| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| westernhorse51 |
Posted - Jul 08 2005 : 10:17:06 AM
Hi Girls, I need some advice about homeschooling. I DID read the previous topics you all wrote about it and a few of them really hit home. This is my problem & question; my daughter Britta is 14 y/old. She is going into 8th. She went to a transistional 1st grade from kidnergarten before the actual 1st grade due to reading problems. She has been on the honor roll thru middle school. She reads well now but was in a special ed for reading only. She HATES it!! She says she doesnt fit in w/ the other kids, last year she had problems w/ 1 or 2 kids (girls) because she didnt dress like them or act like them. She has been begging us to have her homeschooled. She gets teased because were christians, she will say it to the kids and they laugh. We as a family pray about EVERYTHING, we have been about this also. But I dont know how to begin. I dont want to mess up. Dont want her to go backwards because were doing something wrong. I hated everyday last year sending her. We always take her & pick her up, she hates the bus. My heart says homeschool. My head says I dont know. My sister said if we make everything easy for her she'll never be able to get through anything. What is so easy about being teased at school because you dont fit in???? It was hard for her last year, terrible. it was hard for all of us. September is around the corner. Please, I need input. I dont feel capable of teaching her myself, some of it yes but not all of it. She wants to go to college, I dont want to make a mistake. I dont want my daughter to ever feel like that again, ever. Does anyone have a website I could visit that may be able to answer some of my questions. I dont want to send her back to school unless she wanted it down the line but we (my husband & I) want to do whats right for her. Thanks, michele
"she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands". Prov. 31:13 |
| 24 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| JimBobAndLarry |
Posted - Oct 10 2005 : 1:37:59 PM
Hi,
I was always picked on at school too, and I didn't do very well in a class room setting. When I was 14 I wanted to be home schooled, my sister was being home school because of health issues. I'm soooooo glad my parents home schooled me! I loved it, I learned so much, I started to love learning, and I got to learn at my own pace. My mom was also able to give special attention to my areas of interest like art and architecture and home skills. I think that age 14 was a great time to start home schooling, sooner would have been better, but I don't think I could have survived in public school any longer.
Now I have a five of my own little ones and we are home schooling. You can see what else we are up to www.ruralvillage.org, I never went to college but my home schooling skills in art and architecture have really been a blessing, and I’m so glad I learned how to take care of a home.
Sarah
"Jim-Bob&Larry is the name of my daughter's new laying hen. My little girl is three and she came up with the name all by herself. I'm Sarah." |
| lareyna |
Posted - Sep 25 2005 : 07:44:00 AM
So glad I found this thread, I had posted in farmkids and didn't get much response, my older grandaughter (17 now) stopped highschool in her sophmore year due to teasing, she is a Christian, very large busted, straight A student etc. She finished high school a year early and is now at JC taking her nursing pre-req's. My daughter is now taking Jenna out of her private Christian school and is definitely going to home school her. I love this forum
http://morkielove.blogspot.com/
I was Country before Country was COOL |
| dg7954 |
Posted - Sep 21 2005 : 6:08:34 PM
Michelle, I homeschooled my daughter for alot of the same reasons you mentioned. All I can say is that I began when she went into 6th grade and only regret I didn't do it earlier. She has just graduated with two different diplomas. One is from the Bucks County School System and the other is from the Richmont Diploma program. She has done amazingly well and is better read,a better vocabulary, and better prepared for the world than she ever would have been.
She also missed the emotional scars of the horror of school in general. She has a great deal of self-confidence, poise, and a strong self identity. She was able to be herself long before her friends in school because she didn't have to conform to anything.
Her social life actually improved because she never dealt with the mean "cliques" in school. She was able to develop her musical, visual art, and writing skills because they are not prioritized in school. We found her a "real" substitute teacher who patiently taught her subjects (like math)until she was certain she understood everything. Subsequently, she has retained what she was taught. This is very different in school in that, if a student is having difficulty in a subject, the class doesn't wait for her to get it before they move on.
I equate my daughter's homeschooling with making a cake from scratch rather than buying one at the supermarket. She got the best, purest ingredients, made with care and love, and it fit her perfectly.
It was a wonderful experience for all of us, and I recommend it highly.
I went on the website a moment ago, and found this link for you:http://www.learningbygrace.org/?ac=y1 It looked like something you might be interested in. If it isn't, just google "homeschool" and you will not only find endless websites, but you can get in touch with so many parents who are also eager to help you. That's how I got started.
Hope this helps
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| miraclesanddandelions |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 9:57:23 PM
Hello Michelle, its okay to stop and smell the roses and let your daugther smell them to. while your at it maybe sit on the grass and brush each others hair!!!! when i pulled our daugther out of the public school system she was only 6. yes she had been in the system since 18 months old she has a disability. i found out that is wasnt the kids being abusive but her own personal aid! I took her home so fast and I've never looked back. its important for you to look around and see whats availible and in your area should be a christian homeschooling group, they where really there for me in prayer, support and had such opened hearts to us. I will say it might be hard to slow down abit with it all, and you are probably feeling overwhelmed right now. it takes time to settle in and find out how your day will unfold! each day can be fun and exciting with your daugther cherish it! you could only be so lucky as to have her home with you.I was told that every thing is a learning opportunity. EVERYTHING!!!! good luck to you and your family! Prayer said, love us. |
| greyghost |
Posted - Aug 15 2005 : 4:48:32 PM
I was homeschooled and I loved Saxon Math. I seem have always had some odd disability when it comes to math. I struggled in school but Saxon when I was HS was fine. I figured out my problem when I took college algebra and calculus my sophomore year at Uni, and the books weren't Saxon. If I didn't do those formulas every day, within two days it was gone from my memory. I would miss a day of going over my problems, open my notebook and just STARE because I would swear to you I had never seen that formula before, or those numbers, and yet I had done it just two days before, 50 times - the proof was in my handwriting in my notebook!
I like saxon too because it is constantly reviewing. I think this is essential for any child, not just one who seems to have a hole in her brain when it comes to retaining math formulas! |
| Julia |
Posted - Aug 15 2005 : 4:02:05 PM
MIchelle, Saxton math is a good cirriculm to use. YOu can get on their web site and have your daughter take a test to see where she is and then get the right book for her. The way they set the chapters up is that the daily lesson always repeats what has already been taught so they don't lose anything. I have used it with all my girls all the way through high school. I have been told that Singapore Math is also good though I have never used it. Trust the Lord , you will know what to do. Simply, Julia
"The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet within our reach is joy. Take joy!" Fr.Giovanni |
| westernhorse51 |
Posted - Aug 15 2005 : 07:16:12 AM
school starts Sept. 7th, were still trying to figure out what to do. They want her to get some extra help in math. This is 8th grade, very important, we dont want to make the wrong choice for her. We have been talking about it with her. If she starts and it's not working at all, then we will bring her out. With high school next year we have to be careful for her sake. Michele
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
| ladybugsmom6 |
Posted - Aug 14 2005 : 8:19:45 PM
HOme is so much simpler than school, she will learn so much more with your support and encouragement. It is not just the teasing, but the whole lifestyle at school is hard on a kid
Find a good support group and stay home awhile. I have found it even benificial, though many think it radical, to unschool for a while. DO nothing for a while except read to each other for a few months and her natural love for learning will come back. My kids beg to have reading time, and lately they are asking for worksheets, Hey kids its summer! but they love to learn. Enjoy your time togeather. Give her the books and she will take off and find her big world!
-Tami
livin' right and loven' life! |
| Julia |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 2:01:03 PM
MIchelle, I can definetly empathize with your heart struggle. Homeshcooling is a big descison, but one I would do again, and sooner. I started to homeschool when our oldest was in the middle of 8th grade. She has been to college and is now married. SHe did well. Our second girl was not academically prone. SHe is bright and creative, but text book reading bored her. SHe is a hands on person. SHe would rather take a TV apart to learn about electricity than read about it. Homeschooling allowed me to fit it to her needs. Since she was 10 she wanted to cut hair. She is now 21 and doing just that. Our youngest is 13 and will be going into 9th grade. She is a cross between her older sisters. The point to all this is that,homeschooling is easier then it sounds. There great curriclums, mine are always eclectic. My encouragement to you is to go for it! Trust the Lord with the whole situation and I bet you all will be happier for it. There is probably a homeschool group near you that can be of encouragement and support. I was miserable through school as I was always very shy. Homeschooling wasn't an option way back then, but if it had been I would have loved to have been homeschool. Continue to pray about it and I will to, that the Lord will give you peace. Blessings, Julia
"For mine is just a little old-fashioned garden, where the flowers come together to praise the Lord, and teach all who look upon them to do likewise." Celia Thaxter
"The most extraordinary thing in the world, is an ordinary man, and an ordinary woman, and their ordinary children." G. K. Chesterton |
| sqrl |
Posted - Jul 20 2005 : 3:50:08 PM
neither myself nor my husband were home school but I'm telling ya I'm home school our children when the time comes. I don't know how I made it through school I hated it. And my Husband has Torettes and let me tell you they REALLY teased him in school. And we're still working on that and getting him to release all the stuff that the kids did. Don't mean to be so negitive, just don't want my kids to deal with it. We are both highly intelligent people and niether of us did well in school, that tells ya something about school systems.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com/artisan
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| DeeHarp |
Posted - Jul 19 2005 : 7:14:20 PM
Michele,
We are a homeschooling family here in Missouri. I am currently homeschooling four of our six children. Two of our children are grown. Here is a site that we use:
www.lifestyleoflearning.org
I too encourage you to follow your heart.
Dee
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| thehouseminder |
Posted - Jul 19 2005 : 10:38:20 AM
Michelle, I am SO glad you are listening to your daughter.
I was bullied for years in Jr. High and High School. I stopped telling my parents because they just could not believe that it could be "that bad". I had been at the top of my class since kindergarten, it's possible that this made me a target - I could never figure it out really. My grades slid and I eventually skipped school as often as I possibly could. This affected my ability to get into college and even though I eventually went to college and grad school and graduated with high honors, it has cost me. I don't dwell on it but when I read your post, I wanted to share my experience. Believe me, every kid who has ever been bullied remembers every incident with clarity. You learn to forgive but you NEVER forget.
The things that kids do to one another now, from what I am hearing are even worse than they were 20 years ago. The schools are no help. In Iowa, where all of my nieces and nephews go to school, telling the teacher that you are being bullied is not allowed! Can you believe that!?! One of my nephews got into trouble for telling the teacher that two other kids had kicked open the bathroom stall door when he was in it. His parents then found out that it is a statewide policy - no "tattletales."
I don't believe for one minute that homeschooling your daughter will make it "easier for her educationally". What it will probably do is provide a wonderful environment for her to learn and to develop her curiosity and sense of self. She can study and learn instead of having to watch her back all the time. She can eat her lunch in peace and have a conversation with you, one of the most important people in her life, instead of being afraid that the giggling at the next lunch table is a prelude to more abuse.
Just think, if you are teaching her about trees of various types, you can go outside and actually look at them, collect leaves, and make rubbings of the bark for identification. If you are talking about art, you can GO to the museum. The possiblilities are endless and you can be so much more flexible than the school will ever be!
You would not allow your child to be bullied and possibly assaulted in any other situation if you could prevent it.
Like the others here, I urge you to follow your heart.
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| Victorielynn |
Posted - Jul 18 2005 : 12:36:44 PM
Michele: If you are not feeling comfortable about teaching you can get curriculum for the grade she will be in through a couple of great companies. Type in Christian Light Publications or Alpha Omega Homeschooling in a search engine and you will get the sites for both of them. Christian Light is fromt he Mennonites and has excellent material. I used it for both of my boys for 2 years before switching to text books I get through World Care now. I gained a lot of confidence in teaching using this since it comes with workbooks and teacher's guides and answer keys.
My oldest son was the one that got picked on by the other kids because he has Tourette's. He was always getting teased. Because of his learning problems he had a horrible time keeping up with class. His reading is slow and he has a hard time understanding what he reads. By homeschooling him I have been able let him re-read sections he doesn't understand.
And if anyone tells you that homeschooling a child is easy for the child or the parents they are mistaken. I know when they haven't done their work. I know when they are goofing off or not working to their potential.
My youngest son likes homeschooling because he can work ahead of his grade level and gets to learn about things that interest him. He loves history and science. But he knows that I will push him to do his language arts because I know that he is weak in that area.
Good luck with homeschooling. You will find many rewards in doing this. Spending more time with your daughter will benefit her in the long run.
Vicki |
| Kim |
Posted - Jul 16 2005 : 09:06:43 AM
Michele,
There are a few magazines out there, usually at Barnes & Noble, for parents who homeschool. I was picked on at her age. Girls, when they get to that age can be downright cruel.
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
| pennyfour |
Posted - Jul 12 2005 : 12:42:51 PM
Michele:
I see that you have alot of support from the responses above. The care from everyone is wonderful! My oldest begged me to homeschool her midway through her sophomore year in high school and she was an honor student tied with another student for valedictorian. She was just tired of the long classes and hearing things she did not want to hear the other students talking about. Her biggest thing was that she said so much time was spent in class each day that could be used learning how to take care of a home, etc. I told her that starting to homeschool in the middle of high school was absolutely frightening. But....I researched and researched and knew that this was what was best for her. I started teaching her for her junior and senior years and they were wonderful. She accomplished so many things she would not have been able to do if she were in traditional school; there would not have been enough time. She also went on to college for a year and now she is a happily married woman and says that she will homeschool her children as well. So....leap in! I agree with everyone else....check out your state laws and a local support group maybe or a person locally you trust for encouragement. Armywifey recommended the two things that were a great help to me....there is sooooo much out there. It's like picking out wallpaper; there are so many choices that it gets overwhelming but in the end you know what pattern really appeals to who you are. |
| BamaSuzy |
Posted - Jul 12 2005 : 12:22:08 PM
We homeschooled our last two (of four)children and I wished we had homeschooled all four from day one! I miss it terribly now and I don't regret it for a minute!
Our last one, our son, graduated from high school homeschooling in 1989...that next year he was the youngest person EVER to get a HOME LOAN without a co-signer in our local bank's history (and it's not even the bank we use!)
best wishes!
You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt! |
| westernhorse51 |
Posted - Jul 09 2005 : 11:08:24 AM
THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALL OF YOU. I have alot to read and all of you have given me great direction. I know I'll be back with questions. Thanks again so much. michele
"she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands". Prov. 31:13 |
| snowberryfarm |
Posted - Jul 09 2005 : 05:35:21 AM
My favorite website is www.chfweb.net There are so many wonderful people there to encourage you and give you any info you need. I often read the titus two forum, and post if I have questions like you do. Please check them out, and I would encourage you to homeschool. There is nothing wrong with it. The Lord will work it out if it is on your heart.
Blessings,
Michelle |
| JoyIowa |
Posted - Jul 08 2005 : 7:29:55 PM
Michelle,
I supervise parents who do not have education degrees and still want to homeschool their kids without taking standardized tests. (Really I'm a cheerleader. I find parents know instinctively what is best for their children.) The purpose of my note is to let you know if you want someone to chew the fat with about this, let me know. I am a major advocate of homeschooling! Good Luck! As everyone else says "Listen to your heart."
Joy
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience. |
| bramble |
Posted - Jul 08 2005 : 7:13:15 PM
Michelle- Do a search online or call your Board of Ed and ask them for some contact info for homeschoolers. Depending on your district there can be a whole network out there to help and support you in your community . I know there is a group here in Mercer that get together for picnics, trips, projects, and to play. NJ is tougher than some of the midwestern states, you will have to submit plans , be evaluated and your daughter will still have to take standardized tests. It's important that you make this decision with as much knowledge of what you will be expected to provide and if you feel confident providing it. MY son(an only) will soon be 12 and is going into 7th grade. Middle school is probably the toughest time for kids because they are starting to sort themselves out into categories and friendships change, grow or fade away. Is your daughter making friends with anyone at school? Is she involved in any activities where she can meet like minded kids? Maturity varies greatly in this stage too and sometimes it's hard to see the one's who are struggling. Do you think she will benefit from staying home with you
or learning how to be her own person in an adverse situation? Almost every child I know would tell you they would rather not go to school but when I ask why it's because they think if they are home schooled it will be less work! Not with me it wouldn't!
There was another home schooling thread you might want to check out if you missed it, there were some good opinions and info there too!
I know you want to do the right thing, it's hard to watch your child suffer but also remember that this age goes through so much emotional/ hormonal upheaval that alot of the time they don't know what they want from one day to the next. I struggled with this decision too but decided he would have a more balanced learning experience in public school. I'm not always happy with it but he is doing well and as an only child likes being a part of the school experience, though at times he grumbles. I wish you luck with your decision, this is one you should have all the facts for before deciding; it's a big one.
with a happy heart |
| ArmyWifey |
Posted - Jul 08 2005 : 2:38:53 PM
Elijah Company has some great articles on homeschooling -- you may want to order thier resource guide.
High+School+Home+School+Form+U+La by Barb Shelton is also a good resource.
And don't worry about college most colleges these days are actively recruiting homeschoolers, and if she does some classes at a J.College than when she transfers they usually just want the JC transcripts.
Blessings!
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As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
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| mollymae |
Posted - Jul 08 2005 : 12:34:14 PM
Michele, here is the link for the WorldBook.com "typical course of study", I used it when I began homeschooling years ago!
http://worldbook.com/wc/browse?id=pa/tcs
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the Aching or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain" ~Emily Dickinson
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
Sisterhood of the Traveling Art |
| mollymae |
Posted - Jul 08 2005 : 12:31:38 PM
Michele, homeschooling is a journey of the heart, and it sounds like your heart is truly telling you to do this. There is no reason she should be forced to endure the cruelty of other children in the name of education. When we began, my heart said YES and my head said "What in the world are you thinking???"  . There are so many "methods" of homeschooling, that you just have to find the right one that fits your desires for your daughter, her learning abilities, etc. Not an easy task, by any stretch of means! What I'm trying to say is, there is no real WRONG way of doing it. There are a lot of Christian homeschooling sites, just type in Christian homeschooling into your search bar, and literally hundreds (if not more) things will be there for you. About.com/homeschooling is a good place to look as well. There is tons of info out there, a lot to weed through. Do you want to keep structure for her? A charter school (there are online ones, like we use) is a good option for that. You can also use the World Book.com scope and sequence..I'll try to find the link for that. That will give you an idea of what she "should" be learning at what grade level. Do you want to let her have more control over her learning? Maybe a unschooling approach might work. Believe me, lots of research will be needed, but that shouldn't stop you from keeping her home in September while you continue to figure things out. You will want to check out the homeschooling laws in your state. Just "Google" "homeschooling laws in New Jersey", and then follow through with the state of what it asks of you to get started. The library is a wonderful resource and you might find some other homeschool families in your area that you can hook up with and pick their brains also! Keep coming here and asking us questions as well, or you can even email me personally and I'll give you all the help I am able! We are here for you!!
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the Aching or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain" ~Emily Dickinson
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
Sisterhood of the Traveling Art |
| greyghost |
Posted - Jul 08 2005 : 12:22:42 PM
Go ahead and home school her. I was CONSTANTLY teased and picked on in school. It's horrible feeling like you don't fit in, or don't have any friends other than the other "rejects." Toward the end before my parents decided to take me home, I started to stop caring about my grades.
There are lots and LOTS of textbooks out there. My parents used Saxon math, it was good, especially for me & my math issues. She may not mind reading as much when it's not some "special ed" thing.
My Mom was the homeschool advisor for Lake and Sumter County in FL. If you like I can have you talk to her - she's sent two kids to college now (myself and my brother) and we are fine. :) |
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