Homeschooling Advice

[McScribe]

My wife and I are thinking of homeschooling our 7 year old son and would like to know if anyone has any advice about doing it well. The program we are thinking of using has 2 3 hour days a week of schooltime which includes gym and interaction with other kids on offer as well as a monthly visit with a public school teacher who administers quizzes and stuff like that. Anyway we're interested in any tips or suggestions about how to homeschool well.

 

[CelticRose]

The Homeschool forum on this site was shut due to lack of use but attracted too much troll attention to be useful to memebers. I would suggest you try The homeschool Lounge or Homeschool spot. The in~house homeschool forum is members only. Contact seekingmyLord for information.

As many members have been oppossed to homeschooling in the past I do not wish to discuss your question in the public domain but any of the sources I have listed will be able to help you. CR.

 

[LovesToBless]

We loved home schooling! Our son was home schooled his entire life, is now 22 and in college.

We didn't try to reproduce "school" in our home. We have lots of books and made tons and tons of visits to the library over the years. When he was a teen, my son actually ended up working for the library for 4 years, and loved that.

We were very active in our local home school support group, we'd go on field trips and have monthly parent's meetings...very informal, part social, but usually with a topic so we could offer helpful suggestions to each other. Some of the parents put together classes...for example, a mom with her masters in Spanish did a high school Spanish class and a dad working on his PhD in physics taught a science class, and that's just 2 examples.

My son played sports most of his life (YMCA and other local youth organizations) He also plays keyboard and sings. He's very extroverted and has NO trouble fitting in wherever he goes. (believe me, the FIRST question is always....What about socialization)

We gave him lots of freedom to be a kid. That sounds simple, but in this day and age, so many kids don't get much chance to just play and be imaginative and creative. So much is structured for them.

I was sad to see the home school section close. I'd be happy to help in any way I can, and I'm sure if you do join the members only part of the forum...you'll get a lot of help there too.

God bless. It's a great life and I'm SO very glad we did it.

 

[McScribe]

Hi thanks for the replies; I'll check out that lounge and forum.

LTB, I really appreciate your encouragement. Of course one of the concerns is socialization, but for example he wants to play basketball and we're signing him up for that; he's very interested in animals and marine biology and so I want to encourage him in that and try to help teach him by using that kind of thing.

I actually believe that schools tend to badly socialize kids.

 

[LovesToBless]

Hi thanks for the replies; I'll check out that lounge and forum.

LTB, I really appreciate your encouragement. Of course one of the concerns is socialization, but for example he wants to play basketball and we're signing him up for that; he's very interested in animals and marine biology and so I want to encourage him in that and try to help teach him by using that kind of thing.

I actually believe that schools tend to badly socialize kids.

I think you took my meaning the wrong way. I meant that...although school is supposed to be about academics...people always ask first...What about socialization. Perhaps a couple of times over all the years of home schooling, we were first asked about academics. I agree that kids can be badly socialized in school, it certainly can happen, but it doesn't have to ...my goal is not to bash public or private schools. However, to think that the ONLY way a child can be socialized it to go to school is just silly.

Our lifestyle gave us lots of freedom. We went on vacation when we wanted to...not when the school was out of session. Got to save money that way too, as we could travel off-season, and a lot of times we included "educational" things in our travels. We're very close as a family...and yet, our son is extremely independent. That's his nature however, but we also encouraged it. I think it would have gotten him in trouble in a formal school setting. We didn't have to stop doing something because a bell rang, or leave a field trip because the kids had to get home to be on the bus.

I also really like that home schooling doesn't just put kids of the same age together...and it gets them with people of all ages and much more out into the community. They do everything that kids who go to school do.

I know a ton of home school kids/adults. I've been very pleased with what I've seen - all of them going on to do wonderful things with their very different lives. But...I also know a lot of public school/private school educated kids/young people and I'm pleased with what I'm seeing in their lives too. However I'm not so naive to think that home schooling always works...but neither do the alternatives, that's just the truth of the matter.

I think a key factor...however people educate their children...is parental involvement which of course home schooling assumes. You sound like you're getting off to a great start...and going with a child's interests is IMO the way to go.

 

[bibleblevr]

I know a lot of people who have been homeschooled, and the vast majority have no social skills and very poor relationship skills. My advice is to make sure that your children are well socilized. Get them into sports, and lots of other activitys, particularly where they can interact with the opposite sex. Another peice of advice is to have them go to public school for a few years, so that they can see the real wourld and have their faith's challenged. Also, make sure that they don't become dependant of always having you around, or they will never learn to be self confident.

Personally, I have a rather poor image of the efects of homeschooling on children in general. However, that is not to say It is impossible to have a good outcome, I have a good friend who was homeschooled and she is a great girl.

 

[LovesToBless]

I know a lot of people who have been homeschooled, and the vast majority have no social skills and very poor relationship skills. My advice is to make sure that your children are well socilized. Get them into sports, and lots of other activitys, particularly where they can interact with the opposite sex. Another peice of advice is to have them go to public school for a few years, so that they can see the real wourld and have their faith's challenged. Also, make sure that they don't become dependant of always having you around, or they will never learn to be self confident.

Personally, I have a rather poor image of the efects of homeschooling on children in general. However, that is not to say It is impossible to have a good outcome, I have a good friend who was homeschooled and she is a great girl.

Wow, my experience has been the polar opposite of yours! I know there are parents who want to shelter their children and not let them know what's going on in the world. That was not our approach, although in an age appropriate way.

And certainly you can't believe everyone who went to school is a picture perfect outcome either. I mean if they were...why would there be such need for changes in schools asked for by the parents of those who are in schools?

Maybe it's where we live. I mean ...no social skills and poor relationships skills? Wow, that's quite a condemnation!

 

[LovesToBless]

Just thought I'd add this...although I am a Christian, I've also known those who home school for other than religious reasons. (actually, we didn't really home school for religious reasons ourselves) And...those young people have been good outcomes as well.

 

[jgonz]

I know a lot of people who have been homeschooled, and the vast majority have no social skills and very poor relationship skills.

Good heavens, where do you live?

Our experience has been Polar Opposite as well. We've homeschooled for nearly 19 yrs, and all of my kids have Better social skills than their public schooled friends. Their relationship skills are fabulous, and none of them are dependent on me or my DH (well, the oldest ones. I expect my youngest ones to be dependent on us, they're Children! lol)

My wife and I are thinking of homeschooling our 7 year old son and would like to know if anyone has any advice about doing it well

I have found that you get what you put in with homeschooling. If, let's say, you're scared of the world, then your kids are going to be the same way. If you homeschool because, let's say, you're concerned about the school district being awful and want your children to have a good education, then they will get a good education. If you want, let's say, your children to be good citizens, Godly, and respectful, then they will be because you're going to make those things your priority.

Our first year of homeschooling we went with Christian Liberty Academy's CLASS program. They gave us a whole year's worth of curriculum, kept grades, and gave us a huge 3 ring binder of 'how to do this' material, which was Really nice. Our 2nd year was very different~ we'd gotten a chance to do this for ourselves and wanted to spread our wings. We picked & chose our own curriculum, set our own days, kept our own grades. Over time, we evolved into year-round school, because it fit with our household better.

Have you checked out HSLDA's site? www.hslda.org Terrific information. Plus, if you want, you can put these lawyers "on retainer" for you for a yearly fee. We've been members the entire time we've homeschooled. Our yearly fee goes to help others who need legal help because we've never needed it ourselves.

 

[bibleblevr]

Wow, my experience has been the polar opposite of yours! I know there are parents who want to shelter their children and not let them know what's going on in the world. That was not our approach, although in an age appropriate way.

And certainly you can't believe everyone who went to school is a picture perfect outcome either. I mean if they were...why would there be such need for changes in schools asked for by the parents of those who are in schools?

Maybe it's where we live. I mean ...no social skills and poor relationships skills? Wow, that's quite a condemnation!

I am glad you have had a differnt experiance than I!

 

[illudium_phosdex]

I'm about to finish up my second year of home schooling my two. I kind of did the same as jgonz last year. We used Calvert which is pretty much the entire curriculum in a box. I agree with her that this was good for that first year when I was pretty well clueless about how to go about it. Toward the end of the year, I did start to feel a little stifled by it, however.

This year, I've gone out on my own picking my own curriculum and planning lessons and grades. I guess because it was my second year, it went so much more smoothly so I would say that if it doesn't quite work out that first year, definitely give it a second year before you decide to throw in the towel. It does get easier.

As for socialization, I believe my two are pretty well socialized. We do AWANA, Girl and Cub Scouts, gymnastics and church activities. We go through a local correspondence school which offers regular field trips and other activities as well. And we are fortunate to live in a neighborhood with a whole plethora of other children. There are other home schoolers, public schoolers, private/parochial schoolers and two kids who go to the special school.

I'd do what is comfortable to you. I'm one of the ones who is pretty much doing "school" at home complete with me standing at the end of our dining room table giving a lecture then asking questions and then testing at the end of each quarter. This is what I feel comfortable with, though. I'd be really paranoid about what the kids are learning if I relaxed a little. I have a friend at church who is for the most part an unschooler and her kids are brilliant. So I know kids learn that way. It just wouldn't be comfortable for me.

 

[1Sam24:12]

I have been homeschooling my kids for almost 15 years now. When my oldest daughter graduated, I chose to have her take her GED. She scored in the top 15% of graduating seniors in the nation.
The best advice that I can give is to teach them to learn. Reading is essential.
Most of all, never move them to the next level until they have mastered the
current skill. This is what makes homeschooling so wonderful. You have the
ability to stay at a certain level until your child is able to comprehend and master
each skill.
Welcome to homeschooling!

 

[LoveJC9]

I know a lot of people who have been homeschooled, and the vast majority have no social skills and very poor relationship skills. My advice is to make sure that your children are well socilized. Get them into sports, and lots of other activitys, particularly where they can interact with the opposite sex. Another peice of advice is to have them go to public school for a few years, so that they can see the real wourld and have their faith's challenged. Also, make sure that they don't become dependant of always having you around, or they will never learn to be self confident.

Personally, I have a rather poor image of the efects of homeschooling on children in general. However, that is not to say It is impossible to have a good outcome, I have a good friend who was homeschooled and she is a great girl.

Homeschooling is the best thing I have ever done. I hate the influence of public and even private school in my daughters life. My daughter gets along well with people of all age groups because she isn't stuck dealing only with 12 year olds.

I think it is an amazing thing if you can homeschool.

 

[JBJoe]

I think it's great that so many of you have had good experiences with homeschooling. I really wish I could talk my wife into stepping into it, but she isn't very interested in the idea.

As for the socialization issue. I have two children in primary school right now, and I am more concerned with the socialization they get at school. My son had a note come home a few weeks ago because he was throwing pebbles at one of the kids who was "on the wall" (the school implements timeouts by making kids stand next to a wall instead of playing at recess). Shocked, I asked why he thought that would be an acceptable thing to do, and he said one of the other boys had suggested it. Being the insufferable authoritarian I am, I made him create an apology card and give it to the other boy.

The next week another note came home because he was "putting his hands in the face of the girl who sits next to him." Knowing my son, this means, one and only one, thing: he was trying to shoo her away so that he wouldn't lose control and break down crying. What would he be crying over? It seems one of the other kids in his class came up to him on the playground and sucker-punched him square in the solar plexus knocking the wind out of him. Apparently this was part of some "zombie" game these other boys were playing (first you punch them in the stomach, then you suck out their brains -- yay!). Since they were all zombies, they had to find boys not playing to punch.

And that's two weeks in the socialization of a first grader. Ugh.