Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau

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Jul 28 2015

Will my homeschooler be able to go to prom?

{This post is one in a series called, “Top 10 Fears”, in which I speak to the most common fears parents express about homeschooling the high school years.  To see all of the topics, or start at the beginning, click HERE.}

10fears

Fear #8

Your child can’t go to the prom

 

To many teens, and a surprising number of  parents too, prom is seen as the premiere social event of Senior year. Though proms have evolved somewhat — even generating controversy from time to time – the popularity of this graduation ritual doesn’t seem to be going away.

I encounter many homeschool families in my work. One of the things I hear from newcomers, especially those who’ve recently withdrawn their children from school, is the perceived lack of things for homeschooled teens to do. Parents and their kids want to know — will they still be able to attend activities at the high school (e.g., football games, yearbook committee, driver’s training)?  Plus, they almost always ask if they can go to the prom.

Since different states have different rules about extracurriculars and after-hours events, I can’t really answer this question without looking up the laws of that state and reading through the school district’s policies. It’s a lot easier to call and ask them directly, so that’s what I usually advise the parents to do.

Where I live, for example, homeschoolers cannot go to prom on their own, but they can attend as the guest of someone else. In other areas closeby, the rules are completely different, and only the students from that specific high school are allowed to attend the prom.

With matters like these, it’s usually best to call the Principal’s office of the high school where you live. As a homeschool parent, you might want to be put in touch with the faculty member or advisor in charge of the event anyway.  If it were me, I’d want to discuss the logistics, plus I might want other targeted questions answered (security, chaperones, or dress code) prior to the big day anyhow.

If your town doesn’t allow homeschoolers to attend prom, be aware that many homeschool groups and organizations hold their own proms every year.  If there isn’t one being held in your area, why not organize one of your own?

To your success,

Marie-Claire Moreau, Quick Start Homeschool

 

 

MCM thumb

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago.  The founder of many homeschool groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast.  Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, or with no educational background whatsoever.  A liaison for regional school-to-home organizations and a homeschool leader in Florida, Marie-Claire also mentors homeschool families nationwide. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, and many other events.  She currently writes for audiences at Quick Start Homeschool, which she founded in 2010, and as a guest writer on other sites as often as she can.  Her articles have appeared in CONNECT magazine, on Homefires, at Circle of Moms, and she has contributed to hundreds of other blogs nationwide.  Dr. Moreau can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Written by Marie-Claire · Categorized: Homeschool · Tagged: car and travel, extracurricular, high school, middle school

Jan 26 2011

Science fairs

 

It’s science fair season!  For schools, that is.  Students from coast to coast will be spending the next two to three months conducting research, writing reports and designing display boards.

Homeschooled kids enjoy science fairs, too.  There is nothing like a little competition to get creative juices flowing and showcase the talents of budding scientists and engineers.

Some districts allow homeschoolers to participate in science fairs along with public schooled kids.  If you’d like your child to compete against district kids, find out how to sign up.

But sometimes, parents prefer that their homeschoolers compete only against other homeschoolers.  That’s fine, too.  See if there is already a science fair going on in your region.  If not, get a couple of parents together and start one of your own.

There are plenty of resources for science fairs, both in print and online.  You’ll find books full of great science fair ideas, plus guides for how to pull the project off. 

Get started by visiting Discovery Education’s “Science Fair Central“.  There, you’ll find everything that students, parents, teachers and coordinators need to know about science fairs, including project ideas, display tips, and even judging sheets for scoring.

Keep in mind that homeschooler science fairs don’t have to be limited to science.  Yes, you heard that right.  By calling it a “Project Fair” instead, you can allow all kinds of projects to be entered, dividing entries into categories for individual scoring.

Though most science fairs do have winners, judging is optional, too.  For the very young, you can choose to award certificates to all students just for participating.  Or, every child can receive a ribbon or medal.  Judging just the older students will take the pressure off of parents of younger kids, while allowing them to get a flavor for what a science fair is all about.

When judging older students, divide projects into age groups or project categories, according to your guidelines.  Then, reward all students with praise, but award only the most extraordinary projects ribbons or trophies.

Science fair projects can be woven into the regular at-home curriculum, completed in a student’s spare time, or families may choose to drop everything and work on just the science project for an extended period of time.  However you do it, it’s a great experience that many homeschoolers will enjoy.

[Photo: Classroom Clip Art]

Written by Marie-Claire · Categorized: Homeschool · Tagged: elementary, events, extracurricular, high school, middle school, science

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