I'm thinking of homeschooling but not sure if it is the right thing to do or how to get started. is it better?

Question

I'm thinking of homeschooling but not sure if it is the right thing to do or how to get started. is it better?

Answer 1

Check out this website. It has a wealth of information.

The important thing is to make the decision that is right for you, not someone else.  Be well.

Answer 2

I don't know if it is better.  It really depends on the education you want for your child.  If you want him or her to learn actual history (my elementary school completely glazed over the holocaust as a fiction, for example), reading (why is 'Of Mice and Men' required for 15 year olds, not nine year olds??), math, actual s*x ed, hands on learning in the arts and music from museums, education about evolution,  etc homeschooling is probably the answer.

It may be more expensive, if you opt to hire a tutor for a subject that was lost on you (I'd need a math tutor...) but over all i think the quality of education is better.  Public schools are really losing these days with lack of funds and gov't controlled curriculum's.

Answer 3

I wasn't sure about home schooling either at first but I decided to give it a shot. I figured that anything had to be better for my son than dealing with all the problems he was having at school.

I'm not going to say it was easy getting started and I felt I had no idea what I was doing at first but gradually we settled into a pattern that worked out very well for all of us and I can't say enough about all the positives that came from my choice.

I knew what my son was capable of and he knew I was going to hold him to it when I told him that something wasn't good enough to turn in, not like a crowded classroom where a teacher only knows what the student has shown him or her.

We often started school time at around noon since neither of us were morning people, so no early morning rush around, and we could work as long as we liked on any one topic if it just clicked that day, he made up about four years in math in one year with the extra attention and being able to work at his own pace.

And Home economics class can take on a very different meaning when you really are at home and can help figure out a budget or plan a meal for the family. I even had my son do the taxes once just so he could see what it was like and figure out all the forms himself.  I was able to help him learn more about the real world outside what he knew.

Home schooling can be alot of work and you have to give up some of your time to yourself, which can be a real pain, but the benefits far out weigh the problems. At least it dd for my family and I'm getting ready to home school my daughter from day one. She's 4 and we've already started on a few simple lessons and with a computer and the Internet for all of us to use, it's easier than ever to find programs for your children or pages to print out with information for you or your child.

Plus, you know what's happening with your child and when. No trying to schedule a doctor appointment around a test at school or missed buses in the morning. No worries about lunch money or books left at school with homework to be done. And not a single surprise project or class cupcake request that you only hear about the night before they need it, even though the child in question just forgot to tell you weeks ago.

And it makes visitation much easier if you're dealing with any weekend parent visitation. The kids can stay longer or be picked up at better times for everyone involved. Trips to visit family out of town don't have to wait till vacations and trips to fun places like Disney world, or other family vacations, can be planned for times when other kids are in school and that can mean cheaper prices and shorter lines.

There are all kinds of side benefits that come along with home schooling that you don't even notice till you find that you don't have the problems other parents around you have every year.

Answer 4

Homeschool is what you make it. I really could not say if it is the best thing for your family, though I believe homeschool's adaptable nature makes it great for many different families. For my daughter, it has been a blessing. She is learning at her own pace. She is not missing out on anything. She is free to pursue an active social life, and extra curricular activities.

To get started, check the laws in your state. Then read up on homeschool methods and philosophies to find the one that might work best for you. Homeschooling is not expensive, unless you want it to be. We homeschool on a budget and make excellent use of our local library.

Answer 5

there are a lot of different places online that you can research that offer homeschooling...you will have to research them for prices etc.

of course its probably going to be more expensive for someone to do homeschooling and its going to take alot more discipline on your part in order to get all your work done...

there are things you miss out on when homeschooling though like sports, dancing, making new friends, spending time with friends..etc..

think long and hard before making your decision!

Answer 6

i think cyber schooling is much better , and most sites are free . you have to do some research on the internet and see whats legal in your state , and see whats available in your state also .

im enrolled in a cyber school and i think its the best thing i have ever done .

Answer 7

I have been to both homeschooling and public schools and I really prefer homschooling.  I spent about...mmmm....7 years in public school and did not like it.  

In homeschooling you learn at your own pace which means if you are a little slower, you have time to get the concepts down so you actually learn and if you are fastr, you can skip ahead.  Also, in my school Pacific Coast High School  (heres a link to our wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Coa...  )

I go to online classes and so I get to meet a lot of people.  I have found that homeschoolers are nicer and more pleasant than public schoolers.  I know it soudsn prejudice but I speak from years of expreience.  Also, the teachers in homeschool are less stressed out and are much nicer and better teachers I have found.  Pacific Coast High School has been recently UC approved so you don't have to worry that after High School you won't be able to go to college.

I really recomend homeschooling no matter the age.  It gives flexability, time, convenience, confidence (trust me!), and better relationships with teachers/instructors and students.

Answer 8

home school is a great way to learn it gives you more time..and personall time with whoever your teacher maybe.. the ladi i live with is homeschooling her daughter and i think it is the best way to learn

Answer 9

Better for some families certainly, but I wouldn't say it's better for everyone.  Education isn't one size fits all, and for some families the traditional model is the best choice.

You can start by contacting homeschooling support networks in your area; often they have seminars for those who are considering it.  There are tons of books out there too; be sure to look at more recent ones because a lot has changed just in the past 10 years.

Several answers have said that it's going to be very expensive.  It doesn't have to be.  It doesn't have to be a cyber school, private tutors, or 6 different supplemental classes and clubs.  Lots of people manage quite well without spending much.  Plenty of others spend a ton of money.  Most are probably somewhere in the middle.

What it does take is time, energy, comittment.  A healthy does of humility and a keen sense of humor and curiousity about the world help.