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Homeschooling

I began homeschooling (hs'ing) my 7 yo daughter in September of 1998 and my 4 yo son in October of 1998. I pulled them from public school (ps) for various reasons:

Janeesa read at a 9th grade level at that time

She cried everyday after school

She told me she was bored

School wasn't fun anymore

She wasn't being challenged

Teddy was repeating nasty words, jokes, phrases, etc. that he heard at preschool

He would go a day, then want to stay home a day

He was developing a disrespectful attitude at school and at home

Also at that time, I was beginning to have serious religious convictions that I was sending my children out into the world too early. I believed they weren't ready to deal with the many problems and worldly ideas being thrust upon them in ps, and I also began to feel like I was abandoning my children every day when I dropped them off at the front doors to the ps.

Another thing that bothered me was that I was essentially turning over my children for a major portion of their waking hours to people I truly didn't know. I mean, I knew who these teachers were (I'd even gone to school with some of them), but I didn't truly *know* them. And the classroom teacher wouldn't be the only teacher my children were in contact with - there were others to consider: custodians, cafeteria workers, gym teachers, art teachers, reading lab teachers, student teachers, aides, secretaries, and parent volunteers just to name a few. How could I know for certain what was being said to my children at any time during the school day, how they were being treated, and the types of things they were learning?

My children were blessings from God. When I had them, I was given the responsibility of raising them, caring for them, teaching them. The parent is, and always will be, the first teacher of the child. Now when I think back, it amazes me that I ever handed over my children at that "magical preschool age of 4" (!!!) to let someone else suddenly become the teacher!

Over the past few months, I have studied the Bible on this and believe that for our family, hs'ing is the only way to go. I have a deep religious conviction now that my husband and I are totally responsible for these children, their spiritual education, and their regular education as well. I could no more send my children back to ps now than I could send them into a room where I knew a loaded gun was hidden within their reach.

A close friend is definitely going to hs her son next year, and possibly maybe pull him out of school for the rest of this year to hs. That story is her own to tell, so I won't tell it here (that would invade her privacy, I think), but I know she has called me several times asking me questions. The questions are the same ones I had while getting prepared to hs, so I thought I would put them up here with the answers in the hopes that it might help someone else who is struggling with this. It might save somebody a few steps of extra work. =)

Where do I start?

Find out your state's laws regarding hs'ing. Some states require mandatory testing (like the proficiency or IOWA). Others don't. Some states require that you keep a portfolio for evaluation purposes each year. Others do not. You can find out your state's hs'ing laws in two ways (and I suggest doing both of these). Call your state dept. of education and ask to speak with the person in charge of hs'ing (yes, there should be one in the state dept. of ed. - kind of shocking, isn't it? LOL) And then look up your state's laws on the internet and print off the part that pertains to hs'ing and compulsory age for school attendance. You'll need to have a hard copy for your files to refer to.

Now what?

Well, that depends on what you've found out. Does your state require a letter of intent or not? If so, get busy and write it. Does your state require that you just fill out a form and send it/take it to the superintendent's office? Then get the form and fill it out. Ohio's official hs'ing notification form

When you send the form to the school SEND IT REGISTERED MAIL and then save the paper you get back from the post office! You may never need that piece of paper to prove to the school district, a court, etc. that you followed the law - but then again, you might, so why chance it?

What will I teach?

What does your child want to learn? What are your child's strengths and weaknesses? There are lots of curriculums out there to choose from. I can't offer you my favorites because I make up our own curriculum. From Sept. - Dec. 1998, we read Laura Ingall's "Little House in the Big Woods", "On the Banks of Plum Creek", and "The Long Hard Winter". We learned to render fat and make soap from scratch. We learned to pour candles ourselves. We baked bread from scratch. Then we learned all about Colonial America and covered the tv with construction paper to become a fireplace, turned off the electric, and lived like the colonists would have. It was fun, it was extreme, and it was something my children and I will never forget! These activities covered history (obviously), math, science, language arts, art, physical education, and music.

What about grades?

I had copies of the learning objectives for the elementary grades because I was a ps teacher. I pulled those out for Janeesa's grade level and thought up fun activities to teach concepts she didn't know yet. The concepts she did know, I checked off the list and dated when they were checked off. Some of the concepts I observed that she knew, others were questions I asked her orally, at different times, that she knew how to figure out, etc. All tests are not written! I liked what one professor told me in college - "This isn't a test. It's a learning instrument. It lets you measure whether you've learned the material or not. And remember - not all learning instruments are written!"

What about socialization? LOL This one always comes up, so I had to include it! My children are among the most socialized people you'll ever meet! Here is how I make sure "socialization" happens: I talk to my children. Day in and day out - I talk to my children. I read to my children. I listen to audio cassettes, Christian radio and programming, and do things with my children. And I LISTEN to my children.

What about playing with other kids though? Won't hs'ed kids be damaged in some way if they aren't around their peers?

In a word, NO. But in case you (or other family members) are still worried about this socialization thing, there are lots of things you can do: Church, chaperoned youth group meetings, local sports teams (age appropriate), ice skating lessons, gymnastics, dance/ballet lessons, lots of family outings with family friends, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, art classes, swimming lessons, etc. My kids take turns every Friday paying our local bills. Even when I'm standing right there, my children take the check to the counter, talk with the receptionist, pay the bill, request a receipt, and bring it back to me. A big thing we do is go to the nursing home every week (as the weather allows) to visit with my Gramma - and after about 30 minutes, the kids hold hands and go off down the hall in the nursing home and visit with the other residents. I hear them sing to residents, talk with them, listen to them, give them hugs and kisses, share their toys with them, etc. You'll notice one big thing about hs'ed children right away - they are at ease with people of any age and can carry on an intelligent conversation with people of any age. So don't worry about socialization, and tell other people not to worry about it either!

What's a "hs'ing association"?

A hs'ing association is a group of people who get together - both parents and children - for lots of reasons. Our group has parties for the kids at Christmas, Valentine's, etc., and we also do lots of learning activities. For example, in early November, I taught a class here at my home to about 12 kids on how to make soap from vegetable oil and lye, and the kids made their own soaps to take home with them. This month (March 1999), we're having an International Fair - the kids each have a country, decorate a table for that country, write a report, etc. and visit all the tables at the Fair, then have an "auction" with earned "money" from each country at the end of the day - and we're touring the state capitol building, talking to our representative, and then going to COSI (a great science place!) for the rest of the day. Normally, you pay a small amount of money to join a group - and this money is usually used to purchase stamps, paper, etc. for the group. It's well worth the $10 or $20 you spend to get a year's worth of fun (and friends!).

What do I say to family and/or friends who don't agree?

If you have a strong reason for hs'ing, then tell them that reason (and you most likely will once you've been doing it for a month or so 'cause you'll see the huge difference in your child that it makes!!!). Don't accept rude comments to your child with a shrug of your shoulders - people made comments to my daughter about how she was going to "fall behind", or "lose all your friends", etc. Complete strangers would ask her why she wasn't in school that day even when I was standing right there beside her!!! After she came to me crying over all these comments, we decided together that any questions anybody had about hs'ing should be directed to me, and if they asked her, then she would tell them they should talk to her mother about it.

Treating my children poorly and making rude comments to them was something I simply would not accept from people - especially strangers! I try very hard at all times to keep calm and not lose my temper - but there is such a thing as righteous anger, and a few blatantly rude people who insisted on running my children through the mill soon saw Mamma Lioness come roaring out to confront them!

But I just don't have your patience.......

Trust me - if you spend 24/7 with your children, you will develop an infinite amount of patience with them! LOL

Now that I've typed an entire book on the benefits of hs'ing (and I honestly didn't mean to! LOL), I'll get to the links. I have lots of hs'ing pages, lessons, etc. that I've bookmarked. I think you'll find quite a few ideas in here that you'll like and use! *NOTE* I'm out of time today so I'll have to add the links later today. Enjoy!

HS'ING WEBPAGES

LINKS TO CURRICULUMS OR ITEMS YOU CAN PURCHASE FOR YOUR HS Misc. Links for Hs'ing - includes some curriculum publishers' websites Hilltop Homeschool - Useful Units Scheduling Prepare and Pray! Curriculum Swap and Trading Hs'ers Curriculum Swap

ART LINKS

CHRISTMAS

LANGUAGE ARTS

MATH LINKS

SCIENCE LINKS

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