Leaving Cert At Home

adelecarter

I need advise! okay...I am 16. I've just finished my junior cert. In the next two years we were hoping to organise so that I can do my leaving cert at home. I've been in public school all my life.:D
New curcumstances have moved me to want to do my leaving cert at home. Because of the ability to manage my own time. I've talked to my parents about it and we all seem to agree its a good idea. During my period of homeschooling at home, since I can drop one of the subjects I was hoping to replace that with a learning course in what I want to do as a job in the future. The good thing is that I have the facilities at home to have expierience for my job, which is going to be priceless. Unfortuanately I should have given thought to this sooner as the school term is only a few weeks away and I will most probably have to spend a while in school before starting my homeschooling scheduel.:( But I definately do not want to spend a whole year more in school.:O Alot of the education I will recevie at the school will not be helpful for my future job not to mention the time wasted by the rest of the class.:mad:I need to know How we can Organise for me to be homeschooled:). What can we do to get there?? I need help please, we want to do this but are not sure where to start.
Please reply quickly!!!
Advise needed!!
Thanks Adele:pac:

paulmclaughlin

I've talked to my parents about it and we all seem to agree its a good idea.

I need to know How we can Organise for me to be homeschooled

So let me get this. You think homeschooling is a good idea when you don't have any clue what homeschooling is like? Okay.

Invest in some English lessons too.

Sunny!!

adelecarter wrote: »

I need advise! okay...I am 16. I've just finished my junior cert. In the next two years we were hoping to organise so that I can do my leaving cert at home. I've been in public school all my life.:D
New curcumstances have moved me to want to do my leaving cert at home. Because of the ability to manage my own time. I've talked to my parents about it and we all seem to agree its a good idea. During my period of homeschooling at home, since I can drop one of the subjects I was hoping to replace that with a learning course in what I want to do as a job in the future. The good thing is that I have the facilities at home to have expierience for my job, which is going to be priceless. Unfortuanately I should have given thought to this sooner as the school term is only a few weeks away and I will most probably have to spend a while in school before starting my homeschooling scheduel.:( But I definately do not want to spend a whole year more in school.:O Alot of the education I will recevie at the school will not be helpful for my future job not to mention the time wasted by the rest of the class.:mad:I need to know How we can Organise for me to be homeschooled:). What can we do to get there?? I need help please, we want to do this but are not sure where to start.
Please reply quickly!!!
Advise needed!!
Thanks Adele:pac:

tough like, thats the same with most people who go to public schools and we get on with it! Crazy idea but thats only my view anyway

spurious

You could choose to be educated at home.
However, it would cost the government a lot of money to send a teacher to you every day, so it's really only used for people who are very ill or can't leave the house for some reason.

If you and/or your parents think they can do a better job than people who are trained to teach your subjects, then they can teach you at home. They just need to be able to prove to the Department thast they are following an approved programme.

You will need a teacher to sign off that any project work/research essays etc are your own work. Unless you expect a teacher to lie on an official form, you will have to attend classes or meet up with them regularly, so they can confirm the work is yours.

Or you could just go back to school, ignore anyone that tries to stop you working and get on with it.

aisher

You should ring the Dept of Education & Skills and they will advise you - since you are already 16 there is no legal obligation to attend school so thats not the issue. You will have to follow some plan of study especially since some subjects have a practical element re. project work etc. Once you opt out of the system you will be on your own - you wont be entitled to any support so I would think hard before you do so. Schools have capitation paid to them for pupils enrolled on the 30 September so if you are not on a roll at that point no school will want you back.

Musefan

I know someone who repeated a few subjects at home, but this was before you had to retake all the core subjects plus some, in order to repeat. He found it incredibly difficult. He had all the self-restraint he needed to carry it out, but studying at home proved to be a lonely experience. He employed his own teacher who he went to once a week. He did well in his exams, but he always speaks of how isolating it was.

Consider also the extra organisation you would need. You would need to consider planning your own mock exams, exam centers, test papers and corrections.


Apart from the person I know who found it to be an awful experience, for all I know, other people might view it as the best option. I only know that based upon what I know from my friend who did it, it wasn't a nice experience at all.

bain_triail_as

"I will most probably have to spend a while in school before starting my homeschooling schedule"l

Go for it poster.
You can be more productive at home, think of time saved on commuting to school,
time wasted in class while fellow pupils are being disciplined.

You have option of studying for British "A" levels. www.edexcel.co.uk. Plenty of learning resources available on internet; and you have supportive parents.

adelecarter

Thank you all for responding to my post. This is the best response I've gotten. The time taken up by the class is not the initial reason for wanting to do my leaving cert at home. One reason why I have considered it is the example of others success in doing it. Two of my friends have left public school and have been home schooled during secondary. One has completed her leaving cert this year with good success so we are getting advice from them as well. I need all the information I can get. Different ones around us have given nothing but praise about home schooling and we do know what it’s about. That's why we think it’s a good idea. I think I'm fine without English lessons thanks. Home schooling does not involve having a teacher sent to me every day!!! I view it basically as a course I will do at home instead of in school. I will have to ask my friend how they organised so that she could do all the necessary project work, and so I will do the same. No one is purposely trying to stop us working while in class. In fact that is not the problem. The truth is we can ignore them easily it’s when the teachers start screaming their heads off and calling in the principal to lecture us and refuse to teach that we don’t get things done or don’t get to understand it fully.But I still respect their effort.It is true they keep the class out of mayhem. LOL!!As far as the school knows I’m going back on the 30th of August. I’m pretty sure I will end up in school for a couple of weeks (or more). The student fee has raised a lot!! So hopefully I will be able to start my home schooling before having to pay that. I do know doing my schooling at home is going to be difficult but at least I know it will be worth it! With the organisation of how I will go about each day hopefully I won’t get too lonely:) I think if I really concentrate on the task at hand I Won’t think about company too much. I understand most teachers are against this idea because they get paid for it and don’t want to encourage more to do the same but please if you have any useful advice please help. We need all the information we can get thank you so much!!
Adele :pac:

rainbowtrout

adelecarter wrote: »

Thank you all for responding to my post. This is the best response I've gotten. The time taken up by the class is not the initial reason for wanting to do my leaving cert at home. One reason why I have considered it is the example of others success in doing it. Two of my friends have left public school and have been home schooled during secondary. One has completed her leaving cert this year with good success so we are getting advice from them as well. I need all the information I can get. Different ones around us have given nothing but praise about home schooling and we do know what it’s about. That's why we think it’s a good idea. I think I'm fine without English lessons thanks. Home schooling does not involve having a teacher sent to me every day!!! I view it basically as a course I will do at home instead of in school. I will have to ask my friend how they organised so that she could do all the necessary project work, and so I will do the same. No one is purposely trying to stop us working while in class. In fact that is not the problem. The truth is we can ignore them easily it’s when the teachers start screaming their heads off and calling in the principal to lecture us and refuse to teach that we don’t get things done or don’t get to understand it fully.But I still respect their effort.It is true they keep the class out of mayhem. LOL!!As far as the school knows I’m going back on the 30th of August. I’m pretty sure I will end up in school for a couple of weeks (or more). The student fee has raised a lot!! So hopefully I will be able to start my home schooling before having to pay that. I do know doing my schooling at home is going to be difficult but at least I know it will be worth it! With the organisation of how I will go about each day hopefully I won’t get too lonely:) I think if I really concentrate on the task at hand I Won’t think about company too much. I understand most teachers are against this idea because they get paid for it and don’t want to encourage more to do the same but please if you have any useful advice please help. We need all the information we can get thank you so much!!
Adele :pac:

Adele, I'm not sure if you get the concept fully. Teachers aren't against it because numbers would drop. I'm a teacher and have no problem with home schooling.

What I would like to know is how do you propose to teach yourself each subject? Are your parents proficient enough in each subject where you might have difficulties? Will you be able to get up each day and spend 4-5 hours studying a variety of different subjects? Will you be able to persuade yourself to study topics you don't like (If I was in your position and home schooling, I know I would have neglected Irish without having it timetabled for me like it is in school). If you choose to study a foreign language, will you have someone to practice oral work with? Again, if you choose to take subjects with a project as part of the assessment you will need a teacher to monitor and sign off on the work.

Remember, once you leave your school and start homeschooling you can't view those teachers as your own anymore in the same way as the students that attend school can. You can't wander in and hand them a bunch of English essays and ask would they mind looking over them for you (or any other work for that matter), you're not their student anymore and they won't be obliged to teach you or monitor your work.

What is this future career you mention that you can get experience of while at home? I'm curious.

Sunny!!

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Adele, I'm not sure if you get the concept fully. Teachers aren't against it because numbers would drop. I'm a teacher and have no problem with home schooling.

What I would like to know is how do you propose to teach yourself each subject? Are your parents proficient enough in each subject where you might have difficulties? Will you be able to get up each day and spend 4-5 hours studying a variety of different subjects? Will you be able to persuade yourself to study topics you don't like (If I was in your position and home schooling, I know I would have neglected Irish without having it timetabled for me like it is in school). If you choose to study a foreign language, will you have someone to practice oral work with? Again, if you choose to take subjects with a project as part of the assessment you will need a teacher to monitor and sign off on the work.

Remember, once you leave your school and start homeschooling you can't view those teachers as your own anymore in the same way as the students that attend school can. You can't wander in and hand them a bunch of English essays and ask would they mind looking over them for you (or any other work for that matter), you're not their student anymore and they won't be obliged to teach you or monitor your work.

What is this future career you mention that you can get experience of while at home? I'm curious.

Each of the above questions have to be seriously considered, and remember everyone's different, people might have done well, but it might be different for you.

njd2010

The most major flaw I see here- and there are a lot of important flaws in your plan, let me be honest- is you seem to think you know for certain what your "future job" is going to be.

The harsh reality is, you don't. I'm only just finished 6th year and even I can tell you how rare it is for anybody to really know what they want to be when you are finished school at your age. From primary school through to 4th year, I "knew" what I wanted to be, until I didn't. Then I had another master plan throughout 5th year. And this year, I'm a little less naive- I'm going into a course that I know interests me but with the knowledge that not giving myself as much options as possible for the future is a bad mistake.


Another big problem here is that you have no experience of the Leaving Cert- the JC doesn't count. It's a whole other ball game, and you will need people with more experience than you to show you what to do, to correct your work, and to give you advice. Homeschooling is one thing when you have teachers coming to your house or one or more parents who are planning on teaching you full time. There is just too much in the leaving cert a book cannot help you with.

At the very least, I urge you, go through 5th year in school. If after that you decide you can teach yourself, at least you will know what you are getting into- because right now you don't. I say this as a fairly successful student that skipped a lot of school to study at home during the last half of 6th year.

mmmuir

njd2010 wrote: »

At the very least, I urge you, go through 5th year in school. If after that you decide you can teach yourself, at least you will know what you are getting into- because right now you don't. I say this as a fairly successful student that skipped a lot of school to study at home during the last half of 6th year.

I agree that you should probably stay in school for fifth year Adele. And I say that as someone who's seriously considering repeating the leaving cert by myself this year. I adored my teachers and loved school -for the social scene it provided - but I honestly don't learn much from other people teaching me. I'd rather teach it to myself from a book or learn by teaching it to someone else. I'm that incredibly annoying person who gets A1s without trying but a situation caused me to severely eff up this year's leaving so I'll probably be doing it again.

I'm sorry I digress, do you find that you learn better by yourself or from a teacher? And if you're not sure, wouldn't it be wise to stay in fifth year at least until you've found out for yourself? Of course doing the LC yourself at home could suit you down to the ground but there's no harm in trying it the conventional way either before you do anything rash...

Could I make a suggestion actually?
Tomorrow's Monday the 22nd of August so if you're officially starting school on the 30th I presume you have all your prescribed books. Get up early and start teaching yourself the first chapter of each respective course. You could try working for nine 40-minute blocks with two lunches like a standard school day.
If you actually did that for the next five days, it could be a fairly excellent indicator of what the next two years would be like were you to forgo school altogether.
If you compared your experimental week of homeschooling to the first week back at "real school", you could make an informed decision about your future.

Good luck with whatever you decide anyway Adele, I'm off to pack for the sixth year holiday, Ponsaaaaa

Noon_

If I'm going to be honest here, judging by the fact that you left it until the last moment to even start getting information is an instant indicator that home-schooling may not be the best idea. You also have to take into consideration that the Junior isn't nearly as difficult as the Leaving. The Junior is the easiest state examination you'll ever do, and by no means should be used as an indication for what the Leaving will be like.

Take English or French or any language for example. They're different from the Junior in the sense that they require a lot more intense contact time with a teacher. What I mean is, Junior Cert teachers could send you away with a textbook and tell you to rote-learn pages and pages of vocabulary for French, and while that works to some extent in the Leaving, there's also the oral and aural aspects of the exam to take into account - very difficult to do these on your own. While you might not be doing French, the same principle applies to English. The only thing I learned off for English was quotes from poems and Hamlet, the rest I got from my teacher. He sat and discussed our three texts for the comparative every day for the last 2 or 3 months of the year, as well as Hamlet. I never wrote out one essay in the entire two years, but ended up with an A2 in the actual Leaving. In short, group discussion in my class and contact time with teachers who have done postgraduate study in their field was, for me, an extremely important aspect of my learning.

I also have to mention that the will, motivation and ambition you need to have to home-school is absolutely rock solid. I'm just after finishing my Leaving, and I know for an absolute fact that if I chose to stay at home and study for most of my 2 years in Senior Cycle, I would have got less than 50 points in my Leaving. I know I don't know you personally, but I think that's something you need to take into account - do you have the motivation? As a previous poster has mentioned, you should use your books this week to teach yourself the beginning of the courses and adhere to a strict timetable. This week will tell you if you can manage it or not.

Also, what is the job you plan to do? I ask because at the end of third year, I had it in my head exactly what I wanted to be - a teacher. I went into fifth year with that and only that in mind. I then realised I didn't want to be, and changed my desired career to be a doctor. Again, I changed my mind and decided I want to be a psychologist, and I'm starting my course in psychology in September. After (if) I complete the undergrad, I might change my mind again and study for something entirely different for my postgrad. What I mean to say is, don't tie yourself down definitively to one specific career - keep an open mind.

I'm not trying to put you off the idea of home-schooling, if you know you can handle it then by all means go for it. But honestly, it sounds as if this is a snap decision for an issue that requires a lot of serious thought. Two years isn't that long if you think about it - they absolutely flew by for me.

bscm

Staying in school is probably better. Teachers know the courses inside out, know marking schemes and can grade your work. A grinds teacher may only be able to provide some of these services a few times a week/month.

I don't mean to sound obnoxious but you do sound very naive about home schooling. It's possibly ten times tougher than actual school. My friend was home schooled for 3 years due to factors that prevented him from attending a normal school, and he said that having a strict schedule at home throws you. You need home-time to be relaxed, save from a study timetable coming up to the exams. Also there are some subjects which you need a teacher to sign off on project work, that requires you to complete it under the supervision and guidance of said teacher.

Also having to SIT the Leaving is a scary and unsettling thing. You NEED to sit it in familiar surroundings. People who have spent a few years in a school would feel more comfortable in their hall than an external candidate. Little comforts like knowing where the nearest (working) bathrooms are and things like vending machines help a lot when you're stressed.