How do I know if homeschooling is the right choice for me and my son?

Answer 1

I personally don't think homeschooling is the choice if your child isn't going to get any other interact with other children. A lot of children in my family are homeschooled and my cousin was really weird when he was around other teenagers always talked about random weird stuff... because all he was around was his mom all the time. But other kids that are in "homeschooling clubs" are really good with socializing.

Answer 2

Last year my daughter was senior class president, head cheerleader, president of the Letterman's club, and got almost straight A's in her AP and Honors classes. She was homeschooled until she was in middle school. My son is a snowboard instructor, was student body president, and has way too many friends to count. He gets excellent grades in his honors and AP courses, is years ahead in math, and tutors other students. He was homeschooled until middle school also. I stopped homeschooling when I got a divorce and had to go to work. These kids made the transition from homeschool to public school without missing a beat.
The # 1 objection from people against homeschool is the socialization question. In the past, it was generally the "fringe" kinds of people who homeschooled. Well, kids tend to behave a lot like their parents whether those kids are homeschooled or not. If public school is the cure for weirdness, then why are there so many socially retarded people who have been or are in public school?
There are so many people homeschooling now that groups have formed everywhere so the kids and moms can hang out--they go ice-skating, the zoo, etc. They get to go when it is not crowded--while the big crowds of kids are incarcerated in public schools.
Regardless of how differentiated the teaching has gotten over the past decades, the classroom is still an artificial setting where students mix with kids from their age group only, making it difficult to interact with other ages, particulary elderly people. The instructors are well prepared and doing the best they can, but with the No Child Left Behind laws in effect, they spend 75% of their time getting the kids ready for the tests that determine whether or not the teacher gets to keep his/her job. The kids become proficient at bubble sheets, but not much else. The kids need to be controlled and have their natural curiousity subdued just for the sake of order.
Read everything about homeschool that you can get your hands on. That will be what helps you decide. Good Luck.

Answer 3

You need to ask yourself a couple of questions.

1) Are you willing to make the time commitment? It's a very time consuming thing, homeschooling. It take patience (though as my wonderful mother, who homeschooled/is going to homeschool three kids k-12, would tell you, you don't start out with that patience, you build it over time) and consistency.

2) Are you will to make the monetary sacrifices involved? Unless you are independently wealthy, living on one income can mean sacrificing some luxuries, like a bigger house or a nicer car.

Really the biggest question is, if you do decide to homeschool, are you willing to put your son's education above almost everything else (obviously there are some things that are still more important like family time, etc.)?

I would try to get in contact with a veteran homeschooler who can give you all the ins and outs so that you can make an informed decision. hslda.org is a good place to get homeschool info are well have find homeschool groups in your area that could get you in touch with other homeschoolers.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Do the research. There are hundreds of websites that you can go to on the internet.

Start with http://www.hslda.org and find out what is the law in your state.

Go to http://www.nheri.org and look into a wonderful array of research about home-schooling.

Check out http://www.oceanetwork.org and find out all about homeschooling in Oregon.

Determine what is your goal and define the way that you think about education.

Make a checklist as you go through all of your research --- keep a set of Pro's and Con's ---- watch and see which list gets longer and which ideals are sound.

Prioritize a set of academic goals and figure out what will be required to meet them.

Attend a local meeting for home-school parents. Listen to what it is that others are doing. Find someone that will sit with you and talk one-on-one. Get a list of phone numbers for other homeschoolers and call as many as you can. Ask around and find out which homeschoolers are similar to you --- it is always best to find like-minded people.

Depending on your son's age choose a day to give homeschooling a "try-out". You can find many resources at public libraries.

Set aside the TV and other electronic entertainment. Give your son YOUR time. Take him on outings, work with him in the yard, bake cookies together, start a new hobby --- there are so many ways to connect as "teacher" without even sitting down to the books.

Become acquainted on a family basis and then introduce academics.

Math, writing and reading with accuracy and truth as the foundation will be the best building-blocks that he can use for learning anything and everything.

We use the Robinson Curriculum. It is different than most "run-o'-the-mill" educational products. It gives the child the background and training to become his own best teacher. Mom and/or Dad do best as supervisor, encourager, mentor, and as an accountability person.

www.http://robinsoncurriculum.com

Answer 5

I agree with finding a support group in your area. I was the director of a group in my city for two years, and I talked to people just curious about homeschooling all the time, and that was one of the most rewarding parts of what I did.
Also, go to the hslda website for more information about requirements for your state, and for a list of homeschool groups in your area. www.hslda.org
Last, research different home education options on the web. There are as many different approaches as there are people (well, that may be a stretch, but there's a lot!) You have traditional text and test, literature based, unit studies, on and on.
just make sure you look at the options, and talk to people that are actually homeschooling, not people that knew someone that lived next to someone that had a cousin that heard of a weird hs family. :)

Answer 6

Find a homeschooling support group in your area. The ones I know of are very open to people who are curious about homeschooling. Learning more about it will sway you one way or another.

Answer 7

ask people who have tried it but take into consideration that no two children are the same and while it may be ok for some it isnt good for others

Answer 8

After the way you worded that question, I'd be sending him to school for English!