Is highschool homeschooling worth it? PLEASE COMMENT?

Question

My daughter is a 9th grader in highschool and very bright. She wants to learn more independenly but I am not sure that we can give her the education that the trained teachers can. Furthur more she has epilepsy and with school asking more of her this year (staying up late studying) her seizures have gotten worse. One of the side affects of her medication is weariness and exhaustion. She definetely is experiencing those and I believe they are effecting her ability to do well in school. Would it be a mistake to take my daughter out of school for 10th grade when she does have a strong social network in school but she is so exhausted and having a difficult time. We mainly are open to homeschooling because it will allow her to learn at the pace that she can while still keeping a relaxed life and living outside of the school environment.

Answer 1

First of all, I strongly disagree with anyone who says that to be homeschooled is to miss an important part of socialization. I was homeschooled almost my entire life, and have had more longterm friends than anyone I know. My parents made the wise decision to enroll me in co-op programs, sports programs, and other areas that would allow me a lot of interaction with children my own age, as I was growing up. The only homeschoolers who have missed out on social interaction are those whose parents have not taken the time to consider what they are getting into.

That having been said, homeschooling through high school was the best decision I ever made. During middle school, I did attend public school. In 10th grade, I decided to return home. My mother works a full-time job, but this was not an issue from the offset, because we knew there were two options available to us, in this case: 1) we could check area private schools to see if they had "umbrella" programs for homeschoolers, or 2) we could enroll in an online or video program. I'm not sure how either of the last options would work for your daughter, with her medical condition, but I will admit I don't know anything about epilepsy.

With an umbrella program through a private school, your daughter would be "officially" enrolled at the school, but use their curriculum and lesson plans at home. With an online or video program, she would either attend classes through internet modules, or watch videos of recorded lessons at a real private school.

The other option is a place such as Calvert School. They are a private school that does national umbrella work for homeschoolers. You would receive your study materials in the mail.

Basically, there are tons of ways to be homeschooled without relying solely on the parents' knowledge or ability as teachers. So breathe easy! Many schools that sponser umbrella programs also allow homeschooled students to take part in sports activites, or things such as choir and orchestra. So don't be fooled by those who claim homeschooling bars children from social interaction. Stifling parents are the ones who do that, and you don't strike me as stifling, at all.

Also, if you have any questions about anything homeschool-ing related, feel free to ask me. I love helping people out with things like this, because I think homeschooling is fairly underappreciated for the good experience that it can be. Thanks for thinking of your daughter.

Answer 2

I am a homeschooled student right now in 10th grade and I love it. I firmly believe that any homeschooled student with the right mind set and self discipline can reach far beyond the bounds of mental learning that public school could ever give her. I would recommend very strongly homeschooling her. She can go at her own pace which means no late nights and fewer seizures.
Also if you live in a city with a homeschool group, get her in that too. Those groups are often stronger socially because it is more concentrated and focused. You may also want to try a few community college courses if you feel that you cannot give her the instruction that she needs in some areas. good luck.

Answer 3

I was homeschooled through high school and I believe it was the best possible education for me. I loved learning in a relaxed, but disciplined environment, and having an education that was customized to my needs. I believe your daughter would benefit from being homeschooled. With a caring parent taking her physical needs into consideration, she would be much more able to concentrate on her education. As others have said, socialization is not a problem. She could still get together with the friends she already has and I would also recommend contacting the local homeschool group and getting involved with that. Homeschooling is legal in all states but different states have varying regulations so I have included a link below where you can research your state's laws. You do not have to be accredited to homeschool. There are many resources out there to help you teach your child. My mom taught in both public and private schools and she said about the only thing she learned from her teachers education classes was how to grade on the curve. You won't need that in homeschool anyway. :) She always has maintained that the only thing parents need to give their child a good education is an equivalent to a high school education themselves, the desire to teach their child, and enough discipline in the relationship that they can cause the child to do the work. From your post, I am sure you have the necessary qualifications already. Good luck! I hope you and your daughter have many wonderful days exploring learning together. :)

Answer 4

I would suggest not pulling her out altogether, but look into the Alternative Education program in your area.
In this program, students are allowed to work at their own pace and usually only required to come in once a week. She would also be eligible to attend school functions including dances.
Encourage your daughter to get involved in the community, as high school is a critical time in developing relationships. Perhaps getting involved with a choral group, theatre group, sports team or even a worthy cause she believes in would serve this purpose. She may also consider taking a concurrent enrollment class at a local community college.
With the Alternative Education Program, your daughter would likely graduate early, and would earn a high school diploma. Many states offer scholarships for students who graduate early, so this may be an additional incentive.
Best of luck to your daughter, and I hope her epilepsy is soon under better control.

Answer 5

There are some really good answers that I'm seeing, although I have not read all of them yet. I think that homeschooling is the wisest choice you can make, especially right now. She can get a MUCH better education at home, and there are many homeschooling groups that you could get in touch with. I have been homeschooled my whole life and would not have it any other way, there are WAY to many bad influences in the public schools.

Here are some great resources to help you get started.

http://www.visionforum.com/
http://www.visionforum.org/
http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/

I hope this helps you!

P.S. The belief that there will be or is a lack of "socialization" in homeschooling is nothing but made-up nonsense and a total myth. Also, it is the parents job to teach their children.

Answer 6

You might well consider home schooling. There are so many sites, including resources, now for families who choose this route. The very bright daughter of a friend of mine has suffered at her local public school. She is on medication for depression, but competition and unfriendly students have made her miserable. Her mother now feels that they should have home schooled her, or moved to a less competitive town.

One option, if you do not feel qualified to teach her in all areas, is to organize a group of parents who want to home-school. Within a group you are more likely to find some who have greater expertise in specific areas. You can also share the workload, and build a small group of children who learn together.

Very important is to keep your daughter active in social and sport activities. Most towns have recreation departments, or church groups, with such options.

Answer 7

The short answer to your question is an emphatic, YES! The main advantage of homeschooling is that a student can linger in the areas of interest and avoid the ones that bore them to tears.

If you need more to get you started, read, "The Teenage Liberation Handbook" by Grace Llewellyn. She explains all about "unschooling" high school (why and how to do it).

BTW - unschooling doesn't mean NO school, it just means the student is allowed freedom to determine what they will study and when.

Answer 8

It would definitely be worth it if it's for your daughter's own physical well-being. She can maintain her social network or work on creating a new one. If you are concerned about the academics, there are resources galore, and even online and correspondence programs you could use. Alpha Omega, Sonlight, check this link out for more http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8259/skonet.html .

If she is really self-motivated and you are willing to simply buy the resources she needs/wants for her studies, she'll be fine without you teaching her everything--there's plenty you can learn along with her. Your basic requirement will be to help her think further when she needs to, help her figure out where she can go for the answers she needs.

Answer 9

Yours is a well-thought out question, and like so many things, it's all relative. First, I hope it's not too presumptuous of me to offer my admiration to you. You are obviously doing a great job already, under very difficult circumstances.
I also have to say that the answers above mine are all quite good, and worthy of consideration.
One thing to consider: as important as the social aspect of keeping her in high School, if she's too exhausted to participate in class, then she's probably also not going to have the energy to enjoy herself socially. You question whether or not you can teach her as effectively as her teachers at school. Her teachers must be VERY good in their jobs for you to feel that way; I'd bet that you probably could do at least as well as they. You might even want to use them as consultants if you go the home schooling route.
I've known a number of kids who were home-schooled, and most of them seem FAR smarter and more aware than a lot of the kids I see coming out of public school these days.
Another consideration for her to be home schooled, due to her health problems, is the fact that she may feel more secure at home; as well, there will be less stress on her in terms of her workload, and as a result her health may improve.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best!

Answer 10

From what you have said, and from the families I know who homeschool special needs children, it sounds like homeschooling might be a good fit for your family.

There are two books that I highly recommend you take a read-through. They give you a good idea of what to expect if you homeschool your teen, and how you can address whatever worries you might have about her learning without school.

Good luck!