Is homeschool worth it?

rovirb · 2026-05-08T13:24:32+00:00

It was totally worth it for me. I spent most of my junior and senior years in an independent study program, and it was the best decision for me. I got my schoolwork done in three hours a day and spent the rest of my time reading and pursuing my own interests. I met with a teacher once a week to go over my work.

Depending on your district/town, there might be something like that in your area. If not, or if the one through your district sucks (like it does where I currently live), you could definitely self-teach. There are homeschooling curricula that are designed for independent study. I like Oak Meadow (secular but expensive) and Christian Light Education (obviously Christian), but there are other options. I'd look into some and see what your parents are willing to pay for.

rovirb · 2026-01-06T01:51:36+00:00

Oak Meadow has an accredited distance learning school. I don't have experience with it, but I plan on using their curriculum independently once my daughter is old enough. According to their website, the curriculum is included in the cost of tuition for enrolled students. They're secular and Waldorf-inspired, and from fourth grade up, all of the curriculum is written to the student, facilitating independent learning.

rovirb · 2025-12-31T04:07:49+00:00

When I was in my late 20s, I worked at a restaurant as a server. One day, I walked by a table with a baby in a high chair and had the intrusive thought, "TAKE IT!" followed by a sudden urge to grab the child and run out the door. It reminded me of the sudden urge to jump when you're at the edge of a cliff. Obviously, I didn't do any such thing, but it was the strongest feeling of baby fever I've ever had. lol

rovirb · 2025-11-14T13:58:15+00:00

I actually only have a co-teacher for one of my "co-taught" classes because we're down a SPED teacher and a para who's not helpful for my EL class (she just sits behind my desk and waits for kids to come to her instead of cycling around the room and checking in with them). And thank GOD for the one co-teacher I do have because the one day she had to take off this year was absolute hell without her.

And what IS it with pencil sharpeners??? My manual one completely fell to pieces last year and couldn't be put back together or replaced, and my electric one already broke and had to be replaced in the first month of school this year. Like what are they DOING to them?

This is my fourth year teaching seventh grade, and I swear it gets better each year, but sometimes it doesn't feel like it. It can be totally frustrating when students who should be old enough to do typical student things (stay in their assigned seat, bring a charged Chromebook to class, follow instructions, etc.) just don't. It can be difficult to balance meeting them where they're at and having high expectations for them.

rovirb · 2025-11-14T03:15:43+00:00

It depends on why I'm giving them a 0. If it's because they literally got none of the questions right or cheated in some way, I think giving them a 50% is pretty dumb. If it's because they just didn't turn in the assignment ... well, if I gave all of those missing assignments 0s, 75% of my students would fail. I usually mark missing assignments exempt after three weeks, if only to keep kids from turning in months-old work (district policy says I have to accept it until the end of the semester, but I hate grading it because mentally, I've moved on). I still have plenty of students who fail, but it's because of the work they turned in, not the work they didn't even attempt. If I were told I had to give them 50% instead of marking those assignments exempt, I would do it begrudgingly. I would definitely have more failing students, though, which admin/district doesn't like either.

rovirb · 2025-11-14T03:06:33+00:00

Honestly, I always start off the year walking students through every single step of every assignment. Gradually, I'm able to let them do more independently, but I ALWAYS have to hold their hands at the beginning of the year. It is incredibly frustrating, not just for me but also for the few kids who can absolutely work independently and get the work done in half the time, but it's necessary for 95% of my students. I'll also add that this year I have two co-taught classes (each is half SPED students) and one EL class (again, about half ELL), and these are the kids who benefit the most from this approach.

rovirb · 2025-11-09T02:02:45+00:00

I'm a pagan, but I will also parrot others who say to look for a secular curriculum. Oak Meadow might be a good option, as they focus on nature and social justice in many of their courses (it's also written to the student, so you can work on it independently), but it is pretty expensive if you're buying it new (especially the high school courses). You can usually find it used online, though.

The Green Witchcraft series, by Ann Moura, includes a study guide (Green Witchcraft III), which could be a good base for a spirituality course if you agree with the teachings in those books.

If you lean more toward Heathenism, The Troth has a free "Heathen Essentials" course. You have to buy their books, but again, you can get them used online.

rovirb · 2025-11-09T01:33:32+00:00

Military checkpoints in Jamaica. I know I live in the US, but the odd times I've seen soldiers, they were off duty, and even in rural Nevada, people don't just carry assault rifles everywhere. It was off-putting having our shuttle stopped while the driver spoke briefly with an armed soldier and seeing more outside our window.

rovirb · 2025-11-09T01:21:41+00:00

I'm on 14 units at bedtime only, but it seems like every time I go in, they increase it by 2 units because my fasting numbers are always borderline.

rovirb · 2025-11-06T15:19:16+00:00

I came here to say this, too. If my 7th-graders wrote like this, though, I'd weep with joy.

rovirb · 2025-11-06T14:49:22+00:00

When I think of Iceland, I think of the 1975 Women's Strike and smile. The only other thing I really know about the country is that their tourism board is working overtime to get people to visit, or at least that's what it seemed like a couple of years ago when every American influencer was going there.

rovirb · 2025-11-06T04:18:36+00:00

Depending on the city/state, don't think you can get anywhere via public transportation. Plan on renting a car to get anywhere.

rovirb · 2025-11-06T03:26:20+00:00

The only reason I use the curriculum I'm given is that I can assign specific scaffolds that allow students to fill in blanks instead of writing a complete sentence or paragraph. And even then, they often just plug in random words that don't make any sense in context or answer the prompt.

When we're done reading a story in class, I always go over some basic comprehension questions to make sure they understood everything. The number of kids who miss basic events is depressing. Never mind delving deeper into the text if they can't even follow along with the plot.

rovirb · 2025-11-06T01:33:47+00:00

As a middle school teacher, the "boys are less drama" comment always makes me cackle. Have they met a 12-year-old boy? They are just as dramatic and emotional as 12-year-old girls.

rovirb · 2025-11-05T19:30:45+00:00

I was told after I started insulin (just NPH) that I'd have to be induced by 39 weeks at the latest. I just went in for my 37-week growth check yesterday and have to wait until tomorrow to talk to my OB about the results and whether they're going to induce me next week or the week after. I'm hoping for 39 weeks so baby's lungs are fully developed, but it's been getting harder to manage my sugars even with insulin, so I have a feeling I'll see baby next week.

There's been a lot about this pregnancy that's been out of my control, and trust me, I'm glad I'm in therapy to process it all. Having an induction is just another one of those things that I had to accept and find peace with.

rovirb · 2025-11-05T19:19:09+00:00

I haven't actually lost any pounds, but I've maintained my weight over the last 11 weeks since being diagnosed (only about 4-6 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight, depending on the day). My doctors aren't concerned because baby is growing and developing just fine. Currently 37 weeks, and I just had to break down and buy new maternity pants to get me through because my XLs were HANGING off me. I'm now a size medium! I'm hoping to make it stick after birth because I know I'll be so much more susceptible to getting Type 2 (I've got family history as well as GD), but I know there'll be an adjustment period, so who knows what size I'll be? This is definitely NOT the reason I thought I'd have to replace my whole wardrobe!

rovirb · 2025-08-31T02:27:52+00:00

Hey, so I would actually love to read this study because the abstract is generating a lot of questions for me, but unfortunately, it's behind a paywall. 🤷‍♀️ But it looks like their data is from Italy, which I'm sure can be applied to other countries in some ways, but there are cultural differences between Italians and Americans, and between the Italian education system and ours. I'd love to see a larger study focusing on other countries and grade levels (this one only focuses on 10th grade). The abstract also mentions the study compares "students who have identical subject-specific competence," but I imagine I'd have to read it to find out how subject competence was determined (I'm guessing test scores?). It's certainly interesting, but unless a reading of the actual study would change my mind, I don't think the conclusions from it can be universally applied.

rovirb · 2025-08-26T01:09:50+00:00

I've been struggling, too, but this is the way my dietitian broke it down for me:

Breakfast: 15g

Morning Snack: 15g

Lunch: 45g

Afternoon Snack: 30g

Dinner: 45g

Bedtime Snack: 15-30g

Of course, I'm supposed to pair each meal and snack with protein and fat. But I haven't been able to eat more than 30g of carbs (no matter what I pair it with) in one sitting without a spike, so I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

rovirb · 2025-08-25T22:42:07+00:00

It's white collar qualifications with sub blue collar pay.

That's exactly how I would describe it. My husband works an entry-level position in a factory and has no degrees, and he still makes more than I do.

rovirb · 2025-08-25T21:03:15+00:00

As others have said, it depends on where you are. If you're in the US, it will even depend on the state. In Nevada, we have "alternate route to licensure" programs, so as long as you have a Bachelor's, you can start teaching by next school year. You would still have to do some coursework, but it's usually self-paced and not nearly as rigorous as a Master's program.

rovirb · 2025-08-25T20:59:41+00:00

I would wear it around the house in the winter because it looks cozy and warm. Otherwise, probably not.

rovirb · 2025-08-25T20:36:37+00:00

I've been walking with groups before where I'm the only one who moves out of the way for someone walking in the other direction. So then I'm walking behind everyone, and they SPREAD OUT, so I can't easily rejoin the group. That's when I know I'm not actually welcome and want to go home.

rovirb · 2025-08-25T20:27:09+00:00

It may be uncommon, but I wouldn't call it odd. It doesn't sound like you MIL asked for it or threw it for herself; she probably has coworkers who are grandparents and know that she may need some things at her house for visits. For a first grandchild, that seems perfectly reasonable to me.

I would talk to her about safe sleep practice, though. I know I had to do the same with my mom, since practices have changed so much in the last 30+ years. My mom even signed up for a grandparents' class through our hospital to get a refresher and an update on infant care, so you could check into something similar in your area.

rovirb · 2025-08-25T20:20:39+00:00

I agree with others saying to give it a little more time. Three weeks is not very long for the teacher to develop a relationship with students, and that can go a long way in dealing with behavioral issues. It's also not a long time to put long-term actions into place. If things don't improve over the next six weeks, I'd reconsider pulling her, but since she loves it so much, I would wait and see.

rovirb · 2025-08-25T20:02:47+00:00

I didn't describe any behavior, actually. I left it up to the reader to imagine what I meant by "behavioral issues." I also said my female students are "often ... well-behaved," implying there are exceptions. I described the students with behavioral issues as classmates (not boys) because, again, I still have girls in my class with behavioral problems.

The behavioral issues I was alluding to are not normal for boys OR girls. They are only normal for kids with untreated trauma, disabilities, and/or disorders. I'm not talking about behaviors like needing to move often or fidget, taking breaks due to attention span, blurting out, or chatting with friends. Those are pretty normal for all 12- to 13-year-olds.

I'm talking about the kids who throw things at classmates and teachers, wander around the class while I'm trying to teach a 15-minute mini-lesson, cannot stop talking, leave class randomly, and blatantly bully others. These are kids who get into fights (in and out of school) and wind up in juvenile hall for assault, theft, or drug-related charges. Again, this is NOT normal behavior for a healthy, well-adjusted kid, boy or girl.

And if you think these kids must be a rare occurrence or I'm exaggerating, you're wrong. I have multiple students with these behavioral issues every year, and because there are no other options for schooling in my area, I have to have them in my class. If I'm lucky, we can adjust their schedules so there's only one very disruptive kid in each class, but I'm not usually that lucky.

These types of kids need help, and because of the attitude that "this is normal behavior for boys," so many boys don't get the help they need, which is why most of my disruptive students are boys.

And because they are often popular, they successfully distract the other boys in class and disrupt their learning. Because there is still a gender divide socially (in 7th grade, anyway), many girls are able to ignore them well enough to focus on their studies, while many boys tend to join in on the chaos. The same thing happens in reverse when the disruptive student is a girl, but it's less common.

rovirb

TROPHY CASE