What are your favorite articles related to advantages of homeschooling and...?

Question

What's your personal favorite homeschooling curriculum? Also why did you start to home-school and how did you get started?

Answer 1

1. guiltfreehomeschooling.org

2. I don't use a curriculum.

3. Because the public schools were completely inadequate for my child's needs. They were dishonest with my husband and I and as our child floundered in the system, her love of learning and self confidence were being destroyed. She was miserable, had no time for social activities and we decided we could do better. I wish we'd have homeschooled from the start.

4. We learned the laws. We bought a couple books. We jumped in with both feet.

Answer 2

I just answered the curriculum question posted elsewhere.

I had to start HS'ing when it became apparent that public school wasn't going to work (or private either) for our son.  His public school preschool teachers actually put the bug in our ear.  I researched HS'ing and curricula for about six months before "taking the plunge".  It's been the best journey ever and continues to be the best learning environment for my son, who's profoundly gifted.  His sister is the opposite, with many special needs, so she attends public school - we do what's best for each child and re-evaluate yearly.

We got started by choosing a curriculum, commiting to only one year at first, and then going from there.  I had a lot of support from online groups and real life friends who'd been HS'ing for years.

Answer 3

There aren't any articles I can specifically think of, although I really do like the paper put out by the Fraser Institute. http://www.fraserinstitute.org/commerce....

We don't use a homeschooling curriculum.

We started homeschooling because I didn't like what I saw going on in the schools as an elementary teacher and my husband, a jr. high teacher, didn't like what he saw (and still doesn't like what he sees). We continue homeschooling because of the above, but also because we love the academic and family benefits.

I got started before my daughter was even school age. I became a member of a homeschooling group and attended park days and meetings and got to know people and attend parties and all that. I checked out their resources and requested all the catalogues I could to learn what sort of resources I could purchase. I read every book I could find at the library (which was decidedly less than the amount available now!). I learned about the laws where I live and chose a school board to register with (we are legally required by law to register with a school board here).

Answer 4

I don't really think I could pick a favorite article, I've read SO MANY.  One of my favorite magazines is Homeschool Enrichment, but often I just enjoy the blogs at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com

I answered the curriculum question already, but why did I start to homeschool?

Many reasons, but the main one was that I myself was never a good fit for school.  I was tested in second grade and found to have a post High School reading comprehension level, a post High School abstract reasoning ability, and a slightly above average I.Q.  Despite that the only thing anyone seemed to focus on was that I was "woefully behind in math".  (How far behind can you possibly be in second grade?  They've only been teaching math one year previous to that!)  The math thing was really just because I had moved from a district where we were still working on addition and subtraction, to one that had a more advanced curriculum and the kids were already doing division.  I HADN'T LEARNED MULTIPLICATION YET, HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO UNDERSTAND DIVISION?

At any rate, year after year I became less and less confident in my ability to do math until finally I wasn't even trying anymore.  In other classes I was doing great, but bored to death.  When I got into Junior High, I wanted to take a science class that I was really interested in, but was told I couldn't because of my math skills.  I am sure that science class would have been the motivation I needed to try at math again, but they never gave me the chance.

I vowed in 5th grade that if there was any legal way to do it, my kids would never have to go to school.  It was a colossal waste of time for me.  In the subjects I was gifted in, the school was so far behind me that I was bored to tears... and in the subjects I needed help in no one ever slowed down and helped me.  I decided that my kids would never be treated like die-cut replicas of some fictitious "average" child.  Instead they would be treated as individuals.

Later as an adult I accepted Christ as my savior, and that gave me additional reasons to avoid the Public School system, but that wasn't my primary reason.

I continue with homeschooling now because I see my children thriving, they can work a grade ahead in one subject and a grade behind in another if that is where their skills put them.  If one decides they are really interested in volcanoes, we can stop on that topic for few weeks before moving on.  They don't have to be constantly compared to other kids, they don't have to worry about bullies or kids who will tease them if they are a little different.

I also continue because I love my children, and I so enjoy spending time with them...