I can see why people quit by high school.

[redsquirrel]

I spend three years getting ready to teach high school.  I researched, I investigated, I made plans, I read textbooks and high school syllabus, I scoped out high school science labs and prepared to pay the $$ necessary, I investigated sending my son to the local CC for his last two years of high school, I looked at online options, I made reading lists, I practiced making transcripts and looked into everything we would need for college applications.

 

He asked to attend our local high school...and I gleefully sent him off, lol.  I figured it was easier if he started there and wanted to come home, than if I kept him home for a year and then sent him in 10th grade.

 

Our local high school is fine. My son is in a pre-professional ballet company, so he's too busy to get into any trouble anyway, lol. He certainly gets enough exercise, that is for sure. But, he's got access to lots of AP classes and has made some very good friends...and I don't have to do the work!  Is it perfect? Nope, but neither is my son and neither am I.  But, when he is doing terribly in Algebra 2 it is so much less stress when I can be his parent and not also his teacher. We are absolutely still involved. I still proofread his papers (he's actually a very good writer) and dh still reviews with him before a math test. We know everything that is going on. But, we have some space in our relationship that I am glad is there. 

 

I am absolutely so happy he was home until high school and have no plans to send ds2 to public school until high school. But it's pretty clear to me that I was going to struggle to implement high school in the way I wanted. It was certainly going to cost a fortune we didn't have. We are lucky to live in an area with good public schools. Again, not perfect schools, but we can work with it. 

 

 

[sassenach]

 

This thread seems like the right place to put this thought:  Michael Stipe must be a homeschooling mama. 

 

 

:confused:

 

Stay with me...

 

How else could REM have made this song?  I mean, read the words, people!!  Is that not the cri de coeur of a homeschooling mother with a teenager! 

 

Oh life, it's bigger

It's bigger than you

And you are not me

The lengths that I will go to

The distance in your eyes

Oh no, I've said too much

I've said enough

 

That's me in the corner

That's me in the spotlight

Losing my religion

Trying to keep up with you

And I don't know if I can do it

Oh no, I've said too much

I haven't said enough

 

I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try

 

Every whisper

Of every waking hour

I'm choosing my confessions

Trying to keep an eye on you

Like a hurt, lost and blinded fool, fool

Oh no, I've said too much

I've said enough

 

Consider this

Consider this, the hint of the century

Consider this, the slip

That brought me to my knees, failed

What if all these fantasies come

Flailing around

Now I've said too much

 

I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try

 

But that was just a dream

That was just a dream

 

That's me in the corner

That's me in the spotlight

Losing my religion

Trying to keep up with you

And I don't know if I can do it

Oh no, I've said too much

I haven't said enough

 

I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try

 

But that was just a dream

Try, cry, why try

That was just a dream

Just a dream

Just a dream, dream

 

:001_cool:

 

 

 

 

I think I thought I saw you try  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

 

You have forever changed my experience of that song.

[sassenach]

DS hasn't been nearly as hard as my eldest. I kind of felt the rumblings start in 5th grade, so I started heavily outsourcing last year. He takes 3 major subjects at a very academic co-op 2 days a week.  We've continued to outsource this year, with our sights on public school next year. All of the outsourcing has been relationship saving imo. He will attend public high school as well.

 

 

[Zoo Keeper]

I think I thought I saw you try  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

 

 

Can't you hear the angst?! :laugh:   Sing it, Michael!  It was the February of his soul, the winter of his discontent.

 

 

 

Maybe my son will actually pick up the *** pencil and try ...instead of waiting for the aforementioned goddess of math to whisper sweet equations in his ear.

 

(but that was just a dream...)

[MEmama]

 

This thread seems like the right place to put this thought: Michael Stipe must be a homeschooling mama.

 

 

:confused:

 

Stay with me...

 

How else could REM have made this song? I mean, read the words, people!! Is that not the cri de coeur of a homeschooling mother with a teenager!

 

Oh life, it's bigger

It's bigger than you

And you are not me

The lengths that I will go to

The distance in your eyes

Oh no, I've said too much

I've said enough

 

That's me in the corner

That's me in the spotlight

Losing my religion

Trying to keep up with you

And I don't know if I can do it

Oh no, I've said too much

I haven't said enough

 

I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try

 

Every whisper

Of every waking hour

I'm choosing my confessions

Trying to keep an eye on you

Like a hurt, lost and blinded fool, fool

Oh no, I've said too much

I've said enough

 

Consider this

Consider this, the hint of the century

Consider this, the slip

That brought me to my knees, failed

What if all these fantasies come

Flailing around

Now I've said too much

 

I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try

 

But that was just a dream

That was just a dream

 

That's me in the corner

That's me in the spotlight

Losing my religion

Trying to keep up with you

And I don't know if I can do it

Oh no, I've said too much

I haven't said enough

 

I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try

 

But that was just a dream

Try, cry, why try

That was just a dream

Just a dream

Just a dream, dream

 

:001_cool:

 

 

 

 

I hereby nominate this the Official Middle School Homeschool Song (OMSHA)

 

I am SO ordering this from iTunes for *those* days...

 

:)

[Scarlett]

This thread is great.

 

Ds15 has been in k12 charter since the beginning. Lately I have been so glad. School is hard and he finds it difficult to fit in with all the other things he wants to do. :/

 

He was gone until 3:00 on Wednesday doing some volunteer work. Last night he began telling me how he wanted to go back early this a,m and do more. I told him 1) I have the flu and I don't want to get up that early to take you, 2) you need to catch up on your school. Oh he was mad.

 

Now 7:30 on Thursday he is stressing because he is not caught up on his school and he has been invited to go into the city to eat sushi with his friends for lunch tomorrow. Should I remind him how much further he would,be behind if he had not worked on school today's?

 

He will be working Saturday evening and Sunday evening on school...Saturday he has to spend the day with his dad. Drama. Dram all of the time.

 

So if I were having to teach him it would be 10 times worse.

[Seasider]

I hereby nominate this the Official Middle School Homeschool Song (OMSHA)

 

I am SO ordering this from iTunes for *those* days...

 

:)

Yes! But.... for truth in advertising/full disclosure/whatever ya wanna call it.... I believe there are days when I am so worn from running that dd might just turn the tables and play this song at me...! Edited February 5, 2016 by Seasider

[redsquirrel]

I just want to add that I only posted that we have had a good experience with transitioning from homeschool to high school b/c I have had some friends who really and truly struggle with this issue. I think we hear so many negative stories about people's local high schools etc that I think it is important to speak up and say when it has been a positive experience.

 

However, I am NOT sitting in judgement of anyone who does homeschool throughout high school. I think it can be a great decision and I strongly believe that it is possible to give your high school aged kid a fantastic education at home.

 

I've just seen some friends fall apart emotionally over this issue, and it can be so, so hard to know what the 'right' thing is. I've seen people feel like they couldn't tell their friends they were considering to public school b/c they would be seen as 'selling out'. I've seen others give into pressure from family to send their kids to high school because it's 'too hard' to teach secondary school at home. I don't want anyone here to feel like they are not supported in whatever choice they make. I know what it's like to stand on the abyss...one I never intended to stand on...and jump in. It's not easy.

 

 

[Chelli]

I'M HOME!!!!!! I'VE FOUND MY PEOPLE!!!!!

 

Dd12 started with the angst last year so I'm hoping that means we will end it quickly, but right now I have no hope that both of us will survive to see 15 or 16. She's also a dreamer personality and naturally very emotional so that's like an extra heaping, helping of teen angst. Yay, me.  :banghead:

 

I have decided that wine was invented when children reached 12 and the parents couldn't take it any more.  :cheers2:

 

As for dd12's future plans, we have an excellent university model school for classical homeschoolers about 40 minutes away that she will be enrolled in for history/literature, science, and math in high school. To me that will be the best of both worlds. I'll do extracurriculars and language arts at home.

[Tsuga]

My stepkids are with us half time and they go to public school and I will still commiserate, LOL! They are great kids but some days all I can think is, "I really was like this once, for real... Can't deny it... But I can't believe it, either!"

[Snickerdoodle]

I just want to add that I only posted that we have had a good experience with transitioning from homeschool to high school b/c I have had some friends who really and truly struggle with this issue. I think we hear so many negative stories about people's local high schools etc that I think it is important to speak up and say when it has been a positive experience.

 

However, I am NOT sitting in judgement of anyone who does homeschool throughout high school. I think it can be a great decision and I strongly believe that it is possible to give your high school aged kid a fantastic education at home.

 

I've just seen some friends fall apart emotionally over this issue, and it can be so, so hard to know what the 'right' thing is. I've seen people feel like they couldn't tell their friends they were considering to public school b/c they would be seen as 'selling out'. I've seen others give into pressure from family to send their kids to high school because it's 'too hard' to teach secondary school at home. I don't want anyone here to feel like they are not supported in whatever choice they make. I know what it's like to stand on the abyss...one I never intended to stand on...and jump in. It's not easy.

 

I just want to second the sentiments that redsquirrel posted.   It was a super hard decision because I had intentions of homeschooling all the way through, but alas, my son decided to go to high school.  It has been a good transition.

 

Nothing really prepares you for the teenage years.   lol

[TammyS]

Now 7:30 on Thursday he is stressing because he is not caught up on his school and he has been invited to go into the city to eat sushi with his friends for lunch tomorrow. Should I remind him how much further he would,be behind if he had not worked on school today's?

 

 

 

I totally understand the temptation, but don't.  Let reality be the teacher (and bad guy), then you can be the good guy and give him lots of sympathy if it doesn't work out.

[SparklyUnicorn]

SWB or someone should write a book geared towards this phase of homeschooling.  Something like, "In it for the long haul".  A lot of books are geared towards new homeschoolers (it seems, I admit I have not gone looking for a homeschool related book in awhile).  How do you motivate yourself after you've been doing this for a long time?  How do you deal with having too much to do?  How do you deal with the nerves and the uncertainty and wondering if you are screwing your kids up for life?

 

 

[AppleGreen]

I just want to second the sentiments that redsquirrel posted.   It was a super hard decision because I had intentions of homeschooling all the way through, but alas, my son decided to go to high school.  It has been a good transition.

 

Nothing really prepares you for the teenage years.   lol

 

 

I just want to add that I only posted that we have had a good experience with transitioning from homeschool to high school b/c I have had some friends who really and truly struggle with this issue. I think we hear so many negative stories about people's local high schools etc that I think it is important to speak up and say when it has been a positive experience.

 

However, I am NOT sitting in judgement of anyone who does homeschool throughout high school. I think it can be a great decision and I strongly believe that it is possible to give your high school aged kid a fantastic education at home.

 

I've just seen some friends fall apart emotionally over this issue, and it can be so, so hard to know what the 'right' thing is. I've seen people feel like they couldn't tell their friends they were considering to public school b/c they would be seen as 'selling out'. I've seen others give into pressure from family to send their kids to high school because it's 'too hard' to teach secondary school at home. I don't want anyone here to feel like they are not supported in whatever choice they make. I know what it's like to stand on the abyss...one I never intended to stand on...and jump in. It's not easy.

I would actually strongly consider our large high school for my child(ren), even though I think the large size would not be the best environment, EXCEPT they follow a block schedule and that truly would be a disaster for my kid with low processing speed, working memory issues and ADHD. Condensing a year of math into a semester, then not seeing that material again for 8+ months raises serious concerns for me.

 

In our area, there is one private ($20.000+/year tuition) and two charter schools that offer a traditional or hybrid approach, which would be a better fit. Academically, I do not think the charter schools would be challenging enough (the 10th grade English class reads the following 4 books in during the year: The Book Thief, Julius Caesar, Warriors Don't Cry and I Am Malala. Good books, but with the exception of Julius Caesar, not what I would deem 10th grade reading, but maybe I am completely out of touch? I have not been in a high school classroom in many, many years.)

 

I think the most frustrating part is feeling like we really have few options. I would LOVE a hybrid option where my child could take some classes at the local HS. The HS co-op options are religiously affiliated, which isn't necessarily my first choice, but last I heard used Apologia for science, which is a deal breaker. We have a couple of one day a week classes that homeschoolers use to satisfy various credits, but I always come back to the various issues of my kid that would make a one day a week class challenging, not to mention I have questions on how much time the kids are putting into the classes to qualify them as a high school credit. 

 

Ok, that's the end of my Friday whine. Having teenagers is hard, I think that is the crux of the issue. This is my first wade into the pool of teenagers, so it all feels huge and challenging. 

[TammyS]

 

 

In our area, there is one private ($20.000+/year tuition) and two charter schools that offer a traditional or hybrid approach, which would be a better fit. Academically, I do not think the charter schools would be challenging enough (the 10th grade English class reads the following 4 books in during the year: The Book Thief, Julius Caesar, Warriors Don't Cry and I Am Malala. Good books, but with the exception of Julius Caesar, not what I would deem 10th grade reading, but maybe I am completely out of touch? I have not been in a high school classroom in many, many years.)

 

 

It really depends on why those books were chosen.  I know of other English programs that choose a mixture of hard/easy books, because they are focusing on different things with each book.  I could easily imagine those books being chosen for these reasons:

 

Julius Caesar: practice reading a hard book and contextualizing ideas historically

I Am Malala: practice writing a response paper

Warriors Don't Cry: practice writing a persuasive or expository essay

The Book Thief: (ok, I got nuthin for that...but maybe they do)

 

If you are interested in the school, it might be worth your time to ask questions about the curriculum.  Ask to see their scope, sequence, and objectives.

[bethben]

I totally understand why homeschoolers jump ship around high school!  I have a 15 year old ds and an 11 year ds who is starting to show signs of "volcanic rumbling".  When my 15 year old was 12, I started putting him into online classes.  It was SOOO MUCH BETTER.  He tends to do much better work for someone else.  Next year, the plan is to have him almost completely online or doing college classes.  He is a self directed learner and prefers it that way.  He's learned I'm not much help with answers to his questions and has learned to figure it out on his own.  

 

I keep thinking my 11 year old ds will be a better teen learner, but I'm not holding my breath and am looking into an online class for him also.  With boys especially, there's this tension of wanting to be "the man" but having to still listen to mom.  Getting the learning away from mom really helps with the being "the man" issues.  

[AppleGreen]

It really depends on why those books were chosen.  I know of other English programs that choose a mixture of hard/easy books, because they are focusing on different things with each book.  I could easily imagine those books being chosen for these reasons:

 

Julius Caesar: practice reading a hard book and contextualizing ideas historically

I Am Malala: practice writing a response paper

Warriors Don't Cry: practice writing a persuasive or expository essay

The Book Thief: (ok, I got nuthin for that...but maybe they do)

 

If you are interested in the school, it might be worth your time to ask questions about the curriculum.  Ask to see their scope, sequence, and objectives.

I absolutely understand and agree with choosing a mixture of books to stretch and grow readers. It just seemed there were mostly easy books (none of those other than JC has a lexile score above 1000). My kid read Book Thief as an 8th grader and completed a literary analysis paper on it. To see that on a 10th grade reading list in a supposedly college prep school is a bit head scratching. 

 

Getting in touch with them on curriculum is on my list for next week, although I suspect they will just direct me to our state standards and Common Core. That seems to be the answer I keep getting when I ask the teachers at open houses on curriculum. It is a new school, only their second year, so I imagine they are still hashing out the finer points. 

[1GirlTwinBoys]

My daughter is in 7th and boys are in 6th.  They started PS this year and it has been WONDERFUL.  They love it and I am very pleased with it.  We do live in one of the top districts in our state so I'm sure that makes a difference.  It's been the best decision I've made in a long time.  Unless you're living in a bad school district it might be worth trying.

[Paige]

I was counting the days just this morning until the 2016-2017 school year starts so I could ship my DS off to high school. I hate middle school. I think this will be my last year with DS at home and it's sad but I'm hopeful that it will be good for both of us. I may send a few of my others who would be in middle school next year just because it was so stressful with DS and I don't want to do it again. The ironic thing is that in all other areas DS is much easier to get along with than he had been as a younger tween. He's nicer, funnier, has better conversations, more reasonable, and interested; but school...even with out sourcing it is not enjoyable to be the enforcer all day. 

[purplejackmama]

SWB or someone should write a book geared towards this phase of homeschooling. Something like, "In it for the long haul". A lot of books are geared towards new homeschoolers (it seems, I admit I have not gone looking for a homeschool related book in awhile). How do you motivate yourself after you've been doing this for a long time? How do you deal with having too much to do? How do you deal with the nerves and the uncertainty and wondering if you are screwing your kids up for life?

Watch Julie Bogart on periscope. Binge watch all her old scopes on katch. She's changed my life. I'm not longer scared of anything in homeschool. :)

[Audrey]

I'm not sure how much longer we will be able to keep going. :svengo:  My 7th grader's work is getting more difficult. He's not a natural student and requires a lot of my time. I feel like I'm always trying to squeeze the middle two kids in, and we are always playing catch up. The toddler is not happy just going along with the flow. Trying to manage her while teaching the others seems impossible.

 

And, I'm not having any fun. Really, this is just not enjoyable.

 

I dread the complications and issues we would face if we put them in school. (Who wants to do homework at night?)

We can't afford private school and the thought of throwing them in public school makes me feel sick.

 

Anyway... who wants to commiserate with me?

 

The middle grades are miserable.  It's worth it to stick it out past that phase.  It gets better (IMO, IME, usual disclaimers apply and yada yada).

[Audrey]

SWB or someone should write a book geared towards this phase of homeschooling.  Something like, "In it for the long haul".  A lot of books are geared towards new homeschoolers (it seems, I admit I have not gone looking for a homeschool related book in awhile).  How do you motivate yourself after you've been doing this for a long time?  How do you deal with having too much to do?  How do you deal with the nerves and the uncertainty and wondering if you are screwing your kids up for life?

 

I agree with this.  It seems like once you approach the high school years, you can hear the crickets chirping, the company's so quiet and few.  Some support and reassurance and BTDT advice would be most welcome.

[MotherGoose]

Oh dear sweet me, what a large load of sympathy I have for you. I am right in the middle of it, too. :rolleyes:

 

No joke-- I spent over an hour yesterday trying to help my 14 year old remember how to solve 2(x+2). He did not remember one ounce of how to do this. Even after he had spent over an hour doing pages of similar problems the day before... :banghead:

 

He was hoping the goddess of math would come and bless him. I am not the goddess of math. :001_tt2: This has been a very hard week for both of us.

 

His brain is the Bermuda Triangle right now...information sails in, and is never heard from again...

My oldest is in 4th grade but she has Bermuda Triangle moments. I really Have a hard time dealing with it and don't think I could have done an hour of explanation gracefully. Yesterday I caught her doing her math with a calculator--subtraction with borrowing to thousands. She knows how to do it and didn't forget, she just (admittedly) didn't want to do the work. I did not handle this gracefully at all, and I had her do an entire page of those problems as recompense. There was yelling involved! I guess I take it so personally since I'm the teacher and the mama. And I dread the future years of what might be coming in this arena...

[....]

I agree with this.  It seems like once you approach the high school years, you can hear the crickets chirping, the company's so quiet and few.  Some support and reassurance and BTDT advice would be most welcome.

 

:iagree:   We now know only 1 kid the same age as my oldest who homeschools.  Everyone else has put their kids back in school during late middle school.   :mellow:  There is no one out there IRL to get advice from, share curriculum ideas or even anyone who understands our time management issues (we recently went to a staggered 7-day school week schedule, so I could give them more individual attention   :crying: ).

 

 

Edited to add: Anyone else with teenagers getting the "Why don't you just put them in community college classes for high school?" treatment from relatives...?  People can't figure out why we're homeschooling high school courses - we should just skip high school and start at college or something...   :confused:   

Edited February 6, 2016 by Evanthe

[....]

SWB or someone should write a book geared towards this phase of homeschooling.  Something like, "In it for the long haul".  A lot of books are geared towards new homeschoolers (it seems, I admit I have not gone looking for a homeschool related book in awhile).  How do you motivate yourself after you've been doing this for a long time?  How do you deal with having too much to do?  How do you deal with the nerves and the uncertainty and wondering if you are screwing your kids up for life?

 

That would be a great book!  

[redsquirrel]

I thought that was the point of the WTMA blog "Finishing Well"?

 

http://www.wtmacademy.com/blog/

 

It says it is for 'the second half of homeschool', and I thought it was for discussing homeschooling issues of the middle and high school years

 

I was actually disappointed I didn't get to homeschool high school. I did so much work to get ready and it didn't happen.  I am fine with my son's choice, and honestly a bit relieved I don't have to worry about transcripts and making sure my courses a 'good enough' for college, but I was willing to do it.

 

I have a friend who just went full on WTMA for 9th grade and has been very, very happy.  If my younger boy wants to stay home for high school, that is prob what I will do.

[ktgrok]

On 2/4/2016 at 7:58 PM, Zoo Keeper said:

 

Can't you hear the angst?! Sing it, Michael!  It was the February of his soul, the winter of his discontent.

 

 

 

Maybe my son will actually pick up the *** pencil and try ...instead of waiting for the aforementioned goddess of math to whisper sweet equations in his ear.

 

(but that was just a dream...)

I know this is a really really old thread...but after dealing with my 13 yr old puberty brained child and Algebra today, I needed to reread it! Seriously, bermuda triangle brain, waiting for the math goddess!

[Eos]

I do love reading the names of former/retired Boardies and remembering old threads I lurked on 🙂

[Ausmumof3]

This was a good time for this thread to get bumped for me. I definitely need a way to get my homeschool mojo back. Actually considering school for dd next year. The trouble is our distance ed for last two years of high school option relies on her having been homeschool. If she goes to school we lose that option so it’s a kind of final decision. 
 

I miss the primary school days of long read alouds and nature walks and baking