Home Schooling - New Albin,IA

Hi R.! I was a high school counselor until I chose to work from home last year so I could stay home with my daughter. I understand the issues your son is dealing with. It's too bad that schools have such a hard time meeting the individual needs of the students and addressing bullying. Those were two of my biggest frustrations in my job. I think it's great that you are exploring options for your son in order to do what's best for him! Your district office should have some paperwork that you can look at about homeschooling, or you could also contact your state's Dept of Public Instruction. I know that homeschool education is amazing because while a counselor, I enrolled a few students who had been homeschooled and decided to come to the school itself either full days or for just a few select courses during their high school years, and they were all above the education levels of the current students in the school. Also, I think if they were enrolled even for just partial days, they could still participate in sports. I'm not 100% sure on that, though. If he decides to stay at school, maybe getting involved in some sports would be the motivation he'd need to attend more regularly? It still doesn't help with the boredom issue, but you could talk to the counselor or principal to see if there are some enrichment-type activities he could do. I'm guessing since your school is 6-12, it's a small district, and there maybe aren't a ton of options - that was the case in the school I worked in. However, it wouldn't hurt to ask. Good luck with everything!

C.

I don't have time to give as complete an answer as I would like right now. Just for starters, the school is not the place to ask to get you started homeschooling if that is what you choose to do. It would be much like asking your mom and you to help someone set up a restaurant business that is in direct competition with you. Your best opportunity to see what is out there and to explore the options is to attend the MACHE (MN Homeschool) Convention in St. Paul in just a few weeks.There you could attend sessions on how to decided, how to get started, and what is involved as well as have access to hundreds of suppliers so you could see and have hands on a broad overview of what is available. If you are interested, go to www.mache.org and look for the April convention info.

Before you make your decision, however, there are other issues you will need to explore. Who will hold him accountable for doing his schoolwork at home? Will he be more motivated? If he is truly bored at school and you or another adult are able to teach him at home, it could very well be that you might find areas of interest and move either in depth enough or fast enough so you could maintain his interest, but that is not a given.

I strong home school supporter and proponent which is why I want you to be sure you understand what your responsibilities will be before you jump in. Home schooling is not just staying home and getting away from school. It is taking responsibility for schooling at home. I don't know how he is managing to avoid going to school - Is he just not going at all? Is he leaving after someone has gotten him there? - but, I am wondering whether what your plan is to hold him responsible to do his work at home if you currently cannot hold him responsible to get him to school. If a feasible plan can be made, I would be one of your strongest supporters. If not, it might be best to ask for more direct help to get him there and keep him there.

There is much more I would like to explore with you, but it will have to wait.

Hi R.! I am always suprised at the vast ignorance and predjudice against homeschool.
I just want to encourage you....you ARE qualified to teach your son at home and YOU are the one who knows him best. I was homeschooled. I was always a grade ahead of my peers and had more friends than ANY of my friends who went to public school.
Luckily we live in a time that your son can go to school part time and take the classes that he chooses, be involved in sports and still homeschool. And if you decide it's not right for you, then you can easily go back to public school.

***The most important issue here is that he is being picked on. A harassment complaint is NOT going to help your son. I don't understand why this doesn't concern the other posters more. You are right to consider his emotional well being. No wonder he wants to stay home from school! If I were being picked on I would avoid it too!

My friend is going through this with her son. She pulled him out of school and he THRIVED! His self confidence and his academic ability grew by leaps and bounds!
Don't let people discourage you if this is what you feel is necessary. People who are ignorant about this subject get very defensive about taking kids out of public school. What they think does not matter. Most people who are opposed to homeschool have very backward ideas about it or form an opinion without knowing the facts.
Someone mentioned MACHE. It's a great way to get connected with other people who homeschool and find ideas for curriculums and methods.

Feel free to message me if you have any questions!
AND no matter what you choose, I am touched by how carefully you consider your son. Good job mom!

HI R.,

I see you have gotten a lot of responses so I will make my response as brief as possible.

First of all, I want to congratulate you on doing what is best for your son even if that means a lot more work for you. That takes courage and strength and I applaud you for that. I think you are on the right track with homeschooling. And I'm not just saying that as a homeschool advocate (of which I am) but as a teacher. I am a Nebraska certified teacher and believe that if you do what is best for your son even if it is not the conventional way of education (public school) then you have just openned up the door to your son's future success. It is not about which type of education is right or wrong. This decision needs to be solely based on what YOU think is absolutely best for your son. You are only one who really knows what's best and don't let the "professionals" tell you any different! They may be master teachers but YOU are the master parent and your son's first teacher and you love your son far more than anyone else. You will have the most determination than anyone else to see him succeed even if that means late nights learning how to diagram sentences before you teach him how to do it the next morning.

Secondly, you are fully capable of teaching your son at home. Even professionals will tell you that the number 1 factor for a child's success is PARENT INVOLVEMENT. You can't get anymore involved than homeschooling! When I was working on my masters in education I did my research on homeschooling. What I found out was that children who homeschool generally do better academically than their peers (by 25%)and are better socialized because they learn to relate to people of ALL age groups.

Thirdly, You do not have to homeschool alone. I am not sure where you live but where I live in Omaha, Nebraska there is a wonderful homeschooling network where homeschooled children play sports together, go on field trips, parents help each other find curriculum, parents encourage and support one another. I would try to contact a group like that in the city you live in. They would be able to help you get started - and would be MORE than happy to help! (I would also be willing to answer homeschooling questions, too.)Some of these groups have formed a co-op where they get together and teach subjects like biology and math. Some charge a fee for that but usually it is very reasonable. My 7-year old son currently takes a boy's p.e. class. Also, community colleges usually provides classes that your child can take for those higher level classes and then later can be included on their college transcripts.

I have been homeschooling my children for several years and the fruits that I have seen in my children have been amazing. The best part is really getting to spend time with your children and really getting to know them. You have the opportunity to really understand your children and because of that there is freedom for your children to grow into confident, loving adults. What you pour into your son will be worth every moment. There are a lot of great books and resources for homeschooling. A couple of friends and I have written reviews on some curriculums and resources that we love and have used at: www.teachingwithjoy.com

You do need to find out what your state's homeschooling requirements are. Each state is different. For that information you contact the Department of Education.

I hope that helps. So much for short and sweet!

A.

R.,
Wow, it sounds like there are a lot of issues here. I'm sure there are a lot of factors involved that we can't possibly understand. It sounds like he has a true aversion to this school for many reasons, and he perhaps has a great deal of anxiety about attending. That being said, it is good that he has friends there and enjoys being involved in sports. I agree with one of the moms that it is going to be very difficult for you to get your son to do the work he needs to do when there is much less structure at home. Can you look into alternative schools for him? There are many charter schools available, and many schools within District 287 (a conglomeration of several metro districts) that offer a different structure for kids struggling with their current school situation. Home schooling is quite a feat, and may not be addressing the real issues behind all this. A new school might be just the fresh start he needs to get out of the funk.
Best of luck to you in your search,
Amy K

Hey girl :)
I recently heard of a "virtual school". I wonder if this may help you also. Somebody that was explaining this to me (I asked) said that you have to be on the computer at certain times. You have a teacher online, etc... It sounded much like homeschooling, yet structured like school (having class at certain times, etc). I know this may not help with the hands on stuff so much, but in sounded interesting to me.

Maybe others who read this will have heard of it, and can give you the pros/cons of this compared to the usual homeschooling.

Just a thought. Good luck on your decision. I know you guys are having a rough time right now (have a lot on your plate). I will be interested in what you decide to do.

e-mail me on this when you have time.
)))hugs(((
SR

Hi R.. I homeschooled our youngest daughter till she attended public high school. She always excelled and is in her second year of college now and doing extremely well. When she was about 3 or 4 my husband and I attended a Homeschool Conference in Des Moines and found out what it was all about and that fall I taught her to read. If you can't get to a conference, you can start with the Dept. of Education in Des Moines. (I can send you specific info if you like) I wanted our daughter to experience 'school' in case she wanted to attend some day. In other words, to know what it was like to be in a classroom with a teacher, other students, the noise, the distraction, etc. but we wanted to be in control of her academics. So we dual-enrolled her with the town public school. This allowed her to take a class or two at the school and to participate in sports and other extra curricular activities. (she took P.E., chorus and art) She was also allowed to use the school's books if we wished, but we opted to buy our own. (We used a Christian based curriculum called Abeka) The State keeps track of 'your school' one of three ways - you keep all of the school work (portfolio) and turn it in to the State, your child takes the IA Basic Skills Tests once a year, or a certified teacher comes in once a quarter to check on your school.

If you need more info, email me. It's getting late and I may be missing some stuff here....but I wanted to reply to your post/question real quick before I go to bed.

R. - I have personally never home schooled but have friends that do. One of their saving graces is a home school co-op. I would think you would be able to google for co-ops in your area. These are a great network of other home schoolers plus many of them offer some of those advanced classes. If you live in the south metro area of Twin Cities, there is a co-op that meets at Berean Baptist Church. They can give you contact information, etc. These are also good for your student who will have social interaction with other home school kids.

If you're worried about the sports, I would contact the principal. I believe you can participant in school sports when you are home schooled.

Friends who made this choice, love it!

Best of luck,

I agree with the person who asked who is going to be responsible for getting him to do his school work? If you can't get him to go to school now there is no way you are going to be able to get him to do his school work when there is no structure.

Also, if the kids are harassing him that much, you probably should get the principal/school board involved and tell them you will file harassment charges on each student who is picking on your son. The other kids are making it a hostle place and that is illegal.

I actually thought it was the opposite to what someone posted: that if you homeschool, you are homeschooled within a certain district, and you WERE eligible to play sports for them. I would, first and foremost, find a homeschool advocacy group that can direct you. I am a teacher, and am not a huge fan of homeschooling (more to follow...) but I also know there are definitely cases where it truly is the best option--and your post can't possibly explain all of what's going on in your home and your son's life for me to judge that. So--you are definitely qualified; if you feel unqualified in a particular area, find help--it's out there--specifically for homeschool parents. But, because there IS a lot of negative sentiment from the public schools, I would definitely work to find someone in your community who has homeschooled and can help you advocate for yourself and your child. (For example: the schools might well make it difficult for him to participate in sports. Whether he CAN or CANNOT, though, might be an entirely different thing, and it would be best if you know your rights.)

That said...I don't know the cause for his borderline truancy; if boredom is all it is, would a trip to the counseling office help? Finding classes that suited him better? I assume you've already contacted his teachers? If you know one of his teachers is perhaps more sympathetic, maybe he/she could guide you on whether homeschooling is a good option? Here's my big (overly blunt) concern: I've seen too many parents use homeschooling as a way to either avoid letting their children make the mistakes that need to happen for them to learn (my child is failing; if I take her out of school, she'll do better...some do; many, many do not--more kids need the experience of simply failing) or for avoiding difficult situations (the teachers/students/principal don't like my child and that's why he/she is doing poorly). School is NOT kind; I know that. And I definitely don't know your child's temperament or the degree to which the teasing and the boredom go. BUT...some of the kids who I have seen pulled from public schools to homeschool come back even more frustrated and unable to deal with "the system." I apologize that this is not what you want to hear; I taught in WA for a while and many parents there pulled their kids out because our discipline was "too much" (it was far weaker than the discipline in MN schools!) and it made me wonder how those children were going to survive a job, college, LIFE. Assuming you opt to homeschool, please do consider those things and how your son can learn those things (in addition to the academics) from home--sports are a great, great option. Good luck to you!!!

Morning R.,
I have been in the educational field for 18 yrs now from various positions from teacher all the way to accounting in the district office and Special Needs Secretary. The district/business office will be able to help you in the right direction as far as filling out the proper paperwork to homeschool your child and ordering books for the proper grade level your child is in.

One thing you should know, MOST districts will not allow your child to play school sports if the child is not enrolled in the school at least part-time. This meaning most districts have a 2 period minimum. So make sure you ask those questions when you go to the business/district office.

Also, please make sure that YOU (the teacher) is capable to teach/tutor your child in the advanced subjects that your child will be learning. Many parents think this is the best thing for the child, then when the books come, the parent is unable to properly instruct the child in their lessons and the child is left on their own to try and understand the instructions. Be aware that your child will need to go on "field trips" to incorporate instruction in lessons. This could be from a field trip to the city library and learn how to use a library properly in order to find what you need for the lesson or it could mean a field trip to the town hall/school board meetings to realize a little bit about how government works.

Homeschooling is far more envolved than most realize. You might ask your school or people in your town if their is a "support group" for parents that homeschool. This will give you a better understanding on what it all entails. Your child may NOT be able to attend graduation ceremonies with your resident school. Of course this depends on the school policy regarding homeschooling.

Please make sure your child is envolved with other "youth groups" so he/she gets the socializationing that your child requires to be part of the "world" outside of your home. This could be anything, sports, local rec center, or a church group.

Good luck and best wishes to your family.
D.

My mom is currently homeschooling my youngest brother (15yrs), she homeschool a number of my other siblings for various reasons too. To answer some of you questions:

Sports: You son should still be able to try out for the school's sports teams. I noticed you are in Iowa so I'm not up to date on their rules but in MN if the school you are attending (homeschool, charter school, private school etc) does not have a sports program, your area public aschool has to let you try out for the team. One of my brother's played football and ran track for the public school while being homeschooled.

Academic classes in the school: Sometimes schools will let you take a class or two each semester, like science, even if you are homeschooled. You'll have to research what the policies are in your area to see if they will work with you.

Other things to consider: Check out your community to see if they have any kind of Homeschool co-op, academy, or other support system. In my area there is a homeschool academy that offers math, science, english, art, drama etc. for a fee to homeschool families. The classes are one or two days a week. In addition the local YMCA offers a homeschool gym class.

If you find a co-op, they can help you find curriculum you can use for each subject, some even hold sales and swaps to sell their used, but still usable curriculum. You can find curriculum online as well. Most companies will send you catalogs of curriculum options in the mail.

Be prepared to spend money. In MN the schools get thousands of dollars per student to spend on books, teacher salaries, supplies etc. The homeschoolers get a few hundred dollars, usually not even enough for all the books.
Good luck in your homeschool journey!

Hi R.,
My youngest is in 6th grade and this is our first year of home schooling. Like your son, she was bored in school and needed more of a challenge. A lot will depend on what state you live in as well as the school district. Go to the website for your state's department of public instruction to find out what schools are required to offer students who are home schooled. In our school district, she can take up to 2 classes at school if they are not full. She can not participate in sports, however.

If you do decide to do this, know that it will take some time and dedication on your part to motivate your son. We have made it as much like regular school as possible so when she goes back into a school setting, the transition won't be as difficult. For example, we have regular starting times, she has to be dressed and ready on time, etc. I know I am quite a bit more strict than many home school moms I know. Also, you know your child best and how to motivate him, so start thinking about ways to encourage him. For example, my daughter loves time off, so occasionally I will offer her a Friday off if she does a few extra subjects each day.

Be sure to find ways to keep your son involved with his friends from school. If sports are an option for you, that will be a great way. Otherwise, invite friends over after school and on the weekends.

As far as curriculum, there are a million choices out there. Your school district will not likely be much help. We have a local home schooling group who has been a great resource for me. There are also lots of websites (Google home schooling with the name of your state). We are using a Christian curriculum called Abeka (www.abekaacademy.org). We have found it to be academically challenging, which has been great. In fact, last week she had a word on her spelling test that I had never even heard of.

We are planning to home school again next year, and then she will probably return to school in either 8th or 9th grade when she will have the option to take higher level courses. She is quite the social bug, and even though she still sees her friends regularly, she misses the daily interaction at school.

I hope some of this helps. You are welcome to contact me if I can be of further assistance.

Just another thought... Are there any other schooling options available in your area? Maybe there would be a charter school or private school that would better suit your son.

If he does not want to go to school because he's being picked on in sixth grade- the school has issues. It sounds like the school he goes to may not be doing enough to stop him from being bullied. I would question the school what they are doing to ensure that your son feels safe at school?
There are schools online as well. It's worth checking into.