Home schooling

[julieandken]

My daughter is a sophomore in high school and has expressed the desire to home school. She is a straight A student but we have discussed this because of the influences in school. She is so excited to get started. My problem is I don't know where the best place is to go for her books. One of the things we have discussed is that she will have to expand her ministry also. If anyone can give me ideas on do's and dont's and where to get info on it I would really appreciate it, this is a big risk and I want her to be able to graduate. Thanks for any help.

[Musky]

Many Witnesses use "American school" who provides the books and curriculum. When my kids did it (long ago) they had a teacher assigned to them that gave them one on one attention. It was great and they could do it at their own pace.

http://www.americanschoolofcorr.com/

[ava]

Penn Foster is big down in Texas. It's online with certified teachers doing the teaching. Teachers also have parent/teacher conferences with the parents. They graduate High School and receive a diploma.

http://www.pennfoster.edu/diploma/

My friends daughter graduated last year from Penn Foster, and she is now pioneering and taking classes at the local community college to be a dental hygenist.

[carribbeangrl01]

I used american school and did ok with it. I did it for all of high school. Influences in high school can be a lot of pressure. She can work at her own pace and realistically get through it pretty quick. Though for me I got a lot of pressure from home, but thats just me. I had to do most of the cooking and cleaning, which was a lot on me, but again thats just what my situation was.

If the idea behind home school is to expand ministry, its a great way to do so. There are one on one instructors online if you need them. You dont have any real interaction with other students though, so make sure she has a lot of friends and social activities in the congregation.

All in all it wasnt a totally bad experience.

[Áine]

I home schooled as well, I found that I was able to go and buy the books for the year at the local book shop and follow along... I doubt it is that easy in the US

[ava]

I home schooled as well, I found that I was able to go and buy the books for the year at the local book shop and follow along... I doubt it is that easy in the US

Now a days, more and more kids in the US are doing school online with certified teachers. Most parents who homeschool don't have to really do much anymore. Back in the '80's and before, you had to buy books and basically teach your kids everything, but now for small monthly fees, you can have your kids do schooling online with an actual teacher.

[Elijahsmama]

Connections academy is nationwide and they are free and supply your materials. In pa we have pacyber school not sure if a similar school is in your state. Now a days these schools work in conjunction with local public schools and the kids may even participate in the school districts activities. Also many cyber schools pay you for your Internet service because connection to it is necessary. The cyber schools are more rigid than the "here's your books getting learning" so it really depends on your child and your preference.

[GrumpysWife]

Hi Heather, thanks for that info and also I would like to welcome you to our forum. I hope you enjoy it as much as Grumpy and I do.

[julieandken]

Thanks Angela, we are visiting other congregations for service. One congregation is 60 miles away but we are making arrangements with a pioneer family of 5, their youngest is 14 and she has been pioneering for 2 years. We are going to go to another congregation 30 miles away twice a month for phone witnessing in the evening and then when it starts getting warm again we are going to join them for having a witness booth at wal-mart. Hopefully with the association she will always be wanting to serve Jehovah.

[carribbeangrl01]

That's great you are visiting othe congregation you are visiting other congregations. It will help a lot to have other young pioneers to get to know and associate with. I used to love being out in service with my friends young and older too. I formed some solid friendships and was able to ask advice form some of the older than me sisters. I loved them so much. I still do even though I don't see them much these days and they generally don't like talking on the phone.

It will be a good experience for your daughter.

I actually had to write a 3 page essay on why I wanted to do home study. Imagine that. Having to come up with 3 pages why I wanted to do home study vs regular school.

Schools in general are not easy. Hours of homework, peer pressure to do things you don't want to or shouldn't b doing anyway.

The pressure of this system in general gets harder on all of us regardless of age and circumstances. It's wonderful that you are able to help and support your daughter in such a way to help and encourage her to pioneer. It shows the work you put in as a parent. I don't have children myself but I know it's not easy.

May Jehovah continue to be with you and your family in your efforts

Angela

[lef]

We use Penn Foster and like it better than American. American you have to wait for tests to come back in the mail and then you have to wait for the new books to arrive ( unless they have changed that in the last couple of years). Penn Foster sends you books, but you can also read them online and take tests online, and they grade is immediate - then you can move on. The opinion of some students here is that they didn't like American's math. They thought it was difficult to understand and not well written. Several have commented on liking Penn Foster's math much better - that it made more sense and was practical. It's an accredited course.

[julieandken]

Thank you Angela for your words. It isn't easy having teenagers and watching them deal with problems of school. this is actually my step-daughter, all of my children graduated, the most recent one in May of this year. I seen everything they went through and now none of them are coming to the meetings. I am trying to look at what I can do different. She is a bright girl so I know she will excel at whatever she does.

[julieandken]

Thanks Lynne, I take on line classes at Penn Foster and love it so I may check them out too.

[Bro.David Drake DeLaurento]

Hey Julie,

Every state has a different criteria for home schooling. It would good to research the requisites of your home state. Sometimes there is a waiting list. We decided to home school my son starting in January 2013. He has A.D.D and is getting into too much problems in school.

DDD

[Joe Schmoe]

This one is a great one we're considering for our children. My brother and his wife used them. From what I have heard the guy who started it was a Circuit Overseer at one point, and allows/includes spiritual learning in line with our beliefs for actual school credit. In other words, if your high school child wants to go out in field service, it's encouraged.

Ozbeck Educational Services

I've also known close friends that completed American School and that also has been a good option for a lot of Witnesses that I know.

[Greenfield]

If you do an online or correspondence school make sure it is accredited, meaning its diploma has the same worth as a diploma from a physical, local high school. Even just teaching your child yourself out of library books some hours a day meets State Department of Education requirements, but it is worthless in the job market. If they don't go to an accredited physical or correspondence high school, they will have to get a GED (which involves more than just taking a test), or else be in the same position as a dropout - which is a ripoff of time and money in my book.

[Littenslittlekittens]

I've been thinking about Homeschooling my daughter as well for quiet some time , She doesn't start Kindergarten till September 2013 , But am thinking about going with a online school in my home town in BC Canada , If I do that I enroll her , I will get a support teacher to help me who will work along side me if I have questions , she will be there to assist me , They also have programs my daughter can take at the learning center that are free of charge to me , her support teacher is the one who teaches the class , I'm able to sit back , watch the class while she teaches them for the 1.5 hours the class is in session it's a art class , they also have other classes that come up gym , stuff. I can sign up for as many as my daughter want to join in too. great for socialization . Only thing this Online school doesn't support is is religious school work for subjects for marks , but as for holidays assignments they would have to do , I'm sure they will let me cut all that out and place something neutral in it's place that doesn't have any thing to do with religion so we still get the marks we need . They also issue a report card , I have to send in samples of my daughters work , keep a journal of what we do each week , submit it weekly or monthly to them. Love to know experience others have had with homeschooling , how they have done it . Thanks sister Litten

[Qapla]

Back when my kids were young we looked into home schooling. In fact, my oldest daughter was home schooled for the first two years. It was like pulling teeth with the State to get them to recognize their efforts.

Since then, there have been so many people in Florida who want to home school that the State finally decided to work with people instead of against them. Now, to home school, you can go through the State. They have their own on-line school. Makes it fairly simple.

You may want to check and see if your State may also offer home school through the school system. You may find it easier, cheaper and less of a hassle with getting an accredited diploma.

[Kim]

Julie - let us know how the witness booth works out please! Sounds great!

[Kim]

Julie - SO glad you posted this! My son has been going back and forth for about four years with trying home schooling. He is starting high school next year and has proved successful in independent studies (though school but not in regular class setting). I made him write out the advantages and disadvantages of both home and traditional school. He does see the downside of association, drama in school and less time for spiritual goals. This is helping with my decision as well as yours. Thanks again for posting. Let us know what your final decision is!

[julieandken]

Kim, I will let you know about the booth. Of course it is winter now and they stopped doing the booth but come spring we are going to do it, I actually can't wait. As far as home-schooling we have decided to allow her to do it. We have set up service days and she knows that this is her schedule whether her dad makes it out or not, (I have daycare so I can't go out during the day at this time). She knows what she has to do and is very excited about it. She may take a vocational class for 3 hours a day next year just to help her out for getting a part-time job. It is looking great for her. Will keep you posted.

[Kim]

I am so happy for you Julie! Hope all goes well with both. I know Jehovah is happy with your choices you and your family have made to put him first!

[PrairieGirl]

I hope it worked out for you!

 

I do not wish to debate, but at the same time, when something false is said, I must say something. You do not have to use a accredited high school curricula to have a worthwhile diploma in most states. You do NOT have to get a GED. It would be best to contact the HSLDA and ask them questions of this nature, they can talk you through the proper procedures of making your diploma and record keeping etc work, with out having to use a accredited program. (after all not all public schools are even accredited). In Kansas, for college, it's about ACTs and SATs not, about the actual diploma. It is different state to state. But, accredited programs can be very expensive, but they are not the only way to have a successful diploma. 

 

I pioneered through high school and had a great time. Most my time was spent with older ones in the cong, as none of the other young ones pioneered through high school. I went to a alternative high school though. So I could go to first hour, then go down the street a little to my local KH, go out in service for 3 hours, and come back to school for the next few hours, and then take night school 3 days a week for another 2 subjects and it all balanced out great. As night school was on opposite days of my meetings (back then we had two evening meetings a week).