old

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I chose my answer based on the conventional number of years my kids would have been in school. ie-not counting the years before kindergarten or adjusting for year-round schooling.

[bluemongoose]

See? That makes me sad. I'm sure you have wonderful things to add to the topics that may be helpful to many people. You should not let the fear of snarkiness keep you from sharing!

 

:iagree:

And looking back on my own previous post, I saw it as defensive in tone. It leaves me wondering if I am "one of those posters" that you are talking about. I think we should all be able to have a valid opinion. Also, just today I met someone in the library who is contemplating homeschooling and wanted some info about different curricula and the hows of homeschooling. I sent her to this board. Then I logged on and this is what I read and I felt sad and embarrassed that I had just sent a possible newbie to the board right when there is a discussion going on about how newbies are irritating.:glare:

[Mommee & Baba]

We've been homeschooling for 4 years :)

[guateangel]

I think this is a wonderful place where we can all come and learn from each others experiences regardless of how long we have been doing what we are doing.:001_smile:

 

That said, I do find the opinions of parents with kids the same age as mine, or only a year or so older, particularly useful. Not that the opinions of more experienced homeschoolers aren't also useful, but I definitely value all perspectives.

 

:iagree:

 

There is a newbie homeschooler, in particular, on this board who posts often and I very much value her opinion just as much as someone who's been homeschooling for 15 years.

 

How unfortunate it would be if that person, or anyone for that matter, would leave a forum or hesitate to help/educate/support/encourage us 'newbies' due to a thread such as this. :(

[Amie]

...a discussion going on about how newbies are irritating.:glare:

In the OP's defense, I don't think she was making a sweeping statement that "newbies are irritating". I think she was speaking of a certain type of newbie--someone who seems to have it all figured out and posts accordingly.

[carrie_irene]

:iagree:

There may be a number of factors that will not show up in a person's "siggy". What if you have history in the education field? What if you helped raise your neice? What if you've taught other people's children how to read?

 

I was homeschooled myself and I think that does give me a little different perspective than some (not superior, just different). I'm not trying to say this in an arrogant way. I have learned how different (and scary) it is when it comes time to have/homeschool your own children. I have very few posts for the amount of time I have spent on these boards. I have learned SO MUCH here, simply by reading. I try to stay out of the conversations for the most part because I know I still have so much to learn and my own children are still so young. However, when a post like this shows up it can seem a little inconsiderate to some of us.

 

I've used Rod and Staff with other people's children, I used to keep a boy with Cerebral Palsy and helped him with many of his exercises, I tutored phonics before I had my own children, I've taught a couple of small classes of homeschoolers (kids older than my own). These are things that won't be in my siggy and are completely unrelated to the number and ages of my own children. I realize they also don't make me a homeschool expert. I'm sure other people here have far more impressive "bios" than I do. I'm simply trying to give an example.

 

All of that being said, I believe I have seen what you (op) are referring to and roll my eyes at some of the posts. And you may have cringed at some of mine as well. :blushing: Some of the most intelligent conversations I've had the privilege of sitting in on have taken place on this board (like the highschool board). I usually bite my virtual tongue and simply read. The longer I hang out here the more I learn and the more I realize I have SO MUCH MORE to learn. I think a lot of "newbies" would benefit from doing this, as I have. I also learn more about the different people on here and what they have to offer. I love all of the different backgrounds and perspectives they bring to the table. I try to take that into consideration as I read what they have to say.

My mother has been homeschooling continuously for 24 years (with 9 years to go) and I love that she is still learning and re-evaluating the way she homeschools. If she had time to spend on these boards she'd tell you that--3 years, 10 years, 20 years--you learn a lot and figure out a lot, but you never really have it ALL figured out and there is always someone else you can learn something from. I love that about her...

 

I hope this came across in the tone that was intended. Anyone who knows me in real life knows just how shy and quiet I am. I just thought I'd add my own perspective.

 

Well written, Amie! I also agree with your later post that the OP was not intending for the poll to be mean in nature. And I do appreciate the patience that most people here have with the countless questions us newbies have! ;)

 

I know plenty of people IRL that are quick to offer advice on that which they know nothing about. I try and take it all in anyway, discarding the junk yet percieving what is offered from a fresh pair of eyes. :)

[Veritaserum]

In the OP's defense, I don't think she was making a sweeping statement that "newbies are irritating". I think she was speaking of a certain type of newbie--someone who seems to have it all figured out and posts accordingly.

 

It's definitely not a blanket "newbies are irritating". It's people who have very young children (PreK or K or younger) who are prone to telling more experienced homeschoolers about how such-and-such should be done. For example, I was at a homeschooling support group where a woman with a 5yo child was claiming 5 years of homeschooling experience (no, she never taught other kids) and was telling a 6-year veteran (had homeschooled K-5) with multiple children about the values of older children working independently. She also had strong opinions about "school at home" as a bad thing. I saw myself in her because I know I've spouted off when I probably didn't have the experience/information to back up what I was saying. :tongue_smilie: Those types of...lectures don't often prove to be helpful. :)

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

This is my first "official" year.

 

Opinionated newbie posts remind me of the messageboards I was on when I was pg with my first. Everyone was so passionate and adamant about the "right way" to mother. Endless debates and hurt feelings over breastfeeding, circumcision, co-sleeping, on and on. Then we had the babies and brought them home. Suddenly, these die-hard convictions weren't so firm any more.

 

I think the passion and optimism you have initially helps you to persevere through the reality checks and difficulties. It's just important to share your passion and optimism with humility. ;)

 

Monica

 

So true!

[nov05mama]

I think the passion and optimism you have initially helps you to persevere through the reality checks and difficulties. It's just important to share your passion and optimism with humility. ;)

My feelings as well :)

[ElizabethB]

4 years.

 

17 years of phonics experience, about 4 years of algebra tutoring. (There was always someone I worked with trying to pass algebra for their degree!)

 

Teaching most things was easy the first year, but I really struggled with my daughter's first year of math. I tell people half jokingly that I should have practiced on other people's children for lower level math! I am now very pro Singapore and pro Asian type math, deep understanding of math, it has made a big difference with my daughter. (My son would have been fine with any math, but is learning more with Asian style math.)

 

I was very happy when I got the chance to tutor fractions and decimals to a 4th grader last year, free practice! Well, it turns out that my daughter gets fractions just fine, it's division that is difficult. But, research here and repetition have solved the division problem.

[mom2bee]

I know that I've gotta be one of those annoying posters being talked about. So I'll say it once more. I'm sorry to any and everyone whom I'm offending or have offended. I think some of my posts, especially the ones about PreK and Kindergarten have been grossly misread and I'm too...I don't know..."newbie" to know how to fix it, other than to apologize again. I was wondering if there is also a bit of a 'generational' gap that divides me from the majority of the posters on this board, as I seem to be doing 3 parts harm to 1 part good around here.

 

I realize that I can come accross as know it all, but really I'm just a very much 'green behind the ears' still. What's that saying about fervor and the newly initiated?

 

Anyway, I chose 2-3 years, even though I have been teaching/tutoring since I was 12 years old. What I lack is experience beyond the K-4 stage

 

My special personal interests are in child development from birth-8 years old. Teaching Reading and Arithmetic. (I have many ideas about teaching other maths, but I'm still working on the research for it, right now anything beyond basic math is just a pipe dream, but its always in the back of my mind.

 

Anyway, I'm not sure how to break my criteria, such as it is, down into my signature, so I will put it here instead.

 

My Limited Experience with Homeschool, etc...

Of course as a Home School graduate, I have long term experience with being a homeschool student but I also have experience teaching and tutoring reading from the time I was 12 years old (my younger brother struggled badly with reading and I began working with him, informally 4x a week) but I have only 3yrs of solid experience homeschooling academic subjects, since I'm helping to home school my younger siblings as my parents face health issues and other life changes. I also help home school someone else's 3 kids to various degrees and periodically after school the neighbor kids. I tutor middle school and elementary students at my local library. I'm putting together a reading program for this summer at the library and a Spanish Immersion program to use with some student(s) at home. This spring, I hope to become an ESOL tutor for children in the community.

 

I taught 2 years of preK and 1 year of Kindergarten with a little girl (friend of the family) who was 'delayed' (she'd been watching 9+ hours of TV a day since she was 14 months while her mother--who worked nights--slept and her older siblings did their own thing....). While she never did master many of the 'barebones' academics during our time together she was potty trained and learned to eat something besides snack food, began speaking in complete sentences, learned to interact with people, learned to accept the word no, played out side ALOT, painted, cooked, baked, got horsey back rides, got time outs, built tents, played with toys and I did her therapy exercises with her 2x a day, learn to dance, heard hundreds of books and stories. We later found out that she had severe vision issues, which is why she had so much trouble with workbook type activities.

 

(My mom was homeschooling the little kids and this girl was too disruptive to sit in on the lessons with them so I was tasked with watching her throughout the day and she soon began following me around all the time.)

 

This girl was my first un-official student, because her mom dropped her off between 3 and 5 am. She'd come get in bed with me and we'd get 'our day' started around 9am. But that was almost 7 years ago. I'm now helping her in 6th grade as she is now home schooled and uses a virtual public school program.

 

Around the same time that I was being "Teacher" to the little girl, I began reading parenting magazines and child development books because some of my little brothers were making me crazy and both of us being children wasn't working so I realized I needed to grow up and be 'parental' and 'maternal' with them. It worked out a lot better; my acting like the adult during our disagreements and treating them, quite respectfully, like children.

 

For the past 3 years I've been playing a much bigger role in homeschooling my younger siblings as my mothers health decreases and my aunt is unable to help out as much as in the past.

 

This year I'm helping a Kindergartener (reading and writing), 1st grader (reading and math), 3rd grader (Spanish, reading and math. Standardized test prep.) and 6th grader (my 'original student' with various assignments in history, science, social science, math and literature) on a regular basis, but I also do a bit of other teaching and teacher aiding in my social circle.

 

Despite all my 'years' I am very new to the world of Homeschooling Communities/Groups and especially Homeschooling Curriculum. Prior to enrolling my younger sister in public virtual school, my parents hadn't 'researched' homeschool any further than learning to the laws for our state and picking up some typical textbooks.

 

I've known for a long time that I wanted to homeschool my children but I thought I'd be pioneering so many amazing things! I remember wanting to teach my younger brothers to read as infants, lol. My parents were fortunately not insane enough to allow me that liberty, but my father always told me to write down and elaborate on any "ideas" that I get and keep them, so I did.

 

I drew up elaborate plans for Baby School, and a completely hands on and visual K-5 curriculum that taught reading, Science, English and mathematics. I first heard the word 'Montessori' from a college councilor a year ago, she'd asked me what my vision of education would be and as I described it she said "That sounds like Montessori." I stopped by the library on my way home that day to learn more about this 'Montessori" character.

 

I have been reading books, articles, magazines, forums etc... on Homeschool, Education and child development ever since then.

 

I have so much to learn, and I'm so eager to learn it. I hate to be arrogant, I've began learning so much about myself in the past couple of years, I'm eager to 'get a grip' on real life. To start my own family and to have my own children. I do feel confident that I can be a good mother and I think that I can offer my children an education that will be much better than the National Standard/Average, but I am actively working on humbling myself this year, as I realized what a know it all I can be, even when not trying. About half of my close friends have young children (7 and under) and I've been silently observing for a long time now and when they complain or hit a road block, I offer solutions...many of which have worked. Its easy to get a big head when you're a big fish in a small pond.

 

I know you can't probably can't tell it, but I'm trying to grow up, to be realistic, to plan ahead, but not dig myself into a ditch...

 

 

Please in the future, remind me to have a morsel of some tasty humble pie if you vet's feel that I need it. I'm anxious NOT to step on anybodies toes and I'm eager to learn. I didn't know so much was out there about home school. I didn't realize how common, how diverse, how developed the 'world of homeschool' is until recently. I feel like a kid in a candy store some times I probably am too casual with my elders.

 

Anyway, I will shut up now.

[bluemongoose]

In the OP's defense, I don't think she was making a sweeping statement that "newbies are irritating". I think she was speaking of a certain type of newbie--someone who seems to have it all figured out and posts accordingly.

 

I know she didnt make the sweeping statement, and I know that that certain type can be annoying, but these types of posts do leave some of us newbies feeling like we are irritating by showing our "newness" by expressing strong opinions.

[StartingOver]

For 23 years now. I homeschooled my step children before my 23 year old was even born. I still have little ones, so I have a long way to go.

[FaithManor]

We homeschooled dd grades 1-4, I took two years off and taught music and science at a private school, and then we homeschooled her 7-12. We graduated her in May 2009 and continue to homeschool her brothers. The eldest boy went to kindy where I taught, but has been homeschooled since then. He is an 8th grader now. The younger two have never attended a school. So, we are at a decade + a little.

 

Faith

[Roxy Roller]

If I count Abeka K4, I have been homeschooling for 8 years. I am still learning so much every day, especially since coming to the WTM boards.

 

Thank you for your wisdom and support!

[Joker]

I'm in my third year of homeschooling and I still don't really know what I'm doing. I think I feel more confident about the year coming up than I do about any other. I post more on the general board but lurk A LOT on the curric. boards because, honestly, most of you intimidate the heck out of me.:tongue_smilie:

[AndyJoy]

Thanks. I'm just frustrated by this pervasive attitude in the homeschool community that larger amount of time homeschooling=expert at homeschooling in general. I tend to not see things as so black or white. I find it borderline offensive, honestly, to insinuate that we have *nothing* to add simply b/c of our kids' age or our little experience. I don't liken it not having kids at all and offering potty training advice. To me, it's not the same.

 

I think I'm taking this too personally. :lol:

 

I'll admit that I've given potty training advice on this board :D, but I warned the OP that it was a 2nd-hand idea that worked for a friend. The OP liked this idea and said she might try it.

 

I'm very open and honest with the fact that I've never homeschooled and only have a toddler. I try not to post anything that is beyond my experience, but I do weigh in with ideas sometimes. I hope I don't come across as thinking I'm an expert, because I know I'm not.

 

However, since I've...

 

 

• been a child/teen (and have a VERY good memory)

• taught jr. high

• subbed for K-12

• spent years working as my mom's teacher's aide

• read extensively

• attended church

• taught Sunday School & AWANA

• learned with Saxon for 3 years

• had siblings

• lead a youth group

• survived adolescence emotionally unscathed and with a great relationship with my parents

• babysat 200+ kids

• dated (and intentionally NOT dated while in HS, which is maybe more impressive)

• been married almost 8 years

• played sports

• played an instrument

• tutored college

• tutored elementary & HS

• frequented homeschooling boards for 10 years

• dual-enrolled in ps and private school

• attended college

• hung out at the houses of homeschool veterans

• lived overseas

• composed mostly-coherent sentences for almost 3 decades:D

• possessed a brain for all of my life:lol:

• etc.

 

...I think I have things to add to the general discussion sometimes despite my lack of personal homeschooling experience.

 

I've been given great ideas from a myriad of sometimes unexepected sources, and I often pass them on with the disclaimer that a friend told me this or that worked for her.

 

When possible, I try to evaluate any idea or suggestion in life based on its merits, not on the source or the attitude with which it was delivered. Homeschool moms aren't the only ones who get unsolicited naive advice and I've done plenty of eye-rolling in my life.;)

[MtnTeaching]

6 years here and all I can say is "Thank goodness for this board and ALL of their opinions"!!!

 

In my world -every day is a new and scary day in Homeschool Land. My second child is the polar opposite from my first. When I think I've got it figured out - I realize I really haven't. I wonder almost everyday if I'm screwing my children up for life. High school is looming next year and I am shaking in my boots.

 

The one constant for me is this board. I know with complete certainty I can come on here and learn something incredibly valuable with just a simple search. I know that there are people with great experience here and I also know that on the days that I'm feeling down or overwhelmed, I can come on the board and feel like I've had a cup of tea with a friend. The energy and excitement from a new homeschooler's comments usually makes me smile and helps me to remember the real reason I started this journey!

 

Personally, I value all of the comments here because I value the freedom of all to make those comments. Having said that, I do have to truthfully say that the most meaningful and useful homeschooling information I have received was given by those who have weathered the fire storms before me. I deeply appreciate the generousity of their time, knowledge and wisdom.

 

"Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won't have time to make them all yourself." Alfred Sheinwold

[4Hisglory]

We're in our 12th year here. Boy that sounds like a long time. I will be graduating my "Guinea Pig" (self-proclaimed) this year and I am looking forward to at least 17 more years as my youngest is 1. Let the adventure continue.....

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[mcconnellboys]

That's okay, LOL, maybe they DO know more than me. I tend to be blind to things like the info in the siggy line and I don't tend to form opinions or hold grudges against the folks posting on these boards, either, unless they're constantly hammering the same topic over time. Maybe that's just an aspergerish tendency of mine, I don't know.

 

I don't remember cars or see the people inside them, either. For me, y'all are all just so many drivers on the road passing by. Most of us are probably not ever going to know each other in real life. But I don't think that negates what we can learn from each other here. For me, these boards are all about learning from smart, committed people.... Where better to talk shop for folks who may spend a large part of their time at home?

 

I have been surprised on occasion to notice after the fact that someone who argued so forcefully over some topic related to high school or even middle school only has children who are lower elementary or pre-school age - but if the dialogue makes us all think, then there is still some merit to it, I think....

[siloam]

I have been surprised on occasion to notice after the fact that someone who argued so forcefully over some topic related to high school or even middle school only has children who are lower elementary or pre-school age - but if the dialogue makes us all think, then there is still some merit to it, I think....

 

That would sum up my point of view.

 

Heather

[ubermomto5]

officially ending 8th year...

but IRL i am one of those that say 'from birth' because i like to allow others to understand that it's not like i found a new career the minute my oldest turned 5. i know a lot of 'i'd homeschool if...' or 'i can't homeschool'... families and it's important to me that they understand it's possible. so, 14 years?:)

eta: oops, can't count, i forgot kindy. 9 years.

Edited April 26, 2011 by ubermomto5

[mom@shiloh]

Just finishing up my 19th year!! The longer I do it, the more I learn that I still have sooo much to learn. My "baby" is six now, and it's looking pretty likely that I'm going to run out of children before I'm an expert at this.

 

Jean, mom to ten -- God is good!

[duckymama]

We have been homeschooling 5 years and I am still learning how to do everything. I am so thankful for this forum and all of the experiences shared!

[mommaduck]

F.o.r.e.v.e.r....at least that is what it feels like (10+yrs)

[Josie]

Wow, I am in the 10+ category now. How is that possible for a girl of 23! LOL I wish! :blush:

[nova mama]

I selected 2-3 years. We started half-way through the 2009-2010 school year, and afterschooled for a year before that. Sometimes I forget how TERRIFIED I was before I started. I have to remind myself when I read posts from brand-new and soon-to-be HSers. (I'm still terrified from time to time, but mostly it's that I'll never get any sleep. :rofl:)

Edited April 26, 2011 by nova mama

[Dmmetler]

Since my DD only hit mandated school attendance age this year, this is the first year we're officially homeschooling. However, I've been teaching for over 20 years-just that most of it has been with other people's children.

Edited April 26, 2011 by dmmetler

[CanaryMelody]

There does seem to be a common thread that the longer you have been in the trenches -- teaching your children, in your home, day after day, month after month, year after year -- you realize just how much you DON'T know :001_tt2:.

 

 

:iagree:

 

7 years homeschooling and each year with each kid, I feel like I am starting over. New challenges, new goals brings new questions to figure out. Shoot! My oldest DD alone brings enough her own "issues" to keep me feeling like a new homeschooler every single day. :lol: