Home/Unschoolers II

[MaineMomof4]

Just wondering if anyone homeschools their kids or has thought about it?

[Naturallynice]

me! We use/plan to use the Moore formula of work/study/service. My children are a bit young, almost 5, 3 1/2, and 9 months so we take it easy. Having said that, my eldest has started reading phonetically, so I am very proud of her ofcourse!!

Esthe

[Conscious Midwife]

I'm Homeschooling by the seat of my pants and since my little ones are 4 and nearly 3 ( 2 weeks) it's going pretty well.

there are a whole bunch of threads in the Raw Parenting forum that might procide you with an assortment of experiences.

[MaineMomof4]

I'd like to homeschool as well. My kids are 5, 3 1/2, and 1 1/2 with one on the way in March. Right now the two older ones go to a half day Montessori Program that I love but it is expensive and next year my older son would be entering kindegarden and I don't like the idea of public school at all!!! Just a little nervous about the homeschool thing, don't want to screw the kids up, but hey I guess I couldn't do any worse than most public schools huh!

[MaineMomof4]

I'd like to homeschool as well. My kids are 5, 3 1/2, and 1 1/2 with one on the way in March. Right now the two older ones go to a half day Montessori Program that I love but it is expensive and next year my older son would be entering kindegarden and I don't like the idea of public school at all!!! Just a little nervous about the homeschool thing, don't want to screw the kids up, but hey I guess I couldn't do any worse than most public schools huh!

[Rawkinlocs]

There a lot of us and a few threads...if you do a quick search using the banana icon up top and type in "homeschool", "homeschoolers", "unschoolers", "homeschooling" you will find some great threads to learn a little more about those of us who do!

But yep, I'm a proud homeschoolin' mama! :D

[tinystrawberry]

I was homeschooled for most of my life, and now I am homeschooled 2 days out of the week and the other three i go to a "hippyish" private school. next year i'll be homeschooled full time again.

[trinity082482]

The thought never crossed my mind. I love to watch my son interact with other children. The joy that lights up in his eyes when he is around other kids is so exciting to me because I'm happy that he is so happy. I think anyone who home school's has a lot of patience. I think you would have to. I'm not book smart nor am I patient enough to do studies for 8 hours a day LOL. Home schooling is a great option though if it works for your family. When I was 16 I was home schooled. I thought I would like it more because the pressures of school would be lifted off my shoulders. I ended up feeling isolated and lonely although I had activities outside of home and plenty of friends and neighbors to do things with. It's a very personal choice, I think.

[Naturallynice]

I'm not book smart nor am I patient enough to do studies for 8 hours a day LOL. .

8 hours a day??? Giffus!!! Never!!! Well, I suppose I am more into unschooling rather "school at home", with lots of shared reading, nature studies (outside), helping around the home, and a special love for geography.

Check out http://www.moorefoundation.com/formula.html for a very balanced way of educating children at home. Gee, Trinity, were you homeschooled for 8 hours a day ??? I can see why you didn't warm up to it!

Esther

[ProgrammingRaw]

We're another unschooling family. An 11 year old, 7 and 5.

We let their interests drive what they want to learn. Amoung other things, our kids go through books at an incrediable rate, they absolutely love reading - and they developed that all on their own :-)

If you're considering homeschooling for the first time, check the regulations for your state or province. Some places give you a lot more freedom than others.

[Sharon in Colorado]

I've been homeschooling for 8 years. It doesn't take 8 hours a day. But it does take dedication and a little creativity particularly with the younger ones.

There are many, many styles out there. I do half structured/classical curriculum with a little unstructured and more relaxed. The 3 R's (readin', ritin', rithmatic for those who aren't old school) is the most important so that is what I made sure gets the most focus.

[MaineMomof4]

I've NEVER heard of anyone homeschooling for 8 hours a day! I know a few people in my area that homeschool and the kids get a lot of education and learning outside the home doing regular things even such as going to the grocery store, you can turn almost anything into a learning experience if you get creative. In my area they have a homeschooling or unschooling class at the local museum once a week and they teach a lesson (usually science) to the kids and do an activity. I am very interested in homeschooling just nervous about being good enough. I am very patient but sometimes when all the kids are going nuts and no one seems to be listening it does wear on my patience a little. I also have no clue about what curriculum to use for homeschooling or how to make sure they are getting enough without having to nag them. I guess making it fun is key but I just hope I could be creative enough. Any suggestions on getting over my nervousness and anxiety? Also just worried that with 4 kids two who will be under 2 (1 1/2 and newborn) how I can make sure I have time for everything, I don't want the kids to lack in the education area. THANKS EVERYONE!

[MaineMomof4]

Hi, how are you? I know what you mean about your son enjoying his time with his friends and you enjoying seeing him so happy doing that but there are plenty of other ways to make friends other than school and you can have playdates and go places as well or do swim lessons, gymnastics, a number of things where he'll interact with other children. I just think public and even some private schools are just so scarey because once you leave them there they're on their own and you have no idea what is going to happen or what will go on. No one is going to care about your son as much as you do and you are the person who is really going to have his best interest in mind at all times. There is so much peer pressure at school even at a young age and so much social garbage that goes on. Kids are actually more in school for the social aspect than for learning, that's how it seems to me and that's a scarey thought. Also not that I'm saying this about you but I know of people who like the idea of their kids going to school because it's a "BREAK" for them. Another thought for you maybe if that since you only have one child and it sounds like you were an only child than maybe that was somewhat lonely but I have 4 to keep eachother company and drive eachother crazy so I don't think they'll be lonely! =) Take care!

[shine72]

We homeschool and we love it! :D I was wondering if Rawkinlocs did or not and there, she confirmed she did! You really should check your state requirements. Mine changed when we moved from Maryland to Georgia. And there are as many different ways to homeschool as there are homeschoolers. So nobody can really tell you how to do it for you and your family, just what's worked for theirs.

Sunshine :D

[Conscious Midwife]

I am very interested in homeschooling just nervous about being good enough. I am very patient but sometimes when all the kids are going nuts and no one seems to be listening it does wear on my patience a little. I also have no clue about what curriculum to use for homeschooling or how to make sure they are getting enough without having to nag them. I guess making it fun is key but I just hope I could be creative enough.

Sounds like your little ones are doing their J O B :D

My guess is that you were probably also nervous with your first pregnancy and when you became a parent, over and over again (as many of us were and maybe still are). But, you've perservered, are going strong and got the finger prints on the wall to prove it :) . With right intentions and continued research you'll do fine.

As you strive for a healthier diet daily you may find a greater calm among both you and your children. I notice that I'm a bit on edge when my blood sugar is out of wack. So now each day I am sure to eat a piece of fruit or start on my smoothie before my little ones wake up. Little ones pick up on the vibrations we put out and respond accordingly.

Every moment is a teachable moment and there are a wealth of resources out there.

I'm currently working on building our deliberate community/ village for both my toddlers socialization/ support needs and mine. So far it has included chartering a new chapter of Mocha Moms Inc. and participating in devotional services at our local Bahai Center. Later this year we will start a Brownie Girl Scout Troop in our neighborhood and both will do recreational soccer.

When I'm not feeling to focused I allot so many minutes to PBSkids.org where they do interactive exercises related to lanuage, reading, matching and counting. This happens a couple of time per week in maybe 30-45 min spurts.

I say all this to say... Don't be nervous just get yourself a huge support system full of caring folks with similiar family and community oriented goals.


You have everything within your own DNA to nurture and rear you own offspring, and when necessary you will know when it's time to enlarge your village and allow others to augment.

[PeachyMama]

I've been homeschooling for 8 years. It doesn't take 8 hours a day. But it does take dedication and a little creativity particularly with the younger ones.

There are many, many styles out there. I do half structured/classical curriculum with a little unstructured and more relaxed. The 3 R's (readin', ritin', rithmatic for those who aren't old school) is the most important so that is what I made sure gets the most focus.

This is our approach as well. We take a much more relaxed route with things like science and history.

And, my kids are learning all day! For the 3 R's, my four year old works in his books until he's bored, and my 11 year old usually works about 1 1/2 - 2 hours a day.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Awesome Carol, that is what has worked for us through the years!

Anyone interested in starting, here is some more info.

www.hslda.org will show your state's requirements.

It is good and quite affordable to be an HSLDA member, then you get free counsel if necessary, unless you are under an umbrella school, then there shouldn't likely be any problems as long as you're following the guidelines.

An umbrella school for homeschoolers is basically an organization that files the state requirements for you and usually your requirement is sending in quarterly lesson plans. Some schools may ask you to show up for meetings, while others take a more relaxed approach, and allow you to simply mail in your requirements. I prefer the latter approach, yet some parents like the meetings and comradedry, so in the end it's all what works for you. Make sure the school does what YOU like and supports YOUR style or keep looking until you are satisfied.

We use an umbrella school, so technically our kids are in a "private" school yet they are home educated. Sometimes that makes it easier for you especially if your state isn't home school friendly, or the library or zoo or museum or other such kid type of program wants to know what "school" they attend, then you have a name to give them.

When we lived in California, we went independent and filed an affidavit by law and came up with our own school name, so again, you have to check your particular state's requirements. We also went under the umbrella approach in California and there are pluses and drawbacks to each approach.

There is always a way to home educate, even if your state doesn't allow or make it difficult for home schooling. Sometimes it is just a matter of getting under an umbrella school to make it legitimate.

In the end, don't be afraid or intimidated by the public school authorities. Most of the time they don't know which way is up with homeschooling laws and they are just ignorantly following what they are told to do. HSLDA is totally up on all the rules and policies in your state, so a little investigation is worth a lot of piece of mind.

Best prices I found for curriculum is www.timberdoodle.com and www.christianbook.com. Those are going to carry your more classical type of curriculum. Catherine Duffy's has a book about all the homeschooling curriculum, I checked mine out of the library, and it is very extensive and I highly recommend it.

Also I recommend, find out your child's learning style. Do they learn by watching (visual learner) listening (auditory learner) or do they learn best doing hands on (manipulative)...this really makes a difference, and is why so many children are left behind in school, where the teacher just doesn't have the time and resources to get to each child.

There are so many different types of curriculum for each style of learner, and Catherine Duffy's book gives a lot of good information based on the learning style.

Other good sources for curriculum is E-bay and the swap board at vegsource. There's also a big message board on vegsource. And many, many yahoo groups for every learning style.

Hope some of that info helps!

[Ariannah]

We have been very relaxed homeschoolers for the past 4 years. We are close to what many people would call "unschooling" but are more eclectic in our approaches. We pretty much let the children's interests and passions be at the nucleus of all their learning, and everything else branches out from there.

Our older 2 are former school students, and our younger 2 have never been in school, and it's amazing to see how they grow and mature, first hand!

[MaineMomof4]

Thanks for all the great information everyone! So what is the main difference between being under an umbrella school and not? Got a tiny bit confused about that.

PeachyMama what did you mean when you said when your son gets tired of working in his books? What kind of books are you talking about? THANKS =)

Talk to you all soon!

[PeachyMama]

MaineMom, I get a packaged curriculum from Curriculum Services for both of my children. I bought the Kindergarten package for him because he wanted his own school things since his big sister had hers :D It's geared towards ages 4-6, and covers preschool things through kindergarten. There are little workbooks for each subject. Right now, his favorite is math. The workbooks are in color, and he enjoys such exercises as figuring which one is different than the others. He also likes playing with his math manipulatives, and we often do pattern exercises with those in an informal way.

It's all really relaxed, but he can say he has school work just like his big sister. It's a big plus all around.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Thanks for all the great information everyone! So what is the main difference between being under an umbrella school and not? Got a tiny bit confused about that.



When you are under an umbrella school, they take care of your record keeping, you hand in what is required e.g. lesson plans, curriculum choices, goals, etc. Requirements vary by school.

When you are homeschooling independently you must abide by what the state requires of you. You must be able to procure records if need be, etc.

[MaineMomof4]

PeachyMama is Curriculum services the name of the company that has the packets or something in your area? Sounds good. I love math manipulatives we use those a lot. I love all the Montessori Materials that are out there but some can tend to be expensive.

Sharon, being under an umbrella school sounds like you have to do a lot more record keeping and prove to someone what you are doing and teaching on a regular basis. Sounds kind of scarey. What is the benefit besides them having your records? Do they judge what you are doing or tell you that you should be doing more or different things?

Thanks again girls =)

[Pailani]

I'm another proud homeschooling mom. We lean towards classical (we use Charlotte Mason's methods) and can usually manage in 3-5 hours a day depending on the grade/age.

[Rawmommie]

I'm here too! LOVE being with my children all day, wouldn't have it any other way! There are some great past threads with LOTS of info in them...I hope someone bumps them. (I can't type up anything long, i cut a tendon in my right thumb yesterday and I'm typing one handed.)

[goodbeets]

Dear MaineMomof4, I also live in MAine! Where are you? I have 3 children; my 6 year old is in 1st grade, went to Montessori for kindergarten is now in public school; my 5 year old started kindergarten at public school and is now homeschooling as public school did not work well. My youngest, who is 3, is in a small, waldorf "based" preschool which she loves. I have had high hopes of homeschooling, especially as I was a classroom teacher for 5 years BUT I have a REALLY hard time with it. I miss having any time to myself, I can only get it at 5 in the am which I usually sleep through. If I had a better support system I think it could work but I do not. Plus, in the coming months we may be adding my grandmother to our family. I am very much looking forward to this but it will add to the responsibility load. My gosh, I wish I lived in a tribe! LOL!! It is not healthy to have 1 or 2 people take care of children!! I understand that some people can and love doing just that but there are plenty of people who that does not work for. I am a certified LOLF instructor and I cannot wait to get out of my house and teach, to have a bit of a life for me, an identitiy that I own outside my family. I had one for a long time and I find I really miss it.

[KatK]

We homeschool :) My daughter is 15 and has never been to school. We do a more classical kind of schooling also.

[MaineMomof4]

GoodBeets we're in Bangor, Maine. Have you lived in Maine your whole life? I have but when I graduated high school I moved to New York for 5 years and now I dragged my husband back here and we've been here since 2003. I'm nervous about the homeschooling but excited at the same time my biggest fear is having enough time to give the older to everything they need educational wise with the two little ones around who have a lot more needs. Wish me luck, I'm dedicated to it but scared. Talk to you all soon!

[sailaway]

Hi Mainemomof4
I am a CA momof12! I have home schooled several of the older children at different times and used public and private school for them the rest of the time. I have one son hs for 12yrs and the 4 youngest are now homeschooled as well. I have used everything from strict packaged programs to unschool. I now use a combo, M,T,W we do math/english (including writing, spelling etc) 8am to 1pm, Th, F we go on field trip to musuems, plays, musicals, do science, music lessons etc.

A big plus to home schooling if you are doing raw as a family is the pressure on the kids to eat junk at school and "share" other childrens lunches. I know it sounds silly but that is what my kids TELL ME! I am not worried about my children feeling alone asmy kids play in the county orchestra, play AYSO soccer, baseball and swim on high level swim teams. They get plenty of social time there and at church activities. In fact most of the kids that are high in soccer. baseball and swim team are homeschooled! When I asked those kids why they HS they say that is the only way they can be competitive and stay on top of their grades. ( My kids are not good enough to be at the level they do what they do for fun only) There are great web sites out there like clickschooling.com Good luck on what you decide

[texasgirl]

My son had gone to private school for 1st-3rd grade and enjoyed it but we wanted the enjoyment of home schooling, so we are doing it now through a program , Switched on Schoolhouse, it's all on the computer. It is a good program but not really for us so next year I think we are going just find different courses from what seems intersting and take it from there, he will be in 5th grade next year. This being our first year it can be difficult at times but the joy of seeing your child learn is well worth it. Also I was scared of "messing" up my child if I did it myself (as someone else mentioned) but they are right what more harm could we do than most public schools. I would say give it a shot, you just have to learn as you go, and remember to relax and ejoy yourslef. ;)

[trinity082482]

8 hours a day??? Giffus!!! Never!!! Well, I suppose I am more into unschooling rather "school at home", with lots of shared reading, nature studies (outside), helping around the home, and a special love for geography.

Check out http://www.moorefoundation.com/formula.html for a very balanced way of educating children at home. Gee, Trinity, were you homeschooled for 8 hours a day ??? I can see why you didn't warm up to it!

Esther

Ya lol. Just like a regular school day with breaks in between :D

[trinity082482]

Hi, how are you? I know what you mean about your son enjoying his time with his friends and you enjoying seeing him so happy doing that but there are plenty of other ways to make friends other than school and you can have playdates and go places as well or do swim lessons, gymnastics, a number of things where he'll interact with other children. I just think public and even some private schools are just so scarey because once you leave them there they're on their own and you have no idea what is going to happen or what will go on. No one is going to care about your son as much as you do and you are the person who is really going to have his best interest in mind at all times. There is so much peer pressure at school even at a young age and so much social garbage that goes on. Kids are actually more in school for the social aspect than for learning, that's how it seems to me and that's a scarey thought. Also not that I'm saying this about you but I know of people who like the idea of their kids going to school because it's a "BREAK" for them. Another thought for you maybe if that since you only have one child and it sounds like you were an only child than maybe that was somewhat lonely but I have 4 to keep eachother company and drive eachother crazy so I don't think they'll be lonely! =) Take care!

Nah I have 3 brothers younger than me. They think they are pimp daddy mac's LOL.. Well they get all these petite blonde girlfriends :rolleyes:
LOL. Ya I just have my son. I am super worried about him going to school. He will be in the same catholic school as I was in and I love the school. I had good times there. I am hoping he does too. I am worried about him falling out side LOL. I am worried more about that then anything right now cause there are not enough adult eyes for all the kids at recess time. :eek:
I will miss him being at home. I am so close to my son. I don't even like it when he goes for the weekend to his dads. :(
My son is a social butterfly. I think he would do better in school then being at home.
Like before if homeschooling works for you... go for it! I believe in kids being close to their parents. In my experience home schooling was lonely. It wasn't all playing outside but when your 16 LOL.... Its nice to have friends to hang out with all day long lol. :p

[MaineMomof4]

Sailaway, how old are all of your kids? How come you chose homeschool for some but not others or ended up having some go to school? Just curious? Must be a little hard juggling 12 kids :)

[Tk2dsky]

We homeschool as well. Only for about 2 months now. I am genuinely surprised at how much I enjoy teaching my son ( age 6). We go a more structured route. Our curriculum is through a charter public school, but I do all the teaching at home. We get all the materials, a computer, printer, teacher to check in with for free. But we also get the benefit of teaching at our own pace. It's a great way to get started when you need a safety blanket. The funny thing is, I have a degree in teaching, yet I was apprehensive to start.

I would encourage you to do some research into it if you are interested, there is certainly a program that will work well for you. As far as socialization, homeschooling is becoming such a popular option, that there are many activities, playgroups, and fieldtrip groups to be found.

[goodbeets]

Dear Mainemomof4, wow, we're only an hour away!! The one program I have really liked from all that I have checked out is called Enski. It really looks well done and fun and interesting. With the liklihood that my grandmother will be living with us, I want to get that lifestyle change worked out before I commit to homeschooling.... yet.

[RainbowAngel]

I'm homeschooled i'n never been in a school in my live and i'm pround of it!!! :cool:

[RainbowAngel]

awsome i love seenin' homeschooling people!!!!!!!:)

P.S thanks for not thinking i'm a wacky person!

Thanks,:)
Lark.

[Rawkinlocs]

This is a continuation of the discussion at this location: http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=308

So if you are a "Home's Cool" family, please share! :)

Here are a few questions to get the ball rolling...

1. How many children do you have and what are their ages?

2. Do you home school or unschool?

3. What made you decide to pull your children from public school or not enroll them in the first place?

4. Are you involved in homeschooling support groups locally?

5. Do you get support or flack from family and close friends? (feel free to also share experiences and/or how you deal with negative reactions)

6. What curriculum (if any) do you use, how well do you like it and what do you like most about it?

Extra: Any other tips, questions, or words of support/encouragement?

[RebeccaI]

1. How many children do you have and what are their ages? 5 - soon to be 6 - ages 15, 8, 6, 4, almost 2 and due in June.

2. Do you home school or unschool? home school

3. What made you decide to pull your children from public school or not enroll them in the first place? It was important to me to raise my children with our family values - to be the voice of authority and relationship in their young lives. My oldest was in public school k-2 and when she started telling me I didn't understand and her teacher told her something different I was concerned. Then, when I got the permission slip for 2nd grade sex ed - that cinched it. I believe the public school system has overstepped its bounds and is educating our children young the 3 R's - social issues are for family. Reading, writing and arithmetic are for school.

4. Are you involved in homeschooling support groups locally? Nope.

5. Do you get support or flack from family and close friends? (feel free to also share experiences and/or how you deal with negative reactions) No open flack but I have several aunts who are public school teachers and are constantly quizzing my children when we see them to make sure that they are "where they should be".

6. What curriculum (if any) do you use, how well do you like it and what do you like most about it? We are currently using Veritas Press and LOVE it. :0)

Extra: Any other tips, questions, or words of support/encouragement? Don't stress about finishing a curriculum. Remember learning is FUN - don't try to re-create a little classroom in your home. Tune in to your children and their personalities and HAVE FUN :D

Blessings~

[Shoney]

I have two children, and they are both homeschooled. My son is almost 11 and has been in and out of public school. He went to public school for all of kindergarten and part of first grade, but was having all sorts of problems (part of which came from a family disruption - but that's another story), and so I just pulled him out. We homeschooled through third grade, not using any particular curriculum, just the workbooks that seemed best suited to him, and LOTS of trips to the library to rekindle his love for books that public school had dried out of him. In fourth grade I enrolled him in a private Christian school, but the religious abuses there were not acceptable, and so he went to public school from December last year until just a couple weeks ago. He kept getting so far behind, was discouraged, his teacher didn't think he was trying hard enough ad nauseum. One night he was getting ready for bed, really withdrawn, and I looked at him and said "I know you're lost at school" as gently as I could. He started to cry. I said we'd homeschool next year, but by the end of the week I had pulled him out. We just couldn't take the conflicts in educational philosophy and personal/religious values anymore.

We're still not using any particular curriculum. The governor shut down our state's educational service district's home ed program which provided great materials, tutoring, classes and all sorts of goodies for home schoolers. Argh. But we have lots of leftovers from before, as I tend to collect books and workbooks for now and later. Be prepared is my motto!

We do about 2-4 hours of "bookwork" a day. Right now we're concentrating on Language Arts and Math, filling in his "holes." He is reading a lot, too, anything that interests him - usually space stuff like rockets and astronomy - and is writing daily in a journal. I was saturated in words as a child, both through my own writing and a vast exposure to books. He doesn't seem to have that same word sense, so I am gently encouraging him in that direction.

We get flack from his father and that side of the family, but they are not local so it doesn't bother us too much.

There is a network of homeschool families here, but frankly some of the manners I have seen from the more conservative families alarm me, and so we are rather independent. My son plays with his former school friends a few times a week, he was on the basketball team and will be getting back on the swim team shortly, so I'm not worried about socialization or any of that. Actually, socialization I think is rather overemphasized and the reason for his being in sports is that he enjoys the physical activity. The friendships are a bonus. :)

I think the most important thing about approaching home school is to remember that it is not about "doing school" at home. If "school" worked, then public schools would be a smashing success. Each child is different in learning styles, abilities and interests, and I think a wise home school approach is to recognize and respond to those differences. Some kids aren't ready to learn how to read until they are ten or even older, others seem to read about the same time they start walking! Another important point is to read read read, both aloud to the child and to inform oneself of home schooling options because there are SO many. Learning about different educational philosophies has helped me develop my own, even reading about those which I totally disagree with. I used to feel really defensive about home schooling but don't anymore. I have a sweet, generally polite son who gathers many compliments on his attitude, behavior and effort in his endeavors, and that is feedback enough to tell me we're on the right track.

Home schooling was terrifying and somewhat burdensome when he was younger because I felt like I had to keep up with the state benchmarks and all the rest. Now we take a very relaxed attitude towards it, focus on strengthening the three r's, and letting him go at his own pace. Right now that means we're reviewing math basics but he's also started a geometry workbook. I know he'll learn what he's ready for when he's ready for it, my job is to present the material and clarify what he doesn't understand. A prepared environment - books, workbooks, materials to experiment with, outings to the library and field trips, stimulating conversation (which happens best when I LISTEN to him rather than talk at him) and giving him the time and space to work - is my primary job, and I love it.

[fruitcake]

1. How many children do you have and what are their ages? 3 kids, my first grader is 7, kindergartener is 5, and the baby is 17 months

2. Do you home school or unschool? Well, I'm supposed to be homeschooling, but I think I've turned into an unschooler. I originally wanted to unschool, because I 'get it" more than I get the idea of school at home. But my DH wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of unschool so I ended up getting a curriculum but we haven't used it since before x-mas. The kids are more interested in doing what they want to do and I'm OK with that because they're going to learn best from learning what they want to learn.

3. What made you decide to pull your children from public school or not enroll them in the first place? Weird rules the school had, food allergies, I don't feel my kindergartener is ready to learn to read and don't want her forced into it, I don't believe in assembly line education, bad memories of school from my own childhood, and the belief that the kind of socialization you get in school is really bad.

4. Are you involved in homeschooling support groups locally? not yet, maybe later

5. Do you get support or flack from family and close friends? (feel free to also share experiences and/or how you deal with negative reactions)
My in-laws think the kids should be in school to get socialized and they don't think I can provide the same quality of education that the public school can. MIL had lots of objections including they won't get into college, and you practically have to be a teacher to be qualified to teach kids at home. (The DH's cousin said she had done extensive research on this before putting her daughter in K at a private school, so this is where MIL was getting her info.) So after calling all the universites and community colleges in the areas and DD's kindergarten teacher from the year before who has 8 kids and has homeschooled them all at one time or other I was able to tell her that it's no big deal getting into college and that homeschooling is not like it used to be. Our state had really easy going rules now, nad I can basically do what ever I want and it's fine. As far as socialization goes, she says that the time they spend in girl scouts nad bible class is not enough time away from me and enough time with other kids their age. I don't feel any need to defend this any more. I could tell her what I think, but she'll disagree. If she wants to learn about it she can do the research, if she doesn't wnat to research it she probably is not ready to learn about it. Every one else, friends, neighbors, church, my brother and aunt are all supportive. It's just the in-laws that give me a hard time :rolleyes: :D

6. What curriculum (if any) do you use, how well do you like it and what do you like most about it? I bought the Oak Meadow curriculum. as far as doing something other than unschool, which is what I wanted to do to start, I decided that I liked the Waldorf philosophy. I like that Oak Meadow moves slowly through language arts for my kindergartener, but it's a little slow for my first grader who was reading at a second grade level in kindergarten. I also like that it teached music and knitting and has lots of hands on stuff.

Extra: Any other tips, questions, or words of support/encouragement?Trust your children, let them tell you what they need. Have fun with them and let homeschool be about them, not books and rules. And you don't always have to defend yourself against objections. Sometimes it's easier just to say thank you for being concerned, I'll keep that in mind.

[Conscious Midwife]

Oh I'll answer again, life situations often change:D

1. Five progeny. Ages 19, 15, 12, 4 and 3

2. Ecclectic

3. Homeschool all at least part time (12hrs.) accept for the 19 year old who is in college now so she is homeschooling me on the happenings in L.A. Not going to enroll the youngest two in school, if at all , until 5th or 8th grade, depending on where we live and the quality of the education being made available. Strongly considering homeschooling the 15 year old fulltime this fall, she's gifted and her current school is a joke she attends just so she can enjoy band, student council and Spanish she is beyond the academic offerings so we do our own thing in those areas. My dear 12 year old son couldn't fathom being home "stuck with mom and the toddlers" and without all the "cute girls in middle school":).

4. I'm a charter member of a local MOCHA MOMS group, with a few homschool families involved and I will soon be joining the Holistic Moms Network which has a considerable # of homeschool families too.
5. Everyones cool with the arrangement so far.

6. By the Seat of My Pants, 1st Edition
Love the flexability, unpredictability and absolute fun of edifying the ones I've birthed!!


**** The governor recently had a radio press conference where he said our state needed to up it's academic preparation so our state could have a viable economic future and compete for factory contracts that we recently lost to Mississippi and Arkansas, due to our highschoolers low performance in mathmatics and reading. Mind you our state was prepared to waiv taxes and fund the construction for these plants. Duh:eek: couldn't this money have been spent on improving student performance?

Nothing against factory jobs, but why does this motivation for improvement sound a bit off:confused:

[AvyB]

1. How many children do you have and what are their ages? Four! They are 8, 7, 5, and 11 months.

2. Do you home school or unschool? Unschool.

3. What made you decide to pull your children from public school or not enroll them in the first place? My kids, my values! Schools promote detatchment and foster bad habits...at best they are neglectful - at worst...all out abusive.

4. Are you involved in homeschooling support groups locally? No.

5. Do you get support or flack from family and close friends? (feel free to also share experiences and/or how you deal with negative reactions) Hehehe...they know better... :p

6. What curriculum (if any) do you use, how well do you like it and what do you like most about it? None. We learn through living!

[shine72]

I was going to answer this before and never got to it so here it goes!

1. How many children do you have and what are their ages? I have three beautiful children, ages 11, 9, and 7.

2. Do you home school or unschool? I kind of do both off and on taking into consideration our living situation at the time and how the kids are doing/feeling.

3. What made you decide to pull your children from public school or not enroll them in the first place? I had intended to homeschool since my oldes was 2 yrs. old. I did put the kids in school (I actually let the "experts" convince me I couldn't homeschool a special needs child), but that was only for 2 yrs. and then I brought them back home because them being in school was a disaster. My autistic sons teacher was AWFUL and my oldest's teacher (2nd grade) was HORRIBLE!

4. Are you involved in homeschooling support groups locally? No, we just moved to the area in September and are moving again April 1.

5. Do you get support or flack from family and close friends? (feel free to also share experiences and/or how you deal with negative reactions) Flack from both sides at first. Then they gave compliments, then they go back to flack. I ignore them. They are my kids, we don't live near them and don't intend to ever, so we really don't care what they think. It's our job to do right by our kids, and we are!;)

6. What curriculum (if any) do you use, how well do you like it and what do you like most about it? We currently have Sonlight and I love it. However, after burning myself out when we first got it, I've had to tweak it a bit so it works for us and not vice versa. I do love their variety and the quality of their books however! I just have made it less structured than it was at the beginning!

Extra: Any other tips, questions, or words of support/encouragement? You know your kids best, not anyone else, including the so-called experts. I have a son with autism that they said would never talk. Now there are times when you can't get him to shut up for the life of you! LOL!:D Follow your gut instincts! Those are the ONE thing that haven't led me astray! Oh yeah, and on the days that the going gets tough, KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR! It's saved us all on more than one occassion!

Sunshine :D

[jocelynAZ]

I homeschool our 8 year old son and we absolutely LOVE IT!! I've homeschooled from the beginning, but officially (providing an affidavit) 3 years ago. It's been a huge blessing for us and, for our family, we would have it no other way.

I enjoy the classical, Charlotte Mason, and unit studies approach and have found a Christian curriculum that incorporates all three ~ "My Father's World" (www.mfwbooks.com). It's been wonderful and an answer to our prayers! :)

Blessings,

[vegan2be]

I homeschool my 7 y.o. dd. We use an eclectic approach: Some unit based studies (Five In A Row) and some classical approaches.

This is our second year and I love it. Couldn't imagine living any other way.

[Naturallynice]

We homeschool too. Girl 5, boy 4, girl 11months.

Or rather pre-school homeschool. LOL

[elian]

1. How many children do you have and what are their ages? 1 who is 7 years old

2. Do you home school or unschool? unschool mostly

3. What made you decide to pull your children from public school or not enroll them in the first place? I had him attend our day school from age 2-4 while I worked part time. I'm still working part time 2 days. I pulled him from school before kindergarten because I didn't want to work that many hours. So it was a good time to transition. I had planned to homeschool him anyway.

My main reasons for homeschooling are because I believe each child has their strengths and weaknesses and I know that kids get averaged out or dumbed down in the school system. I think a child should be able to learn about as much as he wants for as long as he wants. With traditional schooling a kid is just burned out when they get home.

My son isn't reading very much yet. He is more into construction... he loves to build. We do use a program for math that is just workbooks and he does a few pages every other day. We are working on phonics at a snails pace.

4. Are you involved in homeschooling support groups locally? We get together with a homeschool group about every 2-3 weeks. Sometimes we go on field trips. Usually they are just times for the kids to play.

5. Do you get support or flack from family and close friends? (feel free to also share experiences and/or how you deal with negative reactions) We have two teachers in our family (my mother and my sister-in-law). My mom understands. My sil on the otherhand doesn't. She is a young teacher. But she is nice about it. She doesn't say mean things. So we still get along even though we don't agree.

6. What curriculum (if any) do you use, how well do you like it and what do you like most about it? Only Miquion (sp?) Math and Hooked on Phonics (part of the way they recommend)

Extra: Any other tips, questions, or words of support/encouragement? As the other parents have already stated... you are the only one who knows your kids and your family's situation. Do what works for you and don't stress out about it too much.

Elian

[Rawmommie]

bumping up

[Rawmommie]

bumping :)

[MaineMomof4]

bumping again :)

[diamondscape]

Hey

I am a BIG time lurker here... but I just wanted to say that I too home/unschool my boys ages 7, 6, and 2. We loosely use the Christopherus "Waldorf" curriculum. I just like the way they integrate the 3 R's in a totally holistic nature and awe inspiring way. It is so amazing how this can be so healing as an adult who went through a very uncreative public school system.

We live out in the country sooo we spend most of the day learning how to grow food... watching the hawks and other birds, and just listening to the wind. I mean really could there be a better foundation for a kid?!?!

It does take some orginazation but if you keep it simple and don't push your kids. Just BE with them and encourage who they are made to be you just can't go wrong!!!

Go for it... and this thread is COOL.... keep the stories comin.... MAMAS!!

Blessings

[rawpromises]

1. How many children do you have and what are their ages? My kids are 12,10 and almost 7

2. Do you home school or unschool? We homeschool and then we add in a few days here and there of what i call unschooling.

3. What made you decide to pull your children from public school or not enroll them in the first place? I never put my children in school but I myslef always went to a public school and had a great experience. For me I wanted to see my kids grow and learn. I didn't want to miss out on the short amount of time our kids are with us under our roof. For me I can't imagine sending my kids off everyday and then not seeing them again until 3 or 4.

4. Are you involved in homeschooling support groups locally? On and off. I have been really involved at times and then not at all at times.

5. Do you get support or flack from family and close friends? (feel free to also share experiences and/or how you deal with negative reactions) On my husband side we did at first but now he doesn't bother me to much.

6. What curriculum (if any) do you use, how well do you like it and what do you like most about it?
We have used tons. Abeka ( don't really like that too much. Very dry) Alpha Omega, Horizons, Math U see, EXplode the Code, Evan Moore ( which I love) Handwriting without Tears. Lapbooking our favorite things. and REAL Science which I love because you can teach all differnt grades the same thing.

Extra: Any other tips, questions, or words of support/encouragement?

For anyone who homeschools they do it becaue they are willing to dedicate time and energy to the best development of thier child. The number one question is about sociaization and for me it is a non issue. My kids have loads of friends. They go to art, soccer, and are involved in numerous play groups. I love seeing my kids play with other kids and talk with other mom's, but I also love being with my kids and sharing moments i would miss if they were in the typical public school. Whichever you choose it has to fit your family. I knew homeschooling was always for us.

__________________

[4forme]

1. How many children do you have and what are their ages? My children are almost 11, 8.5 and almost 7

2. Do you home school or unschool? We homeschool mostly but are pretty eclectic

3. What made you decide to pull your children from public school or not enroll them in the first place? Since before I had children I have always wanted them home for school. I beleive God gave us our children to raise, and when they are off at a school for 8hrs +/day, there are other people raising them, not me. I also beleive that children are all so different and learn in different ways. Putting them in a big class with 1 teacher limits them in thier abilities and they cannot reach thier potential.

4. Are you involved in homeschooling support groups locally? Yup, but we just moved to the area, so not as much as I'd like for now.

5. Do you get support or flack from family and close friends? (feel free to also share experiences and/or how you deal with negative reactions) A little bit of both, but nothing real negative. DH isn't exactly in love with the homeschooling idea, so it always seems there is pressure to succeed and prove "h'schooling works".

6.What curriculum (if any) do you use, how well do you like it and what do you like most about it?
I am pretty eclectic as I mentioned before but I do have a few I really like. Math U see, Mystery of History, Considering God's Creation, A Reason for Writing and A Reason for Spelling (used to love handwriting without tears). Looking for a great LA curricullum cause I can't do that on my own. Abeak History as well.

Extra: I don't have any tips at the moment, but would love any if there are some to spare! We have pnly been schooling at home for 3 months. I schooled on and off for the last 5 yrs, but they spent most of the time in school. Hopefully we can keep them home now for a good long time!

[ruffsongraw]

i am not against home-schooling, so please dont take this that way....
BUT my husb is a certified AP high school english and shakespeare teacher and over the yrs we've met many home-schooled kids (up to 10th or 11th grade typically) and altho most have been academically ahead of their level (kudos to their parents!), they have been socially not "equiped" shall we say & do not interact with other kids of their own age comfortably at all.
they can grow up feeling excluded, they are usually more comfortable interacting/conversing with adults than other kids, some have had an air of superiority toward other kids...etc. IMO that puts them at a big social disadvantage thru adolecsence and college age---SO, if you choose to home-school, i would be sure to include activities regularly with kids of their own ages so that they aren't considered "weird" by others their own age the rest of their lives and also so that they are not inappropriately attention seeking with adults. my experience in this could be exception---plz don't take offense, i am sure it takes a lot of commitment and study to do it right, but keep in mind that in protecting kids from the many negatives of public school, they would also be sheltered from the many positives they experience there. the "real world" can be a huge shock to these kids if they are sheltered too much and they one day must LIVE as adults in the "real world" ultimately.
JMO....
jen

[Jazmyn]

I'm a 15 year old girl and up until last September I was home/un-schooled. I decided to go to public school for grade ten and I haven't had any problems adjusting. Yes, it was a bit of a culture shock, but I got used to it quite quickly. Although I'm not quite as friend orientated as some teens, I am pretty social and have friends from school. I'm really glad I home-schooled up until now. I don't think I really missed anything, and I'm glad I didn't have to deal with all the drugs/swearing/negative atmosphere stuff when I was younger that you have to deal with at most schools. I'm not saying that schools are bad, I really enjoy school, but I think that home-schooling or un-schooling is really good for a lot of people.

Just my thoughts.

[Colorawdo girl]

I did homeschool my daughter

[~Summer~]

1. How many children do you have and what are their ages? I home school our 8, 7, & 5 year old.

2. Do you home school or unschool? We home school

3. What made you decide to pull your children from public school or not enroll them in the first place? Our 8yr old has high functioning autism and was falling behind in school. They were going to be putting her in second grade and she wasn't reading or doing K level math yet. They were just pushing her through the system. We also had several situations with our 7 year old that left us very unhappy. The teachers here just act like they do not like their job or really care about the students. Since starting homeschooling our 8yr old is reading and getting caught up in math.

4. Are you involved in homeschooling support groups locally? Not currently

5. Do you get support or flack from family and close friends? Most of my family is supportive. I did have one aunt that works for the school district that did not agree with our decision

6.What curriculum (if any) do you use, how well do you like it and what do you like most about it?

We use WinterPromise, Math U See, First Language Lessons, Writing With Ease, The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading, and A Reason for Handwriting. I love all our curriculum.

[Irish_Vegan_Girl]

Just wondering if anyone homeschools their kids or has thought about it?

I was home-schooled for 3 or 4 years from about age 7 - 11. Our parents took me and my brother out of school because of problems that were left unsolved or ignored by the school, they were related to bullying.

I wasn't estatic when I was told we were to be home-schooled but we tried it out. I definitely learned what I needed to learn, and in as lot of ways it was better than remaining constantly seated in the classroom, we would go out and explore things, had lots of play time and time for imagination growth/stimulation. Our parents took us on a big trip around the world for 3 months. It was great fun.

We also went to some H.E.N events (home education network) during that period.

But, If you choose to home-school your kids I will say one thing, make sure they are getting enough interaction with kids their own ages, get them involved in group activities etc. I felt we didn't get enough social interaction around kids our own age after a while and so chose to go back to school, continued and graduated last year. I had friends during home school, but not enough people my own age and I just felt it wasn't really for me.

I don't agree with the Irish school system though either. "Learn by the book" attitude, no room for imagination etc. Don't do this/that - that's not correct because it's not in the book....Yeeeaaah, right..

Anyway, I know there are very good h/s programmes out there and stuff and I think schools differ from culture to culture/ country to country etc.

I wish you luck with homeschooling your kids if that is what you choose to do, it can work out very well. Also, I don't regret those years and would never change them. We had a lot of time to do things that in school we otherwise wouldn't have had so.. It was an experience, and I learned a whole lot from it.

[Irish_Vegan_Girl]

i am not against home-schooling, so please dont take this that way....
BUT my husb is a certified AP high school english and shakespeare teacher and over the yrs we've met many home-schooled kids (up to 10th or 11th grade typically) and altho most have been academically ahead of their level (kudos to their parents!), they have been socially not "equiped" shall we say & do not interact with other kids of their own age comfortably at all.
they can grow up feeling excluded, they are usually more comfortable interacting/conversing with adults than other kids, some have had an air of superiority toward other kids...etc. IMO that puts them at a big social disadvantage thru adolecsence and college age---SO, if you choose to home-school, i would be sure to include activities regularly with kids of their own ages so that they aren't considered "weird" by others their own age the rest of their lives and also so that they are not inappropriately attention seeking with adults. my experience in this could be exception---plz don't take offense, i am sure it takes a lot of commitment and study to do it right, but keep in mind that in protecting kids from the many negatives of public school, they would also be sheltered from the many positives they experience there. the "real world" can be a huge shock to these kids if they are sheltered too much and they one day must LIVE as adults in the "real world" ultimately.
JMO....
jen

Although I have met many H/S kids who were fine, I know what you are saying, read my post above, I was home-for 3 or so years. I also met another H/S kid who had been all his life but he was pretty wild and his parents didn't care for rules, he would often say stuff without "filtering", or thinking about it and had no table manners - that was ONE experience and has not specifically got everything to do with H/S kids, because I'm jsut fine:) and so are a lot of kids. I was at a little bit of a social disadvantage as I didn't have enough social interaction with kids my own age although my parents made a big effort with friends of theirs who had kids, so I was partially equipped but, I agree must include lots of activities and time with kids their own age.

[circle]

i did independent studies for most of my high school. i think it was really great because the pressures to conform were not so much there like they would have been if i had gone to a conventional school. it was much to my parents' dismay my decision to do independent studies. honestly though I don't think i would have graduated if I didn't take that route. I never went to school because the idea of being treated like cattle never sat well with me. I only wish I had someone to help guide me through my schooling instead of doing it all on my own. that was a little rough because I never really learned basic math skills, and suffered for it in college.

[qfmother]

We have always homeschooled our 6 children ages 11,9,7,5,2 and 10 months.

Brenda

[Raisingplenty]

-always home schooled
-We use sonlight curriculum and captivatedminds.com but we are very relaxed in using them to an almost unschool way:)
-Socialism??I GUARANTEE my kids get to talk/voice their opinion more than ANY child in the public school system. It's a rare day when I tell them to sit still and be quiet(unless I am disciplining) lol