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Discussion Title: Persuading to Homeschool?
Created by: ismartsiss...
Created on: Tue, 10/16/2007 - 5:56pm.
Usually it is the parents that want their child to homeschool, but this disscussion is from a different point of view. I am a student (I'd rather not share my age) and I am seriously considering homeschooling. However, it's not that easy. I have to get my parents' okay. They are concerned that I will become a hermit that cannot socialize or make friends. When I was in my early elementary school years, I was shy, but I've gotten over that now. I am in a math progam 2 grades higher than the average class and I'm planning to take a test to go even higher. School has become too easy and I learn faster than the average (or even slightly above average) student. (no, I am NOT bragging!) If I homeschooled I believe that I could learn more, and learn it faster. My aunt is planning to homeschool her boys, so I also feel it could be easier on my parents. I know it's not my decision, but I've wanted to homeschool for over two years. Do you have any ideas to help persuade my parents to homeschool?
Author: splange
Replied: 10/17/2007 8:32am.
Wow- congratulate yourself on taking ownership of your own education!  Your parents should be proud of you for that.  I suggest you start by researching the topic more thoroughly and then presenting the facts to them.  People are always leary and afraid of that which they do not know.  Uneducated people hear the word "homeschool" and they think it means "fundamentalist christian at the kitchen table with boring text books and never leaves the house".  The TRUTH will set you and your parents free.  Homeschooling opens up the world as your classroom.  Every family homeschools in a different way because they have the freedom to do what works best for each child.   Have you read "The Teenage Liberation Handbook"?  Have you read any John Taylor Gatto? He was the NY Teacher of the year at one time.  Your parents would benefit  to hear what he says now.  Have you loooked into volunteer opportunities in your community?  You can learn SO MUCH for free just by volunteering.  You should Google phrases like "worldschooling", "Life learning", "autodidact", "unschooling"....see what else you learn.  The world is your oyster.  Even if you can only access it via online.  At least take advantage of everything you can within your own community. 
Author: jaymieguz
Replied: 10/18/2007 12:45pm.
That is great news that you want to take charge of your education. It is a sign of maturity to know that you want to learn more and that there is a way for you  to challenge yourself.  I do not know you personally, but if you have proven to your parents that you can be responsible, then it should not be hard for them to realize that homeschool would be beneficial for you. Homeschool can be done using various methods and means. To assist them, research on the different methods, like online classes, maybe even charter or independent study where you still report to school a day or two a week.  In an Excel sheet, you can list the names of the programs, the cost (if any) and if they are accredited and all the other information that you fel would help your parents understand the programs.  This will also help you figure out how you want to do the homeschool. I am assuming that you are older, so this would mean that you will do most of the work. Would your parents be able to correct the papers or will your aunt do that? Talk to your aunt about the possibility of talking to your parents after you talk to them.  Your aunt can give them the assuarance that she will watch over you and make sure that your work is done and you are still challenging yourself. You can even help you aunt by being the teacher for her child every now and then! Goodluck!!! 
Author: gail Hanso...
Replied: 10/24/2007 12:38pm.
I would suggest that you be involved in other organizations (church, scouting, community arts/ sports/music/drama) so that you would still be socializing.  Maybe find an adult volunteer organization  for your parents that has adults with lots of children, then you take a leadership role in forming a junior auxiliary to the adult organization.  That would blow MY socks off!
Author: MJL9334
Replied: 1/7/2008 10:19pm.
 All my brother's friends and some of mine are in charter twenty five. There are a lot of kids in the school so there isn't any probably socializing in their school and others.