Posted on 03/11/2013 8:11:33 PM PDT by MacMattico
I never thought of Homeschooling as a viable alternative, but now I'm at my wits end with my daughter's HS. This was my HS in the late 80's and I thought it was great. I went to a good college and got good grades. But now their policies having to do with grading are all over the place, two specific subject teachers seem totally out of their element, and I asked and was even told by the Principal that there are certain things he would change, but he can't go against the union contract! My daughter missed a whole week of Social Studies (they have block scheduling and for reasons I won't bore you with missed the two days that week covering, of all things, Islam and the crusades). Her teacher said she needed to stay after to make it up, get notes, and study. I said no, I would teach it to her, just give her the work and review sheet. It's apparent I'm not this teachers favorite person. Well, to make a long story short, we worked on it over last weekend and she took the exam with the rest of the class on schedule. This teacher always makes a big deal out of "who got the highest grade" on a test. She said literally nothing to my daughter and hasn't called on her in a week. The student teacher told my daughter "congratulations, you're the only one that got 100 on the test. No one else even got in the 90's and the questions were directly from past regents (state) exams". What the heck are teachers teaching? It's the same in a couple of other classes. All year has been a struggle for ME to teach her what she needs to know. If it was just her, fine, but I've found out many of her honors friends are having the same problems. There's literally been teacher/parents verbal fights in the hallways! (not me)
Wonderful testimony. And very true.
I can remember occasions in my teens where God tried to talk to me, but I was feeling like Charlie Brown when a line drive got hit back to the mound. I was in a perpetual state of confusion. I spent my 20s sorting things out. I had a lot of time on my hands since my parents died at an early age. I see it as a grace now, although it was a very painful process.
I didn't want my kids to have to go through that. And of course I wanted them to learn their faith.
You should “Ask Laurie”:
http://homeschoolnyc.com/ask-laurie.html
She’s based in New York and knows all about that.
Cheers!
Busy day today but I’ll ping out the homeschool lists this evening unless someone beats me to it.
Maybe ToT or JenB could grab this one for both lists......?
The keyword for the FREE REPUBLIC HOMESCHOOLERS’ FORUM is frhf.
HTML classes aren’t covered or necessary unless the student shows an active interest... :)
Homeschooling, with someone that is first educated on being a self-directed learner,
should only take a few (2-4) hours per day.
You can do it.
I would think you would be able to develop a STRONGER relationship with your teen, especially when you remove the strong peer influence to “be cool”. Parents, by definition, aren’t “cool”, because cool is defined as being in just the proper state of rebellion to tradition and society.
Curriculum choice is the most ubiquitous, and least important question having to do with homeschooling.
Don’t sweat it. Go to a homeschool conference this spring.
Don’t waste your time on Catholic school. See how many communtiy college courses she can take after taking and passing the Accuplacer. That and homeschool courses can get her through. Use a place like Home Education and Family Services to help you build a transcript. I have sent two to college, one to trades school and another will gradutate in a couple of years.
Yes. At that age, your kid will be able to pretty much do the work solo. You interject when there are issues or questions as well as quizzing to ensure the work is getting done as it should.
And does being parent/ teacher 24/7 cause parent/teen tension?
Only you can answer that. How much/little do you like your kid?
The wonder of homeschooling is that you get to choose curriculum. You get to tailor it to your child and their individual needs. I can tell you about specific classes, but there was no packaged whole system.
Message me and I can walk you through what we did.
You **are** homeschooling ( “afterschooling”) NOW! You likely have been afterschooling since she was in kindergarten.
The TRUTH is that if your daughter knows anything at all it is **YOU** and your daughter’s OWN EFFORTS ( not her Marxist teachers) who have done the teaching!
Fact: The ONLY thing government schools do is send home a curriculum for the parents and child to follow in the HOME! The teachers then administer the tests and grade projects. If the child does well the teachers take the credit. If the child does poorly, they blame the PARENTS! (Win-win for the government school. )
So?....If your daughter's school is a so-called “ggod” school, how many of the kids are getting tutoring from their parents, relatives, friends, or professional tutors. How much work is being done independently by the child? GEE! I bet that information isn't available! Why? Answer: It would bring shame to the teachers and the school and prove that government schools don't teach anything at all.
Some Marxist government school defender is bound to take umbrage that governments schools teach nothing. So?....Marxist teachers! Here's a challenge that I have posed **many** times and none of you have responded.
Question: Where are the studies that prove learning takes place in the school and is NOT due to the afterschooling done by the child, parent, and tutors?
Excellent idea! Why not just skip high school? My homeschoolers did exactly that!
My three homeschoolers matriculated in community college at the ages of 13, 12, and 13. All finished all college general course and Calculus III by the age of 15. Two finished B.S. degrees in mathermatics by the age of 18. The oldest went to college part-time at night and occupied his time in many enriching activities and work that have benefited him greatly now as an adult.
Very good point!
MacMattico, would you sell your child's soul, like Esau, for a bowl of pottage? Well, sports, scholarships, pricey colleges, and “socialization” are merely pottage.
They are socially fine...and well adjusted. They both have degree's...and are successful.
Of all the things...I've done in life...that will probably be the most important.
FWIW-
I agree!
Skip the GED thing! There is absolutely no need for it.
No doubt there are good teachers and good schools in the public system but thousands of articles cannot be wrong. The public schools system is crashing and what is being taught (often under duress) is pure PC brainwashing.
I cannot speak for others but for us the choice was crystal clear - we will provide for our children and we're doing so at grade levels well beyond public school peers. If you are already tutoring your daughter, you're halfway there.
Once you decide to jump in with both feet, you'll need to choose curriculum (no one does this for you). Avoid public school offerings of online coursework; this only makes your child a remote learner of their material and under their control (including you as the teacher).
Once last thing that is nonnegotiable. You MUST join the Home School Legal Defense Association - HSLDA. They are the bulkhead against statist control and intrusion into your life and the seizure of your daughter by nanny state busybodies. If you ever have any trouble, do not let the so-called authorities in without a warrant. Even then, call HSLDA and hand the phone over to the statist educators.
It is absolutely viable. There are a few options depending on where you are. Laws vary by state, so you will want to check your state. HSLDA is the easiest place to check because they have a list of what each state requires (or doesn’t require).
You said she’s in HS. High school juniors can take dual enrollment courses and get both HS credit and college credit for the same course. There is also American School of Correspondence. Google “Homeschool High School” for more options.
Find a local homeschool support group that has teens! They may also know about what co-ops may be available in your area. And, they can give you some advice regarding curriculum.
Homeschooling can get $$ if you aren’t careful, but it you are careful, it can be FREE. All you really need, if you absolutely have no budget for curriculum, is a library card. Really.
Also, remember, you can't pay someone to love your child.
I'm absolutely convinced that one of the problems we have today is paying day care to raise our children for the early years and then sending them to public school. You might think you have a say in their upbringing, but in reality, you are in the way of the state turning out another heathen. I have argued with good Christian parents about this and then had to watch their children rebel and fail while the parents felt they had done the best they could. If they just done without the extra car or the cruise every year, their child may not have gotten arrested for drugs or gotten pregnant with no husband. Children ALWAYS wonder why mom and dad didn't love them more. It's not about the money, but about quality time spent with them.
OWSer! </sarcasm>
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