Homeschool World Forum

[annonymous03]

I'm the one doing all the research for my family about me being homeschooled. I've been in pubic school all my life and i have loved it until the end of 9th grade. 10th grade was complete living hell for me. I'm a really good student get good grades but i had a problem this year. I had a nervous problem where i got a lot of stomach aches and pains and problems and caused me to be distracted in school. I couldnt quite figure out what the problem was until one day i got really nervous and i got the problems. I realized then it was all due to nerves. I also realized that i got them every single day of my 10th grade year during every class and it made me depressed. My stomach was making all these churns and stuff that i couldnt sit through a class anymore i just couldnt take it. Still to this day i cant really figure out why i get nervous in school because i never did up until this year.. mostly i cant sit in a class with 20 other students because it makes me super nervous. School is about to start all over again and i don't plan on going back to ps I dont think i can live with it again, especially since im going into my most important year of highschool i really want to do good this year and not be distracted and emotionally disrupted.

My main question due to all this is does it necessarily have to be my parents who homeschool me, because theyre not sure if they can take that much time from work also they didnt grow up here so its all very different to them.

It would be very much appreciated if i can get anymore information to share with my parents about homeschooling since its very new to us we dont know anyone whos done it thank you

[Sunnymom]

There are plenty of educational resources for homeschoolers that allow for independent learning. Your parents would still oversee your education, but you can totally teach yourself. It helps if you are self-motivated and disciplined enough to get the work done without your parents having to 'stand over you'.

Take a look at the Homeschool link on http://www.christianbook.com/ and check out a completely self-direct curriculum at http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/ .

[Ramona]

Are you in the US? Some states require the parents to be the teachers, others do not. There are kids who are homeschooled by other adults--relatives, other homeschoolers in town, etc.

Google "homeschool in" your town, county, and state and you will probably find some support groups near you who you and your parents could meet in person.

Ramona

[Theodore]

You're high-school age, so for you it's just a matter of looking up the courses required for high school graduation in your state (or asking the guidance counselor at your school), downloading syllabuses online (Google around, lots of schools and colleges put them out there), buying or borrowing the necessary textbooks, doing the work, and testing out of those subjects with AP, CLEP, or DSST. CLEP is best if available, since it's done electronically now and you don't have to write out your answers by hand and fill in the little circles (I hate doing that). If you feel you can't handle a subject on your own, like for instance lab science, you can take that particular course at your local community college, which will have a nicer atmophere and hopefully not stress you so much. Even if it does stress you, you'd only have to be there a few times a week for few hours, not 7+ hours 5 days a week.

Bottom line, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to study from home and do a good job, with very little help from your parents.

EDIT: Though you'll still need them to supervise to the extent of making sure you fulfill the legal requirements for homeschooling in your state. What state are you in?
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[annonymous03]

im in the state of new york..

another question:
when i go to college will it still say that i graduated highschool even if im pretty much teaching myself at home over the internet?? and will i have a transcript to give the colleges ?

[Theodore]

You will be a high school graduate if you have either passed the 5 Regents examinations, or completed 24 semester hours in an approved plan (IHP - Individualized Home Instruction Plan) that includes the required subjects for high school graduation in New York.

As far as colleges are concerned, you will be backing up your coursework with as many test scores as possible in nationally standardized tests, plus a portfolio of work for anything you don't test out of. Colleges like homeschoolers, you should have no trouble with them if you can make it through the New York regulations.

Some links on the legalities:
http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?State=NY
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/nonpub/homeinstruction.html

New York is definitely one of the more restrictive states, with a high required attendance (990 hours per year), a list of required subjects, annual notice / IEP, recordkeeping, and yearly testing, but on the plus side, there are no teacher requirements so long as the regulations are fulfilled. You can handle the recordkeeping and testing yourself, and the hours shouldn't be a huge problem (roughly 3.8 hours per day, 5 days per week, 52 weeks per year, or however you want to do them - but almost anything you do can be counted as education), so all your parents would have to do is take care of filing the letter of intent / IEP yearly.
_________________
The Farming Game - Software Edition for PC, Mac, Linux
The board game has sold over 350,000 copies worldwide, garnered many awards, is used by over 2,000 schools, and is used extensively by homeschoolers.

[StellarStory]

[Morgan]

[Devven]

Make sure you are self motivated if you are going to be working by yourself most of the time. That is the key to being self taught. Also some states are very picky on how or who home schools you. Arizona and Michigan are pretty simple but I didn't catch what state you're in. Anyways I'm not that knowing on all this like Theodore, etc.. Just thought I would drop my tid bit.


Good luck!

Deven

[NYYGirl]

I was in the EXACT same position as you last year! I recently became home schooled and love it. Totally got rid of the problems you described! May I suggest Keystone National High School. Great teachers, community, curriculum, and community. It's nationally accredited. See Keystonehighschool.com for more details. Good luck!