Single Parent, was thinking of home school, give your thought's on home schooling?

Question

For the first time I'm scared I may make the wrong decision
are public school system has fallen apart in Mobile, Alabama.
My child was chosen to attend a magnet school > Art and Performance School (Dunbar).
I found out it was on needs improvement "or closure.
I moved her, as a A,B honor roll student ..she has now been jumped on 8 times, since the transfer. (7th grade)

Now a young boy has threaten to harm her w/force ..he was put in a youth center by the police.
After which, he returned back to the same school.
My daughter stayed out of school approx: 3 weeks, until they was going to put me in jail.
Her grades for the first time ever are, E,D,C she may fail because this child has disrupted her education.

I feel like everything I have stood for about her getting a good education has just went down the drain.
I have got to do something.

Answer 1

Please do not be discouraged from doing what you feel is right for YOUR child due to the answers of ignorant people. Homeschooling does not produce academically damaged or socially backward children. National studies indicate that homeschoolers are most often more advanced in both areas than their public school counterparts. Please read the research and you will be reassured. Also, ignore the person who judged you as incompetent based on this question. There are plenty of great homeschooling resources out there which can help anyone homeschool. Check out Alpha and Omega Publishers' "Switched on Schoolhouse". Also, there are free school at home and paid school at home programs which are administered by professional teachers.

It is a difficult decision, especially for a single parent, but there are many of us who have done it. You sound like you are doing your best to protect your daughter and to help her to be successful. That's a great start! The things to consider now are: Can you afford to do it, how will you balance work and homeschooling, who can stay with her while you work, and are there social opportunities available to your daughter outside of school?

In answer to the last question there are a lot of healthier places for kids to develop social skills than the public school. If that was such a great place for socialization your child would not have been attacked at school!

Let me reassure you that it is possible to do it.

Good luck to you!

Answer 2

As someone who graduated from home schooling and a single mother, I say go for it!

Do not let a rotten school system be the ones that teach your children.

Even if you did tell them about the problems she has been having, there usually is not much that a teacher can or will do.

It will be hard, especially with your work schedule, but since she is older, in all honesty, there is a lot of it she can do on her own. And they now have it where you can take classes on line, and you go over the lessons with her and they grade it.

Do not be put off by people that say home schoolers are unsocialized. In college, I was friends with another homeschooler and we were the most sociable of all our friends. Kids can get their social activities out side of the class room. You may even want to check in your area for home school groups. Some areas have sports teams and proms and all the extras, the kids just do not attend classes together.

And also, don't feel like you are not smart enough. There are things you will not remember from your education, but teaching your daughter will refresh you (my mom says she had to learn algebra again.)

Research it and figure out if it is best for you and especially best for your daughter.

I have no regrets about my home schooling. Most days I could be done by noon, if I really wanted too (you have to have self discipline).

Good luck!!!

Answer 3

Yes, definitely take her out of that school! Think about the worst you could possibly do to her by homeschooling as opposed to what's happening in school.

Take. Her. Out.

There are plenty of homeschoolers down South, take advantage of that. Join a homeschool group, and give her time at home just to be safe and let her heal. When she is ready, work with her as a friend, not as an administrator. Sign her up for lots of classes if you need to work, but be sure to spend time together and make sure she knows that you will always protect her.

My sister got death threats, beaten up, and had her classwork stolen by the same kid, for an entire year. The school did nothing because it wasn't disrupting the class. That was six years ago, and she's still messed up from that.

Your daughter needs to know that you are around to make sure she is safe; what else is a parent for?

Homeschooling is not hard. It only seems like it would be, and people do it the wrong way and mess up; that doesn't mean homeschooling doesn't work. Sorry about the stilted nature of that sentence. If the two of you work together she'll be fine. For academics the two of you can look in to a curriculum or make your own. Making your own isn't hard, I've done it on my own once or twice. I got bored and didn't stick with it, but I made a curriculum that the BOE was satisfied with. How hard is it to pick a book on history? Why are some facts more valid than others?

Socially, let her spend time with her friends from school, and kids in your religious organization -if you're part of one- for a while. She needs stability. Next, go to social functions with the homeschooler group. She'll make friends there, it's human nature. Sign her up for classes, she'll make friends. Let her outside at all, and she'll make friends.

It's not something we need to be taught how to do.

Best of luck.

Answer 4

I agree that the public school system in this country is in a sad state. My daughter home schools her child because she was constantly sick when attending school. We live in Texas, so perhaps the laws are different in your state. Go online if you have a computer, or the public library if not, and research the laws and requirements. In Texas there is no supervision by the state for home schoolers. Be aware that home schooling is not an easy task and requires a great deal of dedication on your part. There are many online programs available, including those that provide a high school certificate of graduation. Other parents who home school their children are a great support system and a wealth of information. Contact them and plan social outings with their group. There should be a store in your area that provides many of the tools needed for home schooling. We have one called Teacher's Haven. Most home schoolers are educated beyond what the public schools offer, since most are now teaching to help kids pass the state and federal required exams. Also, more home schoolers attend college. Good luck.

Answer 5

Hi, I am 18 years old and have just graduated from homeschool. I have been doing homeschool since 5th grade. I loved it so much. The school I went to before was horrible. Everything that is at all the school's now though. I never have regreted staying with the homeschooling. You do not have to teach your daughter if you dont want to. It can be done by video teachers. Pre-recorded videos that have the teacher, kids, classroom all on the video. My school is ABEKA. it is a christian school through florida. The web address is abekaacademy.com.

Answer 6

I am homeschooled, and my mother is a single parent. We also came out of a so-called magnet school. It helps because we live with our aunt so when our mom goes to work (she works nights) we aren't alone. But I think if you want to homeschool, it is a good idea and you could find a way to make it work. Since she is in 7th (I think you said that) she could be home alone if you had a part time job. Your income would likely suffer, but you will probably spend less money when you are homeschooling than you did when you were doing public school.

In conclusion, I think you should homeschool if that is what you and your daughter both want.

Answer 7

You should read and make sure you understand the homeschooling laws in your state. Also, read about the different methods, curricula, and ways of homeschooling. A good place to get started is the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) website. The link is below regarding the homeschooling laws for the state of Alabama:

http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?State=AL

The HSLDA (you don't have to be a member to homeschool--but membership can help you with the legal aspects of homeschooling) has other helpful information on their site like how to get started with homeschooling, homeschooling laws for other states, etc.

I am a single parent homeschooler and would like to encourage you; it can be done. I just began homeschooling my son, who is a first grader, in the fall of 2006. It is going well. I use a variety of books, projects, and interactive computerized learning programs. There are many ways to homeschool, and although your daughter is a 7th grader, you can still homeschool her. There are parents who homeschool their children through high school.

Search the internet and see if there are any homeschool support groups in your community, and attend one of their meetings. There, you will find added support, encouragement, and advice.

I hope this is helpful.

Answer 8

It sounds like a scary situation. There are so many good things about homeschooling. The child gets so much more individual attention, you can choose things you want them to learn and do and you can really make it enjoyable and catered to your child's own needs. Just make sure that you properly socialize your child and make sure you are capable of presenting material in a way that she will learn it. There are endless homeschooling support sites online. There are tons and tons of curriculums to choose from and you can really meet your child's needs. I wish you all the luck in the world you seem like you really want the best for your child and homeschooling sounds like it may be a good option at this point.

Answer 9

I'm sorry your daughter experienced those threats.

Contact the HSLDA and they can give you information on getting started in homeschooling:

http://www.hslda.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1

They can also help you get in contact with other homeschoolers in your area.

Homeschooling doesn't have to be expensive to start with -- you can use library books, second-hand curriculum materials. There are many resources on the Internet that provide a large variety of homeschooling materials.

Best of luck to you! :)

Answer 10

i home school my son and i think the experience is great. he has learned more this year (he is in kindergarten) than the kids in public school. i know this because my nephew is in the same grade and his school hasnt even touched on some of the things my sons home school has. he plays sports so he get social interaction with other kids but i honestly belive that the way public schools are it is so much better to home school.