Home-Schooling your children

[NathanY]

How many here do it? I want to do it for my daughter, and need some advice from some of the home-school veterens here. I want a program that is Christian based, yet very thorough in the three R's. Bassy I hope you read this, and can point me in the right direction.

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

We home school and like Boomyal says its the best thing you can do for your kids..........make sure you hook them up with some sort of social things to do, youth groups or what ever, we live away from the city so my boys gets a bit bored if there isnt anywhere or one to hang out with. I personally think the best program out is Switched on Schoolhouse. It is a very good program that you can program to your specs. I was directed to it by a family that has home schooled for yrs and they say this is best by far.

 

[ZooMbr]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Nate; my daughter and daughter-in-law home school some of our grandchildren, total of 8. It's a very good education if it's worked at - complete failure if not! Don't start unless you are committed to it and willing to work hard at it. As you and several on this board know; a good teacher has to work hard! Anyone who doesn't isn't doing the students any good; home schooled or not.<br /><br />I know my daughter and -in-law both find lots of good material on the internet. My daughter put her 3 boys in a private school last year when she was pregnant -- those boys were tops in their grade and this year the school was disappointed she was keeping them at home.<br /><br />And lastly; when I lived in AZ I knew a large family who homed schooled. In AZ you have to take tests for graduation with those schooled in public school (don't remember all the details) the kids in the family always scored high and several times were the top in the state! And they got scholarships to college.<br /><br />If you got it in you and willing to work -- go for it; the main reason my kids do it is the same motivation you have; knowledge and to maintain the standards of the home and church.

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Zoombr has it right it does take alot of work on your part just to makr sure they are doing their part but to be honest the programs he had in 10th grade were by far more then anything I or my wife learned in highschool, so its a good thing that the program is there to help us through it. I have heard of people doing it on there own or through free internet sites but I have never heard of a successful student that way.( not to say it cant happen)

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Best thing you would ever do for your children, Nate. I have two children, both home schooled with a Godly emphasis. They both finished high school with their AA degrees from the community college. One with an A average, the other with a B+ average.<br /><br />They will end up better capable of dealing with life more effectively than your average public school student of today and they will not pick up all of the bad behavioral habits that are so prevelant in today's youth.<br /><br />Initially, at least, you should try to hook up with a local home school group. They are a great source for all of the information you may need. Also my wife and kids have a number of lasting relationships that came out of them. When they were younger they would do activities together like bowling, etc.<br /><br />At the outset, the academic part seems daunting but there are a number of Christian based curriculum packages available that make it a no brainer. The kids practically teach themselves.<br /><br />Here are three names you can keep your eye out for. <br /><br />BJU Press<br />Alpha and Omega<br />Abeka<br /><br />Don't let anyone disuade you with the 'socialization' issue. It is a crock. Your kids will be better adjusted and capable of relating well to any age group. We did not disallow any neighborhood relationships for our kids. However, most of the neighbor kids were so obnoxious my kids wanted little to do with them.<br /><br />If you have any questions feel free to ask.

 

[11 footer]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

My parents are friends with a family that home schools there daughter, she is the same age as me.<br /><br />I use to go to Sunday school with her. In the 7th grade (about 12 years old) when her mother would leave the she would cry and cry and cry, when they finally got her to be able to stay without a parent she would sit and by herself and refuse to talk to anyone. <br /><br />I haven't seen her myself since then, but last I heard, my sister saw her at a skating lesson playing "tag" with six year old kids, she's 16.<br /><br />Why anyone would want to socially murder there kid like that is beyond me.

 

[Bassy]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Hi Nate-<br /> I don't know much about home schooling. I am an independent study teacher, which means I give students weekly assignments and meet with them weekly to collect and grade the assignments. (K-6 get 3hrs./week, 7th&8th get 2 hours/week, and high school and adults get 1 hour/week). I work for the local school district and teach state mandated curriculum. I do get quite a bit of freedom to use a variety of resources to get the concepts across to the individual students, and work with all students one-on-one. Is this what you're wanting information about?<br /> I think you're talking about daily lessons(all day school) being taught. I don't know anything about this. I don't know where to direct you either. I'm sorry,but I wish you luck in finding answers to your questions. If you have any other questions I'll do my best to answer them.<br />Bassy

 

[kd6nem]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Some public school districts in some states will actually supply you with public school curriculum which you can supplement with your choice of other for Bible & Science if you so choose. My wife teaches at a Christian School so our kids go with her, but homeschool can be an excellent choice. I too have seen problems (some similar to what RyanT said, and others not able to cut the mustard in college), but that is a case of clueless parents mollycoddling and/or failing to supervise the kid's education, depending on which problems. This is not the fault of homeschooling as such, it is parental failure. Many of the most successful students I have ever seen were homeschooled kids.

 

[radar750]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Nate, we know a few families who home school and what Ryan says has some truth. A couple of the families kids act very strange. They dont seem to know how to play and interact with other kids. They are very polite and well mannered and tend to stay near there parents and adults. If you are at say a cookout these kids really stand out. If you were a stranger observing for the first time you can quickly pick them out and think there mannerisms are odd. Is this due to the fact that they are home schooled??? why should it matter that they are learning at home instead of at a school.Perhaps the kids just have issues with interpersonal skills and there schooling has nothing to do with it. Our other friends who home school have a totally different experience.There kids are outgoing,are very into sports and play on the local highschool soccer team.In our town home schooled students can play on High School sports teams and have access to the school and facillities.Good luck Nate, I know you will do a good job.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

There are undoubtedly developmental failures in some home schooled kids, Nate, but those are the fault of the parents not of Home Schooling. If you've never read Lord of the Flies, now is the time to do it. Sending your kids to most puplic schools, today, is a milder version of what takes place in that book.<br /><br />You don't want to isolate your children from the world, you just don't want to give them a steady diet of it at an early age. That is, unless you want to raise an MTV child.<br /><br />Make sure that they participate in a wide variety of activities like Scouts, Church youth groups etc, etc,. They will be glad to be done with schoolwork when the neighbors are still riding the school bus.<br /><br />Across the land, Home Schoolers out achieve in every catagory.

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

I wish we had. The school system in Indiana is just below the system in IRAQ. Keep them home and keep them safe.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Nate we didn't, we kept our two in public schools for this primary reason...<br />

Matt 5:13-16<br />"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (NKJ)<br /><br />John 17:15,18<br />15 "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.<br />18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.<br />(NKJ)

As Christians, we believe it is wrong to isolate yourselves from "the world". Many of the problems in our society today are the indirect result of Christians isolating themselves and withdrawing from society. <br /><br />Whatever decision you make, do so with the understanding that Home Schooling / Christian Schooling does not guaruntee that your children will in the end be any different than if they were public schooled.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Nate,<br /><br />Is the school system bad in AR, or are there other reasons you want to home school?<br /><br />Just wondering.

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Kagee I agree we are to go out into the world and spread the word but first I will protect and equip my kids to do so. In our case our boy started to get into trouble in school and pulled away from church. He was caught doing drugs on school grounds and all the school councilor would say was hes a good boy but boys will be boys. It was ridiculas. Our boy is extreemly busy in his social life and I am sure the magority of you would be very impressed with his actions around adults and his peers. I would put him up against most highschool students when it come to is edjuction level because we set the standards high. His knowledge far surpasses mine and well I went to public schools. There is no failing for him he will do his work until he passes. So no matter what, he learns what he is supposed to. Public school is learn or not pass or fail were moving on because there are other students ready to go. I or my wife will reasign my boys work until he gets it right. Some people dont like that idea but I have seen my boy go from average to by far one of the most knowledge filled teens I know. It takes alot of work and you have to be very invovled with our kids but by far worth it. No offence to any teachers or others who work in the system but kids who stray are mostly left to defend themselves and quite frankly In my opinion will always end up in trouble and failing. Teachers are not equiped to deal or quite frankly dont care to deal with a teens who learn how to bend the rules to their benifit like my kid did. Guess what after 2 yrs working with him, spending countless hours with him, steering him in the right direction and makeing sure his freinds were kids we wanted him to hang with, I have a awesome,incredably smart, well behaved teen who is a strong youth leader at our church and is a role model to many younger than him as well as older than him.He also has been on 3 mission trips and is has been involved in a couple different outreaches in the area. I believe home schooling is a big part of that.

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Nate, we toyed with the idea of home schooling but after a couple of notible child welfare cases brought to light by parents that were home schooling, and much stricter supervision by the 800lb gorilla AKA, the NJ dept of education we decided to send Alexandra to the public school. What a mistake. They put her on the wrong bus the first day, she had no homework, and when your child comes home and says that "the kids are driving her nuts". You know you must look into an alternative.<br /><br />Again after looking into home schooling we opted for private parochial. She now attends Saints Philips & James school. Where as before, if you asked her what she did in school today she would reply "nothing" now she can't wait to tell me what she has done. Homework everynight (about 5-10 mins worth, less if she puts her mind to it and doesn't goof off). I have nothing against Home schooling but you may want to try a private catholic school, you get discipline, Uniforms, and a faith based education. And I believe teachers that want to teach as opposed to those that just want a job. No tenure in the private schools.<br /><br />Just my $.02 and just a another avenue to consider.<br /><br />Peace. And have a great Thanksgiving.

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Your right Ka Gee its not for everyone and it takes alot of work as well as the gumption to make sure your kid turns out to be well rounded. If you cant read you prolly souldnt try to teach your kids, now I must say, the program we use is amazing and he is learning math I didnt even know exsited. This program ( switched on schoolhouse) is a really good program that helps the perents check the work as well as provide tutorial help online and has phone support as well. it was about 300-400 bucks if i remember corectlly but by far worth it. Homeschooling is not for every kid......our youngest one goes to a Christian school because he didnt do well without the interaction of other kids.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

Mikeandronda,<br /><br />I'm glad things have worked out for you and your boy. I never meant to come across that home school/christian school shouldn't be an option, just that it shouldn't be considered to be the only option. <br /><br />Unfortunetly, we personally know families with broken hearted parents whose children have gone off and made wrong choices, even though they were not in the public school system. We have also personally known teachers in a Christian, private school setting. The stories they have told... . I also have a Christian neighbor who has recently begun home-schooling her special needs son. She is not the brightest bulb on the tree (trying to be nice here) so one has to wonder the quality of schooling that boy is getting.<br /><br />I addition Mike, it is my personal observation that some of the home school families we have come in contact with do have an isolationist view of life in general, which Jesus simply did not advocate.<br /><br />Making the choice to home school or private school will not in and of itself insure your child will be any different. It's a decision that you parents have to come to based on your situation.

 

[NathanY]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

The reason that I want to home school my daughter, is because from all the info that I have gotten, home schooled children just seem to be smarter. They have higher test scores, and seem to do better in college. Lets face it, public schools are over crowded, for every one teacher, you have on average 20-25 students. Thats not good enough. From MY experience, teachers have the "whatever" attitude, like just pass em to the next grade. I remember when I was in school, that just because I played football, I didnt do crap, and passed. I dont want that for my child, but I was young and immature, heck, any kid would have done it. Also, I dont like what the liberal NEA has been doing in schools. I will not allow for them to teach my daughter evolution(as pertains to a species evolving into another species). It simply did not happen, and is impossible (with the exception of evolution within a species). If my daughter wants to pray, a teacher will not tell her she cant. The Pledge of Allegiance DOES include One nation under God. Oh yeah, the school system in Arkansas does suck, and is only second to the Dallas ISD in stupid BS.

 

[woodrat]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

We've mostly homeshooled both our girls until last year, when my younger girl (8) wanted to be more "normal" and go to public school, so we sent her. She loves it; her older sister is glad to stay home and do chores and homeschooling. There is a homeschooling group around here, although we haven't been very active in it this year. but the group field trips and what not are nice when it is happening. <br /><br />Both my kids are reading light years ahead of their grade levels, both of them are somewhat behind in math skills; that needs more work. I do wish that I was able to get them more exposed to a music and art curriculum, but the public school here doesn't really have that anyway, so sending the older girl wouldn't really get her that.<br /><br />"Socially murder" my children? Ryan, that is exactly what I think public school is mostly about. I am glad that my youngest girl got through the first seven years of her development with no TV and no public school "values" before she went. ( We stilI have NO TV.) I am still not too happy with some of the "social skills" that she is picking up, but it is still manageable at this point. <br /><br />If you are looking for a christain direction to your homeschooling, there is TONS of support and curriculum out there. And the christians in WA state have been very organized and active in keeping undue state interference off of homeshoolers' backs. <br /><br />Boomyal; excellent metaphor with "lord of the flies".

 

[arboatdr]

Re: Home-Schooling your children

We debated long and hard over home schooling our kids and eventually chose public schools. My wife and I both have teaching experience at the college level and thought we could handle home schooling with ease. After talking to several people and looking at all sides we decided to let them stay in public school but be very involved in their lessons. We spend several hours a day with them doing all sorts of things not taught in schools today. We have art time, french lessons and reading times scheduled at home. We stay in contact with each teacher via e-mail to moniter the schools agenda. The problems we have seen with schools here have been worked out by communication with the teachers and principles of our childrens school. It's not easy but we stay on the schools butt weekly to ensure they are preparing our children for the future. Teaching respect, manners and ethics are done by example from parents. I want my kids to be socially involved with their peers and hope and pray that when the time comes for them to make a difficult choice such as cheating, drugs or sex, that my wife and I have done our job as parents so they can make the right choice. (Big Run on sentence! LOL) I commend those who home school but hope that the social skills lost from public schools do not get lost in the shuffle. DH