Messages By: missshari

  I agree with you on this, we have homeschooled for what at times seems like forever,but actually all total nine years, so far.

   I am a parent who pulled my daughters out of school,because I was mad at the school...they were both being so severly bullied,my now 17yr.old,life was threatened ( knife was pulled on her),school did nothing, my youngest was bullied too, and also her teachers couldn't tell me how to help her with a learning block(she couldn't retain her spelling words,but reads at a high school level...this was third and fourth grade). However unlike some parents who pull their children out, out of anger, I had a plan and had done my homework.

  Although I don't like standardized test, I also like to know where my girls are academically because they need to be productive adults. My 17yrs.old graduated at age 16, she is currently deciding what she would like to do, no she isn't working(this has been an issue),but she is living with her older sister and helping her. She is also looking into college for next fall, which for her is a big step(she suffers from depression and panic disorder,and unfortuniatly I enabled her to use this as an excuse...now I am being tough and she doesn't like it, this is another board subject).

  My 12yr.old, wants to be either an Anthropologist(sp.),or something along this line, she is a history and science nut. So to help her towards this goal we enrolled her in a virtual charter school(which is a public school),which has been a blessing for us,in so many ways.

  We also have pajama day, and other fun things, once a month,if we remember my daughter doesn't bug me about them..so if they don't happen,oh well.

    Not feeling attacked, just wanted to post my thoughts,

   Shari

 Last  I heard it was suppose to be sometime this month,but as with everything in life,things change.

  I am waiting for the show too..I would like  to see it.

 Shari

 Each with different learning styles..My now homeschool graduate, is a visual learner, so we geared her curriculum to these needs, she also didn't like that much structure or leading and I respected this when she was high school level. However I also had to put her in charge of her education when she started to rebell against school. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA, because she had the will and WANTED to learn. She was in public school for five years, excelling in the standardize test and other test. However when I found out that she couldn't do basic math skills, and that because of great test scores, I decided that homeschooling would be better for her.

 My youngest was also in public school,did well on the standardize test etc, but she can't spell (but reads at a highschool level)and for the life of me and her,we can't figure out why,she says she can't picture the words in her head . This year I enrolled her in a Public Virtual Charter School, which she wanted to attend...we are glad that we decided to go this route,because I was getting burnt out( I attend a virtual college working on a Masters in Education) and knew I wasn't giving her what she really needed to excel. Now she is also getting the help she needs,at least we (her teacher and myself) are looking for answers.

 My oldest who is twenty- nine was never homeschooled,because it was still underground and we were fortuniate to live in areas that had great schools.

  Homeschooling isn't for everyone, just like public or private schools aren't for everyone. Homeschooling just like Virtual Schools will always be debated because they are ways of teaching that are new and outside the box. We all want what is best for our children,I can understand where Dr. Phil is coming from because there are parents who actually don't teach they just keep their children home for what ever reason.

My twelve year old attends a cyberschool/public, it is new this year and although I had my doubts it has been a blessing. The curriculum is amazing! My daughter if getting the help she needs and she can do those extra activities that we wouldn't have time for if she were in a brick and mortar school. We live in Illinois,and this is the first cyberschool/public in our area(so the school is under attack by the teachers union),this cyberschool/public is considered a charter school.

 We have  homeschooled for nine years(I have a 17 year old daughter who graduated from homeschooling(unschooling).  Need to start preparing for my day, I have a  phone conference with my youngest daughters teacher...in a few hours.

This is my feeling too...Parents need to stop being afraid of their children and start raising them properly. It isn't the governments job to raise our children,they have enough to do. It is us as parents and extended family who are to raise our children. By this I mean, it is my husbands and my job to make sure our daughters know right from wrong,that it isn't right to take break the law. That it isn't proper to us the "f" word ever in conversation or any other inappropriate word in conversation.

 As a society we seem to think that someone else will take care of everything...it does take a village to raise our blessings,but the village starts with the family unit(mom,dad or just mom or just dad) to take the responisiblity and to STOP making excuses,yes it is hard to be a single parent, I was one too..but my adult daughter,never disrespected anyone. Yes it is hard  to raise children, darn it is hard to keep a marriage going..it is call work. Life isn't easy, we have a lost generation of children because people have given up on training them well. I agree bring the Bible back, in our home it is the focal point...also monitor your children when they are watching television,on the computer and with their friends.

 Thank you for your time