Kareni Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 UPDATE: Three years have passed since I began this thread. (And a lot has happened in the world.) Having just reread the thread, it's nice to see that a lot of the original posters are still here. Please update or chime in! When I was homeschooling, I found it interesting (and often reassuring) to hear what homeschoolers were doing post-graduation. It was a diverse group. Some entered the workforce, apprenticed or learned a trade, enlisted in the military, went on a mission, married and began a family, attended college, or .... I would be delighted if you were to share about your homeschool graduate. Please answer any or all of the following questions. (If you have multiple graduates, you might wish to make a separate post for each child.) -- What led you to homeschool? -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? I know that some of our adult children have died doing military service, from illness or accident, or from other causes. If you are willing, please remember them here. Regards, Kareni 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 5, 2019 Author Share Posted May 5, 2019 I have one homeschool graduate. -- What led you to homeschool? We began homeschooling our daughter in 7th grade due to (of all things) transportation issues. Our daughter attended a charter school in 6th grade that necessitated a two-bus commute that added two hours to each school day. She asked to be homeschooled the following year. We left the choice of continuing homeschooling up to my daughter. Each year we presented options to her (i.e., informing her when a new arts focused high school opened in our area or the choice to take classes at the local high school), and each year she elected to continue homeschooling. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We homeschooled in a WTM inspired fashion rather than strictly by the book. In addition to our at-home studies, we were fortunate to have a publicly funded homeschooling center nearby where my daughter took a variety of classes both fun (fencing and chess) and academic (AP US History, AP Latin, and Ancient Greek). She also took classes, at our expense, at the local community college in 11th and 12th grades as well as an online AP class through Pennsylvania Homeschoolers. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? She graduated from our homeschool and went on to a fairly selective liberal arts college where she majored in Latin and minored in Geology and from which she graduated magna cum laude. With her Latin degree in hand, my daughter did the obvious thing: She taught English for a year to kindergarteners and early elementary students in South Korea. She has since moved on to teaching English conversation to adults. She has now been living in South Korea for almost six years. Her long term goal is to obtain a Master’s in Library and Information Science and become a librarian. UPDATED: Three years have passed since my original post. My daughter has now been living and teaching in South Korea for almost nine years. In September, she will be finishing a two year long online TESOL master's programme. TESOL is an acronym for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Regards, Kareni 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) I'll answer. -- What led you to homeschool? I have one homeschool graduate, my only biological child (my stepson - father of beautiful Emma- was a freshman in high school when I met his father). I was a teacher and knew our local school system was broken. It wasn't my fellow teachers I took issue with but the system itself. At first we were going to send him to private school but at one point my husband made an offhand comment that "maybe we should just homeschool him". As a ps teacher I knew nothing about homeschooling so I started researching it. We decided it was right for us and never looked back. He did try taking a few classes in 9th grade but decided that traditional school isn't all he thought it would be, and came home after less than one term. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We did a combination of WTM inspired homeschooling and dual enrollment at the local community college. He didn't start dual enrollment as early as he could have because of his moderate-severe ADHD. He wasn't ready until late in his junior year. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? Sigh. I had hoped he would at least get his A.A. and then take time to decide what he wants to do. (I need to change my signature). His grades were falling because he just couldn't get himself interested in taking classes that weren't actually leading him somewhere. While even someone without ADHD could have trouble with that, his disorder makes it really difficult to work towards what to him is a non-specific goal. I appreciate that he didn't want to keep letting us pay for college when he wasn't doing his best but am sad he didn't finish the A.A. He is so close. He is currently working about 30 - 35 hours a week at a cafe. He's interested in auto mechanics and has started doing the maintenance on our family vehicles. The CC he was attending has an auto mechanics program and he's considering it. He's also looking at possible apprenticeships. One thing that has him hesitating is that a friend's father is an auto mechanic and said it can be an expensive career. He said many places expect you to bring your own tools and those tools are expensive. You also need a place to either store them at home or lock them up at work. He's still thinking about what he wants to do. So, that's where we are. I'm both worried and not worried. His brother is a firefighter/paramedic (our county calls him a firemedic) but he didn't get there in a straight line. He did a brief stint in the Air Force, afterwards held a few different jobs while he tried to figure out what he wanted to do, then finally went back to school. He didn't join the fire department until he was in his late twenties. I'm one of those weirdos who always knew what I wanted to do. I can't remember a time when I didn't know I wanted to be a teacher. I know that's not how most people are and am trying to remind myself that 21 is still young and he has time to figure out what career he wants. As long as he's working and contributing to the household it's not my place to tell him what he should do. Help him if he asks for advice, yes. Tell him what to do with his life, no. I don't think things would have been different had he gone to a traditional school. I think he and his brother are alike in that they both needed/need extra time to mature. Edited May 5, 2019 by Lady Florida. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) BK isn’t mine, but I take some credit for her :). Homescholled starting at age 11. By that point, she had been retained twice. She has prenatal brain damage, causing severe global LD, ADHD, and sensory issues, but is gifted enough that in a 1-1 evaluation, tests as normal. But in a classroom situation, she just plain fell apart-but was largely missed. By age 11, she was severely depressed and anxious, to the point of being suicidal. Her middle and early high school years mostly looked like trying to rebuild her emotionally. She really hit her stride about age 16. By that point, she had a third party evaluation which DID show the severity of her LD and how well she was compensating. This was basically when I took over her homeschooling, because she wasn’t getting what she needed at home and reached out to me. We spent the next 3 years on basics and getting her up to level, and figuring out what works. For the most part, she is able to function at an average adult level now except in math. She started working part time, first cleaning houses and babysitting, and then, that summer, took a lifeguard class and became a lifeguard and swim instructor. She is exceptionally good with kids who have anxiety, sensory issues, and ADHD-the kids for whom putting their face in the water to blow bubbles feels like the world is crashing in on them and they’re going to drown. She also started training for a college cheer team. Her senior year, at age 19, she took three DE classes, plus a math leveling class for non-credit, and managed a 2.75. The world crashed down just weeks before high school graduation. She had been pushing herself hard in the cheer gym, teaching classes, and taking DE and high school classes, and she collapsed on campus in a stroke like event. There are still questions as to what exactly happened, but the guess is that it was a combination of anxiety and stress and her pre-existing conditions. She also has migraines, so it might have been migraine related. She was also discovered to have a completely dissected vertebral artery, although she was still getting adequate blood flow to the brain, so possibly part of the clot moved and blocked something temporarily and then moved back. We were not sure that she would be able to walk across the stage at graduation, but she made it. This year has been a year of therapy and recovery. She still isn’t back to where she was, but she is now coaching rec gymnastics and will be lifeguarding/teaching swim once the local schools end and pools reopen. She plans to go back to the community college in the fall part time for a phlebotomy certificate. Edited May 5, 2019 by dmmetler 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) I have one homeschool graduate who will be 23 in a month. What led you to homeschool? When this particular son was in first grade it became apparent that he was vastly behind the other children, and we found out much later that he has dyslexia. By chance, I had read David Guterson's Family Matters the year before and decided that perhaps homeschooling would allow my son to catch up. It worked, but in the meantime, I realized all of the other benefits of homeschooling, so we continued. How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? My son started high school level work prior to 9th grade, and all of it appeared on the transcript. For mental health/social reasons, we ended up putting him in a tiny private high school for the last half of tenth grade and the first half of eleventh (not recommended for the faint of heart when it comes to college admissions!). After that he was officially homeschooled, but he was really dual enrolled at the CC full time. I would call our homeschooling style rigorous academic eclectic. What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? He took a gap year and then went to a fairly selective engineering college. He graduates this coming Saturday and then starts his dream job a week later. I am so proud of him that I am constantly in danger of bursting! Edited May 5, 2019 by EKS 22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) I home schooled my children from the beginning, all the way through high school. I always hated school as a child, and I think, at least initially when my kids were young, that's what led me to home school. I just wasn't ready to put them in that environment all day. We moved to a rural area while they were still young, and that pretty much solidified the "we will always home school" position. The schools out here were less than stellar, and private school would've cost a f/t job and then some for the 4 of them. Let me just say that none of mine have particularly set the world on fire in the eyes of some (or maybe many), but we have fairly traditional values in the sense that I've always encouraged them to stay home while their kids were young (I just personally think that is important), and, though some may not think it's a big deal, I am extremely proud of the girls as mothers who are now home schooling their own children. The jury is still out for my son, but I'm still hoping/praying he'll grow up. 😜 My oldest finished through 12th grade at home, graduated with our large home school group, and then went on to college. She went for a year, and did okay, but wound up leaving the 4-yr college, and going through a medical assistant program. She was pretty seriously dating her now husband, and they knew once they had children she was going to stay home, so she never really pursued anything beyond her MA certification. She is now a mom of 3, home schooling, and doing very well. My second oldest was planning on going straight to Cosmetology school. She got married and moved to Hawaii (husband in military), and planned to attend a school there. She found out she was pregnant a few months later, and decided to wait on that. FF to now - she has 3 kids, and is home schooling. My third went to the CC her senior year - dual enrollment. She then became a dental assistant and worked full-time. She also has a little business building and refinishing furniture. She moved to WA state with her fiancé, got pregnant not too long after that, and now has a baby. They live in GA, and she works from home - scheduling school visits for her old best friend (who takes exotic animals to schools). She does quite well financially, especially considering it's a job she can do from home while still taking care of her little one. The goal is for her to, at some point, take over this business and her friend move on to something else. My son went to CC his junior and senior year - dual enrollment - and did quite well. He just really hasn't ever figured out what he wants to do, so right now, at 23, he is waiting tables, bartending, and just enjoying working in the service industry. I think he could do just about anything - he's very smart - but he loves the social aspect and lifestyle that comes with this right now. I'm hoping if he meets that right person at some point, it'll motivate him to make some concrete decisions about his future. I will never regret my decision to home school my kids. I'm sure we could've done some things differently over the years (and if we would've had the financial means back then, I'm sure we would've been able to do more), but I've never been sorry they were at home (and neither have they). They are super social, well-adjusted, normal adults that are making differences, each in their own way. For that I am thankful. **Oops - forgot to add what we did. I didn't follow TWTM strictly; we always did a variety of stuff. In high school, I was definitely a bit more textbook-ish than I had been in the younger years. We did Tapestry of Grace for a couple years at one point when some were in HS, and some still in middle. We typically did math programs on video - couple different ones - and we did co-ops for some subjects (sciences/writing). Edited May 5, 2019 by StaceyinLA 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysteryJen Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 I have 3 homeschool graduates. What led you to homeschool? Two things led us to homeschool. One was a wonderful example of a family we met while my dh was in law school. She gave me all sorts of excellent things to read and showed by example how fun it could be. The other was that my oldest learned to read very early and the only school that would take him in K (6 weeks before he turned 5), we couldn't afford. So we started homeschooling. How was your child homeschooled? I used the WTM as a guide (was a lurker on the board in the old days) and added in some relaxed things, nature things, and lots of reading. When high school rolled around, my oldest elected to stay home. We did classes we designed together, science that was cobbled together from different materials, a couple of AP classes-that he hated, and a couple of cc classes. No online classes. No co-op. The first standardized test he took (our state has an evaluation option) was the PSAT. That set the stage for the next two who chose homeschool for high school as well. Both of them did more cc classes- but never more than 2 a semester. What did your child do after graduating? What are they doing now? my ds1 graduated from college last spring. He struggled with some major health issues and had to work extremely hard to get through in four years. He graduated with departmental honors. This year has been sort of a rest and recovery year for him. He is living with his gf, working at an Italian/pizza place, playing in a band, reading a ton of books, and just making his bills. He is starting to think more clearly about the next few years- but he is still young and honestly, there is plenty of time. He is happy and healthy and that is enough for me. my dd1 attended college (DI) on a swimming scholarship. She is graduating this month having gone through school in three years- working year round- her motto was "If I have to be here to train, I might as well take a class with my scholarship." She struggled with injury (knee) for a couple of years, but she has no regrets about her dedication to swimming during her teen years. And no regrets about the shift in dedication to academics in college. She is headed to a top ten law school next fall. Ds2 graduated from homeschool last spring. He is a quirky kid with dysgraphia. It was a struggle and a worry getting him to be college ready. He is attending a small Catholic liberal arts college and is about to finish up his first year. They have excellent supports for kids with LDs and he has been happy there. Grades are decent- so far so good. He is a liberal arts guy- planning a double major in history and philosophy. My next kid is a junior in ps high school and then my youngest will graduate from homeschool. I do not regret homeschooling my kids at all. It was hard and at times, unrewarding and scary, but worth it. I believe that homeschooling made me a better, calmer, more accepting and loving parent than I would have been otherwise. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) Please answer any or all of the following questions. (If you have multiple graduates, you might wish to make a separate post for each child.) -- What led you to homeschool? Dh's job moved us every 3-4 years. Often, his days off were in the middle of the week and he worked weekends. He traveled quite a bit. Being able to adjust our schedule so dc could spend time with dh was very important. Consistency in education was very important. And also I felt I could offer something better than what I was seeing in some of the public schools where we were living. Some did not have a highly ranked education system. When I was pregnant with oldest dd we were living in an area with a lot of homeschoolers. It was the first time I'd ever heard of homeschool. Getting to know those families made me realize I could create an educational program that was individualized for my dc and adapt to our family. I also knew many families whose dc were in public and private schools. Their stories made me think quite seriously about what I wanted for dc and our family. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We homeschooled throughout high school. We moved when oldest was 10th grade complete and youngest was 7th grade complete. My 4 year plan was based on: 4 English, 4 Math, 4 Science, 4 History/Geography/Social Studies, 1 PE, 1 Fine Arts, 2 Foreign Language (youngest did 4), and 10 electives (both dc did more at their request). Oldest did not want to pursue dual enrollment. She liked having a program she had more influence over and wasn't sure if she wanted to pursue college. Youngest knew she wanted to go to college, but also preferred having a program designed specifically for her. Both could progress at their pace. We did some co-ops for electives (robotics, art) and private lessons (horse riding, figure skating, piano, violin) as well as ballet, voice, and choir. -- What did your child do after graduating? Oldest took a gap year then began core classes at CC. Eventually, she discovered what she wanted to major in, so she stayed at CC to earn her AA. She is currently a rising senior at a 4 year university. She is International Deans List, Phi Theta Kappa. Thanks to both scholarships and working, she is debt free so far. Youngest took a gap semester. She hopes to transfer to a 4 year university in the Fall. She has a 3.9 GPA. Her big question now is whether to stay at CC until core compete or go now to a 4 year. Since her interests are in STEM fields, she is thinking it would be better to go to 4 year early rather than later. -What is your child doing now? Oldest just finished finals and plans to work and go to summer school at her university. I'm still wrapping my brain around the fact that she is not coming home for this summer. It is the best decision for her and I 100% support it, but i miss her. Youngest finishes finals next week and has quite a bit going on this summer Edited May 5, 2019 by HollyDay 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 2 hours ago, Kareni said: Well my oldest is graduating this spring but I'll play! -- What led you to homeschool? My oldest went to kindergarten. That was always our plan and thought nothing of it. During kindergarten my kid starting reading chapter books, complaining about boredom, and then hit the ceiling of the school's GT screener. He had a high energy male teacher so kindergarten year was ok. We applied to get into a GT magnet for first grade. That is purely a lottery to get into and he did not. He sat at number 5 on the waitlist all year. In the meantime, he began acting out in first grade with a very old school, vanilla teacher that took recess from boys that acted up during classroom time. By the end of first a break with homeschooling for a year seemed right. We was cranky and had a rep at school at this point. I was home with a preschooler at the time. Well homeschooling was the obvious fit for this kid. He did a lot of extracurriculars. It didn't require tons of work on my part to keep that kid learning. I was prepared to let my younger try kindy if she wanted, but she didn't. She has been homeschooled since. We offered high school to both kids. Neither wanted to play. My youngest is a 9th grader now. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) I would say eclectically. We used online classes, self guided materials, a classics book club, some co-op classes, I have tech degrees, we've always done math at home. Dual enrollment is free for 11th and 12th graders in my state, so he has used the last 2 years. He takes 3 music lessons a week and does theater in multiple settings. He has done paid recording work and professional work at times. He is graduating with 32 college credits with a 4.0 and has a 99% ACT score, so I think we did ok. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? He applied to a variety of schools with music programs. He wanted to double degree or double major depending on the program. He was accepted to 6 schools and wait listed one. 2 accepted schools would be considered highly competitive. He will be attending a flagship university in the honors program and was also accepted into a music studio of primarily grad students to continue his music studies. This is not the college he envisioned attending but works best for our budget, the flexibility he wants to balance academics and music, and a top notch music faculty that is off the radar of most top music program lists. He will be able to get an undergrad debt free as well at this school. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 -- What led you to homeschool? We met a homeschool family before we had children. Quite frankly, I thought they were weird at first. But the mom had been willing to go to jail here in Texas (a long time previously, but not that long ago for those of you who enjoy the freedom we have in Texas), and her boys (teenagers) were very comfortable talking to anyone. One of the older boys presented a lesson at church, and he was comfortable and did a great job. So, I started thinking that maybe this wasn't such a bad idea. We had kids maybe 6 years later? Looking at schools, teachers, etc, I was sure I could do a better job, etc, so we started. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) I followed AmblesideOnline for much of the elementary/middle school years - adding in a classical/WTM approach as we went into higher grades. I still used some AO/HEO during the high school years but definitely moved more to a classical approach. Oldest child (graduated 3 years ago) started dual credit in 9th grade (mixed feelings on this now). Kids had participated in a co-op earlier, but that turned out to be a fun time but not of much use educationally. She did take an outside Spanish class that a former high school Spanish teacher offered to homeschoolers. She took dual credit classes her freshman, sophomore, and senior year (nothing interesting the junior year). All dual credit classes were taken at our local CC or private 4 year university with college kids. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? Child is now a junior at a state school. She has been very successful academically. She has been awarded several additional scholarships (went on an academic scholarship + honors college scholarship) - so much so that refunds have been issued. She has started an active club on her campus. She has been involved in several research projects, presented, and been published. She has two jobs as well - one at an art place and one at a research place that fits very well with her degree. She plans to continue her education - probably to a PhD. Her younger sister graduated from high school yesterday. She plans to go to college too - and I'm sure she will be successful as well -just different. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) Kid #4 graduates on Thursday and then I’m done. 1 public school grad who is off flying planes for the Air Force. 2 that did a mix of public and homeschool. Oldest DD is a music teacher and about to go back to get her masters in the fall. Kid #3 is working out things his own way and slowly getting his undergrad in computers. DD17 will turn 18 next week and graduate on her birthday. She is off to college in the fall out of state after being homeschooled since 1st grade. We always used an eclectic mix of coursework including outsourcing music classes and lessons as well as some classes at the local college. It’s been a good run, but I’m glad to be done. ETA: WTM has been a source of great inspiration to me over the years. While the traditional classic coursework was never a good fit, I used many of the ideas to keep our work interesting. DD17 loved story of the world and also the high school books rom Peacehill. Thanks, WTM!! Edited May 5, 2019 by AK_Mom4 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbelle Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) 7 hours ago, Kareni said: I have one homeschool graduate. -- What led you to homeschool? i always wanted to homeschool, but dh was not on board. Our kids went to a private school and then the 2008 depression hit and I found out about a hybrid school and asked dh if he would be on board with that and seeing how affordable it was. We went to a meeting and he loved the director. We did that for about 2 years and then went on to regular old school homeschool for many years before heading back to the hybrid for high school. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) The first 2 years of dd high school she did a local AP class, plus online classes and homeschool. We did like the classical approach and WTM the middle school through high school age. We then got lonely in the middle of 10th grade and signed up for the hybrid school again. It was a fantastic fit for us for high school. We all loved it. The positive peer pressure was fantastic too. It really helped motivate to get the work done and get it done well. She had some really great teachers, but also learned to manage with a teacher she didn't care for. She also had built in socializing time 2x a week and we like that too. It was just enough in additiion to her sports team. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? She just finished her first year of college and a regional U. She's plannign to be a history teacher. She just got back some papers she wrote for her history class this year with glowing remarks and a suggestion that she think about being a history major! The instructor has no idea that is her plan! LOL edited: I have 2 more students to graduate. One will be a hs senior next year and I'll have a 2nd grader too! Edited May 5, 2019 by Mbelle 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2att Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 Aw, I loved reading all of these! And I saw similarities to our journey in many. -- What led you to homeschool? All of the "pre-homeschooling" stuff I had done with dd at home paid off--she was an early reader/learner. It seemed counterproductive to send her to K to re-do the things we had already done, so I figured homeschooling for a little while couldn't hurt. I did not imagine I would homeschool through high school, but I kept at it because it really fit in well with dh's travel schedule--the kids got to see him a lot more than they would if they were in school, and because I found I really loved homeschooling. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) All of my kids have done a hybrid program that meets two days/week with paid tutors, with the other days at home, for the last 2 or 3 years of high school. They also dual enroll for junior/senior years, and we've used our state's virtual school as well. So a little bit of everything. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? Dd went straight to the state flagship, studied Linguistics, and graduated in 4 years cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. She's been overseas for the past year teaching English at a university. She's coming home this summer to figure out where in the big, wide world she should go next. My second graduate (ds) will be studying at the community college this fall, getting his AA and then transferring to the local uni to study English. Two down, one to go! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 So cool to be reading these updates. I've been following progress over the years, but it's nice to see it all in one place. -- What led you to homeschool? When my oldest should have been going off to preschool (and everyone here does preschool), he wasn't fully potty trained in time (we later found out was a bowel disorder), so I was looking for alternatives. I went to a workshop hosted by some LLL leaders on alternatives to preschool and, when I heard someone talk about homeschooling, I felt like I had come home. I found my peeps. I fell in love with the family centered lifestyle, the individualized education, the reduction in peer pressure, and the ability to minimize exposure to bullies. My oldest was really bright and passionate about learning. I loved that I saw everything new through his eyes. My second was folded into the pack. But my why for him was that he had some serious sensory and auditory processing issues and homeschooling was the ideal environment for learning. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) Before high school, I considered us eclectic classical homeschoolers. We didn't use language arts the same way (too much writing for my reluctant writers), but I loved the history and science cycles. For high school, I would (borrowing a phrase from a pp) consider us eclectic academic. I knew I wanted them to have 4 years of the basic 5 (English, science, social studies, math, foreign language). But how we would accomplish that would depend on what opportunities were available to us. I did find that my kids seemed to need more outside accountability, so that lead to more outsourcing. We did a mixture of online classes, small co-ops/clubs with other families, and college classes from our local LAC that had a high school scholars/dual enrollment program. My youngest, who is more social than her older siblings, knew she needed a hard-working, motivated peers to keep her achieving, and she didn't have those in our homeschooling community (and least none that wanted the same level of challenge). She starting taking a couple classes at our local high school and did some classes at home and some online. By junior year, she did most of her classes at the high school. It was hard for me to let go, but, it seemed to work well for her. Plus, I was burned out. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? Ds25 went to a small LAC that was particularly strong in the sciences and was a leading school for REUs (research experience for undergrads). He graduated Magna cum laude a semester early. He didn't get into a graduate program right away so he came home and worked for a couple years ... a lab technician and then an intern at an environmental engineering firm. Last fall, he started his PhD program at UConn in evolutionary biology, focusing on phylogenetics and bioinformatics. He is getting published, going to cool conferences, and is applying for a Fullbright Scholarship to study in New Zealand fall of 2020. On his way to do what he was born to do ... become a biology professor. K went to a small LAC to study Physics. But, the mental illness that had been diagnosed during senior year of high school spiraled out of control, leading to a couple of medical leaves and is now on permanent leave. I don't know what will happen ... she hasn't worked in over a year, but may be doing some odd jobs for cash. 2 months ago, there was a huge blow up, police were involved, order of protection, and now we don't know where she is ... supposedly living with friends in the city. But no income that we know of and her bank account is really low. We have grieved the loss of potential - eaten up by mental illness, and now we grieve the loss of a relationship. Dd18 is finishing up her freshman year at SLU, studying engineering (yeah, my math averse kid is going to be an engineer - go figure.) She is coming home in 9 days and will be starting an internship with our local municipality ... paid. She is taking a math class over the summer as well. She is planning to study in Spain Spring of 2020. And I hope to visit her ... my lifelong dream to go to Spain. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 - What led you to homeschool? Spending my first week in the public school as a student teacher is what decided it for me. I came home and told my dh that we would do whatever it took financially, our children would never set foot in a public school. And I was only in 2nd and 5th grade classrooms at the time. It was really bad. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We did use WTM as a guide. No outside classes until senior year and then public speaking or foreign language at the CC. I prefer to teach high school and thrive on the co-op classes we have here each week. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? Oldest taught preschool for 2 years - she is truly a gifted teacher! She is now staying home and pursuing part-time jobs as a teacher's aide, after-school coordinator, etc. Oldest son floundered for a couple of years in a dead-end job and spent his money as fast as he made it. Currently working full time at a credit union and slowly finding his way. Did not take college seriously and wasted a lot of time and (his) money. Second daughter is graduation from CC with her CNA and Chemistry focus plus other things she just thought would be fun to do (she's somewhat of an overachiever). I believe she is headed to University of AZ as she was instrumental in putting together something with Chemistry that is way beyond my understanding. Second son decided to pursue his own path and get his GED. He plans to take CC classes. We're crossing our fingers that he finds his way as he is crazy, scary smart (but also crazy, scary foolish). That's it for us so far! We're pretty low-key as far as college (we really push CC) and our kids really don't know what they want to do as far as careers like most of their peers seem to. What matters most for us is that they stay out of debt and take their time making good decisions instead of jumping in and regretting decisions. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 -- What led you to homeschool? We didn't plan to homeschool. DD (and all of our kids) went to a private preschool. When we went to enroll DD in Kindergarten we got the paperwork. We were not impressed with their program or the school. There are some great teachers, but the school was not doing a great job. We decided to give it a year at home and then put her in first grade if it didn't work out. We re-evaluated every year and then when she finished 8th grade we gave her the choice and let her know that if she started homeschooling she would need to finish at home or have to go back to the 9th grade because the public school would not take her homeschool credits. She chose to stay home. We homeschool mainly for academics, but also like the freedom to discuss our faith and study the Bible and church history. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We mainly used My Father's World, but didn't used their recommendations for math and changed up some of the science. I also tweaked some of it to fit our style. We looked into running start (DE), but we had to go through the local public high school and they were a pain to deal with. Also, she didn't have a driver's license or any way other than me driving her every day which would interrupt life too much at home, so we dropped that idea. She did sign up for a homeschool art school one day a week her junior and senior years which was an overall positive experience. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? DD is attending our local CC studying Fine Arts. She is in her freshman year. She is loving college for the most part. This quarter she is struggling a bit with some classes, not academically but the content. She is taking a class on ancient myths and a lot of it is repeating what she learned in high school, but it not getting into more advanced, in depth study of it that she was expecting. She she isn't learning anything in it, according to her. She is also working part time at a grocery store and is (mostly) paying all her tuition on her own. Academically she is doing great. Several of her professors are impressed with her homeschool education, they were surprised she was homeschooled. Emotionally she is struggling. She has anxiety that has been getting worse the last couple of months. I think the stress of planning to go away is getting to her, even though (or maybe because) this is something she has wanted for years. Her dream is to be an animator, specializing in storyboarding. She wants to eventually write and direct her own animated movies or series. She has been accepted to a private college for next fall and is planning to go, but the cost is a huge factor. She is still working on how she is going to pay for it. I am encouraging her to defer her enrollment (which is an option) and to finish her AA locally. It would give her another year to apply for scholarships and save money. However, she would still have to go into the other college as a freshman so the idea is not appealing to her. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 One graduated. One still homeschooling high school. What led you to homeschool?- I decided that I wanted to homeschool when I was still single. I was a teacher in public and private schools and did not want that for my future children. It was a dealbreaker item when dh and I were dating. Fortunately he didn’t have a problem with it. How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? My kids are very very different learners. My son is a highly gifted Aspie who did a pretty classic WTM style homeschool high school. I taught all humanities myself. I hired an “on call” math and science tutor for him to help out when needed. I also hired a Latin tutor for Latin III. He did two online classes his last two years of high school. Dd is doing less classical work and more “standard high school “ level work. So far she’s done all her studies with me. I have suggested an online class or two for her senior year but she is a bit resistant so we might just muddle on together. What did your child do after graduating? Ds got a job in IT right after high school graduation. He worked and took classes at our local community college his first two years. Now he is in college out of state studying Cyber Security. He is back at his IT job over the summer. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) - Always homeschooled. I made the decision to homeschool any future children when I was in the 8th grade. DH was fine with it and has been very supportive. He became a homeschooling fan, but at the beginning I am sure he would have been comfortable with ps, if that's what I'd wanted. Now that most of the children are grown, he says that school options, as long as they aren't a total failure for a particular child, become the "world you know." You tend to solve problems from your paradigm on schooling, whether it's helping a public schooled child succeed there, or moving stuff around to keep homeschooling when it gets challenging. Again, in the absence of a critical situation, I think that's probably accurate. As far as why we homeschooled THESE children, beyond my 13yo opinion, they weren't all that school-able. We had profoundly gifted children, children with ADHD and other learning challenges, children with health issues that would have made ps attendance a problem...we did need the flexibility of homeschooling, all the way through high school. - How did we homeschool? Take Charlotte Mason, WTM, TOG, MP, and LCC, and shake them all up in a hat. Add some Hirsch (Core Knowledge) and some older generation Sonlight. We loved nature study, Latin and Greek, and five billion stories. SO many stories. Became experts on grammar and art, also did a lot with music. I wouldn't change much about the academic choices and the learning lifestyle. That was GOOD. I always liked the one-room schoolhouse approach, so when things got a little too hectic and I needed to right the ship, that was my default approach. Desks, globe, ruler, chalkboard, grammar and math drills. We would become comfortable with the rigor again, and then apply the corrected attitude as we returned to sprawling on couches and climbing trees to read. - Where are they now? I have three homeschool graduates. The eldest, and his beautiful bride, both graduated from college magna cum laude, this weekend! They both did so well. DS found a classical groove in their LAC, and was even able to minor in Greek and philosophy, although they didn't have much to do with his primary studies. DIL, who was homeschooled for several years, is the most thoroughly prepared new teacher I have ever seen. She has gained experience and training in ESL, ELL, TESOL and TOEFL, international education, special education, and high school English and math. She is a powerhouse! DS might not use his degree, at first...his career plan requires a masters', and they've decided to tackle their graduate programs one at a time. He has a fascinating side career in music that he has nurtured since before college, and will probably work in that field while she is in school. She is excited to think of knocking out her masters in a couple of years, and then she has plans for a doctorate. He is proud of his academic success but really wants a break from school. DS#2 started college on the Dean's scholarship, but quickly realized that academia was not a good fit. He was making excellent grades but it just wasn't for him at all. After some angst and worry, he decided to go to work for a non-union plumber, and learned as much as he could. After awhile, he applied to the union apprenticeship. He didn't get in the first year, but he was entered into the pre-apprentice program and became a dues paying union member, learning on the job. We just received the wonderful news that he was accepted into the apprenticeship this spring! So his career path is set. He is confident, happy, and thriving. Union skilled labor is a perfect fit for our family (DH is in a trade), so we are very pleased. DS will earn an associate's degree through the program, and has a backup plan to return to finish a four year degree eventually. He thinks he wasn't really mature enough for college yet, in addition to just wanting to work an active job and make some money. DS#3 just graduated from high school. He has matured a lot this year. Both our kids with ADHD have been late bloomers but are now responsible and capable. I'm very thankful we had the t-i-m-e to address the issue, learn some coping tools, and frankly just wait for their off schedule development. DS#3 has been accepted to the best art school in the region. He will be studying furniture design. He has a secondary approach to this career - he's been taking master classes in cabinetry and woodworking, at a local woodworking school. He plans to stay affiliated with the woodworking school through college, and pursue its certification programs. He has demonstrated a knack for networking (much like Ds#1) and is already grooved in with local artists and artisans, so I can definitely envision success in his own shop/studio someday. My new challenge is DS#4, who will be the only homeschooled boy in this house, this coming fall. He thinks he will like the peace and quiet. I think that will wear off in a jiffy, and we will be very glad we've filled his calendar with activities. He is emphatic about homeschooling. I grade skipped him one year, so at least there will only be three years of being home alone. And if it's really feeling too lonely, we have a multitude of co-op and DE options that were not available for his brothers, for the last two years of school. So I think we'll be OK, one way or another. They all make noises about my homeschooling the future imaginary grandchildren. Some of my boys' friends want me to teach their future imaginary children, too. LOL I'd love to! I'm saving all the books and educational toys! But if that never happens, I won't cry myself to death or anything. I'll go to all the kids' school and sports activities and just maintain a super duper library at grandma's house. Edited May 5, 2019 by Lang Syne Boardie 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 I have two homeschool graduates, so I'll take Kareni's suggestion and post separately about each of them. Starting with my daughter: - What led you to homeschool? We noticed when our daughter was teeny that she didn't seem to be following a "normal" developmental track. When I compared what she was doing in her first three or four years to books like the What to Expect series, she was consistently "ahead." We didn't really think that much of it. Clearly, she was bright, but that was nothing new in our families. She had a few personality quirks that made life interesting, but only when we enrolled her in a two-morning-a-week mother's day out preschool-type program did we begin to understand some of the challenges that traditional classroom-style education would likely present for her. It was also at about that point that we really came to grips with the notion that, because her birthday is in December, she missed the cut-off for enrolling in pre-K programs and would end up being a year "behind" for the foreseeable future. Given how bored and academically frustrated and socially isolated she was already, the idea of keeping her in a holding pattern for another year just seemed like a terrible idea. I called and/or visited every private school in the city in which we then lived, begging for them to at least consider enrolling her "early," but none would discuss it with me. And, honestly, even if someone had agreed, I'm not sure how I thought we were going to pay private school tuition on a single income. Finally, I remembered that an acquaintance of mine had mentioned she was looking into homeschooling. I went to the library and checked out all (two) of the books they had on the topic, read them cover-to-cover and then broached the topic with my husband. We decided to give it a try and discovered that homeschooling worked well for both our daughter and the three of us as a family. - How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We didn't really discover TWTM until our daughter was nine. It was at about that point, after watching some documentary about Julliard on TV, that our daughter started asking questions about college and when she could go and how we planned to get her ready. I promised her I would come up with a plan. I did some research about high school graduation/college admission requirements and curricula that might provide the kind of structure she seemed to be requesting. I toddled off to Barnes & Noble and skimmed a copy of TWTM, which felt like an approach that aligned with much of what we were already doing and our educational goals. Using a mix of TWTM guidelines and graduation requirements for our local public and private schools, we wrote out a plan for what she needed to complete in order to be "done." Because she was academically accelerated and we were jumping in midstream (not to mention that our religious worldview was not consistent with many of the then-recommended materials), we adapted freely. I like to say that we used TWTM as a framework into which we plugged our choice of materials. It also worked out that she did a blend of logic stage and rhetoric stage study. I planned each year's curriculum by reading over TWTM recommendations, then researching and sourcing materials that would cover the same ground in a way that would work for us. Often, that meant assembling "raw materials" and writing my own lesson plans. She did take a few classes through Florida Virtual School, also, which gave her experience in learning from someone other than me. - What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? It quickly became clear that she was going to finish off that graduation plan well before turning 18, and we floated a bunch of options for ways to stretch or extend her high school years. Ultimately, though, she fell in love with the idea of attending a residential early entrance college program. (When I say "fell in love," I mean that she was sleeping with the brochure under her pillow.) Finally, I agreed to take her to a prospective student weekend at the early entrance program -- honestly hoping she would hate it or see for herself that she didn't want to go so far from home so we could rule it out and look for other alternatives -- but it backfired on me. She loved it. The administration was impressed enough with her that they invited her to apply even though she was technically a year too young. And she ended up enrolling for her freshman year when she was 12. The program was not the idyllic experience she imagined, of course. She had some rough times during her four years, and we repeatedly discussed the possibility of bringing her home or helping her to transfer to another college. However she was determined to stick it out, and she did, earning her B.A. at 16. At the time, she was convinced she was done with college and had no interest in going on to graduate school as many of her peers did. She moved home for a while, instead. During her first year, she did a lot of local theatre, both community and semi-professional (the kind of production in which performers earn a stipend that more or less covers gas money to get to and from rehearsals). She came to the conclusion that her lack of dance training was holding her back and arranged with a dance studio to work the front desk in return for free classes. After about six months, she used her new dance skills to audition into a part-time gig performing at a local resort hotel. A few months later, she parlayed the front desk skills she had learned at the first dance studio into a second part-time job as the administrative assistant at a different dance school. She worked both of those jobs for about a year, socking away the majority of her money into savings. The summer after her 19th birthday, she used her nest egg to move herself to NYC, where she has lived for the past five years. In her first couple of years, she held a variety of jobs and did a bunch of small, short-term performance gigs while completing a two-year acting studio program. About a year ago, she accepted her first "real" full-time job as a programming manager for a small company that produces fan and pop-culture conventions. This month, she will complete her first of three years working towards her master's degree in applied theatre. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) And for my son: - What led you to homeschool? We were already happily homeschooling our daughter when the time came to think about educating our son. As we had with her, we enrolled him in some preschool-type activities, but we also started supplementing with academics at home as he seemed ready. He was not as academically driven as she was, but learned very quickly. There really just seemed to be no reason not to simply fold him into our existing homeschool routine. - How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) Because I had already been down the path with our daughter, I assumed we would take the same basic approach with our son, using the WTM framework while plugging in materials of our choice. I also assumed that my son would take longer to finish high school, following something more like the recommended WTM timeline, since he was not in as much of a hurry to get to college and was very happily extremely involved in a variety of extracurriculars all over town. And that turned out to be partly true. Academically, we hit a big bump in the road when he was about 12; we found the two of us just could not continue to homeschool as we had been doing. We argued almost constantly about school, and it became this huge source of conflict until I eventually "expelled" him. My plan was to march him down to the local middle school and enroll him the following Monday morning, but my husband eventually brokered a deal in which we would enroll our son in a full slate of online classes and I would transition to functioning solely as an administrator. That way, our son retained the flexibility to keep doing all of the great stuff he was doing outside the house (choir and dance and theatre and volunteering) without my needing to constantly nag him and argue with him about schoolwork. He ended up doing mostly Florida Virtual School, with a couple of subjects through ALEKS, and he thrived. As we had with our daughter, we wrote up a graduation plan. Then he talked his way into taking a few classes through dual enrollment at the community college even though he was technically too young. He decided that college was more attractive than high school and figured out how to finish off the requirements we had set for him in three years instead of four. - What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? He started his official freshman year at 16 and did two years there before deciding he wasn't happy with the program(s) in which he was enrolled or the university he was attending. He then came back home and spent three semesters at the community college where he had originally dual enrolled checking off the boxes necessary to earn an associate's degree and a technical certificate. He transferred to the local state university but hated it and has spent the last year working, doing some performing and exploring a bunch of options for "what's next." This academic year, he's been working about 25 hours a week at the community college in the theatre shop, building props and sets and helping to supervise beginning stagecraft classes. He spent one semester performing with an educational puppet show that tours to local elementary schools. He also worked for several months as a theatre tech with one of the big dinner theatres. He books occasional solo and duo gigs as a magician or dancer. He got interested in learning whip cracking and wasn't able to find a decent quality vegan-friendly whip, so he figured out how to make himself one; he now has a small side business making and selling custom-designed whips. And he continues to perform sporadically with a Victorian/circus-inspired theatre group. Most recently, he's been focusing on auditioning for full-time, professional performance jobs and has had some good experiences. ("Good experiences" meaning that he has made it through to the end of the audition process without getting cut and has been told he is in the hiring pool, but has not yet received any offers.) He's wildly creative, multi-talented, passionate about acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve his goals and has only recently turned 21. I feel confident he'll figure out a path that works for him. Edited May 7, 2019 by Jenny in Florida 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 -- What led you to homeschool? it was a natural continuation of attachment parenting. I met people at LLL who homeschooled and was hooked right away on the idea. My kids have never attended school. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We did use the WTM as a guide but adapted heavily as both kids had LDs & anxiety so needed some additional time and supports. We didn't do online classes but did things like Derek Owens science, Thinkwell, Chalkdust etc. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? Dd went to a local CC, took a bunch of sort of random courses while deciding what to do and eventually started doing all the pre-req's to apply to BSN programs. She got accepted to a great school & will be graduating from a 3 year accelerated BSN this Dec. Ds is at a local CC, taking science and slowly working towards an ASc to then transfer to the local uni and finish a BSc. He volunteers at a local wildlife rehab place and plays lots of board and computer games in his spare time. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 (edited) -- What led you to homeschool? We decided to homeschool while pregnant with my oldest. I wanted to homeschool for religious and academic reasons. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) They were both homeschooled PK-12. I did a mix of WTM and other things. In high school they took some local, online, and college classes. I used to teach online for one of the online providers in classical education (please don't ask which one), so that allowed them to take some wonderful classes I couldn't afford otherwise. We also did dual enrollment. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? Both of mine are commuter students living with me. In the fall I'll have a graduating senior in accounting with a minor in business analytics and a junior in English with a focus on rhetoric and professional writing at the same 4-year. Thankfully it's a nationally-ranked school in those fields, and they save $$$ by living at home and taking the bus to the campus. My older one is in the Army National Guard as well. Edited May 6, 2019 by G5052 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 How fun! -- What led you to homeschool? We wanted more control over the process. Dh and I are very DIY. Also, I had just been working at a university that had a lot of El Ed majors, and was sort of shook up by the quality of those students. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? We mixed WTM with other things. We used learning centers, co-ops, online classes, a guy who taught chemistry classes in his basement. Dual enrollment started sophomore year, and by senior year most classes were dual enrollment. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? Both attended university. Older graduated 1 year ago with a BS in Theater Tech and is living in Brooklyn doing various theater work plus working for a milliner in Manhattan during race season (official featured milliner of the Kentucky Derby). Younger is finishing up her First Year (her school no longer uses the gendered term "freshman") in Theater Studies. Her goal is to sell rich people things they don't actually need. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 (edited) We homeschooled for sooooo many reasons. It started out that my oldest was a bit advanced. Then it was that my 2nd had some struggles. But quickly, we added spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, academic, and family reasons. It still was, primarily, my daughter's advanced academics that stood out though. I always put together our own curricula with numerous recommended (on this site) resources. One weird thing we did was to do each math with two different programs rather than just doing each once. My daughter started dual and concurrent enrollment as a young teen (she had done some college classes unofficially earlier though). The year she was going to graduate, she got an illness that held her back a year. She ended up graduating high school in 2009 at 16. She did college immediately, an IT major. She currently works for Apple. She is considering going back to school for accounting. She is 26. My second child struggled through schooling and I really wish we had been in the position to consider public school for him for high school. That wasn't the case though. We ended up using a correspondence program just so he could check off boxes and say he was done. 😕 He started community college for a trade at 17. He did well with it, but didn't stick with it. He had trouble keeping a job due to his struggles though he is a good worker; but he has worked fairly consistently. For the last 13 months, he has been working for a construction company and doing very well. He is considering what direction to go with it (job pays for education and training). He just turned 24. Edited May 6, 2019 by Pamela H in Texas added a few details 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 (edited) -- What led you to homeschool? Multiple reasons. We started when DSs were 1st and 2nd grades. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? A few textbooks, a few written-for-homeschoolers programs, and some home-grown courses. We very loosely used WTM / WEM ideas, but also followed DSs interests, and worked to complete a college prep set of courses, whether DSs ended up there or not. DSs were able to try out new things with a lot of extracurriculars throughout high school, including participating multiple years with the YMCA's Youth & Gov't Model Legislation program, and earning Varsity letters with the local public high school tennis team. No online classes and no co-op classes, but a big shout-out to our homeschool support group where DSs made great friends, were on the Student Council, did loads of fun social activities, and community service projects. Just 2 classes of dual enrollment for each DS. Also no APs or CLEPs. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? DS#1 * 3 years at community college (scholarships!), earning an AAS as well as 2 years worth of transfer credits * 2 years at a private LAC (scholarships!) to complete an honors program BA (summa cum laude!) in a general Humanities area * 1 year looking for a job that would allow him to combine his AAS and BA (no dice 😞 ) * currently: returned to the community college for 2 years for transfer credits towards a BS in Mechanical Engineering (4.0 GPA!), and transferred this past semester to the local University to complete the degree (just now reaching the halfway point of the BS!); he simultaneously worked 25-30 hours/week as a manager at a pizza pub, but recently left in order to take an intensive summer school course; he plans to look for a part-time job in an Engineering area starting in the fall DS#2 * 2 years at community college (a scholarship!) working towards the 3-year AAS in Interpretation for the Deaf * changed his mind; went 1 more semester to finish off gen. ed. credits for transfer for potential future degree * 1 year work almost full time work * 9 month commitment with an AmeriCorps partner program: American Conservation Experience * currently: just started his 3rd season as a Wildland Firefighter -- also, this spring: earned his nat'l EMT certification! Edited June 7, 2019 by Lori D. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 (edited) NM Edited June 8, 2022 by mumto2 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 11 hours ago, Kareni said: I have one homeschool graduate. -- What led you to homeschool? My son has Asperger's and couldn't handle traditional school settings. we decided to homeschool. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We weren't even sure he would make it to college, so we didn't really follow a set plan/guide/curriculum. He did Teaching Textbooks for math, several History guides, and read a lot. When he turned 17 he started some Community College classes and did very well! -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? He graduated from homeschooling and had a full year of college under his belt. He is now away at college and is finishing up his Sophomore year, with a good sized scholarship, and the grades to keep his scholarship! He is doing great! I didn't include my other kids, son #2 ended up going to a B&M high school from 10th-12th grade and is now in his Freshman year of college. Son #3 started B&M school for 7th grade and is a freshman in high school and loves it. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolate-chip chooky Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 Hi Kareni, I just wanted to let you know that I've asked you a question (or 3) about Korea and Korean in another thread. Someone has helpfully pointed out to me that notifications don't always get sent when we do this @Kareni, so you may miss it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 (edited) Hi, I'm not really around anymore. But someone pinged me about this thread, so I thought it would be fun to drop in and make the update. We began homeschooling after our second child developed a health condition that required him to stay home, fairly isolated, in order to minimize exposure to viruses and bacteria. We homeschooled DD for three years, and then I had gone to work for a private school. But on doctor's recommendation, we pulled her out, and began homeschooling ds as well. That followed by homeschooling our next two so that by the time eldest ds was healthy and could have resumed school, we were on a roll, and the kids were way ahead of their PS peers since our school districts are very poor academically. DD was ready for high school, and we couldn't afford private. So we stuck with it through high school for all of them. We used WTM with a heavier basis in science and mathematics than is typical with a strictly classical base. So maybe lighter on literature than recommended, but all the kids had calc 1, and four years of high school science with all of them taking AP exams in one science and one history. We also used some dual enrollment though not a lot because we don't live close to a good community college or university so the commuting was a huge issue. They also had math and science electives in addition to the core so things like intro to engineering, astronomy, A&P, just depended on their interests. Eldest DD has a degree in chemistry, paramedic license, and EKG certification. She is married, and has one child, our dear grandson. Due to health reasons, she does not work as a medic anymore, and doesn't seek any full time work related to her chem degree. She does work per diem three or four times a month as an EKG tech to supplement their incomes. Due to health, she will never work full time again, and sadly, probably also will not have any more children. But, she's really pretty happy, we adore our son in law, and our grandson is so much fun. Grandparenting is way better than parenting! They don't live near us though - Huntsville, AL. So visits are sporadic. We are going for a week in June, and can hardly wait for that. Eldest Ds just graduated with double majors in English/Writing concentration , and German. He is seeking work first as an editor or writer but has also applied for tech writing. The key for him is to find a job much further south. He suffers terribly in the cold with the arthritis in his leg from the crushed femur due to our car accident. He has offers from two newspapers in this state, and may get an offer this week for tech writing. The tech writing job is near DD and her family, so not his ideal job but in a great location and has full health benefits. If it is offered, we think he'll take it. Bird number two flying away. MIddle ds has one more year until he graduates college. He switched his major from freshwater science/ecology to anthropology/archaeology with a minor in history. He has been working on his Danish language skills and will be able to take the language test in the hopes of being able to attend grad school in Denmark. It will be really tough to have him so far from home. However, it is a lifelong dream of his to live in Denmark for a while - dh's paternal family is Danish - so will be happy for him if that happens. Good reason for us to pack a bag and head across the ocean every year. Youngest Ds just completed his first year of college as an electrical engineering major. He loves it, and did very well. It was the weirdest year not having any child here full time. Breaks and holidays were a lot of fun though. They were also a challenge. This year with three in college at one time, it was too much financially to buy cars and insurance them for all three of them. So two lived in opposite directions of each other and MIchigan is a long state. Their colleges are 11 hours apart! It made for some interesting fetching of our boys for their breaks. DH was able to take vacation a couple of times to go get the one four hours from here while I headed north to ds at NMU. Eldest had his car so could do his own commuting. Honorary DD graduated from college the same year as our dd - I tutored her a LOT in high school, especially in math and science. She has a criminal justice degree with a minor in social work and ended up working for two years for the county helping to supervise kids in foster care who were also in trouble with family court. She really didn't like it, and burned out quickly. She is quite happy now working outside her field as a loan manager at a bank. Our niece, who is a year older than DD and whom we had custody of for an extended period and homeschooled, has struggled with her mental illness ever since leaving home. She is not doing well. Currently not homeless, but will be soon if she doesn't agree to take her meds and stick with a psychiatrist and therapist. It's a vicious cycle. Every time she starts doing better then she thinks she doesn't need meds and assistance anymore so stops it, spirals downward, loses her job, gets kicked out of her rentals, and the whole thing starts over again. Sigh....but there isn't anything we can do about it either. So our 4 despite health ups and downs for the two oldest are doing well. Honorary DD is great. She still calls us mom and dad, and we think of her as our girl. Just niece is doing so poorly. In other family news, I'll let you know since i'm not likely to drop in again for a good long while, I am taking another master's degree class this summer while I work. I love my job in community arts. MIL though is slipping fast. Neither of us think she'll be here two years from now, her doctors agree, and that's very upsetting. Our kids are really going to miss her. My mom is doing better, and will soon begin spending 5 months a year in France with my sister and her husband, and 7 months here, part of that visiting a month at a time with her grandkids who have settled. As soon as youngest ds graduates and doesn't need us to maintain residence for in-state tuition, we are heading south to better weather and an area with better health care options. My mom has agreed that since she'll be traveling so much, she is willing to have a bedroom/bath suite in our house. Since son in law is very likely to be in Huntsville for the long haul, we are looking at Tennessee. (Huntsville would be awesome but seems too swampy/humid in the summer.) Dh and I like the mountains, and there a lot of places we like close to GM facilities since he been given the offer to work from anywhere within a certain radius of GM offices. I am trying to convince dh to purge, purge, purgethis summer a little at a time so it isn't an overwhelming move when the time comes. I will be sad to give up my community arts job, but happy to be leaving this area so willing to go back to the drawing board for employment in the new location. We still have our 4H STEM club and rocket team. But, since I'm going to need to concentrate on readiness to move and getting this place up for sale during that last year we are here, we are only doing it for two more years, and then retiring from that. We'll have nearly 14 years in as 4H leaders at that point, and 13 of competitive rocketry. With me back to work, it has been HARD to juggle it. So I am actually breathing a sigh of relief to have an end date in sight. May 31st, 2021. Edited May 6, 2019 by Faith-manor 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 Mine is still young, and I've found these stories inspiring. One thing that jumped out at me, I wonder how much less popular homeschooling would be if they tracked kids in Kindergarten and First Grade? Lots of people had kids that were reading when they first went to school and were bored. Imagine if they made a class of kids that were already reading? These kids could still do the fun stuff that worked on the executive function skills. Then for academic time, instead of learning the ABC's, they could go into groups and take turns reading a book to each other. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 (edited) On 5/5/2019 at 8:57 AM, Kareni said: When I was homeschooling, I found it interesting (and often reassuring) to hear what homeschoolers were doing post-graduation. It was a diverse group. Some entered the workforce, apprenticed or learned a trade, enlisted in the military, went on a mission, married and began a family, attended college, or .... I would be delighted if you were to share about your homeschool graduate. Please answer any or all of the following questions. (If you have multiple graduates, you might wish to make a separate post for each child.) -- What led you to homeschool? -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? I know that some of our adult children have died doing military service, from illness or accident, or from other causes. If you are willing, please remember them here. Regards, Kareni We wanted to homeschool because we loved to garden - you know, plant things, weed, and watch things thrive. Same idea. 😉 Actually, DH did NOT want to homeschool and utterly resisted. God stepped in, changed his mind, and we agreed to homeschool for three years (until he got out of the Army.) But, by then? He was sold. Other than Jesus and my DH? Best decision we ever made, although I've had rough spots - and one really rough one. I would say I followed TWTM to the letter for about the first 7-8 years of homeschooling. My oldest daughter had a stint with Sonlight (7th or 8th) and then ToG through high school. I'd say that we schooled classically eclectic but used more laid out materials for #2. I'd say we pretty much have reverted back heavily to SWB's recommendations and what we originally used, like Rod & Staff Grammar & Saxon that we picked up from the first edition of TWTM. We started schooling in 2000-2001 school year, so this finishes up our 18th year of homeschooling! ❤️ Our oldest graduated a few years ago. She went to the University of Iowa and got her undergrad in Psychology after briefly majoring in Russian and strongly considering Music. Her plans are to eventually get her Masters in School Psychology to assess and meet learning disabilities. However, she got married and has two babies keeping her busy right now. 😉 Second is at the U of I, majoring in Civil Engineering. He's in Year 2 of the program (and a junior by credits but needs to follow the program - we were not careful in DE credits.) He is on their Mock Trial team and tells me he really only goes to school so he can do mock. (Truly, he did. I'm not sure how I feel about that most days.) Third is DE at the CC. She's a junior (in high school) and only needs to finish Alg II to graduate. But she didn't want to graduate early. She is going to finish her RN locally and then go to one of the two state universities for her Bachelors in Nursing. I'd like to add this: Initially after my first graduated, I really despaired. She and my niece (public schooled and everything any parent would EVER hope for in a daughter) started college. And I wondered, "Where is the difference? Why did I forego the income, the pat on the backs of a job, and invest all this time, cost, energy, money into homeschooling?" Because I was comparing here, I could see no difference. Two girls, both with firm Christian foundations, both stellar in academics, both with big scholarships, both just a joy to be near. - Well, for one, my brother and sister in law are amazing parents. I don't know that I could parent with that much effort in the time around school. It requires a lot of planned discussion, input, energy, etc. Second, I shouldn't have been comparing. But, mostly, I think my validation came with my grandson. When Ana became a mother, I saw her ask for all the books from FIAR and that had been our favorites. She needed a rocking chair. She began to plan her curriculum, lol. This is when I knew that all of our sacrifices, our efforts, all that love & energy poured into homeschooling had been recognized as something truly special. I suspect this happens with most families - the repeating of traditions, reading well-loved books, but it help me get an "above the situation" perspective. I think that loving families are not exclusive to homeschooling at all. I look at my sister in law, who chose differently than me, and I think she's an amazing woman, an empathetic human, and a freaking awesome mom. But for our family, homeschooling was calling & conviction, but I couldn't get that perspective while I was so entrenched IN IT and pretty worn out most days. 😉 It was worth it. All of it. We did a quick financial calculation the other day and the option to homeschool was a million dollar "tuition" choice -at a minimum. Absolutely worth it. ❤️ The three year update: Still schooling at home with an upper motor neuron dominant diagnosis of (terminal) ALS. As I write this, my college sophomore, rising junior, rising freshman, and 7th grade daughter are singing and cleaning the kitchen. DD (26) is gearing up to homeschool our oldest grandson this fall. ♥️ DS (23) switched his major to political science/pre law and is in his final year and ROTC. DD (20) is in nursing school. DD (18) finished her first year at a semi local university in TESOL. DS (17) just graduated, works for friends who have a remodeling business and will continue welding certification in the fall. We still have DD (15) at home who will be dual enrolled at the local CC this fall. DD14, DD12, DD11, DD9, and DS7 are still at home. A lot has changed. Covid means Dad is home permanently and we’re working on building an office right now. But the reasons why have never changed. We’re still very committed to this lifestyle. And homeschooling is that -a whole life committed to time together, learning, discipling. Edited June 15, 2022 by BlsdMama 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel-in-CA Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 3 graduates and 1 still working on it! 26yo -- BFA, working at Goodwill while taking graphic design classes, will be job hunting in May. Has medical issues that make it very hard to freelance (she needs insurance) and that have limited her stamina for side jobs, plus she is still a 4H horse project leader and that takes up most of her free time. We joke that she must love the horses more than the rest of the family, since they're keeping her from moving closer to us. Really, she loves her independence but we miss each other. She would LOVE to get a job that involves both travel AND art. 24yo -- BA Communications, AA Speech, Cert. Marketing -- summer job thru college was at a local zipline tour, where he still works p/t. After college a prof recommendation got him a f/t media/marketing job with a local company but he and they were both frustrated with his learning curve. He has cut back to working p/t (3 days/week) on video and social media projects while also working 3 days @ zipline company. 22yo -- AA in Humanities -- summer job as lifeguard at senior center led to doing in-home health care for disabled adults, including seniors, while at community college. Quitting both her jobs in May to backpack in Europe for the summer with a friend. Not sure what next. almost 16yo -- took her first class at community college this year, planning to get an AA and take at least one gap year. We shall see. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 6 hours ago, Laurel-in-CA said: almost 16yo -- took her first class at community college this year, planning to get an AA and take at least one gap year. We shall see. I still remember the very first/original WTM board and you posting about your now-almost 16yo driving you crazy as a toddler climbing the bookcases! (:D 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 My oldest is now at MIT studying physics and mathematics. He just just so far away, and I miss him! But he is happy, really really happy. He has found his tribe. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Great thread! It's really interesting seeing the various journeys of other homeschool families. - how did we start homeschooling: We started homeschooling with my dd because she was super shy and wasn't thriving in the local junior kindergarten program. I brought her home and began homeschooling dd 4 and my ds 2 (and eventually 2 more ds). We became involved in a wonderful group of local homeschool families, and kept following this journey for the last 14 years. - highschool years: Dd has remained a homeschooled student right through all the highschool years, adding in grade 12 science and math courses from a local alternative high school in order to get outside marks needed for university admission. She also took 3 headstart (i.e., first year) university courses which she used for advanced placement at university. Ds is going through the same process of obtaining outside marks for math and science highschool courses, as well as taking headstart university courses. - after highschool graduation: Dd was just accepted with an admission scholarship to university in Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology. Biggest homeschool bonus: The biggest advantage that homeschooling has provided our family is the opportunity for our dc to have the time and flexibility to pursue a wide variety of hands-on activities/work experience. They are able to discover areas of high interest (or not), which helps to guide them in their future academic, employment or personal pursuits. Especially in the high school grades, institutions tend to demand so much time from the students that they have very little time to balance academics and "extra-curricular" activities. They may offer co-ops for work experience, but then they don't necessarily provide the flexibility for all students (especially those students who need to complete several math and science courses) to actually complete a co-op. Another huge advantage with homeschooling has been the having the time to take headstart university courses where they are actually on a university campus. They get the opportunity to try one or two first-year courses without the pressure of having 3 or 4 additional courses or the pressure to excel at all their courses. It's been an excellent gentle step into the university world which has really built up the confidence and experience that they can do it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Indigo Blue, what happened to your son isn't particularly shocking, although it should be. I know the schools are bothered by cell phones in the school, but I'm not, and stuff like that is why. Without video proof, it is easier for them to blame the child. It is only the hue and cry of the public that has a chance of getting these people out of the schools. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Both of my parents were teachers, and they knew of a teacher who was a pill addict and they couldn’t do anything about it, and some parents would take their kids out of school if they knew about it and could, but it did just keep going for years. Pretty sad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel-in-CA Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 14 hours ago, Lori D. said: I still remember the very first/original WTM board and you posting about your now-almost 16yo driving you crazy as a toddler climbing the bookcases! (:D Long time ago and a different house. LOL A reminder that even the frustrating seasons will change and the challenging stages will pass. She's a pretty cool kid now! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 4 hours ago, shawthorne44 said: Indigo Blue, what happened to your son isn't particularly shocking, although it should be. I know the schools are bothered by cell phones in the school, but I'm not, and stuff like that is why. Without video proof, it is easier for them to blame the child. It is only the hue and cry of the public that has a chance of getting these people out of the schools. Regarding just plain mean teachers, my childhood neighbor also found herself mentoring another person from our growing up elementary school. We had all been treated to frequent public ridicule by the same fourth grade teacher and Mrs. X was one of the many reasons why we all had decided on homeschooling. We all sat in that teacher’s classroom different years......apparently she needed a couple of punching bags each year. Oddly she was considered wonderful by all her contemporaries, as in award winning. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 (edited) What led you to homeschool? we pulled my oldest 3 out of primary school when oldest was in grade 5. He has profound dyslexia and could not write at all and barely read. the school wasn't interested in helping him at all -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We used WTM as a guide - modified because of Profound Dyslexia. I scribed for son and read aloud for hours ever day. I read all his science and history to him. By 15 he was reading the great books by 16 He enrolled in some online University courses to get grades that a University would recognise for his uni application. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? at age 17 shifted to Melbourne and started his degree in Aerospace Engineering (honors) - he was the top of his year in his field After completing his degree he really struggled for 1 year to find work. he eventually went back to uni for some more studies that involved industry placement. He now works at CSIRO as an experimental scientist - he has currently been offered 5 placements to do a PHD - but wants to work for a while as he is enjoying his job so much Edited May 8, 2019 by Melissa in Australia 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 What led you to homeschool? we took second son out of school when we took oldest out. he was begenning grade 3 -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We followed WTM with some adaptions. this boy is an outside kid and would rush through his schoolwork so he would have time to explore the native bush for kilometers around home. he also did some uni bridging courses -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? At 17 he started a Diploma of Conservation and Land Management. He started work the day after he finished the course as a remote area firefighter. He is now a team leader in his area and has just applied for a repel crew position. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 What led you to homeschool? third son was removed from School when we took the older two out. He has profound Dyslexia as well as Discalculia -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We followed WTM with modifications. Lots of modifications -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? He didn't really graduate from homeschooling as he was having such difficulty with academics that we decided it would be best to go straight into Tertiary studies. He started A Diploma of Conservation and Land Management at age 16 He completed an interview for enrollment. (Plus the course coordinator was very impressed with his older brother)- he completed it just a few days before turning 18 - the youngest ever in our state. He started work the day he turned 18 as a remote area firefighter. He now works for the same department as an introduced species pest officer (for Southern Ark project) 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 What led you to homeschool? as we were already homeschooling the older 3 it was natural to home school my daughter as well -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) We followed WTM pretty closely She did some university level units at age 17 as her pathway to University -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? DD now lives in Melbourne and is in her second year in a Bachelor of Industrial Design (honors) 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 -- What led you to homeschool? I began learning about homeschooling while I was an English Education major in college. I met a homeschooling family from the church I attended in my college town. I was intrigued. It was during my last year in college -- maybe during student teaching -- that I decided that I wanted to homeschool my future children. One of the major factors I considered was how much wasted time there is in both public and private schools. I wanted my children to have time to play and to pursue their own interests. We have homeschooled since the beginning. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) I did not find WTM until ds18 was in high school. By then we were already rolling. I changed up a few things, but for the most part we just kept going with what we had been doing. I am tweaking things as we go along, but the basic structure of our homeschool is the same. Because one of my main reasons for homeschooling was pursuing their own interests, we do not have a rigorous homeschool. We cover the basics and I let them fly in pursuing their own interests. Ds18 did the minimum in math and science, but he read tons of history. Dd16 has done several optional science courses. Dd14 spends much of her time sewing and had decided that her career goal is to become a costume designer. We do not do any outside classes (financial and logistical reasons), except that we do use Art Reed's teaching videos for Saxon Math. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? Ds18 is finishing his second semester of college. :) He is majoring in Criminal Justice. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 -- What led you to homeschool? We lived in TX and the local school district was very proud of their brand new full day kindergarten program. Ds's nickname was "Our Lord of Perpetual Motion". Full day K would have been torture for him. I also figured I could do better than any teacher with 20+ kids. -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) I only taught 2 classes in high school - English and Math in 9th grade The rest was mostly CC starting in 10th grade, a few online classes, a few PS classes. I wouldn't say we followed WTM in the high school years - I was not capable of WTM sytle high school level english/history/rhetoric. Math would have been no problem. -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now? Ds graduates with his 5th year master's degree tomorrow. He played basketball throughout college and only had 2 years of season ending injuries. 😬 He moves into his own apartment on Friday. Starts his new job (which he is happy and excited about) on June 3rd. Soon to be self-supporting. Yay! And he will remain 2000 miles away. Boo! I can't imagine South Korea. Kareni, I will be forever grateful to you for sharing your school profile and letter of recommendation with me. 🌹 I will be forever grateful to Lori D, Laura in CA, and Janice in NJ for taking the time to critique ds's high school transcript. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 9, 2019 Author Share Posted May 9, 2019 15 hours ago, Sue in St Pete said: Kareni, I will be forever grateful to you for sharing your school profile and letter of recommendation with me. 🌹 I will be forever grateful to Lori D, Laura in CA, and Janice in NJ for taking the time to critique ds's high school transcript. Thank you so much for the kind words, Sue. Many others had helped me, so it was rewarding to help others when I could. Wishing your son well as he begins his job next month. And all the best to you! Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 On 5/5/2019 at 9:58 AM, Kareni said: She has now been living in South Korea for almost six years. Have you been able to visit her? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 9, 2019 Author Share Posted May 9, 2019 2 hours ago, Sue in St Pete said: Have you been able to visit her? We have. My husband and I flew out and spent a week with her during her first year. It was impressive to see her making her way comfortably in a different culture and language! A couple of years later she completely floored my husband when she sent him a plane ticket to come visit her in Seoul for ten days; it was a very surprising Fathers' Day gift. Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted May 10, 2019 Share Posted May 10, 2019 (edited) On 5/5/2019 at 8:57 AM, Kareni said: -- What led you to homeschool? -- How was your child homeschooled in the high school years? (Did you use WTM as a guide? Did your child take out of the home, online classes, or college classes?) -- What did your child do after graduating? What is your child doing now?I 1. At the beginning of 2nd grade, DS was diagnosed gifted with maths/handwriting/reading SLDs. We opted to keep him at private school where he worked with a private reading tutor. We started homeschooling full time in 7th grade because the middle school was a bad fit and didn’t allow IEP, 504, or the most basic accommodations. He worked with a private, OG/IEW certified teacher for writing in 7th and 8th grades. I taught all of his math and am only now recovering a year after graduation. 2. WTM was a guide. DS took informal logic and kept a modified history notebook from grades 7-12. DS typed everything except math and took outside classes for biology, informal logic, Elegant Essay, chemistry, physics with algebra, and early American lit. DS took two years of drafting online with Murray Technical Ed of Florida. 3. Son attends a small state uni 53 miles away and just completed his fresher year. During that time, he joined a fraternity and is a member of the SGA. My dyslexic/dysgraphic is pursuing a history degree on a minor academic scholarship. DH and I are standing back and holding our breath. So far, DS is maintaining a 3.7 gpa, but the USAF or USN is always an option. DS hopes to pursue a commission in the USAF or USN upon graduation. My youngest child is a rising 6th grader and has been homeschooled from the beginning. ETA: SWB’s comments about colleges at the end of Rethinking School prompted me to consider the tiny state school that DS currently attends. Edited May 10, 2019 by Heathermomster 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 10, 2019 Author Share Posted May 10, 2019 It's been fascinating to read the various paths our graduates have taken both pre- and post-graduation. Thanks to those who have shared. I hope to read many more stories. Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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