# Homeschooling and public school



## Chickengirl (Mar 16, 2008)

Hi, my name is Naomi, and I'm new to the site, and new to this forum. I live in Australia (Queensland) with my partner and my daughter (6 1/2). She is currently in year 2 at a lovely local school, 126 students, good teachers and very eco-friendly, community minded and so on.

I would love to home school her, but am not in a position to do so full time, so I am wondering if you can combine homeschooling with regular schooling (five day/week attendance)? She has a lot of interests that aren't covered in school - Dinosaurs, insects, reptiles, plants, "species conservation" (we get lectured from the backseat!), you get the idea.

I am a qualified horticulturalist, with big eco and conservation leanings, self-sustainability, crafting, etc, and my partner is widely travelled, bilingual, very "handy" with fixing things and building things. I would like to start using our different skills to build on what she learns at school, unstructured to begin with, letting her choose.

Does anyone here have any advice or experience in doing this?


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

to look at the homeschooling laws in your country/state. 

IN the US it is different for each state. When I was in Iowa years ago, I could put them in and out of public school classes as I wished. They would even provide text books if I wanted them too and a teacher to help me....I didn't want, but it was available. Then we moved to TN.....They don't give you a pen to sign you name to the form saying you are going to homeschool your child. 

If you are thinking of just adding your areas of expertiece and interest on the side in the evenings and weekends, that is very doable. Many places also let parents come in a teach a unit on a special subject. Check with your DD's school. My DH went to a class once and showed them how an assembly line worked. He cut out pieces of wood for a pencil box. Each student was given a task to do and in the end all the pencil boxes were made. The kids loved it! Then next week, he went in and taught the kids how he designed the boxes - he's an engineer. They loved that too!


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

If all you are trying to do is add to the existing curriculum, the best thing to do is to just get the information you want her to learn and teach it to her. Frankly, there is no reason for the public school system to care or be involved. Most of the homeschool curriculum providers will let you pick and choose the subjects that you want to buy.


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## Chickengirl (Mar 16, 2008)

thanks guys, just need a boost I guess


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