For Fun: Homeschool Things You Just Don't Get (no hate)

[TechWife]

I do not understand chicken mummies. I just don't get the appeal. 

 

I also don't understand coops that focus on the way children are dressed and the way they behave more than the subject matter at hand. You could spend ten minutes trying to get Johnny to stand up when he speaks to you or you could spend ten minutes on the science lab you're supposed to be doing, which is better? 

 

 

[ktgrok]

Also, to clarify, I'm over the whole "house isn't nice enough for company" thing. I grew up in a neighborhood similar to what one person described, where it was working class, you often wandered into a neighbor's house that had dishes in the sink or clothes folded on the couch or whatever. Not a big deal. 

 

My husband...sigh. He has issues with it. It really bothers him that the house isn't "nice enough'. He came from a family that lived way above their means, etc and that influenced him a lot. And he views it as a failure to provide for his family that the yard isn't nice or whatever. So I don't have people over as often as I'd prefer. 

 

Plus my dogs are loud and scary to some people. 

[AMJ]

I still love working with my teen. I'm not by her side every minute, of course, but homeschooling high school is exciting in different ways than working with littles. Obviously my way isn't the only way but it is a way that I personally find enriching. For me it is the culmination of everything I have done in grade and middle school.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

I love some of the discussions my two girls and I get into sometimes.  I appreciate independent work for kids their age and development and the girls have plenty because they want it and can handle it, but I truly like having some involvement in their studies and discoveries, too.

[AMJ]

Hey now, that's like our official state dish here in Minnesota. :lol:

 

It's actually pretty good. It tastes sort of like a shepherd's pie, but having tater tots instead of mashed potatoes gives it a better flavor and texture.

 

 

 

Well, after wild rice casserole it is!

 

#grewupinMNandstillmakewildricecasserole

[Bluegoat]

Also, to clarify, I'm over the whole "house isn't nice enough for company" thing. I grew up in a neighborhood similar to what one person described, where it was working class, you often wandered into a neighbor's house that had dishes in the sink or clothes folded on the couch or whatever. Not a big deal. 

 

My husband...sigh. He has issues with it. It really bothers him that the house isn't "nice enough'. He came from a family that lived way above their means, etc and that influenced him a lot. And he views it as a failure to provide for his family that the yard isn't nice or whatever. So I don't have people over as often as I'd prefer. 

 

Plus my dogs are loud and scary to some people. 

 

I have a dog issue at the moment.  Our puppy (She's almost 2) is much more suspicious of strangers than other dogs we've had.  Even crated, she really barks very loudly, and it makes having a group of people over difficult.  Because of the size of the crate we can't really move it - our living room is tiny and that is already a problem with many guests, it has 3 seats and that is really it.

[Bluegoat]

As far as this idea of having a responsibility to get out there - I think there is some truth to it.  I think we do all have some level of responsibility to contribute to the communities we belong to.  That does not mean all people can help out in the same way, or at all times.  But if more people took that responsibility seriously, it wouldn't always fall on the same few people for years at a  time - which seems to happen in just about every community organization, and those who do help out would have a lighter load.

 

Having community forums where activities can go on, though, would make it a lot easier for people to "host" who would rather not do it at home.

[Soror]

CM style with 50 different subjects- likewise any curriculum that uses a million parts and is overly complicated

 

"Morning time" - again too many things to keep track of and I'd rather work on something through rather than doing a million things- besides the fact that I think it just adds in to Mommy guilt about all these things we are "supposed" to be doing

 

School at home- I understand why some do it, I just cannot personally wrap my head around it

 

I didn't get Saxon, until I had a daughter that doesn't fit conceptual programs at all-- I painfully tried nearly all of them.

 

All these people that decide to hs with no research, then want you to tell explain it to them. I don't know how many emails and calls I get that say, "I want to hs can you tell me about it." Geez, talk about vague. After too many times of spending all this time crafting this huge reply and hearing nothing back I now have a short standard reply here is HSLDA for legal info for our state, Cathy Duffy curriculum review site, general hs'ing FAQ online, and an invite to our local group page.

 

Count me in the group that is done doing so much for others. Either I do it on my own, my own way just b/c I want to or it is truly a co-op in that everyone pitches in.  My own health and family are the priority. I grew quite tired of others telling me they didn't have the time but expected other people to do it. 

[AMJ]

What are these snow days you speak of?

 

 

Snow is so rare here if we ever get anything even remotely related we take a day off of school to go outside and play in it!  That's our snow day plan.

[AMJ]

Book clubs are for suckers. My friends and I formed a Pie Club :-)

 

 

I love books!  However, I do not see any reason to club people over the head with them.

 

Same goes for pie.

 

:lol:

[Mrs.Wilson]

::cringing:: Other homeschooling families. I've been able to find my tribe on these boards--maybe as a result of the incredible diversity--but I've never been able to connect with homeschooling families IRL since 1995 and in 7 different states. Pretty much the only thing I've had in common has been homeschooling. Our family friends have all been traditionally schooled.

 

This!  We moved from CA to MO about three years ago.  We started going to a small church that coincidentally all the families homeschooled.  We felt like we found our "place".  Nope.  Any time we talk curriculum or anything homeschooling I always walk away disappointed.  

[regentrude]

This!  We moved from CA to MO about three years ago.  We started going to a small church that coincidentally all the families homeschooled.  We felt like we found our "place".  Nope.  Any time we talk curriculum or anything homeschooling I always walk away disappointed.  

 

I have never found any IRL homeschoolers with whom I could talk about curriculum. My ideas and expectations are wildly different from every person I met. Shrug. We did fine without; this board was the community I did not have IRL.

[AMJ]

We not only took snow days, but I brazenly logged them as PE. :o

 

 

Well, of course!  And a short study of meteorological phenomena.

[AMJ]

So much this! Also people who express an interest in HS and ask for info and then don't bother to reply with so much as a thanks when I write them a huge email with links. Which I no longer do (and only one person I did this for ever went on to actually homeschool).

 

 

I tell the newbies/wannabes/thinkingaboutits to visit forums.welltrainedmind.com and check out the various threads.

[AMJ]

Corn mazes. All of the local homeschool groups schedule outings to corn mazes in the fall and call them agricultural science field trips. I don't get it. They wander around the corn field and find their way out. There is no agricultural presentation, no experiment, no information. Just wander around a corn maze.

 

This is entertainment folks, not agricultural science. 

 

Workbooks. I hate workbooks. I can't imagine it, the boxed workbook curriculum. My kids would throw up on them, LOL.

 

Co-ops. 

 

Crafts. I CANNOT STAND CRAFTS! No I do not want to take my kids to a homeschooling outing where they make dog biscuit Christmas ornaments. But then again, I hated that kind of thing when dd went to the Lutheran school for kindergarten. GAH! Please just don't send this stuff home because then my kid thinks I should save it for all eternity.

 

Oh, and the local homeschool family who makes their kids wear uniforms, at home, when they are schooling and not leaving the house. Personal choice, and I get that and all, but I can't wrap my brain around purchasing special clothing for a uniform look for homeschooling. My kids of course would have hated this with the fire of a thousand suns. My assumption is that very few homeschooling families do this.

 

 

Every year we take field trips to our local Ren Fest's school days, and the local big city's Rodeo.  I dub these field trips mainly PE, because we walk our legs off and ride every ride, play every game, eat every junk food that appeals (some do not) while doing/seeing whatever else appeals.  Learning the lessons of intestinal reactions to various food combos IS an important lesson for Health/Physical Education!

[Guest]

I have never found any IRL homeschoolers with whom I could talk about curriculum. My ideas and expectations are wildly different from every person I met. Shrug. We did fine without; this board was the community I did not have IRL.

 

:iagree:

 

This board has definitely spoiled me regarding how informed people are about curricula and just general discussion about homeschooling. I've yet to run across anything comparable IRL. Except possibly the CC people- they're pretty informed. But they're more like aggressive missionaries trying to convert you in my experience (personally that is, not here). 

[AMJ]

Corn mazes. All of the local homeschool groups schedule outings to corn mazes in the fall and call them agricultural science field trips. I don't get it. They wander around the corn field and find their way out. There is no agricultural presentation, no experiment, no information. Just wander around a corn maze.

 

This is entertainment folks, not agricultural science. 

 

Workbooks. I hate workbooks. I can't imagine it, the boxed workbook curriculum. My kids would throw up on them, LOL.

 

Co-ops. 

 

Crafts. I CANNOT STAND CRAFTS! No I do not want to take my kids to a homeschooling outing where they make dog biscuit Christmas ornaments. But then again, I hated that kind of thing when dd went to the Lutheran school for kindergarten. GAH! Please just don't send this stuff home because then my kid thinks I should save it for all eternity.

 

Oh, and the local homeschool family who makes their kids wear uniforms, at home, when they are schooling and not leaving the house. Personal choice, and I get that and all, but I can't wrap my brain around purchasing special clothing for a uniform look for homeschooling. My kids of course would have hated this with the fire of a thousand suns. My assumption is that very few homeschooling families do this.

 

 

Today I didn't even make my kids get dressed....

 

Pajama Day once in a while can be a good thing!

[poppy]

I have never found any IRL homeschoolers with whom I could talk about curriculum. My ideas and expectations are wildly different from every person I met. Shrug. We did fine without; this board was the community I did not have IRL.

 

In forums, on Facebook, everyone seems to get it.  In person, nope never ever. Blank stares.  Like it's rude to talk about, even.

 

Except Bravewriter. The Bravewriter people are evangelical for that brand. WHOOPS of course I  mean to say "lifestyle".

[EmseB]

Our co-op field trip to the pumpking patch/corn maze had multiple stations with actual ag education that we had to complete before doing anything "fun". Science on how/why things grow, local ag products, etc. And we were the only homeschool group there, the rest were public schoolers on field trips.

[happi duck]

I'd just like to clarify that I wasn't entirely 100% talking about being hosted in someone's home - although, yeah, its nice we have a whole 3 friends who do that - it's what happens when you give, give, give of yourself in terms of hospitality but also in terms of organising classes and activities and blah blah blah - being taken for granted, basically.

 

It's not hard to show appreciation. If I had a friend who couldn't host us for health reasons, I would entirely understand, given I have a chronic illness myself. But hey! a card at the end of term to say 'thanks' for hosting the book club your kid enjoyed, or sharing a resource you know I need or...well...anything.

 

I really cannot explain how many homeschoolers take advantage of those of us who are able to organise. And I don't enjoy it. It's not my thing. I'm a chronically ill introvert, I want to lie on my bed and read all the time. It's a thing I do - or did - because it's important to us, and because it's important in terms of having a functioning community, and because I tried for a long time to put my money where my mouth is and offer low cost activities and friendship, especially to newbies.

 

But yeah, health reasons I get. But homeschool relationships have to have an element of reciprocity or the life gets sucked out of you.

 

It's sometimes just the simple things. If someone organises something, text/call/message them afterwards and say thank you for the experience, let them know it was enjoyed, and let them know you appreciate them putting the time into organisation.

 

If someone's hosted you the last four times, offer something that you can handle. Maybe you can't have their kids over. But maybe you could arrange a park meet up. Or a coffee for the adults. Or heck, a ride to a nice quiet meditation class. Or a loaf of home-made bread!

 

Just try to keep the giving and the receiving in a rough kind of balance.

Well said!

[LMD]

Around here a big part of the problem with running a class or activity is finding a place to do it. Not talking about field trips or park days, but classes or clubs. Those who end up running them over and over and over again are those who have access to a location, or are the rare person with a big enough house.

 

It's not just homeschooling. I saw it with 4h. The libraries are busy and strict with what activities can be done, the schools limit access, churches often don't have rooms and those that do are often very booked up. There's a few local home schoolers trying to start a brave writer group. They ate having a lot of trouble trying to get a library room. They want to do it weekly and the libraries only allow you to reserve a room once a month. The library also doesn't allow any groups that are charging money.

 

My 4h meets at our lake clubhouse. I'm looking into using it during the day since nobody uses it then generally, especially during the school year. Is I can get it, we will probably do the brave writer there and I may teach other classes (science and robotics) and start a Pokémon club for my son. But I couldn't do any of it without access to a space.

We ran into this problem too. To book a room at some libraries I would have to first register my group as an official something or other, then get insurance, then book in only 40min slots... all costing time and money. I gave up. Edited January 17, 2017 by LMD

[scrapbookbuzz]

While I LOVE, and I mean LOVE, Sonlight's literature (and have a good stock of it

in my house), I don't get the amazing pictures on their yearly catalog. I see so many

pics of families and/or kids sitting in tall grass, splashing in a creek, or sitting in a tree house

studying. Where are these families? 

 

And maybe I'm just jealous because I live in the DESERT.  :glare:  :D

[ScoutTN]

 

 

This board has definitely spoiled me regarding how informed people are about curricula and just general discussion about homeschooling. I've yet to run across anything comparable IRL. Except possibly the CC people- they're pretty informed. But they're more like aggressive missionaries trying to convert you in my experience (personally that is, not here). 

 

 

:iagree:

 

Hilarious about CC people.  :D  Not all are that way, but some for sure! 

 

I continue to find it shocking how many homeschooling parents have spent very little time researching curricula or even thinking about their own philosophy of education. They often just go with whatever friends suggest.  I met someone recently who had no idea about any science curricula other than Apologia and the texts used by the local ps.   :eek: Ack!  I referred her here, of course.  ;)

[KungFuPanda]

:iagree:

 

This board has definitely spoiled me regarding how informed people are about curricula and just general discussion about homeschooling. I've yet to run across anything comparable IRL. Except possibly the CC people- they're pretty informed. But they're more like aggressive missionaries trying to convert you in my experience (personally that is, not here).

 

  

 

I had the opposite experience. Most of the homeschoolers I've met IRL seem to have a handle on the fact that you have to do plenty of academic planning and preparation. We just don't seem to have the type here that are proud that teaching their daughters to bake bread is all the science she'll need because she's focused on marriage. They could just be hiding from me, but I'm always amazed when I hear those stories on here.

 

In forums, on Facebook, everyone seems to get it.  In person, nope never ever. Blank stares.  Like it's rude to talk about, even.

 

Except Bravewriter. The Bravewriter people are evangelical for that brand. WHOOPS of course I  mean to say "lifestyle".

Waaaay back when I did Bravewriter, I was the only person I knew who did it. Nobody seemed to know what it was. I thought it just never caught on, but suddenly a whole new generation of homeschoolers is all over it with online classes and everything. I guess I missed that revolution because I have 'old' kids.

[SeaConquest]

As much grief as we get from homeschool purists, this conversation has really helped me to appreciate our homeschool charter. So much of the community we have as homeschoolers is because of our charter. My kid has friends from the charter, enrichment classes from the charter, field trips from the charter, contests from the charter. Notice a pattern here? The only people I know who volunteer in the homeschool community do so because they want to, not because they feel like they should. Say what you will about homeschool charters, but ours has been an amazing blessing for us. I wish more states had them as an option for homeschoolers.

 

However, to the OP, I don't get homeschoolers who do it just for the money they receive from the charter. $3000/year in funds is quite the enticement for a lot of people (who wouldn't otherwise choose to homeschool) to pull their kids from regular public school. There is a whole cottage field trip industry that has sprung up here to cater to homeschoolers with funds to burn. Ski trips for PE, Sea World is studying Marine Ecology, and California Adventure is CA History, complete with lesson plans and samples for the charter. I am sorry, I don't care how you spin it, I don't see why the tax payers of CA should be paying for your Disney passes.

[TX Native]

I don't get required grade reporting unless the purpose is to let someone on the outside decide if something needs to change based on the grade. I don't even get reporting grades to colleges based on GPA from homeschools or B&M schools unless the college has some knowledge of the expectations for each grade from the B&M school or homeschool. Except for test scores published by some established curriculum or test writers, teacher grades are subjective. One mom can consider a traditional aerobic workout an hour/day an A in high school PE while another mom can require completion of a triathlon as an A grade for high school PE. In my high school PE, I just had to "dress out" each day and pretend to be somewhat interested in the coach's instructions to get an A in high school PE. Even then, I could skip "dressing out" (do they even use that term in high school PE anymore???) and sit on the bench with other slackers 5 times and still get an A. I made nearly straight A's in a low performing school's honor's program and didn't know half of what B students knew from other schools. I can see grades for homeschoolers being more variable. Yes, you can choose to back grades up by tests scores, but still what does the grade matter? If one assigns a C in most classes to a student who gets a 30 something on the ACT, how does that differ from a mom who assigned an A in most classes to a student who gets a 30 something on the ACT? The only difference is some colleges give scholarships for high GPAs, but how can that be fair unless the college has some certain measurable standard of what was required to obtain an A in each class and the college is sure the prior homeschool or B&M school met that standard. We have to report grades to our umbrella school, but even the lady who keeps records said no one would investigate a grade unless I was assigning failing grades and wanted to grade promote. Even long before high school....As a homeschooler, what does it matter to anybody if my 8yo gets a C or A reported on the required semester report card???

 

The other thing I don't get is asking "What would Charlotte do?" (I don't see this here, but do on some CM forums). I get that Charlotte Mason was a fine educator, left behind wonderful educational advice in her writings, and her methods are quite popular among today's homeschoolers. I even use some of her methods. The last thing I care about if I am dropping one of her book choices, don't want to sit with my kids and knit 2 hours every afternoon, or study auto mechanics instead of Impressionist Art is if Charlotte (who lived over a hundred years ago on another continent in a different culture) would approve. Even here, with several SWB followers, I don't see posts that say, "Would SWB approve if we don't follow the 4 year history cycle?"

Edited January 18, 2017 by TX native

[*****]

'Boxed' Kindergarten/Preschool kits, or a whole purchased curriculum for that matter at that grade level. Sit down and have fun with the little ones with hands-on manipulatives!  I never saw the need for workbooks at such a young age to that extent (one for math, handwriting, phonics...)  It seems like burn-out for sure by the time the child hits 3rd grade or so.