Should I get home schooled?

Alisia Sutphen: The answer lies on a few factors.What do you parents think of this? Would they be the ones teaching you or are you considering doing an online distance learning type thing? Is cost an issue? Learning from home can range from $0-thousands. Homeschool isn't for everyone. You have to be much more self disciplined and motivated otherwise you will fall behind. I understand how you are feeling because my daughter was having a very difficult time adjusting to her new school and she would constantly beg me to take her out and be homeschooled. I finally had to take her feelings in consideration and decided to pull her out. She is doing so much better. Decide how you want your homeschooling to be. Distance learning is what my daughter is doing. It takes a load off of my shoulders because licensed teachers are teacher her via internet. Unschooling is where your teachers are your parents. This is where it can get expensive....Show more

Sammie Bocanegra: Hi,Good ! for you for taking the initiative about doing something about your problem. It is never easy to be in a position where you are not feeling appreciated and loved. May I suggest seeking out the counselor? I am hoping the school has one and he/she is a wise and sensitive person who can at least listen to your troubles. Can you talk to your parents?Whether you should be home schooled or not depends on a few things. First of all, are your parents in a position to support you (affording the extra expense and staying home with you) in home schooling? One of them would have to be home for at least part of the day to guide you and hold you accountable. Even with online schooling where you are taught and submit your assignments via the computer requires some supervision. So go to your local library and ask your librarian for a book that would give you information of the basics of home schooling. There are some options (I think K12 is one) that are free or inexpensive, so when/if you! get to that point check it out. If you want to talk to your p! arents about home schooling it would be good for you to at least have some information in hand. Realistically, I do not think they would consider this year at all, asit is almost over, but it give you time to consider it for next year.As far as your social life: some people think home school by definition is isolation. It can be if you want it to be but it does not have to be! If you connect with home schoolers in your area you would possibly be able to do some classes together (called co-ops) go on field trips, have fund together and so on. You would likely make some close friends from this group. I understand this is a difficult time for you. Might I make a suggestion? Seek someone else in your school who also seems alone and in need of a friend. Leave the "popular crowd" to their own drama, and see if you can make a valuable friend.Take cae and all the best...Show more

Lady Laflin: There is no question that some people are able to learn more effectively when remov! ed from the distractions and drama that typify the high school environment. This is especially true of individuals who are unusually sensitive to the goings-on around them.As a homeschooler, being removed from such negative distractions would very likely enable you to make far better progress academically. However, you will need to be very self-directed and self-motivated in order to be successful at homeschooling. At your age, your parents’ involvement will probably be minimal. You will do most of the work yourself and most likely online. Homeschooling laws vary by state, so you will want to first check out your state’s homeschooling laws and requirements. To do that, go to http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp and click on your state. You will then be taken to your state’s page, where you can click on “Legal Analysis.” All the information you need will be spelled out for you there.As for convincing your parents to allow you to homeschool, your best bet! is to focus on the academics. State calmly that you take your educati! on very seriously and that you are acutely concerned about your grades slipping. Explain further that the high school atmosphere, with all the drama and distractions, is one you have found to be detrimental to your academic performance, and most importantly, to true learning. Stress that you *want* to do well and to succeed, and that you are willing to take responsibility for your high school education in order to make such success possible. Have ready to show them various online high school curricula (do your research first) that interest you (and *show* them how interested and motivated you are). One of the potential hesitations your parents may have concerns your depression. If you are clinically depressed, they may worry that you will become even more so at home, where they may fear you will be too “isolated.” This may be a valid concern on their part. Then again, it sounds like the high school environment *itself* was instrumental in bringing on your depress! ion, in which case, you would do well to calmly remind your parents of that fact.If your parents are not familiar with homeschooling, they may be under the impression (fueled by irresponsible and uninformed media) that homeschooling is “bad.” In an effort to reassure them otherwise, be sure to check out (and maybe print out portions of) the following sites:http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/p...http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/weblinks/whyno...In addition, and perhaps most importantly, try to get a hold of a copy of The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education, by Grace Llewellyn. It should be in your local library. It’s also on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Liberation-Handbook-... This book will prove to be invaluable to you, not only in making your own decision to pursue homeschooling, but also in convincing your parents.Wishing you the very best of luck....Show more

Carmina Stickney: Absol! utely not. Keep going to school. You will miss out on so much if you ! are home schooled. Making friends will get easier. Join a club, a sport, band, extra curricular activity. That is a easy way to make friends. If I could go back and do high school again I would...Those were good times. Good Luck.