How many Dis'ers homeschool?

[bear74]

That's right. here is a TX website that is similar to HSLDA but, it is only TX stuff -- www.thsc.org

There are tons of great TX homeschool email lists at yahoogroups.

where do you do your field trips. just in the dallas area or other areas around the state.

 

[jcemom]

I need something to keep me on a strict path or we'll wind up watching QVC all day and planning trips to Disney for homework.LOL

Hey! I did have my kids plan a trip to Disney as schoolwork, LOL. I came up with it as a break/departure from our regular math, just for fun. I created a form for them to work with. They had to research different transportation methods and calculate the cost of each...driving cost = cost of gas (by gas mileage of our car and distance to WDW) + meals while traveling + hotel for the night each way, for example. Then they had to find the resort cost (one in each category) for two different seasons each. They had to compare the cost of purchasing the dining plan vs. buying meals off the plan (had to first choose several meals and find the average cost of counter service and table service meals). You get the idea. After all that, they got to choose how they would personally plan the trip...which means of transportation, which resort, which time of year, etc...and find the total cost. Then they calculated how much money they would have to save each month to pay for the vacation they chose.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

Hey! I did have my kids plan a trip to Disney as schoolwork, LOL. I came up with it as a break/departure from our regular math, just for fun. I created a form for them to work with. They had to research different transportation methods and calculate the cost of each...driving cost = cost of gas (by gas mileage of our car and distance to WDW) + meals while traveling + hotel for the night each way, for example. Then they had to find the resort cost (one in each category) for two different seasons each. They had to compare the cost of purchasing the dining plan vs. buying meals off the plan (had to first choose several meals and find the average cost of counter service and table service meals). You get the idea. After all that, they got to choose how they would personally plan the trip...which means of transportation, which resort, which time of year, etc...and find the total cost. Then they calculated how much money they would have to save each month to pay for the vacation they chose.

That is so cool!!! What a great idea. I had thought of the possibilities of doing great projects based on trips to Disney, but planning/budgeting the trip ahead of time is great. See that's why I love these boards.

 

[pixiepower1971]

Hey! I did have my kids plan a trip to Disney as schoolwork, LOL. I came up with it as a break/departure from our regular math, just for fun. I created a form for them to work with. They had to research different transportation methods and calculate the cost of each...driving cost = cost of gas (by gas mileage of our car and distance to WDW) + meals while traveling + hotel for the night each way, for example. Then they had to find the resort cost (one in each category) for two different seasons each. They had to compare the cost of purchasing the dining plan vs. buying meals off the plan (had to first choose several meals and find the average cost of counter service and table service meals). You get the idea. After all that, they got to choose how they would personally plan the trip...which means of transportation, which resort, which time of year, etc...and find the total cost. Then they calculated how much money they would have to save each month to pay for the vacation they chose.

I did a very similar thing with my girls. Wow! It was great! It really opened their eyes to the overall cost. When they saw how many nights they could stay at a value for the same cost as one night at a deluxe they figured we could have longer trips! Or the fact that 2-3 nights at a deluxe pays for season tickets! Or if we eat counter service vs ts we have more $$$ for another trip! They decided they would rather go more often in less style then only once a year in high style! It was a great project for so many reasons!

 

[jcemom]

It really opened their eyes to the overall cost

Yes, my boys were surprised as well, especially when they found out how much has to be saved each month. Of course, one of them (takes after his dad) chose to stay Value, the other (takes after me) chose Deluxe. We are a family of 5 so that complicates matters a bit because they had to allow for 2 rooms in Value or Moderate categories. They were also surprised to find that's it's more cost effective for us to fly (they figured airfare x 5, plus gas to and from the airport, plus parking, plus transportation to and from WDW) than to drive! (Now that SWA has come to PIT with their great airfares it's a dowright bargain!) It was a fun project!

 

[Stepht5]

where do you do your field trips. just in the dallas area or other areas around the state.

Normal field trip places around Ft Worth/Arlington. I don't do Dallas. <gg>

 

[disneymom3]

I love the trip planing curriculums! I think I will have DD start working on that after Christmas break. Thanks for all the cool ideas. And we are blessed that we can use the ILs timeshare exchange and this will be a fab way for DD to see why we are staying at Vistana vs onsite. That $200 for the whole week will be a big budget issue.

I was thinking it would be interesting to see what the homeschooling laws in each state are, but I am going to start a new thread about it. Please answer. Maybe we need to start taking up more board space......The other hsing thread is up to 44 pgs. Let's keep them going. I love to share ideas with you all.

 

[jaycns]

We have homeschooled our boys for the past 4 and 1/2. Our eldest ds is in 4th grade. Our middle ds is in 1st grade and is 6 years and our youngest ds is 4 years old and busy just being a little guy who loves turtles (including and especially Crush), running and Buzz Lightyear.

 

[Junebugwv]

I love the energy I read in these posts. My five kids are 25, 22, 18, 13 and 8. Only the younger two are home schooling and this is our 18th year. Everyone's enthusiasm is contagious.

 

[hsmamato2]

I like the idea of trip math- so far I've introduced the savings plan concept to the dk's- they start saving their allowance a few months before our trip, and really think about purchases- mom and dad match their savings right before we go- and that's their spending money- it works great, older ds has the hang of it, and is trying to pass on his thrifty ways to little ds.

 

[jcemom]

We do the savings as well. I opened accounts for both boys through ING though we treat them as checking accounts rather than savings, just so I can teach them a little something extra. Every week when they get their allowance they choose how much to keep and how much to put into savings. They fill out a deposit slip for their deposits and I transfer the money into their accounts. If they need to make a withdrawal they can write out a check for the amount they want.

 

[Stepht5]

I love the energy I read in these posts. My five kids are 25, 22, 18, 13 and 8. Only the younger two are home schooling and this is our 18th year. Everyone's enthusiasm is contagious.

Our oldest 2 are 25 & 22, too! It looks like we've been homeschooling the same amount of time!

 

[tmli]

I can now be counted amongst all of you hpmeschoolers now. After a terrible year ds agreed to hs for after the xmas break. He came home in tears today begging me to not send him back there and to start hs'ing tomorrow.

Talk about jumping right in!!! I just got my ex to agree to it yesterday so I was going to be scrambling to prepare....that's when I thought i had 3 weeks.

BTW did I mention I work 2 jobs???

 

[mykidzrock]

Hey ya'll...new to the boards, relatively new to hs (dd 7, dd 5, ds 3). This is a neat idea, but does anyone have an idea that would work well for young children. I like to incorporate school into as many activities as possible, but am finding it difficult with the planning. (They barely know any math yet, nonetheless calculating mileage!!!

Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanx

I should clarify...we are planning a trip to WDW in a couple weeks and I would like to incorporate school into the planning. That's what I'm looking for ideas on. Sorry for being so vague...

Thanx

 

[disneymom3]

I can now be counted amongst all of you hpmeschoolers now. After a terrible year ds agreed to hs for after the xmas break. He came home in tears today begging me to not send him back there and to start hs'ing tomorrow.

Talk about jumping right in!!! I just got my ex to agree to it yesterday so I was going to be scrambling to prepare....that's when I thought i had 3 weeks.

BTW did I mention I work 2 jobs???

Hey, I think you need a Christmas break!! Seriously, we are taking the next two weeks off and just doing crafts and cooking. How much educating do you think they really get done in the schools at this time of year anyway?

 

[Belle0101]

Seriously, we are taking the next two weeks off and just doing crafts and cooking. How much educating do you think they really get done in the schools at this time of year anyway?

Question - when you say you are taking time off but will be doing crafts and cooking, do you not count that towards school days?

Here in Indiana it's required to have 180 days of school. But what counts as a school day for a homeschooler? Last year one of the school teachers arranged a field trip for her class to see "Winn Dixie". If we go to a movie, say "Narnia", can we count that as a field trip and therefore a school day? What about Field Day at school? That's a school day.

This is the Indiana Law:
We in Indiana are blessed to have laws that allow us to home educate our children. The law requires that our children be in school from 7-17 years of age and that they attend school for 180 days each year. It is highly recommended that you join the Home School Legal Defense Association. Legal problems in Indiana are infrequent, but membership in HSLDA insures proper legal counsel if necessary.


Compulsory Attendance Ages: "Earlier of the date on which the child officially enrolls in a school or reaches the age of 7 until the date on which he reaches the age of 18." West's Annotated Indiana Code Sec. 20-8.1-3-17.

Required Days of Instruction: "for the number of days public schools are in session in the school corporation in which the child is enrolled in Indiana," or "if the child is enrolled outside Indiana, for the number of days the public schools are in session where the child is enrolled." Generally, 180 days.

Required Subjects: "Instruction equivalent to that given in the public schools," Ind. Code Ann. Sec. 20-8.1-3-34. "A school that is nonpublic, non-accredited, and not otherwise approved by the Indiana State Board of Education is not bound by any requirements set forth in IC 20 or IC 21 with regard to curriculum or the content of educational programs offered by the school." (Sec. 20-8.1-3-17.3)

Home School Statutes: None

Alternative Statutes Allowing for Home Schools: Ind. Code Ann. Sec. 20-8.1-3-17. A child may attend "some other school which is taught in the English language."

1. The child must be "provided with instruction equivalent to that given in public schools." Sec. 20-8.1-3-34. The State Board of Education is not given the authority to define "equivalent instruction" nor to approve home schools. However, Sec. 20.8.1-3-17.3 (see above) has removed all subject requirements, leaving home schools with no mandatory subjects.

2. The Indiana Appellate Court held that the Indiana compulsory attendance law allows the operation of home schools. State v. Peterman, 32 Ind. App. 665, 70 N.E. 550 (1904). Essentially, the court said a school at home is a private school.

The court defined a school as "a place where instruction is imparted to the young . . . . We do not think that the number of persons, whether one or many, make a place where instruction is imparted any less or any more a school." Peterman, 70 NE at 551. The court explained further: "Under a law very similar to ours, the Supreme Court of Massachusetts has held that the object and purpose of a compulsory educational law are that all the children shall be educated, not that they shall be educated in any particular way." Peterman, at 551.

The court concluded: "The result to be obtained, and not the means or manner of attaining it, was the goal which the lawmakers were attempting to reach. The law (compulsory attendance) was made for the parent who does not educate his child, and not for the parent who . . . . so places within the reach of the child the opportunity and means of acquiring an education equal to that obtainable in the public schools . . . ." Peterman, at 552.

3. In Mazanec v. North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation, 614 F. Supp. 1152 (N.D. Ind. 1985), (aff'd by 798 F.2d 230), a federal district court recognized that parents have the constitutional right to educate their children in a home environment (at page 1160). The court wrote concerning the qualifications of home school parents that, "it is now doubtful that the requirements of a formally licensed or certified teacher . . . . would pass constitutional muster." (at p. 1160). On appeal, the circuit court ruled that a school corporation is not immune from a 1983 action for improper enforcement of compulsory attendance.

4. Parents must keep attendance records. Ind. Code Ann. Sec. 20-8.1-3-23 to 24. "Solely to verify the enrollment and attendance of a particular child upon request of the state superintendent . . . .or the superintendent of the school corporation in which the private school is located."

5. A private school administrator shall furnish, on request of the state superintendent of public instruction, the number of children by grade level attending the school. Sec. 20-8.1-3-24.

Teacher Qualifications: None

Standardized Tests: Not required by statute.

That's it. As I understand it, I can teach whichever subjects I chose, whenever I want, so long as each school year is 180 days.

 

[jcemom]

The school counts field trips as school days, right? So do we.

We are also spending next week cooking and baking and this week crafting. The boys are making gifts for everyone instead of buying them and they will be learning a lot, IMO. Our public schools have very little class time in the two weeks before Christmas...my kids will most likely learn MORE at home.

1. The child must be "provided with instruction equivalent to that given in public schools."

 

[sha_lyn]

The GA law is sort of vague as to it field trips count or not. The law is something like "must provide min of 4 1/2 hrs of instruction". Everyone I know does count fieldtrips. I'm also looking into how unschoolers journal/record so that I can easly account for not traditional learning days.
What really get my goat is the PS kids get sick days, field days, movies days, etc as a part of their 180, but by GA law I must provide 180 days of instruction.

 

[pixie Mom]

We count trips as school days when they are related to school... Now IF you think about it ANYTHING can be related to school from the small stuff like grocery shopping to the larger stuff like lets say DISNEY....


We are going to WDW for NYE and then on to a Disney Cruise for 3 days ... I am sure we can come up with educational stuff to do.. why just to day we went to MCDonalds and the kids figured out how much each fry they ate cost.. pretty expensive when you break it down per fry.. now we are at the library.. School School, and more School..

 

[bear74]

I can now be counted amongst all of you hpmeschoolers now. After a terrible year ds agreed to hs for after the xmas break. He came home in tears today begging me to not send him back there and to start hs'ing tomorrow.

Talk about jumping right in!!! I just got my ex to agree to it yesterday so I was going to be scrambling to prepare....that's when I thought i had 3 weeks.

BTW did I mention I work 2 jobs???

and good luck.