Revised: How would you home school high school without internet and without lots of driving?

[Pen]

For ninth grade, we are planning on biology, and we will be doing that at home, using a paper textbook. I will probably buy a microscope and other materials. Probably the same for chemistry, although I haven't really looked into it much yet. I'm not quite close enough to a local college to want to take a student there two or three times a week every week for tenth grade. Maybe by eleventh or twelfth if she can drive.

 

I do live just a couple of minutes from our local school, close enough that a kid could bike, and my state does allow for partial enrollment. I'm not yet interested in having that daily commitment, but you could check into whether that's a possibility for you for science or language.

 

There is a local college about 25 minutes from me that offers occasional lab classes for homeschoolers (like a one time class for three hours), including microscope work and dissections, so that's a possibility for us.

 

Mostly, we use the Internet as a supplement, so if we did not have it at home, I would seriously consider spending several hours at the library one day every week or so, watching YouTube videos and downloading stuff. Would you consider getting a cell phone or tablet plan that had some internet capability? I have a cell capable tablet, and though I don't have a plan on it, I did buy a one month plan for vacation because I was working on school planning and needed a lot of Internet. I was pleasantly to find that YouTube did not use much data at all. I think 1GB runs around $20 a month for a prepaid plan with no contract.

 

 

There is no cell phone service in our area.  Except from the top of a tree.  Not sure that would work for anything but an emergency call.

 

One day at the library may be the way to go. 

 

Not sure that is enough to do something like Duolingo, though.

[Pen]

Meanwhile, the co-op schedule for next term came out. And, sigh, it looks wonderful.  Maybe ds can decide between skating or co-op... Maybe I can find a driver to hire.

[Arcadia]

You know anyone willing to carpool? Many of my neighbors carpool to private schools and to outside classes to save time.

 

Physics labs are easy to do at home. Biology isn't hard either. Chemistry is trickier planning wise in that some experiments are better done with good ventilation so the warmer months would be better for those.

 

How about hosting an exchange student if you have a spare room? That would be helpful for foreign language.

[FO4UR]

Finding someone to help with the driving might be the ideal solution.

 

Another way to look at it is to think, "When I drive I'm too wiped out to ______ later." Then delegate whatever fits into that blank.  

 

I'm not sure if this is your only child or if you have others to teach.  If you have others to teach, pack up their things and work at the library while he's doing his activities/classes. He could maybe even handle driving in town so he could drop you off, do his thing, and come back to get you.

 

Also, let him do some driving as soon as he's able.  You can sit in the passenger seat.  Seeing him handle the roads with either make you feel better about letting him drive alone or convince you that he needed this practice anyway.

 

And, yeah...audiobooks, music appreciation, current events listening to NPR...

 

 

[Lori D.]

Internet was in my mind as a way to not spend a lot of time in car...

… I have a disability as a chronic illness. I am wiped out.

That is the real problem.

 

Can you re-order your "priority list" and shift getting satellite for internet service to the top? Chronic illness is not something to mess with and be overextending yourself. Other options that would take away the stress on your health that the remote location and driving is putting on you:

 

- send your students to school

- move much closer to the bigger city and spouse take on the bulk of driving to commute to the job

 

Esp. if you have more younger children, you'll soon be going through this all over again, and feeling it more intensely, with more than 1 student needing outsourcing and access to extracurriculars...

 

I'm so sad you're in such a tough spot, and esp. about the chronic illness. :( Wishing you all the best in finding the good path through this tangle! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Lori D.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

What have you been using for math and science for you3 13 and 17 year old that has worked well?

 

 

Thank you for the encouragement on this! Can you recall anything specific that they used that worked well?

 

 

What did you use for math, science and foreign language at high school level? What do you remember in a positive way now that you would suggest? Since you are going for second generation it must have been pretty good.

 

 

 

I could kick myself for having given up our Encyclopedia Britannica as actual books. A library card from a university is an interesting idea. I need to look into whether that is possible where we are!

If there are larger library book sales in your area it might be worth the time to go to one. Often encyclopedia sets are available at good prices. You might also let your local library know what books you are looking for. Our old Friends of the Library group used to keep a list of wants and call people when they turned up.

 

We also have a World Book Encyclopedia that we loaded from CD. That has been a good resource.

 

If discovery method is effective, perhaps he needs to learn how to work through the book in order to make AoPS work for him. There was definitely a learning curve for my kids with needing to learn how to actually work out the sample problems and read the solutions. High school is somewhat a period of learning how to effectively study. I wouldn't rule something out if it's not a perfect fit yet.

[Peso]

I haven't read the other replies but my Dd is finishing up her Senior year this year.  We have never used online classes, and she has only taken one Community College class (right now, as an almost 18 year old).  We used Oak Meadow (secular), her Kindle (lots of classics are free and you could upload them when you go to the library).  She used MUS and Latin Alive, but those are disk based, not online.  We also use Netflix for documentaries, but again, that's a disk.  She is definitely an introvert, so this kind of school was the right fit for her.  She saw friends at the library or when we made special effort.  Not a ton, but that's ok.  She's happy, she aced her ACT/SATs, and she's looking forward to college as a mature, eager learner.  

 

She doesn't drive (her choice), but if she did the last two years would have seen her doing more "outside" things as she could have gotten herself there.  She choose not to do those things.  It all worked.  There's no one "right way". 

 

Good luck whatever you do.  You won't know until you try and tweak and try again, but it will all be great in the end!

 

 

[Pen]

Are there any driving solutions? Like taking him into town and paying someone to bring him home after all his various activities? Can you stack things together so that he's in town all day and you go less often?

 

It's temporary to some extent... he'll be able to drive himself in a mere two or three years, which should be helpful for the ending of high school.

 

 

We have things somewhat stacked, but it does not help my exhaustion problem, or not much.

 

I am not sure yet about possible rides.  I sent a message to the head of the co-op explaining that ds wants to continue, but that transportation is a problem in case they have or know anyone who can help.

 

Then I spent awhile this morning talking with the county bus system people.  Ds says he feels ready to take the bus in order to get to co-op.

 

This would still take my driving him to and from the nearest bus station, but that is "only" half an hour (same as closest library), and I think that I could do that and be home in between which seems at least potentially more feasible than what we are doing this term where I take him all the way, wait and then take him home. I think.  It would mean leaving at about 7:50AM to get him to the bus if he goes to the first co-op class (which sounds great).  Then he would ride in to the city center hub (suggested by the county bus ombudsman as safer and warmer than transferring at some corner on the route), and then catch another bus to the co-op.  To get home he would reverse the process. The times home do not work as well as the times there, but the bus hub is near the main library for the city and he might be able to get some things done there while he waits for his bus. Or maybe someone from the co-op could drive him to the hub to catch an earlier bus heading out of the city.

 

If he did not take the first co-op class of the day, then we could, I think, leave the house at 9:50 which is more pleasant sounding from my POV.  I am not quite sure if that would get him to the co-op in time for the second class, but I think so.

 

Luckily, the second co-op class of the day this next semester is geometry, so more of a core class for him rather than an enrichment extra.

 

Better would have been if a good co-op day was on same day as ice skating with good times, but the only skating time for his type and level that day is 6:15AM--and there is no way I want to leave home at 5:15 to get him to an early morning skate practice.

 

It is possible that one day per week he can get in to skating, or home again, with someone we know.  It is also possible that if he gets good at the bus he could go by bus once per week.  It is even possible that this could match with more library time for him to do what he wants or needs to do online. 

 

All of this would then, I think, and assuming it all were to go well with no catastrophe,  be good practice for a possibility of getting to something like a CC class eventually, perhaps even before he can drive.

 

In any case, I am thinking now that maybe the lab science and foreign language requirements could be met at CC during the last two years of high school when he will be able to drive, and not worry about these for 9th and 10th grade.

[Pen]

Can you ...

 

- send your students to school

...

 

 

That is the only one of the list that seems currently to be a viable option--and I am very seriously considering it. 

 

It is sort of the default idea I now have of what to do, but before going there I am trying to figure out if we can do home school through high school or not.  If not, I think that for ds to start out at brick and mortar in 9th would be more sensible than to try to make it work at home, fail and then try to join into that later on.

 

There is only one student, and no other adult, so easier than multiple students, but no other driver.

 

I liked the idea of working out a 4 year plan and then posting to request ideas of how it could be implemented from home with a lot of "outsourcing" that is neither internet nor driving oriented.

[MerryAtHope]

But how did you deal with things like lab science -- both as "requirements" and also, if any of your kids happened to want to possibly be heading in a science field direction? Or also how did you deal with math at a level suited for a possible technology, engineering direction? And foreign language?

 

My dd is seriously considering a stem science field, and you absolutely can do lab science at home. She did biology with all of the dissections (a great way to do the dissections, btw--set aside one day to JUST do those. Only one day of mess, all of the utensils are already out--SO much easier than doing 4 or so different days of dissections). We ordered the dissection kit from Sonlight, and it came with all of the specimen, tools, everything we needed. (And I love that after preserving them in formaldehyde, the chemical is replaced with water--so they don't stink! My husband is disabled and has chemical sensitivities, so we planned on a dissection day during the summer in case we had to take everything outside--but there was no smell at all.) She also did chemistry as a lab science, and this year is doing Physics as a lab science. Next year she will likely do advanced biology, as biology is her favorite field (at this point she thinks she'd like to be a medical examiner or coroner.)

 

There are tons of higher level math programs you can do without any internet. Some are book based, some computer based, some video-based--you shouldn't have any trouble finding one that can work. We use Math-U-See, which has both videos and a text book. When my kids need reinforcement, I have them read through the lesson in the Teacher's Manual. When they work a problem differently from the book, I show them how the book solved the problem. If they got it wrong, I have them try to re-work it first. Do you have a family friend or someone at church who could be a resource if things get tough? I know MUS allows the student or parent to call with questions and they'll talk a student through the problem--and maybe other companies offer similar support.

 

Foreign language--my dd is doing Spanish with Rosetta Stone, no internet needed. Choose a language and then look for non-internet options. It may not be as limited as you think it is. 

[Rush]

like in the old good time, with heavy use of the library? :)

[Pen]

My dd is seriously considering a stem science field, and you absolutely can do lab science at home. She did biology with all of the dissections (a great way to do the dissections, btw--set aside one day to JUST do those. Only one day of mess, all of the utensils are already out--SO much easier than doing 4 or so different days of dissections). We ordered the dissection kit from Sonlight, and it came with all of the specimen, tools, everything we needed. (And I love that after preserving them in formaldehyde, the chemical is replaced with water--so they don't stink! My husband is disabled and has chemical sensitivities, so we planned on a dissection day during the summer in case we had to take everything outside--but there was no smell at all.) She also did chemistry as a lab science, and this year is doing Physics as a lab science. Next year she will likely do advanced biology, as biology is her favorite field (at this point she thinks she'd like to be a medical examiner or coroner.)

 

There are tons of higher level math programs you can do without any internet. Some are book based, some computer based, some video-based--you shouldn't have any trouble finding one that can work. We use Math-U-See, which has both videos and a text book. When my kids need reinforcement, I have them read through the lesson in the Teacher's Manual. When they work a problem differently from the book, I show them how the book solved the problem. If they got it wrong, I have them try to re-work it first. Do you have a family friend or someone at church who could be a resource if things get tough? I know MUS allows the student or parent to call with questions and they'll talk a student through the problem--and maybe other companies offer similar support.

 

Foreign language--my dd is doing Spanish with Rosetta Stone, no internet needed. Choose a language and then look for non-internet options. It may not be as limited as you think it is. 

 

Thank you!!!  Big, big help!  Especially the part about the non smelly dissection kit...  Both ds and I have chemical sensitivity  (I think I have something like your dh, and ds just is chemically sensitive for whatever reason)!  I was thinking he might have to do virtual lab biology for that reason, but this sounds great!  I think I'd still go with the summer idea so as to be able to do them outdoors.  Maybe bio and chem lab could be summertime classes outside--maybe two summers for each one. Physics could be in the winter.

 

I think we will stick with AoPS math for a while yet since ds thinks it is "fun" relatively speaking, but if it is too big a problem to implement, then to go to MUS, or maybe perhaps TT.  

 

He liked Duolingo, so maybe Rosetta would be the best option doable from home and allowing any language of his choice.  I'll have him try Rosetta samples from library when there.

 

This is starting to feel more manageable now!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

like in the old good time, with heavy use of the library? :)

 

 

Yeah. Except that driving turned out to be a major part of the problem for which I came to realize that I was thinking internet could be a way around the driving.  The nearest little rural library is half an hour drive minimum in good weather and ideal conditions.  

 

Maybe like in the even older times before libraries were common, with heavy use of a slate and slate pencil.  :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

like in the old good time, with heavy use of the library? :)

[luuknam]

Also, let him do some driving as soon as he's able.  You can sit in the passenger seat.  Seeing him handle the roads with either make you feel better about letting him drive alone or convince you that he needed this practice anyway.

 

 

I wanted to second this. I don't know at what point he can get a learner's permit in your state (15, 15.5, ...?), but that might cut it down from 2.5 years until he can drive to 1.5 years. Obviously, you'd have to be in the car with him, but rural high way driving is really simple (unless the weather is bad). He'll need the practice in bad weather, and in good weather you can just relax once he gets the hang of driving, which is probably pretty quickly (in TX, where I got my driver's license, the requirements were that there needs to be a licensed driver in the passenger seat while the person with the learner's permit is driving... the law didn't specify the licensed driver has to be awake or paying attention or sober - probably still doesn't, since I got my license only 8 years ago).

 

Also, I don't know how much stuff he'd have to take with him to the high school, but for many instruments there are bags that allow you to carry the instrument on your back while bicycling, and there are bicycle bags you can hang on the bicycle rack that can carry a lot of stuff (or you can tie a bag to the bicycle rack - in secondary school I had up to 30-something lbs of books in my book bag tied to the bicycle rack on a daily basis). Basically, if he can bicycle to the high school, he can probably take w/e gear he needs with him, unless he needs to bring a cello or something. Unless you *really* load your bike down, extra gear doesn't even have much impact on how long it takes you to get somewhere.

[Pen]

I wanted to second this. I don't know at what point he can get a learner's permit in your state (15, 15.5, ...?), but that might cut it down from 2.5 years until he can drive to 1.5 years. Obviously, you'd have to be in the car with him, but rural high way driving is really simple (unless the weather is bad). He'll need the practice in bad weather, and in good weather you can just relax once he gets the hang of driving, which is probably pretty quickly (in TX, where I got my driver's license, the requirements were that there needs to be a licensed driver in the passenger seat while the person with the learner's permit is driving... the law didn't specify the licensed driver has to be awake or paying attention or sober - probably still doesn't, since I got my license only 8 years ago).

 

Also, I don't know how much stuff he'd have to take with him to the high school, but for many instruments there are bags that allow you to carry the instrument on your back while bicycling, and there are bicycle bags you can hang on the bicycle rack that can carry a lot of stuff (or you can tie a bag to the bicycle rack - in secondary school I had up to 30-something lbs of books in my book bag tied to the bicycle rack on a daily basis). Basically, if he can bicycle to the high school, he can probably take w/e gear he needs with him, unless he needs to bring a cello or something. Unless you *really* load your bike down, extra gear doesn't even have much impact on how long it takes you to get somewhere.

 

 

Yes. He has already been practicing on our driveway which is legal. And it is true that it is only 1.5 years to permit.

 

Though I am not sure that it is relaxing to be the passenger of a 15yo driver.  :)   It is not relaxing to be the passenger of a 13yo driver on our own driveway, at least not when he gets close to trees or a driveway edge drop off...especially the drop off since his speed is not enough to likely do much injury with a tree.  I expect maybe flat parts of rural Texas could be a bit more relaxing, than windy mountain roads of the Pacific Northwest, (I recall driving long distances during my learning phase on a cross country trip through the flat rural areas of states like Iowa which was easy-peasy) or maybe you had more relaxed parents.  :)  A friend of mine who has a 19yo daughter who thus has had 3 years practice says she still finds being her daughter's passenger nerve wracking though she tries not to show it.

 

His bike doesn't currently have a bike rack.  Maybe that would be a good holiday gift!

[luuknam]

The part of TX I lived in wasn't completely flat, but nothing much windy. So, yeah, maybe it won't be very relaxing, BUT, on the bright side, he needs the driving practice anyway, so you might as well be driving to an activity rather than just driving around aimlessly for the sake of practicing driving.

 

My parents didn't teach me to drive - in NL you need to take driving lessons at a driving school with a certified instructor (expensive). So, I got my license after moving to the US and getting married.

 

A bicycle rack (and possibly bags) would make a great gift.

[Rush]

 

Yeah. Except that driving turned out to be a major part of the problem for which I came to realize that I was thinking internet could be a way around the driving.  The nearest little rural library is half an hour drive minimum in good weather and ideal conditions.  

 

you are spoiled :) 
i use to live in Moscow for a few years and it use to take me around 1.5 hr to get to my uni, one way  :w00t:

 

if seriously, we go to the library every week with kids, 30 minutes drive too + 1 hr to choose the books(we get 24 books per week), so i do not see a big deal. sorry  ;)

Edited December 1, 2015 by rushhush08

[FairProspects]

 

 

Yeah. Except that driving turned out to be a major part of the problem for which I came to realize that I was thinking internet could be a way around the driving.  The nearest little rural library is half an hour drive minimum in good weather and ideal conditions.  

 

you are spoiled :) 

i use to live in Moscow for a few years and it use to take me around 1.5 hr to get to my uni, one way  :w00t:

 

if seriously, we go to the library every week with kids, 30 minutes drive too + 1 hr to choose the books(we get 24 books per week), so i do not see a big deal. sorry  ;)

 

 

Much, much bigger deal with a chronic illness. ;)

[Rush]

Much, much bigger deal with a chronic illness. ;)

oh, so sorry! i think i have missed this part. I 'm taking my words back :blush:

[Pen]

The part of TX I lived in wasn't completely flat, but nothing much windy. So, yeah, maybe it won't be very relaxing, BUT, on the bright side, he needs the driving practice anyway, so you might as well be driving to an activity rather than just driving around aimlessly for the sake of practicing driving.

 

My parents didn't teach me to drive - in NL you need to take driving lessons at a driving school with a certified instructor (expensive). So, I got my license after moving to the US and getting married.

 

A bicycle rack (and possibly bags) would make a great gift.

 

 

When he turns 15 I will definitely be letting him get tons of practice on graduated real driving events.  Just...I don't think it will be relaxing ;)

 

I don't know if our state does or does not require driving school, but I do also plan to have ds do that, since I think having him do his first freeway and other such driving with a driving instructor and maybe one of those cars set up so that the instructor can take control if needed would be much more relaxing than my doing it even if legal for me to do it.

[Pen]

 

 

Yeah. Except that driving turned out to be a major part of the problem for which I came to realize that I was thinking internet could be a way around the driving.  The nearest little rural library is half an hour drive minimum in good weather and ideal conditions.  

 

you are spoiled :) 

i use to live in Moscow for a few years and it use to take me around 1.5 hr to get to my uni, one way  :w00t:

 

if seriously, we go to the library every week with kids, 30 minutes drive too + 1 hr to choose the books(we get 24 books per week), so i do not see a big deal. sorry  ;)

 

 

 

To clarify, in addition to the chronic illness issue that you missed, the problem is not just going to the library once per week for an hour there and and hour driving time.

 

This is what is actually happening, or supposed to be happening at this time (which is too much):

 

1) 2 days per week taking ds to ice skating lessons and practice.  This is in the bigger city and takes an hour drive each way, more or less, plus the lesson time and practice time, which ranges from 2-3 hours. Once per week, this is not such a big deal and I do grocery shopping while he takes his lesson and practices.  The second time is more onerous. Sometimes I have been able to combine a short practice session with going in for his co-op. But not always. 2 days is the minimum that his coach considers necessary for making progress. More times would probably be even better. In terms of his life over all, I would say skating is important and a top priority not to drop it.

 

[eta: even if he ends up at public school, the ice skating would still be kept if possible.... might not be possible to do it along with the public school...

 

but everything else below, save maybe writing workshop, would be dropped.]

 

2) Co-op, also in the bigger city, once per week. Currently it lasts for 3-4 hours which is not really enough time to leave him, come home, and go back again, so I end up with, an hour drive, 3-4 hours there during which I can neither effectively do much, nor rest well, though I have tried.  Repeatedly I have found myself there with computer and communicating with Chronic Illness Mom's part of this as I am feeling sick while there and wishing I could take a nap.  Ds loves co-op, but this is the hardest part of all the commuting for him from my POV. I have a question in to the co-op community to see if anyone can help.  I was hoping that maybe someone could get him from the co-op to the skating rink, but this next term there is no skating at a good time on a day that has classes of interest to him at co-op.

 

3) Once per week to a writing workshop in same location as the rural library, and using library at same time.  This has not actually happened for several weeks. The writing workshop is in the evening after the co-op, and I have been too wiped out, sick, etc., by that time to go.  At this time of the year it is also dark and with the difficult (for me) mountain road driving conditions.  If you drove 3 hours a day in snow and ice conditions during winter in Moscow, this drive would likely be easy compared to that.  If you were on a train, that is a different matter.

 

4) Possibly a second trip to rural library to use faster internet to do Khan Academy, Alcumus,  Duolingo, etc.   Or, since we haven't been making it to the main weekly trip there, this becomes the main trip.  

 

 

A couple of times I have had to cancel the main skating lesson because I just was not up to it.  Really it should have been co-op that was eliminated, but because it is earlier in the week, the skating is what took the hit.

 

 

Any ideas anyone? Put ds in public school, thus eliminating co-op and most library trips (though adding all the difficulties and stresses of public school, like early morning leaving times, homework, last minute demands, difficulty making it work for a 2E kid, etc.) -- though also cutting into ability to practice skating on a week day?  Let him unschool everything so if he does math and science and foreign language, fine, help him to get what he needs/wants to do that short of faster internet (which is off table at this time--take it as that landlord won't allow it), and if he doesn't, so be it?  Post notices seeking someone to drive him (how can someone safe and reliable be found?) to his city activities and maybe even the rural library?   Other ideas?

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2015 by Pen

[Pen]

I left out taking him to local public high school for his music. That is close and not a big deal at all, and I can come home between taking him and picking him up again. Though would be nice if he could bike it.

 

 

 

Update: Though ds said he wants to continue co-op next term enough to take bus from the closer city into the bigger one, I asked if he'd like to practice with that today with me following in car all the way in, but he said he didn't.

Edited December 2, 2015 by Pen

[Rush]

 

 

No worries. I understand everything. I just think that a study is a priority so I assumed that everyone should start "dancing" from the basis :blush:

Beside my kids have enormous number of activities' hours, so i assume again. So I am sorry. I like to assume, you see :lol:

 

But still I am thinking that a library is a way better than Internet. I have a tablet with kindle and a e-reader but still prefer the real books. Even for my study I am buying real books, cannot learn all this stuff from the screen :scared:

...of course,  everyone is different, but again i am not trying to persuade you or something, just shared my thoughts :)

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2015 by rushhush08

[Arcadia]

Update: Though ds said he wants to continue co-op next term enough to take bus from the closer city into the bigger one, I asked if he'd like to practice with that today with me following in car all the way in, but he said he didn't.

It takes time to get used to taking the public transport. My kids take the bus and light rail train often enough that they know the drill. We took the double decker train a few weeks back and DS9 was scared while DS11 is used to it and just took a book out to read.

 

My local public transport has a discounted 3 month summer pass for kids which is cheaper than the monthly youth pass. Maybe practice using public transit then.

[Pen]

 

 

No worries. I understand everything. I just think that a study is a priority so I assumed that everyone should start "dancing" from the basis :blush:

Beside my kids have enormous number of activities' hours, so i assume again. So I am sorry. I like to assume, you see :lol:

 

But still I am thinking that a library is a way better than Internet. I have a tablet with kindle and a e-reader but still prefer the real books. Even for my study I am buying real books, cannot learn all this stuff from the screen :scared:

...of course,  everyone is different, but again i am not trying to persuade you or something, just shared my thoughts :)

 

 

 

 

 

I understand that you are trying to apologize and I accept your apology.

 

But now, even though you say you understand, I am totally confused.  What do you mean by a study is a priority?  Do you mean a room in the house in which to study?  We basically use the living room and dining room as our homeschool and study areas, though ds also studies in his room or outdoors sometimes.

 

Are you assuming we have no books or something? We have tons of books. Maybe not literally tons, but it feels so.  I was trying to pare down, "konmari" and so on and getting rid of the encyclopedia was an error, but we still have, even after getting rid of huge numbers of books  ...   12 bookcases full and many boxes and bins holding ones that don't fit in the book cases.  My ds has 4 bookcases in his room.  All the living room walls that could take a case (no windows, fireplace or door) have floor to ceiling cases, the dining room has 3 bookcases....  We also get books and other materials from the library.

 

 

What the internet can give that I thought would greatly help, is access to distance high school level classes, distance community college classes, as well as things like Duolingo, Khan Academy, AoPS online, etc.  [eta: another thing that was in my mind were the MOOC type courses given by university professors...  ]

 

 

Post script: rushhush, I looked up your "content" and it looks like you are after schooling an approximately 7 year old or maybe more than one child in that age range?  That is really very very different than my situation if so.  Our first year homeschooling was a steep learning curve challenge, and the second year was engaged in remediating dyslexia. Then the next 3 years were pretty easy, just sailing along doing the next thing. Now, heading into the high school years, and with a sport in which there is competitive or performance potential and with a best friend moved away, as well as both age and stage making it harder for "mommy" to do he teaching, it has gotten very challenging again.  If I misunderstood your content posts, and you have btdt home schooling without internet with a high school age kid, let me know, please.

Edited December 2, 2015 by Pen

[Pen]

It takes time to get used to taking the public transport. My kids take the bus and light rail train often enough that they know the drill. We took the double decker train a few weeks back and DS9 was scared while DS11 is used to it and just took a book out to read.

 

My local public transport has a discounted 3 month summer pass for kids which is cheaper than the monthly youth pass. Maybe practice using public transit then.

 

 

I am thinking maybe we will go into the city one day just to practice bus riding.  And that I'll call the bus ombudsman and ask if he can plan us a good practice route that would give several ons and offs and transfers and maybe include the co-op, the ice skate rink, the public library and any other useful location I think of on the route.  I really need a happy for both ds and myself solution sooner than this next summer.

 

I the meantime, today I drove ds in to his co-op...   and then came home.  So far this is feeling better than I would be feeling at this point if I were in the city waiting for him.  But I'll see how I am when it is time to pick him up...

[Pen]

Just talked to a bus ombudwoman. She will work on a practice route with lots of ons and offs and transfers and where I can follow along in the car!  Will try to do it so that an actual skate practice is part of the route, not just bus practice.

[Shellydon]

Is it possible to move?  If I could not drive much, I would relocate myself to the city so I could use services easily.

[Pen]

Is it possible to move?  If I could not drive much, I would relocate myself to the city so I could use services easily.

 

 

Not a top option, but is also a possibility.  Also under consideration.

 

The rural home is a good situation for me.

 

Thus I am reluctant to give it up in order to facilitate 2.5 years of life before he can drive himself for ds who wants to do city activities. 

 

I doubt that I can afford to have a pied a terre in the city, but that is something that I gather some people with work in the city or teens with many activities do sometimes, if they can afford to.

[Pen]

My guess is that if we lived in city the country things would be missed by ds very much too.  

 

What we need is a magic "beam me up, Scotty" device to get him to his activities, classes etc.,  and back.  

[Rush]

 

I do know why you take everything personalty. I am not trying to offend you or say something mean and nasty.

Well, I'm sorry, but at this point I think it will be wise for me do not say anything else and do not continue this conversation any further :unsure:  

Edited December 3, 2015 by rushhush08

[Another Lynn]

Not a top option, but is also a possibility.  Also under consideration.

 

The rural home is a good situation for me.

 

Thus I am reluctant to give it up in order to facilitate 2.5 years of life before he can drive himself for ds who wants to do city activities. 

 

I doubt that I can afford to have a pied a terre in the city, but that is something that I gather some people with work in the city or teens with many activities do sometimes, if they can afford to.

 

I have jokingly said we should rent/buy a small home or apartment in town for a year when my dh deploys so that we can be closer to everything.  I've had a few people tell me it sounds like a good idea inspite of the financial obsurdity. 

 

Yes, "beaming up" would be fabulous!

 

[Pen]

I do know why you take everything personalty. I am not trying to offend you or say something mean and nasty.

Well, I'm sorry, but at this point I think it will be wise for me do not say anything else and do not continue this conversation any further :unsure:  

 

 

That's fine.  I think I came to the conclusion that there is probably a major language barrier that is not immediately obvious, but enough to make actual understanding very difficult.

[Pen]

I am not there yet to post a whole plan for high school and look for specific ideas, but I am going to start a thread for ideas for just math, which is the biggest problem right now as it is the only area where ds is "behind" finishing up middle school and headed into high school and its requirements at the level that fits his college and life type goals. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/577184-need-suggestions-for-handling-math-for-ds-13/

[smileyme]

I see IEW recommended often here. My kid is third grader, at 4'th grade level. Her writing needs to get honed up. What IEW materials should I buy?

[treestarfae]

My Dad lives on a rural Audubon site. They have teachers live on site for camp in the summer. They have trouble with a typical internet setup so they use a Mifi router through Verizon. Here's an example of one http://www.verizonwireless.com/internet-devices/jetpack-mifi-6620l/ There are pre-used ones that cost less.

 

I don't remember their exact brand they use but they have no problems with it. Hope this helps!

[Pen]

My Dad lives on a rural Audubon site. They have teachers live on site for camp in the summer. 

 

 

This is interesting me!  Where is this Audubon site with a camp in summer?  Camp for what ages?

[Pen]

Something we did for years, when I had a pile of little ones, was to drive the not-yet-driving-but-but-taking-college-classes kid to town, drop  off at her first class and then she stayed in town for the day. She do class, then walk to her job about a mile away (across town), then walk back to her next class, swim, etc. She had folks she could stop in at if needed. During gymnastics season, she'd walk back across town for practice. (Next dd did it for x-c) . If mil was having a good day (rarely), dd would stop in there to eat lunch. But then mil starting stealing her food and we had to stop that. The girls had instrument lockers at the college, so they weren't traveling with violins and cellos at -25. It wasn't ideal, but I couldn't manage anything else with babies and toddlers. I did have to speak to the cops about not harassing them, as they had my permission to be in town. Once they had college IDs, it was easier. During the summer, I'd drop them off at the horse trainer's barn, and they'd ride, clean stalls, teach etc. and then walk to their lifeguarding jobs--about a mile away. It cut my driving down to about an hour a day. 

 

We used to carpool with a neighbor for orchestra, and sometimes dh could pick kids up. It was MUCH easier once I had a driver, but then I had a gap with no driver after two left for college. I remember those being really hard years--taking college classes, working, but they couldn't drive. I had a gap again last year, but with only one kid, it wasn't a big deal. It's so cold here, and we get so much snow, that biking usually wasn't an option. One fall, dd just ran to town. She got her run in and I didn't have to drive! It's only 5 miles for us, but it added up quickly with multiple trips. We're blessed that the public library is about halfway between the high school and the college. 

 

 

We are a lot farther from most things, but what you describe is more or less what I am hoping to achieve if I can get my ds to be able to be comfortable with using busses. I think I could drive him to a bus stop that is around 11 miles from us and pick him up from there...and he'd be on his own to do everything he wanted to do in between.  I asked if where he skates there are lockers, but unfortunately there aren't, so carrying gear is still a problem. And the city is not one to be able to walk from thing to thing, but he may be able to walk/bus from thing to thing.  Acquiring some places he could go if needed, like your dd had would be a big help.

[Arcadia]

Does your public buses have bike racks? The buses and light rail trains here have bike racks so it is common for college kids to take the bus and bike around campus.

There are saddle bags for skates for bikes.

[Pen]

Does your public buses have bike racks? The buses and light rail trains here have bike racks so it is common for college kids to take the bus and bike around campus.

There are saddle bags for skates for bikes.

 

Some do and some don't, and I haven't been able to figure out yet whether the relevant ones do or don't. 

 

eta: new info--I have learned that they all do, but the ones where racks don't show--which includes most of ds route from outlying area into the bigger city-- have bike space inside where wheelchairs go, but if someone comes with a wheelchair, the person with a bike has to get off to make space for the wheelchair. That will not work for a young kid to be put off the bus with his bike who knows where between the little city and the bigger one. 

 

I've also considered whether a skateboard might help for the between busses parts, presumably with skates in a back pack. This now sounds like a better option of how to speed up the in-between busses parts if needed.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Pen