Schooling at home
 

I was wondering if we have any parents here that do home schooling in Ohio. My daughter has decided that she wants to be home schooled. She will be starting 11th grade 2008/2009 school year. I have no idea how to go about this. I have looked at a few sites on line but still haven't found out exactly how I go about home schooling her. Any information would be appreciated.

Thank you

I don't live in Ohio, but I have been home schooling my children for 4 years now. I would really suggest for you to find a local home school group that can help you, as there are many options out there to consider. You can also check out the website for HSLDA (Homeschool Legal Defence Association). They have information regarding the laws and requirements for different states. I believe this would be a good place to start! Good luck!

Shy, I would also encourage you to discuss with your daughter regarding her motives. It is much harder to get accepted into some colleges if you have been home schooled. Different states do have different rules too. In MI, we do have some parents that home school their children in high school, but most parents send their kids to public school once they start 8th or 9th grade. So many requirements for college now - highly qualified (No Child Left Behind), foreign language, technology, communications, advanced math and science - it is daunting to even think about teaching all of those subjects to a high schooler.
My SIL home schooled all of her children (5 of them) until 2 years ago. Once the oldest hit high school, she enrolled them in a Christian school.

Does Ohio have SOC (schools of choice)? Maybe just changing schools will be a possible solution to whatever the issue is.

While I KNOW you would be able to to this, and you would be an awesome teacher, really, really do the research to find out what the potential pitfalls are. Why not make an appointment with the counselor in your daughter's school. They will be able to give you some good advice.

SHY.... have I mentioned that my :p son in law :p was home schooled? ;)

My niece home schools and I am a school district tutor
for kids who can't be in school (for any number of reasons).

I agree with talking with someone in your area, a homeschooling
support group. Every state is different and has their own laws
and regulations. You need to know what constitutes graduation
in your state. If she plans to go onto college you need to
know who they will accept into their program.
Also check with your district. Some have wonderful partnership
programs set up to work with parents. One of our districts has
an online high school the kids do from home. Some have contract
learning which allows minimal attendance.
Not all children thrive in school and we are finally catching up
with this fact and providing services to help them succeed.
k :)

Darkblue
It isn't all of a sudden. She has been asking since before she started high school. She is a Christian and isn't happy at all with the moral values that many of the people she goes to school with have. She has wanted to go to a Christian school since before she started high school but I just can't afford it. Thank you for the link.

rnmom
I have read about the laws for Ohio and it doesn't seem it is going to be very hard to follow them. I am just looking for how I go about filling the requirements. Thanks for the site.

Counting
The moral decay of our society is all over. Changing schools really isn't going to deal with that issue. I really wish we could afford the Christian school she has been wanting to go to but private schools are very expensive. You have to remember she will be 18 in October. As adults we decide whom we want in our social circle, the places we want to live, the church we want to belong to and so forth. While we have to deal with all kinds of people in our work environment, we choose the kind of people we want to be around us for the rest of our lives. I think at this age she has the right to decide this for herself. I did talk to the school councilor. My daughter has only a few classes left to take in the next two years. For next year she has to take English, math, science, gym ( her tennis lessons will count as her gym ) and I can give her home etc to fill in her elective ( she had planned to take a cooking class ). Her senior year she needs English, government and an elective. I have spoken to the Christian college she wants to go to. They have no problem with home schooling as long as it follows Ohio guide lines. For other colleges a GED will do just fine if they don't accept home schooling.

ez
There are many many people that have been home schooled and with all that goes on in schools today I would sure like to help her do this if I can figure out how to do it.

Frog
Her grades are fine, it isn't that she can't do well in school. I have an appointment next week with the superintendent to see if the school system has an at home program. She would do the same things they are doing in school but not have to go to the school. If that isn't possible then home schooling is an option.

Shy: My daughter and my husband are campaigning for the same thing. My daughter is in 8th grade and, literally, cries herself to sleep on Sunday night because she flat-out doesn't want to got to school anymore. She can't stand the girls with how boycrazy they are, the girl next door (that used to be her friend and is in her grade) told her on the bus how she's been smoking crack, her grades are plummeting, especially in math, and I asked her why she doesn't talk to the teacher about why she's not 'getting it' and she says its because the teacher only likes to talk to the 'popular' girls and when he talks to them, he talks about his ex-wife and how rude she is to him and they all go, "Ohhhh, you poor thing..." I'm hesitant to talk to the principal about it because I'm not there to see it happen and these are serious allegations (to me they are - in this day an age), but after getting her report card and seeing how its affecting her grades, I'm about to send an e-mail. My daughter doesn't want to say anything, understandably, because she doesn't want her name used.

Anyhow...I understand what you are going through. I told my daughter that she has to finish middle school and we'll see about the fall. Our high school and middle school are in the same building and she said she just can't stand the idea of looking at the same walls, the same kids, the same library, etc, etc, etc for another four years. We're considering moving.

Let me know what you decide!

check out this website
 

Hi, Shy, I just have to say I support you in your desire to homeschool-we've been hs-ing since our middle child started school and he's finishing 10th grade now. Maybe you've already found this website, but it seems to have all the info you might be looking for. www.cheohome.org It's for the Christian Home Educators of Ohio. I'm not in Ohio, but we have a similar organization here in Iowa that I rely on for forms and information. Best wishes to you both. You can pm me if you have other questions. I just know that, despite the opposition, financial losses (only one income), and time required (sometimes I'd really like to clean the house in one day!), it's been the best thing for our kids--they are well-adjusted, respectful, and planning for college and life beyond. Let me know how everything works out!:hug:

Just wanted to add: The reasons I'm considering homeschooling my daughter include the fact that they are at school for SO long, I have no time to teach her the things I'd like to be teaching her at home, like cooking, home decorating, other responsibilities around the house, guitar, etc....If I thought I could pull off teaching her the science and math they learn in school AND have time to teach her the above things, I'd do it in a second, because of the next reasons...I LIKE the fact that my daughter has a sense to resist the 'in crowd' that is so boy crazy and has an opinion that it is creepy that the math teacher talks about his ex wife to the popular girls. I like the fact that she has red flags going off about this and I don't want her to lose that. Its a touchy subject. I LIKE the fact that she just wants to be home with me....as a single mom when she was little that worked two jobs, then as a stay-at-home mom to her and my son when he was a baby...my daughter and I never really had 'quality time' together and I could see this as being an opportunity for us to really get close. But...is it the right thing to do at this point in her life.

Because...the reasons I DON'T want to home school her involve things like the crazy calculator I had to buy her for next year's math class - if she thinks I can teach her how to use that thing... :faint: Also, I have two ways of thinking of pulling her out of school. I don't want to teach her to be a quitter...on the other hand, if I had a job where I strongly disliked the bulk of my bosses and co-workers, I'd be in a job hunt looking for a place I fit in better. How many of us would stick to a job where we constantly felt like we were a misplaced orphan? So, why make our kids stick it out in a school that makes them feel the same way? One solution would be to try a different high school, if this is possible. Up here, where the cows FAR out number the humans, the high school we have in our neighborhood is it...no other choices.

Our silver lining is that my husband may be being transferred to Michigan. I've been spending ALL of my spare time looking into schools/demographics/houses of all of the suburbs of Detroit. When I look at the high schools with my daughter (specifically, Anchor Bay High School), she gets totally stoked about being on their Marching Tars marching band. Instead of being one of three clarinetists in the band, she'd be in one of the five LINES of clarinetists and be in field competitions, etc.

Of course, then I was watching Nancy Grace last night and had nightmares of moving my little peanut to a large school where the girls might kidnap her and beat her to a pulp. I swear...some of the things you see on the news is enough to make us ALL want to hide in a closet!! :fr:

In other words, maybe a change of scenery would do your daughter some good. I wish you lived in my neck of the woods...it sounds like our girls would be great friends!! :)

Check around with some of the schools - some Christian schools are willing to help if you are low income. Even if you aren't truly "low income". Have her come with you so she can explain why she doesn't like public schooling. That's what my parents did - the school I went to had special funding to help provide tuition for parents who couldn't afford it.

tamara
Thank you I will do that.

tech
That is how I felt. Why make her stay at a place that is just intolerable for her. I not only can only go by what she has told me, I also have been in the school and the things I see and hear in the hall ways is more than should be tolerated in school. This is a little country school, my gosh, if this stuff goes on here I can only imagine what it is like in bigger schools. If I had to work around those kind of people I would be looking for another job. I see no reason not to look for another situation for her education. The classes she still needs are not hard. English, government and a general science. I think we can handle these lol. She has already taken all of her harder classes and already has two years of Spanish in.

ronnie
Thank you so much. I am a stay at home mom so I have plenty of time to do this.

tech
My daughter tells me all the same things. Why wouldn't I believe the things she says when I have walked in the building and seen the young teachers are dressed like they are going out on a date instead of there to teach our children. I have no reason to not believe the conversations she tells me they have in front of her. I would like to keep her education thru the school because it would be easier for her to just get the diploma thru the high school but if that isn't an option we have to go another route. There is no way I want to keep subjecting her to the kind of behavior I personally have seen in the school if she feels it is totally against her morals and doesn't want to be around it any longer. I also have to respect she will be 18 and has the right to decide how she wants to live her life and the kind of people she wants to be around.

One other thing that came to mind.
Charter schools. I looked and Ohio has
a virtual charter school.
I am not *allowed* to post links yet
but if you go to google and type in
Ohio Charter schools you will find a
link to Ohio Virtual schools.
We have this program in our state.
k:)

Just went and looked at replies.
Tutoring, at our district, isn't for grades.
I tutor students who can't be in school.
This can run from students who are too ill,
to students with anxiety disorders to students
who are too violent or are in jail. And everything
in between.

Anyway, there may be all sorts of options for you
and your daughter so good luck with your appointment!
k :)

frog
Thank you, I was just reading about that on line.

college acceptance is harder with HSing? :no:

I live in dayton, I don't know what part of ohio OP is in but I know that a LOT of dayton charters well... suck.

DPS also sucky.

My 16 yo sister was in the exact same situation. (except opposite :dizzy:) where your daughter wants to have a more Christian like experience. My sister wanted to have a "less religious" experience. She uses ECOT - electronic classroom of tomorrow and loves it. I don't know if I'm allowed to plug for another message board, but there is a magazine called "mothering" that could possibly :D have a message board that maybe ;) has a huge section on homeschooling. :p I love you mods!

Kri
From what I was told at the meeting. She can do a home schooling program thru the school. She has to go to school for math and that is it and can still stay on the tennis team so this might be what we do. Thanks for all the information everyone. If this doesn't work out I found a couple nice on line programs.

Good luck to you both SHY and TECH...you both know that I believe ~ trust and :hug: you!

When I joke talk about my son in law being home schooled I hope you know it is "mostly" joking.

You both know I am a Christian, that my kids went to Christian school pre school -8th grade...then to public high school...their choice.

if you don't know by now...I love and will do anything for my kids....but I try hard to be a parent...a dad...

I just didn't want you gals to jump into anything because of emotions...my kids suffered pain in christian school, public high school and college. It isn't easy "watching it".

The world is out there...we are in it...my wife ~ son and daughter in law teach at the public level...FINE PEOPLE!....don't compare them to me ;) I know many fine teachers in the public system...people you want to teach your kids.

I know you both want to do what is best for your children...I know you both will do what you think is best for your families....

I just cannot express the wonderful things...and damn hard things...my children experienced in public high school....

but those were my kids...not yours...I will back you on your choices...you know what is best for YOUR KIDS!

ez
It really isn't so much the teachers. It is all the stuff that is tolerated in the schools today. Looks like we maybe able to do home schooling thru the school. They aren't sure yet, they are going to let me know. This way she could still stay on the tennis team. If not, there are a great many programs that are done on line and she will get a diploma. We know quite a few people who's kids go to the Christian school around here. The kids love it. We just happen to fall into that category that we make way to much money for any kind of help but sure don't have a couple of thousand dollars to toss around for 9 weeks of eduction, not that I don't think it isn't worth it. So there is no way I can send her to the private school. Part of this has to do with she will be 18 and has the right to make choices for herself. I wouldn't let her make this kind of choice if I didn't think she was going to get just as good an education not going to the high school as she is getting now.

I totaly understand the $$$ on Christian school...it was hard for me...especially after I was divorced...but do-able...barely....even at times when I wasn't working....very difficult....I know not everyone can afford it!

I trust you! I just stress making a decision when things have "calmed"...speaking from experience and dealing with my step-daughter/Angie....sometimes things are done on impulse...without taking time to allow God to work it through us.

Again...I stress...just sharing my experiences...not "telling you" what to do!

ez
I don't make decisions on the spur of the moment. We have talked about this since before she started high school. We have been talking about this all year. There was a lot of praying done before I even started to look for information about home schooling of any kind. I am the turtle lol, it takes me a very long time to make any kind of decisions that are very important.

I back you 100% in your decision!

amen sister. Mama knows best.

Shy,

If your daughter only has a few classes left, could she just take the GED and see if she can test out of the remaining years of her high school career? I see that some of your college choices already accept the GED, so I'm curious if you could just go that route, instead of "putting in" high school years she may not need.

You know that colleges are now catering to homeschoolers? They realize that homeschooled kids have already had experience in doing school work without the constant guidance of a teacher, they also offer the same scholarships, and sometimes they even offer special incentives to get the students. So if you go the hs route, we have done it for the past 3 years, good for you! Just look for an accredited program, so when you dd graduates it will be like she is graduating from a city/county high school.

GL on your choice!

Alice
I haven't seen a college yet that doesn't accept the GED but I would like her to be able to stay on the tennis team. The coach has already told us she is going to get a scholarship from it if she does all four years.

tiger
Yes, I have looked at a couple on line that she does get a degree and they have college prep courses.

I went through a place called American School (it is a school-by-mail sort of thing) when I was homeschooling through high school. I'm not sure you can receive an actual high school diploma when finishing home-schooling (at least not here) so it is a GED.

crazed
Thank you for the information