I wanted to make this post after I read a fellow bloggers post about schooling. So for those of you who may be New to homeschooling or just continuing on the journey, I encourage you to know and understand this:
When I first started my journey into homeschooling, I wanted to make sure I was readied as far as knowledge to legislations and state guidelines. I wanted more information to most of my questions. I later would find out that all of my questions would be answered but in TIME. I really only needed the basic information to get started. The other answers would come along the way.
Well that was one thing. I had to withdraw my daughter from the schooling system and then I needed to assess her, [which I highly encourage anyone to do when withdrawing your child from a public school system.] You will find much needed information in this process of assessing.
Later to find out after asssessing my daughter's grade level was not the capacity at which she tested for. My daughter was taken out of school at the final day of her 4th grade level. She was granted to move into her next grade level of 5th grade.
After I tested her on everything, I found out that for her language skills she was within the 4th grade learning level, Her math skills were the level of a fresh 4th grader. (She does extremely well with math, which puzzels me, but you can only work the problems you are taught right.)
Her reading comp was the level of a fresh 4th grader, I mean pretty much everything was a fresh fourth grade level not a readied soon to be 5th grader. I found out from testing and speaking to the teacher, they spent the whole year recapping the 3rd grade working little on 4th grade and learning new skills to ready them for 5th grade because of this rediculous testing required by most states called ISTEP.
So what many parents are not aware of from schools across the country, really what is their child learning and are they really at the right grade level. It is seriously no wonder why this country has gone from number one in the world as far as education to last place ranking worst in the world. Now the obama administration wants to make it worse and do what, convert every part of our education system into one belief eliminating any true statements, facts about history and only teach from a theoretical view. This will unite the world to one belief only and also eliminating religions all around the world uniting to one religion denomination. So sorry for his luck that is why I am taking control over my childrens education. I dont need the government in my business telling me how to raise my children, what to believe, what to eat and when to sleep, and when i can use the restroom in my own house. Public he can say and do what he wants but in my own house he will show some respect to our beliefs and our raising of our children. That is alittle out of my point but worth you all knowing what is coming.
So to all you new homeschoolers, I encourage you to number one if your child was in a public school system assess them. It is a great idea to assess them twice a year. You can assess yourself or have the state do so. I do before school starts and i will again towards the end of the school year.
KEEP YOUR RECORDS OF EACH ASSESSMENT TEST.
Keep records of everything.
Be patient with your little one. What you expect them to know they may not even know. Ask them what they have learned from their grade previously in and what they have not, recap with them and take as long as you need to recap. Continuously ask them if they understand of want to work more on what they are learning. Your testing them will help you know what needs more work and what you can move along. I keep grades just like in the school so I can monitor what is a struggle and what is not. Do not rush through any teaching if they do not understand it or if they are not comfortable. Continue to hit it until they are ready to move forward.
You should always know, Homeschooling should not be a pressured atmosphere. It is not going to matter how you do things, what order you do them in, what category and so forth. You have the time to use well. I encourage you to make your schedule off of your schedule not what the schools schedule is. You are the teacher now and how you use your time is your concern. Schedules are great to have around as well as agendas. Always know that you will not always stay within the schedule. Some things will change or conflict your set schedule. Your agenda is to plan your day or week and stick within what you have planned. Cross of what you did and work what is unfinished.
Most important thing is your first few years until you have mastered what your child should be learning other then trying to find out, Limit your expectations. Keep them low until you are certain you know what your child needs to know and where they are leveled. Then you can start setting your expectation level up higher. Make goals with your children each year. I usually have set goals at the beginning of school towards the middle of school we will recap and see what was accomplished if any, add if needed and recap again towards the end of the year.
Also a big note. You will read from all kinds of other homeschooling fellow bloggers. We will all post our information and experiences. It will encourage you and strengthen you, but I must remind you that what is good for one schooler will not be the same for another. Each parent teaches their own teaching, each student learns in their own way. We may have our experiences posted and you can try some of our experiences but also know that just because it worked for us it does not mean it will work for you and your family. Experiment and dont be afraid to try new things or be the first to create a new thing.
Share your experiences with others we all can learn from eachother. I want to also add, dont isolate your child from socialization. I say that because some will. Most do not but some will. Encourage group gatherings with other schoolers and parents. Do field trips together. The biggest NEGATIVE talk I have heard about homeschooling is SOCIALIZATION.
For those of you passing through and stopping in, If you are one of these negative talkers about homeschooling, I encourage you to keep moving. If you have not been exposed to homeschooling, been around homeschooling, if you are NOT educated about homeschooling your oppinion is highly unnecessary, unvalued and frankly we dont care to hear about it.
Over 85% of homeschoolers are socialized students, more successful then any student in a public school, highly respected by others. Recently one of Nascars greatest drivers had a daughter graduate this past school year from homeschooling. Not only that Nascar has a homeschooled successful driver in their midst right now. Their are many successful homeschooled people out there that we all may know of but we just never knew they were homeschooled. So I encourage everyone to please dont look down on homschoolers. They are highly successful. There are sadly a few percentage of the trend that give homeschooling a poor name. But to the rest of us who take it seriously and educate our children we do not want negative labels.
Amazing how now through out this country in the last 5+ years homeschooling has climbed to now over 135,000 parents homeschooling their children and climbing. Each year an esimated 20,000 withdraw their children from schools through out the country. I expect this year to climb even higher with all the Obama administration is trying to accomplish. People schools are not going to get any better it is just going to get worse. :-(
God bless you all and may your school year be a fun filled loving protecting atmosphere for your children to learn. I pray those with a new experience in homeschooling will have a joyous experience and enjoy the times teaching and learning with your children. Schooling should not be depressing, All learning should be fun. If you are not sure what type of learner your child is then I encourage you test them on the learning types to identify your childs type and help them learn in that way. I am making drop boxes to sites with tests on them.
Have a blessed day to all!
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