tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post113186118292509825..comments2024-02-15T11:55:02.998-08:00Comments on Why Homeschool: School would have ruined that kid!Henry Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03097237237859928969noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-18165277564729242782010-03-18T01:24:18.520-07:002010-03-18T01:24:18.520-07:00I'm sorry you had that experience! Our public ...I'm sorry you had that experience! Our public school does a great job of teaching kids at their level, and the teachers are very relaxed about not looking for a level of fluency until somewhere around end of second grade.<br /><br />I'd only caution that sometimes kids so *want* to read at an earlier age and be independent that it becomes a frustration altogether with reading, or even a bit of a self-esteem squasher. Our public school has amazing teacher aides and reading specialists who get kids to where *they* want to be as soon as they want to be there.Carolnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-58798271996119502442008-10-02T05:42:00.000-07:002008-10-02T05:42:00.000-07:00I am sure your middle son will love reading some d...I am sure your middle son will love reading some day. Best of luck with your readers.Henry Catehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03097237237859928969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-4626204713981029062008-09-19T15:00:00.000-07:002008-09-19T15:00:00.000-07:00I homeschool 3: a 12 y/o voracious reader (I pulle...I homeschool 3: a 12 y/o voracious reader (I pulled him from third grade--was in a rigorous IB magnet program, in gifted, and VERY bored); he was a "late" reader according to his first and second grade teachers--he tested low in reading in first grade and caught up by 2nd--he scored 12+ on the IOWA in at age 10 years ("4th grade) after hsing for 2 years. He is a very avid reader/comuter geek/film maker. He is now 12 almost 13. My husband I are avid readers, but we were both late bloomers academically and both didnt thrive in school until grad school. We don't have a TV (so what--we have youtube!) My 10 y/o boy began to hs in 2nd grade. When I pulled him after 1st he was a non reader. he is now reading 2.0 books (he is in "fifth grade") He spends all is time taking things apart and making a big mess in the garage; he loves to create circuits; he just created a taser gun out of old toys. He is very artistic. he loves books on tape. he is an avid golfer (with his dad). My daughter, who only went to preschool, began to hs in Kindergarten (which was spent playing a lot in her room, in the bath or in our pool. She has an AMAZING imagination and can dictate beautiful stories, with a large vocabulary. She is reading beginning books 91.0) She is now in "third) She just turned 8. I worry mostly about my middle boy, because he really doesn't like reading. Lately, though, we have switched from Nate the Great books, which he tired of, to books for kids on electricity and magnetism. He likes looking at them. In my heart, I am not worried, and i can't wait until he is 14 or 16 and write one of those "now he is a great reader" articles!Miguel Botranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759181229441095935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-14602331501116420342007-12-09T13:57:00.000-08:002007-12-09T13:57:00.000-08:00I think I can compete with the best of you on late...I think I can compete with the best of you on late reading. My oldest who started reading at 8 was my earliest reader. He was at adult level by age 10. My daughter did nto read until she was 10, by 12 she was stealing my Wall Street Journal and this last week the community college tested her and said she is ready for their college English class. She is 14. My 12 year old also did not read until he was 10.<BR/><BR/> I got no end of grief when my kids were little for keeping them out of school and because they were "behind". My family is full of late bloomers. My boys start talking around age 4. Those who were pushed did not do well later and my sister reads well, but does not read for pleasure. <BR/><BR/> I have mostly unschooled my kids with some explicit phonics, math and grammar thrown in. Sometimes I wish I had not moved so much so my critics could see the wonderful results I have gotten.<BR/><BR/>LizAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-90376453147254599542007-11-24T21:39:00.000-08:002007-11-24T21:39:00.000-08:00Cassie it sounds like you are looking for "Better ...Cassie it sounds like you are looking for "Better Late Than Early: A New Approach to Your Child's Education" by the Moores.<BR/><BR/>One of the basic points of the book is that children can be harmed if they are pushed academically before their brains have developed.<BR/><BR/>You can read my <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/Better-Late-Than-Early-Education/dp/0883490498/" REL="nofollow"> review</A> of the book, which I posted at Amazon.Henry Catehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03097237237859928969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-88432576660006602612007-11-24T21:14:00.000-08:002007-11-24T21:14:00.000-08:00I was homeschooled through elementary and middle s...I was homeschooled through elementary and middle school. I now homeschool my children and I am so glad I do. I have one child who has dyslexia and I think she would have seriously struggled in school. My mom has tried to find a book for me before regarding this topic that she read when I was a homeschooler. It is called, "Better late than early" or something like that. As far as we can tell it is out of print. Every heard of it or know where to find?Cassie - Homeschooling Fourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15604648403487773900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-799527441985884132007-10-31T07:57:00.000-07:002007-10-31T07:57:00.000-07:00>We have been grappling with the decision to pull ...>We have been grappling with the decision to pull her out and homeschool her -- a decision we never imagined we would have to make. As I read along today, I am beginning to think that we can only do better for our daughter than the assembly line education she is getting now.<BR/><BR/>Good luck. If you pull her out of school, give her time to decompress. She will need some time to recover from the stress level of that much homework/tutoring.<BR/><BR/>I'm glad the blog has been helpful to you.Janine Catehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078812496080773315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-3159750466125021882007-10-30T10:47:00.000-07:002007-10-30T10:47:00.000-07:00I have read through all the previous posts almost ...I have read through all the previous posts almost tearfully! I have an eight year old 3rd grader who has gone from an exemplary student to a struggling one in nine short weeks of school. Her teachers say she is creative, expressive, caring, inquisitive and insists on excellence in her schoolwork -- oh, yes, and dyslexic, failing spelling, failing math and now somehow below grade level in reading.<BR/>My husband and I have been to meeting after meeting. She goes to tutoring twice a week, and an assisted reading class daily. We spend an hour each night doing homework and essentially re-teaching her what she supposedly learned during the school day. She spends more hours doing school related work than I did in four years of college. Third grade is sucking the life out of her childhood.<BR/>We have been grappling with the decision to pull her out and homeschool her -- a decision we never imagined we would have to make. As I read along today, I am beginning to think that we can only do better for our daughter than the assembly line education she is getting now. Thank you for the honesty and encouragement of the previous posts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-50105836636656783102007-03-11T09:27:00.000-07:002007-03-11T09:27:00.000-07:00Laura, thanks for the comments. We love to hear a...Laura, thanks for the comments. We love to hear about the experiences of other homeschoolers.Janine Catehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078812496080773315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-26388835573843162702007-03-10T14:47:00.000-08:002007-03-10T14:47:00.000-08:00Thank you! I know this was written some time ago, ...Thank you! I know this was written some time ago, but I just found it when browsing the web. I have a son who is now 16 and loves to read. He has some learning disabilities, was adopted at age 4 so also has some emotional difficulties, and was labeled and relabeled in school. I took him out when he was in 3rd grade and started a very relaxed homeschooling. He has thrived. He refused to read for a long time but when he discovered Dungeons and Dragons at age 12, he began not only to read, but to write and create adventures. He is now devouring Tolkien and who knows what is next.<BR/><BR/>I have a 9 year old daughter now who is reading on a 1st grade level. In spite of my son's experience, I have worried and worried. But then I saw your post! She also writes beautiful sentences and stories. She taught herself cursive writing by looking at a placemat! The words are all spelled incorrectly but she doesn't care. I just told her we would buy a fancy journal at the store and after I correct her spelling, she could rewrite the story in the book. She is so excited! She is a very bright kid who loves math and science but just hates reading baby books. I have this feeling that one day, she will want to do something and need to read...and suddenly will read. <BR/><BR/>LauraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-1132032983573147132005-11-14T21:36:00.000-08:002005-11-14T21:36:00.000-08:00Thanks for the feed back. Too many late readers ar...Thanks for the feed back. Too many late readers are tortured at school.Janine Catehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078812496080773315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-1131979161789894622005-11-14T06:39:00.000-08:002005-11-14T06:39:00.000-08:00"The books said "In both parenting and homeschooli..."The books said "<BR/><BR/>In both parenting and homeschooling, it took me a long time to get over what "the book said" we should do, and just do what we felt we should do. :)<BR/><BR/>Excellent entry.Andrea Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10555940591810773230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18436046.post-1131949660657282552005-11-13T22:27:00.000-08:002005-11-13T22:27:00.000-08:00I have been with you on the "guilt rollercoaster" ...I have been with you on the "guilt rollercoaster" of a late reader as well, following my son who read fluently at 4 yrs. It is terribly sad the stress put on by artificial parameters lumping all kids achievement levels. The worst would have been the generalizations surrounding those who are late vs. early-and the peer stress of being labeled as "slow" or worse, "Stupid." School would have really ruined your kids, and my daughter , and how many others as well. <BR/><BR/>I am enjoying your blog...it is wonderfully to be reminded of all those reasons to homeschool. As a parent of a 13 yr old boy, I have to say the reasons just keep growing when I start examining teen social dynamics at schools. And then dating pressures? Don't get me started!Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04016672238795146767noreply@blogger.com