Topic: Do You Support Home Schooling ?

[skipnrocks]

I would have to disagree with the first highlight. Most parents ARE educated and intelligent enough to educate their children. At some point the Parent will reach the limit of their education, forcing to choose between letting someone else continue, or, (and this would do nothing but better the child, parent AND society) learn the subject matter they are having to instruct the child in.

Now, the MAIN problem with most parents and homeschooling, is the second highlight. Most parents do not have the dedication required to raise their kids, let alone educate them. We, as parents, get so wrapped up in the rat race of life, that the kids end up raising themselves, then we wonder why they do stupid, disrespectful, and hurtful things to themselves and to others. I am also guilty of this, have seen it in myself, and am trying to make a change for the better.

average american adult wont have above a 6th grade reading level, and as far as math goes it isnt good either..  I m not sayin that parents cant, if they are dedicated they can but like kdx says many of hte parents fit into two categories!  It would take a ton of work the become half as proficient as those who teach  at any school I attended

[KDXSR5]

  I m not sayin that parents cant, if they are dedicated they can but like kdx says many of hte parents fit into two categories! 

I think you mean BLACKDOG, I added a 3rd catagory: those that cannot attend public school due to location.

[Hammerhead]

average american adult wont have above a 6th grade reading level, and as far as math goes it isnt good either..  I m not sayin that parents cant, if they are dedicated they can but like kdx says many of hte parents fit into two categories!  It would take a ton of work the become half as proficient as those who teach  at any school I attended

The fact of the matter is that right now the average american adult has a higher reading level than the average highschool graduate nationwide. 

And as for math you've GOT to be kidding me.  Most public school kids can't do a thing without a calculator or a computer...

Public schools don't care about the individual kids.  They care about the numbers and the moneys.  For example:  According to the school system my 8 year old son would probably be considered for special ed since he struggles with his reading.  If they can enroll him in special-ed classes they can get more funding from the government.  If they really wanted him to read they would bring back "Phonics" which was removed from the school systems years ago thanks to a bunch of liberal whackos that are also responsible for removing the practice of "holding back" or failing kids that simply didn't learn the required material.  This is why there are high school graduates that can't read proficiently.

Another example:  Bussing - The practice of bussing kids across town to maximize federal funding through "Integration".  Wow, what a crock, I won't even get started on that one...

One of the beauties of homeschool is that we can work 1-on-1 with our kids to keep them at or above the "accepted" level all the way across the board but let them excel in their stronger areas.  My 8 yo son might not read as well as he could but he is a mechanical genious and that would never be recognized in the assembly line of the public system.  How many 8 year olds do you know that understand a Toyota transfer case?  Most adults don't...  To me that gives him a jump on an engineering career or something in a related field and he can work on his reading in the mean time.



No, homeschool is not for everyone, but it is nowhere near as hard as people are lead to believe.  I am a welder fabricator with some training in engineering so I did not "know it all".  By studying curriculums and materials for the education of my children I have recieved quite an education myself. 

I, for one, don't need my children indoctrinated with the garbage left-wing crap that is being taught in many of todays school systems.

[tom w.]

and those that are trying to help their kid take the easy way out, so they do the bare minimum, if that to meet the standards.

That's where home schooling gets a bad name.

[BLACKDOG]

Reading all these responses, and looking back on the question, I think that is too hard of a question to answer.  There are too many generalizations on both sides to, when the real issue is that the answer is too dependent on too many different factors. 

Religion, parent education, location, accessibility to services and opportunities, etc.  I can see where both sides are coming from, and both have good points.  Hammerhead, you've given an example of homeschooling that I almost envy and I understand where you are coming from for sure, but with a slightly different perspective. 

My mom homeschooled me for kindergarten (yeah, I know kindergarten :eyeroll: )  but the reason she did so was because I was already reading at a 2nd grade level going into kindergarten.  The teacher wouldn't let me read 2nd grade level books!!  She told my mom that she didn't want me "to get too far ahead."    So my mom pulled me out, and taught me for a year, and I came back to public school in first grade, reading hardy boys books, and the boxcar children.  That is my personal homeschooling experience.

On the flip side, at public school, I've had some incredible teachers, and some mediocre ones. My 11th grade history teacher had us put Truman on trial for dropping the atomic bomb for our big WWII project. (it wasn't her own political agenda, but a fun way for us to learn the material)  different students dressed up as witnesses, lawyers, Truman, and the jury, and were graded on their knowledge of the material.  (the outcome was not part of the grade)

Granted, those are just two examples, but looking at my own experiences, I can see both sides.  I still think in most cases, homeschooling is not the best option (or at least needs to be better regulated) but for some people it is.  I think it all depends on the motivation.  If it is done to suit the kid's needs, then absolutely, and if steps are taken that they get a well rounded education (social, competitive, etc. ) then great!  If it is simply to "protect" the kids from the "cruel, heathen" world, then no. 

And just throwing this out there, but where I lived, going to middle school (Dover, Delaware) , jr. high (Altus, Oklahoma) , and high school (Vacaville, California) , at the time at least, you weren't allowed to play for the school if you didn't attend, so that is where my basis on that comes from.

[tom w.]

Well said BD.