LDS Homeschoolers

[MusicMama]

Why are so many LDS homeschoolers not a part of a homeschool group?

 

In our last ward, two families homeschooled, and neither were part of a group, nor did they "work together" in any way. In our current ward, there are also two families, neither in a group. I don't think they have much interaction. My kids are getting older, and I want to find a group to be a part of. I don't want to be a lone family homeschooling, I love the support, activities, and friends that come with a group.

 

If you are LDS, do you find it difficult to find an inclusive religious group? Not enough secular groups, or you don't agree with the bylaws? Or am I just wrong in my assumption based on the people nearby? We live in the Atlanta area if that helps!

 

Thanks!

[MeghanL]

interesting. I'm not LDS, but I run an inclusive meetup group and it seems to me like a lot of our members are LDS. Maybe it depends on the types of groups available?

[TKDmom]

I have had a hard time finding a group that is inclusive. It seems like every co-op I've been interested in requires a statement of faith that I don't agree with. I finally did join a group that required me to acknowledge their statement of faith (but I don't have to agree with it). It hasn't been a very useful group for me to be a part of, and we haven't really participated in it.

 

Honestly, I have a hard time justifying the time that a co-op would take. On top of homeschooling, church responsibilities take up a big chunk of our time and energy. There are now 5 families in my ward that homeschool. We've talked about doing stuff together. I'm probably going to organize a playgroup but the thought of coordinating our schedules with someone else's for the purpose of a school co-op causes me stress.

[prairiewindmomma]

The only group in our area is governed by hardline evangelicals which require a statement of faith to join. No one else in our city, let alone our stake homeschools anymore. I could start my own group if I wanted, but life is VERY busy, especially with my dh having a stake calling and me serving in the Young Women presidency. My oldest is in scouts & soccer---I feel like we're already on the go all of the time. I really can't give up an afternoon for co-op at this point.

[missmoe]

I've also found it hard to find a group to be part of. The larger groups that are organized and have classes I would be interested in do not want me. I did try a group with three other LDS homeschoolers and two of the other families where not invested in the group. That made it hard to plan field trips and classes because half the group may or may not show up. I also had a different educational philosphy from one of the moms that taught a class. That was hard. She was a former public school teacher and still had that menality that worked for teaching larger groups, but not really for homeschoolers.

 

The group where we live now would not have a problem with including me, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with them. I belong to their email loop and so get all the news about what is going on. I also get the emails complaining about groups in the community which support many of the same views I support. When gay marriage was an issue on the ballot last year, many of the group got together to boycott a local business which is owned by a LDS family. That family had donated funds to oppose the gay marriage initiative. Another member made the comment that she did know one LDS person that was good--her dentist. So perhaps, I should be involved to show them what an actual LDS person is like, but I just don't have the time or energy at this point in my life.

 

Interestingly enough, I have found it pretty easy to get involved with the PTA organization at the school my oldest daughter attends. There I was welcomed with open arms! And I found all my leadership experiences from church came in quite handy in dealing with people and organizing events.

[DianeW88]

Hmmm....well, I was in an LDS homeschooling group in the Denver area when my kiddos were young. We also had an "American Girl" club of LDS homeschoolers and they met at my house and we discussed the AG book we were reading (girls age 8-13) and made a craft or snack to go with the appropriate doll and her historical time period.

 

I live in Utah now, and while they're are plenty of LDS homeschoolers and homeschooling groups, I'm not a part of any of them. Why?

 

1. I think homeschooling groups are a waste of time and only interfere with my curriculum. I don't want to give up a day of teaching to attend one.

 

2. My kids don't need it for the socialization. Our neighborhood is packed with kids and my son is out playing every afternoon until around 7 or 8 at night already. He doesn't need more friends. :lol:

 

3. I'm too busy with other things. My kids have their own sports and activities that we're already involved in...and a homeschooling group would be just one more thing we'd have to fit into an already packed schedule.

 

4. My church calling keeps me too busy. I'm in the RS presidency, so that's one night a week already gone for a presidency meeting. My husband is the sunday teacher for High Priests and a cub scout leader. Another night gone.

 

I think that by living in Utah, life is a little different if you're LDS. There is always a neighbor stopping by (two so far today), so even *I* have plenty of friends and socialization opportunities. In fact, we're all canning outside this week. (How very Mormon of us. :lol:) When your ward is your neighborhood....you already know everyone well and having to venture out to make connections isn't necessary. Plus, my area is very supportive of homeschooling. No one even bats an eye around here, so I don't feel the need to get together with other homeschoolers as a support for what I'm doing.

 

Also, my kids thought the other homeschooling kids in our last support group were "weird". I think that forced gatherings of children, where they're expected to socialize and be friends, don't always work out and I find it's best to let my kids choose their own friends. Luckily, in my subdivision, there are more than 30 boys my son's age, so we have kids aplenty. Just another benefit to living in Utah. :D

[usetoschool]

Yep, pretty much what everyone else said. My son gets plenty of socializing between Church, Scouts and soccer and we are just too busy and have never really felt the need in our lives. A couple people have tried to start LDS groups for field trips and such but they just never took off - I think everyone else is just as busy as we are.

 

There was a big problem quite a few years ago with not allowing LDS to hold any positions of responsibility etc in the homeschool group and it got really ugly and most LDS dropped out and it left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

 

There aren't that many homeschoolers where I live either - don't see any on these boards but weirdly enough almost every single family in my Ward has homeschooled at some point.

[usetoschool]

 

 

I think that by living in Utah, life is a little different if you're LDS. There is always a neighbor stopping by (two so far today), so even *I* have plenty of friends and socialization opportunities. In fact, we're all canning outside this week. (How very Mormon of us. :lol:) When your ward is your neighborhood....you already know everyone well and having to venture out to make connections isn't necessary. Plus, my area is very supportive of homeschooling. No one even bats an eye around here, so I don't feel the need to get together with other homeschoolers as a support for what I'm doing.

 

Luckily, in my subdivision, there are more than 30 boys my son's age, so we have kids aplenty. Just another benefit to living in Utah. :D

 

*sigh* and where is that :jealous: smiley...

[MamaSheep]

Hmmm....well, I was in an LDS homeschooling group in the Denver area when my kiddos were young. We also had an "American Girl" club of LDS homeschoolers and they met at my house and we discussed the AG book we were reading (girls age 8-13) and made a craft or snack to go with the appropriate doll and her historical time period.

 

I live in Utah now, and while they're are plenty of LDS homeschoolers and homeschooling groups, I'm not a part of any of them. Why?

 

1. I think homeschooling groups are a waste of time and only interfere with my curriculum. I don't want to give up a day of teaching to attend one.

 

2. My kids don't need it for the socialization. Our neighborhood is packed with kids and my son is out playing every afternoon until around 7 or 8 at night already. He doesn't need more friends. :lol:

 

3. I'm too busy with other things. My kids have their own sports and activities that we're already involved in...and a homeschooling group would be just one more thing we'd have to fit into an already packed schedule.

 

4. My church calling keeps me too busy. I'm in the RS presidency, so that's one night a week already gone for a presidency meeting. My husband is the sunday teacher for High Priests and a cub scout leader. Another night gone.

 

I think that by living in Utah, life is a little different if you're LDS. There is always a neighbor stopping by (two so far today), so even *I* have plenty of friends and socialization opportunities. In fact, we're all canning outside this week. (How very Mormon of us. :lol:) When your ward is your neighborhood....you already know everyone well and having to venture out to make connections isn't necessary. Plus, my area is very supportive of homeschooling. No one even bats an eye around here, so I don't feel the need to get together with other homeschoolers as a support for what I'm doing.

 

Also, my kids thought the other homeschooling kids in our last support group were "weird". I think that forced gatherings of children, where they're expected to socialize and be friends, don't always work out and I find it's best to let my kids choose their own friends. Luckily, in my subdivision, there are more than 30 boys my son's age, so we have kids aplenty. Just another benefit to living in Utah. :D

 

This pretty much describes my situation too, except that I have an easy church calling right now (assistant ward librarian) and I have a support group for kids of autistic parents that I'm involved with. We tried out a homeschool group for a year and discovered that the benefits didn't justify the drawbacks for us. And the mama drama was sometimes irritating as well. I'm still on the Yahoo group for the homeschool group we were with, but I haven't seen anything go by in the chatter yet that makes me feel like it would be worth diving back into.

[dangermom]

I have an inclusive park day/field trip group that I love. I'm the only Mormon there.

[Julie in Austin]

I'm part of multiple homeschooling groups, but the only (or one of very few) LDS in them. I have tried LDS groups but they have never been a good fit for our family because

 

(1) it seems like LDS homeschoolers usually come from the most conservative part of the church (theologically and socially) and that . . . is not me

 

and

 

(2) it seems like many LDS homeschoolers follow TJEd and that . . . is not me.

[Plagefille]

Yes in GA it is REALLY hard to find a group that you do not hard to find a group that you do not have to sign a statement of faith that is organized. I started my own group and many of the local LDS homeschoolers joined once there was something. They just do not want to meet very often. Where in GA are you? Have you tried joining the SE lds homeschoolers yahoo group? You may be able to find some others near you that way

[LittleIzumi]

I'm in a casual HSing group here. I'm much more active in another group though--but it happens to have tons of homeschoolers in it!

[sewingmama]

Our local group of homeschoolers are Baptist. I don't know if they are inclusive or not -I'm hesitating to contact them because I'm afraid they will reject me :D I will work up the courage eventually. Homeschoolers are so rare in Australia that it's likely they will overlook my faith just to have more children to socialise with.

 

There are other homeschool groups that are not local however they are over an hour travel time to get too. These homeschoolers are mostly secular so I have no problem being included in their group. We do go to some of their bigger activities but it's hard to form friendships when we see them only very occaisionally. Luckily my children are friendly and will play with any child even though they don't know them previously so they still are able to socialise well -just not form lasting friendships.

 

I don't know any LDS who homeschool - it's still rare in Australia. There are plenty of people who are coming down on me in my ward and telling me NOT to do it -that I'm not capable :glare:

[MinivanMom]

We belong to a very laid-back, secular homeschooling group that I love. We go to park day each week and on the occasional fieldtrip. I was the only lds member in the group, but now another family in my ward has joined. I'm sorry you're in Georgia. We lived in the deep-South for several years, so I know how hard it can be to find secular groups or religious groups that will allow you to join.

 

Most of the current and former lds homeschoolers I know seem to be really surprised that I go to any kind of homeschool group, so, yeah, I don't think it's that common. My guess is that some lds families feel like they already have a support system and friends through their ward.

[gaillardia]

sewing mama -- :grouphug:. I dealt with that when I first started too, people making me feel like I couldn't do it.

 

We do not belong to any groups. The LDS homeschoolers in our area are also too busy and the children's ages vary widely.

When we lived in Maryland we belonged to an LDS group that met for field trips. I'm surprised some of them aren't on WTM. It was not advantageous for us because we lived further out and away than most other families. I had a hard time making friends in the group. :confused: Maybe because I didn't know the other families very well anyway. It cost to attend events most of the time and that was an issue for us.

I tried to get involved in a Christian hsing group in the very beginning of our adventure but it became apparent to me that the religious differences were too big and the discrimination was too obvious towards LDS. That didn't last long for us.

Later there was a group that did wonderful co-ops and insisted it not have a Christian focus, which was fine, but then it started to lean toward... um, I forget what it was called, but it wasn't something I could allow myself and children to belong to. It was hard to belong to that group because they would have classes for certain age groups only at one time, and as a parent you had to stay there of course, but I had younger and older children and couldn't just do nothing. I had a baby and a toddler and couldn't manage teaching a class as well.

I was really disappointed we couldn't participate more fully in that group, until they went weird. The other groups, not so much.

So, do I wish we were in a homeschooling group? No, not really. If we lived in a more suburban area, possibly.

The statement of faith for most groups is what stops us, or what had stopped me, from joining groups most of the time.

[Elizabeth in MN]

I'm part of multiple homeschooling groups, but the only (or one of very few) LDS in them. I have tried LDS groups but they have never been a good fit for our family because

 

(1) it seems like LDS homeschoolers usually come from the most conservative part of the church (theologically and socially) and that . . . is not me

 

and

 

(2) it seems like many LDS homeschoolers follow TJEd and that . . . is not me.

 

Dingdingding! We have a winner!

 

I have a Branch to attend, and the kids are not close to my daughter in age. We have a full nursery and YW group but almost no Primary age kids. There had been a home schooling family in the Branch but we got on like oil and water. They have since moved away.

 

The local home schooling group is made up mostly of a break-away church and Baptists who all use Ambleside. We're generally shunned because we're not locals. Have I mentioned we're trying to move? LOL!

[Veritaserum]

I'm part of multiple homeschooling groups, but the only (or one of very few) LDS in them. I have tried LDS groups but they have never been a good fit for our family because

 

(1) it seems like LDS homeschoolers usually come from the most conservative part of the church (theologically and socially) and that . . . is not me

 

and

 

(2) it seems like many LDS homeschoolers follow TJEd and that . . . is not me.

 

:iagree: I was part of a small homeschool group that I really enjoyed. I am in Utah and we all happen to be LDS, but we are also all "crunchy" and NOT Republican. ;) Most of the moms are also fans of TWTM after dabbling a bit in TJEd (realizing that it is too flawed to work). We all got busier as our kids have gotten older, we stopped having regular kid meetings. We still have a mama support group meeting occasionally. We also like to have kid holiday parties. :)

[PollyOR]

I'm not a group type of person. I enjoy visiting with folks, but I also suffer greatly from meetingitis ;). We already do seminary, YW, activity day, piano lessons, dr.'s appointments, etc. The last thing I want is another meeting to attend.

 

We had a group of preschool mamas in our ward who were all planning to homeschool. It dwindled as the time came to choose between homeschool or public school (not a criticism, just a fact). There are still several of us in the ward, but we are all busy and aren't on the same page when it comes to curriculum.

 

Like Julie, I have found most of the LDS groups to be associated with TJED. Not knocking it (my sister's TJED kids have turned out great) but it just doesn't fit me. So, we do our own thing.....at home. :)

[Amira]

We've lived in all sorts of places, from huge Utah and Idaho wards to places where my kids are the only Mormon kids in the country. We've never felt a need for any sort of homeschooling group (well, I wouldn't mind one right now, but we haven't met any homeschoolers in the town we live in right now).

 

I'd possibly consider a non-religious, socializing sort of group if it fell in my lap, but I have absolutely no interest in an LDS group, partly for the reasons Julie lists, but mostly because my kids don't really need more opportunities to socialize with Mormons.

 

We also haven't needed a group because my kids always have plenty of friends in the neighborhood. And it's just something else that would take up our time. I'd rather that my kids develop friendships with kids who live nearby especially since we don't participate in neighborhood schools. A homeschooling group would just suck up more of that time.

[MusicMama]

Thanks for all of the responses! My kids are still so little, that we don't have a lot of church commitments yet, I guess that will change once they turn 8 and have all the Wednesday night activities to schedule. I think bc I am just starting out, I want some strong support. I don't want my kids to feel like they are the only one hsing, kwim?

 

Sounds like some of you have had a rough time! :grouphug:

 

I can see how you run out of time for everything! I couldn't do weekly meetings either, but a few field trips a semester might be nice.

 

Thanks for your advice!

[matilda]

I just can't make myself commit to the extra time that a homeschool group would need. I feel like we give up time during the week for so many other activities, that a can't devote a whole day to the group. Plus, like everyone else has said, I can't join the closest group because they have issues with my religion, and the

group that will take us is a long drive.

[missmoe]

MusicMama,

 

I searched on Yahoo for LDS homeschool group Atlanta and a ton of stuff popped up. It looks like there are some groups around your area. I'm not sure where in Atlanta you are, so I was unable to narrow it down. I hope you find a group that works for you.

 

Okay, I just looked at your profile again and you are in GA, but not Atlanta. For some reason I thought you were in Atlanta. Still it might be worth it to do a search for your area. Or you might want to start your own yahoo group, so if others search they will find you.

[Xuzi]

There actually is an LDS group in my community, but my kids would be by far the youngest. The other kids are all 7th grade and up. They also follow TJE, and at the first meeting I tried to attend I got invited to a Sarah Palin rally. :lol:

 

There's another LDS group about 40 minutes away from me that I wish I could join, as it sounds like they have *lots* of awesome stuff going on (I'm on their yahoo mailing list), but I can't justify the gas. :(

 

I haven't been able to find any local secular groups at all, or any religious groups that would be welcoming. All require agreement with a SOF that I can't honestly agree with.

 

It's frustrating, but it is what it is. Maybe if we ever moved to Utah... :lol:

[stansclan89]

I'm part of multiple homeschooling groups, but the only (or one of very few) LDS in them. I have tried LDS groups but they have never been a good fit for our family because

 

(1) it seems like LDS homeschoolers usually come from the most conservative part of the church (theologically and socially) and that . . . is not me

 

and

 

(2) it seems like many LDS homeschoolers follow TJEd and that . . . is not me.

 

This is what I found when we had LDS homeschoolers near us. Now we don't know of any others in our stake.

 

Though we are insanely busy with three teens and two 10yos, we still are part of a hs group. We don't do co-op or anything--just park days, meet up at the library, things like that.

 

Now that my kids are high school age we have found that the lds kids at church have no common interests with my kids. They seem to only talk about classes, teachers and who is dating who at the time. Mine not only don't know what/who they are talking about, they don't really care to talk about those subjects anyway.

 

Their friends as they have gotten older have all been non-lds hsers. So...I have found it important to give them opportunities to associate with other hsers before they get to high school, because once they are there it's hard to make friends.

[mamatohaleybug]

I just have no interest in joining a group.

 

There aren't any LDS groups in the area (that's what I'd want for my DD) and I'm just too busy to want to join one anyway. Plus my DD has some special needs (medical, educational and emotional) and that's pretty overwhelming. I'm currently RS pres and my DH is the 1st counselor in the bishopric. DH commutes an hour each way for work AND works as an adjunct professor on the side--what little extra time we have is spent with family. I don't need anything else. If anything, I wish we had less going on in our lives. LOL

 

In addition to those reasons, I find that my educational philosophies are quite different than other hsers I know. I just want to do my own thing, happily, in a bubble. :D

[LittleIzumi]

There actually is an LDS group in my community, but my kids would be by far the youngest. The other kids are all 7th grade and up. They also follow TJE, and at the first meeting I tried to attend I got invited to a Sarah Palin rally. :lol:

 

There's another LDS group about 40 minutes away from me that I wish I could join, as it sounds like they have *lots* of awesome stuff going on (I'm on their yahoo mailing list), but I can't justify the gas. :(

 

I haven't been able to find any local secular groups at all, or any religious groups that would be welcoming. All require agreement with a SOF that I can't honestly agree with.

 

It's frustrating, but it is what it is. Maybe if we ever moved to Utah... :lol:

 

Yes, move to Utah!! I would :auto: from the rally myself, lol. Eeeeep.

[DianeW88]

You know, I'm in Utah, and I CANNOT do that TJED thing. At all. A lot of Utah Mormons are married to it, so we have very little in common "educational philosophy" wise.

 

What I've found interesting though, is that over the years, quite a few of them have ended up calling me for curriculum suggestions. And they've quietly come over to the dark side of classical education. :lol: Although some of them still won't admit it publicly. ;)

[LittleIzumi]

You know, I'm in Utah, and I CANNOT do that TJED thing. At all. A lot of Utah Mormons are married to it, so we have very little in common "educational philosophy" wise.

 

What I've found interesting though, is that over the years, quite a few of them have ended up calling me for curriculum suggestions. And they've quietly come over to the dark side of classical education. :lol: Although some of them still won't admit it publicly. ;)

 

I subscribe to the "whatever the heck works this week" philosophy. :lol: I'm slowly winnowing my huge collection of random curricula to what we are using regularly. They "slightly less random collection of awesomeness" philosophy now.

[Veritaserum]

You know, I'm in Utah, and I CANNOT do that TJED thing. At all. A lot of Utah Mormons are married to it, so we have very little in common "educational philosophy" wise.

 

What I've found interesting though, is that over the years, quite a few of them have ended up calling me for curriculum suggestions. And they've quietly come over to the dark side of classical education. :lol: Although some of them still won't admit it publicly. ;)

 

One of the things that scares me about TJEd is the religious devotion to it and the absolute intolerance of any rational discussion regarding its faults. When I moved away from TJEd, I was afraid/ashamed to admit it to my (still) hardcore TJEd friends. As more time has passed (4 years), I have become more confident and more vocal in my criticisms of TJEd's flaws.

[Forget-Me-Not]

There are two groups in my area that are so-called inclusive but really aren't. I've had a hard time trying to break in and get to know people, and that's when anyone bothers to show up to the scheduled activities that apply to my kids' ages.

 

Most of the LDS families I know who HS have kids who are way older than mine. There is a girl in my ward who HS, and has kids close to my kids age. We tried to co-op for art this year but it seemed like one of us always had a sick kid and had to cancel, LOL.

 

I have a couple of non-LDS hs friends that I've met through random channels. In one family, the mother is just. . . odd, and very difficult to have a conversation with. . . but I try to put up with her so my kids can have play dates. The other family keeps flaking out on me for outings.

 

This is a sore subject right now. I'm feeling pretty isolated in my area.

Edited June 14, 2011 by LemonPie

[MamaSheep]

I subscribe to the "whatever the heck works this week" philosophy. :lol: ...

 

That pretty much describes my philosophy too...lol.

 

 

That's interesting about TJED, though. I don't know anyone IRL who uses it (but then, I'm not involved in a group right now either). There are several families in our Utah neighborhood who also homeschool (surprisingly many, really), but most of them use the local K12 charter option. The one in our ward who doesn't (besides me) uses some other virtual school kind of option. (I think...she and I don't run into each other often and she's VERY quiet--all I know is it's something that comes in a box and she can just hand it to her kids and they do it. She says.) I have run into a few ladies who use The American Academy, and there was a group a couple of years ago being organized around Teri Ebert's Kindred Learning materials (partly because Teri was running the group), but that was a more county-wide thing, and I'm not so much in touch with those ladies anymore.

 

I dunno...no one philosophy or methodology has really seemed like it, by itself, was what we needed. Perhaps it's just because of our particular constellation of special needs, but like someone else said earlier, I find more and more that I like to just be in our little bubble doing our own thing, when it comes to school. We get out in the community in a lot of other ways, but I see no reason to limit our community participation to groups specifically for homeschoolers.

[MusicMama]

I could never move to Utah! Even to run away from a Palin rally...;) I don't think I could stand the stereotypical bubble that a lot of LDS live in. Most of the time, I like being the minority. Keeps things fresh. And the snow, my gosh the snow! Skiing until July 4th?!?!? I was born and raised in the South, I like to see snow and then leave. The "blizzard" that hit Atlanta this year was enough for me thanks!

 

Maybe I'm not looking in the right place, I haven't seen any groups in my area. However, most of my attention is focused on the escalating riot outside my locked door. :D

[MamaSheep]

I could never move to Utah! Even to run away from a Palin rally...;) I don't think I could stand the stereotypical bubble that a lot of LDS live in. Most of the time, I like being the minority. Keeps things fresh. And the snow, my gosh the snow! Skiing until July 4th?!?!? I was born and raised in the South, I like to see snow and then leave. The "blizzard" that hit Atlanta this year was enough for me thanks!

 

Maybe I'm not looking in the right place, I haven't seen any groups in my area. However, most of my attention is focused on the escalating riot outside my locked door. :D

 

LOL! Be very, VERY careful what you say. "Anywhere in Utah" was number three on my list of places I could never, ever live, right behind New York City and Los Angeles (don't ask). Heavenly Father seems to take pleasure in making me eat my words. Lol... Fortunately I have found that there are plenty of exceptions to the stereotype, even in Utah (thank goodness!), and both good and bad things about anywhere one might live. And it's amazing what you can do (and where you can live) if you have to. :D (There are now rumblings and hints of a possibility that I may be forced to move to my #4 out of the question city. It may not happen, but having had #3 forced upon me and discovered it's not all bad, maybe #4 won't be as bad as I think. If it happens. But I sometimes think Heavenly Father is just ticking down my list of unfair stereotypes and shoving my face in them until I "give".)

[Veritaserum]

Neither dh nor I ever wanted to live in Utah. :lol: I'm a SoCal girl who hates the snow. He's from the east coast. When we first got married we planned to move east after we finished school. We stayed here because dh got a really good job. Some of the things I feared are true, but some are not. And there are enough positives that we are actually happy. :)

[LittleIzumi]

Neither dh nor I ever wanted to live in Utah. I'm a SoCal girl who hates the snow. He's from the east coast. When we first got married we planned to move east after we finished school. We stayed here because dh got a really good job. Some of the things I feared are true, but some are not. And there are enough positives that we are actually happy.

 

Utah was not on my list either :lol:. And I was NOT going to get married out here, and I was NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT going to stay here after college. Or have a bunch of kids, ESPECIALLY before my career was done.

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

God totally has a sense of humor. Although we may be leaving for dh's grad school, depending on where he gets in, when we get to that point. Looking great so far! We're even looking at Canada, lol.

[Xuzi]

I wonder what it is about TJEd that draws so many LDS to it. Is it the whole "Named after a Founding Father" thing? I know I've seen a lot of people in the church (growing up in N. Cal. and having *lots* of family in Utah) who treat the US Constitution like a 5th Standard Work. I wonder if maybe that has something to do with it. :lol:

 

And Utah is #2 on my "never want to move there" list after California, and yet DH and I are currently considering moving there, solely to be close to family. We were there for 2 weeks last month and my kids got to experience what it's like to have family just up the road, and they're having a hard time adjusting back to not having Grandma and Grandpa and aunts and uncles and cousins close by. :( We have *zero* family up here in WA.

 

(I will NOT budge on moving back to California though. :p )

[Xuzi]

Utah was not on my list either :lol:. And I was NOT going to get married out here, and I was NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT going to stay here after college. Or have a bunch of kids, ESPECIALLY before my career was done.

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

God totally has a sense of humor. Although we may be leaving for dh's grad school, depending on where he gets in, when we get to that point. Looking great so far! We're even looking at Canada, lol.

My sister said all this too. :lol: (BYU alum) It took her 10 years post-graduation to finally leave. She says "The longer you stay, the harder it is to leave". It took her husband being layed off for six months to get them out. The first job he had offered to him was in N. Carolina, and they're very happy there now.

[mamatohaleybug]

I just have an icky feeling when I study the TJEd philosophy. Not sure why. I'm curious how people really implement it but not curious enough to stick around and ask questions.

 

I'm just a rebel at heart. I don't want to follow the masses which is why homeschooling really works well for me. I want to do things because they feel right to me, not because of pressure from other people. I can't imagine finding a co-op or group that would fit me well.

[usetoschool]

I think people are in love with TJed because the DeMilles are LDS.

 

I know one family that used it but I would say it is harder than unschooling to make work. And it didn't work for the family I know, really.

[DianeW88]

I think people are in love with TJed because the DeMilles are LDS.

 

I know one family that used it but I would say it is harder than unschooling to make work. And it didn't work for the family I know, really.

 

:iagree:I'm not sure I know anyone for whom it did work.

[dangermom]

I wonder what it is about TJEd that draws so many LDS to it. Is it the whole "Named after a Founding Father" thing? I know I've seen a lot of people in the church (growing up in N. Cal. and having *lots* of family in Utah) who treat the US Constitution like a 5th Standard Work. I wonder if maybe that has something to do with it. :lol:

AFAIK it's pretty much an LDS thing--how many non-LDS TJEDers are there? I'm not comfortable with it myself.

 

 

(I will NOT budge on moving back to California though. :p )

That's 'cause you haven't been to Chico! Come visit and I will convert you. :D

[Forget-Me-Not]

I swore I'd never drive a mini-van or move to UT. There's a Toyota Sienna parked in my garage and we're seriously considering a move to UT in 3-5 yrs because it seems most of our family on both sides has ended up out there.

 

I know very little about TJed. I actually have the book and just couldn't get into it. One of my FB friends (who is in UT) is a TJed HSer and she has very strange ideas about how to raise girls. I don't know if the two are related or not.

[Veritaserum]

I just have an icky feeling when I study the TJEd philosophy. Not sure why. I'm curious how people really implement it but not curious enough to stick around and ask questions.

 

Nobody knows how to do it, apparently. (The DeMilles themselves refuse to define it by insisting that it is a set of principles, not a specific course of action.) :tongue_smilie:

 

Seriously, you can spend thousands of dollars buying books, articles, and CDs, and attending seminars to try to figure out how to do it. I've purchased the books, articles, and CDs. I've attended seminars and forums (conferences). I still didn't know how to do it, so I decided to abandon TJEd and find something that would work. I was tired of being told to have faith in DeMille's principles.

 

I read The Well-Trained Mind, which I was warned against doing because it's "hate of learning" and "school at home." I was pleasantly surprised to find practical information about how to introduce my children to the classics. I learned a logical progression from basic skills to advanced skills, with each cycle building on the previous layer. One book that cost less than $30 taught me what over $1,000 in TJEd materials (as well as many curses and tears) couldn't.

 

I think people are in love with TJed because the DeMilles are LDS.

 

I know one family that used it but I would say it is harder than unschooling to make work. And it didn't work for the family I know, really.

 

Yep, they are LDS. That automatically makes them legitimate, right? :001_rolleyes: I've met them. They are nice people. TJEd as a philosophy, however, is hopelessly flawed if the goal is to produce knowledgeable, logical people--you know, the kind that would make good leaders. ;)

 

TJEd seems to appeal to the young, the naive, and the less educated (no/little college). I was young and naive when my friends introduced me to TJED and I got swept up in the whole "get off the conveyor belt" message. I bought the premise that child-led learning is the only route to a truly educated person. I believed DeMille's radical promises like my child would pick up reading simply by being read to and that by age 14 she would magically be studying 6-8 hours a day. Also, if she only wanted to read about video games, that was fine because she couldn't possibly study video games for 6-8 hours a day without learning a bit of history and math, etc. This is after me not teaching her beyond modeling the behavior of studying 6-8 hours per day myself. :lol:

 

Yes, I can laugh about my naivete now, but I feel like I dodged a bullet by ditching TJEd when my oldest was only 7. We've been able to undo the damage done by our stint with TJEd and (thanks to SWB and Jessie Wise) we are on course to deliver a liberal arts education rich in classics and logic. :)

[MamaSheep]

My sister said all this too. :lol: (BYU alum) It took her 10 years post-graduation to finally leave. She says "The longer you stay, the harder it is to leave". It took her husband being layed off for six months to get them out. The first job he had offered to him was in N. Carolina, and they're very happy there now.

 

:lol::lol::lol: Too true, too true. Although, I think this is true of almost anywhere; the longer you stay in one place the more roots you put down. I went to college in Savannah, GA and wound up staying there 12 years.

 

Now I've put down roots here, even though it's not a place I initially wanted to embrace -- we have an education system I more or less like (including easygoing homeschool laws that don't make me feel like I can't breathe without getting permission and then logging how long it took me and getting a standardized breathing test), a neighborhood full of friends I can count on in a pinch, a solid ward family, medical and dental people I like and trust (which is uber important to me right now with my kids' "special needs" situations), and memberships at the dino museum/bontanical gardens/farm attraction place, the aquarium, and the zoo (exept the zoo may have expired now that I think of it). I like the friendly ladies at the local library, I'm involved with a group for parents of autistic children that I like, I know how to get to the grocery store, bank, post-office, mall (2 of them, thanks), restaurants I like, oil change place, city hall, courthouse, driver's license renewal office, and so forth. If we moved, I would have to re-establish ALL of that, plus figure out new health insurance, tranfer bank accounts, and all that stuff on TOP of cleaning out all that crud I've been throwing in the basement until I have time to deal with it. Moving just sounds EXHAUSTING! So maybe Utah's not so bad after all.....lol....

Edited June 14, 2011 by MamaSheep

[MamaSheep]

Nobody knows how to do it, apparently. (The DeMilles themselves refuse to define it by insisting that it is a set of principles, not a specific course of action.) :tongue_smilie:

 

Seriously, you can spend thousands of dollars buying books, articles, and CDs, and attending seminars to try to figure out how to do it. I've purchased the books, articles, and CDs. I've attended seminars and forums (conferences). I still didn't know how to do it, so I decided to abandon TJEd and find something that would work. I was tired of being told to have faith in DeMille's principles.

 

I read The Well-Trained Mind, which I was warned against doing because it's "hate of learning" and "school at home." I was pleasantly surprised to find practical information about how to introduce my children to the classics. I learned a logical progression from basic skills to advanced skills, with each cycle building on the previous layer. One book that cost less than $30 taught me what over $1,000 in TJEd materials (as well as many curses and tears) couldn't.

 

 

 

Yep, they are LDS. That automatically makes them legitimate, right? :001_rolleyes: I've met them. They are nice people. TJEd as a philosophy, however, is hopelessly flawed if the goal is to produce knowledgeable, logical people--you know, the kind that would make good leaders. ;)

 

TJEd seems to appeal to the young, the naive, and the less educated (no/little college). I was young and naive when my friends introduced me to TJED and I got swept up in the whole "get off the conveyor belt" message. I bought the premise that child-led learning is the only route to a truly educated person. I believed DeMille's radical promises like my child would pick up reading simply by being read to and that by age 14 she would magically be studying 6-8 hours a day. Also, if she only wanted to read about video games, that was fine because she couldn't possibly study video games for 6-8 hours a day without learning a bit of history and math, etc. This is after me not teaching her beyond modeling the behavior of studying 6-8 hours per day myself. :lol:

 

Yes, I can laugh about my naivete now, but I feel like I dodged a bullet by ditching TJEd when my oldest was only 7. We've been able to undo the damage done by our stint with TJEd and (thanks to SWB and Jessie Wise) we are on course to deliver a liberal arts education rich in classics and logic. :)

 

 

I looked at it just enough to know it wouldn't be a good fit for us. I think there are just enough good ideas in it to make it seem like a good idea until you really try to dig in and find the meat of it--which I never could (no offense to anyone who's using it). I vaguely remember, for example, a certain amount of stress placed on treating each child as an individual, and not as a one-size-fits-all cog in the machine of society and education, and I remember it placing some emphasis on becoming an educational role model for your kids by making sure they see YOU studying so they understand that learning is a valuable life-long pursuit and don't just think it's just something unpleasant you're imposing on them. I think those are good ideals. But I also recall (admittedly not clearly and therefore probably not with complete accuracy) thinking that the conclusions they drew were a bit wonky and the methods they recommended sounded unclear and impractical and I didn't think they'd work in our family.

 

I was never warned against WTM, though I did have one lady tell me she'd "heard" that it was very rigid and difficult. Well, since the child I had just begun teaching was a pretty rigid little guy who needed a lot of clear structure to feel safe, as well as a very bright child who wasn't being challenged adequately in school, that sounded like just the ticket for us. :)

[Sara in AZ]

Utah was not on my list either :lol:. And I was NOT going to get married out here, and I was NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT going to stay here after college. Or have a bunch of kids, ESPECIALLY before my career was done.

 

 

I was born and raised in Salt Lake. My entire family is still there. And this thread is making me miss it so stinking bad!

 

I swore when I moved to Arizona for graduate school that there was no way I would spend even one summer here and that I would definitely not going to marry someone from here and get stuck....that was 12 years ago.

 

I have to say, though, that I am a part of a really nice group of about 4-5 LDS homeschool families. Most of us are WTMers, and we meet every Friday for a small co-op group where we do art, composer study, book club, and field trips.

 

And luckily it's almost time for our July migration to UT to get out of the heat!

[linguistmama]

I know I've seen a lot of people in the church (growing up in N. Cal. and having *lots* of family in Utah) who treat the US Constitution like a 5th Standard Work.

 

That is such a perfect way to phrase it! I get so tired of the assumption some hold that you have to be a conservative or libertarian to be supporting the Constitution and be a good church member. Hello, watch the video on lds.org under politics. It makes me laugh because I'm from rural Minnesota where the majority of church members are Democrats. But I too have gotten used to UT after saying I would leave right after graduating from BYU :)

 

I know some families who use TJED and it works well for them just like me being eclectic works for us. But I can tell others think that my kids are chained to a desk all day just because we use curriculum and I'm a heretic because I voted for Obama.

[busymama7]

Their friends as they have gotten older have all been non-lds hsers. So...I have found it important to give them opportunities to associate with other hsers before they get to high school, because once they are there it's hard to make friends.

 

I havent finished the whole thread, but this quote is the BIG reason that I we have a group.

 

To answer the OP, we had to form our own LDS group because of the SOF issue here. But we are actually inclusive and only about 1/2 are LDS anymore. When our kids were younger we faithfully did park day every week. This was our lifeline. The moms chatted the kids played. It was perfect. My kids do have some PS friends, but we have found that as they got older the friends didnt have as much time to get together due to homework and school activities.(neighborhood kids are slim to none)

 

I have a friend who had a vision for what we were building for our kids. A place to belong and be a part of as they hit the teens years was essential. We are so glad we did the grunt work to building the group when they were younger.

 

We have done a co-op for 4 years. At first it was small and just enrichment type classes. We have band and orchestra(where the parents and kids are learning together and playing together!) and musical theatre and choir and art etc. This year(and next with our oldest kids diving right in to high school) we added IEW writing classes and some science labs. We have done logic classes and spanish and chinese and latin classes and more I cant even remember.

 

Next year we are doing the labs for high school biology with the kids required to keep up with the actual class work at home. We will continue IEW and we are having a world history class with the purpose of studying together for the AP world history exam.

 

I see on here so often how homeschool groups are a waste of time or whatever and it just makes me sad. Our group has done so much to support our family, build relationships and fill in the gaps of the things that we find hard to get to at home(science labs!!) Most of us have big families and trying to get it all in is hard, but having our kids be accountable to someone else to turn in assignments etc has been so good for them.

 

In the elementary years, the classes are all fun. Learning, but no outside work. It is more for the purpose of keeping siblings busy. If mine were all that age, I wouldnt do the all day co-op, I dont think, but the weekly park days we did in that stage were so important. My kids have such good friends, built from years of fun times.

[meggie]

Someone needs to come rescue me!!!! I need to get out of here. :willy_nilly:In all honesty, it's not so bad. The people are nice, the homeschooling laws are easy. But I really, really, REALLY want to move to Oregon. I've never been there, but I hear it rains a lot.:lol: All the rain we had in May just made me covet all the more.

 

And as far as TJed goes, I wonder if it's also because it works well for large families? Since you don't start much formal instruction until 7 or 8 and then they can see their older siblings studying and copy them? I dunno. I like a few of the ideas from it, like being a mentor for the high school age children, but I was already planning on doing that anyways. We read TJed for a book club and my biggest thought was, "Well, what exactly are you supposed to be teaching them?" I am glad I found WTM first; for me, TJed just doesn't fit. WTM was exactly everything I had been searching for and made such perfect sense to me and held my hand as I started looking into curriculum. I had honestly been looking into curriculum for over a year and was so lost and overwhelmed and it made no sense.

Edited June 14, 2011 by meggie