If you are a grandparent homeschooling your grandkids, I would be very interested in how this is working for you with insights, advice, pitfalls, helps etc.
I am considering an offer to my son to homeschool two of my grandchildren. They are mostly parented by their dad. He owns his own business.Their parents are going through a divorce.The children are both adopted with previous and on-going emotional baggage. I am currently working with the children after school two times a week. I know this would be a huge commitment on my part and am thinking that I could homeschool for a few months to bring them up to speed with their grade levels. They are 7 and 11. They would live at home and come to my house.
Any insights or advice? I'
I really appreciate all your input. For now, since the divorce is not final, I cannot homeschool them. But I am tutoring them three times a week. I've gone to my local library and was pointed to a section for home schoolers where I found much help to bring the kids up to speed. The reading teacher at the school gave me some specific web sites to go to for help too.
My grandma who's 84, is homeschooling my son who's 14. They both love it! They have been doing this for almost 3 years now. There are many programs out there available to you, we personally use Calvert. I can get you intouch with her if you'd like. Good Luck!!
C.
Hi P.! My mom homeschooled my neices and nephew. My sister was a single mom and had a full time job. It worked beautifully! When they entered public school in grades 5, 7 and 9 (respective to their ages) they were at the top of their classes.
People will drone on and on about the social aspect and how homeschooled kids are socially inept ( a false stereotype, by the way) but my neices and nephew instantly became the most loved kids in school. My nephew was a homecoming candidate this year and all 3 kids are on the A honor roll.
I think it's a great idea. If your son is favorable to it, I say go for it. Good luck to you!
EDIT**** The post from Stacy S was extremely narrow minded. You don't need to be a trained teacher to homeschool and just because you go to school for four years to be a teacher doesn't mean you are going to be a good one. Don't let anyone make you feel unqualified!
Wow, I am so impressed you are looking into this for your grandchildren. You are a wonderful grandmother! I have no experience myself with homeschooling, but know a few people who have made this choice, and all have loved it. Not that I think it is necessarily superior to other venues, but certainly a valid option. I know people who have done it up until high school, and others who have homeschooled just for a year. The kids have done great re-entering public schools after both. Some have connected with other home-schooled kids and shared the duties -- math at one house, social studies at another, etc. This group also pooled resources and hired special teachers for special classes such as language studies and martial arts. In Evanston, there are programs through the Ecology Center for science credits and through the YMCA for Physical ED. I am sure you can find similar things where you are - check with your Chamber of Commerce. I know these families received the curriculum for their school district and followed that so that their kids could re-enter school as they chose. And like one poster mentioned, the curriculum only needed about 4 hours to complete, with the rest of the day free to explore museums, do art projects or just go to the park! Once you start looking into this, you will find lots of resources. There is a magazine called Brain, Child that had a great article about homeschooling about a year ago or so. Look them up and get a copy - might be very interesting for you to read of others experiences. Best of luck to you whatever you decide!
Hi P.,
I'm not a Grandma but plenty old enough to be :) I homeschool my girls, 14 and 17, and have since the beginning. Our motives for homeschooling were specific but we had no idea that we would have so many benefits as our lives changed. My husband is self employed. We took in both my parents several years ago and added a lot of stress, and joy, in our lives and there has been trauma in our lives in other areas. Homeschooling worked through it all and probably worked better because of the situations we were dealing with.
I applaud your diving in! There are so, so many curriculum that you can find exactly what you need for both of them. Some are very hands-on while some almost do the work for you. You determine exactly what they need AND you need, and then search it out. Feel free to get back to me if you would like specific direction with specific needs. There are also sooooo many homeschool groups that give support. I know the one in my area has a bookswap once a year so you can end up schooling for almost no cost. It also gives you ideas on which ways to go with each child. I personally teach to my child's interest. It makes it so much more pleasant when the child is studying exactly what they want to learn. It will fit somewhere in the states requirements of studies.
Homeschooling also does not take as much time as a normal school day. If you factored in the one on one time kids get in public school it would be shameful. Most homeschool families spend mornings schooling and the rest of the day is theirs.
This is a simple task, albeit a critical one. I asked a very dear friend of mine one time if he homeschooled. He said, "Doesn't every parent?" meaning by the time they are coached and helped at home with their homework, the time spent there could probably have schooled them completely.....
God bless!
M.
P.S. I have seen absolutely no pitfalls from homeschooling and you'll hear that from most homeschooling parents. As a grandparent you have a lot going for you from the beginning!
I am not a grandparent, nor do I homeschool. As a parent I would have concerns removing them for school for a few months "until they catch up". Why not tutor 5 days per week after school to catch them up? Or on a Saturday? Just a thought! Good luck!
Blessings on you for considering undertaking this. We homeschool and know lots of families, but no grandparent, although I know they exist. I would recommend that you plan to attend the Illinois Christian Home Educators conference in Naperville in June, there is every resource and class possible available! I am sure you could find what you are looking for there. http://www.iche.org/ is the website.
First off, I am not a grandparent who homeschools. However, before you start making any big grand plans it would be best to keep in mind what the parent and the children want. From the outside, it might look like a perfect opportunity in your eyes but from their perspective it might not be the most appropriate thing.
Float the idea, but ultimately this is a decision for the dad and kids to make. I applaud your willingness to step up but remember this is their choice to make.
I'm not a homeschooler but I really want to tell you what a terrific mom and grandma you are. Your family is blessed!
Hi,
I think if your goal is to homeschool only for a few months untill the kids cathch up then it is not nesessary to remouve them from school. My family moved a lot a we did a lot of catching up over the years. We always did extra work after school or on the weekends. It was easier that way because I had time to prepare and the child did not miss any instruction. Plus, take into account the peer interraction. Kids that age really need to interract with friends at school.
Good luck.
You go to the dentist because they are trained to care for teeth. You go to a stylist because they are trained to cut hair. Teahcers are TRAINED for 4 YEARS on how to teach a child.
