The user name of a new user got me to thinking. There have been several news reports lately about the growth and appeal of home schooling. We home schooled both of ours from the beginning. We attended the graduation ceremony of the Christian Home School Association of Houston last Saturday and every one of them was going on to college. One was going to the Air Force Academy. 31 of the 100 graduates had received 1.3 MILLION dollars in college scholarships.

 

Well I voted yes because I've been homeschooled all of my life as were my three older brothers who are going to or have been to college, along with two younger brothers and two younger sisters who are currently in school. I will graduate this fall after I finish my books. That's the nice thing about being homeschooled...you have to FINISH your books before the year of school is through. I've gone through summer a few times.
Homeschooling has really grown in the last ten years because, I believe, the public school system is doing such a poor job at teaching that people are going elsewhere.
I will likewise homeschool my kids.

 

I didn't homeschool, but knew of a couple of kids who did and in my small hometown they were absolute social outcasts. I agree that the public school system is flawed and many kids can slip through the cracks, but how does homeschooling deal with social interaction? Seems like there is no perfect system.

Longneck

 

I never was home schooled or home schooled anyone. The Catholic School I went to was first class. I think the notion gets more popular everyday because so many people are fed up with lunatic states, lunatic school boards, unqualified teachers, criminals in schools with other children, Spanish, the Initial Teaching Alphabet, ebonics, violence, dress and behavior code errosion, and some of the other problems that lack of discipline, intelligence and teacher screening have caused.

 

My dad always asked the same thing. I told him we let them out of the cage once a week whether they needed it or not.

Seriously, socialisation came through youth sports leagues, church youth group, home school association field trips, and playing with the other kids in the neighborhood. Opportunities for socialisation is not really a problem

 

I'm a very conservative guy. And I have close family that homeschool their kids. But I don't agree with it...and here's why:

Most parents that homeschool their children do so in hopes of keeping their kids from being exposed to the sin and problems of the world (which I agree are out of control). But keeping your kids locked up until they are 18 is not going to solve any problems.

Take the human body as an example. If it is never exposed to chicken pox, it will never learn to develope immunity...and then later in adult life they say when you get the disease it's much much worse. The physical body has to be exposed to disease before it can learn how to become immune to it.

In the same way, as children grow and develop, they NEED to do so in the public system. Some of the finest Christian people I know came through the public school system. Being exposed to the crazyness of the world will allow kids to distinguish purely right from wrong. You teach them the lessons they need for life at home. They get their education and develope personally at school. In the end they become much stronger in resisting things that are wrong that way, and they become a more well-rounded individual. You see what I mean?

 

I'm not married and don't have any kids, but if I did, I would not home school. They would go to public school, I don't think I would be qualified to teach them(Well, teach em' how to work on a Ford, maybe... ). I also think they would get alot more out of a public or private school than I could ever give them. You learn alot more than just math, english, etc...

 

This comes from one of the poorest in education states, New Mexico. I think we were 47th in test scores and 48th in teacher pay.

On the news last night they were talking about how many teachers in the public school system are unqualified. WHAT??? Unqualified to teach, no wonder the kids around here can't fill out a simple job application.

Now, I graduated from the same school system 14 years ago. I was an A student in advanced classes. I went to Penn State, and that's where I got my education in life, not in academics.

I have many teacher friends, and their use of the English language is pathetic.

I also know many people that homeschool their kids. Some of whom have done a great job, and I think that SHartman has a key in activities outside of the home for socialism skills. Balance is everything. I also know people that homeschooled thier children only to turn them into "mini them's". They didn't want them experiencing the world. That is robbing a child of every aspect of life.

Personally, when my wife and I have children, we will enroll them in a small school district outside of the city. The classes are smaller, and the education is better. We live in a rural setting, and sending children to a "city" school would be robbing them of many experiences that a rural setting creates.

If I had to send my children to a school system that was substandard, I probably would think about homeschooling them.

To me, the worst thing you can do to a child is not offer them every opportunity to learn and grow. If that means homeschooling, then go for it.

As a note to end on, public school curriculum is designed for the average Joe. If your child is bright, they will get bored and lose interest in school. If your child has trouble with some subjects, they will get lost and also lose interest. Try maintaining a classroom of 35-40 children all with different abilities. Many school systems do not have the resources (manpower) to challenge every kid, and that is a shame.

 

As a note to end on, public school curriculum is designed for the average Joe. If your child is bright, they will get bored and lose interest in school. If your child has trouble with some subjects, they will get lost and also lose interest. Try maintaining a classroom of 35-40 children all with different abilities. Many school systems do not have the resources (manpower) to challenge every kid, and that is a shame.


Ranger said,

We have a basic difference in opinion here. I believe that the curriculum has been lowered, time and time again to match the output levels of the average students. Many students will tell you that they graduated from High School w/o ever taking a book home, or doing homework. Colleges tell us that these kids are not ready for college. In the military, I found that kids couldn't do basic math, spelling and didn't know anything about history or geography. I know High School Grads that do not know their forth grade times tables.

Tests show, ten years ago, the average USA High School grad, couldn't find Canada on a map. (It's true, I tested it) They now tell me that the current batch can't find the USA on a globe w/o labels.

The first day I spent in college, they gave me a sheet of paper with 100 numbered lines on it. The task was to write down all the States names. Spelling didn't count, dupes did. Try it, or better yet, pay a grad to try it. (Tip: there are nowhere near that many states)

 

I know that when I graduated in 2000, I was able to get A's on most of my tests with out ever studying. This was in one of the better distritcts in my area as well. I have seen some of the old tests that my parrents had to take and their 8th grade math tests were harder than my 12 grade advanced trig final with some of the calculations they had to make. If I ever have childern I will think hard about the home school route. The way I see it, home schooling is one of the best options for getting a child the best possible education. At least in my area.

 

In 2003, the systems of protection of children in schools have collapsed. Simply that. It is no longer possible for ANY school to guarantee the safety of YOUR child. Not only are teachers becoming more afraid of teaching, they are becoming less qualified to teach, which leaves the student lacking in adequate skills. 10 years ago the problem was emerging, but parents rallied on, and children suffered the consequence. Schools no longer hold sacred the simple truths, they no longer have effective discipline, they no longer benefit the best in class, but the worst, so an entire school is now geared towards the worst student, not the best. Before becoming a Youth Minister, I too felt that schools were adequate, but believe me, my ideas have changed BIG TIME. Being my Order's moderator for the USA makes for a large area of examples, so I am familiar with the problems all over the country. More children are failing to benefit from public schools now, more children are being injured in public schools now, and there have been 139 children killed in public school this last 12 months. Every month nowadays you hear of another disturbed child running amok in class, killing kids - it is so common, nobody makes a fuss about it anymore. Example:: how many of you will accurately recall the last school shooting? When was it, this week? last week? last month? last year? - how many of you know the answer to that one.

Also, how many children were approached by drug dealers yesterday in school grounds. How many kids saw an illegal firearm yesterday, in class. How many children under the age of 14 got pregnant this month?. I know the approximate answers to those questions, and the answers are horrifying. I am involved in a Memphis area help group, that deals with the problems associated with juvenile pregnancy, - At this time, we have 180 girls between the ages of 9 and 13 pregnant in our group. There are 8 other groups with similar figures in the greater Memphis area. My Order runs 200 similar groups nationwide, and every large town has far too many pregnant children, all attending public school, most smoking, most having 'done drugs'

We also are involved in home school programs, we provide field trips, and summer camps, weekly interaction and counseling. All the social learning skills needed in this day and age. Nationwide we have 12 children under the age of 14 pregnant, 8 of which became home school students because they got pregnant. Currently the roll of home school students we deal with is 14,874 students, nationwide. We have been involved in schooling this way for 10 years, and all our graduates HAD to prove they were more qualified than the public school system demanded. Home schooling used to be so unpopular, state requirement are higher than the public schools they so adequately replace. I personally know over 400 youths who home schooled for over 8 years who are now post graduate students. Of home school students known to me, only 17 dropped out.

Of Public school children know to me, 35% drop out every year. a further 20% cannot read above 3rd grade level and only 30% manage to show excellence in any subject. Those figures are changing every year, the good declining regularly, the terrible increasing rapidly. I would beg that people WAKE UP, and notice that school has changed since you were there, and not for the better. Many thousands of parents in the USA regret deeply having their child to school, and way too many of them were not given the opportunity of changing that. Do a search on figures of children killed at school, in the last ten years, by year. It takes a while to conduct, but the results will terrify you, particularly if you have children.

On a personal note, Sliknspeedy, my ward, was home schooled by me, and now attends college, studying investigation and forensic science. She aces every test, and has a thirst for learning that was non existent when I rescued her from the place I found her, 7 years ago. Had she have remained in the public school system though not in the abusive situation she was in, her achievement would have been much less. It took very hard work to open the mind of such an abused child, and no public school is equipped to do that. So please, understand that there are nasty things happening in the public school system that most of you know nothing about. Do not condemn a system that takes children away from that, and gives them opportunities that they would not, and could not have got from the public system.

I could go on for at least another 3 hours, writing about the problems in schooling today, but I think I would bore most of you. Suffice it to say, there is not enough money in any education department to fund adequate schooling; home schooling is often the only option for a parent to ensure that their child learns something worthwhile.

Theo

 

I think my biggest problem with homeschooling is when I was in school there was no real need for it. We didn't have gang, gun and drug problems in my little hometown. I knew every person in my graduating class and pretty much everyone in the entire school (grades 10 -12). Like previously stated I learned a lot more than readin', written' and arithmetic, I learned life skills. I met some kids in college that were home schooled and it was almost as if they were raised in a cave, they simply could not interact outside of the classroom. Don't get me wrong they were nice guys, smart or smarter than everybody else but come friday night they were still in their rooms - all alone. They may have been able to interact with individuals similar to themselves in youth groups or church groups but when inserted to the general public they quickly put up a wall and became isolated because they were now experiencing things they had never even heard of. The community I grew up in was comprised of all walks of life and everyones dad had the same job -- coal miner. There were no social classes, no discrimination and by age 18 I had pretty much seen just about everything. Sadly, times have changed and now kids are not safe at school anymore, but I still think homeschooling robs a kid of being just that A KID.

Longneck

 

I can almost guarantee you will change your tune when you finally have school age children. Having nearly finished putting three through public school in a supposedly excellent education system, I am appalled at the results. The kids all get great grades but no education. They bring home all A's so what can you say to them - work harder? The sad fact is, even the kids know the public education system is a farce, where grades are handed out like candy and there is no accountability.

Colorado has implemented a basic competency testing program for various grade levels. The inital test, put together by teachers and educators was designed to test for MINIMAL competency in the basic subjects - math, english and reading skills. Preliminary test results were so horrificly poor, that test was dumped and a new dumbed down version implemented and revised again. The results of these tests are just now coming back and they too, are embarrassing. Some Denver area schools are on probation and will be converted to charter schools if the results do not improve. Even the school systems in the more affluent regions show barely half of the students are proficient at minimal levels.

Mad? Yes, and so should all parents and prospective parents. The NEA and the educrats have sold us a shoddy bill of goods when it comes to educating our children. High self esteem does not offset a basic lack of knowledge.

My grandchildren will either be home schooled or in private schools when the day comes. I have had enough of the government school system.

 

Theo, you are absolutely correct as far as you went. I would just like to say that funding is not the answer, discipline is. Many countries produce smarter school children with much less money. (comparative to the economy)

Let me leave this conversation with this thought, try to wrap your brain around this, I'm still trying.

Experts have predicted that within ten years, we will have a second grade girl come home from school pregnant by another second grader.

How are you younger guys going to have 'the talk' with your kindergarten aged children and how will you get the seriousness across? Just grind up birth control tablets and put it in their lunch? This isn't funny.

 

As far as us getting out and socializing with other people; we go to church on Sunday, see family and friends frequently for different occasions, those of us that are old enough work a full time job with our family business during the summer, we watch tv - news and shows - rent movies, surf on the internet, and play computer games over the network or intenet. We take a year of Economics and Civics (Government), and enough math to get us through the first year of college with ease. I feel that I know what to expect when I get out on my own in the world.
I don't believe there is a big problem with homeschoolers getting out in the world and fitting in. Ten years ago I would say different but everyone seems to be accepting homeschoolers better now thus making it easier for them to be around 'normal' people.
I think the problem with our public schools is that most parents let the state and federal governments control their schools instead of doing what they should and control their child's education themselves. This is still done to some extent in private schools thankfully. There is no longer any discipline allowed, or morals taught in school because it is not politically correct and may offend someone. It is not possible for a huge central government to be able to control thousands of schools and pay attention to every little detail. Parents care more about their children than the government and if they would just be responsible enough to demand a change in public schools I'm sure it would happen.