For anyone who wants to start homeschooling

[Diva Betsy Ross]

It is that time of the year again to decided if you are going to send your child off to public school, or if you are going to take the leap and homeschool. I wanted to start a thread to offer you support and perhaps answer some of your questions about homeschooling by freepers who do homeschool.

Post questions , answers and links helpful to new homeschoolers or curious parents who just want more info about homeschooling.

Best of Luck to all parents and children as we get ready for a new school year!

[libravoter]

show your your child is more than likely gifted, instead of defective

Whoa, there! I understand the fears of kids being over-diagnosed, but as a very successful adult with ADD (who suffered for years due to not being diagnosed), I have to object to you labeling kids with ADD as "defective."

Fight overdiagnosis to your heart's content, but don't extrapolate that to mean that there aren't people out there for whom proper diagnosis/treatment of their ADD was a lifesaver.

[Jason_b]

bump for later read

While I'm here, Saxon Math

[Carolina]

Bibliomania-Free Literature and Study Guides

[Diva Betsy Ross]

LOL I do ask for gift certificates to these fancy teacher's stores for christmas. I made a list last christmas of books I wanted for the kids school experience. These were great books. No on egave me one book. I guess they did not understand... I really wanted those books!!! This is so true...

[Jalapeno]

I would not try to profess anyway is the best way, because the best way depends on the individual child and the opportunities available. There are advantages and disadvantages to any situation, including home schooling.

For me and my child, private schooling is the best choice. We are close to and have been able to send our child to an excellent private school, and we have already experienced wonderful returns because of it.

I know people whose best choice was home schooling, and others who's best choice is public. Though I am negative towards public school in general (worked there, seen that), I still can accept that there are good public schools out there, with people who work hard for the kids. You have to live in the right places.

All in all, its about choice, and the freedom to make those choices for the child individually. It's the liberals who think there is only one choice and only one 'best way', don't fall into the same mode of thinking.

[Carolina]

NovelGuide--Resource and Literary Analysis

[Tax-chick]

Go to Catholicity.com, best Catholic links, education, homeschooling. They list all the complete curriculum providers, and a good selection of sources for books.

We have used the Seton Home Study School for 8 years, www.setonhome.org. A benefit of their program is that you can enroll for a particular grade, but buy individual subjects at whatever grade level you need. Their kindergarten is very basic, except for religion. We only used it with our oldest. My 2nd son (now almost 7) did their 1st grade and part of 2nd last year. I ordered the 2nd grade for him this year, but I expect we'll be exchanging for some 3rd grade subjects fairly quickly.

[evolved_rage]

In California, the first adage that came to mind was "There is no free lunch". The program is a charter school, and free(ahem, paid by taxes). The "access to a teacher" is required, and each teacher cover's about the equivalent of a classroom of students. So the teacher's will keep their jobs, and the gubmint keeps control.

Families who enroll in a K12® virtual academy receive some or all of the following items* at no cost:
Complete K12® curriculum
Computer system loaned at no cost
K12® standard materials
Internet reimbursement program
Planning and placement tools
K12® Supplemental materials
Access to an experienced, certified teacher
A free Bill Bennet commemorative slot-machine.

[Carolina]

Christian Classics

Everything from Calvin, Augustine, Boethius, Billy Graham.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I was not in anyway saying children or adults with ADD, who really have ADD or ADHD or who have just been backed into a corner with the label, are defective in any way . I meant treated as such by the ps system. Sorry !

[Carolina]

Let's try that again: Christian Classics

[SpookBrat]

"I'm just crazy enough to believe that this thread on freerepublic is a "sign from God" pushing me in that direction!!"

Well my dear, if you have an interest, FR is a wonderful place to declare it because there are good people here who will take you under their wing and support you. Mrs. Tiggywinkle did that for me. She encouaraged me to make the leap and our lives will never be the same. We are happier than I thought we could ever be.

I had a curriculum for my daughter in the 1st grade and she was miserable, so I put her back in school. Last year for 6th grade we pulled her out again.

If you want something organized, I highly, highly, highly recommend 5 in a row for that age. Since you are a teacher, you probably love books. 5 in a row is extremely easy with little preparation, it's inexpensive ($25 max), and all the books used you probably have at home already or you can get them in the library.

I think when you are first starting out, it's easy to get overwhelmed and you want to spend $5,000 on the best books and curriculum, soon to have a nervous break down, give up, and put your kids back in school. LOL Get the easy "5 in a row", Saxon math workbooks, lots of art supplies, plenty of days in nature getting dirty collecting things and HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!

Homeschooling doesn't have to be expensive or stressful. I'm sure if you need anything, people here could loan or give you some books. I have some things I could give you. My son just finished 1st grade.

[ladylib]

Here's another classical website:

http://classicalfree.org/

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Of course I never said otherwise this is to support people who have chosen to homeschool, or who are just curious about it. I am not talking about private school here. I would assume that anyone reading this thread knows they have that option without me having to point it out to them.

[mountaineer]

Your son reminds me of myself - I could read at 3-1/2 (an older sibling taught me). After two weeks in first grade I, too, was bored with efforts to teach me to do something I already could do. The school promoted me to second semester first grade, then had me skip the second semester of second grade. Thank goodness the California schools were that flexible, many years ago. With homeschooling, the child truly advances at his own pace. My niece is homeschooled under the Bennett curriculum (Pennsylvania Virtual Charter Schools, pavcs.org), and is doing quite well.

[kimmie7]

FYI -- I really enjoyed Lisa Whelchel's book "So You're Thinking About Homeschooling".......pushed me over the edge into home education territory. We will be playing with it this year and implementing it more regularly next year when my son is 5. HTH

[SpookBrat]

20--You can’t make it through a movie without pointing out all the historical anachronisms.

I laughed at that one. That is so me. I know my kids wish I would just SHUT UP at the movies!!!!!!!

[DesertGOP]

Dear "No More Gore Anymore" (Wow! I LOVE your Freeper name!), This is "DesertGOP" from the High Desert of Southern Cal'--You know, the lands of the fruits, nuts and some die-hard conservatives, too. I'm new to the "Freeper" thing, but my wife, CeCe, and five-year-old daughter, Michaela Danielle, are in our second full year of Homeschooling from our house in Victorville (that "little" town you pass on your way to 'Vegas and all). We're tied into a great organization called Hesperia Christian Academy, but have actually thought about seeking out another homeschooling group closer to the house (we'll see). Last school year, the state of California did not mandate that Michaela be enrolled in any school, let alone a homeschool curriculum; but, THIS time around it's all for real, so we're asking for all the help and expertise and experience we can solicit without a license (HA!). So, if ANYONE out there in "Freeper-land" who is brave and smart and dedicated enough to the worthy cause of homeschooling our kids, please, by all means, pass on as much info' as possible that you might think we could use. I do have a Web link that seems to be legit' and most resourceful: Hope it helps! Most of the schools out here on the Left Coast are either not "making the grade" or are spewing out such revisionist history, "new" math (like "2+2 = 5"), or so much homosexual propaganda that we've decided as a family to whatever it takes--financially and otherwise--to provide for our daughter's education on our own--with the help of the homeschool organization we're plugged into, of course. If our illustrious Gov. Davis vetos AB 458 (forced indoctrination of heterosexual foster/adoptive parents via "sensitivity training" regarding children who might exhibit homosexual behaviors), we'll be able to continue moving forward with the adoption of Michaela's baby sister. Then, we'll plan to homeschool this child, as well. HELP! DesertGOP

[2timothy3.16]

Great link, great site, Thanks.

[Oberon]

Hi.

We homeschool, and we use a combination of Sonlight and Veritas curricula.

Sonlight is overtly Christian and includes tons and tons of reading from a wide variety of readers, childrens' fiction, and reference texts. Veritas is pure Classical education. Neither one is particularly hard to use; lesson plans are provided.