HOME SCHOOLING

Read the following experiences. Write your comments about home schooling. Send it to my email: roxanaperalesfranco@gmail.com

Politically incorrect

My son was put through the ringer, and he was only in the first grade. The psychologist at his elementary school decided to have him put in the category of ADHD without letting us know. We found out from his teacher who said she sympathized with us and felt sorry that he was ADHD. We were shocked! We started asking our son questions about his day and what he did in school, his response was, oh, I sit in the ISS room and draw or play with puzzles. He wasn't even learning anything. Out of his whole first grade experience, he spent 7 months in ISS without us being notified. We immediately withdrew him. He is now in the 5th grade and doing great. Each year we get a letter in the mail from his former elementary school saying which teacher he will have in the coming year. They still have him listed as a student (even though we've contacted the school board) so they can use him in the head count to attain more money.

—Guest Guest fed up

Not happy with the school system in our

There are a multitude of reasons I am working on beginning my son 9 yrs of age on homeschooling. Main one is one school allowed him to be bullied so bad and for so long, that my son came home from school with a busted lip; after being jumped by 4 other kids on the bus and the principal and school board official felt suspending these 4 boys off the bus for 8 days was suffice for them torturing my son for 6 months prior, so I am beginning to homeschool him for fear that the school system just won't protect him like I would. He is excited, but I've told him - mom is not going to be a pushover teacher. ;-)

—Guest teresa

No choice but to homeschool

My son has a very rare epilepsy. I have been teaching him all his life. He spent two years in the hands of public preschool as the next level from Child Watch. He was able to receive services for developmental delays which resulted from seizures from earlier years. I have never been satisfied with the public school system and prefer private Catholic school. I insisted on homework from therapist in order to reinforce at home only to get inconsistencies. I tried to communicate solutions to problems but got no action or support. So I decided to go to a private preschool. He was denied at the last minute because he needs special attention and they don't have enough staff to accommodate. Then onto another pilot academy where there were 3 boys in the preschool and a teacher that does the minimum effort. The school tells me that we must provide an aide for our son which will cost 15K. Yeah right, SAID GOODBYE. Glad I already had plan B in action all along. Homeschooling now!

—Guest UNO academy

Amazed at what my daughters didn't know!

I was amazed that my 7th grader could not tell time! Not because she has learning disabilities, but because everything is digital and no emphasis is put on generic learning ie, weights and measures, time and space etc. We were shelling out nearly $1,000 a month to a catholic school and neither girl knew the capitol of our state! After speaking with the teachers, I realized, they themselves were very ignorant and too busy caught up in the politics of what they would be losing under our state's current administration (NJ) that they had no time for teaching. In defense of all the great NJ teachers -- thanks for doing your best under such dire circumstances. They are a dying breed and their hands are surely tied. We started homeschooling our children in the interest of not adding to more functionally illiterate adults to this society. No child left behind doesn't mean what one thinks it does, every child in my daughter's classes received the same grades C+. Go figure. Peace.

—Guest Genus

Seraphimae

I would not dream of enlisting my child (to be birthed in the coming season of Aquarius) in a school until she hath come of age and graduated from all mundane curriculum, under my guidance, as well as all holistic/artistic mastery under my careful guide. The reason is this...in public schools nowadays the values placed on spiritual, moral an ethical ideas are suited for children with ordinary "lust driven" behaviors. . .it is rare that extremely gifted children in arts/music/spirituality are made comfortable and safe in conventional teaching modalities. I am the Christian artist who must raise my offspring with God's blessing rather than with the government's social approval. This guarantees that her contribution to society will become a valid one & not ever a parasitic one. In other words, as long as we rely upon society to educate our children, we are only creating products of society. . . quite possibly competitive & materialistic even in philanthropic endeavors.

—Guest Isys Satkha

WWJD

After being a mom for the last 20 years, one day I realized life goes by too fast. Kids grow up too fast. And time lost is never retrievable. So with our oldest son in the Navy, and teenager into Christian private hs - that left three younger boys. One son is in remission from brain cancer. Two years ago I pulled the younger ones out because I was sick of the anti God/anti Bible, and liberal agenda. It has been much trial and error I will admit, and some days I feel they need to go back, but at end of those days I realize I'm not perfect, my boys are not perfect, but God wants us to do our best. And tomorrow is another day. As I said, life is too short and time with my boys is most important - and every day is an opportunity to learn something...and just be together.

—Guest Cathy

Stress relief

I have 2 children with dyslexia. My younger son goes to public school, and does fine even though I don't like all of the extras they add rather than teaching the basics. My older son got to a point where he was so stressed that I pulled him out in 8th grade to homeschool him. In addition to the dyslexia, he has inattentive ADHD and was unable to concentrate in a classroom. By homeshooling him, I can eliminate the things his brain will not process, and concentrate on the things it will. Some subjects come easy to him, but on others I have to push him and guide him through more closely. I also have the freedom to stop schooling on days when he is struggling to focus and do more when he is focusing well. My son is taking great strides, and learning more than he ever could have in a classroom. He is happier and much less stressed than he ever was while attending school. I was nervous about it at first, but I have never regretted it once I saw how well he did.

—Guest Deb

Thank God for Homeschooling

I just started homeschooling my son, when he was in the 8th grade. I just wish I would have done this years ago when my older kids were young. If I would have known that you as a parent have the right to homeschool your kids I would have never sent my kids into this nasty school system. Why in the world would any body send their child into the schools of today when you legally do not have to? I was a teacher for head-start/pre-k children, and the things they do and say at that young age is shocking. I have two kids in college now, I'm homeschooling my son in 10th grade, and I am about to begin homeschooling my 7yr old daughter for second grade. If you do everything possible for your child while homeschooling them, they will turn out just fine. HANDS UP FOR HOMESCHOOLING.

—Guest Erika Baker

Thinking of Homeschooling too

I actually found a newsletter in the Doctors office touting the benefits of homeschooling. One of the articles was about working and homeschooling at the same time. The best thing is now a days you don't need to be certified to homeschool with so many online options. Look for programs that are free during normal school times! Use that local library and insist on up to date info! Good Luck & I hope we do good as well!

—Guest MommaMe

He was alone/ my kids needed me

My son was alone in school. He is dyslexic and feels isolated at the same time. I have been his advocate for years and no one listened. My next child has to sit with a teacher in order to do her work, but it is because she feels so insecure. My baby is 5 and when she came home, she never wanted to go back. I had no choice but to keep them all. They are happy and excited that they are at home with me. I must admit I am more than excited and beside myself that they are with me. I love them dearly. I still get nervous thinking that their education rests on me, but with God's help, they will make it.

—Memi73

homeschooled

I was one of five children who were homeschooled. I loved it; I was able to learn at my own pace and enter college early. I am currently in a master's program and working as a tutor and journalist. My mother was a single parent and she fit her schedule around us. However, by the time we reached the High School level we were able to work independently with guidance from her. Getting grandparents involved is helpful as well. Try and see if the job you have will allow you to work just mornings or afternoons and arrange learning time when you're not working. Even if it's not as many hours as regular school, I guarantee your child will learn more--I did.

—Guest gurlie

Why we have decided to homeschool.

I have three kids, two girls ages 10 and 11 and a soon to be 6 yr old son. My oldest, who has always been an above average, honor-roll student started middle school this year. From the first week, she was bullied, pushed in the hallways, even punched and pushed down a flight of stairs! My husband and I have had several conferences with the teachers and assist. principle ( the principal has apparently been too busy for us) and while the conferences helped somewhat the effects of the bullying are still evident. My other two, who go to elem have had busing issues among other things and all three of them come home with so much homework( even the 6 yr old!) that they have no time to be kids. We began to realize that if we want our kids to be taught the Christian values that our family holds dear, as well as get a quality education without the distractions of bullies and outside issues, we would be better served for me to teach them here at home. The kids and I can't wait to begin this fall!

—Guest Lisa C

Why I Chose To Homeschool

We started out by putting my son in preschool. Preschool was actually awesome for us. Then came Kindergarten which was fairly good. By 1st grade, it's been horrible. I've just started homeschooling and here it is March but I pulled him out early because I felt we were getting NO WHERE. My child has an IEP. He was labeled "developmentally delayed". Of course now reading all the articles I am reading I realize that most likely it's because he IS a boy and SOMETIMES boys brains mature a little slower. Or that just because he doesn't LIKE to do tests and seatwork it doesn't make him a "slow learner." Each child is different and that's why we're going to homeschool. You can't take 1 teacher, 20+ students and expect them to learn the exact same way with the exact results. It just doesn't happen. And they wanted to hold my child back because he doesn't read 60wpm (in 1st grade!). He can read, he's just not fast. Loving environment = success!

—Guest Ashley