Has Anyone Seen this re: Homeschooling?

[TheMartianChick]

Someone posted this on another website forum that I frequent. It is not chicken-related, but it might be an important court ruling for some families who homeschool (and I know that there are many here at BYC).

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/07/MNJDVF0F1.DTL

 

[Betsy]

Yes, I know about the ruling-and am boiling over at it. There were several things about it on the homeschool alumni forum I belong to. Fortunately, California's governor is against it and that should have weight. Somehow, I think there will be difficulty enforcing the ruling. With all the theives, perverts, murderers, abusers, druggies, arsonists and illegals out there, why waste court time and jail space for people whose only crime is educating their children without a teaching credential??? With all the kids in abusive/neglectful homes needing foster care, why waste foster care space on kids who were only taken from homes because their parents taught them without teaching credentials???
My parents aren't credentialed teachers, yet they did a better job teaching me than any credentialed teacher could ever could simply because they are my parents and care for me more than any credentialed teacher ever could.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

My sister-in-law is/has homeschooled their children from day one. The oldest is now in college and his professors are amazed at his writing abilities and asked where he went to school because they knew that the public schools didn't teach them that well.

 

[TheMartianChick]

I was not homeschooled and neither were my children... However, I have met so many bright and articulate youth who were homeschooled that I have to be impressed with the results. My oldest daughter is in college with one young man that we watched grow up from the time that he was 13 and she was 14. They were both part of a jazz band. He is actually a semester ahead of my daughter in college even though she is a year older. Obviously, homeschooling has been good for him. I remember a conversation with his mother one day... She said that her two children have too many activities because the local homeschooling group makes sure to provide opportunities to be part of sporting teams, bands, art classes, etc.

With the academic condition that many school districts are in, I would think that more parents would homeschool if they could find a way to make it work financially and logistically. If I had it to do over again, I certainly would.

 

[TheMartianChick]

Quote:
That is so true... I sit on a couple of community boards where we review scholarship submissions. I rarely see one that actually demonstrates a good grasp of the English language. Punctuation has gone the way of the dinosaur, as has proper spelling. It really is a shame... The written word is becoming a lost art.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Quote:
That is so true... I sit on a couple of community boards where we review scholarship submissions. I rarely see one that actually demonstrates a good grasp of the English language. Punctuation has gone the way of the dinosaur, as has proper spelling. It really is a shame... The written word is becoming a lost art.

How true! I'm pleased to say that my 9 year old is being taught Punctuation, spelling and correct grammer. In school and at home!

 

[ilovemychickies]

You're kidding me! I can't believe that they're trying to ban homeschooling. I sure hope that TX doesn't do the same thing since I'm homeschooled. I don't want to go to public school. I learn much more in homeschooling and it's not as stressful.

 

[Leslie In North Pole]

Isn't that just the silliest thing? Fortunately, I live in a state that tends to lead the industry in distance learning. Even though I homeschool, technically, my children are public school students, I even turn in a long term lesson plan, quarterly samples, and semester grades to our certified teacher who is available if we need help. I think that having the option of having some of my tax dollars actually help fund my children's education is important. With the sheer number of resources available to people who teach at home, the need to be a certified teacher is a moot point. So many people make the choice to teach their children themselves because their children need the extra one on one help and encouragement that you just can't expect a teacher with 30 students to give day in and day out.

To be honest, this ruling doesn't worry me, it just points out the need for people to get a little more educated about how the education system works. What has a bigger effect is the "No Child Left Behind" act. The problems it has caused with our public education here in Alaska have been wide spread and very far reaching with no suitable resolution in sight. Teaching to the test has become the rule and I know that is that way in many areas of the country. We have the same mandatory testing, hopefully I don't go into labor that week in April, as it is so important for the kids to be there. The agency in charge doesn't care why a kid misses a test, they mark it against your school.

I would think that any time you tell a parent that they don't know what is best for their child that you are now regulating free speech... I feel that I am ultimately responsible for my children and that is no one else's place to raise my children for me. As a child, I was taught not to question what I was taught in school, even when it was at odds with what my parents taught me. I still fight some of it today, like worrying about my kids scores on the standardize tests and "Is my son doing as well as his peers?"

Each family has their own reason for deciding how to best pursue a good education for their children and the only time I take issue is when people blindly hand their children to someone else to raise, distancing themselves from what their children are learning, and expecting the teachers to do all of the work. I think that parent interaction is the most important thing for a child. Kudos to the people who help their kids with their homework, volunteer in class or after school, and communicate with both their child and the teacher on what is happening because they aren't being blind and treating school like it is a daycare.

 

[silkiechicken]

When home schooling is done right, meaning they are actually getting schooled at home, like most people do here, I think it is good on the learning front. However... I've seen too many kids in this area "home schooled" just because their parents didn't care about the kids and didn't want them in juvie for not going to school.... sad but true. They just sat at home all day...

I went to public school and the biggest problem I see is that not enough parents care about their kids and don't take action when something goes wrong and thinks it is the schools problem. Communicate with the teachers because if they see you care, they will care for your student. I graduated almost 4 years ago from public school and am going to graduate from the U of Washington this year in Bioengineering. Over half of my high school entering class did not see graduation. I think it is the motivation and encouragement of my parents that have gotten me to where I am now.

I learned the most from my dad sitting down with me every day for 2-3 hours, if not more, for the majority of elementary and middle school, 6 days a week year round, to teach me the stuff we covered in the course work at school. So I guess really I was half home schooled after school and sent to public school for day school.

The biggest lesson I learned from public school is how to socialize and deal with other people of all different types of backgrounds. The diverisy at our school was very high, with Caucasians being about 60% and people from a wide range of life, from the low income capped housing with multiple families per room... to large homes near the water with kids in their own furnished play houses. It taught me how to get along with others and how to effectively communicate with all different types of people. Something that I think I would not have had if I only was home schooled. However, I know that this diversity doesn't exist in all communities so public school might have even less benefits in that respect.

 

[Buster]

Just my 2 cents. My cousin happened to learn Russian in home school. And it wasn't superficial either. After learning Russian in home school, he went on to live in Russia for 2 years and now is a linguist in Russian for the United States' Marine Corps. His mother certainly did not have a teaching degree but obviously was a good teacher to her children. All 6 of her children have been home schooled to one degree or another. Another one of her sons went on to receive a double degree in computer science and nuclear engineering.