Homeschool
By callahanb78
@callahanb78 (529)
United States
March 3, 2009 4:35pm CST
I have been gathering information on homeschool and was wondering if anyone has any opinions. I have a 7 year old son who I think would benefit more from being homeschooled. There is a new program for children in Florida called Florida Virtual Academy which is a public school program. It covers all the required courses including P.E. The state provides the materials for the most part and field trips are taken. Teachers grade the work a child does also.
Anyone have a child that is already enrolled with the program?
Anyone else considering?
2 people like this
11 responses
@dismalgrin (2604)
• United States
3 Mar 09
I was homeschooled and honestly I'm proud of the fact. I like to brag a little. Haha. But, why go through a virtual school program when the whole point of being homeschooled is to have a different type of learning than that in the public school? I would love to homeschool my children, and if I do I think I will go with the Unit Study meathod. It's more hands on, and there is a set topic of interest and then all the subjects sort of fit into that interest. My oldest is obbsessed with pioneers. Can you imagine the fun we could get from a topic like that? As the parent, your role in homeschooling is to guide the child through the learning processes. To teach your child to learn and want to learn. Not, to teach your child WHAT to learn. I don't know, does that help any? I kind of think that those computer type programs for homeschoolers are either missing the point, or undermining a parent's confidence in doing it on their own.
1 person likes this
@dismalgrin (2604)
• United States
5 Mar 09
That does sound more manageable. If I were able to homeschool I probably would do it a little more like I was talk, but I'm not a fan of 'basics' really. I guess my style of homeschooling would probably be pretty contervsial, but I have read up on it and it seems that children taught that way end up covering all the basics anyway. Good luck!
@callahanb78 (529)
• United States
4 Mar 09
I was homeschooled for a little while...it was through the public school system and I did it all online which I thought was great because I did it whenever I wanted to in addition to during the day....so if I was bored at home I could turn on the computer and do some additional work. I did very well with it and enjoyed it very much. When I was 17 I got a job and was able to do school stuff at night or early in the moring or whenever I wasnt working. The son that I want to homeschool loves bugs and inscents and outdoor 'crawlies' so the things we could do would be exciting and attention getting to him and would keep him interested. I wouldnt mind him doing the basics online and then having him do all the extras hands on. I think it would benefit him much more than a regular school would.....
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
3 Mar 09
We homeschooled all three of our children until I had to quit and take care of my mother after she had a stroke. My oldest was a senior and the girls both in high Then we put them into private Christian School where I was able to work part time to pay for their tuition.
We had sports,cheerleading, dance music, band, art....we were able to take them to the CHidlren's science museum where they could do Science labs. They have friends that they never would have made in public school.
My oldest daughter recently graduated from nursing school. My son is in the army, and my youngest daughter is an honors student and on the cheerleading squad at WIlliams Baptist College.
Check with the Florida Department of Education. They most likely have a home school advocate in their office that can tell you all the different avenues available to you! I know we have one here in Arkansas, there is one where my friends teach in Ohio and Texas as well!
1 person likes this
@callahanb78 (529)
• United States
4 Mar 09
Wow I dont think I could find time to homeschool all 4 of mine....3 as of right now but 1 I dont think would be too much of a problem. It looks as though all of yours are doing well and have made good decisions as far as education goes which is GREAT! There are a bunch of extras I could get the kids into as well which I have been looking into....its trying to get things to not overlap in time that seems to be the current issue....oh well...suppose we will figure it all out soon enough.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
10 Mar 09
You may very well be like we were. We learned so much by making mistakes the first couple of years! Trial and Error. Finding things that worked and things that didn't. You just have to keep going and not give up when you hit a wall. My son hated the first set of curriculem I bought, and my youngest daughter loved it.
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
4 Mar 09
Hi, callahanb78. Welcome to myLot.
I am very curious what it is that you feel makes homeschooling more beneficial to your son?
I wish you well in your quest for information.
@callahanb78 (529)
• United States
4 Mar 09
As I said in a previous post...he gets distracted very easily. Sometimes he just does what he wants regardless of what the teacher tells him to do. He doesnt normally get in too much trouble at school and he is not a problem child either but he does have his fair share of issues. He does fairly well with the work that he is given but if he is having an off day it usually lasts ALL day and no matter what. He passes the tests and learns on track with the rest of his class but he is so interested in the outdoors and hands on learning that I believe he would benefit much more from homeschool or virtual school. With the virtual school he would still have to do the basics of school and the virtual would help him make sure he is on track with his grade level and it would be up to us to keep him there or advance him in all or certain areas. It would still us the sense of being in school....at least part time. As far as interaction with other children, I like that public schools offer that for him but if he is active in the community and active with boy scouts (which is what he has chosen to do) as well as with the neighbors he has and with the friends he has made thus far in school he should be fine with that aspect of it all. It is a big decision for us and we will have to go over all the pros and cons of it and I would like to discuss it with him further to see his take because I know he does enjoy going to school which I know wont last forever :)
@callahanb78 (529)
• United States
4 Mar 09
We do have the option to have him tutored next year...I dont believe that his problem is that he is behind or can not learn the material, its more so that his mind wanders when it wants....He does well in school for the most part but it just doesnt keep his attention. And we have looked into ADHD and have spoke with his doctors about it but nothing has every been diagnosed.
@Ritchelle (3790)
• Philippines
4 Mar 09
there are many things that a child learns in school besides the knowledge imparted by the usual educational curriculum:
a) the drive to get up in the morning because he has something that he must do regardless of whether he likes it or not
b) the initiative to do better because of a friendly competition
c) to please a teacher or even a pretty classmate
d) the opportunity to see whose good and who's not
e) the chance to pick up his ego when little mishaps brought about by childhood occurs
f) the ability to mingle with classmates he might not like
g) to learn to listen to others not just his teacher
these are little things worth a lot later in life not provided by homeschooling.
@callahanb78 (529)
• United States
4 Mar 09
There are TONS of pros and cons with the homeschool/public school question....I have come up with a bunch!!! Its a decision that we will have to think about over and over and further to come up with the decision we think is best for him.
1 person likes this
@cupcakesmom (15)
• United States
3 Mar 09
I have a little time to figure all of this out, my daughter is only 20 months old, but it is something I think about quite a bit! I hated public school! And I went to great schools in great neighborhoods. And I wasn't exceptionally fat or ugly or picked on. And it still sucked! And I think some of the teachers were the worst part. Just awful, miserable, women. I don't know if I can subject my little princess to this, but I also don't want to make her a social retard and keep her locked in the house with me all day. Though the idea is tempting. :)
1 person likes this
@albert2412 (1782)
• United States
4 Mar 09
I am happy to say that I live in Texas. Here, after the Leper court decision, homeschoos are legal private schools. We have to teach the five basic subljects, but we are not answerable to the local school system for anything. We can choose the best correculum for our children without going to the school district. I am glad we homeschooled out children. We are glad that our children did not go to public school and hear the evolution is truth and the gay marriage is ok./
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
4 Mar 09
I have not ever been involved with that type of program. I home school my children and I think that it is one of the best decisions that we ever made as a family although it is a lot of work for me as I also work part time. I like the fact that they are exposed to new things in a way that I approve of and they seem to learn faster being that I can spend the one on one time with them.
@psspurgeon1 (1109)
• United States
4 Mar 09
I think if you are dedicated and put forth a great effort, home school would be great. I often say that if I felt I could give my children the proper education that would prepare then for the extensive college they will endure, I would in a heartbeat. As it is though, I don't have that ability, therefore I believe she would be far better off in the long run with a christian school we chose. A plus and downfall to that is that they have extrememly high expectations for education. Failure is not an option. Which is what I feel needs to happen for my kids to get into medical school(high hopes!!!). It is a tough decision to make on your children's education but if one feels confident in their ability to teach and you don't do like most home educators do and only teach for a couple hours a day then I think your children will still benifit greatly. There are plenty of opportunities for social interaction in the long road ahead, school and educational field do not have to be one of them. I think children that are homeschooled and exposed to regular public activities have just as good of social skills as any other child out there. And for some kids, the quiet personal setting of home school will benifit then far more than a busy, bustling school with bullies, rudness, and predjusces.
@victory999 (758)
• China
4 Mar 09
In China,Children's education wholy in public school,so if I were a child,I would like to have homeschool education,because it has more freedom and free time,and don't be tense in public school.
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
3 Mar 09
I worked for a very short time for a virtual highschool. I'm not impressed with it because there is very little connection with the students, and parents are not always active in students lives. I think for a student who has an active parent such as yourself, such a program could offer wonderful benefits, especially if the child was not doing well in the classroom.
I think it depends upon how much you are willing to invest as a parent. There is quite a bit of work required on the part of the parent with any homeschooling. If you don't have the time to invest, I'd say stick with a regular school setting. If you do have the time, then I'd say find a good parents homeschool group in your area to connect with other homeschool parents.
Anora
@callahanb78 (529)
• United States
4 Mar 09
Well luckily I am a stay at home parent and I only have the baby at home....the other 2 are in school so I would be able to set aside time for him and school mainly while the others were in school and then we could always, if time did not allow at any other time, do field trips and outside hands on things when the others got out of school....extra learning for the ones in public school. There are a few fairly large homeschool groups in my area that I have looked into. There step mother is also available for school activites with her so if need be I could turn to her for some extra help.
