Homeschooling Children

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The’ve tried calling CPS, but they say to talk to the childs past school’s truancy officer, but then they say she officially is homeschooled and won’t look into it! I just want to know if anyone knows any homeschool laws or websites that could help me?

I was watching 17 kids and counting and they said they homeschool their kids, but their ages range from 20 something to like… toddlers, so how do they homeschool their kids? They would all be in different grades with different lessons?
They said they do their schooling ‘around the dining room table’

Could you please give me your experiences? I am considering it bt am very unsure and nervous…also my family will be very aginst it. What problems did you come up against, why did you decide to homeschool and how are the children liking it?

It seems only cons home school, so is it because their kids are too stupid for real school, are they afraid they would get beat up for being creeps, or are they just afraid their kids might just learn something? I think it’s because the parents want to make little racists and have their kids believe exactly as they do. So why do cons homeschool their kids, anyways?

I’m doing a research project on homeschooling and have yet to find out how people who homeschool their children determine what type of cirriculum they should be teaching their child, or how to determine if they are above grade level.

If you homeschool or homeschool your child, what do you like about homeschooling? When did you start, and why?

There are as many reasons for home schooling a child as there are families. Some of the most prominent reasons are…

Absolute control over the child’s education. More and more public schools are letting our children down and they are not getting a quality education. Homeschooling your child puts you in control. If your child needs help in a particular area you can give him the one on one attention he needs to master that area. This will give him more confidence in life as he realizes that he can master the things that are hard for him. This usually cannot be accomplished in a public school. On the other hand, if they excel in a particular area and have an interest in it, they have the opportunity to reach their full potential in that particular area.

The ability to tailor your child’s education to him. Again, this falls into the absolute control category. People have different learning styles, and there are many. Some learn by seeing, some by hearing, some by actually doing, some by just reading about something, and most by a combination of all these things. Learning styles can even vary depending on which subject they are studying. In a public school it would be impossible for a teacher to tailor their lessons for every child. In the home school this is very possible. A parent can use different lessons and curriculum for each subject and can take the time to try different methods if a child is having a hard time grasping a particular concept. In a public school if a child cannot grasp something the teacher must move on as they are up against a time table of what they must cover for that particular year. If this problem is encountered in the home school, you can slow down and take all the time needed, it can even be postponed until another time if the child just isn’t ready to grasp a concept.

Religious convictions. Some choose to home school their child for religious reasons. Religion is left out of public schools. A religious private school can be expensive and out of the question for some families. Even if a family can manage to send their child to a private school it still may not be a good option. Homeschooling your child can give you the opportunity to make the religion you believe in a part of your homeschool days.

Moral convictions. When my son attended public school for kindergarten I was absolutely shocked at some of the things he came home and told me. We even lived in a small town and my son went to one of the best schools in the district. I then realized he was spending his days with others that I would prefer he did not and there was really nothing I could do about it as long as he remained in public school. The town has since grown by leaps and bounds and that particular school as well as most in the area are overcrowded and riddled with problems. Other parents as well are shocked at the moral environment that our children are thrown into at public schools. Sending a child to public school often results in our children being exposed to people and morals we would prefer them not to be around. We have very little control over who our child spends their time with at a public school. With homeschooling it is possible for our children to be very well socialized and the parent to have more control and influence over the quality of people with which they spend their time.

A closer family relationship. In today’s busy world most families live in the same house but barely have time to spend together or know each other. This can make the family dynamic suffer and ultimately the children. With homeschooling you have more time to just hang out with your children, get to know them and influence and direct who they become as adults. As the child grows older this closer relationship with his parents will give him the confidence he needs to succeed in life and they will be more likely to follow their parents direction and value their opinion.

In summary, whatever the reason for homeschooling a child. The failure of our public school system and the failure of the family unit in today’s world can make homeschooling your children a very attractive option and in some situations, a very necessary option. The rise in homeschool’s popularity and the success that families are having show that, for many families, it has become a very viable option. And, for many who have taken the road into home schooling, it has become one of the most rewarding journeys of their lives.

If so, why/why not? What age will you start teaching them and will you also follow an alternative style of education such as Steiner or Montessori? Do you feel you will be able to offer your child a balanced education and do you believe you are qualified to teach?

In America, there was a time when the idea of homeschooling raised eyebrows of concern and could result in a visit from social services. A lack of trust by the government and public in general in a parent’s ability to educate their own children made homeschooling a bit of a stigma.

Even today in some circles, there are still many “old school” thinkers that go so far as to say that homeschooling is tantamount to deliberate child abuse. As ridiculous as that sounds to most of us, overcoming such ignorance has been a problem for some parents looking into homeschooling.

Overseas, it can be much worse. Homeschooling is illegal in Germany, a law instituted under Hitler and still enforced today. German families who choose to home school must do so in secret and run the risk of arrest; or worse, having the state take their children away.

Performance of home schools versus public and private schools

It doesn’t take much effort or investigation to discover that homeschoolers excel above their public school counter parts in nearly every category. According to a study conducted by Dr. Lawrence Rudner:

• The average home schooled 8th grade student performs four grade levels above the national average.

• One in four home school students are enrolled in a grade level that is above their age level.

• In every grade and in every subject, home schooled students outperform both public and private school students.

Other studies confirm these findings, showing that home schooled students have a much higher college entry rate, score higher on SAT’s and ACT’s, have a higher rate of college graduation, and earn higher incomes in the workforce.

These numbers come despite the fact that about 25% of parents in America who choose to home school either never attended college, or attended but never received a degree. An additional 7-10% have only an Associate degree.

Why do homeschooled children perform so well?

The advantages to homeschooling are many, and are quite revealing as to why homeschooled children do so well.

One on one attention – Whenever a child needs assistance, the parent is there to give him or her full attention, whereas in public schools a teacher must divide their attention between dozens of children.

Ability to focus more time where needed – If a student excels in math, but flounders in science, then a parent can very easily devote as much time as is needed to teaching science. Public schools are regimented, with each subject receiving equal time regardless as to the performance of the student.

Homeschooled students move at their own pace – If a student excels in math then they can advance much quicker than students in a public school, where all students are required to move at the same pace.

Diminished distractions – The parents control the environment, and there is no peer pressure from other students trying to talk a homeschooled student into doing things other than school work or study.

Do parents need some kind of special training or certification?

Some states highly regulate home schools, requiring training and certification in some instances. However, studies show that there is virtually no difference in performance between homeschooled students in highly regulated states versus homeschooled students in states with little or no regulation.

The truth is that homeschooling is gaining in popularity and as such, more and more information and help materials are becoming available. The modern homeschooling parent can now effectively teach their children, regardless of the parent’s own education level, thanks to pre-developed curriculums such as those provided by Heritage Home School Academy.

Parents today can use these curriculums to guide their children. Some curriculums are so effective that parents can study ahead of their children in any subject for which they are lacking and effectively teach the same subject to their children. Furthermore, many children often “learn to learn,” reaching a point where they are able to teach themselves and follow a curriculum with little interaction required from the parent.

Each year more families choose to start homeschooling, spreading knowledge about its benefits, and erasing old stigmas along the way. For more information about homeschooling and home school curriculums, visit Heritage Home School Academy.

If a family is not wealthy and living on one income, how do they afford to homeschool their children? Do they get a stipend from the state government per child? If so, does that differ according to state? What about Minnesota, where I live? Is there a website with this information on it?

Thanks!