Hi, First off, I am a teacher, and a mom so I know both sides of the issues involved in a majority of the aspects involved here.

As a teacher, it is getting more and more common to deal with the administration trying to tell us how to teach. In no other profession is this accepted? I have spent nearly 8 yrs (BAS and Masters Degree) focusing on being a great teacher. It is seriously to the point where they say they want you to be highly educated but they'd rather you just follow directions and pass out their agenda to the kids. It is getting to the point where teaching is being done by those with the money and Kids are getting the short end of the stick. No wonder we even have to deal with No Child Left Behind. Let the teachers teach and get everybody else out of the classrooms. If you don't trust the teacher then HOMESCHOOL.

So, as a mom and a teacher I have decided that this is it, I want to teacher like I was trained and not like a robot. So, like the nearly 25 other teacher/at home moms I know I am going to Home School. It is hard enough that they make you jump through hoops to keep your teaching certificate up to date when you want to have your own children. If enough teachers decide to stay home and do what they love sadly the public schools will have just what they want uneducated robots. Sorry but this is true.

So, anyone that wants to homeschool their kids and might like a teachers advice i would be more than glad to help.

Anna

I am in my tenth year as a home school mom. People often comment that when I am finished raising my own children I should go back to school and become a "teacher". I still can't figure out the logic behind that sort of thinking!
It is fabulous being in control of your child's curriculum and learning schedule. Each child can have their learning experiences catered to their personal strengths and desires. Kudos to you for giving it a try, even after all that "public school" training!

Thank you dcroberts, you are an encouragement to all moms who are taking the plunge. =) While I admit to know little about creating a perfect home school setting I would love to know from your experience the curriculum's you like and dislike as well as other things that you feel would be helpful in knowing. I am always ready to learn vicariously through others and I am really glad that you responded to me, so thank you again =)

The thing that I have most thoroughly learned is that there is no one perfect curriculum. What works great for one child is sure to be a flop for the next. I have five children and an entire room full of various sorts of curriculum. It took me years to get to the point where I could decide to just not finish a particular book if I felt that it wasn't benefiting us to the point that I had originally hoped. My children each work out of a minimum of two math texts, so that they can figure out which method for problem solving works the best for them personally. I have one boy who needs to wiggle while he works, and a daughter who does her work with a better attitude if she can watch TV while doing her math. (Today she watched "Hamlet" while doing her Algebra.) One child likes all his work for the day spread out before him, another likes to be in the quiet of his room. The key is to learn about each child's strengths, weaknesses, and future desires and plan their education around them personally. There is simply no way to recommend a curriculum to another parent without some knowledge of the personality of the child, and even then it will take trial and error to get the right "fit". Do not be afraid to experiment and mix and match to build your child's personalized curriculum. Do not be afraid to throw away, give away, change, borrow, and invent!

Hi
I am a stay at home mom. My daughter is 3.3 yrs completed. I was not able to get admission in private preschool for her. I am trying to enhance her fine motor skills and gross motor skills development.She has started writing a coulple of numbers and alphabets too. She is extremeley intersted in listening to story books. I take her to library storytimes and read a lot of age appropriate books at home. I see that she gets outdoor play too where she can find some friends. I am really worried does she is deprived of schooling or will she be fine if she enters preschool next year. Help!!! Thanks in Advance!!!

After seeing an article my friend sent me this morning I am really starting to feel that home schooling is the best route too!

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...est=latestnews

I can't even imagine sending my child to school from 7:30 am to 5 pm every day M-F, sending them to school every other Saturday, and shortening their summer break. When are children going to be allowed to be children!?!

I graduated with an emphasis in Elementary Education so I feel I could teach my children well, but I have no idea where to find the resources to do so. Any good suggestions?

My oldest isn't even 3 yet, but she is very smart and I would like to be ready with some good resources when she begins to show an interest in more formal learning.

We won't technically be starting homeschooling until next year with my daughter, she will be in third grade. I have been contacting local homeschool associations and especially other families that have left her specific school (private montessori school) to start homeschooling.I also work very closely with her teachers this year to make sure I know exactly where she is at in each of her subjects, and to find out if she has different strengths and weaknesses than what I see at home.

I intend to "write" our own curriculum, more like putting together random resources. We have decided to take a unit study approach to learning and have found tons of free units available online through websites like the homeschool learning network and easy fun school. Also, I have found that a curious mind is my best resource. I listen to the questions my daughter asks me and then set up a unit around it. One day she asked me how meteorologists know the weather, I have now set up a weather unit that uses online resources, books from the public library, and a field trip to a local weather station and college that teaches meteorology.

Also, ask local teachers where they do their school shopping, they know where to find the best deals with the most variety. We have a wonderful parent teacher outlet store that sells curriculum, school supplies, and other things to help with the learning process. We are really looking forward to this next stage of our family's educational journey.

I love the idea of homeschooling, but my husband is unconvinced. I'm exploring options right now and came across this : http://www.k12.com/enroll-or-buy/fin...ol-and-enroll/
I love the idea of virtual school to start out with, and then as our confidence grows switching to an un-schooling approach.

"Hi
I am a stay at home mom. My daughter is 3.3 yrs completed. I was not able to get admission in private preschool for her. I am trying to enhance her fine motor skills and gross motor skills development.She has started writing a coulple of numbers and alphabets too. She is extremeley intersted in listening to story books. I take her to library storytimes and read a lot of age appropriate books at home. I see that she gets outdoor play too where she can find some friends. I am really worried does she is deprived of schooling or will she be fine if she enters preschool next year. Help!!! Thanks in Advance!!!"


My advice to you would be to calm down and stop worrying! At 3 years old, your daughter is not at danger of being deprived of schooling! It sounds like you are working with her and finding her "play date" opportunities. You are doing wonderful! A preschool at her age is not much more than a glorified day care center (in my opinion). You can accomplish so much more with mommy one-on-one time and a group of buddies her approximate age to play with on occasion.

"I graduated with an emphasis in Elementary Education so I feel I could teach my children well, but I have no idea where to find the resources to do so. Any good suggestions?"

My favorite home school supply resource is a catalog called "Rainbow Resources". It is huge, so browse when you have some mellow time and can concentrate. Make use of a highlighter and dog ear the pages! It has great write ups about most of the curriculum and the prices aren't as ridiculous as I've seen from some sources. www.rainbowresource.com