Just saying hi

[StoryTeller]

I've been around DU a couple of years, and been homeschooling my two daughters for four years. I'm not active in our local homeschool group because it does tend to be a bit on the conservative, public-school bashing end of things, which is just not my style. So I found this DU group this evening and thought I would stop by to say hello. I'd love to get acquainted with you all.

[fight4my3sons]

1. Hello

I've just started with my boys. My oldest just turned four last week and my twins are two. We are a part of my local homeschooling group (I have a link a few posts back). They are great! We have our own little preschool group there. It is a very nice secular group - we meet once a week and then on some Fridays for field trips. I am currently using Calvert Pre-K at home. My son is flying through it, but he loves doing the lessons :-)

[StoryTeller]

2. Nice to meet you!

I think there is a non-religious homeschool group around here, too, but I've been too busy to track them down.

I have a question for you (and anyone else who wants to reply) --maybe it's already been asked before I found this forum, but I was wondering what brought you to the decision to homeschool?

For us, it is because my oldest daughter (who is adopted from China) is very bright, but also has some learning disabilities that I believe may be related to the time she spent in the orphanage. It's a difficult combination to adequately serve in a classroom setting, and homeschool allows us the flexibility to give her what she needs in the ways she needs it.

And then since we were already homeschooling her, it was just less complicated to keep little sister home as well.

Some days I really like it. Other times, I wish we could afford to send them both to a Montessori school because that's about the only setting I've found that I think might work for my oldest. Way too expensive, though.

[fight4my3sons]

3. well...

I really couldn't stand the thought of having someone else teach my kids. I I enjoy them and love to see them learn. I did social work at a Head Start center and then went back to school for my Master's in special ed. I am not happy with the state of the public school system, my husband and I didn't have positive school experiences so we decided why not try homeschooling. My boys have very different learning styles and I can accommodate that. In my opinion PS isn't the greatest place when you are a boy anyway. My little guys are very active and sitting at a desk all day isn't going to work for them.

[StoryTeller]

4. I can understand that

It is fun to be able to see them learn, and know that you were part of making that happen. :)

I'm not sure the traditional classroom situation of making kids sit at desks all day is good for either gender, actually. Perhaps girls are socialized to adjust to it better, but it doesn't mean it's the best for them.

That's one of the things I like about homeschooling, too. My girls can be very active, and we can adjust what we do to fit their learning styles. :)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. Hi StoryTeller!

Welcome to the group!

[StoryTeller]

6. Thanks!

It's not a very talkative bunch, is it? I guess we're all too busy with our kids. :)

Either way, it's really nice to know you all are here.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. It's not a really active board...

Sometimes I don't check it for awhile.
Still, it'd be great if we could get some good discussions going again.

[qanda]

8. Hey storyteller

Nice to meet you. We really need to get this group to be more active. I think I'll try to post something here more regularly. Welcome!

[StoryTeller]

9. Thank you!

It's fun to get to know you all.