# Any homeschoolers here?



## jld

Please feel free to share any thoughts or experiences you have had with homeschooling. I think there are a few of us here.


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## SlowlyGettingWiser

Former home-schooler here.

Didn't really take any flack from family or people in general (known or strangers) about it. Got the usual inquiries about how my child was going to 'learn to socialize' with others -- as though brick and mortar school was the ONLY way to meet/know other kids.

I enjoyed it immensely, but I will add that homeschooling an 'only' child is difficult for the child, in my opinion. In a multi-child classroom environment there are multiple children to answer the questions. With an only child, EVERY question is aimed at her! 

We were in a VERY homeschool-friendly state. I cut WAY down on the hours/day that we homeschooled because I thought, 'If *I* had a boss who fired questions at ME ALONE for hours every single day, that would get on MY last nerve.' We covered the necessities, studied outside when we wanted, did it all OUR way, could take days/weeks off when we wanted (to visit family or whatever). It worked out well.

I put our child in brick and mortar school because I never intended to homeschool her through high school. I know some people do, but I felt that I could not give her THE BEST possible grounding in Math and the Sciences via homeschooling. So, I put her back into brick and mortar school in 6th grade. (The high school is combined with the junior high where she lives, so rather than wait until 9th grade, I thought I'd give her a longer time to acclimate.) She was put into the 'gifted program' in 6th grade. As an 'only' child and living rurally (think pig farm across the street from her jr/sr high school), her school friends have become an important part of her life -- the brothers/sisters she's never had.

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## SolidSnake

No, but I'd to be hopefully once I have children.


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## SlowlyGettingWiser

BTW: We did NOT homeschool for religious reasons (not saying there's anything wrong if you do). We homeschooled because general education in the USA is NOT quality education unless you can afford the most elite private schools.

I made up my own curriculum: I looked at the websites of the best private schools in several states in which we lived, looked at the State Dept of Education guidelines for what a student in each grade should know in several states in which we lived, looked at homeschooling websites. Making our own curriculum was FUN (but, then, I'm a nerd like that!  )

Need ideas for home-schooling sites? Ask me, I'll be happy to help!


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## SolidSnake

SlowlyGettingWiser said:


> BTW: We did NOT homeschool for religious reasons (not saying there's anything wrong if you do). We homeschooled because general education in the USA is NOT quality education unless you can afford the most elite private schools.
> 
> I made up my own curriculum: I looked at the websites of the best private schools in several states in which we lived, looked at the State Dept of Education guidelines for what a student in each grade should know in several states in which we lived, looked at homeschooling websites. Making our own curriculum was FUN (but, then, I'm a nerd like that!  )
> 
> Need ideas for home-schooling sites? Ask me, I'll be happy to help!


I don't want to for religious reasons either, I just feel that you and your child have so much more freedom over the speed and subject matter of the curriculum if you homeschool. In public school, the class moves at the rate of the slowest child. Plus, in a homeschool or unschool setting, your child does not have to sit still and be subject to the teachers authority in a room for hours on end...something which I think isn't very natural. Younger children especially need to move around a lot, rather than being forced to sit still all the time. That's not to say that there shouldn't be rules and structure at home.

And, there are a lot of things that are not taught in public school that I think are necessary...character education, critical thinking, and personal finance top the list. 

Homeschool is becoming much more mainstream...I have read that the Ivy League universities are seeking out homeschoolers because many are so bright.


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## Hope1964

My daughter, who is now almost 20, came out of school partway through grade nine and homeschooled herself through high school. She did was is called 'unschooling' for the most part. We registered her with the provincial home schooling board, and we received money from the government to finance it. Her grades were assigned by us - she never wrote a test or did any of the provincial exams, so she was not granted an 'official' diploma, but she was granted one by the homeschooling board.

For anyone wondering about unschooling and homeschooling through high school, read the Teenage Liberation Handbook

We decided this was best for her because she suffered from anxiety and because she HATED school. The final straw for me was one day when one of her FEMALE teachers refused to let her go to the bathroom to put a tampon in until she told the teacher why she needed to go to the bathroom IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE CLASS. It's quite telling that almost as soon as she was out of school she stopped biting her nails, which she had done since kindergarten.

After an initial period of 'deschooling' (getting used to not being directed in everything they do), she started investigating her interests. A lot of this was on the internet, but she also started some hands-on things like sewing, jewellery making, yoga, and baking. In grade 11 she started working at a bakery.

She has not yet applied for anything post-secondary, but based on the reaction from potential employers, homeschooling should be something in her favor if she ever does decide to.


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## Ikaika

I tip my hat to homeschoolers. It is tough to maintain the attention of an elementary aged child in order to convey even simple learning objectives. My only experience came in late Fall 2008 up to early 2009. The major economic fall out caused our state to scale back school days to just three days a week. We did not want to our boys to lose momentum in their learning, so we set up a curricula for the other two days. We employed a tag team approach based around our work schedules. My wife concentrated on language arts and I did math and science. 

My pedagogical approach was learning through hands-on (90%). I had protocols (recipe format), data collection sheets and then had them analyze or at least think about what the data meant. The analysis always included mathematical principles so that I could have them use applied math rather than boring worksheets. It worked out well, but it was hard work, harder than my normal teaching job.


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## SlowlyGettingWiser

SolidSnake said:


> I don't want to for religious reasons either, I just feel that you and your child have so much more freedom over the speed and subject matter of the curriculum if you homeschool. In public school, the class moves at the rate of the slowest child. Plus, in a homeschool or unschool setting, your child does not have to sit still and be subject to the teachers authority in a room for hours on end...something which I think isn't very natural. Younger children especially need to move around a lot, rather than being forced to sit still all the time. That's not to say that there shouldn't be rules and structure at home.
> 
> And, there are a lot of things that are not taught in public school that I think are necessary...character education, critical thinking, and personal finance top the list.
> 
> Homeschool is becoming much more mainstream...I have read that the Ivy League universities are seeking out homeschoolers because many are so bright.


EXACTLY the same reasons I chose to homeschool! Great minds think alike!

I will add that Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology does NOT accept homeschoolers because they have found over time that they are usually not well-prepared enough in the laboratory sciences and in mathematics compared to students from the upper-echelon brick and mortar schools. I knew that my child would NOT be interested in Math or Science, but it just reinforced my belief that, although I'm very smart, I have NO BUSINESS teaching her subjects that I am not well-versed in myself.

If your child has his/her heart set on a particular school(s), you should, of course, look at their admissions page to insure they accept homeschoolers. Rose-Hulman was the only one I found in the Midwest that did not. (I did not do an exhaustive search though.)


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## Coffee Amore

jld - I think you may find more homeschoolers or unschoolers on a forum like Mothering.com than here. 

One of my husband's siblings homeschooled their children. They did it for religious reasons. They're very devout Christians. The children are grown now. They're great kids...hardworking and responsible. The parents made sure they participated in various extracurricular sports to get socialization with other children. Two of the children went to higher education. One child though didn't have the basic writing skills needed to get into college. She had to be tutored for a while to meet the college entrance requirements. Now she's a small business owner.

I might be interested in homeschooling in the future. Not right now though...


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## Ikaika

Coffee Amore said:


> jld - I think you may find more homeschoolers or unschoolers on a forum like Mothering.com than here.
> 
> One of my husband's siblings homeschooled their children. They did it for religious reasons. They're very devout Christians. The children are grown now. They're great kids...hardworking and responsible. The parents made sure they participated in various extracurricular sports to get socialization with other children. Two of the children went to higher education. One child though didn't have the basic writing skills needed to get into college. She had to be tutored for a while to meet the college entrance requirements. Now she's a small business owner.
> 
> I might be interested in homeschooling in the future. Not right now though...


My wife told me the furloughs were not as much as I remember? Do you remember? Anyway. I still remember doing some homeschooling during the off day.


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## Coffee Amore

drerio said:


> My wife told me the furloughs were not as much as I remember? Do you remember? Anyway. I still remember doing some homeschooling during the off day.


I think your wife is right. 

Your tagteaming comment reminded me of people who homeschool even though they both work outisde the home. I came across a guidebook once for parents who homeschool that way.


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## SolidSnake

SlowlyGettingWiser said:


> EXACTLY the same reasons I chose to homeschool! Great minds think alike!
> 
> I will add that Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology does NOT accept homeschoolers because they have found over time that they are usually not well-prepared enough in the laboratory sciences and in mathematics compared to students from the upper-echelon brick and mortar schools. I knew that my child would NOT be interested in Math or Science, but it just reinforced my belief that, although I'm very smart, I have NO BUSINESS teaching her subjects that I am not well-versed in myself.
> 
> If your child has his/her heart set on a particular school(s), you should, of course, look at their admissions page to insure they accept homeschoolers. Rose-Hulman was the only one I found in the Midwest that did not. (I did not do an exhaustive search though.)


I had not considered the laboratory sciences aspect, and you make a good point about that being harder to replicate at home. That is something we would have to address, provided that we are able to homeschool. 

While I'm not good at advanced math, my husband is a math wiz. He majored in math, and tutored. He can teach the most advanced math that there is, plus physics, so we have that covered.


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## SlowlyGettingWiser

Most homeschoolers will join a homeschool "group" in a larger metropolitan or county-wide area. This allows a group of homeschoolers to ALL take a laboratory science course together which would be taught by a highly-qualified parent OR the parents would pool their money and hire an instructor for the lab-based sciences. 

Your Chemistry I course might have everyone from 13yo's to 18yo's...depending on their skill level and interest. 

Besides laboratory sciences, many upper-level Mathematics courses and foreign languages are taught in the group format with many families pooling to support a course for multiple children from multiple families.


FYI: for all the learning nerds out there...go to *sheppardsoftware.com* for absolutely the MOST FUN geography learning there is. You learn different countries (or capitals or mountain ranges/rivers) and you take quizzes to beat YOUR best score. My daughter and I find it addictive and a GREAT way to learn about the world. It makes the news more interesting when you can PLACE where a particular news story is happening in context with its neighbors!


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## Coffee Amore

SlowlyGettingWiser said:


> Most homeschoolers will join a homeschool "group" in a larger metropolitan or county-wide area. This allows a group of homeschoolers to ALL take a laboratory science course together which would be taught by a highly-qualified parent OR the parents would pool their money and hire an instructor for the lab-based sciences.
> 
> Your Chemistry I course might have everyone from 13yo's to 18yo's...depending on their skill level and interest.
> 
> Besides laboratory sciences, many upper-level Mathematics courses and foreign languages are taught in the group format with many families pooling to support a course for multiple children from multiple families.


I know a cooperative group like this in my area. I met them years ago when I took a kiddo to a city park. The homeschool group was there doing experiments. They get together for socialization and so that parents who are strong in one subject can teach it to the children in the group. 

The other option is to take courses online. These days there are many online education courses.


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## jld

We unschool when the kids are smaller, then introduce more formal work as they get older. Our oldest did not do schoolwork until 11 1/2, then just dove into it, coming up for air around 16.

She was deep into science, and did all the Apologia courses. We supplemented with info about evolution, and she has done really well in her college science classes so far. 

We are secular homeschoolers, but the Apologia science courses are written to the student, and do not require the mother's help. Whatever can be done alone is most likely to actually get done here.

We use Saxon math, which is also self-teaching. Dd got a 730 on the SAT math after using the Saxon math high school program.

She got an 800 on the SAT verbal after not using an English program at all. She just read and read and read, in English and French.

Her high scores got her a lot of college scholarships, so we are paying less than $2k a semester at a technical university. She is a chem engineering major. She got a 4.0 this past semester. We were so proud of her.

I say let little kids play, and then start older kids on a math and science program, with lots of reading. There should be time for individual interests, and kids be allowed to grow at their own rate. We are relaxed homeschoolers, and I love our lifestyle. Homeschooling works.


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## Coffee Amore

jld said:


> We use Saxon math, which is also self-teaching. Dd got a 730 on the SAT math after using the Saxon math high school program.


I think my nephews and nieces used Singapore Math.


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## SlowlyGettingWiser

We tried Singapore Math just before daughter went to brick and mortar school; is really did seem to be well done.


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## Coffee Amore

I sometimes wish I had been homeschooled! One of my parents is really suited for it. But back then homeschooling was something only hippies did.


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## jld

What would you have liked about it, CA?


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## Coffee Amore

Yes, I do feel I was homeschooled in a way by my mother. She tried to supplement the education I got at school by signing me up for programs, having me do book reports and projects.


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## SlowlyGettingWiser

I, too, would have enjoyed it! 


I have always been an avid reader.
School was incredibly slow and plodding; as someone pointed out, they teach to the slowest students. So, I tuned out most of the time and read Nancy Drew books under by desktop. My school did not believe in 'skipping' grades to advance a pupil.
There was a LOT of 'mean girls' (and boys) cr*p at my private school; as Christians, the students SUCKED! Boys urinating on other boys (in the lavatories and out the lavatory window onto kids playing on the playground)...the boys were too scared to complain because these guys were the 'cool' and 'popular' bully kids! Social ostracism was a way of life at that place!
Developed a LOT of lazy habits and never really learned to study hard.


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## jld

That is too bad about the bullying. What do you think is the best way to deal with bullying?


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## SlowlyGettingWiser

I was not often bullied (gum put in my hair once), but I saw a lot of other kids EMOTIONALLY bullied. I homeschooled my daughter for 6 years and explained how things were at my school. I taught her:

1) I better NEVER get a call from a parent/school that she had bullied someone. I told her *that* was the one thing I would never accept from her. It's unnecessary.

2) NOT to be a 'victim', either. She's stood up for herself since she was 3yo...it's just her personality! Even at 3yo she could dish out quite the verbal tongue lashing! ...wonder where she gets that from *whistles innocently*

3) it is her RESPONSIBILITY to intervene when she sees bullying - whether she knows the kid or not, whether she likes the kid or not. Bullies do it for the power and the ATTENTION. Without an audience, a lot of bullying disappears; therefore, people who watch bullying or egg it on are EVERY BIT AS GUILTY as the actual bully. See point #1! 

When we watched movies or tv shows together, I would point out someone who was bullying (usually emotionally) someone else. We'd discuss what the other characters in the story could have/should have done that would be more mature and helpful.

Lather, rinse, repeat.


.


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## jld

You are an excellent mother! I am impressed!

Have you read Barbara Coloroso's book on this subject?


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## Quant

Don't go over board with homeschooling my mother and father hothoused me with a extreme focus on Mathematics and even though it was successful it did irreparable harm to my relationship with them.That is not to say you shouldn't get on them just don't have them work 10 hours a day 7 days a week. I am sure you already know that it's just when you love your children and you control schooling it's easy to do too much.


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## SlowlyGettingWiser

*jld:*Thanks, I'm NOT excellent, but I do try! What's the title of the book? I'd like to look into it!

*quant:* Sorry your homeschooling experience was awful! I know there are other homeschoolers I've read on the internet who've also expressed their distaste for homeschooling after a bad experience. 

.


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## jld

I think it's called The Bully, The Bullied, and the Bystander.


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## Quant

SlowlyGettingWiser said:


> *jld:*Thanks, I'm NOT excellent, but I do try! What's the title of the book? I'd like to look into it!
> 
> *quant:* Sorry your homeschooling experience was awful! I know there are other homeschoolers I've read on the internet who've also expressed their distaste for homeschooling after a bad experience.
> 
> .


I actually want my children homeschooled if they can't get scholarships or I can't pay their way into Phillips Exeter Academy or Phillips Academy Andover. Me and my wife plan to homeschool all the way to high school at least.

My parents were Russian immigrants and academics they expected excellence so its to be expected I suppose.


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## jld

SGW, do you have any favorite parenting or homeschooling books you would like to recommend?


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## SlowlyGettingWiser

I'll have to look around and see what I can dig up. 

One of the funniest WEBSITES was when we were studying the plague in Europe. There was a cartoon man pushing a wheelbarrow down the street calling, "Bring out your dead bodies!" It was so bizarre, we would just crack up over that! But, she did enjoy learning about the plague!

.


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## Quant

SlowlyGettingWiser said:


> I'll have to look around and see what I can dig up.
> 
> One of the funniest WEBSITES was when we were studying the plague in Europe. There was a cartoon man pushing a wheelbarrow down the street calling, "Bring out your old dead bodies!" It was so bizarre, we would just crack up over that! But, she did enjoy learning about the plague!
> 
> .


Like this. 

Monty Python-Bring out your dead! - YouTube


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