BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND TWITTER BACKGROUNDS

Monday, August 8, 2011

To All of You Who Homeschool

Please share what has motivated you to do so, in however many words you can get your story out, and also what sort of homeschooling you use, i.e.-curriculum, activities, methods, etc.

I want to have this here out of my own curiosity, but also for other people who ever consider it, or wonder why others' do. I have a sneaking suspicion that there are many parents who would make this choice, but are hindered in feeling confident, or that they are the only one's who have gone through the turmoil trying to figure it out.

Some of the questions I imagine people asking are:
Can I really do this myself?
Can I offer my kid(s) enough?
What about social interaction?
How will my kid(s) make friends?
Will this be more work for me?
What is the difference between homeschooling and 'school at home'? (This one is mine that I think ought to be answered for people, because I think that many people get confused between the two and attempt schooling at home, which can be far more strenuous.)

Anyway, any input anyone has on the subject is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

6 comments:

Jeanne said...

I used to tutor a lot of home schoolers withe dyslexia. I found it interesting that no two families home schooled for the same reason. Most families choose home school for academic purposes and two for religious reasons.

The majority of the families felt that their public school was not providing the resouces their dyslexic child needed. The biggest complaint was not enough "pull out" time.

One family broke my heart. They had a little girl who was 12 reading at a 1st grade level. After a few meetings, I told the parents with a lot of time and hard work, we could get their daughter to grade level. They told me that they wanted me to stop teaching their daughter when she reached a 3rd grade level. Their daughter's future husband would do all the reading for the family.

I told them to find another tutor.

Xen Xen said...

That is truly sad, that last one. Sometimes it is hard for me to believe that people still do that sort of thing, especially when it is intentional, as in this case. :o(

Thanks so much for your perspective, Jeanne!

heather west said...

Do I dare answer these?

Can I really do this myself? Yes.

Can I offer my kid(s) enough? Yes.

What about social interaction? Barf me out. I won't even engage in this discussion anymore.

How will my kid(s) make friends? Second with the barf me out. I won't even engage in this discussion anymore.

Will this be more work for me? Umm. . .Yes.

What is the difference between homeschooling and 'school at home'? (This one is mine that I think ought to be answered for people, because I think that many people get confused between the two and attempt schooling at home, which can be far more strenuous.)

There is no difference.

Quite frankly, some of us may wince at the aforementioned comment about the family who didn't want their daughter to read past a third grade level, but I don't see a big problem with it. I used to. But now, I say, 'to each his own'. Every family is different and I think we should all be allowed to be free to do what we feel is necessary. And, who knows. A third grade level could be pretty advanced and maybe that girl would excel at some point of her own desire.

I'm not so interested anymore in 'levels' and 'grades' and 'tests' and all the scales that are used by those on the outside to measure those on the inside. I'm a Waldorf/Classical/Mystical/Unschooler/Alternative Method 'homeschooler'. Whatever. I teach my kids what I think they should know. Not what other people think they should know. And I do really think that we should all function like that. But, I didn't used to.

Oh? My motivation? There are things I want my kids to know that a traditional (public or private) school won't teach them. There are things that I don't want my kids to know that a traditional school will teach them. And then there is the whole sibling relationship. Wouldn't want my kids to grow up not knowing each other.

Xen Xen said...

Ah, yes, leave it to you to bring a bit of sound everyday life into the conversation and, if I didn't know you, I would be currently imagining what sort of crazy you are. Instead, I am knowing exactly the answer to that question and thinking how you crack me up and say things that I sometimes think, but won't say, though I am sorry for the motivation behind people like those who state that the 3rd grade level is enough because the husband will do all the reading. More for the fact that it isn't the daughter who gets to make the choice for herself, though, perhaps later in her life, she might.

In any case, thanks for your frank insight that comes from years of schooling your kids, we should all be so intensely involved in our children's lives.

heather west said...

Me? Crazy? How dare you. I know my approach may not be right because it turns a lot of people away, but there are certain questions that exhaust me. I am also ASTOUNDED by all the people who can't seem to find their own answers to questions like 'what about socialization'. If you start really thinking for about 5 minutes, you should be able to come up with some thoughts on that subject. But, we're not trained to think for ourselves anymore. That's a result of mass public schooling combined with too much media telling us how we're supposed to think. But that would be a topic for the mighty Mr. Dunn to handle.

Xen Xen said...

I have posted these specifically because the majority of the people who are on the fence about it seem to ask these questions, A LOT. I am merely trying to offer a place where people may feel a little less alone in their teetering and questioning. Perhaps helping people break free from the mold that has held them long enough.
People are most certainly allowed to make their own decisions, but sometimes it is nice to have some support.