Re: homeschooling

[Guest guest]

Here's a site. http://www.nldontheweb.org/homeschooling.htm

Here's some info

http://www.home-ed-magazine.com/HSRSC/hsrsc_lws.rgs.html

http://www.learningtreasures.com/ http://www.easyhomeschool.com/

http://eho.org/ http://www.easyfunschool.com/

http://www.teach-at-home.com/

Here's a pretty neat site for little ones http://www.learningpage.com/

What you teach, and what curriculum you use would depend on your child's

abilities and temperament. If he has learned to read, then you would need

to continue working with improving. If he has not learned, but is ready

(knows his lower and upper case letters, and phonic letter sounds) then you

would want a phonetic reading program ( I use old SRA basic readers, but

there are many out there). If he still needs to learn his letters and

sounds then I can recommend a free on-line program. : freephonics@...

(though you have to take a test and be approved, it's worked for my ASD child).

I homeschool 6 of 7 kids (the 7th is two). All must participate in some

way. My youngest color, or play with quiet toys while we homeschool, (or

watch a t.v. program). Depending on your 6 yo ability, some work may be

done without your complete attention (math problems, after going over the

page with him). If he needs your complete attention, then chances are his

attention span is not very great. In this case you need to break up your

work into 10-20 min. sessions, again depending on his ability.

For 6 yo olds I concentrate on math and reading. You can pick some of the

reading words for short spelling list (and writing practice). Science is

kitchen going ons, and nature walks, learning about plants and animals,

zoo's etc. History is learning a little about the holidays, and places

around them. (their address and what that means on a map).

Sorry I didn't get your e-mail address. But if you have any question, I'll

do my best to answer.

Lolita

>I am gathering information about homeschooling autistic children in

> >the hopes that we may embark upon a program for my six year old

> >autistic son. If there is anyone out there that can give me some

> >resources and tips on how to get started,what curriculum to use, how

> >to do one-on-one with two other children around, cover schools, etc.,

> >please email me.

[Guest guest]

I know how you feel. But oops come with the territory.

Lolita

>oops...I just noticed that I had used *their*...instead of they're...not

>good for a homeschool mom...*smiles*

[Guest guest]

As you work with them, you get your refresher course. Starting from the

beginning of the book, as they do, you'll do fine. Also, finding good

curriculum, especially for subjects you might be weak in, is a must. I was

never good in math, but now I am helping my college daughter with hers

(basic stuff, but still...)

Lolita

>Ok,while we are on the subject-I have a question too. right now we are

>pretty happy with the PS system{out side of the first day thnigs are going

>very well} BUT if I ever decided to explore this option in the future-did

>you all take some sort of refresher course? I just know that when I was

>trying to help my older son with his homework-it was apparent to me I had

>forgotten some of the elementary school things-like front end estimation

>and such. So my worry would be I would need some refresher courses before

>I began.

[Guest guest]

, The great thing is you get to learn again right along with your

child!!...There are many wonderful curriculums to choose from and most have the

Teacher Edition that explains it as you go along. You would be surprised how

quickly it all comes back. I was slightly intimidated in the beginning, but it

has not been difficult at all..and I have enjoyed getting to learn again.

Take care,

homeschooling

Ok,while we are on the subject-I have a question too. right now we are pretty

happy with the PS system{out side of the first day thnigs are going very well}

BUT if I ever decided to explore this option in the future-did you all take some

sort of refresher course? I just know that when I was trying to help my older

son with his homework-it was apparent to me I had forgotten some of the

elementary school things-like front end estimation and such. So my worry would

be I would need some refresher courses before I began. F

[Guest guest]

>I just know that when I was trying to help my older son with >his homework-it

was apparent to me I had forgotten some >of the elementary school things-like

front end estimation >and such. So my worry would be I would need some

>refresher courses before I began. F

Hi and Janelle (and anyone interested),

As far as a refresher course, it's not necessary or even available as far as I

know. Usually whatever curriculum you buy will have everything you need to know

about the subject in order to teach it. Many times parents are learning right

along with their children. Incidentally, I have no idea what " front end

estimation " is, and I seem to be managing fine without it. That is one good

thing about hsing...you can decide whether a particular topic is something your

child needs to know. Now, having said that, " front end estimation " might just

be a fancy name for something most of us do all the time without knowing it.

Schools seem to be experts at making up fancy names for things...

Janelle, to try to answer some of your questions about why I homeschool, etc.

I've been hsing my 8 year old for almost 2 years. He was not learning anything

in school due to anxiety from overstimulation. Once I took him out, I realized

he could learn much easier if he wasn't in that " fight or flight " mode. He is

on the very mild side of the spectrum, and is currently working more or less on

grade level. He would not be able to do grade level work without an aide or

resource at school. At home he gets one-on-one all the time.

Socialization...for my son is much, much better in a homeschool environment. At

school, he was in a class with 22 other kids who ignored him. At home, he plays

with his brother 4 1/2 (NT) all the time, plus we do TONS of other social stuff.

Smaller, more supervised groups are much better for him. Plus, it separates the

social learning from the academic learning and he only has to concentrate on one

thing at a time. This has really been a key thing for him.

Do I have special training? No, but I consider myself an expert in knowing how

to teach and motivate my son. Right now, he is earning 25 cents per day for

doing his school work. He's saving up to buy a certain sodium vapor lightbulb

that he wants (he has a collection going).

For anyone interested in hsing, there are tons of good books on educational

philosophy and homeschooling. You could try a homeschool bookstore or the

library. Start reading up on it to see if it's something you want. Hope this

is helpful.

[Guest guest]

My father was an University english teacher and couldn't spell without a

dictionary present either. You honestly can do it all yourself. The books

and teachers manuals (if you choose to use them, I don't feel I need them)

provide all the explanations and examples. My 9th grader, who has been

homeschooled all her life, has never needed me to explain anything to her,

she is able to learn from the explanations provided in her book. In fact, I

only sit down and explain the work with my youngests, who don't read well

yet. It really is not difficult.

The first time I set foot in a classroom I was given three different

subjects to teach. I had no difficulty following the teacher's manual and

teaching the class. Anyone can teach a class (and do!). Some just do it

better than others. The problem, as I see it, is that we are not offered

just the teachers who are good at it.

Lolita

>I may wind up

>hiring an english teacher as I cant spell without a dictionary present

[Guest guest]

Janelle,

Since I know you are in Texas I will just tell you that you do not need to do

anything with the school district until your daughter is compulsory attendence

age (which is still currently 6 years old I believe). During the time that your

daughter is 3 and 4 years old, she is eligible for speech and/or OT services

through the school district *without* you having to put her in the classroom.

If your school tries to tell you otherwise, they are lying.

At the age of compulsory attendence all you have to do is sign a piece of paper

that says you are going to homeschool your child using a bona fide curriculum.

Once you sign it, you don't have to do anything else with the school district

ever. Other states require a log of hours and subjects homeschooled, portfolio

review or annual testing, or other such things. Texas is one of the easiest

states to homeschool in.

>You can make all the plans/IEP and

>everything, but then inform your school in November whether or >not you

>will be sending her. This cannot be a problem until your child is

>compulsory age. After that, there are other laws depending on >your

>state. But in all states, you can educate your own child. You >can go

>here for more information on legal issues.

[Guest guest]

This is our personal " in my humble opinion " testimony.

I am a 15-year veteran public school teacher who swore up and down I

would NEVER have a homeschool situation for my children. Well,

we have recently started a home schooling program for our two ASD

children, and I am elated at the emmense progress they have made in

such a short time. After my son's first year of pre-school

public-based education (and this is not everyone's case), I noted that

the school was interested in school-based preparation of the autistic

child in their curriculum, rather than a life-skills + core curricular

based program. In other words, I noticed the school trying to teach

my four year old skills that were necessary for " how to go to and be

in " school but these skills had little transference to the home and

community. I also noticed that he had gaps in his learning that were

dangerously being built upon, rather than scaling back to pick up

crucial primer skills that were skipped.

In addition, I also entered the school, at unannounced times at many

occasions and noticed the class in chaotic states. I also noticed

that in the mainstream, my ASD son was looked upon as a bother by the

mainstream teacher and told how he " interrupted " the other children.

This was in a special education preschool program situation where they

allowed some typical peers. Well, these TP did not learn about

diversity as I thought would be taught. The children did not

socialize outside of class. Parents were not encouraged in the class.

In fact, his class never had a room mother/father. I offered but was

told one was not necessary. It felt like the school did not want

parents around the autism program.

I added up the actual time on task in his public school 6 hour day.

Only three hours were actually time on task and some of that time was

working in therapy or group settings. The rest was transition time,

recess time, lunch time, bathroom time, bus prep, and travel time.

Now he gets 2.5-6 hours a day one-on-one plus multiple recesses where

he actually goes outside and performs gross motor activities, and

lunch, and field trips, and socialization through the special

education park district and church bible school. In addition, we are

able to find OT's and ST's that make home-based appointments and have

2x OT and 2X ST, plus Greenspan training on top of the 25 hours of

ABA.

After reading numerous testimonies of what happens to the ASD child in

teen and young adult years, I realized many cases found the

preparations their particular schooling offered them had many holes,

especially in the area of socialization and life skills (i.e. what

happens after they are handed their graduation diploma). I remembered

the statistics of learning retention in tutorial based education being

really high (80%-ish?), so I felt if my children ever had a chance to

catch up, I had few options, given our forementioned situation.

Once again, this testimony is only to share one view of how this

homeschooling concept worked for one family. Kudos for those who have

found positive options in the education of their precious children!

(Digest Only...can email separately)