Homeschooling

Ayla

Anyone out there homeschooling? Looking to join a community of people who are homeschooling to learn of the support around.

Please Note: This is not a thread to discuss whether homeschooling is good or bad. Only current homeschoolers respond please.

byhookorbycrook

have you looked up the HEN (home educator network) Irish site?

Ayla

Yep, just hoping to chat to folks out there actually living the dream.

byhookorbycrook

I think there are a few mums on rollercoaster.ie , might be worth a try.

summersweet

My mother home-schooled my brother for a year when the school system said he needed resource classes, hes an engineer now. She however was a primary school teacher, and was up to scratch on required curriculum. I'm in the preschool sector and depending on the age of your child I can recommend www. ready2gopreschool.com I have there lesson plans, and they are very comprehensive and educational based. They have a book that connects there exercises to Aistear ( thats the new government standards for early years curriculum) Dont know if this post will be of any help, but good luck with the home-schooling.

D4RK ONION

Ayla wrote: »

Anyone out there homeschooling? Looking to join a community of people who are homeschooling to learn of the support around.

Please Note: This is not a thread to discuss whether homeschooling is good or bad. Only current homeschoolers respond please.

Out of interest, could I ask why you have chosen to homeschool your child/children?

Ayla

D4RK ONION wrote: »

Out of interest, could I ask why you have chosen to homeschool your child/children?

Sorry, just saw this response.

We have 2 girls - one who's almost 4 & one who just turned 1. So, really, we're just approaching the age of homeschooling the first. We've decided to give it a go this year, with the knowledge that if we decide it doesn't work for us then our daughter can start "school" next Sept, just as she would have if we hadn't tried homeschooling.

Basically, the top 3 reasons we've decided to give it a go:

1) We love the idea of interacting w/ our kids in this way...allowing them the time & creativity to enhance themselves naturally (i.e.: not being pegged into a structured classroom setting where the teacher is forced to teach x,y & z the way someone else has dictated)

2) We love the idea that our girls will never be overlooked or under/over challenged, the way they likely would be in a large classroom where the teacher has to try to focus on the average pupil & therefore sidelines the marginal kids

3) We love the idea that the homeschool "classroom" can be anywhere...out with our farm animals, in a museum, in the grocery store, on the beaches of France...

Of course, like I said before, we're just starting down this road (and with a 1-year old baby, the going's going slowly). But if we could talk with those who've actually done/are doing it that would be a great support structure.

Apparently, according to homeschool-ireland.com, there are approx 1500-2000 children currently being homeschooled...surely some of their parents might frequent the boards.ie site??

D4RK ONION

Ayla wrote: »

Sorry, just saw this response.

We have 2 girls - one who's almost 4 & one who just turned 1. So, really, we're just approaching the age of homeschooling the first. We've decided to give it a go this year, with the knowledge that if we decide it doesn't work for us then our daughter can start "school" next Sept, just as she would have if we hadn't tried homeschooling.

Basically, the top 3 reasons we've decided to give it a go:

1) We love the idea of interacting w/ our kids in this way...allowing them the time & creativity to enhance themselves naturally (i.e.: not being pegged into a structured classroom setting where the teacher is forced to teach x,y & z the way someone else has dictated)

2) We love the idea that our girls will never be overlooked or under/over challenged, the way they likely would be in a large classroom where the teacher has to try to focus on the average pupil & therefore sidelines the marginal kids

3) We love the idea that the homeschool "classroom" can be anywhere...out with our farm animals, in a museum, in the grocery store, on the beaches of France...

Of course, like I said before, we're just starting down this road (and with a 1-year old baby, the going's going slowly). But if we could talk with those who've actually done/are doing it that would be a great support structure.

Apparently, according to homeschool-ireland.com, there are approx 1500-2000 children currently being homeschooled...surely some of their parents might frequent the boards.ie site??

They might indeed, but the chances that they use this forum are slim to none. Indeed the reasons you've specified make a good case. The only thing your child really misses from a home-schooling if you can teach everything properly (I assume you're using the Curriculum as a rough giude?) is the social interaction and group work opportunities that they'll miss in the home.

Best of luck with it though

Ayla

D4RK ONION wrote: »

The only thing your child really misses from a home-schooling... is the social interaction and group work opportunities that they'll miss in the home.

Common argument, but from speaking with those who are actually involved in HS, it's not really a problem. Of course it's a consideration, but parents just make a greater effort to make sure their kids are actively involved in community/church/volunteer/sports/music....all of that includes peer interaction. Homeschooling children - generally - are not bubble-wrapped hermits who can't function in society. In fact, the few stats out there seem to show that HS kids are more involved & more social than their counterparts.

PcAngel

Ayla wrote: »

Common argument, but from speaking with those who are actually involved in HS, it's not really a problem. Of course it's a consideration, but parents just make a greater effort to make sure their kids are actively involved in community/church/volunteer/sports/music....all of that includes peer interaction. Homeschooling children - generally - are not bubble-wrapped hermits who can't function in society. In fact, the few stats out there seem to show that HS kids are more involved & more social than their counterparts.

Can you give a link to those stats please.Thanks.

Ayla

PcAngel wrote: »

Can you give a link to those stats please.Thanks.

Happy to:

http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp

http://www.nheri.org/Latest/Homeschooling-Across-America-Academic-Achievement-and-Demographic-Characteristics.html

http://www.nheri.org/Research-Facts-on-Homeschooling.html

http://www.nheri.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=171&Itemid=47

Some quotes from the above link:

"71% of subjects were participating in any ongoing community service activity (e.g., coaching a sports team, volunteering at a school, or working with a church or neighborhood association), while 37% of similarly aged U.S. adults and 39% of all U.S. adults did so."

"Taking all things into consideration, 59% of the subjects reported that they were “very happy” with life, while 27.6% of the general U.S. population is “very happy” with life."

"These adults who had been homeschooled were much more civically involved than the average adult in the United States."

"Based on the findings of this study, the concerns stressed by Apple (2000), Franzosa (1984), Lubienski (2000, 2003), the National Education Association (2002), and Reich (2001, 2002), that homeschooling would somehow interfere with home-educated adults participating in essential societal activities or that homeschooling inhibits public debate, have no foundation."


http://learninfreedom.org/socialization.html

"And Shyers... looked at how homeschooled children treat other children...found that home-schooled children had significantly fewer problem behaviors...than traditionally schooled children when playing in mixed groups of children from both kinds of schooling backgrounds...concluded that the hypothesis that contact with adults, rather than contact with other children, is most important in developing social skills in children is supported by these data. "

up for anything

Ayla wrote: »

Yep, just hoping to chat to folks out there actually living the dream.

My sister and her partner home educate. I'm sure they'd be glad to speak with you. I'll check with her whether she is alright with me giving you their phone number and get back to you. PM me next week and remind me if I haven't gotten back to you - I have a head like a sieve, and they are away this weekend.

cynder

Ayla wrote: »

Happy to:

http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp

http://www.nheri.org/Latest/Homeschooling-Across-America-Academic-Achievement-and-Demographic-Characteristics.html

http://www.nheri.org/Research-Facts-on-Homeschooling.html

http://www.nheri.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=171&Itemid=47

Some quotes from the above link:

"71% of subjects were participating in any ongoing community service activity (e.g., coaching a sports team, volunteering at a school, or working with a church or neighborhood association), while 37% of similarly aged U.S. adults and 39% of all U.S. adults did so."

"Taking all things into consideration, 59% of the subjects reported that they were “very happy” with life, while 27.6% of the general U.S. population is “very happy” with life."

"These adults who had been homeschooled were much more civically involved than the average adult in the United States."

"Based on the findings of this study, the concerns stressed by Apple (2000), Franzosa (1984), Lubienski (2000, 2003), the National Education Association (2002), and Reich (2001, 2002), that homeschooling would somehow interfere with home-educated adults participating in essential societal activities or that homeschooling inhibits public debate, have no foundation."


http://learninfreedom.org/socialization.html

"And Shyers... looked at how homeschooled children treat other children...found that home-schooled children had significantly fewer problem behaviors...than traditionally schooled children when playing in mixed groups of children from both kinds of schooling backgrounds...concluded that the hypothesis that contact with adults, rather than contact with other children, is most important in developing social skills in children is supported by these data. "

Also to say that America is America this is Ireland, Some people live miles from civilization. (America have way more extracurricular activities than Ireland does) Would it not be fare to ask for Ireland's stats;)???????? oh they have none...........:rolleyes:

Also to add that in Ireland less than 300 are assessed/registered for homeschooling there are some 1500-1700 that are not registered and are under the radar, I wonder why? as for the 1500-1700 who knows what they are teaching or even if they are teaching.


Stats are not fully accurate, even in the uk there are between 3000 and 60,000 unregistered homeschoolers and less than 3000 are registered. No one know how many are home schooled. Stats are only provided on regestered home-schoolers.

Of the ones in America who are registered of course you are going to hear great stories, its the ones who are unregistered that I'm concerned for. There are plenty of horror stories that go against home schooling too.

Home schooling needs to be regulated so no child slips under the radar.

Ayla

Hi grindlewad -

Glad to see you've followed the conversation over on this thread. You make valid points, and I've never been against registering HE families (it *would* be good to have some Irish stats!).

But can you keep the argument element out of this thread (ie: keep it over in the parenting forum where it's going strong)...I started this thread to connect with other HE families, not to debate its merits.

cynder

No worries,;)

think i made my point over there so wont be going on it again.....


But when i read this thread i just couldn't help my self.:(


I have no intention of making any further comments regarding the subject unless it pops up in AH.

Then the battle may begin again.

Oh just because i don't agree with you one subject doesn't meant i wont agree with you on the next.


Best of luck with the HE....

Ayla

bump

D4RK ONION

Bumping threads is considered bad forum etiquette, there is a reason threads sink to the bottom. If anyone wishes to PM the OP with relation to homeschooling, please do so.

Thread Closed