Need help with info on homeschool (page 2)

collegegirl21

I will say good luck with homeschooling. I was home schooled after my freshman year of high school and I resented my parents for it because I missed the dances and prom and walking across the stage to get my diploma. If its absolutely necessary that you home school make sure that its something your kid wants to do then I wish you the best. Good luck!

truthsearcher

I would like to add that one of my homeschooled children is about to graduate from college with a GPA of 3.99. This child was totally hsed from kindergarten until attending college. My other child went to highschool for grade 12 and received numerous academic and citizenship awards at graduation. Another child competes in various activities outside of homeschool and consistently receives highest honours in exams. This has obviously helped to validate the experience for our family and I would be very reluctant to stop. They are well socialized, have had time to pursue and excel in various areas, are academically prepared for further education and have learned skills necessary for successful adult life. Plus we love to be together as a family and genuinely enjoy learning together. (I am able to relearn what I have forgotten or never understood well in the first place ).

This topic never fails to generate some controversy on JWD!

BlackSwan of Memphis

Jil, I echo Truthsearcher's sentiments. I will take it a step further.

My personal experience with the public school system, both as a child and as an adult has shown me that people place an incredible amount of trust in these adults to educate their child. Trust is placed often in these teachers without any prior knowledge of who these people are.

As a child, I can tell you that I had two women who made no bones to scream at us daily, to the point where we were in fear of them. One who flipped over desks to humiliate the student into submission, and then a 5th grade teacher who was reprimanded for digging her nails into the neck of a student when he was talking out of turn. This was elementary school.

My husband had a 4th grd teacher who destroyed his self esteem, something even his 73 year old mother remembers.

A few years back my older daughter was going to a nearby school and within the first few months, slowly stopped wanting to go to school. To the point where she would scream hysterically if we passed the stinking exit. I made her go (Don't ask why it still haunts me) and on that day I finally made her go, her teacher wrestled her to the ground, tearing off her coat. Hannah was I believe 3 and a half. We took her to the doctor because she literally wouldn't leave the house to go anywhere without screaming. He thought she was autistic as well.

The point is this:

Yep your personal experience with homeschooling was negative. But I'm sure you realize now that not every homeschooling experience is negative.

I realize that not every teacher is an evil you know what. In fact Hannah has a great one now that we interact with almost daily and have grown to really trust her.

The thing is, I also know that in the schools teachers can get away with A Lot and A Lot of damage can be done to a kid's self esteem before they ever get to junior high. And once a teacher destroys that, what does a kid have left?

I am not trusting my kids self esteem to adults I don't know. I'm sure that there are great teachers and principals out there. However, I do know that teachers are often very very busy. And even if you get a "good" one, maintaining daily or at least regular communication with them and getting to know them is very difficult.

I am really really sorry your experience was so bad!!! I am really thankful you shared that with us because it is an excellent reminder of the responsibility that my husband and are undertaking.

restrangled

My cousin home schooled her two daughters. They are both 4.0 students, she used the best. I will get the information for you. They were also taught music from the age of about 4. Both are award winning, Violin, Cello, and Piano players. Absolutely magnificent girls, now aged 14 and 16. They are spending their last years in high school, at the top of their classes, and bored to tears.

r.

truthsearcher

Oooh don't get me started on evil teachers! I had my share, too, and it caused a lot of heartache.

There was the screamer who grabbed kids by the hair and dragged them down the corridor.

There was the male teacher in grade 7 who was always grabbing the girls, looking at their breasts, and making sexual innuendos.

There was the English teacher who would wear mini-skirts, hike them up and sit on her desk, and come on to the boys in high school.

There was the geography teacher who was so boring I could barely stay awake. Someone actually took a gun and shot up his classroom. I totally understood why.

There was the science teacher who just laughed when I told him I was being harrassed by the boy behind me. That year was unbearable for me. I felt mauled and dirty after every class.

There was the math teacher who didn't understand what she was teaching and needed the smart students in the class to help her out.

There was the teacher who had absolutely no control of the classroom and ended up having a nervous breakdown (I still feel guilty for any part I might have played).

There was the angry, angry teacher who opened the staff room door with not one but TWO cigarettes in her mouth. I almost fell to the floor in shock!

There was the gymn teacher who used to humiliate the guys and use crude, crude humour.

Am I the only one who has had these types of experiences? These are just the ones that pop into my mind. If I thought harder, I could find more. I am glad that my children will never have those types of memories. They will remember things like cuddling up on the sofa and reading wonderful books together, going to science centres, baking and eating interesting things like edible maps (made of peanut butter and icing sugar, no less), doing math with M and Ms, giving each other music recitals, loving and appreciating each others efforts. (Okay, from time to time they did squabble, but not nearly as much as you would think, and today they are still very close and loving to one another as young adults). The highest compliment is that they have told me they want to homeschool their own children. Marvellous!!

GentlyFeral

jillbedford,If you look at the topic history of skeeter1, who started this thread, you'll see that there are physical security issues. She has good reason to be afraid for her child's safety at school - which was why I started homeschooling my own children.

GentlyFeral

truthsearcher

Just to clarify, and be fair, of course, I had some wonderful teachers too--inspiring, they loved what they were teaching and they cared about the students. Unfortunately, I can only remember a few who were like that...

skeeter1

Thanks everyone so much for getting me the information about homeschooling. The family is looking into it for the 14 year old niece.

I had a GREAT public education. I was in the gifted program, had advanced classes, National Honor Society, etc. But, high school has changed alot since I went there 20+ years ago..... We had our kids who dropped out, started fights, did drugs....but, this today's world is even worse.

We are looking into homeschool for security reasons. The 14 year old is affiliated with the "wrong crowd" (a gang called the Crips). To get into the gang, you have to kill someone... Her past boyfriends were part of it, and her current boyfriend's family is part of it. She almost failed out of the 8th grade, and failed standardized tests. She was slated to enter the only high school in her county - and there are gangs there. This is rural America, folks. The county has only 23,000 people in it...and there are gangs and I suspect Meth labs.

So, homeschool can only be a step up. She can't do any worse.

Skeeter

5go

I have to say don't do it I am a product of home schooling. Get involved with your kid at school don't just yank them out because of some bad apples. Believe me they will be better suited for the real world in school.

Cicatrix

I recommend Saxon math. My children used it when we homeschooled, and they were way ahead when they decided to go to public school.

I DO NOT recommend Pearblossom Private School in California. It is a correspondance school run by a Jehovah's Witness. When my child returned to public school, I requested a transcript as the public school had asked that I do so for evaluation. Pearblossom NEVER SENT IT, and would not return my phone calls. We had paid tuition in full, and part of the service for the plan we chose WAS transcripts.

Need help with info on homeschool

Share this