# How do I know if homeschooling is the right move?



## 1fast68 (Apr 20, 2009)

I'll try to post everything I can think of but feel free to ask any questions about something I might have left out. My son is currently in 6th grade, he has made honor roll since 1st grade, is a very sweet loving child that is not scared of people. He will have a conversation with any adult at any time or play with any kid at any time. He prefers to play with younger kids or girls. (I grew up with 2 older sisters and preferred to play with girls as well) I see a lot of myself in him other than he has a lot of self-confidence that I didn't at his age and I was scared of people. Starting 6th grade (which is middle school here) the first week he was assaulted (literally) buy another kid. He is constantly called ugly and kids make fun of him. We didn't have a problem with any of this through elementary, 6th and 7th grade is on the same campus. Instead of going outside for recess, he stays inside and helps the kitchen ladies clean up the cafeteria so he doesn't have to put up with the other kids, but they will make fun of him in the classroom as well. He doesn't like sports and isn't a rough rowdy boy. He likes girls and has had a couple "girlfriends" but I feel like the environment he's in is unhealthy mentally. We had talked already about homeschooling him in JR High because this is what we expected in an 8th/9th grade type setting. He doesn't want to go to school but never tries to stay at home in the morning when getting ready for school. The school is not going to change how the kids treat each other so there is no point in talking to the school about anything at this point but I don't want to take him out of school for the wrong reasons. He still gets good grades and we don't want to mess up Collage opportunities for him when he's older. My wife would be the one homeschooling him and she only has a HS degree so we are unsure what happens if the subject is more than her education can provide. I hope this message was too scattered to understand but looking for some sound advice.


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## 1fast68 (Apr 20, 2009)

This is what is required by 12/15/12 if we are going to homeschool the remainder of 6th grade. 
K12 has no openings for our state and has a waiting list. After reading this forum most of the day K12 was highly recommended. What other options would there be under such a short notice? Or are would be under different time constraints since we would be homeschooling?
5.03.1 The name, date of birth and grade level of each child and the name and address of the public, private, home school or parochial school last attended, if any, for each student.
5.03.2 The location of the home school (mailing address).
5.03.3 A brief description of the basic core curriculum to be used and the subjects to be taught.
5.03.4 Schedule of instruction to be followed (hours per day; days per week; number of weeks). 
5.03.5 The education qualifications of the parent/guardian/teacher(s).
5.03.6 Parents or guardians shall deliver written notice in person to the superintendent of their local school district the first time such notice is given.
​


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

I would ask your son what his thoughts are. Explain homeschooling - that he would actually be doing real school and it matters how well he does but that he can leave that school environment if he wishes. If you can afford it, also look into some other school options.

That said, I have never and never will allow any of my children to go to middle school. I homeschooled my oldest two through 8th grade and now am homeschooling 5th and 7th grades for my younger two. I think home is the best place for that age group.

I also only have a high school diploma (did 2 years of college but then got married and never finished) yet my children score in the 93rd percentile and above on our mandatory standardized tests. Statistics show that it's not the parents' education that matters but their motivation. I would definitely look into it for your son. He sounds a lot like my son and the last thing you want to do is to have his heart damaged by idiot kids that are going after him right now. IMO that is just not right OR normal.

So, I'd look into the laws in your state, speak to your son and make a plan. I'm not sure if you are religious or not - we are and so our curriculum choices reflect that but there are a LOT of choices out there or you can come up with your own if you wish.


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Here is a copy of the laws for your state:

http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Arkansas.pdf


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Speaking as a public school teacher who is in the process of pulling my 7th grader (who homeschooled for a couple of years in the past btw), most people don't know that homeschooling is the right move. You fret and worry and waffle back and forth on the decision until you leap. 
And then you breathe a sigh of relief because, for good or for bad, away you go. 
We even had the perspective of knowing that homeschooling had been a decided success for us in the past, but STILL we went back and forth all fall semester about whether or not to pull...

Education of the parent has very little to do with homeschooling success. 
People always tell me that it's OK if I do it, because I'm a teacher afterall. And I always have to say that no, really the only thing being a teacher did for me was give me the confidence that I could do it. 
A dedicated parent is the determining factor of whether a child does well in homeschool or not. Most homeschooling parents I've known have nothing but a highschool diploma. That's just where I live in the world. And yet the majority of their children have performed _significantly_ better than their public schooled counterparts, academically speaking. 

You'll be fine. 
Make the leap.


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

ErinP said:


> A dedicated parent is the determining factor of whether a child does well in homeschool or not. Most homeschooling parents I've known have nothing but a highschool diploma. That's just where I live in the world. And yet the majority of their children have performed _significantly_ better than their public schooled counterparts, academically speaking.


I agree. Both my daughters went to high school and were immediately on the honor roll. Their teachers VERY much respected them because they were respectful, thoughtful, had quite a bit of knowledge and were self-starters. Both went to college on scholarships and one is hopefully graduating in a couple of weeks with a degree in art eduction and the other is a junior majoring in speech pathology. Remember, I have just a high school diploma.


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## PistolPackinMom (Oct 20, 2012)

You won't know if it's right for your family until you try it, but as a home schooler, I can say it's the best thing my parents did for us. I'd also encourage you to read even just two or three articles by John Taylor Gatto. He is a wealth of information about the true nature of America's educational system. I'll also second Annsni; explain to your son what the options are and let it be a part of his choice. 

Good luck in your choice!


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## 1fast68 (Apr 20, 2009)

Thanks for all the info, we are religious and have actively been at the same church since he was 6 months old. We dont have to have a religious based curriculum but would consider it. We have talked to him about this and he has at times asked if we would homeschool him. I will have to turn in the paperwork tomorrow to homeschool for the spring semester, is there a curriculum I can get that quickly? (see C of my second post)


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

1. I did not graduate from High School, yet I homeschooled. 
Oldest has about 1 year left toward her degree.
Middle just finished his first sememster at a University
Youngest starts college in January.
(me too!!)

2. www.hslda.com click on your state. It will give you the laws, plus plug you into local home school groups AND tell you when your states annual convention is and I HIGHLY recommend that.

3. Me and the kids prayed for an entire school year. 
Every morning when I dropped them off at school, we prayed before they went inside and we asked The Lord to show us His Will and His Way.
And He did. 

4. As a mother of a 22, 21 and 18.5 year old people........I will never regret home schooling. 
Our relationship is amazing. My kids are solid, grounded, and not easily pressured to do 'what everyone else is doing'. 
I did also keep amazing records, and THAT paid off!!

I DO wish I would have made them write more papers and gave them final exams. Just to get them used to doing it......
I DO wish I would have put them in 4-H so they could have 'tried' so many different things.


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

1fast68 said:


> Thanks for all the info, we are religious and have actively been at the same church since he was 6 months old. We dont have to have a religious based curriculum but would consider it. We have talked to him about this and he has at times asked if we would homeschool him. I will have to turn in the paperwork tomorrow to homeschool for the spring semester, is there a curriculum I can get that quickly? (see C of my second post)


Rainbow Resources is where I get most of my stuff and find that they are fantastic. Let them know you need faster shipping and they will do whatever you need.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

To answer your question. It's just a choice. and a reversible one at that. Educate yourself. Then give it your BEST effort and see how it goes. (But don't judge it before giving anything less than your best effort.) Personally, I don't know how anything can be worse than "assault" (which is the word you used). It sounds like you are describing an under challenged bright child. don't be surprised if he blazes through curricula at home and gets well ahead. 


FWIW,
Cindyc.


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## PNWKatie (Aug 4, 2012)

I agree with the others, the level of education of the parents doesn't have a lot to do with what the child is capable of doing. I also only have a high school education (and three years of College, and will be going back to school when the kids are a bit older) but we seem to be doing just fine. I did homeschool my oldest (who is now looking to start college next year) in the 5th and 6th grade and then he went back to public school. My youngest are only in Kindergarten and first grade and have never attended a brick and mortar public school. My oldest is currently in Connections Academy (online public school, just like k12, but isn't available in your state yet) and is enjoying it a lot but we will wait and see if we want to continue with that next year or just completely homeschool without the input from the online school system. We like the online school and the girls are able to work ahead in the subjects they excel at such as science, social studies, and math and can work at their grade level in things like language arts and music. There are lots of possibilities if you do want to do the online public school. I know several school districts in our state have an online schooling option even if you don't necessarily live in their district. Google Arkansas online schools and see what comes up if your interested in doing something like that, I know many of the districts use the same online material that we were buying on our own last year and had some really good materials. If you do want to do the completely homeschool thing there are lots of great resources (lots of them free as well if you search around online) and look at the websites/resources that were already posted above they have some great stuff. Best of luck with your new adventure in homeschooling!


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

1fast68 said:


> Thanks for all the info, we are religious and have actively been at the same church since he was 6 months old. We dont have to have a religious based curriculum but would consider it. We have talked to him about this and he has at times asked if we would homeschool him. I will have to turn in the paperwork tomorrow to homeschool for the spring semester, is there a curriculum I can get that quickly? (see C of my second post)


Not sure where you are in this process today but I will be happy to send you a copy of my instructional plan for my 6th grader if you want.

We don't buy a full curriculum, but cobble one together using different materials for each subject.


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## Bob Huntress (Dec 17, 2012)

I am a firm believer in homeschooling. I feel that the parent has the vested interest to better shape a young mind, yet, what you report is a little troubling. Have you seen the slew of young adults that commit suicide as a result of being picked on in their upper classmen years of in college? They are the result of parents and teachers trying to comfort them with the myth that it is possible to go through life without those who are rude and insensitive toward the feelings of others. One of the life lessons that children need to learn is that there are trouble makers in this world who will say very mean things, and how to handle these. This can be taught at home, and since public school teachers will never let a kid feel that the world doesn't revolve around them, the home is the most likely place to teach it. I hope you are not considering homeschool as an alternative to your son being picked on, as picked on will happen He must learn, same as you and I had to, that being spoke ill of comes with life. 

May I be honest, I was a bully when I started high school, at the boarding school that I have otherwise mentioned. I know you will say it is different for your son who is not a bully, but it was just as dificult for me to learn to get along with others as it is for those who are being bullied. My shop teacher, who was 6' 6", and a former carpentar and logger, told me that people should depend on me for my large size and stuff, not fear me. I was lucky that I had other large people to help me learn those things.

I agree with homeschooling, but not simply to avoid dealing with hard to get along with children. Our kids still need to learn how to deal with those who are mean.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

1fast68 said:


> Starting 6th grade (which is middle school here) the first week he was assaulted (literally) buy another kid.




If he was assaulted, the school is REQUIRED to get involved. If they won't, call the police and make a complaint yourself. Someone will be asked some tough questions by the authorities when they find out it happened at school and no one reported it.



> ...but I don't want to take him out of school for the wrong reasons.


There are no "wrong" reasons if you're following your gut and are willing to step up to provide an education for him.



> He still gets good grades and we don't want to mess up Collage opportunities for him when he's older.


Please read up on this. You are *NOT* messing up college opportunities for him by home educating. Just make sure you're doing all that needs to be done to prepare him, and he'll do fine.



> My wife would be the one homeschooling him and she only has a HS degree so we are unsure what happens if the subject is more than her education can provide.


Not an issue -- homeschooling parents don't TEACH as much as they facilitate. Your wife is, I'm assuming, capable of finding the resources necessary -- she doesn't have to know the content of those resources in order to provide a good education to your son. Curriculum options available to home educators are so good any more you don't have to worry about this.

I'm not telling you that you ought to be home educating your child -- every family needs to make that decision for themselves, based on the child's needs and the family dynamic -- but I *AM* telling you that home educating is nothing to be frightened of, and you don't mess up your kid by doing it, unless you're a complete idiot with no intention of pursuing the best education you can for your child. You're not that, or you wouldn't be here asking for advice.

I will tell you that there is no way my child would be in that school for one more day being emotionally abused and essentially being told by the teachers that he's not worth concerning themselves over, as they seem to be demonstrating by ignoring a physical assault. You want to talk about a serious knock to a child's self-worth? Let him be assaulted and do nothing about it. Ask me how I know -- BTDT.

Good luck.


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## EArevalo (Jan 29, 2013)

There are some little known facts about college opportunities and test scores for homeschool students. One average, homeschool students test a lot higher than public school and private school students do. So if his grades are that good already, then academically speaking, homeschooling may be the best thing for him. He will be able to work at his own pace, which may mean working further along than other kids his age. 

As far as colleges go...
Most universities now are more willing to accept homeschool students than they are public schooled students as long as their transcripts and records hold up. Home schooled students are already more used to self learning and time management and studying skills, because they have had to be that way all along. They don't have a teacher in front of them forcing them to do their work. When home schooled students enter into a degree program at a university they are more likely to complete that degree without ending up on academic probation and with better grades. 

MOST homeschools are taught by parents that hold only a highschool diploma and surprisingly enough this makes parents more determined to prepare their children/students for the real world.

Just know that as long as you are doing what you feel is right for your son in your heart, then it can't be a wrong decision. I would suggest though that you continue to encourage your child to interact with other children his age(of both sexes) so that he does not feel as though he is "running" from the problems he faced in school. This will help with his confidence in being able to deal with these situations when he gets older. Unfortunately our society is full of people with the "middle school mentality", and you need to make sure he is adequately prepared to deal with those people when he comes into contact with them later in life.


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