What do you think of this idea for school?? Home school w/ 1 hour of public school?

Question

I had a meeting with some people from our local public school and they are willing to let my son go to school for the last hour of school (because of a bowel problem) which will include science, history and alternating pe and music. Then I will home school him for the rest. What do you think?

Answer 1

Bigmama, I've been keeping up with your questions and I'm glad you are still working on the solution for your son.
I think you will find that you will do a great job of teaching your son at home. I don't think you need the one hour of public school. Is this a solution that will help with him making friends? Get with local home school people in your area. See what opportunities are available for play dates or co-op classes.
I think that the one hour will only frustrate both you and him, because it will be like he is there but not really a part of the class.
On the other hand, it may be a good test to show you whether the classroom learning environment will work for him.
I'm sorry I'm not giving you an answer, but giving you some things to think about and hopefully, giving you some encouragement that it will work out.

Answer 2

I don't know any elementary kids who attend regular school part time, but our local high school district offers Independent Study where kids can attend one or two periods per day and do the rest at home. Some families appreciate being able to participate in music and lab science at the high school, for example, in a classroom setting. Also, in our area, the only way to play on some high school sports teams like football, baseball, basketball, as a homeschooler is to be enrolled in the district home study program.

So it all depends on your needs. If the school is providing classes or opportunities you want, then it can be great. But if it's too much of a hassle traveling back and forth everyday for such a short time, consider homeschooling independently.

Answer 3

I agree with AnnaLynn. Going to one hour of public school will set your child as "different" and cause kids to pick on him and/or not accept him. Plus, it may be hard on your son to adapt. I am just embarking on homeschooling my 7th grade son (1st time homeschooler). We were going to have him do one or two classes at his public middle school, with the rest at home. Our district supports this. It seemed like a good idea at first, but as I spoke w/ parents and KIDS I found out that kids who do this (homeschool & 1 or 2 classes in the public middle school) are gossiped about and labled as "weird". While this is an unfair lable, it is reality. Even at the elementary level kids can be surprisingly mean; it is so sad. We've chosen to go the homeschool route only. I empathize with your challenge. I hope all goes well with you. Do trust your instincts and remember that you can always change your plan later. Good luck.

Answer 4

How can a person do science, history, and pe/music in only 1 hour? I would have to say to just homeschool your child. If you were the lady on here from yesterday then I would just go with the homeschooling until your child gets better. Register your child as a homeschooler for now, when he is better feel free to put him in public school.

Answer 5

I really do not see the point behind having your son go to school for an hour. The only point of view that makes sense is the financial one that is motivating the people you spoke with. Like someone pointed out in another post, schools do get more money for children with diabilities, so that could be the main motivation there. Along with perhaps a lack of understanding of homeschooling.
The things they are offering can be handled by you at home. Very easily, I might add.
You can join a homeschool group and even a homeschool teaching co-op and have opportunities that publicschool children do not have, like unlimited field trips, lots of hands on learning opportunities, social activities and a wide variety of sports and pe opportunities. In homeschool co-ops, your children also have the opportunity for a variety of learning opportunities for music as well.
In a public school setting, most schools have one field trip a year, they have one music teacher that teaches one style of music to the entire school, history and science are usually rotated and come from books, not much hands on stuff when you really look at it. And in our district, kids only get one pe class per week, one library visit for twenty minutes per week (if you don't find a good book, oh well) and well, basically one of everything.
You could do so much better for your son on your own than what they are offering you.
And the other aspect is how this will work with his classmates. Someone did point it out already that the kids will immediately wonder why he is only there for one hour, and they will ask him over and over and over and over and over.
No one can tell you what to do, but from my limited anonymouns point of view, I can't find anything to put in the plus column for your and your son with this arrangement.
I can find a plus for the school, it is money. But no, not really anything for your son.
Find a local homeschool group, call the director and talk to him/her before making such an important decision to find out what homeschooling is really like in your area.

Answer 6

I know a few kids who have dual enrollment like this and it's a positive thing, not such a negative like previous posters say.

My thoughts? The public school is offering this to you as a way to keep his tax money. If he goes to 100% HS'ing, they get nothing (except your property taxes). If they keep him enrolled in even just one hour (can't see how they can cover two subjects in one hour??), they get his *full* amount of taxes from your state. If you were a school, which would you push for?

The school's motives, though, should have no bearing on what you decide. You can try this as a trial and switch to something else if it doesn't work out.

We have a large HS'ing co-op where my son gets some extra courses I don't teach. If you opt out of this public school supplementation, then you might be able to fill that "gap" with a HS program.

I'm just on the fence with this one. I know it could be a bad decision, but I also know it could be positive. Not knowing all the myriad of variables in your situation, it's hard to come down on either side with advice.

Answer 7

I think its a good idea, considering I'm on homestudies my 11th year.
it's my first year, but so far I like it.
I don't have to worry about peer pressure, or being distracted in a structured class with 20 or so students, I go for 3 hours every wed. I talk to my tutor about previous homework problems, fill out quizzes and test, and then I finish the next credit.
I do 40 credits a semester.

I understand the work and focusing is alot easier. I have a social anxiety, severe depression and ocd so before it would affect me academically, but everythings getting better.

Answer 8

If your local school is willing to allow your son to go for only one hour then that is fine, but will it be worth it? How will he get to school? Just that he will be at school it will be time for him to come home. Does he want to go to school for just an hour? If you and your son have resolved any questions or problems that may arise from this, then all is dandy. Good Luck!

Answer 9

I think a lot of it will have to be based on what he's ready for...is he ready to be in a group of kids that he'll have to see everyday if he has an accident? If he has the confidence to go through with it, it might be a good test to see if a classroom could work; if that would really upset him, it really might be better to homeschool him full time and get him into a co op class once or twice a week. (In my experience - homeschooling and teaching at co ops - hs kids tend to be better at accepting kids who are different than they are.)

I really do think that the school is mostly trying to keep his funding, even though he'd only be there an hour...so I would really encourage you to base this fully on his readiness and what he wants to do.

Answer 10

BigM,
here is what I "think". I think this would be good for his social development; however, the concern I have is the risk you now have to take in allowing your son to do this and face the possibility that at times that last hour may contain "accidents". I also think that you have the intestinal fortitude to go through with this. What I mean is you will be jumping through some hoops on his behalf to a) ensure he is educated at home - no short cuts it may be tempting, b) get him to school for one hour in which time you will have to be available to pick him up an hour later.

YOU can do this and these like a terrific alternative. (The alternative to the idiot idea that he be at school ALL DAY with this condition).

Your doing great by the way!

Gerry :)