Running the race Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 My son reminded me that he will be 15 1/2 on Feb. 1, 2012. I assume before then he needs to do some Driver's Education. He is very excited, to say the least, to get his permit. Any favorite recommendations? We live in Orange County, CA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Here's an article by HSLDA on this. Be sure to click on the link for the DMV website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running the race Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 Here's an article by HSLDA on this. Be sure to click on the link for the DMV website. Thanks for the link. I didn't think of checking HSLDA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 You can pay for a driver's ed course, which usually meets on several Saturdays. They are run by driving schools. There is often a package offered with driver's ed class and the three behind the wheel lessons. Another option is to do online driver's ed. My dc did it and all their friends did as well. It is accepted by the DMV. https://driversed.com/courses/drivers-ed/california-drivers-education.aspx It also includes a lot of practice tests so the student is familiar with the permit test before taking it. The student can complete the course at his own pace. Upon completion of the online program the student is sent a certificate of completion to take to the DMV to get the learner's permit. The student also has to show proof of being enrolled in a driver's training course - behind the wheel training - before he can get the permit. The DMV will ask for both certificates when you apply for the learner's permit. You can try to teach the behind the wheel course yourself. I didn't, and don't know anyone who has, so I can help you with that procedure. The behind the wheel course is only three 2-hour lessons with the driver's training instructor.The parent needs to help the student complete the rest of the DMV required hours of practice. The school we used takes the student out for the first lesson, then wants the student to drive with parents for a number of hours, then do the second lesson which involves freeway driving. They prefer the last lesson to be just before the student takes the driver's test. At this school, the driving instructor takes the student on the routes used by the DMV testers and gives help and hints on what may be encountered so the student is familiar with possible situations and with routes. I don't know if all driving schools do this, but it seems common around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running the race Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 You can pay for a driver's ed course, which usually meets on several Saturdays. They are run by driving schools. There is often a package offered with driver's ed class and the three behind the wheel lessons. Another option is to do online driver's ed. My dc did it and all their friends did as well. It is accepted by the DMV. https://driversed.com/courses/drivers-ed/california-drivers-education.aspx It also includes a lot of practice tests so the student is familiar with the permit test before taking it. The student can complete the course at his own pace. Upon completion of the online program the student is sent a certificate of completion to take to the DMV to get the learner's permit. The student also has to show proof of being enrolled in a driver's training course - behind the wheel training - before he can get the permit. The DMV will ask for both certificates when you apply for the learner's permit. You can try to teach the behind the wheel course yourself. I didn't, and don't know anyone who has, so I can help you with that procedure. The behind the wheel course is only three 2-hour lessons with the driver's training instructor.The parent needs to help the student complete the rest of the DMV required hours of practice. The school we used takes the student out for the first lesson, then wants the student to drive with parents for a number of hours, then do the second lesson which involves freeway driving. They prefer the last lesson to be just before the student takes the driver's test. At this school, the driving instructor takes the student on the routes used by the DMV testers and gives help and hints on what may be encountered so the student is familiar with possible situations and with routes. I don't know if all driving schools do this, but it seems common around here. Did you use this same company for behind the wheel? If not, how did you find the behind the wheel company? Thanks for the detailed response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 No. As far as I know the online course is only the Driver's Ed portion. To find a driving school we asked friends which school they used and what they thought about the cost and quality of instruction. We kept hearing the same couple names and chose one of those to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in CA Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 (edited) You can pay for a driver's ed course, which usually meets on several Saturdays. They are run by driving schools. There is often a package offered with driver's ed class and the three behind the wheel lessons. Another option is to do online driver's ed. My dc did it and all their friends did as well. It is accepted by the DMV. https://driversed.com/courses/drivers-ed/california-drivers-education.aspx It also includes a lot of practice tests so the student is familiar with the permit test before taking it. The student can complete the course at his own pace. Upon completion of the online program the student is sent a certificate of completion to take to the DMV to get the learner's permit. This sounds like the one my son did as well. There are quite a few online options. It was nice for my son to work at his own pace, and to view the instructional videos. The classes that meet in-person seemed too intense -- something like 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. several days in a row over a holiday weekend, for example. I think they have to get 30 hours of instruction in, which is easy to do when it's online -- you can stretch it out over the whole 6 months. When my son was doing behind-the-wheel, the instructor was impressed that he had only missed one question on the written test -- she said most students taking an online course just goof off and text, and she had not heard of any student who had done an online driver's ed course doing well on the written test. Maybe that's more true of kids who are used to brick-and-mortar classes? My son, who'd been homeschooled up till then, was used to paying attention during online classes :001_smile: You can try to teach the behind the wheel course yourself. I didn't, and don't know anyone who has, so I can help you with that procedure. The behind the wheel course is only three 2-hour lessons with the driver's training instructor.The parent needs to help the student complete the rest of the DMV required hours of practice. The school we used takes the student out for the first lesson, then wants the student to drive with parents for a number of hours, then do the second lesson which involves freeway driving. They prefer the last lesson to be just before the student takes the driver's test. At this school, the driving instructor takes the student on the routes used by the DMV testers and gives help and hints on what may be encountered so the student is familiar with possible situations and with routes. I don't know if all driving schools do this, but it seems common around here. Agreeing again with all of this. Except that I *do* know homeschoolers who, since they homeschool under the private-school affidavit option, went the route of teaching their kids the behind-the-wheel portion themselves. Apparently the DMV will send someone to your door to hand-deliver the relevant forms (three of my friends have done this), so as to keep tabs on them (the forms). Personally, although I also file a PSA (R-4), I am baffled as to why they would want to go this route. Possible to save money; possibly to (as HSLDA says) teach their kids to drive, just as parents used to. For us the benefits that PhotoNinja describes (telling the kids what to expect; taking them on the exact streets that the DMV testers will use; etc.) were well worth the extra $$$. BTW my first-born turned 16 last week and passed his behind-the-wheel test today, so ... I've just been through this and it wasn't nearly as bad as I had anticipated! Best wishes to you and your son. :001_smile: ~Laura P.S. Maryann, I just saw your siggy (I should make one too) -- my sons also took Potter's English and Logo to Lego (!), and I think that discipline really helped my son pay attention during the online driver's ed. He is also in CAP and loves it! Perhaps our sons met last week at encampment? Wouldn't that be a hoot! Also, we're up in the Bay Area, so I can't recommend any driving schools, but as PhotoNinja says, word of mouth is best. Edited July 27, 2011 by Laura in CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running the race Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 P.S. Maryann, I just saw your siggy (I should make one too) -- my sons also took Potter's English and Logo to Lego (!), and I think that discipline really helped my son pay attention during the online driver's ed. He is also in CAP and loves it! Perhaps our sons met last week at encampment? Wouldn't that be a hoot! Also, we're up in the Bay Area, so I can't recommend any driving schools, but as PhotoNinja says, word of mouth is best. Thanks for the advice. I know he'll do well with an online class. He's used to that. He is eligible for his permit in 6 months, so I want him to have lots of time to complete the online portion. Wow! Our boys must have a lot in common. Benjamin did go to Encampment last week. He was in Charlie flight. Has your son taken the Aviation Science class at TPS? My son is taking it in the fall. He is also taking English 3 and Computer Programming in Python. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in CA Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Wow! Our boys must have a lot in common. Benjamin did go to Encampment last week. He was in Charlie flight. Oh my goodness ... what a small world! Michael was in Delta flight! He *loved* encampment. Has your son taken the Aviation Science class at TPS? My son is taking it in the fall. He is also taking English 3 and Computer Programming in Python. No, he was signed up to take it last year, but then decided (at the last minute!) to try public school for 10th grade. Not being able to take Aviation Science was probably the thing he knew he'd miss the most about not hs'ing anymore ... Mr Forsyth was SO nice and helpful -- he said if my son looked at the book on his own, he'd answer any questions he had. In fact *I* had questions over the course of the year after he joined CAP and got interested in attending the Air Force Academy (which Frank attended), and he always had a lot of helpful ideas and advice. I think your son will enjoy the class! My younger son had Mr Connor for a summer Python class and really enjoyed it too (as well as the Narnia English 3 class this past year). Wow again! I will ask my son (he's at CAP right now :001_smile:) if he met anyone named Benjamin in Charlie flight ... but he did say they pretty much only learned kids' last names, even in their own flights! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 We live in Orange, and my dd took the AAA class. It's pricey, but it was the right choice for us. For one thing, the AAA driving school is the only one that the DMV recognizes as valid for the student to get a permit while in the class, versus having completed the class. This was helpful for us, as my dd was 16 when she started and wanted to get it done as soon as she could. I can give you more details if you'd like. I know that some people also take driver's ed online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running the race Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Oh my goodness ... what a small world! Michael was in Delta flight! He *loved* encampment. No, he was signed up to take it last year, but then decided (at the last minute!) to try public school for 10th grade. Not being able to take Aviation Science was probably the thing he knew he'd miss the most about not hs'ing anymore ... Mr Forsyth was SO nice and helpful -- he said if my son looked at the book on his own, he'd answer any questions he had. In fact *I* had questions over the course of the year after he joined CAP and got interested in attending the Air Force Academy (which Frank attended), and he always had a lot of helpful ideas and advice. I think your son will enjoy the class! My younger son had Mr Connor for a summer Python class and really enjoyed it too (as well as the Narnia English 3 class this past year). Wow again! I will ask my son (he's at CAP right now :001_smile:) if he met anyone named Benjamin in Charlie flight ... but he did say they pretty much only learned kids' last names, even in their own flights! I PM's you with more information since I've led my own thread way off-topic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running the race Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 We live in Orange, and my dd took the AAA class. It's pricey, but it was the right choice for us. For one thing, the AAA driving school is the only one that the DMV recognizes as valid for the student to get a permit while in the class, versus having completed the class. This was helpful for us, as my dd was 16 when she started and wanted to get it done as soon as she could. I can give you more details if you'd like. I know that some people also take driver's ed online. Interesting. I'll check it out, though we have time to take an online class before he gets the permit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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