Homeschool World Forum

[audriana]

My youngest is having a difficult time in school. He's 13 and he has OCD and a lot of problems with bullies. We've tried private schools and public schools and with all of his issues, he's not doing well. The battles over homework and getting him to school are horrendous.

Unfortunately, I cannot quit my job. (I'm a teacher.) What I want to know is are homeschooling hours flexible enough for me to work with him after I get home from work? I was thinking that I could plan out what he would do during the day. He could complete the assignments during the day and we would review in the evenings after dinner and then preview the assignments for the next day. Is this unrealistic?

Also, I'm nervous about teaching him. I'm an elementary teacher. I taught both of my children to read before they started school, but I don't know anything about high school. Where do I look for information? Is there specific information the state (Virginia) requires that I teach my own child? Where do I begin?

Thanks,

Audriana

[Theodore]

Homeschooling hours are whatever you want them to be. In your case, you can set up a year-round schedule so your son covers the same amount of material (or more) in less time per day, and do maybe an hour of checking his homework and covering anything he had trouble with after you get home. Exactly what you said

As for feeling nervous, don't. If you don't feel up to teaching a particular subject, and your son can't handle it on his own, then there are always homeschool co-ops, online schools, and the local community college. Homeschooling does not mean you can't make use of outside resources, it just means you retain control of what is tought.

See the following for the legal requirements for homeschooling in VA:
http://www.heav.org/thelaw/index.htm
http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?State=VA

You have a teaching degree, so you probably wouldn't have any trouble homeschooling in any state anyway.
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[audriana]

Thanks for the advice and the websites. They were very informative!

[Life2me]

There are curriculum companies that have dvd lessons that you can use for your child. I have friends that find these to be great for busy moms. The child can play and replay any lesson he might be having trouble with while you are away. As for scheduling, you need to know your states requirements for how many hours a day and how many days a year, but that is not to say you can not have school time be any time during the day, night or weekends. Every hour my kids are doing any kind of learning we call it "school". Beause you are a teacher you can also schedule subjects during the summer months. We love to do science and history during the summer because there are so many more fun things we can do in these subjects in the nice weather. And the kids love the field trips we take for history. I hope you can get the kinks worked out for your son. I recommend homeschooling to everyone.