Would you place your child in a "school" environment in high school?

[hmsch4me]

My ds will be in 9th next year and we have started looking into a couple of homeschool high schools in the area (2 days/week - homework the other 3 days). Both are small schools. We are also looking at a private school (900 students over 4 grades) that is a very prestigious school, however, he would have to take some testing.

My ds loves to homeschool and likes a smaller class size. I do want to consider his feeling on the subject, but I also know at some point, he'll need to experience a larger class size with more children - even if it's in college. I'm really torn on this one.

Has anyone had experience with this type of thing - putting your homeschooler into a larger school setting? Also, would you forgo some of your curriculum choices for the option of homeschool high school?

[Lady Katherine]

My son is only in 7th, but he is advanced and taking some high school courses. We put him in the local public middle/high school this year (both are in the same building), and he is THRIVING! He loves just about everything about it. He loves the classes, the friends, the extracurricular opportunities, the competition... In fact, he's fitting in so well that the principal recently asked him to consider joining the student council. It's been the best thing we've ever done for this child (and he really wasn't anxious to try it to begin with).

Now, I'll be the first to say that I might not have done it in a different school district. But it CAN be a good thing. Check it out.

[Claire]

We placed our dd in public high school for 9th grade, but only because she wanted that experience. It hasn't been ideal, but it has satisfied a lot of her needs. She is glad she is in public high school and not being homeschooled for high school.

Her best friend is being homeschooled for high school and attending three community college courses. She is getting better academic schooling than my dd, but her social life suffers.

In your situation, with your son loving to homeschool, I would just continue homeschooling and perhaps look at a few co-op classes if they are available, and a few community college classes if they are available. IMO, he really doesn't need more until college -- unless he wants or needs more.

JMO......

[Jean in Newcastle]

We homeschool "year by year" so I can't absolutlely say that we would never homeschool for high school. But I will say that we don't plan to. I know without a shadow of a doubt that we can get more in depth study on subjects at home. And that is more important to me than a classroom "experience". I myself went to a one room schoolhouse for much of my school life. The switch to a large public school classroom was not that difficult (we did it cold-turkey every 4 years). The switch to college wasn't difficult either (every Freshman was learning the "college ropes" at the same time anyway.) What was difficult for me was the switch to a totally different culture outside of school (because I grew up overseas).

If you can read Homer, how difficult is it to learn to raise your hand, wait to go to the bathroom at the breaks (or get a pass), etc. And to tell you the truth, putting a bunch of hormone-crazed kids together doesn't really appeal to me either! I don't think it enhances a person's ability to interact with others IRL after high school. And it definitely messes with the academics! The main area where I might consider putting my kids into a high school class of some kind would be specifically in subjects that were over my head as a teacher - but academics would still be number one for me. But then, academics is the number one (but not only) reason we homeschool.

[Holly IN]

My oldest is a 7th grader. I would not consider a school environment for high school. I will consider co-op setting through our homeschool group only. This is for our family.

Through reading about how homeschool students do in college with large classroom settings...from the readings it really doesn't make any difference whether they are in inclusive setting at home, co-op or small classes in prep for college. In fact, they said that homeschool students (that only did at home school or small co-op)do so much better socially and environmentally wise than the public school students. However I tend to look at it more as per student's experience vs. the whole.

I firmly believe that I am preparing my children well for college regardless of the class size or exposure to (whatever it is).

HTH

Holly

[RoughCollie]

We have 3 kids in parochial school now. DD will be in 8th next year at that school and will not be homeschooled in hs because she does not like hs. DS1 will be in 9th, hopefully at the parochial high school nearby.

We are undecided about where DS2 will spend his 9th grade year -- maybe the parochial school, maybe the PS, maybe homeschool. DS2 will make that decision with our input. Things are up in the air with him as he is being tested to see if he has any learning disabilities.

We like the parochial schools because the class sizes are small (12 pupils), they use curricula we like, and the kids are happy there.

DS3 is homeschooled and will be homeschooled next year for 9th grade, which is his choice.

[mcconnellboys]

Wow, your situation sounds exactly like ours, here. There are some of those cottage type schools for high school here. I'm sure that they have some teachers who are good, but I also know that at least some classes are not rigorous at all. But that's something you'd find in any sort of school.

So you give up some control on academic excellence when you farm them out for classes elsewhere, but there are perhaps other trade offs that equal that out, such as getting accustomed to that sort of scheduling, testing, sitting in class with others, group projects, etc., etc. Those are all skills that will be important in life and in the work world, as well as in college.

And our programs here are rather rigid in their thinking with regard to students doing advanced work, so when one group here started and I approached them about my son taking Algebra I as an eighth grader, for instance, even though their website said clearly that he could test and do that, they refused to allow him in. And he was doing Latin II at home that year, so I asked if he could just take Latin I with them in order to get in some group speaking time (I hoped), but again, they refused. (So we took Latin II with the same teacher at a different location....) They seemed all wrapped up in preventing younger kids from being able to participate in their social things, such as dances. Even though we indicated clearly that we were not interested in such things, and would sign an agreement not to participate in such things, we were still refused entry. ("Surely he might be uncomfortable as he must be too short." He was six feet tall.....) By the time he was old enough age wise to qualify to take their classes, he was doing college classes instead..... So you may find some inflexability in thinking, even among homeschoolers whom you would expect to be more able to think outside the box....

I would have serious discussion with the groups you're interested in to make sure that they offer the most bang for your buck, so to speak. Take the lesser of all evils, or the one that's the best fit for what you'd like to accomplish. I don't think there will ever be a program that will offer everything you'd hope for,

Regena

[Excelsior! Academy]

We might put our kiddos into a science lab class at the local science museum when they reach high school. They can and will do things there that we can't/won't duplicate here.

I don't forsee us utilizing a 2 day a week school, though. I had a friend that did this with her oldest and it was basically like a smaller public school setting. The same peer pressure and you, the parent, don't get to choose the curriculum. While things and situations can change, I don't see us doing it.

[astrid]

My ds will be in 9th next year and we have started looking into a couple of homeschool high schools in the area


What is a "homeschool high school?" It seems like a contradiction in terms to me. Is it a high school? Or is it a homeschool? Or is it a high school only for students who were formerly homeschooled?

I'm not being argumentative; I really want to know!

[Laura Corin]

I expect that the boys will go to school for the final two years (a natural period in the UK system). As we both live overseas and homeschool, I think they need to acclimatise to their home culture before being thrown into university. This will probably be in a private school, but it depends where we are living at the time.

Laura

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

My ds will be in 9th next year and we have started looking into a couple of homeschool high schools in the area (2 days/week - homework the other 3 days). Both are small schools. We are also looking at a private school (900 students over 4 grades) that is a very prestigious school, however, he would have to take some testing.

My ds loves to homeschool and likes a smaller class size. I do want to consider his feeling on the subject, but I also know at some point, he'll need to experience a larger class size with more children - even if it's in college. I'm really torn on this one.

Has anyone had experience with this type of thing - putting your homeschooler into a larger school setting? Also, would you forgo some of your curriculum choices for the option of homeschool high school?

We chose school (boarding), but only because our children chose it. We merely facilitated the choices at that point.

[gardenschooler]

1- It's not all that nearby (in Olive Branch, MS) although I see they are adding some locations

2- dd's not interested - if I had a highschooler that just needed a little 'halfway' point between homeschool and f/t school, this would be a great option though (other dd15 is in ps).

3-it meets on Tues & Thurs, and she likes our Tues am co-op

4-it costs a little more than fits our budget comfortably

5-you no longer really choose your own curriculum, or teach much (I think) at home. I have to be in control! :)

I have a few friends that use it, and love it. I believe they do humanities subjects on one of the days, and math/science on the other. The parent's main job is overseeing the work, helping, and making sure the homework is completed. The curriculum follows the classical model, and the people I know who have their dc enrolled there really rave about it. One of them works f/t from home, so this option suits them and fits their lifestyle.

I might keep it in mind for the future (for my youngest, or if dd13 wants to go later), but it's not exactly homeschooling. I would do it as a compromise, or if I didn't have the time/resources/inclination to homeschool full-time. It's certainly better than our public school! :eek: And even though I have my oldest in ps, I would have much rather done something like this instead - it's a much more rigorous education, better environment, etc.

Here's the link to the school I'm referring to, but I'm sure there are others.

http://www.veritasschools.com/about/

[Eliana]

I would not place a child in a school solely because I knew s/he would need to have that kind of experience eventually, and, yes there are many things we would forgo to stay at home.

On the other hand, I do believe in taking each year as it comes and evaluating each child's needs and how they can best be met. Our eldest (dd 14.5) has been taking classes at a local college for the last year, and takes local adult Judaic classes... but we chose not to send her to a local, religious high school because it would have been a package deal and we could not have customized her classes and overall learning experience to best meet her needs and goals.

The college classes have been fabulous for my daughter, and the college setting rather than a high school atmosphere has meant she's avoided all of the social issues which would have concerned us at a non-religious school.

I have been amazed at how quickly my daughter adapted to tests, lectures, notetaking, homework, not to mention the much more intensive college schedule... and this has reinforced my instinct that we didn't need to do anything special to prepare for this.

Personally, unless there were powerful external reasons, I would not put a high school student in school if s/he were not fully committed to it and, at least a little, enthusiastic, but ymmv.


Eliana

[Excelsior! Academy]

What is a "homeschool high school?" It seems like a contradiction in terms to me. Is it a high school? Or is it a homeschool? Or is it a high school only for students who were formerly homeschooled?

I'm not being argumentative; I really want to know!

I am not sure to what the original poster is referring, but this is my experience. Basically a child will go to school on, say, Mondays. This school is run similar to a public school in that the children change classes, have teachers, etc. The child then brings home the homework to complete during the week. The week's work is then turned in on Monday, and another week's instruction is given. I *think* you can sign up for one, two, or all of the classes. This situation is sort of a middle ground between full time homeschooling, co-op settings, and public or private schools.

[hpymomof3]

Last year we sent her to the public high school. For the most part she was miserable. We were very unhappy with most of the teachers. Some were downright mean, others didn't really teach. DD basically had to teach herself for her science class. Her math teacher was never in the room and had assistants (college students) ran the class.

Even though she had more of an opportunity to make friends she found that most of the kids were so different from her. She feels that doing well in school is important. Most of the kids she knew could care less and never did their homework. She also doesn't swear or drink and isn't boy crazy. 99% of the girls she met were into those things. She did make a few friends that she hung out with all year at school but they didn't really develop into close friendships.

Academically she did well but it was a tough year. First semester her homework load was unbelievable. Some nights she would spend 5-6 hours+ on homework. A lot of it was busy work too. The 2nd semester her load was a lot lighter. (They were on block scheduling so her classes were different). The problem with 2nd semester was that some of the classes were such a joke. For example in english class they only wrote 1 or 2 easy papers, worked on vocabulary that a 5th grader should know and for grammar they were doing things like circling nouns and verbs. She got straight A's both semesters but don't feel that she got a lot out of it.

This year we were fortunate enough to be able to send her to a private christian high school. She has about 100 kids in the sophomore class. She loves it! Her classes are challenging but she loves the teachers. She still has an A average but we feel that she has learned a lot more. Even though some of the classes are more challenging and will prepare her more for college she is actually having an easier time this year.

Of course no school is perfect and there will still be people that differ from her in her beliefs, values, etc. but for the most part the students are great. She isn't a social butterfly and although we are christian we aren't extremely strict, etc. but she seems to fit in well.

Last year dd begged us to bring her back home. DH insisted that he wanted her to go to high school. This year she is happy to go to school. I really think it depends on the kid and the situation.