Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments to homeschool or not to homeschool... da da da

Yep, that is what I'm talking about. This year I will be a freelance teacher at a local art center. When I am not teaching I will be making and then trying to sell paintings. Which is time consuming and exhausting, but I love it. My husband is a freelance photographer. While we sort of make our own hours it would be tough juggling making a living and teaching him.

I sort of worry about what and how to teach him, but really that would be more about what to include and what to exclude. If we some how got a small winfall and I was able to do it, I think I could easily handle most of it. But he's really is ready to learn programing, we would have to find someone to teach him that. Also he wants to learn guitar. I am not musical- I can't afford lessons. I have tried to work out a trade with some local people who teach it. But no one wants to trade.

Computer programming: have you looked at Alice? It's a free computer programming tool/intro from Carnegie-Mellon, and it's very well-supported so that anyone can use it.

http://www.alice.org/

Just a thought...

Making HSing work with your work schedule: one of the nice things about homeschooling is that you can sort of fit it in when it works for you. There are single parents who have school only evenings and weekends. Or can you paint while your child is present? Reading to you or doing something (mostly) silently? An independent child would help a lot there. If that's not your child's style, it could be harder to manage.

Childcare is often the biggest problem with this sort of arrangement. What can you do with your son during the day while you teach? If you have a relative who could help you for free, that's obviously ideal. Balance your schedule with your husband's so that your son is always with one of you? Can your son come with you to the art center or on your DH's photo shoots? Maybe you can trade childcare with another person in need? If those don't work, then you're paying for childcare. And that is not a cheap proposition.

Please know that a "regular schedule" is not a requirement for homeschooling. Some places do require a specific number of hours of work, so you'd have to check the regulations in your state. But they don't tell you when the child has to do the work. It is entirely possible to fit school in around your family's work needs. It's usually harder to do, I suspect, but it all comes down to what works for your family.

Don't worry about the curriculum questions--that's the easy stuff! I promise! Deal with that stuff later if you decide HSing is even do-able.

No, for you, I think the real question is the schedule and whether it's worth the hassle of working all day and then coming home in the evening to teach your child, or spending most of the weekend on school stuff. It may not be worth it. Only you can decide that. But it can be done without your having to quit painting, depending upon your child's ability to work independently and the amount of support you get from your husband.

I don't know if that helps. I'm happy to answer questions or to talk about it with you more if I can help you to decide one way or the other. I know it's a huge decision!

WOW! that link is great! DS7 will eat that up!

this year it would be impossible.... but then next year is what I'm looking at....

Sure. Seriously, no pressure. You must do what works for your family, whatever that is. Deciding that homeschooling is a bad idea for your situation is a valid choice, and I'll support you 100% in that.

Just say the word if there's more I can do to help you to think through the decision.

ienjoysoup, where in upstate NY are you? I live in the Rochester area and am going through the same thing with my dd. She is attending second grade in public school and except for the social aspects and specials, she is so bored. They are trying, but they have not been able to properly challenge her. I have been researching homeschooling to see if it would be a good fit for her and our family, so I know what you are going through!

HEY RUBY!

I live in Schenectady (it's just north of Albany). But I went to grad school in Rochester! I lived on South Goodman Ave.

I would like to retract this statement!

I just got back from his 504 meeting!

wow!

his school rocks!

Excellent!

So what happened?

Yes, Ienjoysoup, share some details.

well were told that the principal was revising the 504, but it wasn't revised.

Our DS7 like many GT kids, had handwriting issues. We actually I think he is right on target for a 7 year old. At any rate they were talking about getting him a scribe for the state test. Which I wasn't too keen on, but I thought, well, they do need him to past that test and they are putting him ahead a year.

At the meeting they asked if it would be ok if they could be flexible about that and leave it up to his teachers. She said since the 3rd grade test wasn't writing intensive, she didn't think he needed it.

Then we met this new teacher she will be working with DS7 in a pull out with some of 5th graders who need extra help in reading. She asked what we would like to see him learn in english and in math. Did we think he could do the 5th grade math. I explained that he could do it, but that he need to learn how he got his answers, or what order of operiation he used. She said great.

I told them I had gotten in contact with the DI and that I was going to try to get him a programing mentor. The psycologist wrote it down and said she would look to.

The teacher, who we observered last year and picked to be his teacher, is great and seems to really understand him. She has 2 at home like him.

We picked him up early from school and he was happy, had a great day!