Why Do You Choose To Homeschool ?

[StartingOver]

I think this is the time of year where many of us are just exhausted. Spring always seems to do that to me. Although I have never questioned my reasons for homeschooling, I know others do a lot this time of year.

 

So let's hear it, what was your reason for starting to homeschool ? And why now do you continue ?? Or why have you stopped ?

[Jennifer in MI]

Good question. I get asked that a lot around here. Our school system is known as being wonderful.

 

When I first met dh, he wanted to hs our kids. I said NO WAY!!!! 5 years and then, they were AT SCHOOL!! LOL

 

Fast forward 6 years when our oldest was 5. We lived in an area where he would've gone to school with K-12 in ONE building. I researched and decided we'd homeschool for ONE year.

 

That year, we moved to our current city (you know - the one with the great schools). But, our d.s. was NOT ready for school socially. Academically, he was fine. We decided to try to find a preschool for a couple days a week to help him with the social skills. Well, they ALL wanted him ALL day - 5 days/week. Not happening.

 

So, we homeschooled that year. And the next year. And the next. Academically, things were great. Socially, not so much. Sam was diagnosed with Asperger's. Everything suddenly made sense!!!

 

So, we continued to homeschool. He'll be in 9th grade next year. He's starting his first Community College class in three weeks. He'll never go to school.

 

Now, we continue not only because it's what's best for our kids. We continue also because it's become a way of life. We travel - a LOT! I love not being tied down to a school schedule. I think I'd feel really trapped by it.

[StartingOver]

I started homeschooling many years ago when my step daughter were behind in school. The girls were in 6th and 8th grade, they couldn't read, do math, or write at about a 2nd grade level. Yet they were passed on in school. I started working with both girls on phonics, basic math and writing skills. We were afterschooling then.

 

A couple of years later when I had my first child, I knew from the beginning I wanted to homeschool. I didn't believe in Whole Math, and Whole Word Reading. My husband didn't agree, so I started to teach my daughter before she went off to school. She entered kindergarten reading and doing math. Well there wasn't anything for her to do in school..... she was bored. We homeschooled... and that is the end of the story. I felt I could do better, and believe now that the oldest three have graduated that I accomplished my goal.

 

When I was facing the older kids all graduating, I had a mid life crisis hehe. In the form of two more children, if only we could all be so blessed !!! So here I go again. My husband ( now ) was against homeschooling. I love it, and wanted to start all over again. My little Emma was tested after an anaphylactic reaction and found to be highly allergic to eggs and milk. Well that sealed the deal for hubby. :lol:

 

Are all my days easy, HECK NO. Do the children always comply, HECK NO. Are there days when I want to quit, HECK YES. Are there days when I want to send them off to Public School and sleep all day, HECK YES.

 

Would I trade my job for any other in the world ? HECK NO !!! I love seeing those little light bulbs turn on, to see the look of wonder or joy while reading a great book, to see the way my children interact with each other and with their parents. I love spending time with my children !!!!

Edited May 5, 2010 by alatexan68

[Jean in Newcastle]

Copied from another thread.

 

1. I want to be my child's teacher, to see them understand concepts, to see that "lightbulb go off".

 

2. I want to be able to work with my children on character issues. This is my number one reason as time has gone by. Of course any parent can work on character issues, but I've found that it is important for me to know that there won't be another teacher with different standards for a big chunk of the day. The "lesson" of character issues is more important to me than the lessons of math etc. and I will put aside the 3 R's for awhile to work on character issues as needed. I've also found that because we've taken care of character issues, that it is much easier to just sit down and teach my children without it being a struggle.

 

3. As a corollary to number 2, I want to be the one to socialize my child. By that I mean to teach them to be a good friend, neighbor, worker, church member etc. I want those lessons to come primarily from adult to child, rather than from child to child.

 

3. The teacher:student ratio is great. It is difficult however, when there are toddlers and kindergarteners as part of that ratio. (But they do grow up.)

 

4. I don't want my children to fall through the cracks. I want to be able to teach my kids to their strengths and to bolster their weaknesses. I'm not perfect at this, and they do fall through the cracks sometimes due to "life" but I am able to respond when that happens and fix it.

[patchfire]

We want the kids to be able to go at their own pace.

 

We also didn't want to have to shell out for a private education, and then deal with what I see as negative social influences - different than a public school, but not ideal, ime.

 

Finally, we wanted to be able to travel in the off season. :lol:

[StartingOver]

Copied from another thread.

 

1. I want to be my child's teacher, to see them understand concepts, to see that "lightbulb go off".

 

2. I want to be able to work with my children on character issues. This is my number one reason as time has gone by. Of course any parent can work on character issues, but I've found that it is important for me to know that there won't be another teacher with different standards for a big chunk of the day. The "lesson" of character issues is more important to me than the lessons of math etc. and I will put aside the 3 R's for awhile to work on character issues as needed. I've also found that because we've taken care of character issues, that it is much easier to just sit down and teach my children without it being a struggle.

 

3. As a corollary to number 2, I want to be the one to socialize my child. By that I mean to teach them to be a good friend, neighbor, worker, church member etc. I want those lessons to come primarily from adult to child, rather than from child to child.

 

3. The teacher:student ratio is great. It is difficult however, when there are toddlers and kindergarteners as part of that ratio. (But they do grow up.)

 

4. I don't want my children to fall through the cracks. I want to be able to teach my kids to their strengths and to bolster their weaknesses. I'm not perfect at this, and they do fall through the cracks sometimes due to "life" but I am able to respond when that happens and fix it.

 

 

Thanks Jean, your answer was the reason I started the thread. I think many have a sort of Spring fever this time of year. I know I do, I don't question my continuing to homeschool. But we usually take a BREAK, for momma's sanity. :D

[Jami]

I knew pre-children that I wanted my kids to have a rich liberal arts education. I'm not sure I had the word "classical" in mind yet. Dh and I read lots of Francis Schaeffer in college and when I found a couple of books in a bookstore by his daughter, Susan Macauley, I snapped them up. One was "For the Children's Sake" and that started my feet on the path. :)

 

About that time I also started hearing about "classical, Christian schools" and investigated those. Both as a history major about to graduate as possible places to teach, and as a future mother wanting something special for my kids educations. Then I realized what private school was likely to cost and we wanted me to be home initially and live on dh's (designer) salary. I also met a few homeschoolers through our college church that impressed me with their family dynamics and the type of curious, imaginative children they were raising.

 

So we decided we would homeschool when the time came. And honestly, that decision felt like I'd found the perfect career for my interests and education. I found "The Well-Trained Mind" sometime before I had my first child and these boards not long after that.

 

Dh was always on board with homeschooling, but more for social/formation reasons than academic. Which were my initial reasons. He doesn't believe the typical institutional school setting is right for developing people. Part of it is his own "square peg in a round hole" experience as a child, but part of it comes from our philosophical and spiritual beliefs about what it means to be human and what environments are appropriate for humans.

 

As we've seen the leisure and time our children have to play, read, imagine, build relationships with one another, we've continued to believe this is the best choice for our family.

 

Jami

[cjbeach]

I always thought I would be very hands-on with our children's education through afterschooling. So long story short, our decision to homeschool full-time was circumstantial. But I believe this may have been part of a larger plan.

I never considered f/t homeschooling until we were financially unable to continue with our little Montessori that was good in a not-so-good school system. When we forced to put our children in this not-so-good system I was completely blown away by how little my children learned, how terrible SOME teachers were, and some ugly social acitivity in a K-5 school. I really, really tried with that PS because so many people I know like the schools. Eventually I came to realize that 3/4 of these people really did not seem to be all that interested in their child's education and were thrilled that their 3rd grader was doing great in school, though the child never had homework. They knew nothing about their child's education. I call it the Bubble mentality -- people living in the bubble - small town, the schools stink but it is what is. UGH!

We just came to the conclusion given what we had seen that even if I could not accomplish all that I wanted to in a homeschool year that it would definitely be better than the PS setting we are currently in.

 

Our plans to hs were sealed the day my very sweet Kindergartener vomited on her desk after complaining of tummy aches for 2 weeks. That day I finally learned (through her teacher) that another Kindergartner had been making my child's life hell. Bullying ... in Kindergarten. My dd is an excellent student and actually won 2 awards in K. Because she did well one child targeted her. IN KINDERGARTEN. :cursing: OMG... I couldn't RUN from the school quick enough with my children in tow.

Personally I felt like I was in high school all over again with other moms... defending my decision to withdraw and homeschool than "go with the flow and accept it is what it is" (peer pressure at 38). :confused:

And my son in ESE... yeah, wow. There are just not enough words to describe how horrible the ESE services we encountered were.

 

And now here I am just so grateful to have found TWTM and this board and the wealth of information this board provides. With your help I feel like my children, despite some grueling financial times this year, had a rich education. I've learned so much and have passed so much on to my children. I'm envious of the education they are receving. Sheesh, where I would be today if my education was nearly as rich?

Edited May 5, 2010 by cjbeach

[Jean in Newcastle]

Thanks Jean, your answer was the reason I started the thread. I think many have a sort of Spring fever this time of year. I know I do, I don't question my continuing to homeschool. But we usually take a BREAK, for momma's sanity. :D

 

Right now it is one of those times that my children are probably falling through the cracks due to my health. So it helps me to look at my list to not only see my other reasons but to reassure myself that I will be able to pick up those pieces when I'm feeling better!

[StartingOver]

Right now it is one of those times that my children are probably falling through the cracks due to my health. So it helps me to look at my list to not only see my other reasons but to reassure myself that I will be able to pick up those pieces when I'm feeling better!

 

 

I know I have mentioned before somewhere..... not sure where. But with my older children we took months and months off for family illnesses, and even a whole year when my mother went through Chemo. It all worked out in the end. My oldest daughter and younger son ( of the older set ) are in college. My middle son is in the Navy, the younger son will be in the Army soon.

 

I think life lessons are very important. I am not an unschooler, I am pretty rigorous, but I do believe my children learned a ton in those times. Despite my lack of teaching !

 

Hang in there !! :grouphug:

[Guest Cindie2dds]

We want the kids to be able to go at their own pace.

 

We also didn't want to have to shell out for a private education, and then deal with what I see as negative social influences - different than a public school, but not ideal, ime.

 

Finally, we wanted to be able to travel in the off season. :lol:

 

These are my reasons. :D

[m4given]

We're newbies yet - ending our 2nd year of home education.

 

Why we chose to homeschool:

#1 Flexibility -

*For my kids to see my dh (he works long hours).

*Traveling when we want to. (Went last week out of state to my aunt's funeral.)

*Not being tied to the ps schedule.

*Extra-curricular activity -- it works better for us to be homeschooling with extra activities.

 

#2 Pace / Scope & Sequence of Learning -

*Difficult subject(s) --When oldest was in 1st grade I did a lot of afterschooling with homework & re-teaching/reinforcing concepts. Math in particular was hard for her. By the time she just began to understand a certain concept, then her class was off onto something else. It was very frustrating for her & me.

*Easier/Fun Subjects-- Allowing/encouraging dd to advance at her pace. A teacher friend (at a private school) stated that she keeps her children working together & doesn't allow kids to work ahead in the textbooks/spines such as with Saxon Math. I like it that we can skip things when I know dd understands certain concepts & move on ahead.

 

#3 Depth/Interests - We love being able to focus on the depth of learning with history & other subjects as we so wish. Also the ability to allow "rabbit trail" learning to happen when we deem it appropriate.

 

#4 Socialization/Character - Felt like I was "losing" oldest dd. It's hard for me to explain, but it seemed like her personality was changing. We don't aim to live in a bubble & we try to go out of our way to interact, and yet we felt like we could help guide her in connecting better with people with the option of home education.

 

Why not to continue?

It takes lots of patience, time, organization & I'm not keeping house as I want to. I could go out & work while kids at school & make more $.

 

Why to continue?

Well, what I listed above.

Rewards

*Watching those "lightbulb" moments happen.

*Learning together. I loooove reading books & discussing topics that we're learning.

*Interaction between siblings -- the good times.

*Seeing my dh interact with some of the learning process. He knows more what is going on in their lives.

*Observing our family life & how learning is becoming more of a lifestyle.

*Coming across books/curriculum that I'm sure I never would have been aware of if it weren't for our choice to home educate.

*And more.

 

My stance ~

Could many of these things happen otherwise? Yes.

Do I think it bad/wrong of other people to use a brick and mortar school for their children? No.

Home Education at this point and time is a great choice for us.

[Liz CA]

I initially started homeschooling after 5th grade to teach ds spelling (he was atrocious and has now improved - perhaps would have improved in ps as well) and to minimize peer influence, primarily through junior high.

I also wanted to be able to use Christian themed curriculum if I so chose.

 

I have never regretted it. Ds has never mentioned he wished he had been in PS.

[....]

My daughter was labeled a gifted kid and was winning essay contests in 1st grade. She also came home from school and screamed every day for about 45 minutes. She would throw herself on her bed and kick the wall.

 

My son finished kindergarten and the teacher said, "well, he's still at a mid-k level." He didn't even know his letter sounds.

 

Kid Numero 3 is so odd that the early childhood center went from saying that she had a sensory disorder to ADHD. We actually thought she might be partially deaf, but pediatrician said her hearings fine.

 

Could you imagine these 3 circus performers in ps? Geez, or any school?

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

Family friends began homeschooling their children when I was in high school. It fascinated me and I was immediately interested. I ended up being homeschooled my junior year, and that is when I decided that I would homeschool my own children. It wasn't until I read TWTM (before getting pregnant with my 1st ds, LOL) that the type of education I wanted for them came into focus.

 

I posted my specific reasons for homeschooling on my blog.

 

Sometimes it is difficult to see the forest for the trees, though, in this stage of parenting/education. Often, we're doing well just to get through our day without a trip to the ER (or mental institution for me...) :)

[chiguirre]

We had a horrible experience with the preschool program for children with disabilities. It came down to choosing between hsing or asking for a due process hearing. Neither dh nor I wanted to fight the school and we haven't looked back.

[Dmmetler]

Because my DD has educational needs that simply are difficult to be met in a classroom setting. Even with a supportive school and a great teacher, by January it was plainly obvious that leaving her in a traditional classroom for 1st grade next year would be unfair to her, to the teacher, and to her classmates, because there was no way a teacher could meet her needs along with those of about 24 other kids.

[StartingOver]

Family friends began homeschooling their children when I was in high school. It fascinated me and I was immediately interested. I ended up being homeschooled my junior year, and that is when I decided that I would homeschool my own children. It wasn't until I read TWTM (before getting pregnant with my 1st ds, LOL) that the type of education I wanted for them came into focus.

 

I posted my specific reasons for homeschooling on my blog.

 

Sometimes it is difficult to see the forest for the trees, though, in this stage of parenting/education. Often, we're doing well just to get through our day without a trip to the ER (or mental institution for me...) :)

 

I too fell in love with TWTM the moment I read it. I haven't looked back since 1999.

[kalanamak]

Because the only school around here I would consider is over $20,000 post tax dollars.

 

To keep his mind on school, not pleasing peers.

 

To stretch my mind on the rack of thought.

 

To have enough time to give kiddo the physical activity he should have, and to learn non-school skills and habits that will help him be happy, healthy, and handy the rest of his life.

Edited May 6, 2010 by kalanamak

[StartingOver]

Because the only school around here I would consider is over $20,000 post tax dollars.

 

To keep his mind on school, not pleasing peers.

 

To stretch my mind on the rack of thought.

 

To have enough time to give kiddo the physical activity he should have, and to learn non-school skills habits that will help him be happy, healthy, and handy the rest of his life.

 

They have dropped art and music classes. Talking about dropping gym, and recess is only 15 minutes in elementary here.

[Dandelion]

We decided to homeschool after DS had a horrendous first year in preschool. He was bored out of his mind, was constantly getting time-outs for not sitting still at circle time and other similar infractions (he was 4 and is a high-energy kid), and one of his teachers actually told me "Your son asks too many questions. They're relevant questions, but we simply don't have time to answer them." :confused: There was just waaaay too much focus on conforming to the structure and "how we do things around here", and very little focus on actual learning and keeping that love of learning alive. He started getting sick every Tuesday and Thursday morning in anticipation of having to go to school. And this was only PRESCHOOL!!

 

I shared my frustrations with a friend who happened to be a homeschooler. She told me about homeschooling and encouraged me to seriously consider it. So, when all the stars aligned and I found out I was being laid off from my job within the year, I began researching the homeschooling laws in our state. My DH was actually deployed to the Middle East at the time and couldn't be that involved in the decision process, so he basically said "do what you think is best". After lots of research and soul-searching, I decided not to send DS to kindergarten in the fall.

 

So...although we came to homeschooling out of desperation, both DH and I are now convinced that this is the absolute best way for us to educate our kids. We're enjoying the freedom, the flexibility, and being able to go at DS's pace (where else could he study nanotechnology in first grade? :)).

[at the beach]

My youngest had a hard time in school. That's what prompted me to look into another path. I found TWTM at the local bookstore couldn't believe I had never considered something like this before. And then, not only did I want my youngest home, I wanted my middle daughter home, too. My oldest was going to be a Senior so clearly I did not feel like I could or should bring her home. So, I sent off the letter to the school at the end of summer, feeling rather like I was doing something quite naughty. LOL. We haven't looked back since. I love homeschooling. And I think so do they. I can meet their needs better, they have time to be kids, I get to be with them more, and it is so much fun to have this kind of freedom. Academically, it is great, too, for them. My middle child is academically oriented. She loves her studies. She is bright eyed about everything. My youngest is not as academically oriented (not yet anyway and maybe never) but she loves the outdoors and loves working with her hands and tinkering with things. Homeschooling lets me meet both their needs much better than a public school could. And in my opinion, there are just an awful lot of undesirable influences in schools that I don't want to expose my kids to. The longer I am at this, the more I don't believe in turning my kids over to the State for the bulk of their daily lives.

[mcconnellboys]

Reasons why I started don't really matter any more. Suffice it to say I felt forced into it as a stop gap measure. It turned into much more than that. I find it to be a highly superior method of educating our children. I perservere because I think it offers them so much more than they can get anywhere else.....

[Guest Cindie2dds]

They have dropped art and music classes. Talking about dropping gym, and recess is only 15 minutes in elementary here.

 

You can't go to any of these if you don't do well on the drills for the TAKS test. My dear friend decided to homeschool when they sent her dd home with two extra hours of homework and took her out of art, PE and recess to study. :glare: A 3rd grade student!

[StartingOver]

You can't go to any of these if you don't do well on the drills for the TAKS test. My dear friend decided to homeschool when they sent her dd home with two extra hours of homework and took her out of art, PE and recess to study. :glare: A 3rd grade student!

 

Isn't it nuts. Doing good on the TAKS doesn't matter here. The classes are just dropped.

 

I remember going to school and having three thirty minute recesses, art and music twice a week. We had foreign languages in elementary. We still learned phonics and math facts. It was hard, but we didn't have hours upon hours of homework, just spelling and vocabulary words. We went to class in Alaska at 8 am, and got out at 3pm. Back then Alaska had some of the best schools in the nation.

 

I just don't get how we have gotten so turned around in America in such a short time !

[Guest Cindie2dds]

Isn't it nuts. Doing good on the TAKS doesn't matter here. The classes are just dropped.

 

I remember going to school and having three thirty minute recesses, art and music twice a week. We had foreign languages in elementary. We still learned phonics and math facts. It was hard, but we didn't have hours upon hours of homework, just spelling and vocabulary words. We went to class in Alaska at 8 am, and got out at 3pm. Back then Alaska had some of the best schools in the nation.

 

I just don't get how we have gotten so turned around in America in such a short time !

 

:iagree:

I don't remember very much homework before high school because pretty much from the time I got home from school until dark, I was on my bicycle. The only time I remember homework being "excessive" was when I was procrastinating on a History or Science Fair project. ;) We started at 8:15 and got out at 2:45, 45 minute lunch, one hour recess, plus organized PE, Spanish (or Latin) and art.

[Rosie_0801]

Currently I'm totschooling because I've worked in childcare...

 

Rosie

[Tap]

DS asked to homeschool in 5th grade. He started in public school 10th grade this year and will be starting college/dual enrollment in the fall.

 

Dd11 has kept our homeschool going and she has no intention of going to regular school any time soon. She loves the freedom it provides her.

[AnitaMcC]

We homeschool for many reasons. The only reason we didn't do it sooner was because my Dh was adamently against homeschooling... until our twins hit 7th grade. Then he was saying lets homeschool them for high school. I have always wanted to homeschool our kids... even before twins were born. But Dh just wouldn't agree. He still is against homeschooling our youngest two... until they hit high school. Ds#2 is starting 6th grade and I really want to bring him home. Ds#3 is starting 4th grade... but I am not ready to bring him home- he is a huge challenge-:banghead:, he is dx with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.

 

Our reasons to homeschool:

Flexibility:

Dd studies Kung Fu and competes nationally. She is at Kung Fu school from about 5pm to 9pm Monday through Friday. She wouldn't have time to do homework if she was in school all day and we would get flak for her being out of school when we need to travel to tournaments (average 1-2 tournaments a month).

 

We can choose our own schedule to do things, take vacations when we want, etc. Basically live our lives as we see fit. Not have school system be in control of our lives.

 

Individual Education:

Ds#1 is dx with Asperger Syndrome, Sensory Integration Disorder, ADD. He just wasn't succeeding in normal public school setting. He is extremely gifted but he struggles in other areas. As homeschooler, we can give him the advanced level courses to challenge him academically but also give him the support he needs to succeed. We can have him take college courses that he is ready to take without doing the high school level of the courses first.

 

Dd wants to focus more on her music and this isn't available in our school system. And it comes back to flexibility. She takes private music lessons during the school day once a week. She wouldn't be able to take private lessons at all if she was in public school. She doesn't need or want to take advanced math/science (she wants to major in music and possibly psychology). So her being required to take the harder level courses just because she is capable doesn't mean it is the best route for her. She wants to take the less rigorous courses in math/science so she can focus on the other areas of education. For example: she wants to learn more foreign languages, more history, social sciences, etc.

 

Safer environment:

Our schools are not the best environment. Our school district has 5 high schools... and the one we are zoned for is the worst of them all. Very undisciplined, students who do not care to be educated are disruptive and in class sizes of 25-35 students just doesn't allow much real education to be done. There are alot of wannabe gangbangers in our school and fights occur on a daily basis. Drugs and gang issues is a major issue in our district.

 

In General:

Dd hated the time wasted in school day with disruptive students. Both Ds and Dd hated the wasted time in the school day due to all the "typical" functions of a school (attendance, collecting homework, a lot of redundancy going on in their education, not getting help when needed because teacher either forgets who is next in line to get help or teacher runs out of time and can't help all the students who ask for help).

 

Ds just hated the school environment and he absolutely hated the redundancy of public school. He much prefers self learning and college environment. Also, too often the teachers just didn't "get" Ds. They often would say they didn't know what to do with him. He often was too advanced in math and science so he rarely learned anything in those classes and teachers often didn't have anything to keep him busy or challenged so then he would get frustrated and bored and then the autism behaviors would be more of an issue. His "non-compliance" was a huge issue with the school.

 

Academics in our schools are not good. My neice and younger nephew graduated from the high school we are zoned to attend. Their education was not good... even though niece was in honors/AP courses. We couldn't homeschool them as they were state wards and we only had legal guardianship. Dh and I just know we can do better than our schools.

 

So we are continuing to homeschool our twins... it is a challenge at times. There are days that I threaten to send Ds#1 back to public school :willy_nilly:

[StartingOver]

We homeschool for many reasons. The only reason we didn't do it sooner was because my Dh was adamently against homeschooling... until our twins hit 7th grade. Then he was saying lets homeschool them for high school. I have always wanted to homeschool our kids... even before twins were born. But Dh just wouldn't agree. He still is against homeschooling our youngest two... until they hit high school. Ds#2 is starting 6th grade and I really want to bring him home. Ds#3 is starting 4th grade... but I am not ready to bring him home- he is a huge challenge-:banghead:, he is dx with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.

 

Our reasons to homeschool:

Flexibility:

Dd studies Kung Fu and competes nationally. She is at Kung Fu school from about 5pm to 9pm Monday through Friday. She wouldn't have time to do homework if she was in school all day and we would get flak for her being out of school when we need to travel to tournaments (average 1-2 tournaments a month).

 

We can choose our own schedule to do things, take vacations when we want, etc. Basically live our lives as we see fit. Not have school system be in control of our lives.

 

Individual Education:

Ds#1 is dx with Asperger Syndrome, Sensory Integration Disorder, ADD. He just wasn't succeeding in normal public school setting. He is extremely gifted but he struggles in other areas. As homeschooler, we can give him the advanced level courses to challenge him academically but also give him the support he needs to succeed. We can have him take college courses that he is ready to take without doing the high school level of the courses first.

 

Dd wants to focus more on her music and this isn't available in our school system. And it comes back to flexibility. She takes private music lessons during the school day once a week. She wouldn't be able to take private lessons at all if she was in public school. She doesn't need or want to take advanced math/science (she wants to major in music and possibly psychology). So her being required to take the harder level courses just because she is capable doesn't mean it is the best route for her. She wants to take the less rigorous courses in math/science so she can focus on the other areas of education. For example: she wants to learn more foreign languages, more history, social sciences, etc.

 

Safer environment:

Our schools are not the best environment. Our school district has 5 high schools... and the one we are zoned for is the worst of them all. Very undisciplined, students who do not care to be educated are disruptive and in class sizes of 25-35 students just doesn't allow much real education to be done. There are alot of wannabe gangbangers in our school and fights occur on a daily basis. Drugs and gang issues is a major issue in our district.

 

In General:

Dd hated the time wasted in school day with disruptive students. Both Ds and Dd hated the wasted time in the school day due to all the "typical" functions of a school (attendance, collecting homework, a lot of redundancy going on in their education, not getting help when needed because teacher either forgets who is next in line to get help or teacher runs out of time and can't help all the students who ask for help).

 

Ds just hated the school environment and he absolutely hated the redundancy of public school. He much prefers self learning and college environment. Also, too often the teachers just didn't "get" Ds. They often would say they didn't know what to do with him. He often was too advanced in math and science so he rarely learned anything in those classes and teachers often didn't have anything to keep him busy or challenged so then he would get frustrated and bored and then the autism behaviors would be more of an issue. His "non-compliance" was a huge issue with the school.

 

Academics in our schools are not good. My neice and younger nephew graduated from the high school we are zoned to attend. Their education was not good... even though niece was in honors/AP courses. We couldn't homeschool them as they were state wards and we only had legal guardianship. Dh and I just know we can do better than our schools.

 

So we are continuing to homeschool our twins... it is a challenge at times. There are days that I threaten to send Ds#1 back to public school :willy_nilly:

 

 

Oh do I understand about the neice. I have a neice who my mother raised. She was in UIL, Honors classes, even took dual enrollment classes, on the deans list, you name it. When he took her SAT's she got an extremely low score. Boy where they shocked ! She was convinced she would be given a full ride scholarship. It is sad what the schools here have become.

[ScoutTN]

DH and I have decide that we have two answers to this - one for people who really want to know and one for his family who dislike our choice (and our worldview and our politics and our friends etc.).

 

The real answer:

 

We are homeschooling because of it's strengths:

Relationships

Freedom and flexibility

Ability to let children be children

Individualized instruction - content, style/method, pace

Ability to teach both practical life skills and academics from a Christian worldview

Better use of time

No homework

Socialization

 

We are also homeschooling because of the characteristics of the school systems available to us:

 

Public school is not an option for us in terms of worldview - at least for elementary school and likely middle school as well. We will not have our children indoctrinated for 6+ hours a day into an aggressively naturalist, anti-Christian worldview. We think it would be a violation of the Dt. 6 commands to parents (and other Scripture) for us to delegate the education of our children to this system.

 

The academics in the school we are zoned for also leave much to be desired, to put it gently.

 

While I am not convinced of all the arguments of Gatto (a bit too conspiracy theorist for me) and others like him, I do agree with many of his assessments and find them to be true. Negative socialization, inefficient methodology, vast amounts of time wasted, no contact with the real world etc. So we are not excited about school as an institution in general.

 

There are several small, nurturing, academically solid Christian schools near us. But they are far, far beyond our reach financially. And they still have many of the weaknesses inherent in school as an institution and our current American culture (Though they strive against some of these, others they seem not even to recognize.)

 

In summary: We began this journey as a default path but have found it to be where we as a family are well suited to be. We have found like-minded friends along the way and so far (admittedly only a few steps on a long road) we like the results we see in our children and ourselves.

[Irene Lynn]

1. I love teaching!

 

2. Dd asks questions and wants very indepth answers. We also had a good rapport and trust educationally.

 

3. Dd was far more advanced intellectually than she was emotionally/socially. Ex. At age 6 she could handle honest discussions about ancient religious practices or slavery, but crumbled at the slightest harsh tone of voice. She found it very difficult to talk to friends her age and could also get overstimulated by activity, lights, and sound. This caused her to shut down intellectually and burst into tears. Of course, then she needed everyone to ignore her and not cause any more stimulation. Try that in a classroom. I am so thankful for the opportunity to allow dd to fly in the areas she could fly, while letting other areas develop at the slower pace they seemed to need.

 

4. I didn't know this at the beginning, but now I can say I cherish the long deep conversations about everthing under the sun that we have been able to have through the years. Of course, she was an only child for 13.5 years. :) I have loved being able to share values, imagination, and our lives with each other. I have loved having the privilege to turn life into a musical at random times during the day.

 

5. I have enjoyed all the learning that I have been able to do that I might not have done otherwise.

 

6. We have chosen homeschooling because it seemed to be the best option to teach and rear our dd.

[Lolly]

God made me do it.

[LibraryLover]

Freedom.