homeschooling vs. public education (Austin, Leander: renting, co-ops, credit)

[capcat]

I agree that this forum may not be the best place to find answers. Talk to some homeschoolers, read their blogs, join a message board for homeschoolers. I visited two sites earlier, looking for information unrelated to your post. One was cheact, the other Texas Homeschool Support Groups | TheHomeSchoolMom.com.

As you probably already know, there are many classes, resources and efforts for socialization. That's not so much an issue anymore.

If you're interested, Austin Home Base (it used to be called that, the name has changed I believe) offers a hybrid of private school/homeschool. They meet 3 days per week. There is a program at another facility that meets two days per week.

Good luck!

[achtungpv]

I have no opinion one way or the other on homeschooling but I've always wondered how to handle teaching subjects you are weak in? For example, even though I have a masters degree and made A's in most math courses, I would not be comfortable teaching algebra, geometry, or calculus. I took 3 years of Spanish in HS and 4 semesters in college and in no way would be qualified to teach an intro to spanish. How do you get to the point where you feel ready to teach?

[luksky]

Kids aren't any more stupid than we are. Once you teach a child to read and do basic math they can "teach" themselves algebra, spanish, calculus, etc. just as easy as you can teach them. They may even be able to teach you a few things.

[capcat]

It takes some research to find good programs, but you do your research. Once you find what you want, most publishers of programs for public and private schools offer them for sale to home schoolers. This is what teachers in any school use, along with additional resources to meet a child's learning style and needs. It's not like you are flying blind on this, and you shouldn't be. The advantage to home schooling is the individualized or small group instruction you can provide, and the enrichment opportunities available to you in the community. The overall curriculum you follow can be the state's standards for education at each grade level, such as the TEKS, along with the scope and sequence of commercially-available programs purchased. Most of those are aligned with state standards.

That's my take on it, but it is up to the parent of course. However, it's my understanding that the state of Texas has guidelines for what should be included in an education, even in homeschool. In other words, it can't be a sham.

[eichlerfan]

I'm a secular homeschooling parent, and in fact most of the homeschooling families I know are also secular homeschooling families. Homeschooling has become much more mainstreamed as public schools sadly have gone down hill over the years. I was always a big supporter of public education. My daughter went to what are considered excellent K-12 public schools. Her education was at best what I considered mediocre, but at the time homeschooling was not on my radar, and private was not in our budget. What I have found over the years is that public schools teach to the middle, and our younger son tested as "gifted" in 2nd grade. He was bored beyond tears, and I knew the schools could not offer him what he needed. Three years ago I pulled him out of third grade and we have been homeschooling ever since.

We go on lots of wonderful field trips, and he takes lots of fun classes as they become available. He is anything but secluded during the day. I also don't consider myself his teacher, but rather a facilitator. We learn together all the time. If there is a subject, such as math in my case, that I can't help him with, there are wonderful programs out there that can help him or mentors that can help. The resources now in the homeschooling world are amazing. As a result his love of learning has returned and he is turning into a very independent student and thinker. No wonder so many of the top colleges out there LOVE homeschoolers now. He also has lots of friends both homeschooled and public schooled. I am not unique in how we homeschool, but rather typical in that most homeschooling families are out and about a lot during the day.

Please don't listen to the those who say students need to be with other students in middle school and high school so they will be with other students in a diverse setting, learning how to get along. If you think about it middle school and high school aren't like real life at all. Out in the real world you live and work with people of all different ages and backgrounds. You aren't only with people your own age, locked up six hours per day and told what and how to think? Homeschoolers are out in the community, the real world and experiencing all the real diversity out there, not just what happens to fall within a school's neighborhood boundary line.

[Belle77]

Thank you to all the homeschooling parents who have posted here. I am considering home schooling my son next year, as he enters the 2nd grade. He is definitely in a square peg-round hole situation. The worksheets his teacher gives him daily are so tedious for him and he is not learning the way he should be. Instead of his homework reinforcing what he learned in class, it is something that I have to teach him every night. It is torture. He is a unique, quirky, imaginitive, brilliant kid and I love him the way he is. I feel he should not have to change who he is just so he can sit quietly and do worksheets. The pressure to put young boys on adhd meds is sad, especially when most do not even have adhd. That is a whooole other topic.

My next door neighbor home schools her two sons. Academically, they are both learning a grade above other kids their age. They come and go all day long and often have friends over. Those boys are always running around, laughing. Home schooling seems to really work for them.

The decision to home school is a HUGE one. I still have a lot to learn.

Great job, home school parents!

[OneJackson]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Like all education, much depends on the quality, education, dedication, and training of teachers! Home-schooling is no exception!

my SO is an ex-school teacher so we will definitely be on top of all 3

FWIW, I'm a private school parent, but there are many good and even great public schools in the Austin area.

could you recommend some good elementary schools AND private ones in the NW Ausitn area?

[OneJackson]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

From whom do you hear these stories? If someone were to tell me this about their kid's school, I'd ask in return "why is your kid in that school? Why don't you make the necessary sacrifices, whatever they might be, to ensure that your kid attends a better school"?

but how can that be done if you live in a district where the school is not that good? transfer I suppose?

Many private school parents are of modest means, and they sacrifice to afford the tuition. Many parents living in better areas with better schools also sacrifice so that they can live in a desired attendance zone. Home schoolers make sacrifices also, and home schooling is very difficult to pull off. Many try and abandon the effort due to incompatible temperaments of the kids, parents, or both.

Austin has enough cheap housing in good school attendance zones that there is no excuse for anyone to have their kid in a sub-par school.

Steve

thanks for the info.

[OneJackson]

Originally Posted by eichlerfan

I'm a secular homeschooling parent, and in fact most of the homeschooling families I know are also secular homeschooling families. Homeschooling has become much more mainstreamed as public schools sadly have gone down hill over the years. I was always a big supporter of public education. My daughter went to what are considered excellent K-12 public schools. Her education was at best what I considered mediocre, but at the time homeschooling was not on my radar, and private was not in our budget. What I have found over the years is that public schools teach to the middle, and our younger son tested as "gifted" in 2nd grade. He was bored beyond tears, and I knew the schools could not offer him what he needed. Three years ago I pulled him out of third grade and we have been homeschooling ever since.

We go on lots of wonderful field trips, and he takes lots of fun classes as they become available. He is anything but secluded during the day. I also don't consider myself his teacher, but rather a facilitator. We learn together all the time. If there is a subject, such as math in my case, that I can't help him with, there are wonderful programs out there that can help him or mentors that can help. The resources now in the homeschooling world are amazing. As a result his love of learning has returned and he is turning into a very independent student and thinker. No wonder so many of the top colleges out there LOVE homeschoolers now. He also has lots of friends both homeschooled and public schooled. I am not unique in how we homeschool, but rather typical in that most homeschooling families are out and about a lot during the day.

Please don't listen to the those who say students need to be with other students in middle school and high school so they will be with other students in a diverse setting, learning how to get along. If you think about it middle school and high school aren't like real life at all. Out in the real world you live and work with people of all different ages and backgrounds. You aren't only with people your own age, locked up six hours per day and told what and how to think? Homeschoolers are out in the community, the real world and experiencing all the real diversity out there, not just what happens to fall within a school's neighborhood boundary line.

thanks for telling your story and your encouragement. the LAST thing I want is for my child to feel "isolated" but the FIRST thing I demand is a good solid fun filled education like the old days when public schools were a lot better than they are now.

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by OneJackson

could you recommend some good elementary schools AND private ones in the NW Ausitn area?

For Public Schools (click on NW Austin):

Texas School Performance Maps

My kid goes to Canyon Creek.....but i suspect there are dozens of good - great public elementary schools in NW Austin.

(wouldn't have a clue about private schools....i pay 5-6K per year in school real estate taxes so he can go to CCE.)