Homeschooling

they have an assigned dinner night to either help or, if old enough, just do it on their own).

You have exceptional children if they are on track with 20-30 minutes per child per day. My son could read, write, add, subtract (any numbers), and could sit and listen for 20 minutes at a time, when he was in kindergarten. He spent four hours in the morning learning social skills, and one hour each afternoon learning how to read/write and add/subtract. That was at least five hours a day.

His class was a public school kindergarten class, and every student in the class could do the same thing.

How much are your children missing? What are you doing with the rest of the school day? Seems to me that you are cheating them out of education.

Can they pass the same grade level tests that public school students? In Florida, they are required to pass these tests.

Homeschooling is so expensive and limited that i would not advise it. The biggest positive is that there is more focus on the child, the biggest negative is that there are no friends to be made and no socialising.

Sorry it took me awhile to get back and respond. Easier to type on the computer and my family has been hogging it. lol.

My eldest is 16. Started homeschooling her when she was around 1. Not formal book learning, just "life". I think a lot of people forget that we're teaching our kids every day. We're "home schooling" every day. So when she was little, I brought her to the kitchen and let her help me cook/bake. She did chores next to me, etc.

Now I can send her into the kitchen and she'll make dinner. My mom, a few years back, was surprised to know that my daughter (13 at that time) could make a chicken pot pie from scratch (I'm bragging, I know. Can't help it. lol)

For actual book learning, it took me awhile to get the hang of it. I had a friend who used to be a teacher and her daughter (same age as mine) seemed to have a head start. I floundered for awhile, honestly. Eventually, though, I discovered that I could pick and choose from different curriculums and use what worked for us.
So she did a mixture of Abeka, Christian Light, Easy-Peasy (free, online), etc.

Last year we switched her over to a school that's in our district, so I'm not really homeschooling her anymore. It's all online (with the option to go in, if desired). They are a school that believes learning is more than book work, so they fall in line with how we view "school".
Anyway, they pay for her to go to our local community college. So far she's taken a few terms (and excelled!) in Trig, Statistics, World Lit, History, Writing 101, Greek Math, Physics, and Intro to Engineering. She's currently cut back on her load and is just taking Calculus. The plan, Lord willing, is for her to get a (free) associates by the time she graduates HS.

My 14, 11. and 9 year old also currently switched to this online school this last year but before that, they were using Abeka, Growing with Grammar, BJU Press, etc. Switched over because I was starting to get overwhelmed with organizing everyone. And my 14 year old son was needing more accountability. His kryptonite is writing so if I "assigned" him any kind of writing, it never got done. He's more math-minded and used to calculate how many words it would take to write a sentence one way over another, so he could get away with writing as little as possible. Even now, he tends to write his papers as concisely as possible. He hates adding "fluff".

My 7 and 5 year old are learning to read. 7 year old has been a slower learner than her older siblings. She'd rather just play. We're going through the Explode the Code series and Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. I used the latter to teach all the older kids to read...works pretty well, especially with a reward system--kids get a $Tree Prize every 10 lessons completed, a "medium" prize of their choice (around $10) when they hit lesson 50 and a BIG prize (around $30-50) AND their own Bible, when they finish the last lesson.
She (7 year old) is also doing 2nd grade Abeka math.

My 5 year old is in Abeka grade 1 math (he seems to be math-minded...common theme, here, as their dad used to teach college math). He's also going through Explode the Code and Teach Your Child to Read.

The 7, 5, and 3 year old also do fun, hands-on "lessons". For example, we recently did a "study" on plants. Drew pictures of the different parts. Pulled weeds and studied the roots. Gathered leaves outside to crumble and smear on paper for "chlorophyll art".
We had fun with dinosaurs, "digging" out bones from pre-made kits. And now we're going over the human body and skeleton. There are a lot of interesting games, activities, and projects on pinterest that make it easy to meld together a quick "curriculum", of sorts.

With the littles (7-3), we're going through a series of books called "Draw and Write Through History". I got each kid a cheap sketchbook from Walmart and we practice drawing and then do some of the above mentioned projects (human body is linked to Adam and Eve's creation, etc). Doesn't take much to throw together something they find fun and it's amazing how much they learn from, like, a 5 minute lesson.

I've always been a fairly...lazy...home schooler. I used to let the kid sleep as long as they wanted, sorta meander over breakfast, and we would get to actual book learning around 11. Now I tend to wake them up a bit earlier but we still take our time eating, dressing, etc

In the past, we used to do math, english, spelling, and Bible on M/W/F and science/history/Bible on Tues/Th. Otherwise, we never got around to the science and history. Now I'll take one day a week for the science/history/extras.

We miss days, as needed. In fact, we have a tradition that a birthday is a "no school" day. If we're sick, we can easily miss a week of sit-down lessons. But, I've noticed those breaks haven't negatively impacted their learning (though long breaks sometimes makes them crabby about getting their nose back to the grindstone). In fact, the brain-breaks seem to give them a chance to process what they've been learning and grow.

Anywho, we usually start these days around 9 or 10 and often finish by 1-ish. If a child is being particularly stubborn about a project or worksheet, it can take longer. There have been times they still have work looming over them when dad gets home, so he gets to help them because by then, I'm DONE.

At the end of this year we'll evaluate if the 14-9 year old will continue the online thing. I like the accountability they have (and that it's free--homeschooling can easily cost us $1500+/year) but the school tries to keep the kids moving, so they're kinda speeding through some things that they'd like to take more time on. Or that they NEED more time to process, but can't, because they gotta get to the next "thing".
There are also things they assign that frustrate me and just seem unnecessary (a 600 word paper on nuclear reactors, for example...if my kid was interested in nuclear reactors that wouldn't be a big deal but when they're not? Ug. I hate forcing them through Every. Single. Step.).

My 11 year old has already asked to "go back to work books, like I used to"...I might take him out and switch back to regular homeschooling. Still praying about it.

Hmmm. I think that's the end of my mini-novel.
Any other questions, feel free to ask.

Long story short, home schooling changes over the years as kids grow. Needs change. Curriculum changes. Just like real life, you gotta constantly roll with it. Some days are great and the kids are fun to teach. Other days they're little monsters and you want to pull your hair out and scream. But it's totally worth it!

I just wonder what that looks like - thriving socially - for a Christian kid. It's something I'm poor at myself and my daughter is 14 and I think I failed her in that respect. Maybe there's some time to make some adjustments to myself for her sake and lead her in that direction.
I was just hoping you could elaborate with some details.
Thanks!

I can say unequivocally that one method does not suit all children. My children are all at different levels where ability is concerned and none of them are “geniuses.”

I was (For a time) a volunteer local contact for the uks largest home education charity (Education Otherwise) and we helped a lot of People starting out on the home education journey. We saw a lot of different situations and the solutions and suggestions and advice for each family were never quite the same.

Our family’s home education is and has been far from replicating school hours and methods are home - but the children have genuinely flourished.

As an example - one of my children - a year and a half ago - did the first module of an IT degree with the open university at 15, achieving a distinction, then passed their (state school (For age 16) exams for those not in the uk) GCSE exams as an external candidate and a homeschooler. Came out with top grades - and had done nothing like 8 hours a day 5 days a week of “academic” education in their life.

This same child is finishing a-levels this year and has been accepted already with her expected (excellent) grades by 4 Good universities for a combined maths and computer science degree.

A younger child who was labelled as having processing delay and who was still not able to read or write at age 7, wrote a 50,000 word novel at age 15 and is now doing a Btec in business, achieving distinctions on every module so far, and has Just written The first draft of her third novel. The second novel was 64, 000 words approx. It is at a decent level and being sent to agents and publishers. These are just a few of the things they have achieved and I am sharing them because I know how it feels to be discredited for not doing things the expected way, not to brag.

My father was always disgusted with home education and the choices we made but now seeing the undeniable success of the children in the education realm, he sings our praises. It’s been quite an eye opener for him and at last I feel he is actually pro home Ed.

Please don’t judge methods by the few who may abuse the term home educator. I assure you thousands of children leave schools having achieved far less than thier potential academically. It might work well for some, but for many it does not and we need to support whatever methods work for individual children and parents and families, not just follow the patterns, standards and methods of the world.

Today’s educational system was designed for the industrial revolution. It doesn’t correlate well or prepare everyone for many of today’s workplaces.

Ken Robinson is an expert (one of many) in that field and This short video animation has helped people see another side to traditional schooling.

https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms

For the parents who homeschooled their kids, I'm curious why you didn't send them to public school? Is it because of morality issues or the school nearby wasn't good/safe? I understand if parents want to give their children a Christian education, but that can be supplemented after school.

The time spent was rounded off for sure. There are days where we do nothing. On rainy days we do extra. But my 13 year old was planning to go into highschool this coming year but that all changed because of how the school system plans to operate due to COVID. He was pumped about it prior but now has no interest. Oh well. The good Lord has his plan for us.

So you really are putting more than 20-30 minutes a day on each child. To be honest, you probably spend more than 40 hours a week teaching your children.

I know that my son and DIL spend at least that much time homeschooling. My granddaughter graduated at 16. She has been full time employed since the day of her graduation. My grandson 15, failed two state exam requirements (there's no doubt in my mind that he failed the exams on purpose) and now must attend public school next year. Funny thing. That's exactly what my grandson wanted at the beginning of last school year.

For the parents who homeschooled their kids, I'm curious why you didn't send them to public school? Is it because of morality issues or the school nearby wasn't good/safe? I understand if parents want to give their children a Christian education, but that can be supplemented after school.

A companion of fools becomes a fool

was talking to a mum about her daughter who is in year 13 and asked what her daughter was planning to do after high school.
her mum said she wants to do dance, but didnt think it would be good because who is going to employ dancers after covid?
I then asked well what do you think shed be good at? and she said science, or biology.

I dont think her mum had much clue really. Her daughter is passionate about dance, spends all her tspare time dancing and goes to an extra dancing school, yet her mother thinks it would be better for her to be a scientist?!

shes enrolled in a christian school btw.

Very interesting thread!

If you had asked me 10-20 years ago, as a public school teacher, what I thought of homeschooling, you would have gotten an earful. I confess, I don't understand how a parent with a grade 12 or less education, can tutor a high school kid in subjects like chemistry, math and physics. I've taken that in university but know my limitations as far as teaching those subjects.

When I went to school in the 1960's, we were taught with a very rigid British school system. (In Canada) The curriculum was loaded, all book learning and worksheets, with 2 classes of PE a week to break the monotony. But I sure learned, especially about things like grammar and spelling, reading aloud. We were forced to use new math, which was horrible. The year I spent in Oregon, my teacher supplemented my mathematical education, including how to do long division. I was good at math, it simply had not been properly taught. Learning could have been a lot more fun, but I certainly learned lots. I love languages, so grammar was invaluable for me. It made Greek and German so much easier learn. And French grammar.

My kids time was a bit different, in the 80's through to 2006, when my daughter graduated. I managed to get 2 sons into a "fundamental school." Schools which were set up to teach the basics, but Christian teachers were hired, and Christian values were taught. I switched them to late French immersion in grade 6, when the Fundamental schools ended, mostly so they could escape all the social propaganda that had really filtered into the the classes taught in English schools. My kids all went on to get university degrees and good careers. Well, except for the hockey coach! I don't think their public school education was as good as mine, but enough that they fit well into society.

Now, I worry about my grandkids. Only one is homeschooled, and he has horrible behaviour issues. My 2 older grandchildren, age 8 & 7 got into a gifted school. The 8 year old was put in a remedial pull out class in kindergarten, because she was not already reading. The child is brilliant. The school is excellent, none of the lefty, comprised agendas and trying to force a wrong world view. But I do worry about the one in a regular public school. He's a smart kid, taught himself to read by 4, is working in multiplication tables in grade 1. But I worry about the social agenda. In fact, that is the biggest reason, if I had young children I would home school them. I am just realizing the brainwashing that went on with Millennials and the generation after them. Those kids are the Antifa members. They love to destroy, tear down and hurt people. No one ever taught them right from wrong. The schools failed them totally. The parents even more so, because they didn't seem to care what their kids were taught.

So to those who are homeschooling, congratulations. Educating some in school 50-60 years ago worked well. Today, even if you got good teachers, who spent a lot of time on the basics, Christianity was left out of the picture, and amorality is the defining character of those kids. As a teacher, this grieved me to no end. Protecting your children has to be an important commitment for every parent. With the exception of charter schools, I'm not sure it is possible to get the tools needed for life, including a Christian worldview, bu attending public schools today.