Homeschooling

[FrankJL]

As for school conferences: Children not meeting the requirements for their grade level or course of study are usually counseled privately. Parents attending conferences with children who achieve A's are usually sniffing out scholarships and financial prospects for college.

I wasn't talking about the large presentations. These where all private conferences, with the parent(s) and the teacher only, or in my case me (the student-teacher), and the supervising teacher (the real teacher).

[Annabelli]

As for school conferences: Children not meeting the requirements for their grade level or course of study are usually counseled privately. Parents attending conferences with children who achieve A's are usually sniffing out scholarships and financial prospects for college.

I wasn't talking about the large presentations. These where all private conferences, with the parent(s) and the teacher only, or in my case me (the student-teacher), and the supervising teacher (the real teacher).

Large presentations are called Orientation Night. Parent/Teacher conferences are short sessions designed for a Parent/Teacher Meeting (usually in the classroom). Our school districts have started a Student Lead Conference where the student prepares a folder of the material needed for the conference. During the conference, the student shares this information with their parent(s). It has had very positive results in getting the kids involved. There are teachers on hand in the classroom. Your child introduces you to their teacher and if there are any questions, the teacher is on hand to answer questions.

[Dr T]

Thank you Anna.

accountability, responsibility, dependability and honesty

are important and possibly to a higher degree, found in homeschooling. Holding your own child accountable, responsible, and being dependable and honest, because they are your own children seems to be exactly why someone would chose homeschooling. There are not 20+ other children that vie for those qualities. My brother-in-law worked in public school in CA making $100,000. That's not bad for public school. I used to be a school psych. I’ve seen what happens in the school with those “educated educators” that you hold so high. I also went through public school myself and had great teachers. They're not all great.

[Gabelma]

Thank you Anna.

accountability, responsibility, dependability and honesty

are important and possibly to a higher degree, found in homeschooling. Holding your own child accountable, responsible, and being dependable and honest, because they are your own children seems to be exactly why someone would chose homeschooling. There are not 20+ other children that vie for those qualities. My brother-in-law worked in public school in CA making $100,000. That's not bad for public school. I used to be a school psych. I’ve seen what happens in the school with those “educated educators” that you hold so high. I also went through public school myself and had great teachers. They're not all great.

I agree with this in its entirety - my friends and I have all worked in some form of education (I have a large number of teachers, social workers and child psychologists in my friends because of where I lived at college) and I have worked as a high school admin and taking school groups round a museum right now I help my friend in the library promote literacy in schools. The difference in taking a home ed group round a museum and a school group round is very difference - the entire group tends to be interested, they come prepared with questions, the older children help the younger children, because there are more parents availible I can concerntrate on what I am doing rather than looking round to see who is manhandling the exhibit. A home ed group does tend to be louder but in someways thats nice. A school group tends to have a lot of children who are too embarassed to seem to be interested. My friend at the library was also surprised the first day he had the home ed group in - the little ones were all excited joining in the songs only the one 18 month old was disruptive. And the older ones he was amazed with - they just got on and did what was asked of them, they made sure that those with learning difficulties had help - the very children that often get left out in a school group were the first to be picked and looked after.

School is fantastic if you are average trouble is I wasn't average, because of my dyspraxia I stank at anything like art or PE was waay down the bottom - it took me longer to write anything. Yet mentally I was streets ahead of most of the other kids so I was bored stupid, I got good grades without needing to work - very few teachers can find the time for a kid like that - either one that needs the extra help or the one that needs extra stretching - there are a few. There was a fantastic craft and design teacher that spent ages with me and I can now produce small wooden toys, and my Chemistry, History and English teachers taught me how to learn instead of teaching me their subjects and found ways to get me interested.... Its not the teachers fault I got left behind I just wasn't a good candidate for school. Like Mum says I was very like my daughter until school destroyed me. I'm not even going to touch the bullying

My brother younger than me was destroyed by teachers in the first few years instead of encouraged, I remember him coming home in tears when he was about 5 he had spent ages colouring in a Santa neatly, but he had coloured him in Green and Yellow he was called a complete idiot etc - then when he said Santa wasn;t real anyway she went on to announce to the class that he was a numbskull his legs were slapped and of course Santa did exist. My brother never entirely recovered from that incident, left school at 14 with no qualifications if it wasn't for my Mums hardwork he would never have got anywhere.

My brother next up had the problem he was tall - so more was expected of him. Its not good to be the big kid in class. Both my kids are tall for their age right now.

Charley

[Annabelli]

In what part of my reply did I say a child needs to be accountable, responsible, dependable and honest???

That's called Passing the Buck when you cannot hold your self responsible to those standards but expect it from a child.

We expect these values from Public School Educators but it would seem that you have set the Home School Teacher apart from these values.

Whenever I see one of my kids studying a little more than usual trying to bring their grade up in a subject, I am not expecting my child's grade to go from a low C to an A. I was expecting his grade to go from a C to a high C or a B. If I notice that their grade is still falling, I call their counselor and discuss a student/teacher personality conflict.

When you are having a student/teacher personality conflict in Home Schooling, where do you turn?

[Dr T]

You misread what I said Annabelli. What's your deal? Did you have some sort of school difficulties in the past?

[Gabelma]

When you are having a student/teacher personality conflict in Home Schooling, where do you turn?

we resolve the conflict just like we would any other issue as a parent,

Charley

You misread what I said Annabelli. What's your deal? Did you have some sort of school difficulties in the past?

Dr.T how many children do you have - do you have plans for how you are going to go about it? I gather from your previous posts you are not a raving hippy like myself so guessing your reasons are probably different.

Charley

[Dr T]

LOL, I'm not a hippie. You are correct. Most homeschoolers, have always seemed like extremists to me. Maybe I'm becoming more extreme in my beliefs. We have four children. Two are in school and the other two are age 3 and 1. We will go to the homeschool conference and see what they offer. Will will also look into the charter school idea so they can pay for most of the material. Any thoughts on that approach?

Thank you

[Gabelma]

LOL, I'm not a hippie. You are correct. Most homeschoolers, have always seemed like extremists to me. Maybe I'm becoming more extreme in my beliefs. We have four children. Two are in school and the other two are age 3 and 1. We will go to the homeschool conference and see what they offer. Will will also look into the charter school idea so they can pay for most of the material. Any thoughts on that approach?

Thank you

LOL not sure I am extreme in anything but I do, do the holistic thing, I wear my babies, cosleep, recycle, fair trade, organic, cloth nappy, homemade cleaners etc And I love hippy style festivals one advantage of home ed our children get to expeirence so much, my ultimate goal is to build an off the grid adobe house/ceramic house or Earthship and collect animals. I'm not perfect with it but having children has made me even more determined to do my bit to appreciate the Lord's creation

I am not sure about Charter Schools because I am in the UK but I think the conference will be useful - I found being able to see materials useful when we went to the camps. It may be a bit more hard sell than I had - I really like the Draw Write Now books would not have known about them and prior to that I was going to spend a lot more money on something called Handwriting Without Tears - have you heard about Sonlight Curriculum? its Christian based but was actually recommended to me by a Muslim lol - I would never use a full curriculum but they have been recommended to me by home ed families round the globe, but I have bought some of their materials off ebay instead to save money.

I just think most kids with basic reading, writing, arithmatic and algebra can learn anything with just a bit of guidance a basic understanding of these things can help you do anything including working out the speed of a black hole:) And have you met a 3 year old that isn't inquisitive?

Charley

[Dr T]

Good point. Thanks for the heads up. I'll look into Sonlight.

[Gabelma]

Good point. Thanks for the heads up. I'll look into Sonlight.

If you do take the older 2 out of school at any point its widely recommended here to have a period of deschooling, basically not doing anything formal. Usually 3 weeks to a month does and allows everyone to asses how they want the schooling at home to go

Charley

[Annabelli]

QUOTE(Dr. T @ Jun 8 2007, 12:01 PM)

You misread what I said Annabelli. What's your deal? Did you have some sort of school difficulties in the past?

When I wrote that persons wanting to be teachers need the values of being accountable, responsible, dependable, and honest, you started talking about instilling those values in children. You obviously did not think those were intended for you, the teacher.

I did not have any school difficulties in school. I think everyone will have a bad day once in a while but why leave the good ones behind? The good days out number the bad days and make the bad days look trivial.

There is a family that lives in our area who have been home schooling. There oldest children are 11 and 12. For some reason they have decided to put them in public school. They should have the equivalence of middle school students. Testing Results indicated that they had mastered kindergarten level.

With the help of the school district, they have been able to get the 11 year old caught up to a 4th grade level. They are working with the 12 year old who will hopefully be placed in a 5th grade class so that child does not immediately have to go to junior high school the following year. The school district has an education specialist working with them.

The two younger children were placed in Early Childhood Development Programs. There are still a toddler and a baby at home.

[Dr T]

When I wrote that persons wanting to be teachers need the values of being accountable, responsible, dependable, and honest, you started talking about instilling those values in children. You obviously did not think those were intended for you, the teacher.

That's exactly my point; you misreading me. I was talking about the parent as the educator providing those because they care more about their own child.

I also didn't mean while going through school but maybe you tried homeschooling or knowing someone that tried homeschooling and it didn't work out. One of my nieces who is only in seventh grade is working at post high school levels in everything because she is homeschooled.

[ldsrebel]

Good point. Thanks for the heads up. I'll look into Sonlight.

Guk, I had to do that....

When you are having a student/teacher personality conflict in Home Schooling, where do you turn?

Other parents, friends but most importaintly each other.

[Annabelli]

We are a form of proxy for our children and every decision that we make for them should be in their interest. My children are very outgoing people. They make friends easily and embrace their community. They have stood side by side with all the other children learning how to skate, ride bicycles, read, write, play baseball, and basketball. They have sit on the sidewalks in the spring and summer writing numbers and drawing pictures. They learned songs and giggle endlessly in a patio pool. They can never wait for school to start in the fall and find all their classmate friends. Winter is forever cold here but bustling to and from school makes each and every day an adventure, warm and wonderful. Children learning together knowing that not every one can spell every word in the dictionary and that's okay.

Kids know by the time that they are in the 2nd or 3rd grade that they are not exceptionally good at anything. And it takes a lot of time convincing their parents that they are right. I know that my child is not going to be President and I'll be satisfied if he registers to vote.

An infomercial may promise that your child will learn to read in nine months. In public school, you can master reading in six to seven years. So what else are you going to spend all that time doing?

We have good lives.

[Dr T]

I know that my child is not going to be President and I'll be satisfied if he registers to vote.

We have high hopes for our children. Obviously, they will make their own choices but we are training them from the very begining. The will understand the importance of voting and set standard for themselves as they grow by modeling that we show them now. Are you suggesting that "reading mastery" is all that is taught in school? "What else are you going to spend all that time doing?" Is there more? gee, I wonder what else we can do?

[Gabelma]

We are a form of proxy for our children and every decision that we make for them should be in their interest. My children are very outgoing people. They make friends easily and embrace their community. They have stood side by side with all the other children learning how to skate, ride bicycles, read, write, play baseball, and basketball. They have sit on the sidewalks in the spring and summer writing numbers and drawing pictures. They learned songs and giggle endlessly in a patio pool. They can never wait for school to start in the fall and find all their classmate friends. Winter is forever cold here but bustling to and from school makes each and every day an adventure, warm and wonderful. Children learning together knowing that not every one can spell every word in the dictionary and that's okay.

Kids know by the time that they are in the 2nd or 3rd grade that they are not exceptionally good at anything. And it takes a lot of time convincing their parents that they are right. I know that my child is not going to be President and I'll be satisfied if he registers to vote.

An infomercial may promise that your child will learn to read in nine months. In public school, you can master reading in six to seven years. So what else are you going to spend all that time doing?

We have good lives.

What I ment was reading, writing, arithmetic and algebra are the building blocks of every other academic subject once you have a good grounding in those things you can study anything you wish, if you are lacking those subjects your ability to learn is seriously impaired. After that my children can study whatever they want or not - they wil have the principles and its time to govern themselves.

Sounds like your kids are flourishing and that they are happy children - when school works for children its fantastic. When it doesn't its life and soul destroying - I want to know for sure which my are children before I let them go - my daughter is lively and outgoing and with homeschooling it is my job to make everyday an adventure but its not that hard, we don't need to wait until fall for school to begin. Most home ed kids love learning so much there isn't a summer break, for example when we were doing chickens we went and visited with one little boy and his Mum who showed her how to take care of chickens and then we went and visited another little girl and her Mum who have special chickens and Llamas - those children spent the time teaching each other and exploring I barely saw her. I have friends who have shown her about sheep and weaving etc Its so much fun why stop? We are going to camp with the local home ed group next week and go to a museum about the Highland way of life, last week was a natural history museum. And probably the home ed group will chill out and have a picnic the week after. Home Education is what the parents and children make of it. We are involved in the community and home ed allows time for a lot voluntary work, we can go and spend time in old peoples homes or picking rubbish up from a beach

I don't know what my daughter will become she is clever, has musical talent and good coordination and is so far doing well at gym - its up to her if she aims for Prime Minister, Mother or Road Sweeper whichever will give her the most satisfaction. She wants to be an ENT Doctor has done for nearly 2 years now - she attends every Doctors appointment with a Doctors case lol and my Doc is really good lets her practice taking temperatures, and showed her how to use the blood pressure monitor etc At present because that her goal, we are looking at books on the human body, make sure she goes to every appointment - I do a lot of science type things with her. If that changes then we will do what she is into at that moment - I say if because I did at university the job I chose at 5.

However I do want my kids to do more than just register to vote I want the to understand that her Great Gran and Great, Great Gran didn't have the vote on equal terms with men when they were born, that they have ancestors her Mummy knew that fought and went to hell and back so she could have that right. When she put the cross on that paper it should be with a certain amount of awe and reverence and with a great deal of gratitude. I want the decision they make to be as informed as they can be - I do what I can to make sure my kids meet the candidates before elections

Charley

[Gabelma]

Rebel did you do the Rosetta Stone language programme? we are using the Arabic one with Ellie right now and contemplating using Spanish, French or German

Charley

[Gabelma]

QUOTE(Dr. T @ Jun 8 2007, 12:01 PM)

There is a family that lives in our area who have been home schooling. There oldest children are 11 and 12. For some reason they have decided to put them in public school. They should have the equivalence of middle school students. Testing Results indicated that they had mastered kindergarten level.

With the help of the school district, they have been able to get the 11 year old caught up to a 4th grade level. They are working with the 12 year old who will hopefully be placed in a 5th grade class so that child does not immediately have to go to junior high school the following year. The school district has an education specialist working with them.

Have they been tested for learning difficulties? Most children exposed to books and who are read to will learn to read and write of their own accord by the age of 8. I know a family who's children were completely unschooled and never had any formal learning at home, their son and daughter were 13 and 14 before they got the hang of reading and writing - they discovered whilst their daughter was doing her psychology degree that both children were quite severely dyslexic - however their daughter went on and did a masters degree, their son had a Phd in a Geology related subject. I was fortunate that I learned to read before I went to school otherwise the dyslexic side of me I think would have been more prevelent -

The vast majority of home ed children will be several grades ahead of their schooled collegues will also be able to enter college several years earlier as they will have a greater emotional maturity. But like you get good and bad schools you get good and bad homeschools. The parents in our home ed group who are in my position and home ed from day 1 tend to be highly educated themselves and saw school as a very boring , limiting experience. The children that were taken out of school have usually suffered a major trauma whilst at school and their parents priority isn't the academic education of their children its repairing a child who has suffered years of bullying orr something similar.

Charley

[ldsrebel]

Rebel did you do the Rosetta Stone language programme? we are using the Arabic one with Ellie right now and contemplating using Spanish, French or German

Charley

No, never heard of it..

I did the keys to good language....

I am in Saxson Math, my mom swears by it.

[FrankJL]

Rosetta Stone works great. Its what the army uses for most of its language training. I did a lot of the Arabic and Farsi modules (we can get them free online) before going to Iraq, and it was time well spent.

[Gabelma]

Rosetta Stone works great. Its what the army uses for most of its language training. I did a lot of the Arabic and Farsi modules (we can get them free online) before going to Iraq, and it was time well spent.

have your spent a lot of time in Iraq our branch president has been there for a lot of time in the last year - its been a traumatic experience for a lot of people in our area right now. Its funny I grew up around war stories but I guess I am getting to experience a little of what my Grandparents and Great Aunts and Uncles went through.

We are currently trying out the Arabic module with my daughter - have just started. After what you have said I think I will invest in a French Module as there is a lady that runs a class here from the age of 5 my French is very basic but did manage to have a conversation with a lady at a campsite this week surprised me because I thought I had forgotten it all

Charley

[ldsrebel]

<div class='quotemain'>

Rosetta Stone works great. Its what the army uses for most of its language training. I did a lot of the Arabic and Farsi modules (we can get them free online) before going to Iraq, and it was time well spent.

have your spent a lot of time in Iraq our branch president has been there for a lot of time in the last year - its been a traumatic experience for a lot of people in our area right now. Its funny I grew up around war stories but I guess I am getting to experience a little of what my Grandparents and Great Aunts and Uncles went through.

We are currently trying out the Arabic module with my daughter - have just started. After what you have said I think I will invest in a French Module as there is a lady that runs a class here from the age of 5 my French is very basic but did manage to have a conversation with a lady at a campsite this week surprised me because I thought I had forgotten it all

Charley

Arabic? So, I'm confused. Are these books teaching you how to speak Arabic?

[Gabelma]

Arabic? So, I'm confused. Are these books teaching you how to speak Arabic?

Its a computer programme the idea is it teaches you the language as close to how you would learn your own native language (in my case Northern English, yours American English) - if you type Rosetta Stone into ebay you can get the company's site which will let you try out the programme.. I also got some books out of the library which are learn Arabic Script for beginners. But I do want Ellie if possible to have a grounding in Latin and another European Language even if she isn't very good. Now need to start petitioning the Lord to send us a missionary that speaks Arabic lol

Charley

[Dr T]

<div class='quotemain'>

QUOTE(Dr. T @ Jun 8 2007, 12:01 PM)

There is a family that lives in our area who have been home schooling. There oldest children are 11 and 12. For some reason they have decided to put them in public school. They should have the equivalence of middle school students. Testing Results indicated that they had mastered kindergarten level.

With the help of the school district, they have been able to get the 11 year old caught up to a 4th grade level. They are working with the 12 year old who will hopefully be placed in a 5th grade class so that child does not immediately have to go to junior high school the following year. The school district has an education specialist working with them.

Have they been tested for learning difficulties? Most children exposed to books and who are read to will learn to read and write of their own accord by the age of 8. I know a family who's children were completely unschooled and never had any formal learning at home, their son and daughter were 13 and 14 before they got the hang of reading and writing - they discovered whilst their daughter was doing her psychology degree that both children were quite severely dyslexic - however their daughter went on and did a masters degree, their son had a Phd in a Geology related subject. I was fortunate that I learned to read before I went to school otherwise the dyslexic side of me I think would have been more prevelent -

The vast majority of home ed children will be several grades ahead of their schooled collegues will also be able to enter college several years earlier as they will have a greater emotional maturity. But like you get good and bad schools you get good and bad homeschools. The parents in our home ed group who are in my position and home ed from day 1 tend to be highly educated themselves and saw school as a very boring , limiting experience. The children that were taken out of school have usually suffered a major trauma whilst at school and their parents priority isn't the academic education of their children its repairing a child who has suffered years of bullying orr something similar.

Charley

That was not my quote just to clarify