homeschooling

Homeschool sounded great but tis fuckin boring as a bitch.

straight fuckin A's though, can you believe it? this is like the first time since 4th grade ive made anything better then a C.


its nice though, i do all my work online, my mom stays outta it. its nice to sleep til 12 everyday and get up to go places since my brother is in from college.

 

What year are you? Are you just making up credits? Are you taking the classes through a public distance ed system?

 

fuck that sounds like the life

 

im 10th grade. i use an internet site where i just look at the assignment,read the material and take the quiz/test online. its so fuckin slick.

 

Do you think you're actually learning though?

 

I've been thinking about doing that. If only I could convince my mom.

 

actually...with the work that i have i wouldnt learn anything anyways....theres only so much you need to know in life...especially if your me. I couldnt give a fuck about how the titanic really went down or why frogs choose warm water to lay their eggs in over cold water...its jsut not shit that i need to know.

 

Yeah, it's not like you'd learn anything in high school anyway. Might as well just not waste your time.

 

well "half the books are filled with bullshit, the other half is lies."

 

I homeschooled my son for 2 years. It was a wonderful experience for both of us. He is in public school now, 3rd grade. Thanks to homeschooling he has an 8th grade reading level and a 6th grade math level. So it does have it's benefits. Unfortunately, he is lagging behind in social developement, being homeschooled he never learned how to interact properly in a clssroom enviroment. We're working on it though. My advice to anyone thinking of homeschooling is to make sure your child has enough contact with his peers in a good structured enviroment.

 

My mom was a kindergarten teacher when I was a little kid, so she sort of homeschooled me with the basic reading, writing, and simple math before I went to kindergarten, so I was pretty ahead in that aspect. But I went to public school from kindergarten to now (I graduate high school in two days) and some days I feel I would've learned more and better teaching myself at home, but there are so many aspects of public school I'm glad I got to experience. I would've never made the friends I did had I been homeschooled. While I would've probably gotten a better quality education, I think the social skills and things make not homeschooling worth it.

 

I'm homeschooled through Keystone. I like it. I have no agenda or schedule. I can go to a theme park with friends and get baked on monday mornings...

 

I don't think that homeschooling 'per se' is healthy. With no offence intended to the original poster: from what I've heard about some of these 'online schools' (..which, granted, is quite limited, and I'm perfectly willing to be enlightened on the topic), a considerable number - if not most, or all - of them seem to exhibit adherence to the same absurdities one observes in the typical school model - i.e. filling children and teenager's memories with irrelevant information, which will be forgotten as soon as it carries them through the end-of-year exam; and which serves no useful purpose whatsoever during it's short sojourn in their abused minds. As in the case of 'classroom-schooling', the child has insufficient time to develop knowledge and skills related to subjects they really have an interest in. And with this obstacle to self-development firmly set in place, the myth (..or at least the unsubstantiated notion) that children and teenagers are incapable of directing their own learning is perpetuated.

The lack of interest and enthusiasm which inevitably arises in such an unhealthy system leads individuals to make comments such as that made by our original poster:

....Right ....well...although 'online schooling' may be considerably better than typical schooling in some respects, it's far from being the best 'version' of homeschooling out there. Your curriculum is still (largely) chosen by other people - no? Your assignments are still (largely) set by other people - no? Rather than parents settling for this compromise, I would encourage them, rather, to look into a concept known as unschooling. It seems to me that remote tutelage/teaching (..isn't this one of the main aspects of online schooling?) can be reconciled with non-enforced learning* (..I am by no means against tutelage - just enforced tutelage), but I suspect this is quite removed from the scenario that our original poster has experienced.

I suspect - according to some criteria - that, in some cases, homeschooling can be just as bad - perhaps even worse - than schooling in a typical classroom. That's why I am a strong advocate of non-enforced, child-centred, and self-motivated learning (..these terms, in my mind, are largely synonymous with 'unschooling' - which I mentioned above). Learning in freedom basically!

Please don't interpret this as my encouraging any one in school to leave - I think in a lot of cases it's better to let things finish the course they have begun. This is really just intended for potential parents-to-be - like myself.

Just some of my related thoughts ....

Further info:
http://www.unschooling.com/
http://www.learninfreedom.org/
http://www.alternative-learning.org/


* In fact, this happens every day via the Internet, via Internet forums - where people ask for help on ...well... possibly any topic you can imagine I guess.

 

I am curious about registering for an online school, how tough is it? Which ones are free, what is involved in the registration process.
Also, to what extent do these schools prepare you for real life? If life at fifteen is getting baked and going to amusement parks what kind of future do you envision for yourself? I truly believe homeschooling can be a good thing if it nis done right but I also had a very good friend who goofed off in grade/high school and when he turned 18 he had no diploma, and no plans for his life, all under the guise of homeschooling. He was a brilliant guy with a great mind. He could definitly think for himself, but after all the time spent kind of fooling around he had no prospects- ended up joining JobCorps and has done well for himself I think.
H

 

I think for many, homeschool is just an excuse for parents who can't part with their child or put their child into adverse, though character buildingm, situations or for kids who just want to slack off. I have little to no respect for homeschool in general and this thread (for the most part) demonstates exactly why.

 

A piece of advice to parents homeschooling their children:

If you want your kid to have some social skills, should you decide to send them to public school in the future, get them involved in things in the community. Let them take karate, ballet or even get involved in community theatre. If you let your children interact with other children their age, they will be able to develop social skills that will help them in the real world.

Peace,
Shary

 

I guess you didn't say for all so I can't get my hackles up too much. My reasoning for homeschooling in the early grades is that that is when a lot of true learning is done. Kids learn HOW to think.I spent most of kindergarten learning independently shut in the book closet. When I wasn't stuck in there I was being ridiculed by the other kids for being different. My sister, who didn't have the social problems I did, constantly got into trouble in elementary school because she was bored. She was really popular but wierd stuff happened at school Her teacher sent notes home asking my mom to stop sending her with books because she was reading at a level that wasn't appropriate for the other kids. She wanted to read rl stein and Stephen King in first grade. She wasn't a Laura Ingalls, Ramona kind of kid, that was baby stuff. My parents aren't big on censorship and figured at least she was reading. But the school felt like she shouldn't be exposed to material the other kids couldn't handle.) Public schools have too much to worry about to properly guide the gifted kids. My son is already showing an aptitude for language. He is going to be a smart kid. In a lot of places smart still isn't cool. I want him to be able to learn at a rate appropriate to him and to know that he is valuable despite his brains. I think going to public school might squash that spirit too early. I definitely believe in Boy Scouts, art classes, Little League, Playgroups, and soccer. But, Robert has already been kicked out of one daycare- he was too wild (self-sufficient- helping the other kids open the baby gates, get snack, and just generally getting into more stuff that he wasn't supposed to be able to reach or play with,) and he was biting. I suspected he was bored and have brought him home and do a lot more here than they had the resources to do at school. His behavior has calmed way down. I am not afraid of detaching from him, and would welcome the break school would provide. I just don't think it is the best thing for either his mental or his spiritual development
H

 

I homeschool my 9 year old daughter because the public school system was allowing her to fall between the cracks. Here is our story; When Sky began kindergarden, she was already reading and writing at a grade 2 level. Half way through the school year, she was bumped up into grade 1. She had no problems adjusting, as she was in a K/1 split class. The only changes were that she went to school 5 days a week instead of 2, and she did grade 1 work. At the end of the year, she was tested and graduated to grade 2. In grade 2, Sky was placed in a 2/3 split class, so some of her classmates were as much as 3 years older than her. She missed her friends from her old class and had problems making new friends. Her new teacher was not used to dealing with a younger child, and was no help at all. The older students began to tease Sky because she was younger, shorter, slower but smarter than the rest of them. When she told her teachers , they replied "Deal with it. Ignore them." I talked to the teachers and the principal, but they were no help. Sky began to withdraw into herself and lost all self confidence. Then she made a friend, so I was hoping that things would improve. Too bad her new friend was not a good influence. They stole stickers and treats from the teacher's desk, and were caught. Sky said she knew it was wrong, but she was scared of losing her only friend. Then the final straw! There was a lice epidemic at the school. Sky came home with lice 4-5 times in 3-4 months. I'd keep her home for a week, clean her up and send her to school....and she'd bring them home again. I knew that one girl in her class had been infested with lice for months, so I called the principal to talk to him. He was aware of the lice infested girl, and told me that if the parents send their child to school, then the school has to let them into class. I told him this was a health issue, and it needed to be addressed. At one time 19 out of 25 kids in Sky's class were at home with lice! The next day I pulled her out of school and began homeschooling.
We have been homeschooling for about 2 years now. Sky is confident and outgoing, with lots of friends of all ages. She is reading at a grade 9 level, writing and spelling are at grade 8 and math is at grade 5. We study using various methods; text books, computer, hands on. If she wants to learn about something, then she learns about it. Right now we are studying wolves and Spain, as well as local plants and wildlife. We do art, drama, science, and phys ed too. She is learning Spanish from her grandpa and is getting piano lessons from her grandma. A friend from Quebec is teaching her French, and another friend of ours is giving her voice and drum lessons. She is not missing out on anything.
Public schools were created for the average child. If a child is above or below average, they fall through the cracks. That's why there are alternatives. Homeschooling is the oldest form of schooling, this whole system we have now is fairly new, and it just doesn't fit every child 's needs.

 

I did "independent studies" for a while before testing out of high school completely. much like the online thing but i had books still, had assignments for each week, at the end of the week i would go take a test in a classroom with my teachers. it was better for me than regular school, but i concur with the useless knowledge statements made above. It did however give me time to hang with friends and do what was interesting to me.

I don't feel disadvantaged at all not having a diploma. I'm 22 years old and own a house. I may be the exception, but don't think i was doogi houser (sp?). i smoked pot a lot during the high school years, drank, etc. I learned many lessons outside of the classroom, and did much soul searching. thought i wanted to make a career of computers because i was good at it and the pay was good. did that for a while, got bored with it. (i dropped out of tech school too - i just dont learn well in schools).

While many of my other friends are struggling to finish school and/or trying to find thier 'ideal career choice' to get by in life, I have decided im done with 'traditional schooling' and I don't want a career. I want to become financially free and just dream and be. i want to have a random thought and follow it through, with no pressure. I want to just allow life to come.

right now i am in transition to creating a company so i can become financially free, and give service to the world. i may say fuck financial freedom and just do what makes me happy and be poor after all. who knows- but i like who i am.

 

My daughter attended public school through 4th grade and has been homeschooling for one year. She is a gifted student and was in a gifted student program at her ps one day per week. The gifted kids missed one day of regular classes each week to attend gifted and often missed instructions,ect that the other kids were getting and were sort of expected to just figure it out on their own. Class parties and fun activities took place on gifted days so the kids wouldn't miss too much regular class time,which wasn't the best solution either. The state we live in (Florida) has so much tied up in it's standardized test,the FCAT that kids learn very little that isn't on the test. Things like grammar, spelling, history, and science aren't on the FCAT. Just basic math and reading comprehension. In 3rd grade her FCAT scores were at the 10th grade level (highest level they record up to.) Her level of boredom in school was causing a complete shut down,and was also teaching her she could accomplish much with little effort because she was essentially getting straight As for breathing. Now we are homeschoooling,she is challenged and she is interested in learning. She does math at a 7th grade level but grammar and spelling at 4th grade because we had to start from scratch there. As for socialization she was still able to go to the weekly gifted classes at her old school while homeschooling and she has so many friends around the neighborhood it isn't much of an issue. There are certainly parents out there homeschooling who do not put the effort in to make sure their kids are learning but with those types of kids it's hard to say how much learning they'd be doing in school either.