Homeschooled? how come there are so many on here?

[Old MacDanny]

my great uncle used to say "kids are still kids and kids don't change. We're just not making parents like we used to"

It sounds to me as if some public school kids would benefit from being homeschooled, but also some homeschool kids would likely be better off in the public school. It seems kind of individualized, I think it's good that parents get to choose. Who else in the world could possibly care more about a kids education than their own parents ?

The concern I have is home-schooling and small private schools have really taken hold in our area over the last ten years. I don't fault the parents for wanting their kids out of the public schools, but I think a lot of these kids could have had positive leadership roles with their peers in the publics. These public schools can't afford to lose some of their best and brightest kids. Not to mention the tax dollars they lose when enrollment is reduced.

What I'm saying is in as much as a public school can have a negative effect on a kid, a kid also has an effect on the school. And a good kid that is kind, smart, moral, etc... can really have a positive impact.

 

[jonathansenn]

I have learned over the years that God did not make all of us equal. We all learn in our own way. Schools have teachers who teach in many different ways. Some of us learn just like our parents, while others have a different style. This is the reason for the division. I still feel that if we could model public schools after colleges, by letting students pick their teachers and institution, that it would make a positive impact on education.

I think most people on this thread have a good grasp on the situation.

I agree with Old MacDanny who said that we are not making parents like we used to. This problem is bigger than education. Kids raising kids without having parents themselves.

 

[Smeamers]

We homeschool our 3 children and we love it! For us it is a natural progression of our lifestyle and parenting style. We are trying to enjoy a simpler, slower pace of life and that includes spending lots of time with our children. Also, it's important to us that the kids get to be kids while they're still young instead of being in a desk all day starting in kindergarten. Its amazing the amount of learning that can happen while you chat with your five year old as he swings on the rope swing in the back yard. I think homeschooling has the edge over mass education when it comes to letting the child's curiosity and creativity flow unhindered. We love learning and want our kids to love it too.

I have one pet peeve though and it's the "socialization" issue (or non-issue as I see it). My kids get a ton of real world socialization every day. Just because we homeschool doesn't mean we're hermits. We're out and about and they're chatting up anyone that will listen. We have a ton of homeschool families and they see their friends multiple times a week for hours on end (we're enjoying the nice empty parks and museums during the week). Our neighbors have kids and they play together after they get home. If anything I think homeschooling provides better socialization, so I get a little irked when people ask me about it. Besides, how much socializing do kids get to do these days in school? And why is it so great for 20+ kids, that are all almost the same age, to be the ones teaching each other social skills? If you look up the definition of socialization you'll see it means a process of learning the norms and values (among other things) of one's given society. IMO, these things are best taught within the family unit. Ok, getting of my soap box now!

 

[SophieLain127]

Do any of you do roadschooling (homeschooling while on the road)?

 

[jonathansenn]

Quote:
How much socializing do kids do in school? Our number one problem in my school is cell phone use. This is one of the supposed perks to block scheduling. Less time in the halls, more time learning. (yeah right)

I think the socialization is an issue because of some poor homeschooling not necessarily homeschooling in theory. School is like a mini world. I call it the "world" with a net. You have all types of people (good and bad) and you must learn how to deal with them all. You must become strong in your beliefs and values to be able to defend them just as in the real world. You learn how to deal with those in authority, those who threaten, those who are of the opposite sex. All of these things you will face in the real world.

Please understand, I agree that to some extent you can experience these things homeschooling; however, some of these experiences you won't see until you are in the "real world". Having some experience to deal with these situations, I feel, is beneficial to the students. We don't just teach reading and writing. We must teach life skills.

 

[PotterWatch]

Quote:
My homeschooled kids live in the "real world" all day, every day. They learn life skills by living life. I personally think that being in a classroom with 20+ other kids the same age as my kid teaches them less about the "real world" than my kid being at a homeschool playgroup where they deal/play with 20 other kids of varying ages (where we have none of the gender-segregation issues that I see in traditionally schooled children). They also go everywhere I go and therefore learn to deal with the real world by actually participating in the real world. My kids learn about money by actually making and spending real money, not setting up a pretend store in a classroom with pretend money.

I don't see traditional school as a mini-world at all. I have never had a job in the real world where I worked only with people my own age and skill level. I definitely don't think that homeschooling is the be all, end all for every child and every family. I think that traditional school can and does work very well for lots of kids and that it does have some advantages. However, when it comes to "real life" experience, I think that homeschooling wins that hands down.

 

[sparkles2307]

Quote:
I agree! Our mom took us everywhere with her, we learned about things because we were living them! We never got allowance, we sold eggs and had our own bank accounts and were accountable for what we spent and what we saved. We also had a play group with all the other homeschooled families, but it was much more old fashioned and we were gender segregated...but the purpose of that was to teach the girls how to be housewives and the boys how to build things and work hard. I went into public school in high school, and I loved that too. I wouldnt give up either of my educations...and if I could I would homeschool my kids too, they are already picking up "public school behaviors" at age 4 & 5 that I prefer not to see in my home...

 

[Lothiriel]

I've been homeschooled since day one, and will be until I'm done. (And further still...

)

My mom started with my older sister. That was when homeschooling was "unheard-of" and "weird." (That's what my mom's cousin said anyway...) I think it might have been because my dad was in the Marines and my mom wanted to keep my sister home with her. I'm not sure. I've just totally accepted the fact that I'm homeschooled that I never really wondered why. But I do know that I'd hate going to school anywhere else. I don't care what anybody says - homeschooling is the best way. (And as for being "unsociable," homeschooled kids are just as friendly and sociable as kids who go to public/private schools!) And there isn't so much peer pressure (I fixed it - I'd written "peep pressure." LOL)
For me, the only downside is that I haven't been around boys my age. So I have this kind of "scary" feeling when I am. I wish I didn't have that problem.....

It's an obstacle.

 

[Blackbird]

Quote:
I think that says something right there; theres probably a reason behind that, and if the public schools are left without their bright and best students, then they need to step up.

And, not everyone at a public school is connected to their cell phones, I've seen alot of kids who are totally ignored by everyone, that never talk, and of course others than can never learn to keep their mouths shut. Obviously public school is working very well in some areas, such as Jon's, but I know far too many where it doesn't.

I personally know a lot more homeschoolers who are true to themselves and actually have an idea of what they're going in the world as compared to a lot of public schoolers.
I can't fathom the amount of students who are completely lost within the turmoils of public schools. But again, I know there are good public schools and bad homeschoolers out there.

I just think if you haven't personally expirienced both, then you shouldn't pass judgement.

 

[Sharisr32]

A job with folks my own age and skill level going have to try that someday - I fortunately am always employed in places everyone is more educated -
I also find it interesting how many home school success stories come out of Ohio -

I wonder though on the social parts -- How well do home schooled children function in college - I have not met many who went away to college - or were college active- how well do home schooled children do when work conflicts arise since these are the same people they were home schooled to avoid --

I think of the amount of time my son used on school activites and the successes but as important the failures - Do homeschooled kids get a chance to fail ? It is a very important life lesson also -
If you never fail as a child how do you know how to get back up ?

Do homeschool kids learn how to deal with peer pressure or is the option to stay away the only one ? I think of my FFA school time and how many projects I had - along with learning and I wonder if that can be duplicated - do homeschooled children end up in college student government or campus ministeries and again my knowledge of this is limited because I teach adult ed - I have never taught a home schooled person which is either a really good sign or a bad one