Newbie Here Need Help Figuring Out What To Do.

Having problems figuring out where to start? Let other homeschoolers offer you some advice!

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ptcbass
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Newbie Here Need Help Figuring Out What To Do.

Postby ptcbass » Mon Oct 25, 2010 7:46 am

Hi, my ds is in 6th grade this year. He is very smart and in advanced classes. EVERY year including K I have had at least one of his teachers calling me about him not paying attention or not working fast enough. He has been tested several times for ADD and shows signs of it but isn't bad at all. The teacher just doesn't know how to deal with it unless he works just the same at all the other students. I think they want them to be like little robots. Well this year is no exception. I have already had 4 calls from his math teacher (all other classes are still ok so far). Anyway I am thinking about home schooling but have to work full time. I am unemployed right now but usually work a M-F 8-5 job. Is that possible to work and home school? I would love to find a good paying job I can do from home but those are about impossible to find.

Also dh thinks the public school system can teach him better and more things than he can learn at home. He won't fight me on it but I don't necessarily have his support either.

Then there is the getting started thing. There is so much information out there and so many different curriculum's and materials that it makes ones head spin. I have tried to also find groups in my area and every time I find one and click on their "link" I get a message that says no longer exist. It has just been frustrating and he is only a couple months into his 6th grade year. Also his school is a IB public middle school and that is enough to drive a parent crazy. I don't know if I should try to home-school him, get him into a local charter school (that I know nothing about) or leave him in the school he is in and have him "tough it out". Any thoughts or advice?

Meghan
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Postby Meghan » Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:17 pm

I'm brand new to hs as well, so not a lot to offer except my own (limited) experience.

With my dh, he really didn't 'get' it until I started having him deal with the school system. Have him talk directly to the teachers, have him feel your frustration and irritation himself. This worked with my dh, and after we had made the decision together, he actually was the one who said dd wouldn't be going back. My dh will probably never take the lead in teaching my dd the basics, but having his support will make this journey much easier and much more rewarding.

((hugs)) I tend to agree with you. Many (but thankfully not all) teachers and schools seem to want studious, quiet, little girls who all learn the exact same way. This is why we are homeschooling our dd now.

ptcbass
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Postby ptcbass » Mon Oct 25, 2010 2:51 pm

I did talk to my dh today and he did say he wasn't against it and every time I have to deal with the school system now I make sure he hears it all so that maybe he will understand it more and more. Today me and my ds spent 2-1/2 hours after school with his math teacher and then now he has lots of homework to do. Every night he has around 2-3 hours of homework and always has. That is another reason we are thinking about homeschooling. He is in school all day and then works on homework almost till bedtime. That is no life a child should have. I just have no clue if I can work full time and home school him too. It seems I would be stretched to my limits. I know it would be worth it but I would love to hear from others out there on their thoughts.

hscoach
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Postby hscoach » Tue Oct 26, 2010 5:45 am

This is my 11th year of homeschooling my kids and we really love it. It sounds like your son could definitely benefit from it.

Yes, there are lots of parents who work full time and also homeschool. Here is the main thing you need to remember: you may be required by law to have school a certain number of hours a day (in some states) but you are never told which hours to have school. Therefore, you can be flexible with this. Your son can do lots of work independently and then you can work with him in the evenings and on weekends if neccessary. You can find a way to make it work.

Here are two great links where you can find a homeschool support group. Keep looking until you find a good one because it can be very helpful for you.

http://www.home-school.com/groups/

http://www.localhs.com/

It can be overwhelming when you first start homeschooling. I know it was for me. Before buying any curriculum, I would suggest that you read some reviews first. Here are a couple of links where you can do that.

http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/

http://www.cathyduffyreviews.com/

I love to order curriculum from Rainbow Resource. They have a large selection and low prices. They also have reviews.

http://www.rainbowresource.com/

ptcbass
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Postby ptcbass » Tue Oct 26, 2010 5:56 am

Thanks for the great info and links. If I do home school I can leave him with my mom during the day. Now she doesn't want to take over the task of home schooling him but she could keep an eye on him to make sure he is doing what he is supposed to and then in the afternoons I could help him more. I just hate that I have to work because it would be so much easier and better if I didn't. I guess it is just hard to take that leap and once I get the details worked out then I would have to figure out when to take him out of school. I know it would probably be best during Christmas break or something like that but that is in only a few weeks and I still don't know what curriculum to use. No pressure here. :shock:

I just ordered a rainbow catalog and also have checked on two books with the library but it looks like it may take a week or more to get them so I downloaded a sample of the 100 top picks to get started on. If I decided to home school him I may have to push it out past Christmas (but would rater not) in order to get all my ducks in a row. I have to read books, pick a teaching style and pick out curriculum's and then make sure I do everything right with the state (GA). Anything else?? :shock:


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