# Teach me about home schooling.



## CJBegins (Nov 20, 2009)

Gosh, I was reading the thread about teaching personal responsibility and I thought to my self....I have no clue what plans and structures the home schoolers use. I haven't read thru the classroom forum. The title to the personal responsibility thread caught my eye. 

When my sons were young I thought many times about diving in and home schooling. I kept thinking, how in the world am I going to teach them about algebra and any math above that. I chickened out because I felt that I was too stupid. Sad, I know. 

Fast forward to my now adult sons and their wives. The oldest son's wife was home schooled and will be home schooling my grandbabies. I want to understand. 

Carla


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## Kristinemomof3 (Sep 17, 2012)

There's so much information available to help one learn and it's really not that hard to teach algebra when there are so many different homeschooling curriculums out there to help. With the way schools are these days, I would never want to send my kids.


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## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

Carla exactly what is it that you want to understand? How personal responsibility is conveyed?
For me & my daughter I think I learned more than she did in a lot of ways.
Math was never my strong suit. I learned personal responsibilty by not outwardly foaming at the mouth during my inward math wrath.:catfight:


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

Well, I appreciate the question. One of the reasons for the personal responsibility thread is that there as about as many different ways to do homeschooling as there are people who do it. Some of those ways are better than others. For us to help you understand what she is is trying to do, we would have to know what kind of homeschooler she will be. Some general ways that are popular are classical, unschooling, child-led, eclectic, character based, charlotte mason, and then school-at-home. Those are some general things to research if you are interested. *Beware of bloggers telling you about idyllic homeschools who never do any "formal schoolwork" at all and produce super-geniuses with little or no effort at all on the part of the parents. Run... RUN from those people!*

As for teaching upper level classes, in today's world you can find a class or a curriculum for almost anything. My daugher is currently taking a calc 2 class online. I never took anything above algebra 2. There are not really any limitations. 

FWIW,
Cindyc.


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## CJBegins (Nov 20, 2009)

It was the personal responsibility thread that got me to thinking about my daughter-in-law home schooling the grand children, not so much the personal responsibility part. 

I didn't realize that some home schoolers teach other's children, or am I confused?

Knowing what I do now, I realize I was perfectly capable of homeschooling my children. I just didn't have the confidence.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

Perhaps the best way to understand your daughter-in-laws methods, is to ask her. Keep in non-judgemental and non-confrontational; just ask her to walk you through how she goes about doing it. If you come from a place of support and curiosity (as well as encouragement) she will probably give you more info than you want to know.

I was home schooled starting in the late first grade (the school district we lived in wouldn't accommodate advanced students, but wouldn't release my records to a district that would) and for the first few years my mom worked very hard to build a well rounded curriculum and taught us (I have a four years younger sister) from the books herself. When I started eighth grade we went to a video based system for the more advanced stuff like calculus and biology.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

CJBegins said:


> It was the personal responsibility thread that got me to thinking about my daughter-in-law home schooling the grand children, not so much the personal responsibility part.
> 
> I didn't realize that some home schoolers teach other's children, or am I confused?
> 
> Knowing what I do now, I realize I was perfectly capable of homeschooling my children. I just didn't have the confidence.


yes, you are allowed to share responsibility cooperatively and have a parent volunteer to teach a subject that they know very well. That is perfectly legal. So a lot of times if you are weak in an area, you find someone who is better at it and basically you trade. You get enough people together doing that and it is called a co-op. Each state has different rules for how to do that legally, so you have to know the law, but it is a perfectly acceptable thing to do.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

CJBegins said:


> Gosh, I was reading the thread about teaching personal responsibility and I thought to my self....I have no clue what plans and structures the home schoolers use. I haven't read thru the classroom forum. The title to the personal responsibility thread caught my eye.
> 
> When my sons were young I thought many times about diving in and home schooling. I kept thinking, how in the world am I going to teach them about algebra and any math above that. I chickened out because I felt that I was too stupid. Sad, I know.
> 
> ...


www.hslda.com

Look up your state.
It will tell you all the laws, and local home school co-ops and groups.
Home Education comes in many forms, called many different names, and is executed a zillion different ways.

I would go to your states annual convention.
Walk around, go to the seminars, talk to the vendors.
I would contact some of the groups in your area ( that you find on hslda.com) and ask if you can sit in / volunteer, and ask questions.
Ask around your local church.

I home educated my 3 from grades 4,6,7 to graduation.
*My* focus was not on academics as much as it was developing their character, work ethic, and integrity.
But we were very much a 'text book / quiz / test' type of home educators.

I think your states annual convention will give you the most, and best information!!


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

My homeschooler is a (probably) gifted 8th grader with ADD. :stars:

We're blessed to have a very small school system. ...Graduating classes of 30-40 kids. Teachers are members of the community, connected to their students, and tend to be personally invested in their success. My (also probably) gifted kid with_out_ ADD is doing exceeding well in school. 
But group education is a real struggle for a kid that doesn't fit the mold in _two_ very noticeable ways. Two ways that work against each other even. 
So that's our _WHY_.

The _HOW_ is traditional with heavy leanings toward classical. (Thanks cindy! He is absolutely loving logic and is quick to point out fallacies in arguments made everywhere from TV to FaceBook. lol)
He does school work just like he would were he in the classroom, but he has more control over his schedule. I buy all of his books and coursework and we do it primarily at the kitchen table. 
At nearly 14, he has input into his options, but I still organize his lesson plans. He then gets a copy at the beginning of the week, looks at his possible work schedule, and we start laying out a plan of attack so he can fit everything in. 

For example, yesterday he was _supposed_ to do an assignment in Algebra, finish the final copy of his writing, take his vocab. test, read two chapters in lit. and history, take a science test and translate his Spanish assignment and then do Bible in the evening with his sister. 
However, he works for a neighbor up the road so instead he got it all finished by Thursday so he could spend yesterday like today; on a horse, weaning calves. 

I, too, feel intimidated by upper level math and science, in particular. I mean, Algebra I can handle, but beyond that?? I dunno... 
But, this is the 21st century! There are classes for anything you could want, online. And that's assuming you can't find co-op classes (which bigger cities have where homeschoolers "teach each others' kids"), or tutors, or community colleges for dual enrollment, etc, etc.


God bless those pioneers 20 and 30 years ago. Homeschooling today is such a great option!


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## Northwall (Oct 22, 2013)

Regarding personal responsibility, my teen daughter has recently been enjoying and greatly benefiting from the book The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens, by Sean Covey.

Sent from my ADR6330VW using Homesteading Today mobile app


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## CJBegins (Nov 20, 2009)

Very interesting responses. I sat down and talked with my son today about what their plans are. He seemed kind of overwhelmed with the task but his wife seems to have a very good handle on what she needs to do. The 5 year old is sounding out words and the 3 year old knows all of his colors very well. The 7month old knows some sign language already. Those are just a I have noticed.

I don't want to grill them, I admire them for teaching their children. After all, no one will be more invested in their education than parents will.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

CJBegins said:


> Very interesting responses. I sat down and talked with my son today about what their plans are. He seemed kind of overwhelmed with the task but his wife seems to have a very good handle on what she needs to do. The 5 year old is sounding out words and the 3 year old knows all of his colors very well. The 7month old knows some sign language already. Those are just a I have noticed.
> 
> I don't want to grill them, I admire them for teaching their children. After all, no one will be more invested in their education than parents will.


So what steps have you taken to understand?
Did they help?

Sounds like your son's wife has this under control!!:goodjob:


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

This is a fascinating thread. I certainly understand your inquiry into personal responsibility. (Seems to me this world is as messed up as it is because the vast majority do NOT take personal responsibility for what they, themselves, do. Teaching children to do so from an early age seems advantageous to, not only the child and that child's family, but to the community at large once that child grows and enters it.)

I'm retired from an "alternative school system" working with students 1st grade thru graduation. Many of those students would have been better off (from the public school system) if they had been home schooled; however, there as many parents who don't have the time for it. (I sure admire parents who make the time for such things.)

What I found in working with the school systems is that their priorities were on the basics for creating skills in the market place, i.e. math, english, etc. The manner in which such was done was mostly: I tell you what is what and you feed it back to me in a test. Yuk!! Very little here that teaches a child to think for themselves. And what was completely lacking was a focus on what I consider more important, i.e. how to create and build relationships in a way that opens doors for you in that market place. (I'm talking here about "interpersonal communication" and "interpersonal relationship" buiding. One could have the best quality skill in whatever field; however, if their manner of relating/talking/interacting with others is poor, they will not do as well as they might have.)

Were I homeschooling (which I would not do at my age), my emphases would be on the very things I believe actually forms the bases for success, i.e. interpersonal communications (Individuation and knowing oneself is a must for this! Just teaching a young child to use the word "I" helps that child see self as a separate entity and, with this, can come some strength in character building.). I've not seen such online but maybe those interested can find some.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I was anti-homeschool until I put my son in school.
That lasted 2 1/2 years and we took him out because...
It was horrible for him. He was a very bright kid and the structured, limited classroom learning was just killing his intelligence and his soul.

How do we homeschool? We are fairly unstructured. He gets his math from online like Khan Academy and from textbooks. He can learn it until he learns it. Most of it he flies through.
He gets grammar etc.. from just doing it. Through reading and writing. Same with spelling. It just comes.
History.. he can learn anything he wants about history at any time. Right now he is watching a documentary about the Viking swords. He is able to connect that with the travels of the Vandals and the Goths down into Europe and their battles with the Romans etc.. The Fall of the Roman Empire is his thing. He knows more about the Visigoths, Vandals, Osogoths etc.. than any 10 year old should.
He does read a chapter in a college level world history book everyday and does the vocabulary and questions at the ends of the chapters etc..
Science, chemistry and physics he gets from documentaries and independent study and from textbooks etc.. he is interested in all of that as well. He wants to be an engineer of some sort, I think.

The best thing about homeschool is TIME. He has time. Time to study and explore and learn. Time to think about things. Time to just think. What a miracle.
Time to have discussions with his friends. Time to learn how discussion is done. How to listen, formulate a response etc..
He has time to learn how to cook. Time to read books just for the joy (though he has to do at least 50 pages a day of any book of his choice)
Time to watch movies like Alfred Hithcock. Time to listen to music like jazz and learn the history behind it. He has time to take up blacksmithing. Time to play. 
It is amazing how many things a kid can do in a day if he isn't strapped to a seat in a classroom.
Right now I am being regaled with Damascus steel vs crucible steel etc.. and when Westerners discovered how to do it. 

It seems that most of our learning comes from discussion. We will start out on one topic, but that leads off into different directions. We oull up websites adn find out more and talk about that. Then we realize that 3 hours has just flown by and we forgot lunch. The Dutch East Indies comapny... so much more to it than what we learned in school. That discussion started with watching Tudor Feast or a similar program about the value of spices, then what constitutes worth and value and why spices are so cheap now and why they used to be expensive and the balance between goods adn services and pricing adn why prices go up etc.. it just all feeds on itself.
the Spice Road and how each time the spices traded hands the price increased a little bit so that everyone made a wee bit of profit off of the trade.

And you can easily have a roll in the schooling. You can teach them how to cook or knit or garden or anything else that you know how to do.
Because they will have the time to learn.
You have bits of knowledge that your DIL may not have.
You can relay family stories and how they relate to times in history.
You may have time to sit and look through books that interest you both or you can become the house of arts and crafts! You can do anything because there will be time!
Ask your DIL. Homeschool is something to be very excited about.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

> You can teach them how to cook or knit or garden or anything else that you know how to do.


I agree. 
Grandparents have not only the role of "grandparent", but they can also be a mentor! 

My mom has a fascination with southwest/Mexican archaeology and history, as well as geology. She and the kids can wander for a long time looking at real rocks, flipping through books, hunting on Google, etc 
My dad is a builder so he and my son, in particular, are always working on something or at least scheming. My FIL is an old West history buff. And on and on.


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