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Have any of you had your kids return to public school after home schooling and how did that go?
We're considering sending our 8th grader back to public school next term, but he'd repeat Grade 8. I don't think he is ready to return to school AND deal with high school.
I say if you want to send him to public school wait....don't let him repeat any grades. Let him start as a freshman, in the high school. Sending him to jr. high could be a serious setback for him, unless you think he is behind. High school is a better environment for homeschooled kids to merge back into; I am speaking from experience.
OP, if your son is old enough for high school and you feel he's academically ready for 9th grade, go for it. That's my advice. He probably won't benefit from a second year of 8th grade.
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Check your state edu options. Our Home Schoolers went to college (for Free) instead of High School. They just had to pass an entrance exam (which is pretty EZ, even for an 8th grader.)
I would go the 'tutor' route, or use another home schooler / program to help improve the Home experience. Jr Hi CAN BE very counter productive to EDU (it certainly was for me).
Then there is the ultimate option (especially for boys)... Dairy Farm Boarding School !! Boys need to be BUSY and milking cows at 4AM and 4 PM 7 days / week does wonders at keeping them busy. There are many options for this. Some boarding schools are for troubled kids, yet others for internationals (that is a plus). Most are in RURAL areas that give the kids a chance to 'letter' in sports (since the school needs every kid living within an hour just to make up a team). For the LESS INTENSIVE life, there are boarding school ranches too. (and plenty of older farmers who could just use the help.) One of our local home schoolers sent their kid to rural MT to live with a 'ranch' family.
Another option is to 'apprentice' your son. I had my boys each design (on computer) and build a home from scratch while in Jr High. That gave them PLENTY of money for college (they each made ~$40k profit). For other Home Schoolers we have run classes for woodworking / metal working, welding, auto mechanics, computer repair, farming .... I find it amazing how successful they can be in business while that age (often hiring other homeschoolers, then selling the business to siblings).
There are lot of options, but I would consider MANY before 'committing' him to sit in a classroom during adolescence. Every kid and situation is different, and NONE are EZ. I'm SO GLAD I had my dog, my horse, and my rifle and LOTS of land to explore EVERY night, or Jr High would have been unbearable. My mom said I left directly after the bus dropped me off, & I NEVER came home before dark.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 06-24-2012 at 07:57 AM..
Definitely do NOT repeat 8th grade unless there is real, valid reason to believe that the child is legitimiately not academically prepared for the freshman curriculum. This is just an age when you do NOT need to be courting anymore social stigma than already goes with the territory.
May I ask the reason behind the decision to discontinue homeschooling?
I say if you want to send him to public school wait....don't let him repeat any grades. Let him start as a freshman, in the high school. Sending him to jr. high could be a serious setback for him, unless you think he is behind. High school is a better environment for homeschooled kids to merge back into; I am speaking from experience.
I agree with believe007...when 2 of mine went back, they found the public school curriculum to be sooooo easy.....I agree that high school would be the best to merge into from home schooling...mostly because they wouldn't be the only new faces in the school....Also...if you think your son is behind a year, why not wait until he catches up at home before you send him back?
I agree with believe007...when 2 of mine went back, they found the public school curriculum to be sooooo easy.....I agree that high school would be the best to merge into from home schooling...mostly because they wouldn't be the only new faces in the school....Also...if you think your son is behind a year, why not wait until he catches up at home before you send him back?
Thanks, purehuman
Your point on the homeschooled kids not being the only new faces in Freshman year is a good one; and one of the reasons that was the year I sent mine back.
There are many excellent suggestions on here; I am curious as to why they'd even want to have him repeat the 8th grade though. Waiting until he catches up is a great tip, if he is indeed behind.
High school was a piece of cake for my kids...when they went back they were so far ahead of the other kids, it was ridiculous.
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