Homeschooling: Your Views, Please

[Pogo]

"I can’t teach this way any longer. If you hear of a job where I don’t have to hurt kids to make a living, let me know. Come fall I’ll be looking for work."

Hey Teach, don't let the door hit you on the ass as your leave. Let us know if you need boxes.

It'll be quick. I understand he can completely evacuate for a hurricane in 20 minutes.
What's more, he gets warnings of them from NOAA before the hurricane is even formed.

 

[whitehall]

Why would you be against it? Homeschooled kids don't get the benefit of long winded lectures about the environment and the evils of capitalism by left wing teachers? It's unfair that homeschooled kids do better on tests than union educated kids? They don't get the benefit of long bus rides in gerrymandered school districts? They don't get the benefit of the drastic side effects from mandated vaccinations purchased at cut rate costs and stored and administered by sub-standard employees?

 

[thanatos144]

Homeschooling just means very little liberal indoctrination....There are still exceptions to this rule like the traitor Obama just rescued.

 

[Unkotare]

Institutional structure is not a matter of politics. And this just in: education is not a commodity to be bought and sold in a "free market".

Of course it is and of course it is.

 

[Pogo]

Institutional structure is not a matter of politics. And this just in: education is not a commodity to be bought and sold in a "free market".

Of course it is and of course it is.

No, the product of it is in the form of skills and qualifications. But the process isn't.

Perhaps you're thinking of Billy James Hargis.

But congratulations on another backbreaking day of gainsaying. It's hard work but somebody's gotta troll it.

 

[Silhouette]

Homeschooling is not a good idea for this one reason: socialization.

One of the most important, if not THE most important reasons to send your kids out away from your home and into a school away from you is that you will one day be dead. And as an act of compassion for your kids, you slowly introduce them to the social matrix they will inherit and have to manage when you are gone.

The world is harsh and unforgiving. It devours dreams, crushes ambitions and tests you every bend in the road. It also offers opportunities and beauty. But you cannot offer your kids only one part of that plate. I've seen dozens of homeschooled or tiny private-schooled kids go out into the real world. Their parents just boot them out the door when they're 18, feeling like they've done a great job. The pressures of the real world that were not introduced to them properly, crush them like bugs on the highway.

It's like teaching your kids to drive but only on deserted farm roads. They have complete command of the vehicle but have never taken an onramp to a busy freeway at rush hour. Better to introduce them to busier and busier traffic over time so that when they get on that highway, they just merge right in seamlessly. The only thing you can or should control is their driving behavior, their manners and courtesy to other drivers; the rules of the road.

You can talk to them every day after school and ask how their day went, what they learned and how you can help them defeat poor values or faulty guidance they picked up at school. Because that's how they will have to do it when you are gone. There is no island to protect them when they are adults.

 

[Foxfyre]

Homeschooling-------------good for educating, bad for learning social skills.

That hasn't been my experience. Good for educating and good for developing GREAT social skills. As previously posted, I have regular contact with a LOT of home schooled kids and, without exception, they are confident, outgoing, personable, courteous, speak respectfully without dropping the "f" bomb every three sentences, are involved in interesting things that are not harmful to them, and they all have lots of friends.

 

[Redfish]

Homeschooling-------------good for educating, bad for learning social skills.

That hasn't been my experience. Good for educating and good for developing GREAT social skills. As previously posted, I have regular contact with a LOT of home schooled kids and, without exception, they are confident, outgoing, personable, courteous, speak respectfully without dropping the "f" bomb every three sentences, are involved in interesting things that are not harmful to them, and they all have lots of friends.

Good, I know some like that too, but I also know some who are very introverted, behind their age in social skills, and who do not know how to interact with their peers.

But you can see both kinds in public schools as well.

The real issue I think is why do many parents feel that the public schools are inferior to what they can do via on-line home schooling?

Why are many kids unprepared for the real world after 12 years or more of public schools?

Someone earlier said it was not political or philosophical or partisan. But it cannot be denied that the teachers union is a very left wing organization and its members have failed in their basic job of educating our young people.

 

[tanfojam0]

You miss two things when home schooled:

1. The socialization.
2. The discussion. I took classes in which the teacher would ask a question and sit back as we discussed it, and I learned more in those 12 weeks than I did the rest of high school. I

 

[Foxfyre]

Homeschooling-------------good for educating, bad for learning social skills.

That hasn't been my experience. Good for educating and good for developing GREAT social skills. As previously posted, I have regular contact with a LOT of home schooled kids and, without exception, they are confident, outgoing, personable, courteous, speak respectfully without dropping the "f" bomb every three sentences, are involved in interesting things that are not harmful to them, and they all have lots of friends.

Good, I know some like that too, but I also know some who are very introverted, behind their age in social skills, and who do not know how to interact with their peers.

But you can see both kinds in public schools as well.

The real issue I think is why do many parents feel that the public schools are inferior to what they can do via on-line home schooling?

Why are many kids unprepared for the real world after 12 years or more of public schools?

Someone earlier said it was not political or philosophical or partisan. But it cannot be denied that the teachers union is a very left wing organization and its members have failed in their basic job of educating our young people.

The public schools have become too much cookie cutter indoctrination centers rather than institutions of real education. I am also in contact with public school kids that are passed from grade to grade without any real grounding or understanding of the bare basics in the subject matter, who have no ability to think critically, who are angry, hostile, suspicious, and where peer pressure is so strong, individuality is discouraged. That kind of socialization is not good for anybody, let alone kids. Yes, there are still some good public schools and some kids manage to thrive despite the bad ones, but these are becoming the exceptions rather than the rules.

The shy introverted home schooled kid is going to be shy and introverted in public school too, as well as completely miserable because he/she will be so out of his/her element and likely to be bullied, embarrassed, teased, or ignored. But I have watched these kids too among the home schooled, and almost all go on to successful college and professional careers. In the home schooled environment those that want friends make friends without pressure and unrealistic expectations. They are allowed to be who and what they are.

 

[Silhouette]

Homeschooling-------------good for educating, bad for learning social skills.

That hasn't been my experience. Good for educating and good for developing GREAT social skills. As previously posted, I have regular contact with a LOT of home schooled kids and, without exception, they are confident, outgoing, personable, courteous, speak respectfully without dropping the "f" bomb every three sentences, are involved in interesting things that are not harmful to them, and they all have lots of friends.

So the real world will come as quite a shock to you guys. Good luck out there!

 

[Foxfyre]

Homeschooling-------------good for educating, bad for learning social skills.

That hasn't been my experience. Good for educating and good for developing GREAT social skills. As previously posted, I have regular contact with a LOT of home schooled kids and, without exception, they are confident, outgoing, personable, courteous, speak respectfully without dropping the "f" bomb every three sentences, are involved in interesting things that are not harmful to them, and they all have lots of friends.

So the real world will come a quite a shock to you guys. Good luck out there!

No, actually these kids are very wise, very savvy, and they know what the world is like out there. Which is why they, pretty much 100% very much appreciate that they have the opportunity to be home schooled. They don't exist in a cocoon. They are exposed to television and movies and the internet and social activities as much as any other kid. But they are not required to conform to the public school scene and as such are much more secure in their own unique individuality. In other words they are very well adjusted, mature for their age, and most are wise beyond their years. And I am also watching those that have gone on to college and then into their adult lives who almost 100% have succeeded there very well.

 

[Samson]

Homeschooling-------------good for educating, bad for learning social skills.

That hasn't been my experience. Good for educating and good for developing GREAT social skills. As previously posted, I have regular contact with a LOT of home schooled kids and, without exception, they are confident, outgoing, personable, courteous, speak respectfully without dropping the "f" bomb every three sentences, are involved in interesting things that are not harmful to them, and they all have lots of friends.

So the real world will come as quite a shock to you guys. Good luck out there!

If by "real world" you mean working for the government, often in some capacity that exposes you to the entire cross-section of delinquents that society has to offer, then I agree.

The hope is to rise above the necessity to become so employed and avoid the mouth-breathing public.

 

[Unkotare]

Institutional structure is not a matter of politics. And this just in: education is not a commodity to be bought and sold in a "free market".

Of course it is and of course it is.

No, the product of it is in the form of skills and qualifications. But the process isn't...

It most certainly is. Where we have recognized that fact and acted accordingly, American education is the best in the world. Where we have pretended otherwise, we have lagged behind.

 

[Pogo]

Homeschooling is not a good idea for this one reason: socialization.

One of the most important, if not THE most important reasons to send your kids out away from your home and into a school away from you is that you will one day be dead. And as an act of compassion for your kids, you slowly introduce them to the social matrix they will inherit and have to manage when you are gone.

The world is harsh and unforgiving. It devours dreams, crushes ambitions and tests you every bend in the road. It also offers opportunities and beauty. But you cannot offer your kids only one part of that plate. I've seen dozens of homeschooled or tiny private-schooled kids go out into the real world. Their parents just boot them out the door when they're 18, feeling like they've done a great job. The pressures of the real world that were not introduced to them properly, crush them like bugs on the highway.

It's like teaching your kids to drive but only on deserted farm roads. They have complete command of the vehicle but have never taken an onramp to a busy freeway at rush hour. Better to introduce them to busier and busier traffic over time so that when they get on that highway, they just merge right in seamlessly. The only thing you can or should control is their driving behavior, their manners and courtesy to other drivers; the rules of the road.

You can talk to them every day after school and ask how their day went, what they learned and how you can help them defeat poor values or faulty guidance they picked up at school. Because that's how they will have to do it when you are gone. There is no island to protect them when they are adults.

It's not realistic to imagine the institutional environment is the only source of socialization there is. For one thing the school day, whether at home or in the institution, doesn't go 24/7; there's ample socialization that goes on outside that time. For another, we had centuries without the school institution was invented, yet socialization still happened then. We're social animals -- we come up with all kinds of ways to accomplish that. The school institution just happens to do that by accident.

If we're really concerned about socialization, we need to eliminate television.

 

[Pogo]

You miss two things when home schooled:

1. The socialization.
2. The discussion. I took classes in which the teacher would ask a question and sit back as we discussed it, and I learned more in those 12 weeks than I did the rest of high school. I

Yes, I'd agree much more with point 2. That's an excellent point.

 

[Foxfyre]

You miss two things when home schooled:

1. The socialization.
2. The discussion. I took classes in which the teacher would ask a question and sit back as we discussed it, and I learned more in those 12 weeks than I did the rest of high school. I

Yes, I'd agree much more with point 2. That's an excellent point.

Homeschooled kids have as much opportunity for serious discussion as public school kids though, and if socialzation deprivation was a problem, you would think the homeschooled kids to have a disadvantage in people skills, leadership skils, and interpersonal relationships. They don't.

And if classroom discussion was an important part of education, you would think public school kids would be on a par educationally as homeschooled kids. And for the most part they aren't.

I am not knocking the good public school. I was blessed with that as were my kids. But the fact is public education has severely deteriorated in recent decades and on average, the public schooled kids are behind, sometimes significantly behind, their peers who attend good private or parochial schools, and the homeschooled kids, on average, out perform them all.

 

[Pogo]

You miss two things when home schooled:

1. The socialization.
2. The discussion. I took classes in which the teacher would ask a question and sit back as we discussed it, and I learned more in those 12 weeks than I did the rest of high school. I

Yes, I'd agree much more with point 2. That's an excellent point.

Homeschooled kids have as much opportunity for serious discussion as public school kids though, and if socialzation deprivation was a problem, you would think the homeschooled kids to have a disadvantage in people skills, leadership skils, and interpersonal relationships. They don't.

Uh - exactly how do you have the same opportunity for diverse viewpoints as you'd have in a classroom -- if you're the only kid in the room?

And if classroom discussion was an important part of education, you would think public school kids would be on a par educationally as homeschooled kids. And for the most part they aren't.

You could conclude that if the presence or absence of a group environment was the only difference; that would be an even comparison. But of course it's one of many differences.

I am not knocking the good public school. I was blessed with that as were my kids. But the fact is public education has severely deteriorated in recent decades and on average, the public schooled kids are behind, sometimes significantly behind, their peers who attend good private or parochial schools, and the homeschooled kids, on average, out perform them all.

I'm pretty sure it's been more years than we care to admit since we've been in school Foxy -- on what basis are we declaring that "public education has severely deteriorated in recent decades"?

 

[hazlnut]

I was homeschooled as a child.

There are arguments made for and against it.

Would you please share your views on it here?

If you're parents are qualified and you're a Phenom athlete or musician then fine -- future Olympians and other Prodigies.

Otherwise, children need to learn to fend for themselves and find their own way in a chaotic unpredictable social system -- the creme rises to the top.


Teaching children creationism is child abuse. Why not tell them Harry Potter is a biography.

 

[Ibentoken]

With the ignorant indoctrinated useful idiots being turned out by public schools, homeschooling is the one alternative to private school. I think public education needs to be removed from government and unions. Freedom of thought is being attacked by the left. Big Brother. I love my country, but my government is corrupt with communist vermin who call themselves democrats.