Home Schooling...Help Please!!!

[Cogadh na Siths Girl]

So after "discussing"(heck, she's seven, so I make the choice but let her feel like she's a part of it)it with my daughter, we've decided to start home-schooling in the fall.

Being fairly ignorant on the whole subject, I'd really appriciate any advice on the subject I can get...Curriculums, scheduling, finding ways for her to interact with other kids.

I figure if I start researching now, I should be ready come fall.

[Richard Kimball]

I'll post some info L8R and bump for now.

[areafiftyone]

I haven't a clue about home schooling - but there are many Freepers who are experts at it. All I can do is wish you lots of luck!

[fishtank]

http://www.abeka.com/

[The_Victor]

Here's a good link to Waldorf homeschool method.

http://homeschooling.about.com/od/methwaldorf/

I have a good friend who is raising and homeschooling five girls using Waldorf with great success.

[the invisib1e hand]

You'll be fine. Many mothers are intimidated at first, and then wouldn't give it up for anything later. Go for it -- it'll be the best time you ever spent. Strike that -- time you invested. Your child(ren) will be immeasurably enriched by that investment. The effect will carry forward to future generations and outward to those whose lives she touches.

[knittnmom]

We had good results with A Beka. Also with Rod and Staff.

[mlmr]

Easy Grammar and Daily Grams in 3/4 and 5/6 with the review in 8 or 9.

Better than Abeka's grammar.

Saxon Math. Dont bother with K through 3 Use abeka's.

Start Saxon in third or fourth depending on your childs talent using 5/4

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Curriculum: Abeka language and Saxon Math. Be creative with history, government, logic, science, etc.

Scheduling: It depends on the child. Most people prefer an early start that's very routine and a nine month year. For my son who is naturally a night person, we often started in the afternnon and worked through the evening. We also preferred year-round school. Why stop?

Hindsight being 20/20, I would have him study latin and spanish in grade school, do more writing in middle school (we did whatever the curriculum suggested but I'd do more), and prepare for the college entrance tests several years in advance (he did quite well, but still....).

My biggest suggestion is that you establish with your child the idea that learning is primarily her responsibility. You can't force facts into her head; she's got to want to learn things. Second, make as your major goal guiding her to a point where she just loves to read. That means you need to not make reading a drudge by giving her stupid stories to read with lame questions to answer at the end. Buy the classics. Get her subscriptions to some good magazines that she can look forward to receiving each month. Frequent bookstores and allow her to buy whatever she wants (within moral options of course). Keep reading to her as long as she will let you, especially Bible stories and stories with morals to them that you can talk about. Limit video game and TV time. Include her in conversations about issues you are reading about -- in the newspaper or wherever else. The great thing about 7 and 8 is that they still want to be just like mom and dad, so be a good example with your own intellectual interest and reading habits.

Relax. It is hardest at first when you are setting up your rountine and general attitudes towards schooling. Like anything, attention to detail at the beginning when you are laying the foundation will save you a lot of grief later. But successful learning is more about attitude than anything else. She will probably be like all other kids and press the boundaries at times, and you'll have to strictly enforce the work ethic at those times. But still, learning is its own reward and you've got to help her see that.

[Arrowhead1952]

Find the Word For The Day, Tuesday, March 2, 2005 threads. There are several FReepers who homeschool.

[r9etb]

We're think it over, too. In Colorado, there's something called the Colorado Virtual Academy, which is how we'll do it if the new Democrat majority in Colorado doesn't kill it.... The folks we know who use it are pleased with the quality, and it provides you a real-live curriculum to follow.

I believe the "Virtual Academy" part is something that's available in many states. You might want to see if New Mexico has its own version.

[politicket]

I noticed that you're in New Mexico. Please check out the website for Christian Home Educators of Colorado (www.chec.org). You will find a lot of useful information there.

Also, there is a very large homeschool conference in Denver from June 9-11. If at all possible it would be worth your while to attend. Have you ever heard of a man named Kevin Swanson? He is the executive director of CHEC and spoke at a church in New Mexico recently.

Please take the suggestions of curriculum with a grain of salt. I noticed that many folks are promoting Saxon math for example. That math course is great for left-brained children, but absolutely horrible for right-brained. You need to build the curriculum around your child's strengths and weaknesses.

One last tip....be careful about those who suggest K-12 and "virtual" curriculums. There are many cases where these curriculums have subtle ties to the government and require extra reporting. Strongly consider signing up for a membership at the Homeschool Legal Defense Assn. (www.hslda.org). They have great information of the legal aspects of homeschooling and will help protect you if you are ever bothered unlawfully by government agencies.

Good luck, and please feel free to ask more questions...

[JenB]

I was homeschooled all the way. It was the best thing my parents did for me.

If your daughter doesn't read using phonics, right now start teaching her. I don't care how good she is with "see'n'say", phonics will give her the background to read anything she wants. Teach a kid to read, hand them books, and watch them learn...

I second the Saxon math recommendation, but only from the "54" book up (means grade 5 or advanced grade 4). It's very structured, drills knowledge into you, which some say is boring but with math, you can't just learn the theory. You have to learn it in your bones. Don't let her use a calculator until Algebra. Or Trig, really, but Saxon combines the two.

Starting now, read aloud to her every day, if possible, from favorite storybooks. Instilling a love of reading is absolutely fundamental. If she can really read, she will never be at the mercy of the mainstream media, college professors, or anyone else.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Find out the rules for Home Schooling for your State to be sure you qualify - We use ABeka and love it -

[dd5339]

Check out http://www.welltrainedmind.com/. It's a great place to start.

Semper Fi

[Cogadh na Siths Girl]

Thanks to everyone for all the info so far. I really appreciate it.

Keep it coming!

[mikemoose]

My wife and I just started home schooling our son this year. We found as a great resource the Yahoo groups on homeschooling. There are groups in every state/county. Also HSLDA.org is a good place to go for legal information.

Good luck with it, your daughter will surely benefit.

[womanvet]

We homeschooled our daughter -- she earned two Associates degrees (AA psychology, AS Criminal Justice) before her 16th birthday. She's at the top-rated private technological university in the SE right now.

Laws are state-specific, but you can find a lot of info from www.fpea.com (Florida).

We used many different curricula, depending upon the subjects and her interest -- including making up our own "unit studies." I think if we were starting over, we might look into Sonlight (kinda "Charlotte Mason" style)

Stay away from Saxon math unless you want your children to despise math and learn by rote memorization. When they get up to algebra (which can be really fast if you start out by using algebraic method to teach arithmetic), look into VideoText Algebra. It is expensive, but you can resell it for what you paid. (BTW, I use it for teaching developmental math at college)

You're just starting out, but when you are ready, look into Dr. Jay Weil's science courses. Rosetta Stone offers some of the best foreign language classes, and you can start at any age.

[Domestic Church]

Here are a few sites from my bookmarks:

http://www.classicalhomeschooling.org/

http://www.rocksolidinc.com/

http://www.homeschoolcentral.com/

http://www.hslda.org/

http://www.nhen.org/

http://www.gomilpitas.com/homeschooling/directory/Legalities.htm

[JenB]

I disagree with your assessment of Saxon. I used it from 4th grade until the Advanced Mathematics textbook, and it prepared me to take community college classes - I started Calculus when I was 15 there. My sibs also used it or are using it and it works well for everyone I know who's used it.