Seeking in Info on Home Schooling

There is a big homeschool bookfair/conference in August at the Plano Convention Center (http://www.nthen.org/index.php/conferences/conference_info/). At 15, it might be good to have her (and her mom) go with you so you can look at all the curriculum available and make the choice together. They have classes you can attend as well.

I don't know anything about your godchild, but it concerns me that you said she "will not go to school." Is she a fairly compliant child who is having a rough time or is she just refusing to go? I ask because if she is 15 and is more defiant, then you may have problems. I have homeschooled my children for the past 10 years. My oldest son (3rd child as my oldest 2 are girls) was a more defiant child. Homeschooling him was rough until he mellowed some when he turned 13. Even though he is doing much better (behavior wise), I still know that I have a rough road ahead of me as he enters high school, whereas my girls were a breeze.

As you can see from my experience, I am not saying you shouldn't homeschool. It is a great option for a lot of different kids and sometimes necessary for the troubled ones. The curriculum you choose really should be geared around your god daughter's learning style. If she's had a real rough time in school, then she may need some down time. If that's the case, I would hesitate to go through an online school right off.

I'll be glad to answer any other questions you may have. I think it is great that you're offering this opportunity for her.

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I would do it through Texas Tech. You can enroll them on-line, there's a virtual "school district" that you enroll in and she can take all her classes through them. You mail in homework or do it on-line, depends on the class.

It's structured, well planned and meets state requirements. It's not expensive.

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/ode/services.php

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Hi L.. I recently did some research on this subject because I was going to homeschool my niece but she changed her mind. Some that seem to be good are Alpha Omega http://www.aop.com/home/Curriculum_index.php and Abeka http://www.abeka.com/. Another one is PACE http://www.pennywiselearning.com/ACE-School-of-Tomorrow.html. Go to Mardel's they have a huge section for homeschooling. Or even Lifeway Christian Bookstore. A website that has a bunch of different curriculum is http://www.christianbook.com/html/specialty/1016.html?p=1.... This website might give you some infomation about Assesment http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/parents.html. Also the state has a link to previous Taks Test and the link for that is http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/taks/bookle.... If she decides to go back in public school she will have to pass the TAKS for the previous grade. I know its crazy. For example if this next year she is working on 9th grade, then she decides to go back for 10th, she will have to take the TAKS for 9th grade in order to go into 10th grade at the public school. Be sure to check with the public school because they may have to have you fill paperwork out that says you are homeschooling her. All districts are different some don't require that. This is pretty much the stuff I found out. Also, you could call some private schools because their are some that let you homeschool through them. I discovered that. Texas Tech is an online high school. All I can say is do research on the internet because now there are so many options available. Good luck.

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L., she is definitely not too old to be homeschooled. There are tons of options for curriculum. You just have to see which type you want to do. some are literature based - like Sonlight (I know lots of families who have used this with great success - and we are using it to). Konos is more hands on - projects - good for the tactile learner. You've gotten advice to go to the homeschool book fair in Plano in August - it is a great idea. There are also some homeschool groups - just do a google search for your area. I'm sure there are homeschool moms in your area who would be more than happy to offer advice. Just give the groups a call and they will put you in touch with someone.

1 mom found this helpful

My mother home-schooled my sister and myself from thhe 4th grade until I graduated. The great thing is I graduated with the same GPA as the valedictorian at the high school! We went through a Christian school out of Arlington Heights, Ill. called "C.L.A.S.S" - or, Christian Liberty Academy Satellite School. We LOVED it. At the beginning of each year, we order that year's text books. They even provided the same type of testing the public schools offered, as well as a diploma at the end of my senior year. If we ever ran into problems, all we had to do was pick up the phone, and someone would walk us through. While we are Christians, and it is a Christian school, we never felt as though "religion" was pushed upon us.
And anyone who says homeschooled children miss out on socialization haven't been around many homeschooled children. I went to every prom at my high school, every school dance, you name it, and to this day am a social person, almost to a fault! Hope this helps!

So much advise and so little time :-) I homeschooled my youngest and had the best of time getting to know him. For more information try:
www.heartoftex.org/
www.thsc.org/defaultpage.asp
If nothing else, you and your godchild will learn how to deal with each other good, bad and otherwise which will help her become a responsible adult.

You have had a lot of good advice so far. It is not something that yhou want to go into lightly. She needs to understand that homeschooling is not "the easy way out." Much of the time it is much more difficult that public school. She will have to be self-driven and truly willing to work at it at MASTER the concepts she is trying to learn. (No just "passing"). However, if both she and you are willing to work at it, homeschooling can be a wonderful thing. You should check out www.k12.com. It is excellent! God bless!

One more thing...my daughter & I are attending the Texas Homeschool conference in the Woodlands in August. There is an opportunity for the teens to work the bookfair & enjoy activities & adults have lots of info. sessions. You should go..maybe we could meet! It is like $15 each plus hotel. We are planning some field trips while we are there to Houston to the aquarium, health museum & some history stuff.
Val

Hi L. -
You have literally TONS of options (too many, even) when it comes to home-schooling. I lead a home-school support group and have contacts with a couple of regional support groups and could help you find a group near you that could help you get started.
There are several styles of home-schooling, so it will be important for you and your friend to discuss your goals for this endeavor and what she expects of her daughter if she is going to do school with you. Finding out how the young lady learns best is also important - is she a visual learner, auditory learner, or does she process better by touching and doing (kinesthetic learner).
I'd be happy to talk to you and help you find someone near you that could be more of an ongoing resource for you. This can be a super-exciting time for this young lady. Like a clean slate. I'm excited for what you're doing and pray that your time investing in her will be a blessing to her and to you!
You are welcome to email me privately - click on my name at the top of this response and send me a note and we can visit more.
Blessings!!!
S.

Hi L.. Back when i was in high school i wanted to homeschool for a year. We used Abeka ciriculium and i learned more from that then when i was actually going to school. Its Christian based so not only are they teaching the core elements, there are Christian values also instilled. Each course is on video so it helps with the visual learning. Abeka is actually a school in Pensecola FL, so its real teachers in real classroooms. When I did it, i didnt need anyone to help me. If i had a question and my mother couldnt answer it, we called the hotline and talked to a real teacher. I was extremely satisfied but i missed all of my friends so i went back. Hope this helps!

My 15 y.o. g'daughter was home schooled for one yr. from a Christian oganization...then when she went to a public school they wouldn't accept the studies. She's now graduated but is having a very hard time trying to catch up on credits for college. Sh's had to double up on all her courses plus go to summer school. Evidently your girl is having problems in school... the answer is not to run from them but to pray and find out the problems is

L. -

You've gotten lots of great advice. I homeschooled my stepdaugher for 5th grade. I would suggest going to the library, or Half Price books to pick up a book or two about homeschooling in general. There are several good ones out there that are directed at the first year of homeschooling, and determining whether that is the right decision. It will give you an idea of what you're in for, and what decisions need to be made. There are lots of great homeschool groups in DFW, too, so socialization is not an issue. I know that the yahoo group DFWSafe is very active, and there are lots of moms of teens in it.

I think the question about why she won't go to school is key. It will give you the most insight into her learning style, and what homeschooling her will be like. When I homeschooled my stepdaughter, she required almost constant supervision and interaction, whereas other homeschooled kids her age were able to work pretty independently. It can make a huge difference in the amount of time required from you.

Good luck! I was so sold on homeschooling during the year I did it that I plan to homeschool my toddler.

R.

Hi L.,

I don't know about homeschooling but have you tried a Charter school? I'm not sure where you live but my kids go to Treetops in Euless and it's great. Classes are much smaller, they are very flexible and let children work and grow at their own pace. Their website is www.treetops.org

Judi

I have 15 and 16 year olds. We now use American School of Correspondence. The education is great and it is reasonably priced plus they get an accredited diploma if that is of interest. I like that it is books and paper plus it is designed for the self learner so requires minimal parent/teacher involvement. Mom will need to unenroll her if she is enrolled with a proper letter to the school. This is a very easy state to homeschool in - we are in our 7th year........feel free to write is you wish......

You have already gotten some really great advise, just thought I would share my experience as well. I am currently homeschooling my 16 year old son. He attended public school through his 9th grade year, so we have only been homeschooling for one year now. We use the Penn Foster Accredited High School Program(www.pennfoster.com). You can transfer credits from their high school that they have already received credit for. The tuition price includes all the text books & suplements needed. The textbooks are also available online if you prefer to use that method. They have instructors that you can call on the phone or email if you need help. The writing assignments & writing tests have to be mailed in but all the other work can be entered online or mailed in (your choice). My son is able to do most of his work without my help, but I do spend aprox. one hour a day going over his work & answering any questions that he may have. He really enjoys homeschooling because he can work at his own pace. He does his school work about 4 hours a day and based on what he has completed so far, we anticipate that he will likely be graduating by the end of this next school year when he would have normally been finishing his 11th grade year. Penn Foster also offers a wide variety of Career Courses. Depending on the high school electives you choose, some of them give you credit towards a career course diploma. Penn Foster is also affordable! You may want to check this out, but I heard that if your homeschooler wants to participate in graduation ceremonies, Texas State Law requires your local high school to allow homeschoolers to participate in their ceremonies (you just have to provide the diploma to them). Good Luck to you & your God-Daughter

I would go to kellymom.com and check them out. There are a few homeschooling moms of older children and they will be able to give you support and point you in the right direction! Good luck, I'll be home schooling my twin 2YO's when the times comes!

Lots of good advice. But I feel the need to throw my two cents in.
First, If the child "will not go to school" then why do you think she will do her studies at home? I think I would find out the real problem at school that makes it where she "won't go." That to me is a bigger problem than the homeschooling. If it is a bully, then the school and her need to deal with the problem. If she is being defiant to get her way, then that needs to be dealt with also, because eventually she will be defiant also. And then you will have to deal with her also.
Second, I really think that you need to educate yourself as to what you are getting into and get with the mother of the child and both of you brainstorm and make goals and research together, so both of you are on the same page. As mentioned below, there is a homeschool bookfair in Plano that would be very beneficial to all of you to attend. At boodfairs, you get to look at cirriculum, touch it, ask questions etc. There are also lots of speakers there designed to answer your questions. I would also log onto www.thsc.org This is the website for the Texas Homeschool Coalition website. You can find legal issues and things to do to ensure you know the law regarding the requirements. FYI, Public Schools are not required by law to let her walk across and "graduate" where you provide the diploma. The THSC website also has links to all the support groups in the state. You can look up the one nearest you.
Third, I would call the support group and ask to talk to someone about homeschooling your high schooler. There will be someone who would be happy to help. YOu can also ask to meet with them, they would probably be more than happy to bring some samples etc. for you to see and look at.
Fourth, after all that then I would start narrowing down the cirriculum. I would suspect that you might want one that will keep the transcript for you and has all materials all inclusive. There were several mentioned in the previous posts. That way you help or over-see the assignment, send in the work or enter on-line and they do the grading. You are merely the learning coach. They grade, keep the attendance, transcript etc. But there will be some discipline needed to stick to the lesson plan and keep on schedule.
Then if you think all this still fits for you guys, I say go for it. But I would also remind the girl that running from the school and problem doesn't make it go away. If she is unhappy being unpopular at school, she will eventually have the same problems at college. I also think that she needs help handleing the situation at school. If it is a problem with her mother or a cry for attention then homeschool will not make her have more time for the child, only transferring the responsability to a different adult does not stop that longing. If it is a bully, then the bully will just pick someone else, and that probably needs to be dealt with also, whether she is at the school or not. What I am trying to say is that homeschooling may remove her from the immediate problem, it hasn't taught her anything about dealing with the actual problem. Although the homeschooling might be a great option as part of the whole plan. The real problem still needs to be dealt with. Peer pressure and bullies don't go away just because you homeschool.
I would also recommend checking books out from the library, reading some homeschool magazines, and looking at some of the cirriculum at Mardel's or Lifeway Christian stores. The more you know what you are getting into the easier it will be for you guys to be successful and cope.
BTW, we have never been to public school. We homeschool our 3 boys ages, 13.5, 12, 8.5.
Your goddaughter doesn't know how lucky she is, that you guys would even consider this as an option to her problems.
Good luck,
L.

I started homeschooling an 11th grader when we moved and she didn't want to start a new school. I've homeschooled my 10 children for 17 years now.
There is a LOT on the internet. Here in Grandview, we have a place you can come and buy Rod and Staff.

Hi L. - There are options. I kind of experienced that with my daughter in the beginning of her JR yr due some bullying. Check out www.thegraceacademy.org. It's a whole new perspective to homeschooling - all on-line, communication with teachers and everything. You can even monitor what she is doing when she is on the pc. It's also accredited. Hope this helps! God Bless! D. O.

You just have to find the books that she will be needing. There is going to be a book sale in Plano on August. I'm not sure what date, you can find it on the Calendar on Plano.gov. Make sure she does her work and learns what she needs to know for her grade level. Please remember that if she ever decides she wants to go back to school, most school principals will ask to see the curriculum or work she has been doing at home, so keep everything organized. You can speed her up, she can finish high school in no time. If it's in her best interest go for it.

Summit Christan Academy(scahomeschool.com) is an umbrella school that I have used in the past. They are very helpful and can give your god-child an academic assessment test to find out where she is academically and then make suggestions from there.
D.

Hi L.,

First off, home schooling is a huge responsibility!! My best friend homeschooled her 3 kids and they got a much better education than they would have in public school.

Put in the words homeschooling into google and get the names of the various programs. Granbury Baptist on Hwy 51, in Granbury, has meetings for homeschooling parents. You may want to contact them to get more info. I hope that helps you. Good luck!!

T.

Why would you accommodate that? At her age, her responsibilities are to go to school and do her homework. It teaches her lifeskills and responsibilities. (I am not dogging those who homeschool, just that she is 15 demanding to be home schooled). I would figure out the real reason she does not want to go to school. If it is the other kids bullying her or making fun of her, I would educate on coping strategies. To shield her from that won't allow her to develop the self confidence and coping skills needed later in life.

I would first advise you to see what the laws for your state say about who is allowed to homeschool a child.
I have some reservations about homeschooling a child due to their refusing to go to school. There are many reasons children may see this a good reason not to go to school and that homeschooling is going to be the answer. I would not go into this major responsibility with out serious thought or prayer about this situation. Explore with the mother and child about the why and why not reasons to homeschool.
Dealing with a Teen who is experiencing difficulties in school is trying because vicious attitudes to perceived wrongs or being on the outside looking in is hard for teens who are trying to be part of something that helps them have the identity they want to have. Clearing through the debris is going to be Mom's job and if that is dealt with and resolved, and the girl is willing to put in the time and effort to learn on her own with you as the facilitator to her learning experience, then Go to www.thsc.org for a beginning point of information.
There are many websites you can go to for help is starting homeschooling. Use a search engine like Yahoo or Google to find websites in your area. Bob Jones University offers cirriculum for homeschooling as does ABeka Books. There are many, many types of styles for homeschooling from Alpha and Omega self paced lessons to video classroom type lessons. It mainly depends on how much her mom wants to devote to her education. None of the cirriculum is inexpensive. However there are homeschool support groups that network for used books.
I hope this points you in the right direction.
J Graham

Hi L.,
I myself am a first time homeschool mom. It is a big commitment but Very worth while.
I think if you choose the right program for her it will be very beneficial.
We use A Beka and it is a wonderful program.
If you go to www.abekaacademy.org it will show you the program options they have.
We use the DVD program and my son does all his videos, does his work and his tests. I send his grades and Tests back into Abeka and they keep all the records for me.
It is less stress that way and He can even go to Florida when he graduates to graduate with all the other Homeschoolers across the country.
So check it out!
You won't regret homeschooling. It has been the Best Decision we ever made!

Hello!

Blessings on you and yours! Dominion Equippers is a homeschooling school , Fort Worth area. You can drop off the young lady.
However, they do not take problem youth so if she had discipline problems, she would need to look elsewhere.
There are some other programs, Winfree Academy of Irving, etc.
You can google these and get other info.
I am a proud homeschooling Mom of 19 years!!!!!!!!
Blessings!
C. Nelson

Your godchild can definitely be home schooled and the process is not very difficult, although there is a cost associated with what she'll need. You can find information about Texas homeschooling online and there are several curriculums to choose from. There are also programs available throughout the area that offer classes once or more times a week for specific courses, such as chemistry and math. There is a great publication known as the Old Schoolhouse Magazine and you can find it online, as well.

Just search the web there are many private schools that also do home schooling. Richardson has the largest homeschool population.

Dear L.
My husband and I homeschool our 16 year old son. We operate Educational Rescue Online. My husband would like to talk with you about homeschooling. One of his concerns is why your godchild does not want to go to school. How well were they doing in school. Feel free to call us at ###-###-#### so we can talk in more details. Learn more about us www.educationalrescueonline.com or www.worldvistaacademy.com

Look forward talking with you.
H. Thomas

I would suggest Alpha Omega's switched on schoolhouse. I've used it for 6th -9th and 11th and 12th grades for my daughter. She went to a private school in 10th grade. Their website is www.aop.com and you can get a catalog and everything. Good luck. p.s. she's not too old to homeschool.

There are many resources for home schooling on the internet. Try googling 'homeschool textbooks' or something of the kind. I recommend that you then check out some of the publishers' websites to find out if they will be at any area conventions/meets where you can check out more than one teaching system at a time. I started homeschooling when my twins were in the 7th grade (11 yrs old). I went to a large local convention where I was able to get pamphlets, info, and flyers from everyone there. I then went home and read each one, discarding all that I felt wouldn't work for us. That isolated about 5 companies and I was able to finalize my choice about a week after the convention. All that was left was to contact the publishers and order what I needed.
I added my youngest 2 years later and added his best friend when they were in 8th grade. I have one year left now and am looking back on the best 12 years of my life!
Good Luck!!! I H. you're able to do this and get as much joy as I've had from my experience.