Homeschooled Teen Gets into Top Ivies, etc.

<p>Sorry, epiphany... The posts on this thread are multiplying like rabbits, it is hard to keep track of who said what :)</p>

<p>100% agree - the article!</p>

<p>alchemymom post sounded like she was trying to... you know. Peace?</p>

<p>Thanks for the thought, epiphany, re: the impact of the original article. It's not bad though...I think it really had an overall inspiring impact, and my reading of other parents' endeavors here on CC is equally likely to make me think back & wonder, "hmm, should I have done that? etc." But, I'm not one to dwell much; but rather look at it all as a learning experience. The more info the better! </p>

<p>It's important to know one's limits too...when son was young I was a single mom in grad school and working...he's right we did the best we could, as did every single parent here, I'm sure!</p>

<p>I agree, Jolynne -- re the "inspiration" thing, or maybe just the support aspect, since homeschoolers do benefit from being supported in the larger community. In that respect, I do think the article was valuable. I would have preferred for a variety of reasons that diff. aspects were emphasized than what/how the article appeared to me, & to some others on cc.</p>

<p>At least, all Chelsea got was "not you, Chelsea." S's cousin was deemed "possibly retarded" because he did not want to participate in circle time (having read on his own the book that the teacher was going to read to the class) and wanting to read some other, more advanced book. After getting that description from the kindergarten teacher, parents had him tested--his IQ put him in the gifted range. He still got scolded for not wanting to be read to. Parents took him out of that school.</p>

<p>I'd love to see articles in the main stream media that give a better picture of how homeschooling can work - especially for working parents. I looked into it enough, and had enough homeschooling friends to have some inkling, but for many I think it is hard to imagine. It helps enormously that there is an enormous amount of wasted time in the average public school. A gifted kid, and perhaps, most kids, can take care of the normal curriculum in just a few hours. Most of the homeschoolers I know had flexible jobs (if any), some had husbands who also had flexible hours. </p>

<p>We had mixed results with accomodations in the public schools. A first grade teacher arrange for my son to do math with the third graders, but the second grader teachers absolutely refused to let him do math with fourth graders. Instead he did "problem solving" at his desk. With no guidance whatsoever he frequently flounder. A huge number of the problems seemed to be silly permuatation problems. This was a kid who taught himself plenty at home - if he'd been given the fourth grade math text book he probably would have flown through it. (He taught himself Visual Basic and a whole bunch about electronics at about this time.) Still he came home day after day complaining that he wasn't learning anything in school. Unlike Mammal's experience things got better in high school when they stopped telling us that he needed to be with kids his own age and just let him be in whatever class fit him academically. My only regret is that I didn't fight harder for him in elementary school and middle school. </p>

<p>I don't beat myself up about it. I did the best I could, and despite everything, I think we would have butted heads so much over writing that homeschooling might well have not been the ideal solution either. Particularly since I was not convinced that I would make the necessary effort to make sure that my introverted child got out and did things with other kids.</p>

<p>BunsenBurner,</p>

<p>I do plan to stay involved with my local home schooling community. I will continue with my support group and co-op. Chelsea and I still plan to collaborate on a spring production with our Shakespearean actors. There are many home schooling friends I have whose children are on the cusp of high school, and I feel that there is a lot I learned through great effort that I can share with them regarding home schooling high school and applying to colleges. Besides, they have such beautiful, talented, interesting, amazing kids - I can't say good-bye to them as well as Chelsea! :)</p>

<p>BB, you asked earlier if I had thought about writing a book. I have actually been asked to do so at least 100 times. I thought about it but kind of dismissed the idea, not being sure I wanted to put up with the negative feedback I'd likely receive from whomever might be offended by who knows what. This thread, as well as the unfathomable ways my family is currently being skewered and slammed in many corners of cyberspace for allowing a news reporter to interview us, has pretty much convinced me to do it anyway. I have a lot of experience, a lot of ideas, and a lot to say - not just about home schooling, I realize, but about education and parenting in general. I'm going to gather together everything I've written, everything we've done, and everything I've thought about and start on the book as soon as Chelsea leaves for college. It will be good practice for writing the series on Shakespeare for children that Chelsea and I will collaborate on one day.</p>

<p>Can't wait for the book!
Some people will always be offended, no matter what you do or not do .
Good luck to you alchemymom :-)</p>

<p>alchemy, I know you are getting slammed by some, but I have found this thread quite educational. And it's made me feel a little guilty. </p>

<p>Years ago, I was the parent volunteer in charge of the enrichment program (chess club, Math Pentathon, Destination Imagination) at the elementary school, and a homeschool family came to us, asking if they could join the chess club. We said no, thinking, "Geez, our school isn't good enough for you day in and day out, but you want your child to dip in when it's convenient for you???"</p>

<p>Now, I wish we'd been kinder.</p>

<p>marite, I hear you loud and clear. Our public elementary school wanted to send one of our kids to a program for emotionally disturbed children because of his frustrations with the school. </p>

<p>Teacher asked him to write a mathematical series, and the first one he could think of was Fibonacci. He put it on the board, and the teacher said, "That's not a series," so S explained it to her, the principal (who had just walked in) and the class what it was and how you could see the Fibonacci series in Pascal's Triangle, too. He did a book report on one of the Redwall books, the same teacher interrogated him for 30 minutes in front of the class about it, then announced, "Well, class, when you get to 9th grade, perhaps then you''ll be able to read books like this." He was in third grade at the time.</p>

<p>Then said teacher complained that S did not have many friends and that sometimes he cried. She undercut him at every turn. These events were witnessed by multiple parents (who told me), and confirmed by the teacher, who had no problem telling me about them. She was convinced S was the problem, not her.</p>

<p>S also had a kindergarten teacher who told him and us that reading and writing were developmentally inappropriate (ignoring the obvious -- he was reading Roald Dahl to his classmates and writing plays for them to act at recess). That was at a private school. </p>

<p>During those early years, he would come home and refuse to do any HW until he had "a chance to feed my brain." We did not consider homeschooling with him, as we wanted to find a place where he could get what he needed academically alongside his age peers. The critical mass was key.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Years ago, I was the parent volunteer in charge of the enrichment program (chess club, Math Pentathon, Destination Imagination) at the elementary school, and a homeschool family came to us, asking if they could join the chess club. We said no, thinking, "Geez, our school isn't good enough for you day in and day out, but you want your child to dip in when it's convenient for you???"

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I know homeschool enrichment programs that welcome conventionally schooled students to join their free activities whenever their schedules allow (e.g., especially in the summer, late afternoons, weekends, etc.) Conventionally schooled students have been welcomed to participate in plays, creative writing groups, book discussions, music groups, and other activities facilitated and led by volunteer teens and adults from homeschooling families.</p>

<p>How sad to hear about kids who were not supported when they were more advanced than their peers. There certainly needs to be flexibility in schools re: kids of all levels (lower-functioning special needs kids' programs are state-mandated, here).</p>

<p>We have a 'gifted' program in our district (one of the reasons we moved here, for son). However, based on our experience, the material was such that any child could have benefited from it, I believe. That's why I'm interesting in enriching my younger daughter's educational experience, even though she may not test at the upper end of the spectrum (who knows) as did son.</p>

<p>wisteria--those sound like great homeschool programs. The group I was involved with was very strict (& quite religious) -- as soon as I sent my daughter to 1/2 day kindergarten they (quite abruptly & forcefully) told us we couldn't participate in anything. There are great yahoo groups, etc., though, which can provide great resources & encouragement.</p>

<p>Our school system doesn't permit partial participation by homeschoolers. Too bad; it would have been a great option for DS2 had he wanted to stay at our neighborhood schools. I coached a (nominally) school-sponsored Destination Imagination for several years and we had a homeschooler and a private schooler at various points. However, they would not let kids come to school for some subjects and not others.</p>

<p>He and I discussed the possiblilty of homeschooling if he didn't get into a specialized program, and we had come up with several ideas for things to do. One was going to watch Congress in session and going to talk to our Representative's office as part of studying government. He was bummed about that one for many years until my niece came to town and I took them both there.</p>

<p>CountingDown-</p>

<p>That's what I have <em>loved</em> about homeschooling. A few years ago, we decided to do an AP US Gov't class with ds on an election year. He served as a gov'r's page and a senate page and watched sessions. He worked on a Congressional campaign and a state senate campaign. He wrote letters on issues he was concerned about to his representatives. He started a local politics club and got involved with the local adult party. Oh yeah, and he read a textbook. He got a 5 on the test, but the important thing is that he really learned how to participate in our government. That class was one of his favorites, so we're set to do it all over again with his younger brother this summer and fall. He might not do the exact same things, but I do want him to learn the same things.</p>

<p>Warning: If you didn't like the smart#$@ in class you won't like this either. Sorry. Really I am. Sorry. Blame it on a slow humor day.;) </p>

<p><a href="He">quote=huguenot</a> ....got involved with the local adult party.

[/quote]
Well, with the internet and those cable shows it was bound to happen. I'm sure the schools will overlook it. OTOH it might make a good essay. He can send me the saucy bits to edit. ;)</p>

<p>From alchemymom:</p>

<p>"Regarding posts 290 and 291, I'd like to add that I know many families in my home schooling experience who partner with their local public schools to provide some portion of their child's education. I know many people whose children attend their local school to learn one or more subjects this way. It is generally a quite doable thing, and can be a very positive arrangement if the classes are good. Science comes to my mind as the most difficult thing for many home schoolers to provide (I know it was my biggest academic challenge) and so is a natural fit for this type of arrangement.</p>

<p>This can also be helpful for parents who need or want to work and still home school their children. School districts will vary in how cooperative they choose to be (often affects whether your child can participate in athletics or music), but I think they must make at least some options available to anyone in their district because they are publicly funded. It's also one way to make home schooling more affordable.</p>

<p>I do know several people for whom this sort of situation has worked really well. I know quite a few families that have had good experiences getting services for their children's learning differences, playing sports (great opportunity for social development and teamwork), playing in music ensembles, or just providing instruction in subjects a parent may feel less qualified to teach (especially in the early days). We never used our local schools, except as testing centers, but some part-time affiliation with them can sometimes be a positive thing for everyone. Many schools actually welcome these kinds of relationships because they can get more funding for another pupil this way, with less cost, and they are generally happy to include home schoolers' test scores in their school's stats."</p>

<p>That is precisely what we've done: math has largely been out of the high school and English part of the time. Lab science and social studies always in (the high school has fabulous teachers for subjects like Constitutional Law, which are really college-level courses). After initially being uncooperative, the assistant superintendent made it happen and we have never had an issue of being enrolled in the AP or Honors classes. In fact, the school has looked for a way to give my son enough credits so he will get a diploma from them (credit for independent creative writing, an expository writing course in Harvard Summer School, etc.). They want his scores and may also want to claim credit for him (we don't have class ranks, so no valedictorian, but he's probably at the top of his class despite being quite dyslexic). But, because of what he's done outside the school, he's gotten a lot more out of the time than he would have had we left him at the high school.</p>

<p>He would have preferred full homeschooling, incidentally, but that made my wife anxious and we were able to work out the partial homeschooling arrangement.</p>

<p>S2 is very much of the "do, not read" mindset, so for him, hands-on learning would have to have been a big part of any homeschooling we would have taken on. Our state offers some summer enrichment programs that are one-and two-week sleepaway camps, for the cost of a regular day camp in our area. Incredibly good deal. He spent a week on a replica 18th century ship doing environmental studies (sleeping on deck til it rained for three days straight -- nothing like real historical accuracy!), spent time working at UMD's Bay research facility, canoed and studied history on the Bay's tributaries, etc. He didn't have to bathe for a week, got to muck about planting bay grasses and doing soil and water testing, etc. Two weeks of this each summer made for a very happy kiddo and filled his need for something accelerated and hands-on. </p>

<p>The local CC also offered Saturday programs a couple of times a year; S connected with a prof at one of thses, who loaned him some equipemtn, which S used in doing a science fair project (that one was COMPLETELY outside of school). Even got him some nice awards.</p>

<p>Oh dear... that missed me completely, curm. :-)</p>

<p>For the record, "He... got involved with a local adult political party." Not much better, but I can't seem to think of anything that can't be misunderstood. <lol></lol></p>

<p>"and they are generally happy to include home schoolers' test scores in their school's stats."</p>

<p>LOL, the cynic in me is laughing, Shawbridge.</p>

<p>Congratulations on those arrangements. Some of what you describe resembles the hybridization that we sought in the Private we mentioned.</p>

<p>But truthfully, it is more efficient for the school dollar, & they should welcome such alternative arrangements which impact labor & resources less. I said recently at work that I envisioned in the future that the state's school administration would be used for what they seem best in: testing & administration, not teaching or controlling the teaching.</p>

<p>"and they are generally happy to include home schoolers' test scores in their school's stats."</p>

<p>I had to laugh at this :-) The local (not very highly regarded) high school counselor here was totally in a panic when we applied for a fee waiver for the SAT (tells you we're not rich homeschoolers :-). Homeschoolers have to go through the public school guidance counselors to get them, but she was terrified his scores would get counted in with theirs. </p>

<p>Huguenot bit her tongue and did <em>not</em> say, "You wish." :-)</p>

<p>Huguenot,
You are not a cynic. Our neighborhood elem school did not like kids going off to the full-day gifted programs for precisely that reason -- they'd lose those test sores since they'd be attending a different school.</p>