Anybody Ever Home School Their Child?

[Heather]

@Simply Simon How do you withdraw from school. The teachers at the learning center said I would just have to go to her school and tell them I am withdrawing her and check: home school.

I live in Ct. and followed one of the links it said you have to go to superintendent and put it in writing....

I'm so confused. Any ideas? What do you think about what my mother said? Should I be concerned. Now I'm just filled with doubt.:(

 

[Kintsugi]

I was never in school to begin with, but I know my mother used to send letters out to the public school every year stating in writing that I was being lawfully homeschooled. Not sure if that helps? I asked her about it once, and she said it was a precaution. I was homeschooled in NJ, where it is insanely easy to do so and essentially unregulated.

 

[Kintsugi]

I'd just like to add for your mother's information...

I did school work four days a week (one weekday was dedicated to homeschooling groups, with which we went skiing, to the beach, the movies, museums, and on other outings when we were not meeting in parks or community centers, working on collaborative art projects [plays, drawing, musical composition, story writing] and playing dodgeball). Each "work day" I did school work for between 3 and 5 hours depending on how daydreamy (dissociative, in retrospect) I was. The only subject I really formally studied was math. Everything else was somewhat carte blanche.

I was never graded for my work until I began taking community college courses when I was thirteen nor was I tested with the exception of one test my mother wanted me to take to see where I was in relation to my peers (I was three grades ahead). I did take the SAT but only applied to about 2 out of 8 or so colleges that wanted to see those scores (Sarah Lawrence, Hampshire, Bard, and others were disinterested in SAT scores). I applied to college with 37 college credits and a 3.9 GPA. I have a bachelor's degree from a very competitive private school, but I do not have a GED or diploma. I took the GRE about a year ago and got stellar scores in spite of not growing up with standardized testing.

People used to always wonder if I would be able to handle college. I didn't handle it. I kicked ass at it. Homeschooling is no more potentially debilitating than underfunded schools with undertrained teachers and toxic peer relationships.

I'll get off the soapbox now.

 

[Heather]

@Simply Simon You mind if I print the above out and give it to my mom:p. J.K.

Your words help ease my anxiety. Thank you.

 

[Friday]

CT looks pretty easy as far as states go... :)

http://cthomeschoolnetwork.org/home-schooling/link-legal/letter-of-withdrawal/

http://www.teachct.org/ct-law/overview/

 

[Heather]

@FridayJones thank you. I found both those sites when doing research earlier. Place where I'm thinking of putting my daughter said I just needed to go to her school and tell them I am withdrawing her. She said they'd give me a form to fill out and I'd check homeschool.

Website says I need to write a letter to superintendent withdrawing her.

So, I need to clarify exactly what to do.... go to her school or go to board of ed.

 

[Kintsugi]

Can you cover all of your bases and do both?

 

[Deleted member 12723]

@Heather I am sorry your mom is instilling doubts in you. I wish I could think of something that would support you with her but I say yay for you and I am so happy that things are getting better for the both of you. I am really so proud of you. Your daughter is so lucky to have a mom that is there for her and believes and supports her. She will always be so grateful to you.

 

[Heather]

@gizmo Thank you. I talked to the director of the learning center and she said don't listen to your mom.

Nicole called (is there today from 9 a.m. - 3p) she was very happy when she called. She had done a sewing class and was reading.

She was also excited that they are going to accommodate her request to have a pet rat there. We had to give up her rats when we moved 'cause landlord is a bitch. She said yes to the cat no to the rats? makes no sense. They don't do anything, just stay in the cage... whatever.

They also sent me several links to free online study courses covering: math, geography, foreign language, spelling etc. It 's a great learning tool to have when she's not at the center. Will be taking full advantage.

I KNOW I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION. Screw my mother.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

On a roll go @Heather !!!!

 

[seedling]

What you are doing is do good :). Once you have done the law compliance one time it will feel familiar. In my state the superintendent is in the same physical building as the rest of the school. So, here, letter to the school or superintendent, one trip either way. Sometimes I would make two copies of paperwork and give one to the office/nurse/wherever and then make sure the other was dropped off for the superintendent too. They don't always share stuff.

Testing is overrated. If she wants to take the SAT (still aways off!) she can do the Khan Academy free online test prep for 8 weeks and then take the test. So much online information for educating yourself! My one son loves computers and didn't feel the need to go in debt for what he wanted to know, when knowledge and information is so available now.

One example of our homeschooling: My older son hated to write for "school". He would drag through what I had to make them do to fulfill the state law/diploma requirements. In his senior year of high school he let me know that he had been writing a book since the beginning of 11th grade. He went on line to grammar sites and taught himself everything he needed to know about the writing format of a novel (dialog etc..). He kept it a secret as he didn't want his writing to be subjected to the scrutiny of even homeschooling "schooling" (to be turned in to the school as "proof of learning" (those kind of phrases really get me haha)).

When kids (or any of us) are engaged in an activity, in charge of the progress we are making, brains on fire with ideas, creativity going full tilt - that's when learning happens.

You will perhaps meet more people that have opinions similar to your mother's. The "I need proof it works" theme. You don't have to give much of an answer. Keep it simple. You know the drill:) "It works for us." I used to say "It fits our lifestyle". (We raised animals and had a big garden).

So wonderful to see your girl smile!

 

[Heather]

@seedling you said, " when kids are engaged in an activity, in charge of the progress we are making, brains of fire with ideas.....that's when learning happens"

That's what the Learning Center is all about! Finding your passion....doesn't feel like learning. It feels fun and not being forced. That is their premise.

Nicole spent the whole day there (6 hours). She bonded with two of the kids. They had sewing, she did geography and math, read for 30 minutes. SHE LOVES IT. And is happy.

How can you argue a place that delivers all that?