that decision because she was failing regular school and having social problems. When she came to live with me over the summer, I decided homeschooling would be more beneficial to her than traditional school. I don't believe in a one education fits all kind of school system.

It costs me nothing, it's funded by the state. Instead of the money going to the public school, it goes in her name to the online school. We get the latest and newest books and equipment, including a computer. I also get a full set of teaching books to help me explain things and correct her work.

It's planned for us. Things we don't want can be changed, and we don't need to do everything they send, we decide what methods of learning work best and use only those. I grade her work, she takes an online assessment of her knowledge. My grading along with her assessment scores make up her grades. It's up to me to see whether she passes or fails, but only to a point, she has two opportunities to take an assessment and score 80% or higher, if she scores less than 80% both times, the school steps in and assigns extra class sessions and assignments

I do work full-time during the day, she comes to work with me and sits in my office. I'm in a family business though, so I have a ton of flexibility.

She also has an actual teacher we meet with quarterly ans talk to weekly. She also has tutors through the school for her hard subjects.

2009-10-21 09:47:25 UTC

I have been seriously thinking about homeschooling and as silly as it sounds, I bought the book "Homeschooling for Dummies." It will answer all of those questions and is easy to read (author is a bit sarcastic too!) There is even mention of the THE dreaded homeschooler question "How do you socialize your kids?" I thought that was funny. I have asked it myself!

I asked a general question about this too and had some really good answers (I could not pick!) https://answersrip.com/question/index?qid=20091002105845AA2zc5p

**In my area, the school board offers a satellite school program. It's like a virtual school. Also, every state is different as to what they require from homeschoolers according to the book. If you are in FL, this is a good place to start http://www.fpea.com/

**Laws by statehttp://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp

No FCAT, no one is allowed to check up on you without notice in writing and they are only authorized to ask for certain things.

Blackberries

2009-10-21 10:26:41 UTC

I was homeschooled for 4th and 5th grades. I can't answer all of your questions, because I don't know how much it cost/who you notify, etc.

My parents decided to homeschool me because I was a new student enrolled at Malcom X Elementary school in Berkeley California. It was a school full of thugs and bad teachers. I had a teacher, Mr. Graham, who spent a full week teaching us zeros on the multiplication table. Really? A week? I was getting beat up on the playground on a weekly basis, and I had no friends. I was socially miserable and wasn't learning a thing. My mom pulled me out to homeschool me. That was our reason why.

My mom purchased textbooks and study materials from all types of sites. She got things from the Sate of California, and there are lots of educational websites to purchase new and inventive ways to learn. She happened to be a former English Teacher, but you do not need to be certified to teach your child at home. When I went back to school, I had to take tests to make sure I was at the same level as everyone else, and I was.

My mom was an in-home daycare provider (former teacher).

ozboz48

2009-10-21 09:53:33 UTC

For those of you that home school your kids, how did you decide that?

After our daughter survived two years with an abusive teacher at one school, and a murder attempt by a classmate at another school (in one of the top districts in the country), we'd had enough.

What does it cost you to home school your kids? I’d assume you need to purchase a curriculum or that you have some test YOU need to take as the teacher?

Cost varies, but for us it's very little. We don't purchase a curriculum, because we don't need a committee telling us what our child needs to learn. There is no test we have to take as the teacher. Interestingly, we do almost no teaching. Our child is in many classes. Her math teacher, for example, has an MBA. One of her science teachers is a bbiologist. Her writing teacher is an author. Her PE teacher is a black belt in Tae Kwan Do. She does social studies on her own.

How do you plan your lessons?

We go by her interests.

Do you have a curriculum you’re supposed to abide by?

In our state, we are supposed to teach specific subjects, but no one is standing over our shoulders to monitor us.

How does testing and grading go?

We don't believe in tests and grades. They are artificial measurements of achievement.

And who determines if your child passes or fails?

We don't concern ourselves with "passing" and "failing." We just learn. Believe me, we know if she's doing well.

Do any of you who DO home school your kids, work during the day?

I have an online business and my husband works full-time at NASA. He can telecommute for a good portion of his job (which is what he's doing right now, since he took our daughter to choir).

Or maybe at night? Full time or part time?

We work our schedule aournd our child's needs, and it works.

Every family is different, however. You might find this resource helpful:

http://www.homefires.com/

All the best.

Monice P

2009-10-21 09:41:49 UTC

Below is a link of an article that explains a little about homeschooling your child/children. I would recommend it because there are lots of negative things happening in the school system that makes it difficult for you to have a positive influence on your child's life. I know a couple of ppl that were home schooled and their children are smarter than the ones that attend a traditional educational institution.

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2016-06-05 01:09:44 UTC

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ladedamom

2009-10-21 10:42:10 UTC

For those of you that home school your kids, how did you decide that? Our son is in preschool for the first time this year and we are homeschooling exclusively now since we do not agree with the values and morals that are taught as appropriate in public schools. We had tried a private program and unenrolled just this past week due to problems we were having there. We want our child to learn things that reflect our family values and beliefs- not what society tells them they have to believe or do.

What does it cost you to home school your kids? I’d assume you need to purchase a curriculum or that you have some test YOU need to take as the teacher?

There is absolutely no test you have to take to teach your children. I have a teaching degree which has helped, but anyone can homeschool their child. In the average public school it can run as much as $10,000 per student per year to educate them. To homeschool you can do it for $500 a year (and many times less) per child. Curriculum can be computer based, text based or a combination. You can do homeschooling with library resources and learning about things that interest you while learning the math, science, langauge, writing etc.. along with it. Many find it easier to follow a curriculum though.

How do you plan your lessons? Do you have a curriculum you’re supposed to abide by? How does testing and grading go? And who determines if your child passes or fails?

For me I plan lessons around a new theme each week for my little one who is a preschooler. My core objectives for him this year are the alphabet, counting skills and early math, learning our colors and vocabulary development with learning new words and pronunciation. We count, we sort by color, size or shape with objects. We sing songs and do music things. We color, draw, paint and do art things. We take field trips to different places that fit our themes. All ready this year we've been to a bakery, a letter and color hunt in the grocery store, a farm, a zoo, a pumpkin patch and to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (he loved the book from the library and it fit in great when the movie came out). He has learned to count to 10 in just a short time and knows through F in the alphabet. He's learned some of the letter sounds and knows all his shapes and colors all ready. We are working on tracing simple lines and shapes and after his birthday in March we'll work on learning to cut with scissors. We work on life skills such as potty, hand washing, helping to pick up toys, following directions and manners. He's learned so much more through homeschool than he was in a preschool program. I don't regret pulling him out at all.

As for grading and testing at his age I don't. It is more of an evaluation of where his skills are and if he is on target for his age. I found age appropriate lists on line and use them as a guide to be sure he is able to do things appropriately to his age group. I won't start using actual grades until we hit the elementary grades. You do NOT have to report them to anyone nor are you required to test your child in homeschool. There are homeschooling families all over that do opt to have their child tested with a standardized test for the grade level to be sure their child is on target. Usually a homeschool co-op will have information on how and when these are offered and what the cost is. Grades and records are kept in case you do decide to put your child into a traditionally based school as proof of their abilities. Each year I am also keeping a portfolio of my sons BEST work through the year as a record of what we did in preschool and his abilities. I will continue this year to year as well to show progression and achievement at all grade levels.

It is up to the parent to really determine if their child is ready to move on or not in homeschooling. Homeschooling forces you to remove your rose colored glasses and really take a blunt honest look at your child's abilities and knowledge through their learning. Homeschooling also allows you to really get to know your child's learning style and what they are good at, need help with and their interests academically. It is up to the parent to be able to do so honestly and without bias when doing it. I find it helps in evaluating my own child if I look at it as "if this were a kid down the street that did this how would I assess this in terms of ability". Step out from the fact he is my son and it makes it easier to see that some things he needs some review with and other things he is ready to run with and needs more challenge.

Do any of you who DO home school your kids, work during the day? Or maybe at night? Full time or part time?

I am a SAHM which makes homeschooling easier. Parents that work I'm sure have done it, but it makes it harder to get your schedule to work for homeschooling- especially if you are working full time. I don't see how that could work. Many times homeschool families have one parent stay home to do the schooling. Letting your children run wild and play all day without actual teaching is NOT homeschooling.

4Red

2009-10-21 09:55:54 UTC

That's one of the biggest problems--the parents don't have to have any educational training and there are no guidelines to make sure that the kids are actually being taught. I lady that lives in my friend's neighborhood homeschools(or so she says) her 5 kids. Truth is her kids are outside, all day everyday, from 9am to 9pm. The mom makes them stay outside and play. But then she brags about homeschooling and that her kids are too good for the schools. Poor things aren't being taught a thing.

Hopefully the majority of homeschooling parents do better than that.