I was reading a different website and found you all from your advertisement of the old kaleidoscopes board! I was dismayed to see it was gone but happy to find you all here. I homeschooled my two oldest for four months and we moved to a new state and put them back in public school (on base schools at Edwards AFB in California) and they did much better.
Now we are in another state and the schools are really really bad again. My youngest has had a very hard time. He's in first grade but cannot do what his teacher expects, and despite our attempts at getting the school to be accountable for helping him and getting him into his occupational therapy, they've not followed through. His teacher couldn't be bothered to even see he brings home the proper materials (homework, reading book).
I was pursuing a physics degree, working part-time, which didn't leave any time left to deal with helping Ben to the degree he needs. So, I dropped school and work with the intention of tutoring him but after only two days back from Christmas vacation I was shocked into homeschooling him. He's always wanted to be home. He never wanted to go to school. Before Christmas he had begun to cry when I tried to drop him off. He was a very sad little boy. I thought I should do the 'right' thing and tell him this is a part of life. Then I picked him up and saw his face before he knew I was there. It was the face of pure abject misery. My sunny, senstive and very loving 6 year old looked so sad and that's when it snapped. I couldn't do this too him anymore.
So, here we are. Today is his last day of public school. He's so excited to be homeschooling. He cried with happiness when he found out our decision. We are going to use Calvert and start at the beginning of first grade. Right now I'm using 100 easy lessons and he's doing beautifully. I'm also going to get Handwriting without tears. He's left-handed and has a genetic condition that causes muscle weakness and fatigue.
He has three older brothers all in public school that may be joining in homeschooling this fall, certainly the oldest who will have to move to a middle school if I kept him in public school. I do not feel comfortable with that move. He's very much a follower and as most of you know, there is a lot of 'bad' to follow in public school and though we've been able to combat this issue with him and he remains a very good child, I don't want to risk him falling in with children using drugs and alcohol.
I'm thrilled to find you all and am all ready working my way through old posts to dredge up helpful information. I do have one question? Is there any one book that you felt was invaluable to you in your homeschooling journey? I want to find good solid books to read and do not have the time or money to sift through the overabundance of published efforts. Give me the gold nuggets out there so I can spend my time on the good stuff.
I've read quite a few homeschooling books throughout my "homeschooling career". We are currently on our eighth year. My children have never attended school. I would say that there a huge increase of new books within the past... hmmm... maybe 5 years. I haven't read many of the new ones that have come out. Homeschooling has become a huge industry and so much has been written about it. There is even a "HOMESCHOOLING FOR DUMMIES" which I've heard it's actually good.
Some of my old favorites are:
HOMESCHOOLING FOR EXCELLENCE by David and Miki Colfax
DUMBING US DOWN: THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM OF COMPULSORY SCHOOLING by John Taylor Gatto (not necessarily about homeschooling per se, but it's a huge eye opening book about the public school system and its agenda and it will encourage you to homeschool if nothing else will--by the way, this is written by a former, award winning public school teacher)
The SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOL FAMILY HANDBOOK by Raymond Moore (a real classic--must read if you have boys, especially)
Here are some of the more recently published books. I've not read some of these but they come highly recommended.
SO YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HOMESCHOOLING: FIFTEEN FAMILIES SHOW HOW YOU CAN DO IT by Lisa Whelchel (remember her from the show Facts of Life?)
THE HOMESCHOOLING BOOK OF ANSWERS: THE 101 MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY HOMESCHOOLING'S MOST RESPECTED VOICES by Linda Dobson
If you go to the main page of this board, you will find a link to amazon.com at the top. Click there and you will find all of these books. It's possible that your local public library may have many of them.
I'm going to make a list and see what my library can get from ILL. I'm spending a lot on curriculum so I don't have a lot of extra to spend on these books. I'm relieved Calvert has a payment option since this was a short notice thing with my little man!
Anyway, thanks so much! I'm really excited, our books will arrive next week!
I will mention that I had a friend who used the Calvert curriculum for kindergarten, and she found it overwhelming. If that happens with you, don't be afraid to do it your way, cutting things that don't work, adapting things so they fit your son.
As for books, my favorite is The Complete Home Learning Source Book, by Rebecca Rupp. The author takes every conceivable subject and gives an annotated list of dozens of resources, including information on where to buy them. She also includes bits and pieces of her own homeschooling journal, which tell how she approached each subject with her own children. It's a terrific, thick book, and I checked it out from the library so many times that I eventually HAD to buy my own copy!
Liz, thanks for the recommendation, it sounds like that's a good one to invest money in!
I'm all ready thinking ahead about where Ben may have problems. He's good in math, and blooming in reading thanks to 100 easy lessons so the main issues will be handwriting and I've all ready ordered handwriting without tears. I'm starting him in first at the beginning, and as he's been in first grade since August I think he'll hopefully do okay and it won't be too challenging. I've heard Calvert has awesome educational support so if we need to discuss any problems they are very helpful. I did decide not to go with the ATS because I know Ben may need to go on his own timetable. The way I look at it, he needed to repeat first grade as it is, so I've got a year and a half but I doubt it'll take him that long! I wasn't willing to finish first grade in his school then send him back there so they could mess up another year, ugh!
I stumbled upon this website and to my delight found out there are actually books written that have the answers to the things I am experiencing right now. I have been almost forced into teaching my son after the first quarter this year because he was absolutely not learning anything. I had him tested and found out he has a slight learning disability, having something to do with something he did not master when he was growing up and it effects his ability to comprehend what he reads and remember anything. My husband sees not support my opinion that this evaluation is accurate but sees my teaching him as the only alternative for him. I am going to get a hold of these books gladly and see if i can find the answers to my dilemma at this point. Thank you for the input!
Hi - I homeschooled my now 19-year old beginning to end. He graduated about a year and a half ago, but I'm still addicted to the homeschooling way of life so I keep in touch from time to time.
One of the best things you can do is read the Kaleidoscapes archives. I hope they are still there. Some of the most common discussions were put into topic-specific archives. I found those old kaleidoscapes boards the most supportive, inspirational, and practical help for the years I was able to visit. Also, Home Education Magazine was a good resource.
I agree middle and high school can be a real shock for many kids. My son attended a few classes at a local high school during each year of his high school years. This was because there were no other homeschoolers we could get together with. It was a profound shock, the depth of which it took me several years to understand. The language, harshness, and just-plain-manners were appalling. He got through just find, fortunately - and in some ways, he benefited from the experience. But it is also something to be well-considered.
Good luck on your journey. You sound well-prepared.
I think those great archives are gone. Remember that Cindy said she would soon be taking down the site? I actually tried to visit recently but couldn't get the site to come up.
I think it's gone.
The end of the most amazing homeschooling resource on the web.
Giovanna
This message has been edited by Giovanna on Jan 13, 2005 10:51 PM
I may have some of the archives on my hard-drive somewhere. I will try to locate them and get back with you. I do have a place to put them, so if I find them I will then upload them and get the URL posted here.
Also, I have a bit of an update... I finally caved and enrolled Megan (my oldest - she's 16) in a public school last month. We did it so she could get into the PSEOP program next year (taking college classes through--and paid for by--the local school district). Um...it was a financial decision.
She's doing swell...straight A's except a B in history (never one of our strong points), plus she'll be dancing and singing in the school musical next week - should be a real kick! She also just became a State 4-H Ambassador (I'm just overflowing with pride today! <grin>).
So anyhow, I will look for those archives and check back in here once I locate them and upload them to the net... just don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for a week or so because I'm very slow at getting things accomplished these days, plus I'm already bogged down with my "to do" list this week.
But I WILL be back with something sooner or later.
It would be neat if you had those archives. Some of those discussions seem almost 'classic' now! A lot of wisdom and experience out there - surely helpful to newbies and those still on the journey.
Congratulations on your daughter's success. That's surely one of the joys of homeschooling - choice!
I agree that they seem almost classic now. As I was reformatting them it gave me a chance to reread a lot of them and appreciate, once again, all the wisdom that was shared on those boards. I hope many of you will go back to revisit the fabulous discussions - just don't get all caught up in a melancholic moment like I did...
Anyhow, as for Megan and public school - she likes it for the social aspect, but feels it is way too easy. All these years (in spite of reading all the reassurances about homeschooling) I still wondered if she was keeping up with her age level. I had NOTHING to worry about! I'm proud to say that she is not only keeping up, but she is going to take a couple more math classes here at home this year (Pre-calculus & Statistics) because she wants to go to a math camp at Ohio State later this year and those two classes (along with Algebra I & II and Geometry) are strongly encouraged. Alas, we didn't know that in January when she enrolled and it's way too late for her to jump in to the Pre-calculus and Statistic classes at her school now. So, there's yet another positive reason to homeschool. It offers your kids the chance to take additional classes on their own if they enroll in high school and can't get all the classes they want there; and yes, like you said, having that choice.
Well... I've got to go babysit for my nieces and nephews so I'll close now. Take care DMX, Giovanna, and everyone else. I'll see you around.
To be honest, middle and high school scare me the worst when it comes to the boys. It frightens me to think that they can be exposed to drugs and alcohol and one bad choice can lead to disaster if they aren't strong enough to say no and walk away. Very scary.
I had the independence to stay out of that stuff when I was in high school, but I know my oldest would cave. He's very much impressionable and wants to be liked. If he were pressured to do it 'to be cool', he'd do it. At least I think he would. I guess no one never knows but he's come home and started acting a certain way and when I asked why he said because 'everyone did it' and 'it's what's cool'. I shot that down really quick but this time it was just a type of talking (poor grammar), but it could be something far worse next time.
Something very eerie happens in middle school to kids. The combination of raging hormones makes kids who are normally good kids make terrible choices.
I think middle school is probably the hardest time in a child's life. I know it was for me! Of course, some children come away unscathed. But I guess I just want to encourage you.... as a mom you have a God-given sixth sense.... a very strong GUT FEELING.... if your gut is speaking to you.... LISTEN TO IT.
