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Family Matters:  Homeschooling  |
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 09:15:18 AM
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I am starting a new topic for the gals on the board that homeschool, I know that Angie and Angelia do, anyone else? Post here and we can chat!
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
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psouper
True Blue Farmgirl
50 Posts
50 Posts |
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 11:40:25 AM
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Ahhh...a veteran homeschooler, how nice!  . We've been homeschooling now for about 4 years! What are the ages of your kids, Polly?
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
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greyghost
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
Lynn
Summerville
Georgia
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 1:12:55 PM
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I was homeschooled from 6th grade thru high school graduation. If you want it from the kid's perspective, I can help.
For me it was AWESOME. I have always been a loner and being forced to be with a bunch of kids I didn't like and who didn't like me was pretty rough. Homeschooling let me be me. If I wanted to read up and learn all the birds of the world, I could do that. Study horses, help out at a farm? I could do that. Gobble up all the American Indian history I could get my hands on? sure. Babysit odd hours for people? Sure. Mow lawns, you name it - I had the time to take up anything I wanted to.
For my brother, at times I think it wasn't as good an idea for him. He's always been more of a "people person" and he was just too isolated - plus my folks moved to a more remote area and he just couldn't relate to the local kids his age. Now in college he has made quite a few faux paus that would have never happened had he been able to be around more kids.
So it depends on the kid. If I have kids, I certainly intend to keep them home. Traditional schools are a waste of time (IMHO). It took me all of two hours to finish my school from 6-9th grades, then it got more intensive from there. But I still had far more free time to learn about the real world and how things really work, rather than daydreaming in a class hearing yet again what an adverb is. |
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 2:04:20 PM
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Thanks for your perspective!!! My oldest son, a couple of years ago, told me "Mom, I'm going to homeschool MY kids too"....I love it!
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
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psouper
True Blue Farmgirl
50 Posts
50 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 3:49:02 PM
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My kiddos are ages 2-15. My oldest is a boy - he'll be starting his soph. year. I'd say it's a cinch until about 8th grade. With high school, it suddenly gets real expensive and more of a challenge to "help." We have to look outside for other resources, but that's good too. I started homeschooling thinking that I would do a really supurb job, but I've settled for adequate. : ) Most kids are average. But they get *something special* by being together. My oldest is away for 2 weeks, but he has called home every night so he can hear baby sister say, "'ove oo Bub. Nigh Nigh." If he were away h.s. with sports afterwards, they wouldn't get to see each other.
Polly
http://mossbackmeadow.blogspot.com/ |
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TheSoapMaven
True Blue Farmgirl
691 Posts
Susan
LA
USA
691 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 4:13:39 PM
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This will be our 18th year. Just have 3 still at home. A junior, 8th grade and 4th grade.
Blessings & Bliss!.· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´ -:¦:-~Susan~
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
Wife, Mother, Natural Woman, Savonnière, Writer, Baker, Gardener.
Soulmate to Jerry for 30 years
Mom to Zach, Gesikah, Nathan, Hannah, Rachel and Benjamin
Yetta to Sam
"It's no bad thing to celebrate a simple life" ~ Bilbo Baggins
If your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you need to seriously re-examine your life. |
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 4:17:04 PM
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Polly that is so sweet to hear of the closeness between siblings...ours fight and bicker all the time..rofl...they are so close in age though, the largest "span" is 5 years between my 11yo and my 6yo (and they are the ones that fight the most!), but they also play very nicely together. Our house is definitely not a quiet house, I hate to think what our neighbors think of us...hehe.
HI Susan, how neat that you homeschool! I ordered some of your "egg" soaps, BTW and they are *fabulous*! My favorite is the "farmhouse kitchen" scent!
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
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Crystal
Farmgirl at Heart
5 Posts
Crystal
South Dakota
5 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 4:17:44 PM
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Another homeschooler here ! We've homeschooled my 7yr. old son from the start . We tend twards a more relaxed/eclectic but not unschool approach . How about you all ?
Crystal |
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TheSoapMaven
True Blue Farmgirl
691 Posts
Susan
LA
USA
691 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 4:21:37 PM
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Hi Molly!!! Thank you. I am happy you liked the soaps!
Homeschooling is our way of life. We wouldn't know any other way. I marvel at how my 16 year old and 13 year old are VERY best friends. I have a homeschooling blog at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/NotQuiteJuneCleaver/ - its not ALL about homeschooling. I am looking forward to Autumn and getting back to the book!
Blessings & Bliss!.· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´ -:¦:-~Susan~
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
Wife, Mother, Natural Woman, Savonnière, Writer, Baker, Gardener.
Soulmate to Jerry for 30 years
Mom to Zach, Gesikah, Nathan, Hannah, Rachel and Benjamin
Yetta to Sam
"It's no bad thing to celebrate a simple life" ~ Bilbo Baggins
If your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you need to seriously re-examine your life. |
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Cindy Young
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Cindy
Allendale
MI
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 4:44:01 PM
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Hi all, I have homeschooled on and off for the last 22 years. We hs our oldest three for 4 years in the early 80's, and have been homeschooling our last two for 10 years. Our son will be 16 in a few days, and our daughter just turned 13. We used the Raymond Moore/Charlotte Mason approach, which is a literature based method used only when your child is really ready, not just age approopriate. It involves a lot of reading aloud, which they enjoyed greatly when they were younger, but I must confess to relying more on workbooks the last few years. They just don't want to spend that much time on the sofa, listening to mom. They both are fairly busy, with Sam just finished drivers ed this week, and working at a family style pizza joint down the road from us.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to have this precious time with my children. One of our regrets is that we did not homeschool the older ones right thru high school. (although I must confess teaching our little ones to read was a piece of cake compared to Algebra!!!!)
Blessings,
Cindy
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2Timothy 4:7 |
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 6:35:51 PM
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Susan, thanks for the link to your blog, I've bookmarked it and will read it later tonight!
As far as our approach, I also tend more towards the relaxed/eclectic approach for my 3 little ones, and I love the Moore Formula of not rushing your children into formal education. For our oldest 2 we use an online academy and it works real well for them, as their learning styles cause them to need more structure.
It's so nice to see so many homeschoolers on here!
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
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sleepless reader
True Blue Farmgirl
1022 Posts
CA
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 7:54:52 PM
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I've homeschooled my daughter,9, going into 4th, for the last two years and my son,16 going into 12th, for one year. We are part of a public charter school, so our books and supplies are provided. It has been a wonderful, growing experience for all of us. My son will take some classes at the community college next year as well as his "regular" high school classes. He can get both college and h.s. credit concurrently. His grades, and especially his attitude, have improved being at home.
It's so nice to read that some of you have been doing this for decades!
Sharon |
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JoyIowa
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Joy
273 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 8:14:18 PM
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I read your comments with great interest. I'm one of the teachers who "supervises" (at parents' request) those parents who do not have an education degree and who do not want their children subjected to those ugly standardized tests. In the field I am surprised at the number of parents who feel they can't teach because they don't have the "papers". I always tell them "And who taught your baby to recognize your voice?" I feel parents are their parents first and best teachers if they are given the support to do so. You go girls and guys! I'm counting on homeschooled young people for the future! Thanks to all of you who take on this task!
Joy
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience. |
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Erin Raincrow
True Blue Farmgirl
65 Posts
Julie Erin
New Mexico
65 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2005 : 9:12:02 PM
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We homeschool too, this will be our 3rd year and the baby will start preschool this fall.
It's so cool to see all these other homeschool families on here!!!!
And Joy, thank you so much for encouraging parents that they CAN teach their children, they've been doing it for years and they can continue to, it does take time and it does take commitment but it's not hard to do.
But once in while the odd thing happens,
Once in a while the dream comes true,
And the whole pattern of life is altered,
Once in a while the moon turns blue.
Auden |
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TheSoapMaven
True Blue Farmgirl
691 Posts
Susan
LA
USA
691 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2005 : 03:35:36 AM
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I am really not surprised to see so many homeschoolers here...when you turn your heart towards home and hearth ~ many times it is your WHOLE HEART! Everything we do revolves around home. We love the home arts, we love homemade anything, we want to do everything ourselves...we become more self sufficient...and it spills over into schooling our children. Life should be an affair of the heart!
We maybe the first generation to want NO MORE for our children...in fact we may want less for them! We are fast finding out less is better in some respects. There is so much to be said for living the simple life.
I will never forget something a classmate of ours said to me the week we graduated high school. Jerry had a 4 year full engineering scholarship, I had numerous scholarships and yet, we were planning to get married in a few months. He was going to jr college and I was going to work (none of that worked out after our first baby came along). She says "You will be sorry if you don't go on and make something of yourselves. You don't want to stay in Many (our hometown) and did 'taters." Everytime I dig a 'tater, I think of her. And her miserable life. She confided in me several years ago, when she invited me for tea, really to pick my brain and find out if we were as deliriously happy as we seemed, that she was indeed unhappy. She had a career and one child and a husband she couldn't trust. I felt sorry for her. She meant the statement back in high school as an insult of sorts and it came back and bit her. Or so she thought. Jerry and I have discussed the choices we have made many times. Neither of us have any regrets. We both feel education is very important, but it does not guarantee happiness...and should be thought of as a way to a means not the be all and end all. If what you want in your life requires a degree, then by all means go get it. Jerry says all the time he is happy he didnt feel it so necessary. Where would we be? He would have felt obligated after getting that degree to use it. We wouldn't be where we are now...which is where we believe we are supposed to be. However having said all that...it was not some great foresight that lead us here. We are blessed. And we love our 'tater diggin' ways.
We have grown children that pursued higher education, and we encouraged them and helped them. We have one that is following his dad's footsteps. And we have three more coming up that have their own decisions to make. We just want them to love learning, no matter where that happens to be.
Blessings & Bliss!.· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´ -:¦:-~Susan~
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
Wife, Mother, Natural Woman, Savonnière, Writer, Baker, Gardener.
Soulmate to Jerry for 30 years
Mom to Zach, Gesikah, Nathan, Hannah, Rachel and Benjamin
Yetta to Sam
"It's no bad thing to celebrate a simple life" ~ Bilbo Baggins
If your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you need to seriously re-examine your life. |
Edited by - TheSoapMaven on Jun 30 2005 03:38:15 AM |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2005 : 08:55:40 AM
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Susan,
How did you guys get started? Right now we are trying to finish up school which will hopefully be soon. And the next step is to move towards farming and creating our place. And I was wondering how did you get started because I have no idea where to start. I do know we will volenteer at farms for a little while, but how do we get to our own?
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com |
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TheSoapMaven
True Blue Farmgirl
691 Posts
Susan
LA
USA
691 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2005 : 09:12:58 AM
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Well...we both have farming in our blood. Jerry's grandparents owned vineyards...his dad taught him to garden. My grandparents were farmers. But it skipped a generation in my family!!! My parents HATED the outdoors!!! Go figure.
We don't have an actual farm like I think you are talking about. We live in the country, grow a great garden and live as simply and close to the land as we can on our 5 acres. I don't have any real answers for you except follow your heart, start with small things...learning to garden. Add a little something every time you feel you have mastered what you are doing. Don't try to learn it all at once or do it all at once. Gradually simplify. If you go all out, you might find it awfully hard.
My husband still has a job. He is a barge engineer for an oil company. He is gone 3 weeks and then home 3. His absence is how I have learned. I have learned things I didn't think I ever wanted to know. Plumbing, gardening, mechanics, some electrical work. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!
I ask a lot of questions. Many of them directed to my husband. If he doesnt know, we look it up. Learn by doing.
Blessings & Bliss!.· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´ -:¦:-~Susan~
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
Wife, Mother, Natural Woman, Savonnière, Writer, Baker, Gardener.
Soulmate to Jerry for 30 years
Mom to Zach, Gesikah, Nathan, Hannah, Rachel and Benjamin
Yetta to Sam
"It's no bad thing to celebrate a simple life" ~ Bilbo Baggins
If your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you need to seriously re-examine your life. |
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2005 : 09:35:46 AM
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[quote]Originally posted by sleepless reader
I've homeschooled my daughter,9, going into 4th, for the last two years and my son,16 going into 12th, for one year. We are part of a public charter school, so our books and supplies are provided. >>
Sharon, what charter school do you go through? My 2 oldest sons use the Wisconsin Virtual Academy, K12 curriculum. :)
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2005 : 09:37:27 AM
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<< I'm counting on homeschooled young people for the future! Thanks to all of you who take on this task!
Joy>>
Thanks for this, Joy! It's so nice to see someone on the "outside" with the love and support you have for us on the "inside" of homeschooling.
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2005 : 7:32:14 PM
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Susan, thank you for your thoughts. We ask a ton of questions and do everything in steps, a few years ago it took us a whole year to become truley vegatarians. And we are forever reforming our lives and beliefs. I'm just interested in how people got to where they are and their stories. Because your right that is how we learn by asking questions and listening. I myself am not looking to farm a lot of land, just enough to grow a family on. Thanks
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com |
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sleepless reader
True Blue Farmgirl
1022 Posts
CA
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2005 : 8:07:20 PM
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Molly, we're with the Julian Charter School. They cover San Diego, Orange, Riverside and Imperial Counties in California. I looked into K12Virtual Academy, but it didn't seem to allow as much freedom of choice in curriculum. I also didn't want to be "tied to the computer". We've been very happy. How does your Virtual Academy work? Is it all by computer? Do you ever meet with a teacher/facilitator, or is everything submitted on-line? It's so neat to hear about everybody else who homeschools on this site!
Sharon |
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TheSoapMaven
True Blue Farmgirl
691 Posts
Susan
LA
USA
691 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2005 : 8:16:57 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by sqrl
a few years ago it took us a whole year to become truley vegatarians. And we are forever reforming our lives and beliefs.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com
WHEWW...can I relate!!! We are constantly evolving from basic things to more complex things! Or maybe I should say more important!
Blessings & Bliss!.· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´ -:¦:-~Susan~
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
Wife, Mother, Natural Woman, Savonnière, Writer, Baker, Gardener.
Soulmate to Jerry for 30 years
Mom to Zach, Gesikah, Nathan, Hannah, Rachel and Benjamin
Yetta to Sam
"It's no bad thing to celebrate a simple life" ~ Bilbo Baggins
If your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you need to seriously re-examine your life. |
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Coffee and a Muffin
Farmgirl in Training
38 Posts
Kim
GA
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2005 : 10:23:15 PM
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| Susan, I love the way you and your hubby think. We've homeschooled off and on since 1991. It fits so well with the simple, home-based way of life. I wouldn't have it any other way. I learn just as much as my children do. And I <i>love</i> to learn and hope it rubs off on them. But, alas, we still have to do the boring stuff sometimes. Ah, such is life. |
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2005 : 07:56:10 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by sleepless reader
Molly, we're with the Julian Charter School. They cover San Diego, Orange, Riverside and Imperial Counties in California. I looked into K12Virtual Academy, but it didn't seem to allow as much freedom of choice in curriculum. I also didn't want to be "tied to the computer". We've been very happy. How does your Virtual Academy work? Is it all by computer? Do you ever meet with a teacher/facilitator, or is everything submitted on-line? It's so neat to hear about everybody else who homeschools on this site!
Sharon
Hi Sharon!
We use the computer a lot for K12, but there is also time away from it doing science experiments, art projects, book work, etc. It works real nice for my 2 older boys who actually spent time in PS before we started homeschooling a few years ago. They thrive with the structure it provides. We tried the academy with my 6yo, and it was WAY too much structure for him, so we pulled him out mid-year and we are now using Five-in-a-Row (FIAR), with him and the 2 little ones. They love the stories (all Caldecott/Newberry winners), and it doesn't tie us down, because it doesn't take long to read the story each day and do the activity. We used Hooked on Phonics with my 6yo (Fionn) and he got through the entire program and was reading by the time he turned 6 last year. We are using it with our 4yo (Liam) and he is almost through the first level. My 3yo (Aidan) is still learning his ABC's, so we are taking it slowly with him. Isn't homeschooling the best? Each child is different and therefore doesn't fit into a "cookie-cutter mold" for education, we can use whatever method we need to for each individual child!
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2005 : 07:58:04 AM
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Sharon, I forgot to add that I have never met the boys' "facilitator" (*I* am their teacher!! I never feel comfortable saying those other people are their "teachers") , but we have forged nice relationships through phone conferences and emails :)
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
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Family Matters: Homeschooling |
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Homeschooling
