Are they really homeschooling?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by a homeschooler that they can teach the material in an hour or two a day without all the other regular school filler. Many of them apparently use online resources. I work with someone who has a FT job and "homeschools" her child. The child is older. As far as I can tell, the child self-directs for an hour or two a day to complete online work, does some reading, and then just hangs out all day. This is a middle school age child.

BUT

It's none of your business and I don't really think you have a right to ask them to quiet down in the middle of the day. Maybe move to another location in the house or go to a public library.

Total bullshit, and I can't imagine why the state doesn't crack down on it.

+1. I feel very sorry for these kids op. They sound like my 6 nieces/ nephews who are now young adults and in sad shape

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old are the kids? What do they appear to be doing while outside all day? Does it seem possible that the parents have an "outdoor classroom" approach to homeschooling or are the kids just running around playing & telling all day?

I think they are 6-14, can't remember. Right now they are riding scooters up and down in front of my house and bouncing basketballs in my driveway.

I really don't want to switch rooms around!

Talk to the mom. Tell her you work from home and can they stay on their lawn.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is full of terrible people like op

How is OP terribke? She's not trying to get the family thrown out of the neighborhood or anything,.

PP clearly lets her bratty children run wild and terrorize the neighborhood. Hey, PP, how about you, I don't know, teach your children there are other people besides them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The thing with homeschooling is that you can follow a traditional schedule or not depending on how it suits your family/kid.

If the kid is a morning person, they can get up early and knock out pretty much all they need to do in a 2-3 hours. If evening is there focus time, then start then. It takes a LOT less time when there is not 'settle in time', passing out of papers, collecting of papers, multi kid bathroom breaks, multiple repetition of instructions, you can also move faster- if theres no need to review yesterday's work first, then keep going.

So yes, it is very possible that your neighbor is homeschooling. She also might be sending out kids on a rotating basis while she teaches one or two inside.

A big plus of homeschooling is that your kids do get to spend lots of time outside playing because the same learning doesn't take as long when it's practically one on one tutoring. They are not beholden to the 4 walls of their classroom and to the 20 minutes of recess.

My kids are in public school but I did homeschool my oldest for 2 years. It was not easy and involved a ton of prep and planning on my part, but my kid did have a great deal of time to explore and just be a kid while still learning. And he was ahead by 1-2 grade levels in some subjects when he started public.

I'd just politely ask the neighbor to be mindful of the property line because you get disturbed by the noise when you're working. But you can't make anyone keep their kids in the house all day to benefit you.

+1. All true and good advice.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like there's not much you can do besides talk to the mom about keeping the kids off of your property or moving yourself, which might be worth thinking about. If it's a shared driveway situation though, you might be kinda a jerk for asking. Also, if the mom doesn't keep the kids away, not much else you can do bc no cop is going to take a trespassing complaint against a kid neighbor seriously. I agree that homeschooling 6 kids by 1 parent is pretty terrible and negligent, but it's not illegal and nothing you can do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old are the kids? What do they appear to be doing while outside all day? Does it seem possible that the parents have an "outdoor classroom" approach to homeschooling or are the kids just running around playing & telling all day?

I think they are 6-14, can't remember. Right now they are riding scooters up and down in front of my house and bouncing basketballs in my driveway.

I really don't want to switch rooms around!

Talk to the mom. Tell her you work from home and can they stay on their lawn.

THIS! If they are on your property, that is not ok. I would go over and talk to the mom nicely, and just explain you have had a home office for 10 years, and you would like it if they did not play on your property. I would have a problem with other kids constantly playing on my property even if I didn't have to work and concentrate! Do they have a backyard???

[Anonymous]

Are they really on your property? Whenever a key supporting detail is added later after an OP doesn't get support, I wonder...

[Anonymous]

Maybe they're unschoolers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they in Virginia? In Virginia, there are no requirements for homeschooling. It could involve zero schooling.

Have you introduced yourself, brought over cookies? Are the children fed, safe? It might be worth contacting CPS if th children seem neglected.

Yes, Virginia.

We've met them, and the children seem fine, but I only have a two year old and don't really know anything about kids. I'd say they're neglected, but my standards are different.

You sound like just a nasty old snob.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by a homeschooler that they can teach the material in an hour or two a day without all the other regular school filler. Many of them apparently use online resources. I work with someone who has a FT job and "homeschools" her child. The child is older. As far as I can tell, the child self-directs for an hour or two a day to complete online work, does some reading, and then just hangs out all day. This is a middle school age child.

BUT

It's none of your business and I don't really think you have a right to ask them to quiet down in the middle of the day. Maybe move to another location in the house or go to a public library.

Total bullshit, and I can't imagine why the state doesn't crack down on it.

I'm the poster you are responding to. I can understand this reaction, but I know for a fact that this lady's kid is learning the grade level material. The kid has to take standardized tests at some sort of regular interval to prove she is progressing.

It's just a different choice. I wouldn't do it with my own kids, but I don't know enough about it to declare it total bullshit and I bet you don't either.

I do know that if that's all it took, every other kid wouldn't be in school for as long as they are.

As a teacher, i can tell you more than 50% of the day is settling, organizing, and managing the classroom. Another 25% is teaching to the lowest learning level. Some can get through the requirements and have a much more enriching day at home I believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they in Virginia? In Virginia, there are no requirements for homeschooling. It could involve zero schooling.

Have you introduced yourself, brought over cookies? Are the children fed, safe? It might be worth contacting CPS if th children seem neglected.

Yes, Virginia.

We've met them, and the children seem fine, but I only have a two year old and don't really know anything about kids. I'd say they're neglected, but my standards are different.

You sound like just a nasty old snob.

Snob, yes. Old, no. Nasty, no.

Perhaps you should keep your children off my driveway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old are the kids? What do they appear to be doing while outside all day? Does it seem possible that the parents have an "outdoor classroom" approach to homeschooling or are the kids just running around playing & telling all day?

I think they are 6-14, can't remember. Right now they are riding scooters up and down in front of my house and bouncing basketballs in my driveway.

I really don't want to switch rooms around!

Your driveway should be off limits to them. If the scooters are on the public sidewalk, though, I don't see how you can tell them to get off it.

[Anonymous]

Yes I would ask the Mom to ask her kids to stay off of your property because you work from home and the noise is distracting. I would be annoyed too OP. Don't they have a back yard to play in? I doubt you will get much traction with the mother though because I cannot imagine what kind of woman home schools six kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by a homeschooler that they can teach the material in an hour or two a day without all the other regular school filler. Many of them apparently use online resources. I work with someone who has a FT job and "homeschools" her child. The child is older. As far as I can tell, the child self-directs for an hour or two a day to complete online work, does some reading, and then just hangs out all day. This is a middle school age child.

BUT

It's none of your business and I don't really think you have a right to ask them to quiet down in the middle of the day. Maybe move to another location in the house or go to a public library.

Total bullshit, and I can't imagine why the state doesn't crack down on it.

Limited resources. You want a nanny state? Higher taxes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by a homeschooler that they can teach the material in an hour or two a day without all the other regular school filler. Many of them apparently use online resources. I work with someone who has a FT job and "homeschools" her child. The child is older. As far as I can tell, the child self-directs for an hour or two a day to complete online work, does some reading, and then just hangs out all day. This is a middle school age child.

BUT

It's none of your business and I don't really think you have a right to ask them to quiet down in the middle of the day. Maybe move to another location in the house or go to a public library.

Total bullshit, and I can't imagine why the state doesn't crack down on it.

I'm the poster you are responding to. I can understand this reaction, but I know for a fact that this lady's kid is learning the grade level material. The kid has to take standardized tests at some sort of regular interval to prove she is progressing.

It's just a different choice. I wouldn't do it with my own kids, but I don't know enough about it to declare it total bullshit and I bet you don't either.

I do know that if that's all it took, every other kid wouldn't be in school for as long as they are.

As a teacher, i can tell you more than 50% of the day is settling, organizing, and managing the classroom. Another 25% is teaching to the lowest learning level. Some can get through the requirements and have a much more enriching day at home I believe.

Another teacher here. Yup.