age 16 wants out of public school

[nonie]

My 16 year old daughter wants an education that doesn't waste so much time. Our public school is giving her a bad attitude and she is not applying herself. I'm interested in hearing of anyone who has switched horses at this stage. I want to know where to start to help her continue her education on her own.

[erika]

My sister "dropped out" of school at 17, and it was the best thing she could have done. Since my mother wasn't thinking of homeschooling (she was just concerned that my sister recover from her awful school experiences), she pretty much let her do what she wanted to do. And so, after a period of "decompression", a young woman who had never read anything throughout high school embarked on a complete study of anything Jane Austin had ever written. She also went 360 degrees from punk rock music to suddenly studying and listening to opera! After a few years of getting up the courage to try formal education again, she graduated from college summa cum laude.

So my advice would be to try unschooling - let your daughter take the lead. You might set some guidelines about excessive TV, etc, so she isn't totally "wasting" her time, but at her age she is probably ready to really pursue her own interests. Why not ask her how much guidance and help she wants from you? You might start her out by getting her a copy of Grace Lewellyn's (I don't think that's spelled correctly) Teenage Liberation Handbook. Left to her own devices, you might be amazed at what she learns.

[nonie]

Thanks for the encouragement. In the middle of her sophomore year, I wish that I knew how to evaluate what she has gleaned from public school in relationship to a future in college. Is the ACT maybe the best first step to know?

[anythingelse]

[Linda in Arizona]

Here is a great WEB site for you!

http://www.homeschoolteenscollege.net/Default.htm

enjoy!

[rsps]

If she doesn't mind community college, I'd say
take the GED now. She could probably pass easy enough. or with a review book available at the library.
Than she could enroll in community college, before transfering to a 4 year school if thats what she wants to do.
Talk to the community college about their garunteed transfer programs in which as long as you take the right classes (and pass them) the participating universities will automatically accept you.

excuse the spelling errors!

[srain]

Colleges other than community colleges accept younger students, if that's a route you want to take. I almost went to Simon's Rock College in Great Barrington, MA, after my sophomore year of HS, which is made up almost exclusively of kids who wanted out of HS. Other 4-year schools will do the same for some kids.

It wouldn't hurt for her to get a GED whenever she can.

[Alexander]

I'm not familia with the US ed. system in detail enough, or the personal circumstances to really comment.

What I can say is this. If school has little or no meaning to her personally, get her out asap. She is wasting life, and there is little else more precious than that. At this stage a part-time job could help to aline her priorities, and perspective. Collage is a noble challnge, but it is not "the goal".

Hope this helps.

a

PS paying rent is good perspective

a

[hippiemamma]

Try The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn.

No need to get a GED, just start with Junior College, and say child has been homeschooled. They will test to see what level child is at, and go from there. Worked for me and I am now working on doctorate-- and love to learn.

take care, and happy new year

[Ceili]

My public school system was terrible and I did everything I could possibly do to get the heck out there (no community colleges in our town though) I skipped a grade and went off to college early and really that first year was still just decompressing from my terrible high school experience. I dropped out after two semesters and moved back in with my parents, who had then moved to a different town. I went to the community college and really loved it.

I think if the community college had been an option in the beginning I would have been better off there. Or just taking a year off and traveling or something...