# I need to homeschool



## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

I have enrolled the kids in GCA but there is a long waiting list. I cant afford right at the moment an expensive curriculum nor can I devote full time. That is why GCA fit well into our life.

The kids have failed another period, they have been going to after school tutoring but apparently its more to get out of chores as they are failing even worse since they started, and of course they do their home work there.
I went for a conference and they didnt say anything about the homework not being doing only that my daughter wouldnt shut up or acted like she cared. I dont blame the teachers as much as I resent all those that made teachers scared to discipline kids in the smallest ways without being subjected to being on the news. I cant make them respect anyone if Im not there, and I cant make them do their work. I have no idea why they are like they are other than they are showing out. 
Most people think Im crazy and tell me I have some great well manored kids yet the teachers want me to enroll them into boot camp. 
I have to do something, there future is dependent on it, so whats my options???

btw, kids dont get video games and dont watch much tv only what they catch off the news.


----------



## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

How old are the kids? Do you have the time to teach them? Can you stay ahead of them and make sure they're learning what they need to? What are the laws in your state? Are there other home school groups in your area? They'll be a good group to get to know. I know I acted out because I was BORED. Perhaps you just need to ADD home school to the school work they have. Instead of taking the entire brunt of their eduction on yourself, you just need to take a more active roll? Talk to their teachers. Find out what they're learning. Add more when they get home. If they supposedly get all their homework done at school, give them more at home until their grades improve?


----------



## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

Basically the kids and not just mine have learned that they dont have to do the work and the teachers cant do anything to make them. My kids have turned into slackers. I was really shocked that their grades have fallen even further behind.
Yes, if they did something like online or workbooks I could keep up, but teaching full time isnt something I can do. I really like the ACE program its just kinda out of reach but we may use our income tax refund to go ahead with it.
My son is in 8th grade and is 15 my daughter is in 7th and is 14.

Our state isnt anal about homeschooling and the teachers offered to help me do what needed to be done to get them out of their class rooms (isn't that something). Im supposed to send a letter of intent to the BOE before the start of the school year and get approval. I have a HSD but thats as far as my education out side of world experience goes. I am not comfortable trying to teach them at the level they are at alone.


----------



## KnowOneSpecial (Sep 12, 2010)

Check out Sonlight or Switched on School. 

But be warned that they may not behave for you, either. Bringing them home doesn't turn them into angels. You will still have to put in an incredible amount of time and devotion to them. What will they be doing while you're working? Will they always be supervised? Are you ready for the changes in your relationships with them? You'll no longer be just Mom and Dad, but not you're The teacher, The Principal and The Janitor all rolled up into one person. It can change things and sometimes not for the better.


----------



## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

What is GCA? You can enroll them for the Georgia Virtual Academy through the public school system. It's free and they provide all the materials you need, and teachers. Here's the link:

http://www.k12.com/gca

I didn't do this, but my neighbor did and seems happy with it.


----------



## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

Yes they could potentially goof off while I am at work but then I would know and could make consequences for those actions and still make them do it, they wont have an option unlike they believe they do. I cant see where it can hurt to try they are not going to succeed in public school. 
The weird thing is outside of the bickering between brother and sister they are good kids, get them around a group of other kids and they try to act like jerks. 
My big thing for me is I can only teach what I know, and I have forgotten a great deal.


----------



## joyfulheart (Mar 26, 2009)

My advice?

And I'm saying this as nice as possible-- as a mom who has had similar experiences iwth the local school system.

Fix YOUR attitude. What I mean, is your attitude that says you CANNOt do it. 

YES YOU CAN~!

Get on welltrainedmind forum, and other homeschooling forums. You will see there are LOTS of options out there.

Some options are online schools, DVD's, CO-Op's (where the kids go to a class of other homeschooled kids), etc.... 

You can also do a combination of things. For us-- it's a combination of online, workbooks and other curriculums... 

You CAN do it. But you really do have to have the right attitude, or you are setting yourself up to fail from the start.

In my house there is a ZERO tolerance for laziness attitude or kid manipulation. Severely punshied-- usually wtih a combination of grounding plus triple the schoolwork. 

It only takes once or twice and they dont do that again. 

There are lots of moms who leave their high schooled children at home while the parents are workign. It's doable, if that's what you need to do.


----------



## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

Sonshine said:


> What is GCA? You can enroll them for the Georgia Virtual Academy through the public school system. It's free and they provide all the materials you need, and teachers. Here's the link:
> 
> http://www.k12.com/gca
> 
> I didn't do this, but my neighbor did and seems happy with it.


sorry Georgia Cyber Acadamy like in your link, same thing as what you posted, 30 kids in front of my son and 28 in front of my daughter.


----------



## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

You can also do a combination of things. For us-- it's a combination of online, workbooks and other curriculums... 

You CAN do it. But you really do have to have the right attitude, or you are setting yourself up to fail from the start.

So what curriculums do you use? School was hard for me (ADD) I know I can make them do the work, just not sure how much I can help them when it gets in to trig and such things.


----------



## joyfulheart (Mar 26, 2009)

My kids are a little bit younger than yours.

My favorite homeschool forum is http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/

they have a high school section too!

I would figure out where your kids are at academically then If you post that you are starting from scratch, they will give you great advice. 

I'm guessing, based on what you've said, that there might be some "gaps" in their education. Or they might be very intelligent-- and so bored, that they're acting out and failing. Seen that often too! 

I also recommend you buy the book (or audio book) DO HARD THINGS. 

It's a WONDERFUL book! I highly recommend it to everyone. It challenges teens and is a great book to get them thinking! (read it yourself too!)


----------



## KyMama (Jun 15, 2011)

If workbooks are okay and money is an issue check out Christian Light . The LightUnits can be ordered one at a time or as many as you can afford. My 8th grader is currently using them and he does them without arguing with me so they can't be that bad.  Or maybe Time4Learning, it's limited on the 7th & 8th grade social studies and science, but it's a good program and would be easy for you to keep up with. The reports are printable so there would be very little work for you.

HTH


----------



## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

If you're going to home educate, you need to have confidence that you can do it. 

Another thing you might want to look into is are there any co-op's, tutorials or such in your area? Having someone else do the teaching in a subject that is difficult for you is a great help, and being with other students who are usually diligent can be a good example for your children.
Dawn


----------

