Home Schooling

Tips and ideas for beginners

Monday, January 04, 2010

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Karen T commented on 04-Jan-2010 12:19 PM

This is very helpful Denny! It really helps us imagine what goes into home schooling. In fact, you can take each section (art, computers, whatever) and elaborate on it in subsequent pieces. That would be really interesting.

Clara commented on 04-Jan-2010 12:35 PM

I agree with Karen. It would be really interesting to hear your experiences and teaching solutions in different categories. I'm also so curious to hear at what point kids are able to take the lead (or at least share the lead with the grownups!) in what and how they want to learn.

dir10 commented on 05-Jan-2010 08:56 AM

Wow Denny I'm really impressed! You actually put yourself through college teaching your kid. That sounds really amazing to me but I have to be honest I couldn't do it. But it got me thinking, why not? what if the government paid home schoolers the money it pays for public schools and parents and children sit home and educate themselves? The whole community could do that. That would be really interesting wouldn't it?

MonaG commented on 06-Jan-2010 11:18 AM

Denny, I find your blogs really good for getting an idea of all that goes into home schooling. I had no idea before. I had talked to some people before about it but this is the first time I'm getting a real idea about it. It's a lot of work but actually pretty attractive. I'm imagining myself doing it. I couldn't even imagine it before.

anon commented on 07-Jan-2010 08:41 AM

I think all home schooling moms need a secretary just to make all the planning and calling and appointments. How do you do it all????!!!!!!

Lourdes commented on 08-Jan-2010 02:56 PM

Denny, I agree with one of the commentators that reading you makes us imagine what it's like to homeschool. This is really valuable because it opens my eyes. My kids are doing OK in their highschool but perhaps in earlier years I might have considered homeschooling. I wonder how homeschooling is different in a small town versus a large one. I'm really curious. Anybody know?

Socialization Worries

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

By Denny Mather

People always ask, "What about socialization in home school?" Ha! One reason Vincent hated public school was the other kids. You didn't hear me saying the F word at home. You didn't see us cheating at games, nor did we have class punishment. He wasn't getting beaten up on the playground.
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Back in Time

Monday, November 23, 2009

By Denny Mather
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Clara commented on 23-Nov-2009 12:12 PM

It's interesting that my kid got the bad boy label in second grade too. Maybe that's the time that kids are supposed to "grow up" and conform -- or else...

Sylvie commented on 23-Nov-2009 12:16 PM

Boys get a lot of mixed messages. The whole culture teaches them to "be a man" and fight for what's right and especially defend yourself ("don't be a wimp")and others against attacks, and then when they do it they get punished.

Annabel commented on 24-Nov-2009 12:55 PM

Thanks for these blogs, they are really interesting. You always wonder about why people decide to home school and what it's like.

ts36 commented on 29-Nov-2009 03:15 PM

People talk about "anger management problems" as if managing your anger is such an easy, piece of cake thing. I mean, everybody has anger management problems. Kids are blamed for not being able to "manage" their anger as if the adults so good at it. So smug.

Jackie commented on 29-Nov-2009 04:33 PM

Boy, it makes me mad the way they try to intimidate parents at school by dealing with them individually, by not naming names, by not telling the whole story. And it makes me mad how their first reaction is to call in the shrinks! The idea is to make you think there's something wrong with your kid.

I want to compliment you on your handling of the matter. It sounds like you acted reasonably and calmly. You talked to your son and got information from someone else, and the advice you gave your son was good.

Thanks for acting rationally!

By the way, this idea of punishing boys by taking away recess priveleges is awful. Boys need to run around and get away from the structure of the classroom.

Lilly commented on 29-Nov-2009 05:32 PM

True, by calling in the "shrinks" it looks like they are saying there is something wrong with your kid. But my experience has been that when "shrinks" get involved they usually sympathize with the kid rather than quickly label them. In fact, I've used "shrinks" to fight off the labels that the teachers and schools are so good at throwing around.

The First Year

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

By Denny Mather

Sumtown has a fairly organized group of people who home school. When we started there was a newsletter we could subscribe to that listed events, classes, sports, and odds and ends. There was a potluck listed for that weekend so Vincent and I made plans to attend. More

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Classrooms everywhere!

Monday, November 09, 2009

By Denny Mather
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sophie commented on 10-Nov-2009 09:51 AM

Thank you for these articles, Denny. Very enlightening. I loved your comment about the college students looking happier than the little kids going to school. I think this is a very important point. Maybe we should learn something from it. Does it have to do with real education being less boring than what kids end up doing in school all day? I'm going to think about this.

LSG commented on 10-Nov-2009 02:43 PM

I really like your articles. I always wondered about home schooling. Can you recommend a chat group or something on homeschooling?

denny commented on 12-Nov-2009 04:56 AM

LSG: thank you. I'll try to answer any questions but don't know of a particular chat room. Sorry

HS01 commented on 12-Nov-2009 05:05 PM

The trouble is the average teacher is too little educated him/herself to teach anyone. And he/she is too harassed and under appreciated to have any motivation to get more education.

SuzieT commented on 13-Nov-2009 09:47 AM

I just saw these articles. Thanks for sharing these stories because I've always wondered what home schooling is like. I'm really curious how kids make friends if they don't go to school.

Clara commented on 13-Nov-2009 09:53 AM

I can relate to the observation that college students look happier than elementary school kids. I also agree that it probably has something to do with kids being happier when they are learning real stuff. In fact, didn't Denny mention that she taught her son from college books? I really don't understand why we have to make babyfood out of subjects in order to teach them to children.

Dan commented on 14-Nov-2009 04:00 PM

You're a great mom, Clara-- I can tell.

Dan commented on 14-Nov-2009 04:02 PM

I meant Denny

Dan commented on 14-Nov-2009 04:04 PM

But you too, Clara

Clara commented on 14-Nov-2009 07:03 PM

Thank you Dan, but I think Jeanne is a more exemplary mom than I am!

Getting Started

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

By Denny Mather

First off, I'd like to make it really clear that I have total respect for most teachers. They have a hard job, raising your kids! It takes a lot of dedication, preparation and education. The No Child Left Behind fiasco made it even harder for teachers to do what they are supposed to: TEACH!! The system works for most people and I applaud the effort. More

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