Does anyone here Home School?

[Nana~ 4]

I have a few questions if so. I homeschooled my 2 kids for Pre-K (non mandatory here in Tx) and in 1st grade. then they went to a charter school then we moved out to country and they go to public school now...

[gadgetlady 4]

I homeschool, but in California. Don't know if I'll be able to help.

[EmileeKaye 1]

I think TellyMelly home schools her son....I'll tell her about this thread.

[FunnyDuddies 6]

i homeschool the kids, but they are pre-k.

[PhotoNut 7]

LindaV is homeschooling here in Idaho. Ive called her and told her about this thread.

I homeschooled my kids through most of their school years, but after a divorce that left me having to be the bread winner of the family, I decided to let the kids go to public school while I went back to college. I regret that decision and I think it was a huge mistake on my part but thankfully, my kids had enough years of the good foundation that they came through ok.. well not completely ok. It took almost 10 years to get my son back to his self again. It was touch and go for a while. Want to see my gray hairs that prove it? *chuckles*

Edited for afterthoughts:

Just before I saw this thread, I had found some pictures of my son that were taken just months before he returned to public school. We were on a missions trip with some YWAM families and every picture of him was a picture of a tender hearted young man (9 yrs old) who loved children and loved the Lord. Since then, he has survived the death of a class mate (gun shot), drug overdoses, fights, juvenile court, depression, you name it.

Once, after school, he agreed to meet another boy to fight in a lot near the school. This was 8th grade. Of course word got out about the fight and lots of other kids showed up. The fight began and my son was winning until 4 highschool boys that were friends of the kid my son was fighting showed up and beat him senseless. It took him two hours to figure out where he lived and to make his way home. That was 9 years ago, He's 22 now. He made it through but I have a lot of regrets and guilt for those years. All so I could go to school and work. *sighs*

I know all things work out for the best, and indeed they have. Perhaps he had to go through those things in his life to become the wonderful man he is today. I don't know for sure. But one thing I do know is, if I had it to do over again, public school would not have been part of my children's upbringing.

Now I have a grandson who is two and I can't even stand for him to go to daycare. Oh boy do my daughter and son-in-law have a tough road ahead of them (with me) if they decide to put that boy in public school. *nervous laugh*

[LindaV 0]

Hi,

PNut told me about this thread. I have been homeschooling my son since 1st grade. We just finished 4th grade. I would be happy to try to answer any questions you might have. You might also want to see if there is a yahoo homeschool group or other on-line support group in your area. Those can be very helpful. Just make sure it is a group that is open to all philosophies (ther are many in the homeschool arena).

Anyway, I homeschooled for two years in California and have done the past two years here in Idaho.

[piercedqt78 658]

If we were going to be in this school district when school started, my daughter was going to be home schooled. But we are moving to an area that has great schools and small classes. Abigale needs more one on one than most kids because of her medical problems, she seems to miss about 25% of what is being taught and she needs reinforcements. The seizure disorder and ADHD both take a toll on her attention span as well as her ability to focus and remain awake all day. I hope that she will outgrow this but the doctor says that is unlikely. Her teahcers will have to give her some extra time and I know that in the district that we currently live in that would simply not happen. ~Mandy

[Nana~ 4]

okies I I homeschooled my 2 kids for Pre-K (non mandatory here in Tx) and in 1st grade. then they went to a charter school then we moved out to country and they go to public school now.

when My daughter was in 2nd grade going to that charter school she started falling behind, My son too where as before he knew all his abc's colors etc after a year in that school he had lost more than 1/2 of them! Arg!

Anyhoo thats off the main subject here "My daughter"...

Okay so they passed her to 3rd grade with the multigrade classrooms she would be doing 2nd grade reading w/ special Ed that year.

We moved to Round rock TX and that school put her in 2nd grade. I did not know better at the time to throw a fit because she had never actually failed the grade. She did 2nd grade again w/ special ed. Passed onto 3rd where we bought a home here in Elgin TX.

She started 3rd I asked about what happened to her after I found out a friend of mine here in the neighborhood has a daughter who is is 6th grade doing 3rd grade work....Tell me how thats right?!? My girl never even failed.

She was still in special ed and they talked about placement but nothing ever happened.

Now...

This year she started 4th grade. In Oct. I contacted the school about moving her to the correct grade w/ special ed and they told me it would be around Dec. I was okay w/ that 1/2 4th grade 1/2 5th w/ special ed sounded okay to me, ya? We even spent 12K in student loans to send her to Sylvan for this year, so she would be ready for 5th grade in Dec.

So Dec came and gone no call backs to my calls. We received a letter saying she no longer qulified for special ed, no crap we spent 12k on sylvan she better not need it she has no issues she was just a little behind...

Then last week I get a letter saying if I want to sign Emerald up for her placement test now was the time.

So I call and was told the test is VERY HARD and the lady said she has never seen a student pass it. She would have to test on all 5th grade Math, english, Science, and social...

And I am being told that is the ONLY way to get her in the grade she is supose to be in! when she NEVER EVER FAILED!

I am so upset. I told one lady forget this crap I'll pull her we'll go back to homeschooling, she said that may be the best option for us...wow.

Not that I mind I would love it, I have been a sub.

Anyhooo after all this my question is.

If I pull her out next year and home school I can do a 5th/6th class setting correct? its my private school after all. So if "SHE" wanted to return to public school in highschool~ Prom all that stuff I never did etc. If I say she is in 9th 10th or what ever, What can the public school do? Will they test her with this placement test noone has ever passed or what?

Oh ya, if your wondering why the worry about one year well its because her B~Day is Sept 22nd so she is already mostly 1 year older than everyone in class but with the year behind shes 2 years older that 99% of her class. She would be nearly 20 years old in 12th grade, even the school agreed that most likely wouldnt happen and she would drop out. I dont want that at all :eek:

Shes the only one w/ girly things going on and hates being so differant and hates even more when someone asks what grade are you in then looks at her like shes a retard when she says 4th..(no offense you know what I mean about the way kids act and talk ) I've seen it and Ive told them her birthday messed things up cause she was almost in tears, I mean she never failed I dont blame her for hating being where she is

Oh man I am rambling on nervous and upset, any advice would be great.

[LindaV 0]

Plunder Bunny,

That's a really tough position the school district is putting you in--and it sucks! It is also why so many families are option out of the traditional education system.

I know Sylvan has it's own testing that is done and they are a national organization. If you daughter is testing at grade level through Sylvan's tests, I would probably push the subject further with the school district. I would just keep going above people's heads until I was satisfied with the answers I got.

Are any of your daughter's teacher's sympathetic to your problem? They might be able to suggest a course of action or someone at the regional or stage level to contact.

I agree with you, your daughter's age is a concern. Kids can be ruthless about things like that. She will be maturing so much earlier than the other girls in her grade level--emotionally and physically!

I think if you are not presented with an adequate solution by the school district or someone above them, you are absoutely right to consider homeschooling.

I am not familiar with the homeschooling laws in TX. Fortunately, Idaho is one of the easiest states to homeschool in. People move here for that reason.

I think Texas has a Virtual Academy. They use the K12 curriculum (which is very structured and academic), but, they do their own placement testing (which isn't exceptionally difficult), so that they determine which grade level an individual student should be at in each subject. You can check them out at K12.com

If not virtual academy, check to see of there are other at home charter or umbrella schools in your area where you can decide on the curriculum that best fits you child. In California, many of the private Christian schools operated as umbrella schools for homeschool families (children in CA must be registered in a school--you can file an afidivit to be your own private school as well).

Sometimes schools will be more agreeable if you just do independent study at home. They provide the materials and you turn in the work. If your daughter can pass the chapter/unit tests, you have met your obligation and she should be able to progress at her own speed.

Anyway, good luck and I hope some of this helps. I would still check to see if you can find a local on-line support group. Home schooler tend to be very familiar with state homeschool and public school policies. It is likely that you would get more helpful advice there.

Good luck with this.

[LindaV 0]

I think I had as many typos as you. It really makes me mad that good parents who want the best education for their kids are forced to submit to rules and regulations that are not always the best for an individual child!

[Telly 4]

I homeschool/office school my 11 year old son. I'm in Florida though. Not sure if your homeschool laws are the same.

[Nana~ 4]

I did the William Bennett k-12 program w/ them before they were very neat didn't charge a thing and even sent them a Compaq computer with color printer and ALL of the school supplies including art and music and some very cool science equipment! when we quit all we had to return was the computer/ printer the let us keep everything!

I don't think it's free here anymore, a test thing maybe. I do know it was very good she was in 1st grade and knew all the oceans and continents and what animal came from each and was doing well in reading until the charter school they attended. (BTW: My son has adhd and that school he had straight D's and 18 + referrals since leaving that school he has been a straight A A/B Honor roll student and in the last 2 years has gotten maybe 8 refferals...whats that say?)

here are a few links about TX home school I think it is very easy from what I read to pull her and home school.

http://www.texashomeschoolers.com/texaslaws.htm

http://www.hslda.org/laws/?State=TX

http://www.nhen.org/leginfo/detail.asp?StateCode=Texas

Here is the link to the testing example/ guidelines she would be tested on in the 5th grade for 6th grade placement.

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/oes/Grdae1_5CBE.asp

The more I think about it the more mad I get at the school system and the more I'm starting to plan on home school for next year!

[LindaV 0]

You go girl. You are the teacher and you are in control when you homeschool. If I can be of any more help or you just need some encouragement--feel free to post or PM me.

[Nana~ 4]

Do any of ya'll have some good links for 5th / 6th grade?

Next Tues. I'm going to talk to some people at my Fighter pratice we go to every Tues. night. There are a bunch of kids there that are Home Schooled.

[TheWomanWithin 0]

Plunder, not sure if this has been answered - have you joined a local homeschool group? I did that when we homeschooled my daughter and they were a huge help in what to do when and laws etc.

Also, did you check your school districts website? ours here has a full section on home education - and even helps you get scholarships for your children.

Sometimes you just have to get people to feel like they are doing you a favor at the school board and helping you out - worked for us when my oldest daughter decided she didn't want to go to school anymore she had a 4.0 and got bored with school in 11th grade.

You can do the virtual school as part of your cirriculm (or we can here in FL).

We have to keep records, testing, FVS info and then each year have a general test by a certified FL teacher.