Homeschoolers

Moriah Leila

Moriah Leila · Jan 2, 2010

I am a mother of two young children, and I am considering homeschooling them. However, I'd like to know from those who are homeschooled what they feel about it. I just have a few questions.

1.) What is your favorite thing about being homeschooled?
2.) What is your least favorite thing about being homeschooled?
3.) What are the pros?
4.) What are the cons?

I appreciate any help you might have to offer.

canislupis

canislupis · Jan 2, 2010

1.) The freedom of being able to do what I want, learn about what I want, at the speed I want, while hanging out only with the people I actually like. I choose my schedule, what subjects I do the most of, etc.
2.) Sometimes it can be isolating. This is misleading, because the first thing people tend to come up with is usually, "What about socialization?" which is one of the least true things possible.
While there are plenty of oppourtunities to interact with others, you definitely aren't with kids your exact age for six+ hours a day. Is this a bad thing? Sometimes, but not always. Also, lots of people are very prejudiced. I get soooo tired of answering stupid questions about homeschooling, and getting branded as something just because I am homeschooled.
3.) Well, it seems like almost always, homeschooled kids are much more well-adjusted than schoolers. Because they talk to people who aren't within a year of their own age, they are used to interacting with others. They also can go to museums, etc when kids are in school, thus avoiding crowds. There is complete freedom in what they do, like I said earlier. You can get up later than school kids, and school is focused on the schoolwork, not on being popular.
4.) Sometimes it's hard to stay motivated when you don't know what kids in school are doing. I used to be four or five grades ahead in math, but when I found that out, I didn't work as hard, and now I'm only two years ahead. Sometimes laws/school districts are restrictive, and plus, homeschooling can be more expensive, since technically our parents' tax dollars go towards paying for schools, but not homeschooling. (though this is not always the case)

I hope this helps you a little bit. I'll probably think of more stuff later, so I may be back. Overall, I think it really depends on your reasons for considering homeschooling.

See you around!

Lupis

1.) The freedom of being able to do what I want, learn about what I want, at the speed I want, while hanging out only with the people I actually like. I choose my schedule, what subjects I do the most of, etc.
2.) Sometimes it can be isolating. This is misleading, because the first thing people tend to come up with is usually, "What about socialization?" which is one of the least true things possible. 
While there are plenty of oppourtunities to interact with others, you definitely aren't with kids your exact age for six+ hours a day. Is this a bad thing? Sometimes, but not always. Also, lots of people are very prejudiced. I get soooo tired of answering stupid questions about homeschooling, and getting branded as something just because I am homeschooled.
3.) Well, it seems like almost always, homeschooled kids are much more well-adjusted than schoolers. Because they talk to people who aren't within a year of their own age, they are used to interacting with others. They also can go to museums, etc when kids are in school, thus avoiding crowds. There is complete freedom in what they do, like I said earlier. You can get up later than school kids, and school is focused on the schoolwork, not on being popular. 
4.) Sometimes it's hard to stay motivated when you don't know what kids in school are doing. I used to be four or five grades ahead in math, but when I found that out, I didn't work as hard, and now I'm only two years ahead. Sometimes laws/school districts are restrictive, and plus, homeschooling can be more expensive, since technically our parents' tax dollars go towards paying for schools, but not homeschooling. (though this is not always the case)

I hope this helps you a little bit. I'll probably think of more stuff later, so I may be back. Overall, I think it really depends on your reasons for considering homeschooling.

See you around!

Lupis

babygirl12

babygirl12 · Jan 2, 2010

1.) I'm not pressured by drama and bullies, I learn things from God's perspective rather than from that of man's, i get to laugh out loud when somethings funnny and not get detention, I get to overall be with my family alot, and that matters alot to me.
2.) The disadvantages of being homeschooled is being kind of lonely, and well sometimes might feel excluded from "today's world" but most of the time its for the better though some may not see it like that. There is also the constant feeling of being lazy, and lacking PE. But i dont think young children have to worry about that...
as for 3 and 4 i dont know what you mean...
but i hope i was of some help....

but it all really depends on what you want to teach your children...

well i guess i'll be going ..

~Meggs~

Rosendorn

Rosendorn · Jan 3, 2010

I'd just like to throw something in here: Be sure to know how your state treats homeschooling before you make up your mind completely. I can only speak for Canada, and to an extent NY (since there are a few homeschooled people I talk to in that state) but in Ontario it's rather hard to go through the Ontario Colleges' website (through which you submit all applications) because there aren't any highschool transcripts. However, in Alberta, homeschooling is regulated and my friend who lives there has to go through certain exams, and there are government inspectors that come and make sure she's doing her work. In NY, there are a bunch of regulations involved with getting into college if you're homeschooled. It can be a serious pain to deal with some sort of system that doesn't allow homeschoolers easily. (I believe my mom spent a couple hours on the phone with Ontario Colleges to find out how to get registered. I got lucky in my school of choice had worked with homeschoolers before and knew we didn't have transcripts, so needing them was waved)

On the other hand, I got into college at 16.

Now, the actual questions.

1- That would be getting all my work done in about four hours. At the least, getting all my work done within a regular school day, and not having to be up all evening working. Gives me lots of time to do other stuff and spend time doing what I want, which was usually learning-based.

Also, there was how much everything was learning. I'd watch hours of design shows in a day (still do, when given a chance) and that became another class. A computer game that included learning how to run a zoo became a lesson on business (this is why I'm such a fan of simulation games; they really do provide ways to learn if used properly).

2- The isolation, again. Unless you make an effort to go out and be in activities, you're going to be home a lot. However, these activities are usually open to an age range, not a grade (even then, kids can be doing grade nine stuff at age ten if you keep them on a strict enough schedule). You also have to take into consideration the population of different homeschooled age groups. I was a lot more isolated in my teens than when I started homeschooling at age ten, because there were a lot more activities for younger kids I was interested in than activities for teens I was interested in. Even though there were about 40 homeschooled teenagers in the city, I never interacted with any of them.

3- Being able to do several grades at once. This sometimes isn't possible if you're going off a program laid out by another school or the state, but if you're just covering the content of the curriculum then you can do several grades in one year. In highschool I did the equivalent of two English classes one year because I learned a lot about writing.

There's also everything being a learning opportunity, no crowds at museum/malls/zoos/ect, being able to easily take time off if a major shock hits, more time to be yourself (a major plus. Just about everybody I know doesn't know who they are because they're too busy in school), having access to some much different classes (I took personal development [think 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens] in highschool just by reading/applying the books) and being self-disciplined because nobody's forcing you to do anything (Unless a parent sets down an iron-hard rule and enforces it, but that usually only needs to happen for awhile until the kid gets into the habit)

4- Cons can be a slight lack of social skills, just because we're not around people every day. However, not being around people every day was something I needed, because I can get more stressed when forced to be around people for extended periods of time.

It can also be very hard to keep up in anything. Lessons would sometimes go unattended for weeks as I just got lazy and I didn't want to do them. It was also so very easy to not cover a class because you just forgot to do it. This can be forgetting on purpose, as well. Avoiding subjects can be way too easy.

Also, from a parent's perspective (My mom talks to me a lot) it is 100% dedication. Even though I taught myself 95% of the time, my mom couldn't focus deeply on anything she wanted to do because I needed her that other 5% of the time.

And, just a side-note, I find it a good idea to send children to kindergarten. It makes them realize that the world doesn't revolve around them, and that there are certain rules that must be followed. However, I don't think much formal education is needed past that. Too much can really make kids forget who they are, or get so many bad experiences they get a bit messed up later in life (what happened to me. I didn't conform to school completely, so I was excluded a lot more. This led me to build a lot of walls around who I was and not let people in. Others who do conform, well, I can't relate to them because they have no spark of originality, or of themselves)

Hope this helps!

~Rosey

I'd just like to throw something in here: Be sure to know how your state treats homeschooling before you make up your mind completely. I can only speak for Canada, and to an extent NY (since there are a few homeschooled people I talk to in that state) but in Ontario it's rather hard to go through the Ontario Colleges' website (through which you submit all applications) because there aren't any highschool transcripts. However, in Alberta, homeschooling is regulated and my friend who lives there has to go through certain exams, and there are government inspectors that come and make sure she's doing her work. In NY, there are a bunch of regulations involved with getting into college if you're homeschooled. It can be a serious [i]pain[/i] to deal with some sort of system that doesn't allow homeschoolers easily. (I believe my mom spent a couple hours on the phone with Ontario Colleges to find out how to get registered. I got lucky in my school of choice had worked with homeschoolers before and knew we didn't have transcripts, so needing them was waved)

On the other hand, I got into college at 16. :D

Now, the actual questions.

1- That would be getting all my work done in about four hours. At the least, getting all my work done within a regular school day, and not having to be up all evening working. Gives me lots of time to do other stuff and spend time doing what I want, which was usually learning-based.

Also, there was how much [i]everything[/i] was learning. I'd watch hours of design shows in a day (still do, when given a chance) and that became another class. A computer game that included learning how to run a zoo became a lesson on business (this is why I'm such a fan of simulation games; they really do provide ways to learn if used properly).

2- The isolation, again. Unless you make an effort to go out and be in activities, you're going to be home a lot. However, these activities are usually open to an age range, not a grade (even then, kids can be doing grade nine stuff at age ten if you keep them on a strict enough schedule). You also have to take into consideration the population of different homeschooled age groups. I was a lot more isolated in my teens than when I started homeschooling at age ten, because there were a lot more activities for younger kids I was interested in than activities for teens I was interested in. Even though there were about 40 homeschooled teenagers in the city, I never interacted with any of them.

3- Being able to do several grades at once. This sometimes isn't possible if you're going off a program laid out by another school or the state, but if you're just covering the content of the curriculum then you can do several grades in one year. In highschool I did the equivalent of two English classes one year because I learned a lot about writing.

There's also everything being a learning opportunity, no crowds at museum/malls/zoos/ect, being able to easily take time off if a major shock hits, more time to be yourself (a major plus. Just about everybody I know doesn't know who they are because they're too busy in school), having access to some much different classes (I took personal development [think 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens] in highschool just by reading/applying the books) and being self-disciplined because nobody's forcing you to do anything (Unless a parent sets down an iron-hard rule and enforces it, but that usually only needs to happen for awhile until the kid gets into the habit)

4- Cons can be a slight lack of social skills, just because we're not around people every day. However, not being around people every day was something I needed, because I can get more stressed when forced to be around people for extended periods of time.

It can also be very hard to keep up in anything. Lessons would sometimes go unattended for weeks as I just got lazy and I didn't want to do them. It was also so very easy to not cover a class because you just forgot to do it. This can be forgetting on purpose, as well. Avoiding subjects can be way too easy.

Also, from a parent's perspective (My mom talks to me a lot) it is 100% dedication. Even though I taught myself 95% of the time, my mom couldn't focus deeply on anything she wanted to do because I needed her that other 5% of the time.

And, just a side-note, I find it a good idea to send children to kindergarten. It makes them realize that the world doesn't revolve around them, and that there are certain rules that must be followed. However, I don't think much formal education is needed past that. Too much can really make kids forget who they are, or get so many bad experiences they get a bit messed up later in life (what happened to me. I didn't conform to school completely, so I was excluded a lot more. This led me to build a lot of walls around who I was and not let people in. Others who do conform, well, I can't relate to them because they have no spark of originality, or of themselves)

Hope this helps!

~Rosey

Stori

Stori · Feb 28, 2013

1 & 3. Reading real literature from a young age. Cursive handwriting. Having my siblings for classmates.

2 & 4. Losing contact with my home-school friends, both kids and adults. Being overwhelmed by public school once I started attending it. Also, it was demeaning coming into a system where reading was done in order to score points. (Silly A.R. system, I hope you fall out of use.)

Stori

Stori · Feb 28, 2013

Sorry, one more thing to add. Not getting my sex-ed taught by Grandma, who was a nurse and knows me a lot better than a part-time teacher ever could. >.>

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