Re: Homeschooling in California

[Guest guest]

HSLDA Home School Legal Defense has a great website and good info about different states and laws. Also if you become a member they will advice you or defend you if needed.

In a message dated 12/27/2010 3:25:17 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, aerinz@... writes:

Having just moved from California, I remember when the whole thing flared a few years ago about not being able to home school. However, the government made it clear that they are not against homeschooling and would not ban parents from homeschooling kids.There is a group (which of course I unsubscribed from when I moved up to Washington), specifically for homeschooling in California. Also, I've never heard of anybody having trouble about homeschooling other than in extreme circumstances.

[Guest guest]

Do any of you work outside the home whose children do online schooling? I have

a 16 year old daughter that off and on asks about online schooling mostly due to

bullying issues that we are constantly addressing. I work about 25 minutes away

from home and am out of the house from 8:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M. - basically

normal school hours. I know it depends on the individual child as to whether or

not they could be counted on to do schoolwork while the parent is gone but I

just wondered what any of your experiences with this might be.

Thank you,

in AL

>

> Having just moved from California, I remember when the whole thing flared a

few years ago about not being able to home school. However, the government made

it clear that they are not against homeschooling and would not ban parents from

homeschooling kids.

>

> There is a group (which of course I unsubscribed from when I moved up to

Washington), specifically for homeschooling in California. Also, I've never

heard of anybody having trouble about homeschooling other than in extreme

circumstances.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I home school in California, but began it in CT, which is why I don't think

anyone has hassled me. What part of CA were you from?

Dawn Marie

>

> HSLDA Home School Legal Defense has a great website and good info about

> different states and laws. Also if you become a member they will advice you

> or defend you if needed.

>

>

> In a message dated 12/27/2010 3:25:17 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> aerinz@... writes:

>

>

>

>

> Having just moved from California, I remember when the whole thing flared a

> few years ago about not being able to home school. However, the government

> made it clear that they are not against homeschooling and would not ban

> parents from homeschooling kids.

>

> There is a group (which of course I unsubscribed from when I moved

> up to Washington), specifically for homeschooling in California. Also, I've

> never heard of anybody having trouble about homeschooling other than in

> extreme circumstances.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ~

Although I don't work outside of the home ~ I am often gone off and on

throughout the day due to doctors appts. etc. I basically give him a list of

what I expect him to complete and he does his best to complete it, knowing that

if he doesn't, there will be no gaming until it's done. When he has issues with

something or gets stuck, then he puts that aside until I get home and can help

him with it. I think in some respects he feels good when he is being responsible

for himself, and the time for him to be independent seems to be good for him.

Hope this helps.

Dawn Marie

> >

> > Having just moved from California, I remember when the whole thing flared a

few years ago about not being able to home school. However, the government made

it clear that they are not against homeschooling and would not ban parents from

homeschooling kids.

> >

> > There is a group (which of course I unsubscribed from when I moved up

to Washington), specifically for homeschooling in California. Also, I've never

heard of anybody having trouble about homeschooling other than in extreme

circumstances.

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Meaghan,

I know where you are coming from. I pulled my son out of the pre-school handicapped program when he was only 3 years old after just a few weeks. I really believed that the classroom would benefit his needs. I had no worry about his ability to learn. He was a little sponge and already reading before he started the pre-school program. After only 6 weeks I saw it wasn't working. I spent at least 3 days a week called into school to handle a "situation. In mid-winter, I'd have to bundle a newborn 10 week early preemie and walk to the school because my 3 year old wanted to play in house keeping or had a meltdown because he didn't want to write his name again. His first progress report was all check minuses. Yet in the conference, the teacher proceeded to tell me things like, "Do you know is the only one in the class that knows all the days of the week..he can even read them?" "You son can count to 100 and he just turned 3." and "He's the only child in the class who participates during circle time." Yet when I questioned why his entire progress report indicated below standard progress, I was informed it was because he could not sit still. Then two weeks later I received a letter from the child study team informing me that the district was no longer able to provide services for my son. He was too disrupted in the classroom and was being placed in the residential program for severely multiply handicapped children. I was able to "opt" to keep my toddler home with me if I chose and the school would transport him the one hour it took to drive to the school until he was 12, at which time he would need to become a residential student unless I choose to transport him myself.

Oh I choose to transport him all right....from the public school right back to my home...and we never looked back.

I officially began homeschooling him from that day forward. I heard all the woeful stores about how he would never be socialized. But I have yet to see an Aspie truly socialize in the public school setting. Instead I see them ostracized, bullied, picked on and called weird because they see the world in a different light. Yes, I was told he would never learn. Yet, He could tell me the moons of Mars when he was 6. When I asked how he know that, he matter of factly told me, "I looked it up in the encyclopedia when we were in the Library this morning."

I kept him involved. We participated in countless homeschool activities including trips. But I was there to help guide him him appropriate social behavior, and other caring moms were there to instruct their "normal" kiddos how to deal with and accept 's little qwirks. We went to weekly play dates in the park, monthly roller skating, soccer, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts, Venturing. He is an Eagle Scout, and was even a Den Chief for a Cub Scout Den for 3 years starting when he was 13. Today he is a mentor to an 8 year old ADHD little boy who is facing similar harassment that he experienced when he was young.

He graduated with a 4.0 GPA last June. Today he maintains a 4.0 GPA at a Technical Institute and won a scholarship after testing in the top 10 of the incoming freshman. He chose the Tech route the middle of his senior year, after being accepted into an Ivy League University during his Junior year of high school. He came to me and asked if I'd be really disappointed in him if he decided he didn't want to go to college. We sat down and discussed the situation. He had a long list that he made outlining his reasons to choose Tech School over U Penn. His biggest reason was he didn't want to come out of school with $100, 000 worth of debt only to have to enroll in the tech school after graduation to prepare for the 10 Certifications he needed to become a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. U Penn would only give him a degree in programming not which would not prepare him to become a network engineer or administrator. He showed me the data, how could I object? I don't know many 17 year old Seniors who would even bother to research the job requirements and certifications needed without parental or guidance counselor prodding, let alone decide they didn't want to be 21 and in that much debt in a society when the job market is iffy at best!

Do I regret my decision to homeschool? Not on your life. My son is still the square peg in the round hole of education. But today he is a young man who can ignore some of the taunts that he still faces. I was able to instill in him a love of learning, and a security of who he is, what he believes, and how to handle himself when the going gets tough. I didn't set him out for the wolves of conformity as a 5 year old. It amazes me, today he tells me, he knows he will never totally fit in with the rest of the class. But that's ok, because they all know who to come to when they don't know how to put the network back together. He also tells me, if he could change his life and not be an Aspie, he wouldn't, because he says, that is just who he is and he's ok with that. And if he didn't have Aspergers, then he wouldn't be himself. With a tear in my eye, I have to say, I know I wasn't that self assured or secure in my life when I was 18.

You know your own child and what is best for him. Go with your heart and ignore the naysayers. Your son will learn and group and can become a confident young man with your love and guidance.

If you choose to homeschool, become familiar with the laws in your state.

http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp

Just click on your state.

While on the HSLDA website, check out the other links,

They have a division for parents with special needs children

http://www.hslda.org/strugglinglearner/default.asp

Info on getting started:

http://www.youcanhomeschool.org/starthere/default.asp?bhcp=1

And for finding local support groups in your area:

http://www.youcanhomeschool.org/starthere/info.asp

Plus much more.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Tricia

-------original message----------

Posted by: "Meaghan Larson"

I am glad this topic was brought up, Let me start off by saying my 4 1/2 year Old has Aspergers , he was only in school for a few months in his local 4k Program at school, but in just that few months it did a lot of damage to him! He Was bullied , and even his teacher was pretty brutal to him at times! Before he Start school he was one of the most confident little boys I have ever seen, and When he was in school he became EXTREMELY insecure and would tell me things Other kids did and said to him, and it just broke my heart! None of the other Kids would play with him at recess , he would just wonder around by himself! So After observing that and getting no feedback or help from his teacher I pulled Him out! I am hoping to send him to the public school next year for pre school And try it again ( he went to our local private school for 4 k) But with the Specific problems he has , I really dont know if thats the appropriate setting For him? I hear stories about how much bullying and trouble that kids who are Just like Connor , but only older , have in public school , and I really just Dont see that point of putting my son through that!

When I talk about private school with my family members they say " oh well how Is he gonna learn?" and I just feel like responding with " learn what?!!!" learn To change who is he , and change the way he feels most comfortable with learning Because his teachers and other typical kids around him want him too? That hurts Nobody but my son!! Ofcourse I will get my son involved in activities and sports That he so chooses to take an interest in! And he will learn how to cope with His aspergers in situations that he doesnt necessarily feel comfortable in , but I wonder if public school is the right approach to helping him change how he Handles those situations! He is very smart for his age , so homeschooling would Be great in that aspect as he can work ahead in areas he does well in! But he Just wasnt able to learn when he was in regular school , the distractions of Noise , and other sensory issues were just too overwhelming for him to learn in! So is it bad to have him be home schooled ? I feel like I should atleast Encourage him to give it one more go in the public school system , because he is So young! I just dont want the bullying or other issues that he will go through To damage him , and make him depressed! And most of all I dont want it to make Him not like learning , because he looooved to learn with me before he started School! But now he is so insecure I cant even get him to sit down and color a Picture with me! I wanna do whats best for my son , and I understand every Child goes through bullying at some point in time or another in school , but I Just worry that if I continue to send him to public school and wait until things Get bad before home schooling him that the damage will already be done to him! Any incite any parents wanna give me I'm totally open to hearing! And I hope no One thinks I'm bashing public school or anything , because my nephews have autism And they have an AMAZING public school they go too! Sadly tho , the schools in my area are not to concerned with children with disabilities!

Meaghan

..

Posted by: "Meaghan Larson" meaghanlarson@... meaghanlarson

Wed Dec 29, 2010 5:55 PM (PST)

I am glad this topic was brought up, Let me start off by saying my 4 1/2 year Old has Aspergers , he was only in school for a few months in his local 4k Program at school, but in just that few months it did a lot of damage to him! He Was bullied , and even his teacher was pretty brutal to him at times! Before he Start school he was one of the most confident little boys I have ever seen, and When he was in school he became EXTREMELY insecure and would tell me things Other kids did and said to him, and it just broke my heart! None of the other Kids would play with him at recess , he would just wonder around by himself! So After observing that and getting no feedback or help from his teacher I pulled Him out! I am hoping to send him to the public school next year for pre school And try it again ( he went to our local private school for 4 k) But with the Specific problems he has , I really dont know if thats the appropriate setting For him? I hear stories about how much bullying and trouble that kids who are Just like Connor , but only older , have in public school , and I really just Dont see that point of putting my son through that! When I talk about private school with my family members they say " oh well how Is he gonna learn?" and I just feel like responding with " learn what?!!!" learn To change who is he , and change the way he feels most comfortable with learning Because his teachers and other typical kids around him want him too? That hurts Nobody but my son!! Ofcourse I will get my son involved in activities and sports That he so chooses to take an interest in! And he will learn how to cope with His aspergers in situations that he doesnt necessarily feel comfortable in , but I wonder if public school is the right approach to helping him change how he Handles those situations! He is very smart for his age , so homeschooling would Be great in that aspect as he can work ahead in areas he does well in! But he Just wasnt able to learn when he was in regular school , the distractions of Noise , and other sensory issues were just too overwhelming for him to learn in! So is it bad to have him be home schooled ? I feel like I should atleast Encourage him to give it one more go in the public school system , because he is So young! I just dont want the bullying or other issues that he will go through To damage him , and make him depressed! And most of all I dont want it to make Him not like learning , because he looooved to learn with me before he started School! But now he is so insecure I cant even get him to sit down and color a Picture with me! I wanna do whats best for my son , and I understand every Child goes through bullying at some point in time or another in school , but I Just worry that if I continue to send him to public school and wait until things Get bad before home schooling him that the damage will already be done to him! Any incite any parents wanna give me I'm totally open to hearing! And I hope no One thinks I'm bashing public school or anything , because my nephews have autism And they have an AMAZING public school they go too! Sadly tho , the schools in My area are not to concerned with children with disabilities! Meaghan