I like this... But I want to know more!

[Morr]

Even though we still have at least a couple of years before we start worrying about this, we are definitly going to consider homeschooling our children.

I, however, would definitly want my kids to go to the Preschool at the Synagogue we go to (I work at the preschool too on a temp basis, and possibly on a regular basis starting next school year). Its 3 hours in the morning and its a wonderful preschool.

Would that kind of compromise our homeschooling plans, or can the preschool and homeschooling be woven together and worked together?

I am pretty sure we will send the kids to Hebrew school as well when they are in elementary school.

Another question, if we are not very strong in one subject... Say Algebra LOL, is it considered homeschooling to hire a professional tutor to teach that subject?

I want our kids to be proficiant in the regular schooling things (the important stuff such as -- Math/Algebra, English, Languages, Sciences, History). I want them to have the basics, and then choose what they like and explore that further.

I am excited about this, it seems like a great way of bringing up our kids (whom I just KNOW wont be your average all american kid... They will be the freaky outsiders who will scare the other kids with their wit and sarcasm). However, I want to research as much as I can about this topic starting today (being in my 2nd month of pregnancy with our first), untill the day we send in papers/request to the State that we are homeschooling our kid.

Any books? Links? (preferably links at this point. I think I'll invest in books when I am closer to beginning homeschooling).

Any advice? Tips? Things to beware of?


Thanks!

[Lyrien]

You have a considerable amount of time before you can officially freak out and it's smart of you to want more information so soon.

My first bit of advice would be to locate local homeschool groups/co-ops. You don't need to do this right now, but at least by the time your kids are about to officially homeschool. This has been my biggest help with sanity and resources. Many larger co-ops will offer classes for subjects where you may not be the strongest; and some really off the wall stuff that your kids might find interesting. Besides, if you homeschool from birth, by the time they hit algebra; this will all be old hat and not a concern. Take it day by day, for some reason it does all work out.

Second bit of advice, learn all you can about the different homeschool styles. You need not subscribe to any one way of doing things, but knowing the different approaches will help alleviate some of your fears.

There is nothing wrong with sending your kids to pre-school, especially if you are working at said school.

www.hslda.org This is for HS law. Here you can find out what is required of you in your state.

Other than that, everything I have bookmarked it specific to Florida and individual lessons.

[ladyalpha]

I just wanted to say that you can definitly blend "school" and homeschooling. I do that with my kids when they are attending public school. I just suppliment at home. It helps them with the subjects that they have to learn (math, reading, etc) and with finding out information that they are curious about.

I also was very concerned as you are about my kids learning the basics. I, personally could not do a full child lead type of homeschooling. I printed off papers from different sites each night and had some different workbooks, then I also made up different projects for them to do. Such as in science we learned about volcanoes by making a volcano and learning all we could about them, we made fog in a bottle and tried to make a tornado in a bottle but we found that I really didn't know what I was doing. lol But we also learned all we could about it.
I also had them do a recycling type project. Where we took different types of materials and put them in different situations (just exposed to air, not exposed, in water and without, etc) and write down what they thought would happen, changes they observed daily, and at the end of the month they wrote a report on it. I later found out that it was technically a high school level thing. lol But they learned a lot and learned why we don't liter. And a few other essay type "assignments".
But now in school they are going over things that I have already worked with them on years ago. Such as multiplying and division in my oldests class.

Things that we do when we are supplimenting are hanging out in the woods, finding answers to random questions they come up with, etc. It works well here as the teachers like it when the parents are so involved. Elsewhere I had some problems with the teachers trying to say that I didn't let them be kids, but I feel if a child has a question you shouldn't reply..well I would like to tell you the answer to that but it isn't age/grade appropriate.
They were upset because my oldest was advanced and they didn't want to teach her a higher grade work because it would make it harder for the teacher the next year.

I do suggest finding out the state laws before you get started. And if you can't find a local group to actually get together with, join one on line. I learned so much from the people in the group I joined. And they made the regulations for the state seem reasonable and not so daunting. Any questions you have they can answer, whether it is a question about state laws or a project that you might want to do. They also understand if your busy..something that I found very important. Sometimes friends that don't homeschool get used to when your available and then when it changes they don't remember or respect when your not available. I didn't feel any guilt when I had to tell another homeschooling parent that I was busy doing something, or vice versa.

One other tip I have is to not feel like your failing or doing something wrong if one way doesn't work for you when you get started. You will learn right along with your child. If something doesn't work for you change it. And if it works for awhile but then doesn't, change it up a bit.

[Ceres]

A really great book that will help you out from the start is Teach Your Own by John Holt. The priciples are something you can apply to parenting your baby from birth. Its a bit old now, but his grounding is solid and the theories have stood the test of time. He began a freeschool in Michigan that still stands, and I beleive his magazine, Growing Without Schooling is still running.

A more radical book that I really enjoyed was Dumbing Us Down: The hidden Curriculum of Public Schools by John Taylor Gatto. Here is a link to an essay from that book: www.cantrip.org/gatto.html

There is a very small, obscure movement of pagan/freethinker types that are starting to homeschool their children. They are nearly invisible for all the loud christian homeschoolers yelling about the lack of the Lord's Prayer in schools and proudly proclaiming submission to their husbands. I see this newer brand of homeschooler now and then at homeschooling groups or pagan functions and I can spot them a mile away :lol: I think you might end up being one of us ;)

[Morr]

Thanks ladies!

See, I am not a radical sort of person... I went to public school (both in Israel and the US) and I turned out fine.

But I feel that we (my husband and I) can do more.

Sure, I want them to learn the basics that are taught in school -- reading, writing, grammer, math, literature, history, sciences, etc. Those are important tools for a child to have.

I want them to have those tools and then grow creatively on their own pace by themselves. I want to share that development with my kid. And even though I am a teacher myself (well, Hebrew school and Temple preschool), I still feel they'd benifit by staying at home for their schooling.

Afternoon activities will be a must -- sports, music, arts, sciences -- whatever the kid is intersted in. The one mandetory afternoon activity they will have to go to is Hebrew school. Both semi and I agree on this.

And we are possibly considering enrolling our kid at the Synagogues preschool where I work. They accept ages 2-4. Its a great preschool, while Jewish oriented, its reform Judaism. Very open, accepting and nice.

We want our kids to develop their own view of Divine, spirituality and religion as well. So while they WILL have a Jewish upbringing, as well as Pagan, they will be free to choose the path that suites them best.

So I am excited about homeschooling. I feel it will be the right path for us and our kids.

I am eager to learn myself about it, and see what resources I can find.

[Lyrien]

I've linked to this site elsewhere, my apologies if you've seen it before.

Because you will be raising your child(ren) Jewish and Pagan, you might find some good stuff here. You'd just have to wade thru the links as I don't know much about the Jewish faith.

http://www.emtech.net/home_school.htm

[RainInanna]

A really great book that will help you out from the start is Teach Your Own by John Holt. The priciples are something you can apply to parenting your baby from birth. Its a bit old now, but his grounding is solid and the theories have stood the test of time.

I've started a text file on my PDA to keep track of the books you recommend so I can borrow them from the library. :lol:

[Ceres]

Lol, I am flattered. :)

[Autumn]

If you haven't found this yet, This might be one option

http://www.calvertschool.org/hs/homeschool_title/

It's a school in a box curricula of the sort you might find at a private school in your area, the thing is you can go at your own pace and apparently people find they can complete the early grade lessons in the morning leaving the afternoon free for other enriching activities or just for the time to be a kid...

Just one more idea!