scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
Jul 8, 2014 20:17:31 GMT
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Post by scrapaddie on May 12, 2016 18:35:08 GMT
Do parents rely mostly on outside resources ... Or educating the child on their own? Are parents with poor grammar and math skills good candidates for homeschooling ?
I know there are lots of programs available, on line and in the community... The zoo, for instance , offers programs for homeschoolers.
How strict is the supervision of the local schools? Out school has to approve the program , but I know of parents who made up a transcript for their child's college Application....
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Post by Linda on May 12, 2016 18:56:16 GMT
There are a ton of options from unschooling (which basically means providing opportunities for the child to learn via their own interests) to pulling together your own curriculum to purchasing a full curriculum to signing up with a homeschool provider (lesson plans/books/some grading provided) to online virtual schools. There really IS something for everyone.
Parents with poor grammar and maths skills might be better off using a homeschool provider or online virtual school rather than pulling together their own curriculum or unschooling but if they are willing to use outside resources (tutors, co-ops etc...) it's still possible to provide a good education.
Supervision/requirements vary greatly from stste to state. I'm only familiar with Florida and we had to turn in a letter when we commenced homeschooling and then we had 4 options as far as documenting progress. My kids are good test-takers so we always used the standardised test option but I know many homeschoolers kept a portfolio (we did too) and had it reviewed yearly by a certified teacher. I don't remember the other two options. And that only applied to those of compulsory school age (in Florida - all children who are either six years of age, who will be six years old by February 1 of any school year, or who are older than six years of age but who have not attained the age of 16 years)
Colleges are pretty open to homeschoolers at this point - and yes, parents can provide high school transcripts for homeschooled students (some homeschool providers/programs/umbrella schools also provide them)
I'm happy to answer questions. I homeschooled my oldest for 4th-6th grade; my middle until she entered school in 3rd grade; and my youngest for preschool/pre-K.
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Deleted
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May 3, 2024 6:16:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2016 18:58:10 GMT
That^^^
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Post by Dori~Mama~Bear on May 12, 2016 19:02:17 GMT
Self discipline
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Deleted
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May 3, 2024 6:16:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2016 19:11:19 GMT
We homeschooled for a year and a half.
We worked on math skills and Wa St. history. He went to school for language arts and some other class that I can't remember. I homeschool with the intent of him going back to public school. He did really well when he went back, but unfortunately he became a social butterfly! Successful homeschooling is being able to fulfill your state's requirements and having a child who can leave the house.
Call the homeschool advocate in your district. That person will have most of the resources you will need.
Be aware that homeschooling can tend to be overtly religious. ( somehow I found every one of them. ). Some materials may not be labeled as such. Secular materials may be hard to find.
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Post by birukitty on May 12, 2016 19:11:35 GMT
A lot of dedication, patience, and some time. I homeschooled my son from grades 6-12. There are so many different options to homeschool children. When I decided to homeschool DS he'd been going to a private school from K-5th grade but he'd been diagnosed with severe ADHD in grade 3 and the school refused to provide any accommodations and at the end of grade 5 they actually kicked out every student with an ADHD or ADD diagnosis! Being a private school they could get away with this. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. At that point in time DS hated school with a passion because he gotten so frustrated with that style of learning. I turned to homeschooling because I thought it would be the best way of teaching him. When I started I did a ton of research to find out what my options were and what method of teaching would be best for him. There are online schools, there are entire curriculums that you can buy, you can buy a subject from here or there, you can go the unschooling route (which is really interesting) but the best way for a beginner to understand all of the options is to read a book (you can learn anything from a book my father taught me) about the subject of homeschooling. There are many on Amazon or at your local library. In addition you can do research online. I would highly suggest both options. We ended up with a boxed curriculum from www.oakmeadow.com which is a secular school. I much admired their approach of hands on learning and felt it would suite DS the best. I was able to tailor the lesson plans so that when we had a lesson on history, off we'd go to the Smithsonian for the day (living in Annapolis, MD. has it's advantages) and being engaged like that suited an ADHD student far better than being stuck in a classroom. Now this isn't what the Oak Meadow curriculum requires, that was my adjustment. What I also really liked about their curriculum was that you could request a teacher to review your child's work by sending it in, the teacher would look everything over, grade it and send it back. We did this the first two years and it made me feel so much better (more confident). I was working for myself as a wedding photographer at the time we started homeschooling DS, but I closed my business and dedicated my time 100% to my son's education. That was what was most important. It paid off. DS went on to college and recently graduated with a 3.8 average. He refused any accommodations for ADHD in college saying they wouldn't have that at his work places, so he didn't want them in college. Homeschooling a child is an immensely rewarding experience, but it is very demanding time wise, and emotion wise. To me it is very much worth it, and I'd do it again in a heat beat! By the way, don't worry if you aren't great in all subjects. I couldn't remember my math to save my life so I hired a math tutor-problem solved! It doesn't have to be expensive either-just someone from the local high school or community college will do. Debbie in MD.
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Post by Dori~Mama~Bear on May 12, 2016 19:17:19 GMT
Here in Oregon we have public school online. It is like homeschooling but they actually are in like a class room but it is online.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 3, 2024 6:16:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2016 20:00:29 GMT
Most every state has a homeschool support organization...some states have several.
Google.
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Post by myshelly on May 12, 2016 20:04:47 GMT
No one can answer your question about supervision from the local schools.
Homeschooling is governed by state laws and the laws are different in every state.
In my state there is zero involvement with, supervision by, or approval sought from public schools.
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scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
Jul 8, 2014 20:17:31 GMT
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Post by scrapaddie on May 12, 2016 20:43:30 GMT
There are a ton of options from unschooling (which basically means providing opportunities for the child to learn via their own interests) to pulling together your own curriculum to purchasing a full curriculum to signing up with a homeschool provider (lesson plans/books/some grading provided) to online virtual schools. There really IS something for everyone. Parents with poor grammar and maths skills might be better off using a homeschool provider or online virtual school rather than pulling together their own curriculum or unschooling but if they are willing to use outside resources (tutors, co-ops etc...) it's still possible to provide a good education. Supervision/requirements vary greatly from stste to state. I'm only familiar with Florida and we had to turn in a letter when we commenced homeschooling and then we had 4 options as far as documenting progress. My kids are good test-takers so we always used the standardised test option but I know many homeschoolers kept a portfolio (we did too) and had it reviewed yearly by a certified teacher. I don't remember the other two options. And that only applied to those of compulsory school age (in Florida - all children who are either six years of age, who will be six years old by February 1 of any school year, or who are older than six years of age but who have not attained the age of 16 years) Colleges are pretty open to homeschoolers at this point - and yes, parents can provide high school transcripts for homeschooled students (some homeschool providers/programs/umbrella schools also provide them) I'm happy to answer questions. I homeschooled my oldest for 4th-6th grade; my middle until she entered school in 3rd grade; and my youngest for preschool/pre-K. Thank you for the information. I was a high school teacher and I only had to deal with students who returned to public Ed after an unsuccessful experience. I have had very little experience with those who were homeschooled successfully... I have however met some great kids who were taking courses at our local community college as part of their homeschooling ( yes, the oldest and the youngest in the class were partners!)
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 3, 2024 6:16:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2016 20:47:51 GMT
In my opinion, the number one thing that makes homeschooling successful is dedication. You don't have to have a college degree. You don't need to have perfect grammar or excellent math skills. All of those things can be borrowed from other sources, just as if your child was in a school classroom.
There are so many options available to parents now. Some curriculum providers offer full online classes. They keep track of grades and projects, so parent planning and participation is very low. Others offer DVD instruction, but the parent grades tests and assignments. Some providers have regular classroom teacher's guides and workbooks, so you just follow their recommendations on how to present the material to your child. Then of course, you can pull together your own program of study that is tailored to your child's learning style. This requires the most planning and participation.
Depending on where you live, you can join a homeschool co-op where classes are taught by certified teachers or parents with experience in the subject matter. The parent just makes sure the assignments given by the teacher are completed.
Each state is different when it comes to requirements for grading, testing, accountability and attendance. My state has very little in the way of state involvement. I am accountable to the private school that is my homeschool "covering." I have to meet their attendance and subject requirements. I submit my kids' grades, and the covering keeps transcripts. At any time, my covering can ask to see my lesson plans and the kids' work to make sure I'm actually homeschooling. But that is a requirement of the private school, not the state. The only thing my covering reports to the state is attendance. And they provide my district a notice of my intent to homeschool each year.
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Post by Linda on May 12, 2016 20:49:20 GMT
Thank you for the information. I was a high school teacher and I only had to deal with students who returned to public Ed after an unsuccessful experience. I have had very little experience with those who were homeschooled successfully... I have however met some great kids who were taking courses at our local community college as part of their homeschooling ( yes, the oldest and the youngest in the class were partners!) You're welcome. I would like to think my children were successful. My oldest graduated high school with honours and community college magna cum laude and is now serving his country in Japan with the US Navy. My middle child is a 10th grader who was part of the Academic Team that WON states this year and she'll be inducted in NHS this wknd. The little one is also an A or A/B honour student. My theory was that we decided each year what the best educational option was for each child for the coming year - at times that meant I had one at home and one in public school.
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luckyexwife
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,067
Jun 25, 2014 21:21:08 GMT
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Post by luckyexwife on May 12, 2016 20:53:23 GMT
No one can answer your question about supervision from the local schools. Homeschooling is governed by state laws and the laws are different in every state. In my state there is zero involvement with, supervision by, or approval sought from public schools. This is not directed at anyone in particular, just a general statement. It scares me that someone can homeschool and not have to check in with any school district, or have to turn in lesson plans or curriculum. I do not think they need to micromanage homeschoolers, but a general overview should be required. I have several friends who homeschool, and they are awesome at it. I don't know the exact requirements for my state, but I know they have talked about paperwork that they have to turn in. Their kids have to be on the same level, or above, the public school kids.
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Post by Linda on May 12, 2016 21:21:47 GMT
Their kids have to be on the same level, or above, the public school kids. This sounds good in theory - but in my opinion, the goal should be that the child is showing improvement year to year. A child who struggles academically (due to a lower IQ or learning disabilities) may benefit from one-on-one instruction at home but still not be at the same level as the 'average' public school student - but they wouldn't be at the same level if they were public schooled either. A child who was pulled from school BECAUSE they had fallen behind may need more than one year at home to catch up. A kid who scores at the 25th percentile on a standardised test (for 2nd graders) as a 2nd grader is below average and wouldn't meet your standard of 'on the same level as the public school' BUT if they continue to score at the 25th percentile (or higher) as a 3rd grader (using the 3rd grade version) - then they've made a year's progress. If the standardised test score is dropping year to year (a statistically significant drop not 25 to 24)- then that might be a cause for concern. The vast majority of home school parents do at least as good a job as the average public school in educating students - many do a better job. Yes - there are parents who say they are homeschooling but don't actually follow through and there are probably a handful who use homeschooling to cover abuse...I would wager there are at least a few public schools that fail to adequately provide an education as well. There are already laws in place to handle those who neglect/abuse their children (and educational neglect is included). Home school parents have fought long and hard for the right to educate their children at home - and they don't want more oversight...they want to be left alone to educate the way they see best for their children. I remember watching TV news footage when I was in high school of parents being arrested for home schooling their children - and being horrified.
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luckyexwife
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,067
Jun 25, 2014 21:21:08 GMT
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Post by luckyexwife on May 12, 2016 21:35:14 GMT
Their kids have to be on the same level, or above, the public school kids. This sounds good in theory - but in my opinion, the goal should be that the child is showing improvement year to year. A child who struggles academically (due to a lower IQ or learning disabilities) may benefit from one-on-one instruction at home but still not be at the same level as the 'average' public school student - but they wouldn't be at the same level if they were public schooled either. A child who was pulled from school BECAUSE they had fallen behind may need more than one year at home to catch up. A kid who scores at the 25th percentile on a standardised test (for 2nd graders) as a 2nd grader is below average and wouldn't meet your standard of 'on the same level as the public school' BUT if they continue to score at the 25th percentile (or higher) as a 3rd grader (using the 3rd grade version) - then they've made a year's progress. If the standardised test score is dropping year to year (a statistically significant drop not 25 to 24)- then that might be a cause for concern. The vast majority of home school parents do at least as good a job as the average public school in educating students - many do a better job. Yes - there are parents who say they are homeschooling but don't actually follow through and there are probably a handful who use homeschooling to cover abuse...I would wager there are at least a few public schools that fail to adequately provide an education as well. There are already laws in place to handle those who neglect/abuse their children (and educational neglect is included). Home school parents have fought long and hard for the right to educate their children at home - and they don't want more oversight...they want to be left alone to educate the way they see best for their children. I remember watching TV news footage when I was in high school of parents being arrested for home schooling their children - and being horrified. I just want to clarify, that was not "my standards". I was only saying what my home school friends have said the requirements are in my state. They have to meet the same basic requirements for each grade level as the kids in public school do. As far as any special needs or any further needs a child might have, I don't know what the requirements are in my state.
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Deleted
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May 3, 2024 6:16:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2016 23:22:34 GMT
Do parents rely mostly on outside resources ... Or educating the child on their own? Are parents with poor grammar and math skills good candidates for homeschooling ? I know there are lots of programs available, on line and in the community... The zoo, for instance , offers programs for homeschoolers. How strict is the supervision of the local schools? Out school has to approve the program , but I know of parents who made up a transcript for their child's college Application.... How strict is the supervision of the local schools depends on the laws of the state you live in and the school district (if the law allows them to be the supervisor) Many states do not require any school to oversee a home school. If I recall, when we home schooled in NC (1990s) I had to turn in a statement of intent to home school and a list of curriculum to the state's department of education. Oklahoma only required I notify them of my intent to home school so they weren't sending a truant officer out to investigate us. Again, 1990s so that is old information. There are lots of online classes you can use for teaching. I prefered to use a curriculum that was developed/sold for homeschoolers. It didn't require I buy 20 work books or have group projects. I also used other home schooling parents or resources like Sullivan or Kumon learning centers to tutor subjects that I was not good at. I didn't see myself as a teacher.. but more of a facilitator. I found out what the kids were expected to learn at each grade level then found the resources for them to learn it from. Find the local homeschool groups and plug in to them. They are a HUGE help in all kinds of ways.
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Post by 950nancy on May 13, 2016 0:22:51 GMT
No one can answer your question about supervision from the local schools. Homeschooling is governed by state laws and the laws are different in every state. In my state there is zero involvement with, supervision by, or approval sought from public schools. My teammate got a fifth grader who knew his alphabet and some of the sounds. In his case, some supervision would have been helpful.
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Post by bostonmama on May 13, 2016 0:36:53 GMT
My heart and soul go into homeschooling our kids. I bring a lot of fun and passion to the areas I'm great at, and I bring a lot of outside resources in for the areas I'm not. I know I don't have all the answers on "how to homeschool the RIGHT way," but I'm confident in what I bring to the table as an educator. We get some great, focused learning done at home and utilize a Co-Op for classes that are more fun to do in a group setting. My kids do testing through a School Psychologist (in private practice) every year and that satisfies the state. I think the biggest key to our success, though, has been flexibility.
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Post by nepean on May 13, 2016 0:51:06 GMT
No one can answer your question about supervision from the local schools. Homeschooling is governed by state laws and the laws are different in every state. In my state there is zero involvement with, supervision by, or approval sought from public schools. This is not directed at anyone in particular, just a general statement. It scares me that someone can homeschool and not have to check in with any school district, or have to turn in lesson plans or curriculum. I do not think they need to micromanage homeschoolers, but a general overview should be required. I have several friends who homeschool, and they are awesome at it. I don't know the exact requirements for my state, but I know they have talked about paperwork that they have to turn in. Their kids have to be on the same level, or above, the public school kids. I am a homeschooler and I completely agree with you, though many homeschoolers would not. The state I live in you have to register to homeschool, keep attendance records. That is all. You are supposed to have your child take standardized testing in 3rd/6th and 9th, but there is absolutely no check on this. I have a "friend" who home schools her child, and that child is so far behind her peers it is not funny and there is no accountability at all. The state can do an audit, but the parents are completely within their "right" to refuse to show them any test records, or work progress. I feel so bad for this young lady. She has not completed any of the required standardized testing either. She expects to go to college, and I just don't see how that would be possible.
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stepht5
Shy Member
Posts: 39
Jul 2, 2014 23:43:49 GMT
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Post by stepht5 on May 13, 2016 0:57:01 GMT
How strict is the supervision of the local schools? Out school has to approve the program , but I know of parents who made up a transcript for their child's college Application.... He'd still need to take the ACT, SAT or if it's a community college their tests. So, if he doesn't know his stuff...it'd be found out. I've homeschooled my kids for 28yrs. Our oldest is 36 and our youngest is 14, same marriage.
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Post by birukitty on May 13, 2016 3:16:07 GMT
I defiantly agree with this. This is why I quit my business and devoted myself 100% to homeschooling my son. It demanded 100% of my attention. You really need to be self disciplined and really be ready to give it your all. Otherwise you are failing your child and you may as well have the school take over the job. This isn't something you do halfway, on a whim or do as an easy way of having your child stay home and do a few work sheets every day. I remember the first year my son was in college and we were waiting for his first semester grades. I was terrified they would come back really low and that would prove I'd been a failure as an educator and had ruined his life. I held my breath as he told me what they were and they were very high. Whew! I was so relived. I am a perfectionist. I don't expect it of everyone but I expect it of myself. I get it from my father-he is one too. I mainly didn't want to fail my son. He is extremely intelligent and I didn't want to waste his potential. I believe parents can do this and in many cases can do a better job than the local public schools depending on how those schools are where you are located. But you have to be disciplined, be organized and devoted your time and effort to it. Debbie in MD.
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Post by Patter on May 13, 2016 11:05:49 GMT
Yes, laws vary by state. To see the laws for each state, look here: www.hslda.org/laws/I homeschooled my girls 8-12 grade. Best, best decision we ever made. Two of them are seniors now in college. One is double majoring in Chemistry and Forensic Science. The other is double majoring in Biology and Computer Science. They are both on the honor roll, received 4 year scholarships and have thrived in college. One just received a grant for a huge honor's research project. Yes, I am very proud of my girls. My other daughter has spent 2 years having 6 surgeries (heart and back). With that said, homeschooling is not for everyone. I have seen some sad things, and I have seen great things. It really depends on the family, and the whole family needs to work together.
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Deleted
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May 3, 2024 6:16:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2016 11:32:09 GMT
I believe using the resources available to you, online courses, etc is important. But I will say this too and this will sound rude probably: if you struggle with the basics of any area, especially the English language and its rules, then you should not be homeschooling your kids exclusively. You should rely on outside resources. Knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are and knowing when to accept that you need someone else to guide them is very important. I see here, on FB, with one of DH's cousins, and other people how they're homeschooling. This message board is the only place so far where I've seen a real success with homeschooling, especially with Patter. On FB, I know two people who are homeschooling. I don't know their kids personally as I only "know" them through knitting and related groups. One is really focused on unschooling and teaching her kids how to live off the land. We'll see how successful she is as her kids are still young. One of DH's cousins keeps saying she's going to homeschool her kids at some point. I keep wanting to post, please don't! She doesn't seem to understand the difference between principal and principle. She complains that the schools aren't catering to her precious children. All I see are two spoiled brats. She and her siblings are all results of different levels of homeschooling. As far as I can tell, none are very successful. The youngest one had more regular school than homeschooling and he's the only one that is relatively independent and doing ok as far as I can tell. One got an AA that she does nothing with and is currently working as a receptionist for an auto shop. The nutter with the two kids proclaims she knows how to run a business and does all the books for her husband's construction business. She has a part time job with the family marina. Last I heard, they had to hire someone to re-do everything to ensure the taxes were done right. Yeah, she knows how to run a business alright. I cringe when I see people saying they homeschool but have posts that are riddled with errors. I feel the same about teachers too. If you're an educator or any other professional where your writing and spelling skills are going to be on display, you better be able to use the correct word. If your child sees you using "defiantly" where you should be using "definitely" or "principle" in place of "principal," then they will think that is ok. When it comes out they're homeschooled, people will continue to have a negative view of it.
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Post by snugglebutter on May 13, 2016 14:01:40 GMT
Yes, laws vary by state. To see the laws for each state, look here: www.hslda.org/laws/I homeschooled my girls 8-12 grade. Best, best decision we ever made. Two of them are seniors now in college. One is double majoring in Chemistry and Forensic Science. The other is double majoring in Biology and Computer Science. They are both on the honor roll, received 4 year scholarships and have thrived in college. One just received a grant for a huge honor's research project. Yes, I am very proud of my girls. My other daughter has spent 2 years having 6 surgeries (heart and back). Patter, would you mind sharing about the math and science curriculum/studies you used for high school? From what I have been reading recently, adequate preparation for STEM majors tends to be a weak area for homeschoolers. I would love to hear more from someone who has been successful in this. :-)
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Post by Patter on May 13, 2016 15:34:07 GMT
Yes, laws vary by state. To see the laws for each state, look here: www.hslda.org/laws/I homeschooled my girls 8-12 grade. Best, best decision we ever made. Two of them are seniors now in college. One is double majoring in Chemistry and Forensic Science. The other is double majoring in Biology and Computer Science. They are both on the honor roll, received 4 year scholarships and have thrived in college. One just received a grant for a huge honor's research project. Yes, I am very proud of my girls. My other daughter has spent 2 years having 6 surgeries (heart and back). Patter, would you mind sharing about the math and science curriculum/studies you used for high school? From what I have been reading recently, adequate preparation for STEM majors tends to be a weak area for homeschoolers. I would love to hear more from someone who has been successful in this. :-) We used the Morning Star Academy. It was good for what we did then but if we did it over, we would totally us the online classes at Landry Academy. They use Saxon math which we used for 8th grade but beyond that, I could not help my girls. Hubby could as he has two engineering degrees (Bachelors and Masters) but he was too busy at work. Anyway, Landry Academy is great. We did some of their two-day onsite intensive courses (Physics was one). My girls loved it. You can see their math course info here. Look around the site And look at the intensive stop. Really great place. www.landryacademy.com/live-classes/subject-area-overview/math/Oh, and we also used Kahn Academy for high school, and the girls have even referred to it for their college courses. Free and great site!
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Post by Patter on May 13, 2016 15:35:24 GMT
Oh, and Bright Storm is another great place for general chemistry and math. You have to pay but if you go to YouTube, type in Bright Storm, you can find free stuff.
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shawallapea
Full Member
Posts: 108
Jun 28, 2014 21:28:33 GMT
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Post by shawallapea on May 13, 2016 15:36:00 GMT
I homeschooled my oldest (now a Jr. in high school) for K-2nd and my youngest will be home schooled this year (he will be going into 8th grade). When I homeschooled my oldest we used a complete curriculum package (ABeka - it was religious and picked with a purpose) and for my 8th grader we are going through a local charter school that is part of our public school district. This will be the best of both worlds. We will tailor a learning experience for him based on his learning style including text books, online classes and classes on campus with his peers. We will be assigned an educational specialist (I will be choosing math since it's not my strongest) that we will meet with once a week to check how things are going. If he stays in the program 9th-12th he will graduate high school with a regular diploma.
I am a licensed educator in our state and sub semi regularly in addition to being a caregiver to my mom. I'd have to say discipline and consistency are the KEY. Have a schedule and stick to it. Have a plan and stick to it. Don't get "wishy-washy". If you feel really incapable in a certain subject matter start by finding a resource or class out of your hands for your child to go to. There are so many resources for homeschooling families currently that there is no reason you can't find the help/support you need :-)
The program we are going to be in specializes in math which will really be a benefit to us personally. They also really support high school students taking their college prerequisites while earning high school credits so they come out of high school ready to apply to colleges as juniors. I am excited for my son to experience a greater range of what learning means. He'll be truly immersed in the subject and since he functions really well on a one on one basis, I know he'll excel.
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Post by bostonmama on May 13, 2016 15:37:00 GMT
I'm not Patter, but STEM/STEAM is our biggest area of focus. We weave basically every subject area into STEM-focused activities. My son takes robotics and programming classes and my daughter, who's very interested in chemistry, takes an upper elementary lab course (she's only 7). My husband is in the medical field and my background is in technology, and we've both seen the way our fields have changed and are continuing to grow. There are many schools that are strongly STEM focused, but I've found there is more time and more resources available to students outside of the typical public school (in our area). We really strive to facilitate hands-on, real world STEM, especially as the kids grow.
Some of the parents in our Co-Op homeschool for primarily religious reasons, and their curriculum is science-light. Also, a lot of homeschoolers use workbook curriculum for science, and that isn't going to strengthen a kid's STEM skills, IMO, either. Get high schoolers out into the working STEM fields and they'll have a leg up when it comes to college!
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Post by melanell on May 13, 2016 15:41:57 GMT
Way, way, waaaay more patience than I have. My 13 yr old and I work hard to get through homework time still feeling happy with one another. Homeschooling would likely turn into WWIII.
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Post by gale w on May 13, 2016 15:43:02 GMT
Do parents rely mostly on outside resources ... Or educating the child on their own? Are parents with poor grammar and math skills good candidates for homeschooling ? I know there are lots of programs available, on line and in the community... The zoo, for instance , offers programs for homeschoolers. How strict is the supervision of the local schools? Out school has to approve the program , but I know of parents who made up a transcript for their child's college Application.... Every state has different laws and guidelines. For our state we can pretty much do what we want, which is scary to me. We homeschool and for our family, we rely on a pre-made curriculum. I'm not strong in science and history but the curriculum we use is very comprehensive and structured, and if we need help, we look up resources together. I have a strong math background so although we do use a program for math, I'm able to provide plenty of help and guidance. My son just turned 17 and is graduating next month so I really think he would have been pretty bored in public school.
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