Any ex-homeschoolers here?

[Neoma]

Last edited Mon Dec 26, 2011, 09:19 AM - Edit history (1)

I wasn't exactly homeschooled, I was self-taught... but I can relate a lot to homeschoolers.

Ex-homeschooler as in, "I was schooled as a homeschooler." by the way.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

1. Would love to hear more...

What circumstances led to your being self-taught? Did you use textbooks or a particular program?

Teaching my son how to teach himself for the rest of his life is my goal with homeschooling. I want him, like Mark Twain, to never allow his schooling to interfere with his education.

[Neoma]

2. Well, there's drawbacks to it, just like anything else...

Throw away the History textbooks is my first advice. Give them a general overview of specific historical eras and let them read whatever books they want. Even if all they do for awhile is play outside in the woods or if they're playing videogames. (Civilization games are good.) They're learning. I got interested in history through Classic books I didn't understand.

My mom became very sick a year or so after she took us out of school. So she meant to homeschool us, but it never happened. We grew up in paranoia that we'd somehow get caught. And I lived in constant self-imposed pressure that I have to catch up to everyone else who actually had the luxury of school.

Later on there comes a realization that because I read so many books and watched so many PBS episodes and learned so much about politics, I passed everything with ease on my GED... except math.

With all my reading, I neglected math. I asked for help on it but math was pushed to the side too much. So, I went to adult education class and within 64 days, I learned subtraction, percentages, multiplication, division, geometry, algebra, fractions, graphs etc. Passing my GED with more gain in mathematics than anyone in the adult education building had ever seen.

It's better if you pursue something by yourself and ask for help when you need it. This goes the same way with kids. It's also recommended to limit technology access and only provide exercise and books for anything to do. But you know, that's just how I'd raise my kids if I had them...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

3. I'm pretty happy with his history textbooks, actually...

The program we use is pretty good, and we live in an area where there are all kinds of opportunities to supplement the lessons.