I am considering homeschooling, but there are a few problems...?

Question

the biggest one is, I really don't know what to expect. I have 13 children (it's a long story). the oldest is in college, the youngest in preschool. the main reason I'm considering is because at the elementary school that 6 of my kids go to, the other children will not leave my 9 yo alone, they call her names and make fun of her for being adopted (i've raised hell at the office, and yet nothing has happened). and my other kids stand up for her, and sometimes fights break out ending in my kids getting suspended. we were thinking about transfering all 6 of them to a different school, but the same problem may arise. and if i home school the 6 of them, then my 3 middle schoolers, and 2 high schoolers, and preschooler with also want to be homeschooled (they've been begging to be since day 1). so it would be 12 of them, all day, all alone with just me. of course, i have all summer to figure out what I'll be doing, but i would like some advice please. any and all kinds are welcome. thank you.

Answer 1

YES YOU CAN HOMESCHOOL THEM ALL!


You could have so much fun homeschooling all of them! It sounds as if several are close in age and therefore could help each other out with assignments. Have the older children help with the younger children. One thing you have to remember is that no matter what other children are mean and you can't protect them from that but you can take them out of that environment. I had this problem with my own 9 year old and finally said I may not be able to protect her from mean kids but why am I leaving her in that environment! If you homeschool all of them then you could pass the curriculum you choose down from child to child and that would save lots of money in the long run! Check out different types of homeschooling also because you don't have to use a certain type of curriculum, lots of parents make up their own using the library, local bookstores, and the internet. Here are a few sites I have used for my children. Simply type in whatever you are looking for into google and lots of pages will pop up. for example....4th grade AND science or 2nd grade AND math

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/worksheets/basic-operations-worksheets.php

http://www.homeschoolingadventures.com/

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/skills_4th_science.htm

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/skills_7th_lang.htm#reading

http://www.rusd.k12.ca.us/4teachers/science/science7.html

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/worksheets/grade_3.php

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/grade_level_help.htm

http://www.sitesforteachers.com/index11.html

Don't forget to fill out "intent to homeschool" forms at your local school district...that's alot of truancy charges if you don't!!! :P Good luck and have fun with it! Oh yeah also remember that you don't have to homeschool from 8-3...it can be done at anytime during the day or even on weekends. Most homeschooling can be done in about 3 hours because in schools they have to wait on everyone else get settled down to start and wait on everyone else to get in line quietly... you may find your kids learning more especially if you do all of your children. The older ones are going to teach alot to the younger ones without even realizing it!

Answer 2

A really really simple program is the A Beka program. Its a k-12 homeshool/ private school. I've been with A Beka since kindergarten! The best part is, if you want you can order the DVDs to go with it, so your more like a teacher's helper rather than the primary teacher. That way you don't have to worry as much about being capable. A Beka will work with you and help you if you need it. Some of the Pros and Cons about homeschooling: You get to be with your daughter all day You get to teach her You can choose her schedual She will hang out with older friends who get out of school earlier, thus helping her become more mature rather then shy There are alot of homeschool communites she can visit and meet people at Its alot faster then public school, giving you more time to do fun activities with her It helps her be more responsible with her own schoolwork No Peer Pressure If you wanted to, you could enroll her into the school PART TIME. For only PE, etc. (itll be a little dificult at first because its generally not done in the lower grades, but i think itll be fine) No kids to play with durring the day (except other homeschoolers?) Its a little harder keeping up when your not in a classroom setting, so you'll have to make sure she gets her stuff done

Answer 3

Wow. I do expect that with that many children you are a stay at home mom.(funny joke) I know a family who just had their 11th child and not one of them has been inside of a school. It's a truly amazing household. The children are all well behaved, quiet, polite and helpful. They do the ACE program (after trying several others) which they all love. The big ones help the little ones and they all help Mom. The children are strong competant and manage their own home based business. The oldest is just 16. All the neighbours love them because they are dependable honest workers. They are active in their church and community. I think these particular kids behave so well because they follow their parents example of caring, honesty, and hard work. So why would you want your children to be fighting, angry, frustrated and victimized? What kind of an education is that? Why do your older children want to be homeschooled? They must have encountered some flaws in the system. Public schooling does not work for everybody. (homeschooling also does not work for everybody) Your children sound as if they are strong analytical children who support each other. Why couldn't they work at home? They could take all their stress and anxiety and channel it into helping each other learn. ( I am assuming you are not one of those mothers who can not bear to be around her children all day, day after day.) Talk around to other homeschoolers in your area. Research curriculumns. You have already shocked the neighbourhood by having so many children, shock them some more by homeschooling them.

Answer 4

I only have two so I admire you for taking on a seemingly overwhelming task. That said, I know large families that are homeschooling and it seems there are a few keys:

First, do as much as you can together, just expect more of the older ones. Do history together by reading historical fiction out loud (the "readers" can help with this, or you can all take turns). When you're finished, ask the younger ones to narrate back to you what they heard/learned (or ask them questions about what was read - the Socratic Method). The older ones need to do some more research and then write a short essay about the topic.

Second, allow the older ones to "teach" the younger ones. While you're working with two or three on one subject, the others can be working with younger ones on another subject. The best way to LEARN a subject is to TEACH that subject!

Finally, everyone helps out. You can NOT do this on your own. BUT... you have 12 little helpers who should each have their own chores/jobs to help you out (assuming they don't already). Everything from cleaning bathrooms and vacuuming to folding laundry and cleaning dishes can be done by your kids, either alone or working in teams.

Get support from other homeschooling moms - for yourself! You'll need someone to talk to when it all seems too hard, or you have questions about a particular curriculum, or ... .

There are several books available about homeschooling families and what their lives look like. Most of these include at least one large family. See what your library has - it will become an invaluable tool in your homeschool adventure.

Best wishes!

Answer 5

Oh, how fun!!
It will definitely be an adjustment for everyone, but well worth it. There are so many different approaches to homeschooling, I'm sure you can find something that works for everyone. You could get them straight Abeka to start with, and begin pruning as necessary. Or you could do some subjects (like science and history) together, just going a little deeper with the older kids and adding age appropriate assignments. There are several curriculum choices that are suitable for multiple grade levels as well. Your kids could work together on projects, and the older ones could help the younger ones, or help around the house while you teach the younger ones. They'll have a lot more free time as the actual work should be less time-consuming than spending a full day at school and then coming home with homework.
I'm excited for you! What an adventure you're about to embark on!

Answer 6

I am the mother of 7 children. I've homeschool 3 of them. You can homeschool your children too. The one thing we were frowned on the most is the "socialization". However, homeschooling puts education back into the parents hands and even though some of my kids are in public school now. I would have no problem homeschooling them.

Homeschooling takes time, so if you are available for your children then go for it. You must have a HS diploma before the county school system will allow this or you can go through some organizations online. Here in Ohio we have ECOT. They provide computers and materials and is funded by the state. You have to provide the Internet. Not bad!

I think many people here have given you great advice. It is best to keep on a school-type schedule at home. Get up in the morning have breakfast, have pledges, then start your learning. While the kids are reading or working on papers you can find time to clean, cook, or read something you like.

You can cover socialization by going on trips to parks, other public places, or get with other parents and take field trips at group discounts.

Answer 7

First of all you need to do a little research about your state's laws at http://www.hslda.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1. Next you need some books on homeschooling. I always recommend "So You're Thinking About Homeschooling?" by Lisa Whelchel as an introduction to reasons and methods of homeschooling. You can also go to http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/ for some good information. Then you need to look at curriculum and what you can afford at each grade level if you homeschooled all of them this year. Sometimes with kids close in age you can give them all the same lesson in some subjects.

I would definitely pull the 9-year-old out this year. You might consider pulling out two more that are the next younger or older. This way you might be able to use one lesson to teach all three. You could possibly pull the high-schoolers out as long as you make it clear that they will be responsible for mainly taking care of themselves and get them a self-directed curriculum. You would be their reference and helper rather than their teacher. For the rest, you would explain that you will try to bring the rest home the next year.

What a lot of big families do, too, is have the older ones work with younger ones or take care of some kids while Mom is teaching a few others. Your middle schoolers and teenagers could be great resources. Helping teach their younger siblings can re-enforce what they have learned, and even just taking time to read with them can help build strong sibling bonds.

I would caution to only do the minimal amount of paper work that your state requires. You will probably need to fill out a form stating your intent to remove the kids from that school, but you do not have to say you are homeschooling. You could say you are undecided about what you plan to do. I know it seems paranoid, but many homeschoolers are worried that what we volunteer to the government now may be mandatory later.

Good luck!

Answer 8

God bless you and your efforts. i believe you can do anything you set your mind to. Let everything around become a learning experience. Go outside to do work, go on picnics and lots of field trips where the kids can have hands on learning. The addy I am listing below is for Homeschool Legal Defense Aid and will tell you exactly what the laws for homeschooling are in your state. It will give you updates on current bills being passed or debated. You can also become a memeber for a small fee and if you ever have any problems with family and childrens services or the school district harassing you they will help you free of charge, they are your attorneys once you have paid your membership fee!! I love homeschooling!!

Answer 9

You CAN do it! With lots of planning, time management and love! People will think you've gone stark raving mad but just take it in stride.... being weird/different just goes with hs but hey you've already got 13kiddos which makes you different already right? And that's 3 soon to be 4 less than the Duggars! ;) (as long as hubby is on board you can do this!)

The other posters have already posted the basics --

http://www.hslda.org

other sites are:

http://www.amblesideonline.org
http://www.rainbowresource.com
http://www.timberdoodle.com

also check out the Elijah company. I'm sure there are probably sites for hs families of large familes as well. We have 4 but in the homeschool world that's average not large.

How fun what an exciting and nerve wraking atventure for you! Take it one step at a time and don't expect perfection from the get go!

Answer 10

I only have three kids, but the great thing of having a lot of kids is that there are many group projects they can work on together, even if they are at different levels in basic skills like reading, writing and math-- you just give a little additional more challenging work to the older kids.

Also, kids do really well when helping each other learn. My 16 yr old will give a math lesson to my 8 yr old-- he benefits from working with her, but it helps her reinforce some of the old basics, she has to rethink what she's learned and figure out how to explain it clearly. My 8 yr old will read stories to my recently turned 6 yr old, which will give him reading aloud practice and more reading time.

The transition period freaks most people out at first, I think, even if they have only one kid. I find the more relaxed people who are flexible, people who observe their children and try to nudge things along gently, who are willing to change course or try someting new when one plan doesn't work, people who don't let arbitrary concepts like "ahead" and "behind" drive them crazy, people who are willing to re-evaluate their learning philosophies and really consider them, these are the people who transition more smoothly.

People who have a lot of expectations of what it "should" be like, of what their kids "should" be doing or what they "should" do, people who think if it all didn't come together by the end of the first week that they must be failing their family-- these are the people who seem to have the hardest time finding their stride, and it usually isn't until they let go. People who run out and spend thousands of dollars on professional curriculums, or spend 12 hours a day printing up schedules and work to throw at their children straight away, they get discouraged quite easily when they realize that homeschooling is really not like school, and teaching your kids is not like (or at least doesn't have to be like) being a professional teacher.

Good luck! Boy, 13 kids-- I'd like to hear how that turned out, maybe you should keep a journal and notes of your transition and write a book.

MSB