Home Schooling

[LasVegasMac]

Home schooling information.

[B Knotts]

It just seems silly to me to judge the whole movement by a few outliers.

I don't have a school-age kid right now, but I am seriously considering homeschooling when I do. But, I'm not kidding myself; I realize it takes a lot of commitment, hard work, preperation, etc. My wife has a B.A. in English, and took some preparatory courses for a teaching credential, and I am a liberal arts major as well, so we'd likely need to bring in tutors for those nasty hard sciences. ;-)

[B Knotts]

I also plan on learning how to type "preparation" before embarking on any such homeschooling program. :-)

[Registered]

"And I got the added pleasure of getting an admission that I was right all along."

Are you the father or mother? (ya never know, these silly screen names, could be a male or female..ie, CGEB..and don't you dare bat your eyelashes at me!)

I mean, if you were the father, and "you were right all along", it doesn't sound as if your heart was really into the "Homeschool cult thing", or that you even "wear the pants" yada yada. I mean, what father leading his family would EVER allow his wife to experiment with the future of his children without his entire being (tissue, soul, brain) supporting the endeavor?

Of course, if you are a Palpatine La Femme, you should be listening to your husband, who had the right goal and intentions for your children..and if you are a biblical family, you should cease questioning his obvious excellent leadership by even suggesting homeschooling in the first place!

[B Knotts]

LOL

[Gwaihir]

Excellent.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

Title: Homeschoolers Make USA Today Academic Team
Source: HSLDA USA Today
URL Source: http://www.hslda.org/docs/BrightSpots/200306040.asp
Published: Jun 6, 2003
Author: HSDLA



Chad Chisholm would be considered by many to be a pretty normal guy. A resident of the Denver suburb of Evergreen, he began his education at Red Rocks Community College after completing his high school requirements.


But there are a few things that make him stand out.


Chisholm was 15 when he first set foot inside a community college as a student … not to mention the fact that he was homeschooled.


This ambitious home-educated student, now 16, joins Jennie Bauman of Texas, 18, and Chris Burton of Arizona, 20, as part of USA Today's 2003 All-USA Community and Junior College Academic Teams, which consists of only 20 people. That's nearly a fifth of the entire team; not bad for three students who represent a movement that makes up less than 2% of the school-age population.


"These students come from all walks of life to excel in scholarship, leadership and public service," said USA Today's editor Karen Jurgensen, describing the team in an April 7th article entitled, "Where all walks of life converge."


And indeed these homeschoolers have proved themselves to be of an elite crowd. Chisholm has been awarded a Congressional Gold Medal for 400 hours of community service, was Phi Theta Kappa Vice President of Five-Star Chapter Alpha Kappa Sigma, and served as student body President when he was only 15, and has a 3.81 GPA. Bauman was elected president of the honor society, named her college's Chemistry Student of the Year at age 16, and presented papers at regional C.S. Lewis literary conferences, all while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. Burton served his community by coordinating beautification drives, is in charge of his campus's international education week, was named the New Century Scholar of Arizona by the Coca-Cola foundation, and manages an "online classic video business in partnership with Amazon.com." He also has a GPA of 4.0 at his college.


For these college-goers, age is nothing. "By the time [everyone knew my age], no one cared," stated Chisholm simply. "Although I was fifteen and sixteen while attending the school, I made many, many friends and did not feel out of place at all."


Bauman added that she had to get used to attending a school with students who were as much as ten years older than her. "I think homeschooling contributed to this comfort level a great deal because I was used to relating to people of other age groups and not only my peers," she said.


Indeed, these days the social aspect of schooling takes almost as much space in newspaper stories as academia, if not more. It's an area in homeschooling that is oft-criticized by those outside the homeschooling sphere, These three say, however, it's nothing to worry about.


"People often ask me 'Do you think you missed out on any of the social stuff of a public school?' to which my reply is 'Well, my mom would let me out of my cage in the basement to see sunlight once a month…'" joked Chisholm.


"My homeschooling prepared me to interact with people of all ages far better than any public school system could have," agreed Burton.


"In homeschooling, I learned to teach myself which is a critical asset in college," said Bauman. "Of what I have seen of public schools, the instructors spoon-feed the students."


"I was very much a self-directed learner," said Burton. "It was always 'Learn it for your benefit, or don't.' My mother helped show me the way, and let me make the journey."


But they know that academics is not the only thing in life, or even the most important, for that matter. "I learned that putting family first is one of the most crucial aspects of life," said Bauman.


As these three students lead a generation of home-educated youth, there is yet one more advantage that they take with them into the future.


"Lots of freshmen spend the first semester figuring out who they are," said Bauman. "Because I was homeschooled, I was one step ahead."

Has your friend seen this article? The simple truth is that no matter the subject, homeschoolers are kicking butt.

If my kids were small today, I'd definitely homeschool them.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I'm the dad, and kinda found my stride as this little experiment progressed. I bided my tongue for a long time, but was seeing too much for comfort - and in that last year, pointed these things out. Turns out I was confirming what the other side thought, but she thought she was making me happy by doing it. It was a little like that short story "The Gift of the Magi" - where each gave a gift the other one could no longer use.

[Fred Mertz]

Wally, see #39.

[cyborg]

I see your point. However, do not worry about being undereducated to homeschool your child. My mother does not have a highschool degree. I stayed at home for one year when my sister was born. My mother taught me from her old English primer books. I think that was the only time I ever learned anything.

PLEASE do try to homeschool your child. The nasty sciences is where GOOD homeschooling groups come in. I see plenty of motivation to homeschool children. I just do not agree with unhealthy racial,religious,political motivations for homeschooling. That's not reality. A side point... many of my black friends used to think HS was for racist fundies UNTIL they tried private school/homeschooling for themselves. I notice a lot of the local churches are starting 'church schools'. There is one in particular that is ethnically diverse but the students are straigh A and leaving the public school admins shocked and awed. I guess they wonder how poor black kids learn without their liberal feel good crap and affirmative action.

[swheats]

Hi Mac, much has been posted already. I'll add if your friend lives in Vegas you might want to start here as a gateway.

Here are links to get started for Nevada Home Schooling

Your first year you will need a consultant, as a guide. My consultant was there only if I needed guidance or had questions. You'll also need to fill out the "Notice of Intent to Provide Home Education"

Hi HM, yes I'm still in Nevada. Overall my first year was very positive and I'm looking forward to the next.

[Registered]

"I'm the dad, and kinda found my stride as this little experiment progressed"

Oh man, before you ever run this sorta "race" (listen up people!), you better be ready, and whatever you do, never call it an experiment! Them's babies you're mess'n with!

Does the CEO of a successful corporation "bide his tongue" while his managers perform experiments with corporate capital?! (you can exclude Enron on that one), Did George Patton "bide his tongue" as he led his troops in Europe? Heck no! He led them fearlessly into successful battles! So goes the homeschooling "General"!

Next time, if there is one, strap on the pearl handled revolvers and lead the way!

[Sonny M]

As I am sure, you'll recieve more then enough advice on homeschooling, may I make another recommendation?

Make the kids or get the kids to join as many extracurricual activities, like the boy scouts, little league, kids soccer, the YMCA, whatever, the more the better. This way, he'll have the best of both worlds, both a good education, and also a good system for finding and making friends.

[ImaGraftedBranch]

I am sorry you had a negative experience with homeschooling. Reading your posts, it would seem that you made the right decision in turning over the teaching to someone more interested in the best outcome for your children.

(psst...that's not saying a lot.)

[swheats]

There's this idea that teaching and learning is still happening in the public school classroom.

If you can look past the teacher that has become frustrated, with the number of children that is steadily increasing per year in each classroom; or the children that has no desire to learn and make the classroom a circus in the lower grades. Also you have time to spend in the classroom a few days per week, then your child might have a chance to get an education.

Not to mention the number of areas of study steadily being phased out due to lack of money, such as Music, PE and sports.

Further dealing with the mentality that our children must learn how to have safe sex, or accepting the gay/lesbian agenda.

Tell me again why a I should keep my children in that environment. Yes, it does take more time and money to keep them well rounded in extra activities but it's worth the extra mile to choose thier social environment and their friendships. And being an active participant in their education.

[Sonny M]

Tell me again why a I should keep my children in that environment.

Tell you again? I didn't tell you the first time. I think homeschooling is a good idea. All I said was, also, get the kids to enroll in little league, boy scouts, etc. I don't think you need a school to develop a social enviornment

Did you by any chance mean to post to somone else?

[swheats]

may I make another recommendation?

Apparently there was a misunderstanding on my part that you were recommending staying in public school, but getting the kids involved in more activities.

Didn't mean to rile your dander

[Gal.5:1]

Hi, I homeschooled for 7 years. I currently have my children in a private school for a variety of reasons. We had a great time and I would definately return to homeschooling in the future. We have been taking the decision one year at a time, assessing all the factors involved. I still teach my kids fun stuff at home-we read and do projects.

There are so many ways to homeschool. I took an eclectic, balanced approach. The 3 r's we covered with traditional curriculum (workbooks). The subjects (sci, hist, geo, lit, etc) we cover by reading aloud "real books" (and listening to books on tape) and doing hands on projects. We also do a lot of educational field trips and take local children's classes on everything(art, music, science, ballet). They also have thier clubs (scouts, Awana). My library card is my main resource. We do one science unit (astronomy) and one history unit (ancient Greece) from library books and educational videotapes alone. There is always a field trip for any science topic.

Lots of good suggestions on this thread.
some of my faves:
Dumbing Us Down, by John Taylor Gatto
Homeschooling, a Patchwork of Days, by Nancy Lande
Homeschooling, a Parent's Guide to Teaching Children, by Samuel Blumenfeld

hslda.org for legal info

curriculum:
timberdoodle.com
Quality children's books at discount prices 864-0391 or 800-344-3198
Veritas Press 800-922-5082
Beautiful Feet books bfbooks.com

also do search on web for "great books" for book lists of classical children's literature.

Read, read, explore, go places, have fun!

[dawn53]

Just wanted to let you know that not all homeschooled kids turn into "burger flippers."

My sister homeschooled all of hers:

Son #1 earned a bachelors and is a pilot with a major airline.

Daughter #2, runs all the field operations for a fairly large construction type business.

Daughter #3, graduated at age 20 with a degree in Structural Engineering.

Son, #4 is enrolled in his first year of college, as is my son, both are 15.

No brag, just fact, homeschooling does not lead to "burger flipping."

[Sonny M]

No problem. I've always believed that homeschooling gets the best results, but then again, thats just facts. Statisticaly, kids from homeschooled enovirnments have better tests scores and higher rates of academic success even when they get to the college level.

Socially, I think they are just as well off, and usually better adjusted, teachers unions try to use the socialization argument because there is no way to statistically measure that, and it plays on a assumed bias. However socialization and social adjustement tests, if you do want to believe them, do say the kids are fine.

I just happen to think the boy scout, youth sports, etc are always a good idea, it gives kids a chance to play sports and do things with others there age and continue learning values in addition to at home, and since homeschool parents are more apt to be inolved, it gives added value.

[Jeff Chandler]

One more thing: your friend should not underestimate the degree of devotion required to homeschool. It's easy to start out with guns ablazing and all the hope and good intentions in the world, but it days persistant effort to see it through.

As an aside, does Arizona Charlie's still sell that yummy steak breakfast for $3.99?