Student moms who homeschool

Hands&Feet · Aug 21, 2008

I'm just starting my first semester of NS Monday, so I don't have any advice yet as far as that goes. But, for the homeschooling, I would strongly recommend getting a structured curriculum. We also did a "trial run" with my son when he started Kindergarten, but we just picked up workbooks here and there and pieced the lessons together on our own. It went ok, but I was always questioning if he got enough, was where he needed to be, etc. He's in 2nd grade now, and we decided to buy the curriculum from My Father's World. So far, I love it! It is so organized - there are daily lesson plans already lined out for you, material lists, list of library books, etc. Since it is so organized, I'm hoping that anytime I'm too busy, or need to study, my husband can pick up right where I left off.

Why are you waiting until 2010 to apply for NS? You could start in 2009 and already be half-way through an ADN program, and not have to worry about homeschooling for that year.

studentmom2007 · Aug 21, 2008

Thanks for the tips on the HS curriculum. We have some friends that use My Father's World and really like it, too. The reason I am waiting until 2010 is b/c right now we live in Oregon. We are hoping to move next summer back East (NC) where our families live. Hubby is just now starting to look at applying for jobs. He is looking for professor positions so we really don't know where we'll be just yet. My prayer is that he will get a job at NC State. Since we don't know for sure where we'll be, I don't want to start applying to schools and spending money on application fees, entrance tests, etc if we don't end up near a particular nursing school.

Keep me posted on how things go for you! Good luck on starting NS for you!! I figure doing NS and homeschooling might be "easier" for the lower grades since the lesson plans aren't as long and details. Most kindergarten lessons are 30-60 minutes, right?

busymom31 · Aug 21, 2008

I home schooled for 8 years and found that Sonlight curriculum is very organized and detailed, too.

Good luck to all of you who are home schooling and going to school yourselves. I couldn't do both and have placed my kids in school. Heartbreaker...I cherish those years!!:heartbeat

Hang in there.

mommy2three2 · Aug 22, 2008

I know someone that does this and she starts during the summer while she is off so that way the kiddos are 3 months into school by time she starts. She said as they get older she eventually switches them over to a year round school schedule.

Best wishes

missjennmb · Aug 22, 2008

I am able to do both, but my son is a little bit older now (13). I'm not sure that I could hs him and go to school at the same time if he were still in need of a lot of supervision.

We have used a few different programs. I really liked Switched on Schoolhouse because of the autonomy (its graded via the computer and all the attendence/grades/administrative stuff is recorded through the program). My son loved the educational "video games". For many its too computer based but we liked it. We're currently doing the state's public school funded homeschool program. Its run by K12 and they have them in many states. Its really great and is a combination of computer based correspondence and schoolbooks and supplies. I've been impressed thus far. It doesn't hurt that its free either (where as my other homeschool curriculum have been almost $400 a year) The downfall of it is that it IS run by someone else, so you have to comply to their rules... x amt of hours a day (its a low amount for kindergarten and lower grades) and testing is all online so if you're looking for an alternate format you may not like it. Its well put together though.

It would really depend on how much time you have, because homeschool is pretty time intensive atleast in my situation. Its a nobile cause though. I love homeschooling and wish that I could HS my 2 daughters as i have with my son.

lemonaidangel · Aug 22, 2008

I don't have kids myself, but my three sisters and I were homeschooled from Kindergarten through 12th grade. Our parents used Rod & Staff curriculum, as well as some various textbooks from other homeschooling companies. For the most part, we were self-taught. My Dad worked midnights and he was asleep during the majority of the day, and my mom had a lot of responsibilites outside of the house, so it was basically just us kids. My parents assigned us stuff at the beginning of the school year and we were responsible for getting it all done each day. It didn't matter what time of day, just as long as it was done before bed. Occasionally they made us do extra projects and essays, but for the most part we just followed the list that they gave us. If we didn't understand a particular problem or subject, we would ask our parents for help. (Usually we would go to our Dad because he was better at the higher level stuff.) And if Mom and Dad weren't available, we would either ask the older siblings for assistance or we would just puzzle over it for awhile until we figured the problem out on our own. About once a week or so (usually on the weekends when both parents were home), they would check our work.

It was kind of hard being "self taught" sometimes, but in retrospect, I really think it taught us a great deal of responsibility and good work ethics. I learned how to study by myself without needing someone constantly breathing down my neck. And if I didn't get a project done on time, it was my own fault and I would deal with the consequences. I am 100% certain that I was better prepared for college than some of my public schooled friends. One girl was complaining to me that a community college professor wouldn't "give her the answers" like her highschool chemistry teacher did. ::cough, cough:: I just looked at her and rolled my eyes.

It's kind of funny. My Dad taught each of us how to do dimensional analysis when we were in fifth grade. I hated it with a passion. I used to sit down at the table with my math book and sob because I knew that I would NEVER, EVER use this math! As it turns out, dimensional anaylsis/math for meds was a required pre-req to get into my nursing school. They wouldn't let me CLEP out of it, but let me tell you, it was one of the easiest classes of my life! While everyone else was struggling to understand the basic formulas, I flew right through the material and aced every single test with 100%. Thank you, Dad!

That being said, I think it's great that you want to homeschool. Even though nursing school is a challenge in itself, I have no doubt in my mind that you will be able to do both. Just remember that kids are a lot more responsible than you think. You don't need to sit down with them and hold their hands step-by-step while they are doing their schoolwork. If you give them goals with rules and boundries, they are more than able to do what needs to get done. It might be a hard adjustment at first, but eventually it will all fall together. You will find that you can leave the house for classes, and at the end of the day when you come home, chores will be done and pre-algebra lessons will be completed. No worries.

I am a senior in nursing school with a 3.8 GPA. I am living proof that it can be done. :-)

lemonaidangel · Aug 22, 2008

Oh wait, I forgot the part about your children being so young. Sorry, I'm absent minded sometimes. Oops.

Even so, I think you will still be able to do it. At that age, sitting them down in front of Seseme Street, Dora the Explorer, and the Reading Rainbow can do them wonders. They will learn the alphabet, phonics, and even some Spanish without you having to do a thing! (Hey, TV isn't all bad. Use it to your advantage.) And when you do homework, you can have them sit down and do homework with you. Give them some crayons and paper and scissors, and they can practice their coloring, hand-eye coordination skills, and writing their letters and numbers. If you have a babysitter, you can have her help out too, even if it's simply reading to the kids. It's a fact that by reading a book out loud and pointing at the words as you read them, it speeds up the learning how to read process. Kids soak up this stuff like a sponge!

Just be creative. You and your kids will be great. :up:

Nurse2Bhomeschoolmom · Aug 22, 2008

I am able to do both, but my son is a little bit older now (13). I'm not sure that I could hs him and go to school at the same time if he were still in need of a lot of supervision.
We have used a few different programs. I really liked Switched on Schoolhouse because of the autonomy (its graded via the computer and all the attendence/grades/administrative stuff is recorded through the program). My son loved the educational "video games". For many its too computer based but we liked it. We're currently doing the state's public school funded homeschool program. Its run by K12 and they have them in many states. Its really great and is a combination of computer based correspondence and schoolbooks and supplies. I've been impressed thus far. It doesn't hurt that its free either (where as my other homeschool curriculum have been almost $400 a year) The downfall of it is that it IS run by someone else, so you have to comply to their rules... x amt of hours a day (its a low amount for kindergarten and lower grades) and testing is all online so if you're looking for an alternate format you may not like it. Its well put together though.
It would really depend on how much time you have, because homeschool is pretty time intensive atleast in my situation. Its a nobile cause though. I love homeschooling and wish that I could HS my 2 daughters as i have with my son.

I DO HOMESCHOOL and would love to support you in any way possible. My biggest suggestion is DO move to where your family is and DO research curricula that is easier for you to maintain. We do use Switched on Schoolhouse and the K12 that someone mentioned as well as some other stuff that is great and easy but not autonomous at all. Unofrtunately SOS starts at 3rd grade and I know nothing about K12 in NC, here it begins at 6th grade.

My kids are 8, 11, 14. My 14 y/o actually is going to school this year because with all the high school requirements I felt extremely incapable to handle everything, and my husband could not help. You can do this, but as someone said get started before your school year starts and be organized right from the start. Kindergarten is easy. Honestly if they can read, count and add 2+2 when they get out that is great. They love field trips at this age and if you have supportive relatives that could drive him when you have class you will have it made. The ONLY drawback is that NS is stressful, I am in 3rd semeter out of 5 and they stepped it up this semester and I am having to make major life changes to keep up with homeschooling, BUT I am not giving it up. My oldest asked to go to school, but my 2 youngest beg to stay home and I will grant them that wish because they are my priority. I only have until August '09 to deal with this. One thing I can assure you of is that you WILL not be the highest achiever in your class. I know I can do better. I have gotten nothing below a B mind you, but I realize that although some work in my class- the ones in the class that get the great grades are the ones that as my instructor says "abandons their children, ignores their husbands" and generally have no fun at all. We all make sacrifices to be here, mine just happens to be my grades, some choose to sacrifice thier families. That is their choice and it will become yours also. Just something to think about.

It works for me because ours is an accelerated nights/ weekends program so when we have class my husband is home and clinical is on the weekend. This is the only way I can get this done. A lot of schools are going hybrid, I might recommend that to you also. Usually the clinicals are the only time you leave the house. You might have an abbreviated class session. Above all you need support from family that want to see you succeed in both homeschool and nursing school. Praise God I have that, without it I would fail on all counts. Good luck, you are welcome to PM if you would like. I hope this helps.:heartbeat

missjennmb · Aug 22, 2008

K12 starts at K :) If you use their public school funded version you have to work with additional rules put down by the state (which may influence what grades it is available for and the exact curriculum/rules). I've come to realize that most of the rules we have to follow are state based, not K12 based. There's always the option of using their private version and bipassing the state laws (which would leave you with more responsibilities, but also more flexibility)

I really wish you the best with this. I think that, as long as the social aspect can still be addressed, homeschool is a great choice. That kind of adds another time issue though unless you have someone else who can bring your kids around to various activities.

studentmom2007 · Aug 22, 2008

Thank you all!! This have been VERY helpful!!! I had not thought about starting earlier in the summer. That's a great idea. Also, we hope that DH new job will be a little less demanding than his current job and he can help out more with homework and assignments. I plan to have all support courses done before starting so I will have just the NUR classes and clinicals to do. I know that will still be a heavy load, but it will still cut back on the hours that I would be gone. Of course, we have to throw in the possibility of whether or not we want any more kids.....

Thanks again!

Blessed2BeMommy · Aug 22, 2008

Loved K12, used it successfully throughout nursing school. I did end up putting my older kids (15, 12, 9, 7) in charter schools this year (due to my husband's poor health) but I homeschooled all through nursing school and had the third highest GPA. I think organizing them actually helped organize me! We all had study time. (Oh, plus, I am the breadwinner and was working 5+ 12 hour shifts every week during the same time frame)....

When my kids went back into school this year my oldest daughter (15)tested into the community college honors freshman program (she's in a dual enrollment high school/community college) and my oldest son (12) was chosen for a special advanced science/math program for the top 6% of all sixth graders... so I'm very pleased and feel that K12 provided an excellent education for them.