Question for Home schoolers

[Anton Bruckner]

Have you guys been successful in incorporating a Foreign Language and a Musical Curriculum, or is this done by another parent with such expertise?

If you have, how is it going.

 

[Augusta]

My children take Latin and Piano via private lessons outside the home. It is going great. They love both. Well, they go up and down with loving piano, but now that they have taken piano for 4 years they are more and more into it as they get better and better at playing.

 

[RamistThomist]

If the Lord blesses me and my future wife with wee'uns, we plan to homeschool.

I know Greek and the basics of Spanish and German

 

[ChristopherPaul]

My oldest (who is five) is scheduled to start private piano lessons in January.

She will also be starting spanish right away and Latin by third grade.

The plan is the same for all our kids, but my five year old is in the process of starting both these arts now.

 

[Anton Bruckner]

My children take Latin and Piano via private lessons outside the home. It is going great. They love both. Well, they go up and down with loving piano, but now that they have taken piano for 4 years they are more and more into it as they get better and better at playing.

wow, 4 years. dats neat. How costly does the outside piano lessons weigh on you guys?

 

[Augusta]

It's not so bad. It's way less, for all three of the girls, than your average car payment for a new vehicle now-a-days. And the Latin lessons are comparable. We budget it in.

 

[ChristopherPaul]

We look at schooling this way, typical private schools range from $400 to $800 per month. If we spend $400 per month for all our kids then we are still making out better AND still providing our children the benefits of a private tutor.

 

[QueenEsther]

My brother and sister-in-law were my teachers since I just homeschooled my senior year. My brother taught me Hebrew.

In the homeschool group I was in if a parent knew a particular subject really well then they would sort of hold a class with a few other kids who wanted to take that course but didn't other wise have the means. Like one of the moms knew Latin so she taught a small group, maybe 5 kids Latin.

 

[kvanlaan]

That's the way we run it in China too. We have a co-op and occasionally get together to share skills. There is also a summer schedule for those who want to step outside the curriculum and add other classes (biology, etc.). Most families here use Sonlight curriculum.

We're really lucky though - we have a number of moms who have very useful degrees outside the realm of teaching (even on MIT engineering graduate!) What we really see here is the dedication that it takes to be a homeschooler. There are Chinese schools, a Christian school, and a few other international schools (but all except the Chinese schools are expensive - around $15,000 a year!!)

The other thing is that we are able to get piano lessons, etc. at relatively low prices. We pay 650RMB/month for a conductor with the Tianjin Philharmonic to teach Esther and Joseph piano, and Esther gets erhu (chinese violin) lessons for that price as well. Not bad but definitely not repeatable in North America.

For Latin we have used Prima Latina in the past but found the Southern accent to be a little distracting...

 

[Semper Fidelis]

For those with kids taking piano lessons: how old were your children when they began?

 

[Augusta]

Rich, my girls started when they were 6 and 7. You can start them at 5 depending on the child. I have heard of people starting them at 4 also. A piano teacher can test them to see if they are ready.

 

[rjlynam]

For those with kids taking piano lessons: how old were your children when they began?

Our oldest, Katie (9), started when she was 7.
Danny (8), started when he was 6.
Andy (6), started this year.
Becky (4), will start next fall.

No foreign languages here, yet. With the kids outnumbering the parents two to one, it's a control issue

 

[RamistThomist]

I started learning geetar around age 19. I think I started too late. Boy I wish I learned geetar earlier.

 

[govols]

My daughter (8) started learning piano when she was 6 and my son (7) started when he was 6. We searched and searched for a piano and found a great deal through a high school arts department. My wife has been teaching them at home with a few books and a metronome. We are now supplementing that with a lady, who is a concert pianist, at our church. Man can she play.

My two oldest, above, are beginning to learn Spanish.

Mi wyfe is teechin them Englysh and grammir becaws I ain't no good at it.

 

[Anton Bruckner]

you guys did me wrong. now there is no excuse not to homeschool It a parent can teach a solid curriculum, imbued with Biblical teachings, there is no excuse for parents to send off their children to public schools etc.

 

[ReederKidsMom]

She will also be starting spanish right away and Latin by third grade.

Uhh... Spanish will start after the new year. I planned to start it this fall, but with moving it didn't work out. Now, I am due in 6 days. Not exactly a top priority at this time.

 

[SteppingHeavenward]

For those with kids taking piano lessons: how old were your children when they began?

I teach piano... children can certainly start learning to play very young, provided the teacher is patient enough. Although, the younger the student, the more the parent must be involved. It is often best to wait until the child has some basic reading skills (although that is not always the case, it just helps the student work on his own)
My students range from 7 yrs to adult, and my most talented/dedicated student is the 7 year old! (I started him at 6) His parents are very enthusiastic and involved in his learning. He is very active (young, bright minds bore quickly!) so I have to be one step ahead of him to keep his mind engaged... and I also spend the last 5 minutes or so reviewing what we went over with his mother, so that she is able to help him throughout the week.
Investing in lessons is well worth the expense. I am so thankful that my parents did!

 

[LadyFlynt]

We're learning Sign Language, Spanish, and Italian. I teach SL, we have Powerglide for Spanish with husband as our additional help, and we have a friend from Sicily teaching us Itailian (she refuses to teach Sicilian Italian).

 

[reformedman]

The pastor's wife teaches piano to the homeschooled children on scheduled days. She charges about 10% of the typical cost of a private school, which is a real savings.
Some parents asked me to teach their kids classical guitar but I don't have enough time.
My wife teaches spanish and I will teach Greek when it's time. He's only 7 right now.

 

[Anton Bruckner]

The pastor's wife teaches piano to the homeschooled children on scheduled days. She charges about 10% of the typical cost of a private school, which is a real savings.
Some parents asked me to teach their kids classical guitar but I don't have enough time.
My wife teaches spanish and I will teach Greek when it's time. He's only 7 right now.

how is it that you can afford to homeschool in the tri state area? You live in New Jersey? Do tell me the secret

 

[ChristopherPaul]

how is it that you can afford to homeschool in the tri state area? You live in New Jersey? Do tell me the secret

I don't understand this comment. I just moved from NJ (Princeton area) where I lived for the last six years. What makes homeschooling so costly in NJ? The resources are from the same sites and companies other home schoolers use throughout the country.

 

[LadyFlynt]

There are alot of homeschoolers in NJ. NJ has some of the most lax laws concerning it, much like IL.

We are now in PA where we have one of the strictest hsing laws. However, we also have tons of homeschoolers.

If you are speaking of cost of living...well....I could explain that one for us...

 

[Anton Bruckner]

I don't understand this comment. I just moved from NJ (Princeton area) where I lived for the last six years. What makes homeschooling so costly in NJ? The resources are from the same sites and companies other home schoolers use throughout the country.

cost of living. the tri state area usually forces both parents to work.

 

[ChristopherPaul]

cost of living. the tri state area usually forces both parents to work.

Ah, I see what you are saying. Yes, very true. I don't know why I didn't get that.


NJ cost of living is indeed outrageous. My wife stayed home as soon as we had kids and by the grace of God we made it.

 

[Puddleglum]

Piano lessons

I started taking lessons (piano) when I was about 11 . . . both my sisters started younger (8 and 6 I think). If you've got the $$ and they're interested / motivated enough, I think starting younger is a good idea.