homeschooling

[vegton]

I saw this subject in another post so I thought I'd start a new thread.

My daughter is being raised vegan and unfortunately we live in a very "meat and potatoes" kind of town. I think it's the law that when a boy turns 4 he has to get his hunting license. LOL! Of course I'm kidding, but that's what it's like here. Because of that, and some other reasons, I've started thinking about homeschooling my daughter. She's only 16 months old, so I have A LOT of time to think about this, but I want to be prepared if/when the time comes and I decide to do this.

Where's the best place to start researching how to go about this? There's just too much online to even know where to begin. :) For those of you that homeschool, what are your thoughts about it? What should I be prepared for if I do this? Any other thoughts/idea you want to share?

Thanks!

[unovegan]

We have 2 kids and they're going to go to public schools. Even though your area might be redneck, that shouldn't affect the schools. you can probably check out your local schools rankings on their school district website.
For homeschooling, check out your state's dept. of education. they should be able to offer lots of assistance.

[turtlegirl]

You might want to do a little investigating in your community and try to find a homeschooling group. Your public librarian might know of one. Our family decided to homeschool when our daughter was quite young (probably around 16 months or so), and we got involved with a homeschooling group. It's been so helpful, talking to other families and seeing kids who have been homeschooled. Maybe google "homeschooling" for your state and find out what kinds of requirements you'd be dealing with. Some states are definitely more homeschool friendly than others.

Other than that, I think being flexible is key! My daughter is 4.5, so we haven't done much more than live life, get involved in a homeschooling group, and get to know people in our daily activities. Actually a friend of mine just recommended a book called Home Learning Year by Year (Rebecca Rupp) that has been helpful. Your public library might also have more books about homeschooling.

Feel free to pm if you'd like, if you have more questions. Good luck with your decision!!

[Sewwattsnew]

I'll second the homeschool group idea.

I was homeschooled my whole life, all the way through high school (I'm now in college), so I hope I can give you some good advice from a slightly different perspective.

For a lot of elementary school, we used Alpha Omega's 'Lifepacks,' and in middle school we used the computer version of the same thing. For high school, we did the American School of Correspondence, though we had to add a few courses from Seton (another correspondence school). All of this was supplemented with other resources, as well. I remember a series of books we had called "What your _th Grader Needs to Know" which were pretty good. And then as I got older I was able to use the internet, as well.

EDIT:[I forgot to mention that Alpha Omega is Christian-based. They offer 'Bible' as a course, but from what I remember the basic curriculum was not heavily religious at all. The American School is secular, but Seton is a strongly Catholic school. I'm not Catholic, and I was surprised by how religion-focused their courses were (I was taking sciences, though) but it wasn't bad, just different. I don't know what your religion is or how strongly you want it incorporated into your curriculum, so I thought I'd give you a heads up.]

I don't really know of any online resources for parents, but I know they're out there.

As for the rest of your questions... "You home school? But your children won't be socialized!" is just as common as "You're veg*n? But you won't get enough protein!" I've only encountered one unsocialized person in my life, and he went to private school! (I say encountered, not met, because no matter what I or anyone else did, he would hardly speak. He goes to the same music school I do and his mother sits in all his lessons with him.)

I've always had friends, they just haven't always been exactly my age. This is how the world is after high school, anyway; no where else are you segregated by age. As long as you don't keep your daughter in a closet her whole life, socialization is nothing to worry about.

[MeatlessGourmet]

For homeschooling, check out your state's dept. of education. they should be able to offer lots of assistance.

Unfortunately, the DofE doesn't think too highly of homeschoolers because we're taking money out of the school systems (they're paid per attending student) so they rarely will offer much help to a homeschooler. I've had several less than pleasant run-ins with our local school system.

I would look online for groups in your local area and contact one of them. I'm sure there are parents that would be happy to chat about their homeschooling experience in your particular area. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have, but I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow and won't be online for a little over a week. You're welcome to PM me though and I'll answer when I get back.

I've homeschooled my three kids (ages 7,9, 10) since they were ready and willing to learn.

[unovegan]

Unfortunately, the DofE doesn't think too highly of homeschoolers because we're taking money out of the school systems (they're paid per attending student) so they rarely will offer much help to a homeschooler. I've had several less than pleasant run-ins with our local school system.

I would look online for groups in your local area and contact one of them. I'm sure there are parents that would be happy to chat about their homeschooling experience in your particular area. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have, but I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow and won't be online for a little over a week. You're welcome to PM me though and I'll answer when I get back.

I've homeschooled my three kids (ages 7,9, 10) since they were ready and willing to learn.

Hopefully all of this won't be the case. In our state of Colorado, homeschoolers are offered lots of assistance including free laptops and the programs needed. They have the right idea that if people are going to homeschool anyway, they might as well try and maximize their potential.

[MeatlessGourmet]

That sounds nice! I sure wish we were a little further North! Here, they won't even talk to us. It was not a happy experience for sure. New Mexico doesn't seem to care alot about education anyway....but it definitely looks down on it's homeschoolers. Hawaii was ok, but finding out that we homeschooled alienated us from a neighbor that worked in the office at the base elementary school.

I'd personally love to be in TX right now. I know some people down there that homeschool and they have sponsered sports teams, proms....you name it.

[Skylark]

It can be a chicken-and-egg problem. Did the public school administrators/officials hate homeschoolers first, or did homeschoolers hate public school administrators/officials first? I know, I know, it's only a few in both groups who actually go so far as to hate or detest. Sometimes it strikes me a bit like that one argument regarding torture of detainees: Torture may not get what you want out of an enemy, but it sure will guarantee that person is your enemy if s/he wasn't before. The reception homeschoolers sometimes get when approaching public school people for help with homeschooling can be so doggone negative that it all but insures the homeschoolers are not going to try again, at least not with those particular public school people. On the flip side, the mere fact that homeschoolers have opted to leave public schools rather than work on public schools from the inside to improve them rubs some public schoolers the wrong way. And justifiably so, in a way. Those who feel a strong call to the most vulnerable may see "escaping" as counterproductive for the students whose only option is public school.

I was homeschooled until college. After college, I worked several years as a reporter covering public school districts, among other things. I ended up covering the district I grew up in, for about a year. You should have seen the icy reactions from the school board when it somehow came to light that I had been a homeschooler in their district. :lol:

[Bonoluvr]

We homeschool, but not because we have a problem with the public schools here. They are perfectly fine. It was just a lifestyle choice, wanting to spend more time with the kids while they are little, I could go on and on.
My first suggestion is to check out www.hslda.org, they have a section that lists for each state the laws about homeschooling. So you know where to start. they also have links for state specific homeschooling groups and information.
once you start connecting with other homeschoolers you will meet many more, they seem to come out of the woodwork!
what state are you in? some states are definitely more homeschool friendly overall than others.
good luck!

[major.walrus]

I was homeschooled for part of my life and I think that children on the more intelligent end of the spectrum may respond better, as the 'lessons' are likely to be able to proceed at their pace. If they wanted to do that in the normal school system, the options generally involve a) involvement in the Gifted and Talented group they have at SOME schools, b) being held back and made to do boring things or c) being accelerated a grade and missing out on the year you skipped (the reason I don't know my times tables :P).

In short, I think it's a good idea, but it's even more of a good thing if the parent has an interest in learning as well. I don't think you can teach a subject unless you're willing to learn about it. So that is something to work on.

[zoebird]

for our family, it started out with a basic curiousity about homeschooling.

we started by looking at different theories of education, from unschooling to various curricula, and from there began to discover which sorts of educational systems worked for us.

simultaneously, we discovered local homeschooling groups and local private schools within our preferred curricula (waldorf and montesorri). we also discovered an alternative school that functions under unschooling principles. after visiting these schools and discussing them as options for both schooling in school and at home, we are looking into trying private schooling and/or homeschooling using a specific method.

also, i have realized that i prefer some time to myself and eventual schooling will help provide that while also meeting my sons needs.

but, if we did home school--which would be about 5 yrs away right now--then i would look up the legal situation and make the community connections about a year before getting started.

[AwardTour]

There are of course pros and cons to everything, but I am not a big fan of homeschooling or private schools. The first would definitely make the dietary issues easy and would allow you to spend tons of time with your kids. However, it can also make kids extremely sheltered and sometimes narrow-minded. I like public schools because I feel it prepares kids better for the real world. You go to school with kids of all different races and economic classes. Again, pros and cons to everything. It is great that you are looking into all this so early instead of waiting until the last minute like a lot of people do.

[zoebird]

the diversity of a public school varies largely depending upon the population of the area. when my sister and i went to public school, it was in a middle class, mixed race (black/white; very few other ethnicities/races) community. our community here has a largely rural and middle class white community; most of the "ethinic" children in our area attend various private schools.

homeschooling provides a lot of real-world experience assuming one isn't purposefully sheltering their children. the homeschooling community here is actually quite diverse (ethnically, religiously, economically, and in regards to educational methodology), and many homeschoolers are active in a variety of community activities that expose their children to a wider range of people from all walks of life (different ages, nationalities, religions, socio-economic class, etc).

thus, homeschooling in this environment may be more diverse and more real world than the public school system.

and of course, choosing public school under the ideas of 'real world' and 'diversity' already presupposes that you agree with the typical, public school model of education (which i don't).

if one doesn't believe in educating in the common way it's done here in the states, then one has to look to either private or home schooling to choose a different method of educating children. then, one can expose the child to more "real world" and "diversity" elements in the process.

[AwardTour]

thus, homeschooling in this environment may be more diverse and more real world than the public school system.


i doubt it. good luck though.

[zoebird]

ok, you can doubt it--how can i argue against that?

here's the thing. i've lived here for 10 years, and it wasn't until the last 2 years that we even had an african american family in the neighborhood (thank goodness they finally moved in!). like i said, here, it was mostly white. that african american family sends their children to a school closer to the city (private) because that's where mom works AND there are other african american children there. they're a nice family. thankfully, since they moved in, we also have two indian families, two african families, one asian family, and a muslim family but i don't know their ethnicity (i just recognize the women's dress!).

it's nice to have more people around, but honestly, it's pretty much all white here. i don't know how that equals diversity.

similarly, children are typically kept within age groups--first, they are schooled only with children their own age for most of the day. then, within the larger group of that system. so, first graders are 6 yr olds educated in the elementary school which houses our first through fourth graders, though the recess is also held on different playgrounds due to age, so their experience of other people from different ages is really first and second graders, then third and forth. middle school is fifth and sixth, seventh is educated separately, eighth and ninth at the jr high, and then the high school is 10-12. so, everyone is really leveled in regards to age. and, their teachers aren't that diverse in age either. rare to have real elders there--most folks are under 55.

at the alternative school (which is a farm near here) where most of the homeschoolers go once or twice a week for community, education, etc (it acts as their educational facility/registration under PA rules), the "classes" are mixed in age from 10 months (my kiddo, among others with babes) to people in their 70s. the 'schooling' aspect is largely shared in mixed groups--it's not uncommon to have children from age 5-15 working on projects together, often playing with the younger kids in between, and interacting with all of the adults present--between 18 and, i believe Louise is 73. I think Louise owns part of the farm. She's an amazing master gardener; the kids love her.

so, i think that's more age diverse than public school. and, of course, it's not as many people. i think there are a lot more kids registered than go on any given day, afterall, it is for *home*schoolers! LOL

what else? oh yes, volunteer projects. that is an interesting element of the particular group here. they ask the kids age 15 and up to do volunteer projects in the community. there are a lot of opportunties such as ESL help for the hispanic/immigrant community as well as working at the local soup kitchen and multiple homeless shelters. we also have a very active community for people with special needs--a lot of the families work with orion communities to assist these folks so that they can live more independently. i used to give a lot of rides to doctors and such before i had hawk, now my schedule is more tight due to his naps. but, yeah, that gives both economic and ability diversity.

i'm just saying, "school" is a real world, but it isn't the world--it is sheltered, it is adminstrated, and it is actually quite narrowly defined. and, it's boring. man, do i remember how boring it was.

[broccolichick]

I was homeschooled myself...until going to public high school (huge mistake), and my homeschool group in NYC was ten times more diverse than my inner city public high school.

When I was homeschooled, I was involved in homeschool group, church group, tennis/swimming/photography/ice skating/drama/piano lessons and more. I had a diverse circle of friends, white, black, Hispanic and Asian.

Then I went to a nearly all Dominican public high school and spent nearly all day with the same group of people.

My children will be homeschooled.

[ghostlykisses]

Ok I just posted a long probably too ranty reply and I dropped my mouse and poof it was gone. Is that God's way of telling me that my post was too long? Let me try again.

Yes find a homeschool group in your area. Connect with people there. They will be glad to share their experiences with you and you can find out what things are like on a local level. Oddly enough I also suggest that you go check out the public school your child would go to.

HSLDA is a great resource to learn about your state's laws. It is a christian organization but even if you are not christian the legal stuff is still useful.

Next I suggest doing a lot of reading. Check out books that highlight different styles of teaching and learning at home. One of my favorite books is called Pocketful of Pinecones (http://www.amazon.com/Pocketful-Pine cones-Nature-Learning-Culture/dp/1889209031/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248547137&sr=8-1), it of course is about one approach to education but I think it is a really nice read for any homeschooling parent.

Next you need to arm yourself with some things like THIS (http://www.homeeducator.com/FamilyTimes/articles/10-1article1.htm) for when people question your child's well being as a home educated child.

[Montyruth]

I'm a secondary school teacher and I've taught home-schooled kids who have come to my school to take A levels as their parents have taken them to GCSE and do not have the confidence or the subject knowledge to school them through 3/4 AS/A levels. A levels are taken at the age of 16-18 here.

The home-schooled kids, with one exception, have been bright, confident, really socially adept, curious, interested, engaged and independent. The exception was from an evangelical church background and they'd homeschooled her specifically to protect her from 'the world' and from dangerous ideas like evolution and ecumenicalism. Most schools in Leicestershire are ethnically diverse and in every school kids are taught to respect all faiths and cultures. This family disagreed and the poor girl had no idea how to mix in the real world. As I said, she was the exception.

As a Mum of three I seriously considered home-schooling mine but we decided in the end to stick with state schools, mainly because I wasn't convinced by the homeschoolers that I met in the town that we lived in at that time. They were mainly very conservative Christians with hair to their knees and hardcore proponents of smacking and soap-in-the-mouth-if-you-swear techniques. Ugh.

But I'd definitely consider it with the right social network and support. I think it's a fantastic opportunity if the schools are just not right for you and your family and there is a good crowd of like-minded people from all walks of life to share the journey.

I didn't answer the OP at all as I really don't know what support there is out there and have no advice but just wanted to say I'd definitely go for it if it's workable and it feels right. Teachers are supposed to be negative towards home-schooling but I've certainly seen some really wonderful kids that have come from committed homeschooling families. I hope you find some good advice and all the best whatever you do!

[frenchie]

Where's the best place to start researching how to go about this? There's just too much online to even know where to begin. :) For those of you that homeschool, what are your thoughts about it? What should I be prepared for if I do this? Any other thoughts/idea you want to share?

Thanks!
First, I would do some research, and figure out what your teaching philosophy is. I gravitate more toward the Waldorf/Montessori philosophy, but consider myself an "eclectic" homeschooler. I follow my son's cues, and pick and choose from a few methods, to suit his needs.

Once you figure that out, you can start from toddlerhood. You may want to start focusing on literature, and reading to your child daily. Set up play stations in your home, that will encourage her to learn naturally through play. Perhaps you can read some books and blogs about the particular type of learning experience you want your child to have...and that will guide you in your interactions with your child in these early years.

Be prepared for opposition from your family and peers. Be ready to answer ridiculous questions, that are spawned from unfair generalizations. Find a group in your area to hook up with, or at least an online community for some support.



We homeschool, but not because we have a problem with the public schools here. They are perfectly fine. It was just a lifestyle choice, wanting to spend more time with the kids while they are little, I could go on and on.

Same here...though I really don't care for the direction public aducation has gone. I feel that the teachers don't get to teach the way they used to, because of the NCLB program. Otherwise, I live in one of the top school districts in OC. I have neighbors that think I'm insane for not putting my kids in public school, because we have "the best schools in OC!"...:rolleyes:




In short, I think it's a good idea, but it's even more of a good thing if the parent has an interest in learning as well. I don't think you can teach a subject unless you're willing to learn about it. So that is something to work on.
This is SO very true! I had a blast last year re-learning some simple science and history facts that I had forgotten about. I loved having an excuse to go out on field trips regularly, too.


However, it can also make kids extremely sheltered and sometimes narrow-minded. I like public schools because I feel it prepares kids better for the real world. You go to school with kids of all different races and economic classes.
School isn't what makes a child sheltered and narrow minded...parents do that. I grew up going to public school. I've met my fair share of narrow minded kids, shy/introverted kids, awkward/extremely nerdy kids, kids lacking good social skills...my point is, natural disposition and home life affect one's personality, not necessarily their schooling environment.

Again, I believe home life and parents prepare a child for the real world. School is NOT like the real world. My homeschooled child is out and learning in the real world on a daily basis. He isn't limited in his social circles, to children that are his age and grade. He has many friends that are older, and many that are younger. We don't live in THE most culturally diverse area, so I get him out to Los Angeles and Long Beach regularly. If he was confined to a school, he'd be around rich white kids, and maybe a few Hispanic and a few Asian kids.



homeschooling provides a lot of real-world experience assuming one isn't purposefully sheltering their children....and many homeschoolers are active in a variety of community activities that expose their children to a wider range of people from all walks of life (different ages, nationalities, religions, socio-economic class, etc).

thus, homeschooling in this environment may be more diverse and more real world than the public school system.

and of course, choosing public school under the ideas of 'real world' and 'diversity' already presupposes that you agree with the typical, public school model of education (which i don't).

Well said Zoe.





i'm just saying, "school" is a real world, but it isn't the world--it is sheltered, it is adminstrated, and it is actually quite narrowly defined. and, it's boring. man, do i remember how boring it was.
Again, well said.




When I was homeschooled, I was involved in homeschool group, church group, tennis/swimming/photography/ice skating/drama/piano lessons and more. I had a diverse circle of friends, white, black, Hispanic and Asian.

:up:
My son is in soccer, and will be starting 4-H and guitar lessons when school starts. Of course, we also meet with our HS group at least once a week, and daily trips to the park. We also get out to our local science center, children's museum, and Auquarium of the Pacific for enrichment.

My kids are very active and very social. I don't believe that they would have the same experience at school, as they do now.

[kaymay]

I’m generally in favor of public schools, since kids are exposed to a variety of points of view and they are being taught by people with a college education. I may still decide to homeschool my kids though. I’m not sure yet. I think that homeschooling can have a wide array of outcomes. Some people that are homeschooled are incredibly articulate, informed, and well-adjusted as adults. But I think there are some parents that are ill-equipped to homeschool, since they don’t understand the fundamentals of reading, writing, and arithmetic themselves, much less the more advanced subjects. However, I think those parents are also ill-equipped to help their public school kids with their homework, so those kids may suffer either way.

[LemonZest]

Too bad you can't move to a "nicer" area. It would make a WORLD of difference and your child would have a higher chance of making many more like-long friends. I've found that there are MANY MORE vegetarians attending the schools in the more competitive areas of the US.

For example, if one attends a non-competitive state university or a community college, there is almost no chance they'll meet another vegetarian or others who are open minded to the topic. And almost everyone will eat McDonalds, Burger King, etc.

However, if one attends a competitive university (ie. one of the top 50 in the world), at least 1 in 20 people are vegetarian there, some dabble in veganism and are open minded to many other topics. Basically, life is so much more enjoyable and so many more friends can be made.

Moving to a new location (nearer the better educational institutions) where old students of these universities are raising their children can REALLY make life easier on vegetarian children. The difference can be night and day. I wish my parents had known about this when I was a child.

[sassyberries]

I am gonna start homeschooling soon. My son starts on sep 8th...Of course Im all for homeschool..Im actually gonna go through a charter school in my area. You might want do a search for some homeschool groups in your area.