Introductions

Anne - posted on 02/04/2009

Hi I am Anne from Colorado.  I am starting out homeschooling with my 5yo DD.  She is technically a 09 start for K so we are just now starting to figure things out.    Need to get moving and organized because she keeps asking for more school to do.

Kaye Dee - posted on 02/01/2009

Hi. My name is Kaye Dee. I homeschool my two girls, aged 10 (fifth grade) and 6 (first). I also have a son who's three. We live in Michigan and teach our kids year-round, although we use a school-like setting. I use some Abeka Book curriculum and I create the rest on my days to homeschool. I work full time for a hospital and my husband also works full time, so he homeschools on the days that I work 12 hours (usually two a week) and he has them do a completely different style of learning - mostly online and computer software. I feel that the girls get a really well-rounded education because my husband is wonderful at math (I'm not so good) and I do fairly well with history, science, and english. Both of my girls love to draw and my oldest creates her own poems and stories. My oldest wants to be an author/illustrator when she's older. I think my six year old wants to be a rock star, although she has mentioned being an astronaut and a mother.

My son wants to be spiderman and rescue red-headed damsels in distress. He also does school work along with the girls, but since I'm in college myself and work full time, I have not started a formal teaching program with my kids until they were at least 5. Right now his work consists of a variety of artwork (they all love to scrapbook) and preschool type things such as playdough, blocks, and puzzles.

When I first started homeschooling, I was scared to death, but I really enjoy it now. I think it's been good for my kids to start school at home. I don't know how long I will homeschool. I may end up sending my oldest to a Christian school or charter school in the future, but so far she does wonderfully in all her subjects. I think any child responds better to being taught by someone who really is invested in the child, whether it be a parent, grandparent, or teacher. So for Heather (above) I say you definitely qualify as a homeschooler. There are so many different varieties of homeschooling and for so many different reasons - we are truly a revolutionary force. Good luck to all and God Bless.

Heather - posted on 01/27/2009

Hello all! Not sure if I belong here or not. Let me explain. We do school at home but we use a public school type setting. So we follow guidelines and such but we do school at home. We use the k12 curriculum provided by the State funded charter school system. South Carolina Virtual Charter School-SCVCS. We are new to this and I was totally terrified to do it without some strict guidelines. I first started out with the oldest 7th grader. Then brought the 5th grader home and now I have the 3rd grader as well. We have really enjoyed the curriculum and the online classes and the field trips that we take as a school and as a group that has joined from other local families in the low country area. It intrigues me to see how and what other people know and use for their curriculum's. I'm hoping it is Ok for me to stay in this group. Looks like their is a great group of people here and this is a great way to get support when you just have a hard time getting your child and yourself motivated. My names is Heather and I live on the Coast of SC.

Deangela-Deanne - posted on 01/26/2009

Hello. I just posted before noticing this one.

Homeschooling mom of 10 in Gillsville, Georgia.

Very opinionated and sometimes overbearing sorry about that. Comes of being in charge all the time I guess!LOL

The rest is in my post which I will not take up space here for...anyone who wants to waste time can go over there!

Happy to answer an questions, but I will have an answer I warn you. Most of my years have been spent figuring it out and picking brains around me for all the info I can use. After 16 years teaching I am happy to see success in my kids and my older boys becoming adults on their own. We have not been through college yet, but may do some of that here at home as well as that is the new trend coming up now. It is exciting!

Best wishes.

Cheryl - posted on 01/24/2009

Thank you very much....I will go ahead and do that. I want to get all the info I can.

Lucy - posted on 01/23/2009

Quoting Cheryl:

  ...If I choose to take this huge step, what steps do I need to take to allow me to homeschool my son? Do I need to talk to the school board and get permission first? This is all new to me and a little bit scary and I just want to make sure that I make the right choice. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a whole bunch.

Hi Cheryl. Before doing anything else, check to see what your state requires. A good place to start is with HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) - they have a website and somewhere on there is a good summary of each state's law. Also, google to find support groups in your state. Here in AZ we have a couple of statewide organizations that organize conventions and also keep tabs on the legislation that may affect homeschoolers. Those types of groups will be able to help you navigate your state's requirements. (In AZ we have to file an affidavit of intent to homeschool within 30 days of beginning instruction - a one time filing, not annual - and we are supposed to teach reading, grammar, social studies, math and science. In other states, sometimes testing or portfolios or teacher reviews are required.)

-Lucy

Cheryl - posted on 01/22/2009

Hi, my name is Cheryl. My husband, I and my 5 year old son live in Florida. I am still up in the air about homeschooling but it looks very promising to me. My husband is all for me doing it, I just don't know if I'm ready for it or even prepared for it. My son will start Kindergarten in August and 4 weeks later will be 6 years old. Since he can't go to school yet I've been doing Hooked on Phonics with him since he turned 4 and in only 6 months he finished the K and Grade 1 edition. He's reading at Grades 1 and 2 level. So I didn't stop there. I been buying him workbooks starting at Grade 1 and up for Addition/Subtraction and phonics books, etc and he's already completed 3 wookbooks. He absolutely loves to learn. With your experience, do you have any pros/cons with homeschooling. These kids are our future and we want the best for them and whom better can they learn from is with US. My husband's uncle homeschooled they 10 children and all their kids' kids are all homeschool and they too recommended the Abeka curriculum. If I choose to take this huge step, what steps do I need to take to allow me to homeschool my son? Do I need to talk to the school board and get permission first? This is all new to me and a little bit scary and I just want to make sure that I make the right choice. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a whole bunch.

Deena - posted on 01/22/2009

My name is Deena. We have 2 kids one is 4 and will be five next month and the other just turned 3. My husband and I have both been homeschooling for the fact I work 3 days a week at the local hospital. We live in Northeast TN.

Lucy - posted on 01/21/2009

Hello all! I'm Lucy, married 15 years to my best friend. We have four children and have been homeschooling for 7+ years (with a brief stint in public school). I also work from home, so life is crazy most days... but how I love it! Looking forward to posting with y'all.

DeAngela - posted on 01/13/2009

I understand the desire to be done before lunch...that has been my goal in the past.  I have found that the older they get and the more of them I have to work with, the less likely that is to happen.  (It doesn't help that my oldest is NOT a morning person, nor am I).

DeAngela - posted on 01/13/2009

I am a homeschooling mom of four girls...11 1/2, 9, 6 1/2, and 4 1/2.  So far, all of my girls are a year to two years ahead of where they would be in public school.  It's all because of the kindergarten and first grade years, when they think it's such a treat to keep doing "school", so all of them went through kindergarten and first grade in one year.  My second daughter has an October birthday, so she is two years ahead, since I started her before she turned 5.  My third daughter has been going through her second grade material at lightning speed for the first half of the year and just recently started slowing down a bit.  My youngest started with kindergarten material this year, because she was interested.  (With her, the math and memory is going great, but she isn't quite ready to read...she recognizes all letters and can tell what all their sounds are, but just isn't ready for the phonics part.  We're getting there, though)

God told me to homeschool when my oldest was about 4 and I figure I will continue homeschooling until he tells me to stop!  I LOVE being home with my girls and can't say that I would want it any other way!

We use My Father's World, Saxxon, and Spelling Power as our main curriculum.

Adrian-Tina - posted on 01/13/2009

My name is Tina Knight. I live in Orlando, Fla. with our four kids. I am 35 and my kids are 13 (daughter), 8 (son), 4 (son), and 3 (son). I home schooled my daughter k-5 thru 3rd and then she and my oldest son went to a local Christian school. I brought my daughter home this year and I am praying about bringing my son home as well. We joined a home school co-op this year and it has made a tremendous difference. We use Abeka, McDougal Littel, and Apologia. So far so, good.

Delynn - posted on 01/13/2009

Just wanted to stop in and say hello. My name is Delynn, and I'm homeschooling my youngest son Stephen age 10 and in the 4th grade. We're a cross between schooling and unschooling in that for certain subjects we do use textbooks for, and for others we don't. We're secular in nature, and homeschool only for the simple fact that the school system here is horrible. We're in South Georgia :)

Amanda - posted on 01/09/2009

Welcome to this circle!  Please join in on conversations and feel free to start your own!

Heather - posted on 01/08/2009

I am not much of a writer, but I will introduce myself and only speak my mind occasionally.  I have been homeschooling for 5 years now...since my 4th grader started.  I have 3 girls 10 (4th), 7 (2nd) and 4 (Pre-K/K).   I still feel like homeschooling is new and challenging to me.  I guess I'm just trusting God knows what He's doing, because I don't!  I live in the DFW area and am part of a Christian Homeschoolers yahoo chat group as well.  I am excited about our church (Pantego Bible Church) and their vision for family and community involvement.   I use multiple curriculums and am transitioning into a Unit Study approach.  We are not structured, but try to complete all subjects before lunch..which hasn't been happening at all this week!

Ruth - posted on 01/08/2009

Hi, I'm Ruth. I live in Charlotte, NC. I just started homeschooling my 4 year old and 2 year old. WE will be starting K with the four year old next year. I really enjoy homeschooling so far. We are using a little bit from alot of different curriculums. I look forward to getting to know other homeschool moms around the country.

Michelle - posted on 01/07/2009

Oh, I forgot to mention my other 13 yr. old son...he has ADHD and also wasn't doing well in school. VA foster care children are guaranteed and IEP, however since Chris was from FL's foster care system, VA refused to grant him the same priviledge (if you'd call it that!). So, without an IEP, all his behavior was referred to as "behavioral problems". Duh....he was in foster care for several years...who wouldn't have issues!

Michelle - posted on 01/07/2009

Hi, Michelle here. I homeschool 3 of my 5 kids. My oldest is in the Army and graduated public school. My 15-yr.old is also in public high school. I have 2 boys, both 13 (one adopted) and a girl, 6 (also adopted), I homeschool. We live in the DC metro area (VA). I started homeschooling 2 years ago because of my sons' problems in public school. My bio son had an IEP that was not being adhered to and he had fallen way behind academically. He has sensory issues the school system refused to recognize. I decided I would homeschool my daughter as well. The transition for her (she went to public Kindergarten) has been very tough. She's a social butterfly and misses all that interaction. I love it, because now I don't have the stress of all the negative communication between myself and the school!

Kristin - posted on 01/05/2009

My name is Kristin. My husband and I have been married 8 years and have been blessed with two amazing daughters- 5 and 17 months. This is our first year homeschooling and we're using Sonlight for now. It's been such an an awesome experience so far- watching my daughter catch on to new concepts and learning to read and write. I love seeing her grow! I also teach preschool a couple days a week at my church, in addition to working with 3rd-5th grade girls.

Melissa - posted on 01/04/2009

My name is Melissa. My husband and I have 3 children, 2 girls and a boy. Our oldest is 7, middle is 3, and the baby is 17 months. I have homeschooled for 3 yrs now. We use the ACE curriculum and live in western Kentucky. We enjoy camping, traveling, staying busy with our homeschool group, going to church and spending time as a family.

Mary - posted on 01/03/2009

I forgot to mention, we live in NW Kentucky.

Mary - posted on 01/03/2009

Hi! I'm Mary. I have 5 daughters. 3 have graduated from our homeschool. My oldest is 24, married and has a 16 mo.old daughter. My second-born is 22, graduated and working as a nanny here at home. My third-born is 19, married and expecting a boy in April 2009. My fourth-born is 16 and in 11th grade. My youngest is 11 and in 5th grade. I have been a single Mom for 10 years and the Lord has provided so I could continue what He called me to do! It is challenging, but we have always worked together as a team and I love teaching my children and learning along with them! We are active in our church and a local homeschool co-op where I teach Art Appreciation. Looking forward to meeting new friends here! Mary

Laura - posted on 12/02/2008

Hello,

I'm a home schooling mom of 3, (So far). I've got a daughter who is now in college and a son who is 16. I've also got a new little blessing who is 3months. I've been homeschooling from the beginning and Lord willing, I'll be doing the same with my little one.

I live in New York, not the city but up in Orange county. I love home making, making bread and i'm learning how to sew!!



God Bless,

Laura

Joelle - posted on 11/30/2008

Hello, I am a homeschooling mommie of 3 kiddos, ages 4, 6, 8. We live in Alaska, where there is a lot of funding and support for homeschoolers! I also homeschooled my stepkid for 7 years; she went to 8th grade church school for 6 mos, then graduated. I would say the greatest challenge is being consistent. Blessed to be at home with my children.

Carol - posted on 11/10/2008

Woops! I forgot to say we live in Marshfield, Missour. My husband works in Springfield and I work in Lebanon.

Tonya - posted on 11/10/2008

I live in Indiana with my husband, 5 year old son, and 1 year old daughter. We have been informally home schooling (or unschooling) our son for the last two years. The public school system would place him in kindergarten next year, but he is doing 1st and 2nd grade work THIS year. I'm finding home schooling to be challenging for me. I don't have a set routine down. We go with the flow. My son is a self-learner, so really the part of teacher is super easy for me, usually. My husband and I are still trying to see how it all works out. We both come from public school k-12, and this all new to us. I love getting to spend so much time with my family! =)

Carol - posted on 11/10/2008

My name is Carol and I am probably the oldest homeschooling mom in the group. I turn 50 in February. My husband and I have 4 daughters. Kate is starting her senior year at College of the Ozarks in January, she is 21. Mollie is 18 and begins her freshman year at CofO in January. Callie is also 18 (yes twins) has decided to wait until the fall to start CofO. Emily is 11 next month and is the only one still being homeschooled. I can say without a doubt that homeschooling is the single best thing I have done for my family. My husband and I both work full time as Paramedics. We have crazy schedules and homeschooling has made spending time as a family together much easier. I make my own curriculum.

Wendy - posted on 11/09/2008

Well I'm wendy hoemschooing momma to 6.We live in NorthernArizona and we school using Journey through Waldorf(just now switcing oerfrom Oak Meadow)I have 2 5th graders, 2 2nd graders, and 1 first grader,then a pre k as well.



most of my time is spet here with our family and i love it that way.