Off Topic Anyone else homeschool? How are things going?

[lovemylifex4]

I know there are some others here that homeschool... I'm just wondering how everyone is doing? Will you be taking a summer break?

My kids have finished up this years work (and have done SO great... YAY) and we have started on the next 'year' {Alexis is doing 3rd/4th grade work; Austin is doing 2nd/3rd grade work; Rylee is doing 1st/2nd grade work; McKenzee Grace is doing PreK}. We will not be taking the summer off. The kids will continue with their studies while sitting at the gym {L4 and L5 never practice together so we will be at the gym 27 hours/week}. LOL! This way when we are not at the gym they can be in the pool, playing ball, riding bikes and having fun doing all that summer stuff Some science and history projects will need to be done at home, obviously. And all arts/crafts will be planned and ready to go to pull out on rainy days at home.

That's the plans for us for summer!

 

[NGL780309]

We homeschool too and also use ABEKA. My 6yo would have been in kinder this year, but I decided to homeschool her for just one year. She did Abeka K, 1 and is now starting 2. I am really still torn about whether to send her to school this next school year. She'd have to go to 1st grade and would be quite advanced. That wouldn't really be a problem and would probably just make everything really easy, but I don't know. I just know that we intended to only do one year and it has been so wonderful that we don't want to stop. I think homeschooling will only be possible for one more year, so I'm not sure whether to take advantage of that one year or just go ahead and send her to school.

We will also continue through the summer, but we will be traveling the entire month of June, so she won't do anything then. She's about to get 2 weeks off starting next week also because we have family in town. That's the beauty of homeschooling! She didn't take a break on spring break or for christmas break, so this will be her spring break.

 

[gymjoy]

Our summer learning plans include a trip to the Grand Canyon (yea!! sleeping in a tent for 4 nights. We must be nuts!), playing in our pool, going to gymnastics for dd, continuing piano lessons and tennis lessons for ds, and messing around. Only school-y requirement is reading at least 3 books over the summer because not only would my kids burn-out if I made them do 'real school work' all year round, so would I. (that's also why this week is out spring break...)

 

[CreateMagic]

She'd have to go to 1st grade and would be quite advanced. That wouldn't really be a problem and would probably just make everything really easy, but I don't know.

I have no real advice where to send her, but I would just say that if you do decide to send her to "traditional school", keep an eye on the fact that she'll be ahead. That can be just as frustrating as being behind. You probably want to talk to her teacher and possibly supplement at home. Boredom can kill a child's enthusiam for learning.

I love to read about all of you that are homeschooling. I'm a teacher, but appreciate the flexibility in speed and curriculum allowed by homeschooling. I hope that one day when I have children that I am able to stay home and try it.

 

[lilgymmie7]

I have no real advice where to send her, but I would just say that if you do decide to send her to "traditional school", keep an eye on the fact that she'll be ahead. That can be just as frustrating as being behind. You probably want to talk to her teacher and possibly supplement at home. Boredom can kill a child's enthusiam for learning.

I love to read about all of you that are homeschooling. I'm a teacher, but appreciate the flexibility in speed and curriculum allowed by homeschooling. I hope that one day when I have children that I am able to stay home and try it.

I also wanted to add that I too am an awe with everyone who homeschools. NGL I know you also said you are a teacher. How do you manage working and homeschooling? I really considered doing it with my DS for many reasons, but just never did. With little DD, I can see so many gains/benefits, but I just don't know how to make it happen what with work, etc...

 

[ejgymmom]

This is our first year homeschooling and it's been going great. Anna wouldn't be able to enter public Kindergarten until next fall but she's been reading for over a year now so we made the decision to homeschool her. We finished up our Kindergarten math curriculum last week and went ahead and started the next level. She's also doing 1st grade phonics/spelling/language arts right now. I throw in some social studies, science and art once or twice a week but we've mainly been focusing on the reading/'riting/'rithmetic stuff. We do 4 days a week right now and will take June off but probably continue through the rest of the summer. We may take another trip or two during the summer so she may get another couple of random weeks off as well. She's enjoying it for the most part and has really caught onto everything quickly.

Thanks for starting this thread! I love hearing about other homeschooling families!

 

[busymomof4]

My situation is probably a little different than the typical homeschooling family. My youngest dd is homeschooling (a requirement in order to work with her coach) and my other children go to public school. I have always wanted to try homeschooling prior to us actually starting it a couple of years ago. My dd goes to gymnastics in the mornings and gets done around lunchtime. I work part time while she is at gymnastics and homeschool in the afternoons. It has been a little difficult timewise because of having to get my other children from school, cooking dinner,afterschool activities etc. Because my other children are not homeschooled it makes it difficult to require my homeschooling dd to continue when they are out of school so she follows the public school system's calendar most of the time. If I could have started when my older children were little then I think it would be much better, however, having 4 children is very expensive and we are unable to live on just one income. My homeschooled dd is also strong willed which can make for problems sometimes getting her motivated to get her work done...suggestions welcome

 

[Billy]

I homeschool my two youngest while my oldest son is finishing up his sophomore year in high school. I, too, follow the school year schedule pretty closely because of this (once DS gets home, I lose the little ones. )

DD is finishing up 3rd grade while DS is finishing 2nd. I absolutely LOVE homeschooling. Even on our most frustrating days, it's better than public school. For one thing, DD is way above grade level on most subjects and public school was really frustrating for her. Meanwhile, DS is above grade level on math and science but struggles some with reading and writing. He was seriously behind in reading, especially. And now, I am very proud to say, since we've been homeschooling, he is reading solidly on grade level! Yay! I LOVE homeschooling!

 

[Azgymmiemom]

We, too, just recently became a homeschooling family...I pulled my kids from public school in January. this has been largely an adjustment period for us, but we absolutely love it. They have so much more flexibility with their time and nothing they do is just "busy work". They have actually become much more independant and responsible since they started, too. We are closer as a family, and gymnastics hasn't become a chore because they still have time to just play and be kids. We joined a homeschooling support group and get to meet with them 2 or 3 times a month to have a joint lesson and playtime, and they really like that, too. Plus, whenever we decide to go hiking or go see something or visit someplace, we just do it!! I wish I had seriously considered it earlier... I guess I thought I wouldn't be any good at teaching my own kids. Stupid, huh, considering that no one has their best interests at heart more than their own parents...

We are gonna keep on through the summer. I like being able to take a day off whenever for whatever reason and know that we won't be messing up our schedule. My kids do a mix of curriculum, and right now it works for us. It has REALLY reduced the stress in our family...and that's quite the opposite of what I was expecting, to tell you the truth!!

 

[GymSurvivor]

I'm homeschooled as a Junior in highschool. So is my twin brother and 6, 7 and 8 year old siblings.
It's rough because all the attention is on the little kids and my brother and I pretty much homeschool ourselves.

We use a mix of different books and classes for our curriculum as well as taking a college class at the local college for duel credit.

We've finished up most of our classes with just a few left. We only work from 8AM - Noon. We really drill hard in the mornings and seem to get just as much done then as we would going to school for a typical school day.

We follow the school schedule as when to take off and such so we do take off for summer (Thank goodness) But my brother and I will be doing 3 subjects as much as possible as he wants to graduate in August (I'll still be a senior next year)

This works well for us for the most part. My little siblings do things completely different and my Mom basically does everything hands on with them which as I said is annoying because she has basically no time for us. But oh well.

Well thats about it.

 

[emorymom]

Mine are home schooled year round. I prefer it really. I don't want to have to back up and review. They are not home schooled for gymnastics, but because of home schooling we can choose gymnastics, if that makes sense. I would have wanted to do the individualized schooling anyway. They are in class or practice for *something* about 15-20 hours a week.

 

[NGL780309]

I also wanted to add that I too am an awe with everyone who homeschools. NGL I know you also said you are a teacher. How do you manage working and homeschooling? I really considered doing it with my DS for many reasons, but just never did. With little DD, I can see so many gains/benefits, but I just don't know how to make it happen what with work, etc...

Yes I'm an elementary teacher too, which gets curious stares when you mention that you homeschool. My mother does the bulk of the work. I do the planning and oversee everything and she does the actual teaching. I sometimes do a little with her on the weekends, holdidays and will do it over the summer. Plus we read, review spelling words etc at night just like we would do if she were in school. I'm very blessed to have my mother to help me.

We really started homeschooling by accident. I never intended to really homeschool her. Kinder is not required and I had decided to not send her because she could alreeady read and write really well. I didn't think she needed 7 hours a day to be bored. I wanted to give her another year of naps and play. It has turned out to be such a wonderful experience and so great for her academically. Now I really wish she could do it forever.

 

[gymnastgets10]

I am homeschooled. I'm a sophomore and I do a mix of curriculums with some online classes. I usually take off school for the summer but this summer I will be doing us government, psat prep, finishing up geometry, and maybe driver's ed. Right now I'm finishing up my non-online courses and studying for the AP Latin exam and another college credit test for history. I love being homeschooled!

 

[k2bdeutmeyer]

We homeschool too. DD (my gymmie) isn't doing anything other than pre-K yet, but my oldest is a 5th grader. We've only been homeschooling for a little over a year, but we absolutely LOVE it. And....I can definitely see the benefit in the future if DD sticks with gymnastics.

We are a little behind, because our schedule has been crazy and *I* have not been doing a good job keeping us on schedule.

 

[nevertooold]

We are long time year round unschoolers. Oldest is in community college and may or may not take the summer off to focus on fishing, spending time with grandparents, volunteering at the food bank, and getting a drivers license. Middle spends time self indulging in artwork and design. Will likely spend the summer doing gym, swimming, tanning, drawing and mastering 'just dance'. Youngest spends time walking dogs at the local shelter, nurturing a love for all things living, and learning about everything modern and technological. Will likely spend the summer poolside, and at the gym.
As a family we will watch lots of educational tv, and continue our studies in cooking, landscape architecture, animal care, running a home, running a business, and taking care of aging relatives, and friends with chronic illness. That will surely not leave much time for book learning