Thinking of homeschooling my children thru a Christian program....so do any of yall home school,and if so what are the pros and cons.....Jefferson County Schools are garbage

Our family homeschools, as do several others on here.

I could write a long dissertation on the subject, but I won't.

Pros: You get to tailor the curriculum to match your child's unique learning style, strengths, capabilities, and speed. Flexibility. More info covered in less time. Lots of choices on courses in home or through co-op. Free to teach Christ and traditional values. Opportunity for character building.

Cons: Parents feeling the pressure to make sure child is prepared for college, career, life. Dealing with the grind, keeping kids focused and striving for excellence...fighting complacency since little peer pressure to achieve. Learning how to focus on learning and not test scores.

Feel free to get in touch with me. Could meet up for lunch and talk.

We homeschooled all of our children until the 7th grade then enrolled them in a local Christian school. We still homeschool my 6th grade son and have not made a decision if we will continue after the 6th grade or not. The pros begin with the curriculum and the fact that you choose what to teach, lessons are one on one so kids dont get lost in big classes, you know the teachers(which is you) and their values, which are passed on to the your kids, class time can be set according to your hunting and fishing schedule, but most importantly it allows you to provide a firm foundation before they enter a world that is ready to tear them down.

Cons. It is a great responsibility, it is frustrating at times to teach your own kids, as of now kids are not allowed to play sports or participate in school sponsored events.

If that is where God is leading you then trust Him and things will work out.

We home schooled our one son. It was great. We did as we travelled for our business. My wife taught him from a cirriculum.

Pros: He graduated at 20 from Birmingham Southern College after recieving a huge scholarship and being one of 23 students admitted under the Harrison Honors program.
He graduated from the Harrison honors program cum laude in just 3 years. Double majored and has a degree in both poli sci and socialogy...and is going to go to law school.

Cons:
What straycat said. We think it was the best thing you can do. WE kept him in other things like karate, church, volunteering, etc to keep his social skills good. Also, he was traveling around the country in our business and really hanging out with adults and kids from all over.

We also took him to Europe around 12 times and he interacted with kids from ALL cultures and countries. Totally a positive experience.

I appreciate the response, my wife and I are exhausted with the public school system. So I believe in my heart this is the best thing to do. I was concerned at first because my son was enrolled in the gifted program because he has a very rare high IQ and they actually offer a program for him as well.

Do this.
Mike is a straight up good guy.

We do it. It works fairly well for us. My wife handles it all because I am at the local salt mine 24-7. Anyway, you can pm me and I can get her to fill you in.

To me, the biggest pro is that anyone can do it nowadays. Most of what we do is online. We also do some co-op classes. Either way, you don't have to be a certified teacher or know everything in order to do this. There are lots of resources that were not available just a few years ago. There are also home school support groups out there where you can get help, buy or sell curriculum, and take part in social events.

I echo what everyone has said. One major pro that has not been listed (don't think anyway), is the flexibility it provides your family. If I can get off work, guess what? My wife and kids are already off too, and at home. If we want to do something with the family it's not a huge ordeal trying to get mom and dad both off at the same time.

Don't worry about the opinions of those who think that HS kids are socially awkward. Socially awkward kids are usually the product of awkward parents, and there are plenty of those in public school too.

Well chalk it up as done ..my kids are officially gonna be home schooled. Both kids including myself are excited. Gonna be a little rough on me working a full time job, and I am also a full term engineering student in college. And now I will be a teacher for my kids

Good deal Hopper.

We home school as well. Mine are a year apart and went to pre k and kindergarten at a private school. They are now in 4th and 5th. We found a church league for sports and they played basketball, baseball, softball, and were in a running club so they are around other kids all the time. They both play park league baseball or softball now and are fine with the other kids. It has worked out well so far.

We did it, but honestly, I think it's a crock. Sry. But so is the public edcutation system. I will never give or vote for any tax money for either program. Cause..... No matter how much you givem it's never enough. My mother taught 33 years, had her Mst. and a Dr. Just saying.

The ABEKA program is good Christian based program for home schooling from what I'm told by friends that have homeschooled. My children started school at a small Christian private school and they used ABEKA. My wife, who is a highly educated and experienced teacher loves it and wishes they could use it in public schools.

I am not sure what program we will be using,however I will find out and let yall know. However if I can see the word ...god...in something it is definitely of interest to me. Man yall have me stoked about this ....in am excited that perhaps I made a good executive decision. My plans were to eventually put them in a Christian private school, however I am financially 3 years out. Of course yall could understand my concern initially as the education and we'll being of my children are of utmost importance

Probably gonna be hated for saying this but we need true Christian kids in public schools and private schools. How are you going to be the salt and light in the world if you stay at home?

The word hate is not in my vocabulary and I respect everyone's opinion likewise. However the closing of multiple schools have overloaded the public schools classrooms that at one time were very good schools causing these schools to become not as capable of providing a good teacher to student interaction. The public school system has in my opinion failed itself, well at least jefferson county. It probaly cost me 2400 a year to send my kids to public school,not that the cost matter, but as a tax payer I think public education should be free.

Kids don't stand and recite the pledge anymore, kids get sent to the office for blessing their food before lunch, my kids are in the 4th and 5th grade, they don't even get to have recess on the playground...instead they have computer time. Both of my children make the honor roll every year. I am just fed up with what public school has become.

No hate from here Phil. My kids go to a private school with a secular curriculum but the students and teachers are free to worship as they choose. Many, many, of the kids are devout Christians and are positive influences and witnesses to the others. The football coach is one of the most Godly young men I've met. There is no doubt he is making a difference in some lives, including my son. BTW Phil, you'd love him as his dad is ex-LB Wingo of Bama fame. Man is my age and still looks like he can step back into the NFL.

I should also mention the counselor, who works closer with the kids than any school counselor I've ever met. She stresses Christ with them and has led many to be saved, as well as working with the kids to secure hundreds of thousands in Schollys (combined) every year.

I was homeschooled using this program and graduated high school in 2002. ABEKA is produced by Pensacola Christian College/Academy down in Pensacola, Florida. They have video classes for high school that were filmed at Pensacola Christian Academy. I attended PCC and got my undergrad in Accounting and immediately got a job in public accounting in Destin, FL at a top local firm. I then went on to get my Masters in Accounting from University of West Florida and passed the CPA exam. I now work for the Department of Defense as an auditor in Huntsville. Now here are some pros/cons.

Pros: Setting your own schedule. We would start by 7 every morning and be done by 12 - 1 most days. The flexibility was great. My parents were able to make sure that I was getting a quality education while passing along solid Christian values.

Cons: Lack of social interaction was the main issue for me; however, there are many more options to connect with other homeschoolers these days. Also, Alabama is now considering the Tim Tebow Bill (http://www.timtebowbill.com/) which would allow homeschoolers to participate in public school sports. I believe it has passed the House already.

My wife and I are seriously considering our children. It is extremely important to us to see that they are taught Christian values and receive a quality education, which I don't think can be obtained via this Common Core curriculum. Glad to see there are others on this site with success stories.

Make sure its acredited. There's alot of home school programs that basically are just good for high school diploma and arnt acredited toward college classes.

Good point. Those "diplomas" from non accredited programs don't mean a thing to employers either, if they check. When doing background checks on potential police officers, I learned the hard way. APOSTC refused to accept a couple of them, so they were not allowed in a police academy until they passed the GED. One never passed his GED. After that, if someone applied and presented a diploma from someplace I had not heard of before, I checked. Then after one applicant got caught forging his name on his brother's diploma, I started checking all of them.

Respectfully, there is absolutely NO WAY I could disagree more with your premise. On a limited basis, and with more age and more spiritual wisdom, I expose my children more and more to the evils of this world that they may learn to stand on the firm foundation of Christ that they have had (safely) imparted to them. When they are fully academically ready, and more importantly spiritually prepared, to venture out into this evil world and stand firm...then their mother and I will turn them out accordingly. But like a solider that requires much training before being led into battle, so it goes with my children. Christ Jesus didn't choose and send young children to confront the evils of this world (and if you believe the public schools aren't FLAT FULL of evil then you aren't paying attention) and nor will my children be challenged with such a task. They simply aren't fully prepared....yet.

I have been involved in various aspects of teenage, college aged, and young professional ministry for a bunch of years now. Like you mentioned, I'm probably going to be hated for saying this as well, but there is ABSOLUTELY a correlation between public school educated children and apathy toward the things of God as an adult (for the record, I am looking in the mirror when I say that as well). Are there exceptions? Of course there are. But I have ministered to hundreds of recent, public school educated children of Godly parents who are now young adults......and they live their lives EXACTLY like those of unbelievers. You simply can't tell them apart in their life actions. And it is one of the saddest things I have ever witnessed. Current day public schools are tools of the progressives/liberals/aetheists in this country for infiltrating the hearts and minds of children.....and if I have to shovel manure for 16 hours a day to avoid them at all costs on my 4 children's behalves, I will do so with a smile on my face.

You have made a wise decision hopper35005. God bless you and your family as you guys dive in on the homeschooling front.

Hopper,

One thing we have not talked about is "how" to start home schooling.

In Alabama there are only 3 legal options to "home school":

1. Option 1--Join a church based cover/umbrella school. Typically this is a church that has set up a home schooling program as a ministry arm through the church. Some churches might also run a private Christian school as well. The church is basically the administration for parent directed education. They handle enrollment, paperwork, keep record of attendance and grades, etc... Some cover schools do the bare minimum and some are very top shelf and organized. Think of it as a liaison between you and the state and also as a facilitator of any state requirements than may apply. Some schools offer labs, classes, co-ops, full sports that play seasons in various athletic conferences, career guidance, diploma programs, accredited, etc... Wide variety for you to find the right fit.

Hope Christian School in Alabaster/Pelham serves the Birmingham area and is probably the largest group in the state. This is who we go through. This is a full service cover school with clubs, sports, co-op classes, labs, full admin work, accredited, sending kids to college all over the nation every year. Example: as my boys are entering high school, we have signed them up for classes on advanced math and science. They are taught 2 days a week by a college professor, then do their work at home on the off days. We still handle English, History and the non-technical classes at home. We use a wide variety of curriculum, tailored to each child and what works best for them. Trial and error on curriculum.

There are multiple choices in and around B'ham and Jefferson County and Central Alabama. Call a school, go meet with admin and they can walk you through what to do. Different cover schools has different ways of doing things, different personalities, different offerings. Some have lots of extracurricular clubs and full sports programs, some don't do anything like that at all. Find your best fit.


2. Option 2 is joining a Private School with a parent directed option/home school option. A new law was passed in 2014 that opened up the door for church schools and private schools to break away from many state mandates and it openly recognizes home schooling now as protected.

Link for more information: http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/al/201404080.asp



3.. Go through a Private, certified Tutor. This is option #3. The parent can get certified or you can hire a certified private tutor. With this option you do not have to go through a cover/umbrella school. On an island, on your own, dealing directly with the state on requirements.

Resources:

CHEF Alabama is a great resource on curriculum, how to home school, list of schools, etc...
https://www.homeschool-life.com/al/chefofalabama/

Other links for lists of schools:
http://northalabamahomeeducators.freeservers.com/schools.html

http://www.leapingfromthebox.com/hs/alhschurchcover.html Click on statewide and also local coverage for a full listing.

Curriculum links:

http://www.homeschool.com/

http://www.rainbowresource.com/catalog.php

Individual kids don't stand and pledge, or the school doesn't do it anymore? I'd be interested to know what school doesn't say the pledge.

Nothing says your kid can't pray at school.

Agree Jughead.

Jawbone, make sure you aren't breaking a new State law passed in 2014. Senate Bill 38, enacted in April 2014, Assigned Act No. 2014-245. Removes regulations from private and church schools. GED is no longer required for any church school or private school (classified as a non-public school) to be enrolled in AL public colleges. These schools are now recognized by the state and DO NOT have to be approved or certified by the State Dept of Education. So a diploma from them counts just like a diploma from a public school. There is no REQUIRED accreditation process by the State of Alabama for these schools, just standards set by law on what subject must be taught, attendance and admin requirements.

FYI: Making a private school educated student or church based home school student go through different standards might be discrimination, now under the new law. Colleges can no longer hold them to different standards...not sure how it might impact employers, so you may want to check on that.

Links for you.
http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/al/201404080.asp

https://legiscan.com/AL/bill/SB38/2014

I think what Phil meant, and I agree with him is that schools, public and private, could benefit from more Christian students to act as witnesses to His glory. You can't minister to the needy if you don't go out there among them and kids respond best to their peers. Is there a risk in this? Yes, absolutely, but that is where raising them right and trusting them to do the right things comes in to play. A lot of praying for them helps also.

Actually the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission sets the standards on what they will accept and what they won't. I'm not involved in it any more, but when I was, we just went by what they used. Generally, a school was OK. They just wouldn't accept online "diplomas" from places that when asked, admitted their accreditation came from themselves. If APOSTC won't let you in an academy, no point in hiring you.

I fully understand his point (and prior to having children, shared that point of view), but I simply don't agree that it has been fully vetted with current day (today's public schools are NOTHING like they were even when I was a child and I am only 40 years old), Godly wisdom. I can begin to get behind (a little bit anyway) such a notion as what Phil proposed when we start talking about a child that is 15 or 16 years old and has been a believer for years, has spiritually matured well above his or her peers, and has been saturated with a Biblical worldview and the Word via Christian education. As a point of reference, King David is the earliest example of God ordained, evil confrontation that you will find in God's word when he confronted Goliath at the approximate age of 15 or 16.

However, tossing a 6, 7, 10, 12 year old kid, often times ones that don't even have a personal relationship with Christ yet, much less a developed one, into a lion's den of evil influence and secular, conflicting worldview isn't doing them any favors whatsoever during their formative years in my humble opinion. As for me and my house, because I care deeply about their spiritual development (way more than their academic development though the private school my children now attend, post-early year homeschooling, is far, far more challenging than local public schools), my children will continue to be "trained up" for a season that extends until they are at least out of high school and not a day before.

I am well aware that public schools would benefit from the presence of children like mine (and yours and any others that are believers), but I simply can't come up with a Biblical basis for placing before my children, still in Christian infancy, the challenge of standing firm against evil on all sides in the form of progressive/aetheistic curriculum, progressive/aetheistic teachers, and hellion students that are products of broken homes, unbridled use of the internet and television, zero father involvement, and any and every other form of evil that you can fathom. I praise God in Heaven for Christian teachers that continue to fight the good fight within the public school system, along with Christian students, but they fight against a tidal wave of evil influence that they simply can't fully combat. That's just reality and my children aren't gonna be called upon to do the same.

Jesus didn't even go out into the world to preach until he was 30.

if youre already shellng out $2400 per year Forestdale Baptist School would be a K-6 option worth considering in your area. I believe they handle home school curriculum as an accredited umbrella school as well. if nothing else they would be very helpful with any information you might need in getting started. give them a call at 205-798-1248. Mrs Janice Gibbons does a heck of a job running the school.

There are good point on both sides of the issue. I guess in the end it all depends on how comfortable you feel in your child's faith and how comfortable you feel with the school, its administrators and your child's teacher. My wife, for example, would quit her job of 24 years before she would teach 2nd graders anything that goes against her Christian principles.

God bless your precious wife. She is a HERO in my humble opinion to deal with what she has to deal with on a bureaucratic level, yet she still stands upon Christian principles. I wish every single one of them were just like her. Given that I did not grow up in a Christian home, I am eternally grateful for the Godly influence that I received in the public school system via Christian educators as their influences DEFINITELY contributed to my eventual decision to follow Christ.

Of course it is easier on her because it a rural area where most residents claim Christianity as their religion and she doesn't have to get into material like sex ed, evolution and other social issues. It is at that point that it is important that our children have already been exposed to the teachings of Jesus. She got her masters in early childhood for the very reason that she wouldn't have to teach beyond 3rd grade.

What I am reading in this thread is people who homeschool raving about how wonderful it is. You arent going to hear any negative comments from people who homeschool their children because they truly believe that is Gods plan for their children. I support and applaud you for your decision. However in my opinion some of you are are overzealous in your criticism of the public school system.

There is much to rave about, but there most definitely are some negatives or cons, which several of us listed a few.

I can only speak for myself, but my family has been blessed with the ability to be able to have my wife stay at home and for us to be able to personally direct our children's education. For us it is a God thing 100%, because it is not easy...but it is our calling.

This topic of home school vs. public school has come up repeatedly over the years on Aldeer. I try not to see it as a competition...which is better, which is worse. But as soon as I say that, I'm reminded of what our public school institutions have become and I do see the negative secular worldly influence that is gaining ground. Broad brush I know, because there are individual teachers, individual classrooms and even entire schools that are exceptions. These exceptions are still operating and teaching like "old school" schools did and have not yet succumbed to the progressive indoctrination. I thank God for that and them!

The vast majority of Christian thinking home school families have a common bond, their primary purpose---they seek to focus on building Godly character in their children first and foremost. Academics and learning is very important, just not #1. Letting a government school and peers have that role and intimate influence for 5 days a week for over 180 days a year just doesn't assist in their primary purpose--according to them. For me, I'll not trust others to what God gave to me as my role. In no way does that mean that Christian families who use public schools do not have the same purpose...not at all. But for those called to home schooling it doesn't equate well for them and their children. This is the rub I think.

Home schooling parents rave on about it (myself included at times) and non home school parents assume we are judging them or looking down on them for their choices. Some might, but I don't. To be honest though, in full disclosure, I don't think enough public school parents fully understand how schools have changed or understand what is being taught in many schools. Exceptions, yes.

Flip side...too many home school parents jump ship to avoid issues and they don't focus on academics enough and do their kids a disservice. So you have kids that are not ready and prepared for the work force. But I find these are most definitely the exceptions.

I said before in a thread to something DW said, that Christian parents who do use public schools have extra work to do at home to undo the negatives and falsehoods the kids are taught in school or pick up from their peers. But that has always been the case...the secular world is a bad influence no matter whee you go to school. We are called to be vigilant in teaching and training our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and on what is Right, True, Noble, Just and Honorable as revealed in His Word.

The Bible says we are to be salt and light in the world. The school system is not the world. In fact, the school system is very separated from the world and nothing like the world I have seen since I graduated from school.

There are some really good public school teachers on this site I'm met some of them that taught my children.

The ABECKA system works and it should be used in public schools. My 2 cents...