Do any of you get paid to homeschool ......???

[Cleopatra]

I'm in British Columbia as well, enrolled with a large distance learning school. Having $1000 per kid enrolled for curriculum/sports/music lessons is great, but there are also many other benefits that the original poster didn't mention, which for the moment for our family, has the pro's outweighing the inconvenience of having to meet the Provincial Learning Outcomes.

 

-the school has funded my son for $1000 of occupational therapy this year. It's been great having the occupational therapist come to my house and work with my son. This is something I couldn't have afforded, and he wouldn't have had access to in ps. Within a couple weeks of my requesting he be evaluated for it, he was approved and we were on our way.

 

-the school we're with has an amazing library of homeschooling curricula, CD's, DVD's and of course, books! Even science kits that they restock the consumables. You browse their online catalogue and they deliver it right to your house, then send them an email when you're through and they arrange pickup. This is actually how I came across TWTM, and I currently have one of their CD's of SOTW that I've been listening to to see if I like it before I bought it. Likewise OPGTR, FLL, and hosts of other things. It's a huge bonus to be able to have a book at your home for a few weeks to see if you like it before you go and buy it!

 

-the school arranges and funds co-ops and learning camps that you can participate in at your discretion. We can get great deals on dance lessons, for example, because they pay a good portion of the cost. Right now, my son is going to homeschool track and field for 2hrs a week led by one of their teachers and there is a big track and field event in a few weeks that they're arranging and sponsoring. Several weeks of lessons, followed by a day long event that is a heap of fun is only costing me $30 (and it would be less if I volunteered to help!). And if you felt like teaching a co-op class, they pay you for your time. Not much, but it's nice!

 

-Because you are actually enrolled with the system, you get a graduation diploma. I don't really know at this point how much of an issue that will be when it comes time for university, but likely it will save my children from having to go through any hoops proving to the school that they have been well educated.

 

-Through the school I'm with, I've had access to online programs and curriculum that they pay the user fees for.

 

-On a much lesser note (but it has been kind of handy in dealing with family and friends that were concerned about our decision to homeschool) you have a teacher to ask questions to and provide encouragement. Keep in mind that these are quite often homeschooling moms who are working their 'teaching' job on the side. One of the teachers who is the go-to lady for curriculum questions (it's her job to keep up on what's out there) also teaches her kids using the classical method. If you know your homeschooling philosophy, the school will do your best to match you up with a teacher with the same philosophy.

 

So yes, meeting the Learning Outcomes could be a pain, although in K, we pretty much met those by living and breathing. I don't feel like my freedom has been taken away in the slightest. All I did when it was time to turn in the porfolio (3 times a year) is simply handed over the binder that we've been putting our work in, and the teacher picked it up and returned it a few days later. I send her regular emails of what we've accomplished in a week so she can check off what's been covered in the PLO's - and she recently informed me that we're well into meeting the Gr.1 requirements. Now, perhaps in the higher grades these plo's will become a pain to meet. This year, I read them once at the beginning of the year, taught what I wished, and they were met. I don't know, but should that happen I'll re-evaluate my decision to enroll at that time. For now, I just consider myself extremely blessed. The funding we received provided for all my son's curriculum and his piano lessons for the year, and next year with another child old enough to enroll, and less curriculum to buy as she can reuse a bunch of his stuff, I don't think I'll have to pay for any extra-curricular activities at all!

 

Hmmm ...... I wonder what school you're with ......;)

 

My school has some resources but they are usually available only because of homeschooling moms who have specifically requested them. And, of course, you have to have easy access to your school to use them.

 

You must have a great teacher ............ I know of only a few who have come into the DL program as homeschoolers and have the knowledge to support you. You often are showing interesting curriculum to them which they say they would be interested in using when their children are old enough to homeschool (my first teacher). All the teachers (public, private, homeschool) are coming out of the same system so it is a rarity to get a teacher well-versed in homeschooling. I recently asked for opinions on some of the top Algebra programs (Lial's, Dolciani, Chalkdust, Foresters, Jacobs) and no one in the school has been able to help me (not teacher, curriculum coordinator, principal, highschool principal, etc.) I've checked with other schools and they have not heard of them either, probably because they are U.S. programs but do you want to be stuck with Canadian curriculum? They've also never heard of CW, WT, MM, MEP, LTW, etc., etc. I could go on and on (but I won't) ......;)

 

You seem to have had an unusually positive experience which is great! I don't know of anyone who gets all the benefits you do, unless you're enrolled through a 'public' school and then there are usually strings attached. I think it all depends on the teacher you get. And I think you're right .......... it is much easier to hit those learning outcomes in the lower grades. Yes, K was a walk in the park and it isn't too bad until around grade 4. Then it gets harder and harder to follow your child's interests and hit all those outcomes! You end up having to stop something you know they are enthralled with, to hit an outcome they have no interest in and isn't really important to their future success.

 

Yes, you can get a diploma through these schools but only if you use government curriculum (ie. public school curriculum). I would think it almost impossible to get one from using homeschool materials; I don't know of anyone who has been able to. The Ministry is quite strict with what is used for grade 10, 11 & 12 and U.S. curriculum (most of the homeschooling materials available out there) just doesn't cut it for them.

 

I'd say hang on to that teacher you have because she sounds like she's one in a million! Actually, you sound like me when I first enrolled and now look at me! Yikes! (Hee hee! :001_smile:) I'd love to hear from you 5-6 years from now and see what you think then!

[specialmama]

I haven't read all the responses so forgive me if this has been mentioned.

 

I'm in Alberta (hello BC neighbour!) and we get $700-$1500 per child per year, depending on the board and depending on what tier you choose (traditional, blended, or fully aligned.) Some boards are more schooly and require a portfolio check. I got $1400 this year and only had to submit 3 writting samples. The meetings are friendly enough, I don't feel it's an intrusion at all and in fact my daughter enjoys chatting it up with the fascilitator and showing off all the work she's done. I'm thankful for the money, it does help justify paying $800 a year on Tapestry books alone!

 

In a year and a bit we'll go fully traditional ($750ish) and it's even more hands-off. We were traditional for 2 years, so I'm looking forward to having those refreshing, bi-annual meetings again. The fascilitator is usually just tickled to see learning happening in any fashion, even if you unschool.

[Celia]

Hmmm ...... I wonder what school you're with ......;)

 

My school has some resources but they are usually available only because of homeschooling moms who have specifically requested them. And, of course, you have to have easy access to your school to use them.

 

You must have a great teacher ............ I know of only a few who have come into the DL program as homeschoolers and have the knowledge to support you. You often are showing interesting curriculum to them which they say they would be interested in using when their children are old enough to homeschool (my first teacher). All the teachers (public, private, homeschool) are coming out of the same system so it is a rarity to get a teacher well-versed in homeschooling. I recently asked for opinions on some of the top Algebra programs (Lial's, Dolciani, Chalkdust, Foresters, Jacobs) and no one in the school has been able to help me (not teacher, curriculum coordinator, principal, highschool principal, etc.) I've checked with other schools and they have not heard of them either, probably because they are U.S. programs but do you want to be stuck with Canadian curriculum? They've also never heard of CW, WT, MM, MEP, LTW, etc., etc. I could go on and on (but I won't) ......;)

 

You seem to have had an unusually positive experience which is great! I don't know of anyone who gets all the benefits you do, unless you're enrolled through a 'public' school and then there are usually strings attached. I think it all depends on the teacher you get. And I think you're right .......... it is much easier to hit those learning outcomes in the lower grades. Yes, K was a walk in the park and it isn't too bad until around grade 4. Then it gets harder and harder to follow your child's interests and hit all those outcomes! You end up having to stop something you know they are enthralled with, to hit an outcome they have no interest in and isn't really important to their future success.

 

Yes, you can get a diploma through these schools but only if you use government curriculum (ie. public school curriculum). I would think it almost impossible to get one from using homeschool materials; I don't know of anyone who has been able to. The Ministry is quite strict with what is used for grade 10, 11 & 12 and U.S. curriculum (most of the homeschooling materials available out there) just doesn't cut it for them.

 

I'd say hang on to that teacher you have because she sounds like she's one in a million! Actually, you sound like me when I first enrolled and now look at me! Yikes! (Hee hee! :001_smile:) I'd love to hear from you 5-6 years from now and see what you think then!

 

 

I agree that a lot of it really depends on the teacher you end up with, and the school as well. I know some can be really creative when it comes to meeting those plo's! And yes, if it becomes too arduous to meet them as we get to higher grades, then I would call it quits. We'll just play it year by year. What really cracks me up is that this coming year our school is one of the 'test schools' for implementing full day K. So, the K'ers enrolling this year for DL get full funding rather than half, but the PLO's don't change. :tongue_smilie:

 

From our local hs'ing group, I do know other mom's who have had very good experiences as well (with different teachers, and different schools) and have also had a lot of help for special therapies. That said, one mom I was chatting with last month who is teaching the classical method is switching frpm enrolling to registering because she was at her wits end with trying to prove that they'd covered the PLO's, which frankly she wasn't really all the interested in teaching anyways because it just wasn't fitting in with her philosophy, and I was thinking that I could see myself just in her position in a few years! Might just end up enrolling my kids up to grade 4 to take advantage of the benefits, and registering them beyond that!

 

The teacher I have is quite good - not that she's been homeschooling for a long time (came out of the public system, so it's been a learning curve for her as well in both switching to hs'ing her kiddo and learning about the different hs'ing curricula and philosophies), but more due to the fact that she'll talk to other teachers in the school who can answer any Q's I have.

 

I did originally look into enrolling with the ps distance learning, but you're right, there are WAY too many strings attached there!

[ubermomto5]

i didn't read all the replies either, but i live in CA and we have lots of charter school options, as well as registering as a private school. for k-6 years of my oldest daughters hs we did that, but just this year i enrolled in a charter school because of the money they will give us that we can use for ballet lessons. my girls are both newly en pointe and i don't pay a thing for it. it has been a big blessing for us.

your experience will depend partly on the charter school but mostly on your teacher, es, et, whatever they will call it! we see ours every 20 school days. she was completely homeschooled herself and has a great perspective. she just listens to me ramble about what we've done and inputs it in her laptop to make everything fit into the standards for calif. i provide a sample of work for each semester (LA, science, P.E., etc. ) in 6 areas and that's it. our charter school has a relaxed view, and is willing to incorporate all methods of schooling, from montessori to classical. i get 1800 dollars per child each year which goes a long way. it has been a good fit for our lives with little adjustment on my part, so i'll continue doing it for now.

Edited May 26, 2010 by ubermomto5

[swellmomma]

I have not read all the replies so others in Alberta may have already posted. I am in Alberta. REgistering is mandatory but how you register is optional, and the amount of funding correlates with with. Funding ranges from $700-1500 per child per year depending on how you register and what board you go with. Sometimes the funding makes is harder though. THis year we went blended in order to get more $$, it was much needed but the extra hoops sucked rocks. It was not hard to meet the outcomes just an extra thing to think about while lesson planning. I am not sure how we will register for next year yet. The $$ is tempting, but I may opt for the lowest amount just to get the easier planning year.

[Grammar Stage Parent]

I thought you may want to be aware of my experiences in BC in 2007 and 2008. I helped a family whose boys were in the DL learning arrangement. She hired me to help mostly her older son, who had been unable to complete the Grade 4 requirements by the end of June 2007. In other words, he "failed". The reason the Ministry of Education had resurrected this practice is that, at least at that time, they were not paying teachers in that department to work summers, so DL kids had to follow the BC curriculum ruthlessly, and at a fairly accelerated pace.

 

Another thing was that this mom didn't have a homeschooling curriculum preference, she basically just wanted the kids at home and literate. So she got maximum funding. A vendor in Langley (since closed) indicated religious content on the items in her catalogue because these were things that BC homeschoolers could not get reimbursed for.

 

The older boy was provided with a laptop and was required to attend online sessions for Grade 4 English.

 

Personally, as a classical homeschooler, I decided this arrangement wasn't for me, despite the financial remunerations. Even though DL kids necessarily do more writing than public school kids, the pace in my opinion was pretty tough.

 

___________________________________________________________

 

 

Daughter: 9; Singapore Primary Mathematics 3B; Story of the World Level 2; Writing Strands 3; Spelling Workout Level C; Science experiment books recommended in WTM; WWE3

 

Son: 6: First Language Lessons Level 2; Singapore Primary Mathematics 1B; general handwriting practice and reading practice; SOTW 1; WWE 1; Science experiment books recommended in WTM

 

 

 

[Annabel Lee]

We're going to be using a public charter for the upcoming school year. We won't be paid to homeschool, but will receive funding for activities and curriculum. The charter we chose is very, very flexible. The parents I've talked to run the gamut of homeschool philosophies, from classical to traditional textbooks to full-on unschooling.

 

The only requirements are meeting with a school rep 1/mo (from what I've heard the meetings last all of 20 min. No big deal), over the course of the year create a portfolio of work and participate in state testing. None of this is a big deal to us. In exchange they provide funding for secular curriculum and/or activities. (I can use sectarian curriculum, but I'd have to pay for it myself).

 

I no longer have to try to homeschool for free. YEAH!

 

Legally they'll be public school students, but socially and academically they're homeschoolers. I direct their educations, set the pace, choose the curriculum, and customize every aspect of how we do things... all from home (or the library or car :001_smile: ).

 

So, so, so tired of holier-than-thou discussions about "real" homeschoolers versus "fake" homeschoolers.

 

:iagree:Well said.

 

Mine is not a public charter school; I don't know what they consider it legally. It is a program set up for homeschoolers. There's no brick'n'mortar school attached to the one I use - just a small little office. We only go to that office once or twice a year, and only for a few minutes each time. State testing is done at another site and doesn't matter to me - it's irrelevant. My monthly contact can consist of an email or a phonecall from me to them. They don't check up on me. The "teacher" there doesn't assign anything - I just hand in 1 sample paper from each subject my kids are doing (that I put on their official transcript - I don't list everything they do). There are many subjects I don't use pre-made curriculum for - I make it up based on my kids' wants/needs, or based on WTM, etc. This is hardly ps at home.

 

I don't homeschool differently to meet the program's requirements - I do what I want, when I want, and see if the program can still fit us. If so, great. If not, then I'd have to try to homeschool for free, too. Which is time-consuming and difficult to pull together, I imagine.

 

I consider us homeschoolers. :001_tt2: :D

[EppieJ]

A friend of mine does something similar in washington state. Her son goes to a mixed grade class two days a week and the district will pay for materials from an approved list.

 

It would drive me crazy but it works for her.

 

We're in Washington. What we have is called "Alternative Learning Programs". By enrolling in this (and actually, the one we're enrolled in is very loosely an ALP), we have access to district funding and resources. We are required to school 180 days for 25 hrs per week (for my ds' grade level) and weekly check-ins are required as well as monthly reviews (which basically just say, "this is what we did this month in these subjects"). The funds can be used for field trips, workshops, curriculum purchases (as long as it's not "religious" - which doesn't mean we can't use those things, but we can't use district funding to purchase them - we're not really supposed to report use of those things either)

 

For us, it's the best of both worlds. I get to choose what goes into ds' brain and have access to district funding and resources, free field trips, testing (which I like to do annually to make sure we're on track), student laptops...ds gets to have teachers other than "Mom" and have workshops (weekly classes) with other kids. We also have a resource room where materials are available to check out. There are also free consumables (like Singapore math). It's working great for us! And on top of that, I actually have a paying job in the office while ds is taking his classes.

 

I know it's not for everyone, but for us it's been wonderful.

[M&M]

I want absolutely no connection to public schools in any way. $$ doesn't entice me b/c with $$ always comes strings. I want freedom.

:iagree: :iagree:

Edited May 26, 2010 by M&M
Clarity

[Faline]

I don't get paid to hs, but I am saving approximately $6000 a year by doing so (private school tuition).