Homeschool students and parents?

Question

Please don't respond unless you are a former or current home-schooled student or parent. Thanks.

1. In general, did you like the homeschooling experience and do you think you were prepared for the real world, academically and socially?

2. Were/Are you a part of a larger home-school community?

3. Who taught your lessons? Several people or just your parents? Were they qualified?

4. Did you take many field trips to learn the subjects "in the real world"?

5. What other activities were you involved in to socialize with kids your own age?

Answer 1

1. Yes, we all enjoy the homeschooling experience. And since the bulk of it takes place in the real world, I feel the kids are/were more than prepared.

2. Not at first, there wasn't a huge community when I lived in NYC, but then I moved to FL and there is a very large and friendly homeschooling community out here.

3. I don't see myself as a teacher, more as a facilitator. Yes, I do sit down with them and work on math, reading, language arts, writing, etc., but for the most part I encourage the kids to be self-motivated and try to provide a productive, rich learning evironment for them. They also have taken classes over the years in things they were interested in.

4. We take field trips a couple of times a week at least.

5. My daughter is now 17, and she has been taking college courses since she was 15 and should be getting her AA about the time she'll be graduated from high school. She has a core group of girlfriends she hangs out with, most of them were public schooled. She's been involved with various writing and reading groups for kids her age, girl scouts and karate when she was younger, has taken science classes with our co-op, is now old enough that she assists co-op teachers and will be teaching her own class this year to little kids in sign language. She also spent years volunteering at the library, has been in various performing arts classes and was in a performance troupe with other kids (both homeschoolers and non) who went around performing at assisted living facilities. She also volunteers at our UU church.

My two boys, ages 6 and 8, each take 3 classes per week at our co-op-- the 6 yr old is more into the artsy classes, while the 8 yr old is a science/technology lover and mostly takes classes in science, engineering and is starting computer video game programming this year. They are also in a lego club, they go to library reading groups, take karate classes two evenings per week, they take a wood shop class, my 8 yr old takes part in a weekly after school chess club at the library and Yu-Gi-Oh tournaments once a month. Our co-op meets once a week at the park for playing, goes on field trips and has two big camp-outs per year, plus they have their friends they play with or just go to the park or pool to play. Oh, and they go to Sunday school.

Answer 2

Our children are far more prepared than any public school kid. We've taught them that there are no fairy tale endings, ever. We teach them the hard core realities of life that the public schools just beat around the bush about. We explain to them that drugs and alcohol will kill you or send you to prison and explain why prison isn't a friendly place. Face it, it's a fact. Public schools will not tell the realities of life, just the light-footed crap that makes it easier for the child. The home schooling experience was great because there is no risk of theft, bullying, violence, and our curriculum is without any incident whatsoever. We teach our children subjects that the public schools do not cover and our subjects are far more in depth. Prepared for the world, our children are knowing how equality is still not a factor in society and favoritism plays many roles out there.
They are not part of a larger home school community, just our household except during art and home-economics.
Their mother and I teach their lessons. We are seriously qualified. We don't suspend or abandon a child but increase the home work until an understanding is reached. Don't complain and whine, just get it done. If you need help, we'll gladly help. But I will not tolerate a cheater and someone seeking shortcuts. Teachers have limited abilities and capabilities in the classroom whereas we do not. We don't rush them through the educational process, we emphasize repetition, and we also use our past educational experiences combined with current added knowledge to complete their schooling. My wife and I are both high school and college graduates and former military.
We have taken them on many field trips from the law enforcement community to nature and wildlife to coal fired power plants to the Red Cross.
They have met many kids on these field trips. It always seems that they run into the kids whom have little or no discipline let alone the capacity to pay attention and learn. The few that they do socialize with are of non-christian background and better informed about society and other cultures. The other activities you ask of are generally art programs that I each here or home-economic with other children.

Answer 3

I am a homeschool parent...

1. In general, did you like the homeschooling experience and do you think you were prepared for the real world, academically and socially?
My daughter has seen more of the 'real world' then children twice her age. At age 8 she knows the proper way to answer a phone, take a message. She understands the value of a dollar. She understands need vs want. She knows how to diplomatically deal with people regardless how frustrating they can be. She understands that laws are important (regardless of how stupid some might be).

2. Were/Are you a part of a larger home-school community?
We are part of a mostly cyber homeschool community. It wasn't until recently that we began hanging out with other homeschoolers.

3. Who taught your lessons? Several people or just your parents? Were they qualified?
For the most part we (mom & dad) teach her lessons. However I do have people who are part of her family/community that help out. For example - the trusted pediatrician can explain to her about her body. Her grandma (the nurse) has taught her about first aid. A dentist can teach her about the tooth.

4. Did you take many field trips to learn the subjects "in the real world"?
Every time we go out into the world it is a field trip. We don't spend a fortune going to museums. We spend a lot of time with library books and the internet.

5. What other activities were you involved in to socialize with kids your own age?
Her current schedule at age 8 - Bi-weekly Lego club meetings with other homeschoolers. Weekly park play date (currently on hold due to Fl summer heat). Regular library programs (we went to one just last night focusing on a specific genre of books). Daily interaction with neighborhood children (all school attending children).

That being said - In MY opinion - homeschooling is a very viable & important educational option. My daughter has it 'together'. She is better behaved than most children her age, and has responsibilities I feel are age appropriate (picking up toys, helping wash dishes, making sure the dog has clean water). For the record - my daughter has never even seen the inside of a school.

Answer 4

I am 17 years old and I have been home-schooled since 1st grade.

1. Yes I did like the home-schooling experience, and I do think I am prepared for the real world, academically and socially.

2. I was apart of a very large home-cschool community for the past 10 years, and then I moved to Missouri. Our home-school community isn't to large, probably about 20-25 families, but it is growing.

3. My mother used to teach me, but I can mostly teach my self now. If I need help, I still go to her. Back in Maryland we had classes like geography, french or spanich, science, and a couple others that other home-chool parents taught and they were qualified with those subjects. We are startuibg ot do that now with our small group in MO.

4. We do take many feild trips, to so many different places.

5. I am involved in soccer, the local theater, 4-H, youth group, home-school classes, volunteer work, and most of my friends go to public and private school.

Have a great day!!!

Answer 5

1. In general, did you like the homeschooling experience and do you think you were prepared for the real world, academically and socially?

We are current homeschoolers, and everyone in the household (educators and pupils) enjoys the freedom and flexibility our homeschool experience. Academically my children are ahead of their peers. Socially they interact well with people of all ages and different cultures. Additionally, they are more outgoing and willing to accept new friends then many of the public and private school children we know

2. Were/Are you a part of a larger home-school community?

We are - we participate in many group activities with homechool groups we belong to. Not only is this beneficial for the children, it helps the parents as well insofar as emotional support, advice, etc.

3. Who taught your lessons? Several people or just your parents? Were they qualified?

I am the primary educator in our homeschool. Additionally we are fortunate enough to know many other talented and intelligent adults, so for detailed specifics on some subjects we are able to 'go to the source' for information (an attorney for judicial law, a veterinarian for animal pathology etc) I'm quite sure the professionals are qualified, and I consider myself such as well.

4. Did you take many field trips to learn the subjects "in the real world"?

Hmm - last time I check our house wasn't located in a fantasy construct, but yes, we average 1-2 field trips weekly to museums, performances, tours, and other places

5. What other activities were you involved in to socialize with kids your own age?

Currently we are participating in 4H and gymnastics in addition to our regular (weekly) trips and playdates with our homeschool group.


Research paper, considering homeschooling, or just curious?

Answer 6

I'm a former student of home-school education. I was home-schooled from sixth grade through high school. I'll be honest there is a definite list of pros and cons to look at when considering home-schooling, and it definitely depends on the child (some are just more social then others or anti-social as the case maybe). Currently I'm a junior/senior in college. Anyway...
1. I truly enjoyed being home-schooled for the first four or so years, but by tenth grade I was starting to worry about my future for college and how being home-schooled would reflect on my transcribes. Ready for the real world is kind of the same is asking if your normal. I heard a statement recently (I'm ashamed to mention where) and I'm paraphrasing ... normal is something we all strive for, not an actual concrete definition or state of being. Moving on... Academically I was prepared in all but my writing skills (which hopefully you are not being tortured by); however, that was quickly resolved in a hard hitting freshman English class. Socially I would still say I'm a little behind, but that could very likely be more in part to my personality than my schooling experience.
2. I was not part of a larger home-school community. I found them to be more click-y than my pubic school. However, I took dance from the ages of 9 to 18 and had a lot of friends at the studio. I also made friends with other students through the sciences classes I took throughout high school.
3. My mom taught me English, literature, history, and the first few years of science to the best of her ability. She's now a college graduate; however, she wasn't at the time she was teaching me. Nevertheless, she worked very hard, and taught me important lessons and on how to study from a text. My dad taught be math and physics; he was a math major in college with a love of physics. You could not ask for a better teacher than my dad.
4. We took a few field trips, but I never found them very interesting. The fun trips were when my dad and I would make up riddles or math problems while at the grocery store or other mundane errands like that.
5. Like I said before I was in dance classes sometimes for hours a day. I took science classes in high school. I was really involved in my church. And one week a summer I went on a mission trip with other kids my age.
In conclusion, if I could do it all over again would I change it. Honestly, I don't know like a said there are pros and cons to every choice. Hope I answered your questions.

Answer 7

1. I was homeschooled K-12th grade. I sincerely loved homeschooling. I was more than prepared academically and socially. I did remarkably well on my yearly standardized tests and had no problem transitioning into college. I actually found that I was more prepared than my publicly educated classmates. I am currently happily married with a thriving social life while pursuing my Masters in Education.

2. My family was a part of a small co-op group that met weekly in which the mother's took turns teaching specific topics that were their particular strengths. For example: My Mom was a fabulous science teacher so she would conduct special experiments or disections. Another mother was artistically gifted and so she would teach us about the different aspects of art.

3. My mother was my teacher. She actually had her teaching credential and was fully qualified to teach me.

4. We took at least two- three field trips a month. Whether it was to art museums or to observe monarch butterlies we always had interesting things to see.

5. I was on soccer teams, took art classes, dance classes, and photography classes. I was very involved in our church and teaching Sunday school. I had several friends that were also homeschooled so we would oftentimes take afternoon bike rides or picnic at the park.

All in all, homeschooling was a wonderful experience for me. I truly loved every aspect of it and learned so much more than if I had been in a more structured classroom environment.

Answer 8

1. Well, we've been doing it for two years and we love our lives. My children don't want to go back to PS and are currently prepared for the world to the extent that they can utilize the real world. IE, my 12 yo can walk to the grocery store, plan a meal, budget and purchase items, and cook dinner for ten people. My 8yo can walk into the library, discuss current reading choices with an adult librarian, and walk away with new books. My 6yo can save his allowance, make discriminating choices that filter advertisements and buy the toy of his dreams. I'd say they are all functioning better than some adults i know. Academically they are ahead of their age peers estimated curricula.

2. We are members of several other homeschooling groups, which meet different needs. We are also members of nonhomeschooling groups in which we participate, the YMCA and the city park and rec dept.

3. Life teaches lessons. Every person my children meet teach them something new, whether it's positive or negative. As for academia, my husband and I are their primary facilitators. I'd say we were qualified, esp as we were capable enough to help them learn to walk and talk. Algebra is a breeze after mastering those.

4. The real world is our textbook. We use library books and the internet to explain the real world as we go along, rather than forcing disconnected knowledge into their heads and expecting them to retain it long enough to use it practically.

5. Our activities include weekly: band, orchestra, boy scouts, 4H, soccer, tae kwon do, church group, kitchen creations, weekly swimming, but it's summer and things are light. I will introduce the idea to you that socialization with those your own age is abnormal to anyone over the age of 18, or graduation. There is never a time in your life when you will only interact with 30 people exactly your own age. It is much more helpful to interact with babies (parenting), toddlers, teens, adults, elderly. It's much more 'real world', if you please.

Answer 9

I was only a year older than your oldest when my mom started homeschooling me. Ah, brings back good memories... Anyway, I know nothing about homeschooling 1st graders so I can't help much with that. The advice I'd give to you about the 5th grader, though, is to expect the need for a decompression period, especially if your reasons for pulling your child out of school involved major stress of some sort (anything from bullying to his/her needs just not being met). My decompression period lasted a couple of weeks and involved me and my mom doing everything in out power to re-create the school environment -- right down to saying the Pledge of Allegiance every morning and doing my work at a desk. And then one morning I woke up and realized I could do my math on the couch if I so felt like it, and I did :-p I don't know anything about your kids so decompression might not even be an issue, but if it is, just kind of let it happen. You might feel like you aren't getting much done school-wise during that time, and that's okay. You'll catch up soon enough. Also, be open to changing your planned teaching method -- for example, if you're using a curriculum and it doesn't seem to be working, don't be afraid to try something else. If the math text you're using this year doesn't work perfectly, ask around for new ideas and try one in a different series next year. You'll eventually find the perfect method for you and both of your kids. In my case we never used a full curriculum, but we started off using textbooks for everything. By the end of the year we had ditched the textbooks for everything but math and science and had moved on to other materials. Feel free to email if you want to chat...and good luck!

Answer 10

1. I home schooled my son last year for Kindergarten and will do his first grade this year along with doing my daughters who is entering kindergarten. I do believe that when they are older they will be well socialized ( they are now) and the curriculum their home school uses is actually more advanced than the public school that my children would attend.

2. There is no one who lives near us whose children are enrolled in the same program as my children, however the program we use has a large online message board and chat rooms exclusively for students and parents.

3. I taught my son and each 20 lessons had to be sent in to his academic advisor. She called and checked in regularly and we always had private school provided email if we had any questions.

4. I took my son on field trips weekly either to concerts in the park or to the museum. His school also had a field trip to the Zoo and other outings through out the year.

5. My son plays sports with kids his age and plays with children in our neighborhood.