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!

[Ruth A.]

Bump for later.

[Prof Engineer]

ping

[vharlow]

I'm a home schooling grandma. I'm homeschooling two of my grandsons, and have the two year old little doll here at the same time. I'm 60. It's much easier than you realize. There is always mess, but there is always mess with kids, so what the heck. We didn't know anything about home schooling when we started either. But the public school spent my grandsons first grade year examining him under a magnifying glass, diagnosing him, providing no discipline, no direction, no help, and when they labeled him Aspergers Syndrome and possibly ADD, they prescribed a course of action, and immediately did the opposite. Not knowing much about homeschooling, we decided to go with Calvert School. They provide a complete curriculum as well as ATS teachers to grade tests regularly, and provide the necessary evaluations to satisfy the school district.

I am very happy with this program. We start math at 8:30 and are usually done with school, including 1/2 hour of required reading daily by 1:30, and sometimes even earlier. The boys are studying all summer, so they will be ahead of their public school counterparts, and I never allow a mistake to go uncorrected. They aren't going to be allowed to guess what words mean by context, and grow up misunderstanding everything politicians and TV commentators say, because they really don't know WHAT they are saying. We will diagram sentences, do shape planners to write, work on grammar until they are sick, sick, sick of it, but they won't anymore think that Britain is in Brazil, somewhere right near France! They will know and be able to identify every blasted country in the world! Because I insist. They will know that evolution is a "theory" and what a "theory" is, as well as what the difference in a fact and opinion, fact and belief.

My daughter is not terribly religious, and neither is her husband, so Calvert is a perfect fit for them. However, it's not cheap. It's just our only acceptable option. These kids are just not going back to public school.

I get tired, but everyone does. One never knows how much growth comes from taking on a job like this. I'm growing, too. I'm learning from my grandkids. If you don't stretch yourself, you can't possibly grow, but you'd be surprised how much happier you would be knowing WHAT they are being taught, and being somewhat able to control some of that. Good luck with whatever you decide and God Bless.

[Desparado]

The Elijah Co. sells a tape program for high school history called America The First 300 years. This is the BEST course on American History and Govt you can get period!! The Lectures are fascinating and easy to follow. They include a Work book with discussion questions on each lecture. Our whole family has enjoyed this series; and, needless to say, our kids have a great working knowledge of how our Govt is Supposed to work after taking this class.

[ibheath]

Bookmark BTTT

[SpookBrat]

I wish my mom would have let me drop out of school. LOL School was the biggest waste of time for me. I was a very miserable child.

I hated school

However, I loved to learn. Turn me loose in a library and I would spend hours in there reading everything. I had a huge rock collection, animals, gardens, woods to play in, books to read. I was a serious artist and had great art supplies. Grandma taught me how to grow and can my own food, cook and sew. Who needed school? Yuk!!!

[Desparado]

You need to get the book "Going Home to School" by Mrs. Davis of the Elijah Co. It will deal with all your questions including how to deal with the "inlaws". You can go to their site, Elijahcompany.com The author is the wife of Chris Davis, they founded Elijah co.

[SpookBrat]

Grams, read Post 63. I have a new hero! God bless your work vharlow! You are amazing.

I've heard wonderful things about Calvert.

[SpookBrat]

We use Sonlight. I've only read one book I didn't care for, but the rest were wonderful. I've really enjoyed using it. We're using Sonlight 6 this year.

[steplock]

Arkansas Publik Skulz BUMP!

[freeasinbeer]

Can anyone point me at practice sheets for learning to print and write? I am helping my cousin out and these sheets (the kind that show you a proper letter, then give you room to practice beside or underneath of it) would be a huge help.

thanks!

[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

[libravoter]

I understand. ( I can get a little knee - jerk about it.)

[Spiff]

Beware of K12'rs who call themselves homeschoolers. They are not. They are still receiving education welfare from the state and they will be the cause of regulation and intrusion into legitimate homeschools.

[Jalapeno]

I was replying to a different post and keeping you in the conversation. Sorry for the confusion.

As an asside, I have a friend who last year gave his early high schooler a choice - keep your GPA up to a certain level, or you will not go back there next year.

Well she did not make the grade, and they decided she would be home schooled, which she did not want to be...Of course one year later, she is scoring much better on tests, and those that were her "friend's" from the year before are pregnant or stoned (or both ) most of the time.

They use some sort of commercial subscription package, I do not know the name, but they are sent a DVD for the subjects which she has to watch and take tests on, etc. It sounded like a really good program, and it obviously has improved he ability to focus and study. Oh yeah, and she's not pregnant either.

If anyone is really interested in this High School program, I can find out the name.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

ERIC national clearing house has tons of free materials and educational web sites for all educators. DO a search on their web site for free materials. YOu will be busy there for hours!

[dawn53]

The Fourteen Days of Homeschooling, sung to the tune of the Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can you homeschool legally?"

On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the fourth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the fifth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the sixth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How long will you homeschool, YOU ARE S0 STRANGE, what about P.E. , do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the seventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"

On the eighth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"

On the ninth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "They'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"

On the tenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "What about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the eleventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "I could never do that, what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can they go to college, I could never do that, what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied: "They Can go to college, yes you can do this, they can have graduation, we don't like the prom, we do it cuz we like it, they are missing nothing, we'll homeschool forever, WE ARE NOT STRANGE!, We give them P.E., and we give them tests, they are socialized, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!

On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How can I get started, why didn't you tell me, where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE'RE STRANGE? I think we can do this, if you will help us, can we join P.E. and we'll homeschool legally."

[MomwithHope]

We are starting our 11th year and have used Seton -an excellent program for Catholic families. They have it all and there is great support. My advice to anyone who "has been thinking about it". JUST DO IT!!!!!!

[2Jedismom]

Ok, Homeschool Vets! Stand by to assist!

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I have had a lot of people asking how to start htis year. I really hope for their sake they do follow your advice. I remember thinking it was scary and too hard. I did not really understnad that homeschooling is all about a life style. And a great life style at that.