Homeschoolers Forum

TxBec | 07/23/2002 | TxBec

[TxBec]

I have been thinking lately it would be nice to have a thread (maybe even a forum later?) for the homeschooling families, because you know how many of us there are. This would not replace us pinging each other with all the great articles we find. It would be a place where we could discuss what curriculum we use, vent when needed, share our successes, compare notes, alert each other to cool things we find on the internet, and vent some more. I'm sure we all have found other sites with forums that we use, but since FReepers are such a cool breed, where better to start up a forum? What do you think?

[TxBec]

Ok. :: starting the ball rolling ::

[TxBec]

A couple links I would like to share are Quia and Original Sources

[2Jedismom]

Ping!

[BallandPowder]

Powder..Patch..Ball Fire!

Homeschool forum would be a good thing IMHO..

[ffrancone]

I'll visit regularly.

[TxBec]

Great! One thing I want my kids to start doing this next year is oral histories. Have any of you done this with your kids? Any tips?

[TxBec]

ping.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

As long as "The Man" is ok with it, I think it would be a great idea!

[WIMom]

If you're starting a ping list, add me to it. Although my kids are in college, it's still a great topic, and I'd be interested in learning more about it. I have 2 cousins who home school. My older cousin started home schooling 20 years ago, before there was a support network. The stronger it is, the harder it will be for liberals to take it away.

[TxBec]

Ok I'll start a ping list. I'll include everyone who has responded up to this post. If anyone else wants on or off, FReepmail me.

[TxBec]

ping.

[dd5339]

Add my wife and I, Vic3o3 to the ping list.

Semper Fi!

[TxBec]

Done!

[Marie Antoinette]

I'm in! I'm one of the more "relaxed" homeschoolers, I'll bet. Finally, minority status! LOL

So I'm coming out as an "unschooler" I guess. Hate that term, I prefer life learning :-) Or independent study :-)

[MasonGal]

Sounds like a fine idea to me.

Although we will be starting our 11th year (GULP) of homeschooling in a few weeks, I am always eager to share ideas, support, etc. with other homeschoolers.

Also - our oldest son will be entering his second year of college this fall; however, we are still homeschooling our other two sons -ages 15 and 10.

Looking forward to participating...

[TxBec]

Nice to meet ya! I see you are going to start (or HOPING to) Classical Education next year. Is that a program, book, or ?? I guess we can say we have been unschoolers (or maybe more relaxed homeschoolers). We've done the Saxon and several other sources, a little of this and a little of that (Writing Strands, Streams of Civ, etc, and LOTS of History and Discovery Channel).

This next year we are going to go with more structure (I have a soon to be 9th grader), so we need to really clamp down. I'm going to be signing up with MODG (Mother of Divine Grace.) If any of you have read Laura Berquist's book, Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum, this is what we will be following.

[TxBec]

Ok. FYI, this is the ping list as of now:

2JedisMom;homeschoolmama;BallandPowder;ffrancone;whyisatexasgirlinPA;WIMom;oldfriend;dd5339;vic3o3;masongal

[GingisK]

Entangle me in this homeschooler's web and ping list, please. We've got two boys, 5 and 3. The five year old already reads at the second grade level while the three year old is anti-authoritarian.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

Sounds good to me! I haven't participated on any homeschool forums in ages, but a Freeper one might be fun! I have four children who range in age from 5-16. I've never sent any of them to school. We are starting our 12th year in the fall. I can't believe how time has flown!

[TxBec]

Oops, make that

2Jedismom; homeschool mama; BallandPowder; ffrancone; WhyisaTexasgirlinPA; WIMom; OldFriend;dd5339,vic3o3;MasonGal;Marie Antoinette;GingisK

[TxBec]

Did your son have problems with getting into college? (red tape, etc?) This is a big concern right now, as my son is getting ready to tackle High School and I want to make sure he is on the right track.

[Vic3O3]

Look up Covenant Home for a classical curriculum. Some folks in our area have had great success with their products.

[Carolina]

Good idea, Tex!

I'm interested to know what the different HS laws are, how y'all deal with them, how restricitive are they?

I'll start with NC. We have to register initially with the state Dept of Non-Public Education. We have to elect to educate either as a religious or non-religious school. At the beginning of each term, the DNPE asks us to return a card stating the ages of children we're homeschooling. Notification ends at the age of 16.

We have to keep attendance logs (required to have 180 days of instruction) and test once a year. We're allowed to test our own children. We use the CAT5 and alternate with Hewitt Research.

We have two options for inspection: by mail (mail in test results and attendance logs) or by personal home inspection. Guess which one we opt for.

NC has about 21,000 registered homeschools, 70% religious and 30% non-religious. There are 33,800 students bet 7 and 16 with 52% boys to 48% girls. The state pretty much leaves us alone except for the local district that keeps wanting us to enroll with the health education program. Pffftt!

We are awaiting the ruling from the NC Supreme Court regarding the little girl who ran out naked chasing after her cat that initiated a DSS visit that the parents resisted. The judges and lower courts have declared that social workers are NOT actors of the state and therefore not subject to the 4th and 14th Amendments. GAH! Idiots.

[TxBec]

Texas is EXTREMELY homeschool-friendly

an excerpt from the Texas Homeschool Coalition site says

....the only requirements for home schooling to be legal are that
(1) the instruction be bona fide (i.e. not a sham)
(2) the curriculum be in visual form (e.g. books, workbooks, video monitor)
and (3) the curriculum include the basic subjects of reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship.

Parents may obtain curriculum materials from outside sources or develop their own. They may also send their children into the home of another parent for instruction or have a tutor come into the home for all or part of the instruction.

[OldFriend]

I think this is a wonderful idea............no doubt parents from around the country have found sources that would be invaluable to other families.

I am sure Home Schooling information is available on the net..........

Also, 4H clubs are wonderful for kids to belong to a group that might provide a fun way for kids to inter-act with others with similar interests.

Perhaps a note to your neighbors might bring forth a parent who has travelled extensively on business and would be willing to share some experiences in foreign countries.

This is going to be FUN!!!

[TxBec]

Looks good, thanks!

[Wordsmith]

This would be wonderful, and my wife and I would be able to participate much more so a few months from now. We're working on buying our first home, relocating from western Massachusetts to the Upper Valley of New Hampshire. My wife is the primary teacher, but I'm involved as well.

Our homeschooling approach has been pretty eclectic, as we have never followed any one curriculum and have never been deeply involved with any homeschooling support groups (most of the homeschoolers in our area being staunch leftists). But we've gotten two of our three boys (ages 10, 7, 3) to read and do math above grade level. We expose them to as wide a variety of science, literature, and history/civics as we are able. And the pastor of the church we'll be attending after our relocation is a homeschooler, as are several of the parishoners.

We've also tried to draw on our being a bi-racial couple with different backgrounds and interests in a positive way, for instance one weekend caring for our horses and tromping around the New Hampshire woods and the next weekend visiting their grandmother in Newark and taking a trip to the Museum of Natural History in NYC. The boys also are getting lessons in small business economics by helping with our home-based online sales business. Never a dull moment in the world of homeschooling!

[Tired of Taxes]

Excellent idea! There are many different stripes of homeschoolers, but we need to stick together. The first article I posted here was about homeschooling, and it received over 200 responses.

[Carolina]

The first article I posted here was about homeschooling, and it received over 200 responses.

LOL, ToT. That became a flame war!

[agrace]

I think it's a great idea. Especially since I'm starting my daughter this fall and could greatly benefit from all you veterans out there! Thanks for the ping, 2Jedismom, and please note me as another interested party, TxBec.

[agrace]

Question for a PA homeschooler...at least I assume you are homeschooling based on your posting on this thread. :) If so, do you find it difficult to deal with PA guidelines? I have heard that it is one of the toughest states, is that true? I live in NJ now, which is extremely relaxed, but would love to move back to PA at some point - both my husband and I were raised there, we met there and have much family there. Any thoughts?

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

I am not currently homeschooling - I did though, both in Texas and in PA....... and possibly will be again this year, depending on how my son does this fall...........

Our school district is very easy to work with.......they are (or were) very accomodating and helpful......there was a little paperwork, such as an affidavit you had to submit stating that you intended to homeschool......and then you also submit a simple statement listing your curriculum...... I did not go into great detail and they accepted it.........

At the end of the year I was given the names of several teachers who evaluate the kids........ I had to submit a very small portfolio of work - beginning, middle and end of year so she could see progress.......and she talked at her kitchen table for a few minutes to the kids........ very casual, asked if they liked PA, asked about friends and play time..... her report read like she had interviewed them for days.......told of their good adjustment to moving 1800 miles from home, said they were friendly and had good skills for getting along with others.......... in short, it was a breeze.......nothing like I expected...........

Good luck - I can't say how any other school district handles things though.........

[agrace]

Well now, that doesn't sound so bad. Thanks very much for the response!

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Anytime........what area are you considering?

[TxBec]

your post reminded me to say ..

.. in the case of our school district, if your kids are already in PS and you decide to pull them, all you have to do is submit a letter to their school or, as I did, fill out a withdrawal form and where it asks the reason (usually because the child is moving), simply put "homeschool."

I was told that the attendance officer would be contacting me shortly. It's been 1-1/2 years and maybe the birds ate the breadcrumbs I dropped along the way from the school to my house or something. If not, they forgot about us.

:: sniff ::

[Maceman]

The five year old already reads at the second grade level while the three year old is anti-authoritarian.

I think all three year olds are anti-authoritarian, if my own and her friends are any indication.

[Maceman]

The judges and lower courts have declared that social workers are NOT actors of the state and therefore not subject to the 4th and 14th Amendments.

Does that mean they can be arrested for trespassing, or shot for forcible entry?

[GingisK]

I think all three year olds are anti-authoritarian...

You appear to be right. My little rat has scientifically developed this to a fine cutting edge.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Our school district in Texas was known for sending a dirty letter when you pulled out to homeschool....... "you are taking valuable resources from our district, blah blah blah....."....

Funny, but I never got one....... it was an intimidation letter and they knew me better than to send one........ lol

[TxBec]

The only resistance I got was from my youngest child's school. I had sent her a note before I pulled him, asking her opinion of homeschooling and if she thought it was a good idea (amazed I was ever that naive LOL).

Anyway, she was ok about it. She said that the one-on-one was wonderful, but that socialization was an issue and that the kids wouldn't be able to play in sports. That was about all she said. I didn't even bother to ask anyone in my son's middle school. I just pulled him.

[Carolina]

Does that mean they can be arrested for trespassing, or shot for forcible entry?

Exactly!

[TxBec]

. "you are taking valuable resources from our district, blah blah blah....."....

they still get their taxes. I was never part of Impact Aid, anyway, so that doesn't apply to us...

If you don't know what Impact Aid is, it is money that the government provides to schools with a high number of military families. You would NOT believe how much they push this. Once a year, the schools send home forms to determine how many of their students are in military families and you have to, I repeat HAVE to turn one in. At least that was the impression they gave me.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Unless they have changed, Texas schools get money based on attendance also......... so every day your child is not in that building, they don't get that money..........

That was why they pushed attendance so hard.......for the money........... so pulling my child out took away X number of dollars every single day..........

[TxBec]

oh yeah. I forgot. They count attendance at 10 a.m. (or so)

[SLB]

College?

We have home schooled for the past 13 or 14 years. Our oldest home educated child (we have two that were left in public school - I will have to face this decision at judgment) turned 20 this past Sunday. She is going to be a Junior at Georgetown College (NOT university) this fall. She had no problem gaining admissions and there is plenty of money available to help dad and mom with financing higher education. She is a 4.0 student there and is heading to England next spring as an exchange program student with Oxford to study early English Literature and Art.

If you start a ping list or seperate forum add me. I might find something to contribute every once in awhile.

[homeschool mama]

Marie...there are degrees of relaxed homeschooling or unschooling. In reading your screenpage you mention a classical ed philosophy...great way to go with a more relaxed approach. :o)

[homeschool mama]

***while the three year old is anti-authoritarian.***

FOFL...good description!

[homeschool mama]

There are different approaches to the classical philosophy of education, Tx. I have a description around here someplace...I'll find it and post.

[homeschool mama]

We have one child (age 12) and will be starting our 7th year home educating, in December. We love the freedom and excitement this way of learning encourages. :o)

Oh...we rent children...so if you're sick of yours on any given day, just send em to our home, k? LOL