"The Upside of being Unschooled"

[DuneAHH]

Has anybody ever heard of small groups (say 2-4 families) uniting together to share in the homeschooling of all their children?

 

[Rita]

Has anybody ever heard of small groups (say 2-4 families) uniting together to share in the homeschooling of all their children?

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Yes - Homeschooling around here has quite a network of people who support each other. My neighbors home schooled 4 kids and one of their friends who was homeschooling her son taught them some of their upper level math, grandparents some of the science, and so on. They went to a private school for various courses when of high school age for a couple or three days a week. Since we are part of a larger metropolitan area, their kids even belong to sports teams that were mostly made up of home schoolers (they did have to travel more).
I don't know the percentages but do know that a lot of homeschooling HERE is done in large part for religious reasons.

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[DuneAHH]

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Yes - Homeschooling around here has quite a network of people who support each other. My neighbors home schooled 4 kids and one of their friends who was homeschooling her son taught them some of their upper level math, grandparents some of the science, and so on. They went to a private school for various courses when of high school age for a couple or three days a week. Since we are part of a larger metropolitan area, their kids even belong to sports teams that were mostly made up of home schoolers (they did have to travel more).
I don't know the percentages but do know that a lot of homeschooling HERE is done in large part for religious reasons.

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Thanks for your reply

 

[gardening1970]

My sister-in-law lives near Asheville. She has a whole network of friends who homeschool their children. Their method is more about customizing an education plan to suit each child's particular needs in the way he or she learns best, and not much of it is actually performed in the home. As I understand it, elementary level class work was taught in a home, and organized socializing activities were hosted twice a week. However, as the course work progressed to middle and high school, parents found that they could not adequately teach all the materials themselves (esp. upper maths and sciences), so this group of parents hires specialists to teach specific lessons. My sister-in-law says there is a fair amount of driving involved. Advanced biology is taught in Greenville, for instance, which is 90 minutes away.

It wouldn't work for my family, but it appears to work very well for others. I commend those parents for taking such an active role in their children's education.

 

[Lynnie]

Is there any provision for both? Perhaps alternating terms/semesters of home school with traditional school... or is this an either/or mandate in Florida?

I knew a local couple who home schooled in the 90's and addressed their child's "social" desires through participation in gymnastics, dance, little league, and other community activities.
Their child went on to a state university.

Some of my cousins were homeschooled and the extracurricula activities were great for them. And, one of my neighbors homeschools their children: if there is a large enough home school community in your area, many traditional after school activities are the same due to the strength of the group. Also, I believe this family participated in some after school programs at the elementary school in our district. Some churches also help with programs for homeschooled children!

 

[Lynnie]

Skipping school for one. ;-)

I loved skipping school and sneaking cigarettes, not always paying attention, doodling, passing notes and talking when the teacher's back was to us! Can't necessarily do these things if you're homeschooled.