Thanks! You're living proof that "formal" schooling isn't everything.

  most  interesting - postings -    im a high school drop out ( grade nine)  but i read  all what you said- lol

i worked in northern b.c.  in logging camps  - where school was done by -mail - as we were 70miles from nearest school-

(home learning)   then the owner of the logging camp  hired a teacher  for the  15 kid   ages  5-12   - they turned a bunckhouse

into a school room-     - any way you put it -  education  is

a must - home learning- or class rooms

p.s. -  for a science  project one day -   all the kids went to the creek

with the dogs ( -4)  a moose was thier - the moose was not happy 

with 15 screaming kids and 4 yapping dogs-   the moose chased the  15 screaming kids  through the camp- followed by 4 yapping dogs -      they got an ** A *  for thier science project  lol

Thank you Ms Charlie for starting this.  I have 4 grown kids that were in public and parochial schools themselves.  And I have 3 at home that have been in public schools all their lives.  They have been in a charter school for almost a year.  They are in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades.  All have emotional disabilities from abuse/neglect received prior to being adopted by me.  Two have more than one psych diagnosis.  My 5th grader is an Asperger's Kid.  He was doing 5th grade math in second grade and is bored to tears.  I supplement their work with EdHelper.com papers.  And we do all those things that Kelly listed.  We took a 5000 mile month long trip last summer that hit 14 states so we could do history, geography, map reading, reservation making, etc.  My kids ARE the kids that are different.  They have the disabilities (one is also in a wheelchair), are mixed race, and have already had to learn to deal with all types of situations.  They ALL are interested in learning and want to learn more....NOW.  But the school seems more interested in them conforming to "normal" behavior.  Even though they have 504 accommodation plans and an IEP, they keep coming up with reasons they don't have to comply with them.  And that escalates the behaviors.  It's gotten to the point where they aren't learning in school....well, only how to avoid being seen by adults.

If anyone knows how to get a teacher to follow accommodations, please let me know.  Yes, I expect good behavior, but when you are bipolar, ADHD, Asperger's with RAD characteristics, and have PTSD and they send you continually to the one person that triggers your PTSD, why does he get in trouble instead of the person that sends him where he's NOT supposed to go?  How can they get mad at him for goofing off in math when they are supposed to be giving him higher math that is appropriate for his ability and they are giving him 2.5 x 3 and he is totally bored?  

They leave for school at 6:45 and return at 4:30 or 5 depending on after school classes.  They eat, do homework and go to bed where they read for 1/2 an hour.  The oldest has a teacher that repeatedly calls him stupid and she's supposed to be supporting him emotionally per his IEP.  Kids are stealing jackets, lunch boxes, glasses, bus cards, and anything else that isn't glued down.

I see the benefits of organized school classes.  But it isn't being followed through at their school.  The public school in our district teaches only what is on the state test.  They don't learn anything else.  They never do essay questions, book reports, or other projects.  The parochial school in our neighborhood says they can't come there even though we are members of the church because the kids are special needs kids and they aren't equipped to deal with their situations at their school.  

My question for everyone is...where would you go from here?

Thanks again! 

Thank you KellyG for taking the time to express your opinion. I hope a lot more will do the same. Education of our children to me, is paramount. I can think of few things more important. Those of you who are in the trenches so to speak, ALL deserve medals.

How we choose to educate our children, be it in a formal setting, home school, 1/2 & 1/2, whatever it is, I hope others will come in here and share with us those experiences, and your opinions.

KellyG, Campbell  and I are working on setting up a very specific education program within Africam.com off of Kids in the Nest,  and I would be honored for any suggestion's on what you would like to see within this program.

I have many schools just clam-mering at the chance to have their students talk to other students  ( around the world ) during class time. Be it recess time, library time, what have you. Pre-recorded messages, etc.

Any suggestions, ideas, what have you, fire away. This would also include children being home schooled and their educators.

I would especially like to have a section for teachers and other educators be able to converse on here. We are very fortunate to have at hand, world re-renowned environmentalist, conservation officers, Rangers you name it we have access to them all, and they have all expressed a willingness to come on here live and participate in helping to assist us in  the education our children.

Thoughts...!

PS, one of my favorites by the way: "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others"  G. Orwell

.

My husband and I both have degrees in education (he has a masters, I have a BA)...so, as you can imagine, I'm a big fan of the traditional classroom.

What I (we) fully support is the continuation and enhancement of learning in the home...after time is spent in a traditional classroom setting in a traditional school.  Our children's education continues in our home - we travel to museums, libraries, and historical vacations that make history real to them (my husband teaches history, and my degree is in music ed.)  We also attend concerts (Carmina Burana next month), watch important movies (Schindlers List is coming soon to our home as our oldest is studying WWII in her Social Studies class in school).  We also sit down with them when they need help studying or with homework...all the normal "parent" things. 

We believe that it really does "take a village" to prepare our children to negotiate a complicated world that is much bigger than we are...we believe the need to face difficulties (ie teasing, playground coflict, racial diversity) is part of what helps us be prepared to deal in the adult world with all of the realities: 

Not everyone will like you - what will you do? 

You will not like everyone - how will you treat those you don't like?

 Not everyone looks like you - how will you respond to them?  Are they the same as you?  How do you know?  Have you sat next to them at luch?  Have you ever seen a minority suffer at the hands of prejudice?  Have you ever seen prejudice?  How would you react?   It's easy to theorize with your children about this...."See that little ________ boy over there?  He looks different, but he's not."  But until you sat with him, talked to him, befriended him...how will you ever really know?

There are bad people in this world - how will you deal with them?  How will you know them - they look just like you and me.

There are culteral differeneces that have to be experienced in order to be fully understood - will you really understand all of this if you are not immersed in it day after day?

When we see home schooled children enter the public school system (usually by the 9th grade) they often have big problems adjusting not only because they have been so sheltered, but have also been led to believe that they are "better than" the public school kids.  They were told while (home-schooling) that they deserved a better education...or the parents didn't want them around "bad influences"...or any number of subtle (and not so subtle) messages that are sent to the child.  We have heard them all!  This attitude that many of these kids have makes it hard for them to relate to their peers - and many feel that they'll never fit in...it's pretty sad.

 Anyway, this is a good, healthy debate...anything that makes the lives of children better.  I have a great regard for Ms. Charlie and all the good that she does...there is room in this world for everone and all opinions...even if we disagree.  My hat's off to you, Ms. Charlie - none of us can have too much information to make a good decision.

Kelly

PS.  Even the quote in my signature area below created a converstation about the meaning of the quote....that lead to my daughter reading "Animal Farm."   Quite a lively discussion about communism and talking pigs!!

So true ALF. Many cases I have dealt with, are children who are mentally challenged and are not getting the attention they need in a regular school system. That's not to say, that's the case for all, but in my experience, many. I'm so hoping those that are currently homeschooling or have in the past will share their experiences on here, good and bad. Thank you ALF.

 home schooling -  my neighbour girl  is   8  she is going to school this year for the first time -  up till now she has had home schooling -   she is in same grade as my grandaugter  -   i will have to ask my grandaughter  how she is fitting in with being in a school class-  etc -

one thing for sure is kids learn to deal with the real  world if thier in a school class-  home schooling  they only have to deal with  mom or dad  -