Homeschooling

[Annie]

The one homeschooling friend I have, her younger boy is a very slow learner. I think this was her main motivation for homeschooling. Her brother was slow, and she watched him be tortured in the public schools growing up. She wanted it to be different for her son.

That might not be a bad decision, as long as she can help him reach his 'full potential' if she is trained or innately capable.

I think a lot of 'lower ability kids' could be served by tracking or homeschooling. I think 'inclusion' has devestated many of them.

 

[Mr.Conley]

It wasn't the 'cause' but leaving the house without Mom or Dad. I think you are right on the depression, the grandfather committed suicide. I think the son probably was best off homeschooled, for the 'bullying' that would have probably have happened, might have been devestating to him.

Funny thing, when he was 5, my boys were 6 and 3. One day he and his mom came to visit, he put his hands over his ears and said it was 'all too loud'. He most definately would have had problems at an early age in school. Yet, he knows that depression is something to fight, takes his meds and has interned and been offered a 6 figure salary at a major accounting firm after graduation.

He keeps after his sister to leave home for the university. They are both fighting with 'Dad' to make that happen. She is NOT depressed in the least, much more aggressive and it just might be a good idea for her to 'work' a year or two, before hitting the university. Not my decision though.

Sounds like a very serious case if its run consecutively through three generations. It's a good thing he is able to recognize it though. I've know several depressed people who didn't realize it. It's hard to get them to see that somethings wrong.

The boy definitely sounds like someone who benefited from homeschooling.

Strange, I never thought any parent would be adverse to their child going to college. Out of curiousity, if you're homeschooled, how would one go about the process of applying to college. I would imagine that its difficult for homeschoolers, whether its MIT, Havard or the local community college. I finished that hell two years ago and have a younger sibling going through it right now so it would be interesting to know.

 

[Nienna]

That might not be a bad decision, as long as she can help him reach his 'full potential' if she is trained or innately capable.

I think a lot of 'lower ability kids' could be served by tracking or homeschooling. I think 'inclusion' has devestated many of them.

 

[Annie]

Sounds like a very serious case if its run consecutively through three generations. It's a good thing he is able to recognize it though. I've know several depressed people who didn't realize it. It's hard to get them to see that somethings wrong.

The boy definitely sounds like someone who benefited from homeschooling.

Strange, I never thought any parent would be adverse to their child going to college. Out of curiousity, if you're homeschooled, how would one go about the process of applying to college. I would imagine that its difficult for homeschoolers, whether its MIT, Havard or the local community college. I finished that hell two years ago and have a younger sibling going through it right now so it would be interesting to know.

Like anything else, it's building a file. Keeping track of the curriculum, progress, writing samples, reflections on history, novels, etc. Then standardized test scores, etc. There's lots of help online and support groups for those interested.

As intimated in my original response, jr. colleges can well be the homeschooling family's best friend, both for enrichment, advisement, resources, and testing.

 

[5stringJeff]

Thank you all and one more question.

If you had to choose, would you send your child to a well known, good private school, or would you homeschool?
(Don't factor in finances, just which one is better)

If I could take the time off of school, I would homeschool my children.

 

[5stringJeff]

What, my opinions aren't good enough for you?


J/K
:tng:

[diabolical tone]
Ha!

Ha ha!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
[/diabolical tone]

Actually, Kathianne's post was first. But yours was meritorious in its own rights.

 

[Annie]

[diabolical tone]
Ha!

Ha ha!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
[/diabolical tone]

Actually, Kathianne's post was first. But yours was meritorious in its own rights.

I wanted to rep, just to tell you that you are 'diabolical all right!' But I can't rep you, so now the whole world can see! :teeth:

 

[5stringJeff]

I wanted to rep, just to tell you that you are 'diabolical all right!' But I can't rep you, so now the whole world can see! :teeth:

Hey, just cause you're Catholic and I'm not...



j/k

 

[Annie]

Hey, just cause you're Catholic and I'm not...



j/k

Never fear, there's time. By the time you all come around, I'll probably be Episcopalian. Thinking of that more and more.

 

[5stringJeff]

Never fear, there's time. By the time you all come around, I'll probably be Episcopalian. Thinking of that more and more.

Try finding an AAC congregation, if that's where you're leaning. Also, have you checked out the Lutherans?

 

[dmp]

I'm not a fan of home schooling.

 

[Mr.Conley]

In what is certainly a bizzare twist of fate, yesturday I watched a documentary on "unschooling" on CNN Headline.

Here is the related article fromm cnn.com
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/27/gutierrez.unschooing/index.html

In the piece, the ideas and principles behind unschooling, along with several familes attempting to homeschool their children, were presented.

From what I saw, most unschoolers seemed to be antiestablishment intellectuals with too much time on their hands or crazy hippies.

However, the children being unschooled all appeared to be succeeding academically. The girl mentioned in the web article claimed tests scores that placed her reading skills in the 7th grade (although reading standards in most states are far too leniant) and science in the 9th even though she should be the 4th grade.

The impression the piece gave me is that, unschooling can be effective, not because of the inherit rightness of the method, but rather the intellectual ability of the child. These children seemed to me to already possess the intellectual acumen to succeed at school or anywhere else. What unschooling did appear to to was encourage enthusiasism for learning; however, only in subjects the child was already interested in.

I also did a google search and looked for some information in the library about unschooling, but there seems to be no material on the subject, although I had a feeling about this beforehand.

 

[Joz]

I home schooled my oldest son the last 3 years of high school.
Have known over time, 3 other families who chose to do this, even for a short time.

My son is neither intoverted or socially maladjusted or stupid. He's married now, has a beautiful son who just celebrated is 1st birthday, 2 weeks ago, today.
He teaches guitar to about 60 students a week. His wife works for county children services. They own a house & a car. He's also working on becoming a part of a band. He has a wonderful sense of humor & he votes.

 

[Working Man]

CBS Sunday Morning program had a bit on today.. Showed how kids who are homeschooled acheived good grades, and typically performed at higher levels.

Cable news this evening had two Asian twin sisters on. The topic,, Why ARE SO MANY ASIANS DOING WELL IN US SCHOOLS???

They get paid more, and do better.. 55% of "American" students have goals involving college.. 80-85% are Asian who believe they will graduate from college.. 90% for Indians (yes, the same kind that work at 7-11, not the ones with the bows and arrows)

One of the girls is a lawyer. She, or maybe the other one,, both were HOT!!!,,, said that American (probably meaning white/black residents who were born here) parents will tend to defend the kids, and go after a teacher,, even if the teacher is right.

Asians, on the other hand,, will give the teacher credit and question the kid first if an issue exists..

What does this have to do with Home Schooling???

Schooling starts, and continues at home,, no matter where the kid goes the rest of the time. If the home environment is conducive to learning, and that includes discipline if the kid drops the ball on studies, effort,, etc,,,, then,, the kid is most apt to excel.

 

[Mr.Conley]

CBS Sunday Morning program had a bit on today.. Showed how kids who are homeschooled acheived good grades, and typically performed at higher levels.

Cable news this evening had two Asian twin sisters on. The topic,, Why ARE SO MANY ASIANS DOING WELL IN US SCHOOLS???

They get paid more, and do better.. 55% of "American" students have goals involving college.. 80-85% are Asian who believe they will graduate from college.. 90% for Indians (yes, the same kind that work at 7-11, not the ones with the bows and arrows)

One of the girls is a lawyer. She, or maybe the other one,, both were HOT!!!,,, said that American (probably meaning white/black residents who were born here) parents will tend to defend the kids, and go after a teacher,, even if the teacher is right.

Asians, on the other hand,, will give the teacher credit and question the kid first if an issue exists..

What does this have to do with Home Schooling???

Schooling starts, and continues at home,, no matter where the kid goes the rest of the time. If the home environment is conducive to learning, and that includes discipline if the kid drops the ball on studies, effort,, etc,,,, then,, the kid is most apt to excel.

I think the reason many homeschoolers work above gradelevel is because they work at a faster pace. In regular school, class went as fast as the slowest half of the students. People who already knew the material and are ready to move on are held back until everyone understands. A smart homeschooler moves at a much faster pace than their school brethren.

I have noticed this as well. Asian parents are much more involved in their children's academic career then most other parents I know. They except more and the kids do more (or are forced to do more) to succeed. For most asian kids I've known, the question isn't, "Should I go to college?" or even, "Which college I should go to?" rather it's always, "What can I do to get in the best college possible?" I think it's that kind of attitude is the reason why asians succeed in school. They also put in the effort, my old roomate studied everyday for at least 5 hours after school (Although I still got better grades than him...Hahahaha) But it's that kind of effort and determination that I see in so many of my asian friends that allows them to succeed in school.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

I home schooled my oldest son the last 3 years of high school.
Have known over time, 3 other families who chose to do this, even for a short time.

My son is neither intoverted or socially maladjusted or stupid. He's married now, has a beautiful son who just celebrated is 1st birthday, 2 weeks ago, today.
He teaches guitar to about 60 students a week. His wife works for county children services. They own a house & a car. He's also working on becoming a part of a band. He has a wonderful sense of humor & he votes.

Why for just the last 3 years of highschool?

 

[Joz]

Why for just the last 3 years of highschool?

He went to a parochial school til he graduateded from the 8th grade there. Then that teacher did the over-seeing of both her son & mine for home-schooling that year. I had found a non-denomination high school that I was about to send him to, when he announced that he wanted to continue to home school.

 

[BaronVonBigmeat]

So most of the people on this board seem to think that homeschooling is the best way to educate our children. However, I know very little about the subject. So in conjuction with some independent research, I have a few questions.

My question are...

1. On what scale would homeschooling be implimented?

2. How would student's be assured a quality education?
(Note: Please don't retort that publics are bad already, its a given. Plus, moving from one bad situation to another bad one doesn't make a good situation, come up with something constructive.)

3. What would poorer familes where both parents have to work do?

4. Colleges would need some way to ensure they get quality students, but the SAT is already under attack for not fully recognizing a students ability, what could be done?

5. What would we do with the newly unemployed teachers?

6. What would be done with school supported extracurricular activities (eg. sports, band, theatre, etc.)

7. Many experts consider actual lab experiments an essential element of any science curricula. How could this and other specialized areas be covered?

8. What about learning foriegn languages?

9. How would a the curriculum be determined?

10. What could be done to ensure students still have adequate social relations with their peers?

1) Ideally, government shouldn't fund education at all. Or certainly not the feds or even the states. Local neighborhoods might form their own mini-schools.

2) Parents sending their kids to private schools would look for certification by private agencies. Homeschooled kids would take standardized tests from private testing agencies, in order to be certified as the equivalent of a high school grad, to enter college or trade school, etc.

3) Private charities used to be much more common before the welfare state. In addition, private schools will be cheaper when people's property taxes are cut in half.

4) Private testing companies. Or, entrance exams by individual colleges.

5) The good ones would find work in private schools most likely. The bad ones would find another line of work, just like laid-off workers in any other industry would.

6) You would almost certainly see an increase in the number of community-level fine arts type things. Sports--see little league, a private non-government sporting league. Music--private tutors and/or community bands.

7) Private schools would do this I would imagine; I'm not sure what homeschooled kids do, but I'd bet they can run circles around kids in government schools in terms of science knowledge, regardless of labs.

8) Computer tutorials (you can buy all sorts of bizarro language tutorials now) and/or a private tutor. Or, let your young children hang out with the Mexican kids down the street.

9) Ideally, by the parents alone, and not by any government.

10) From what I understand, homeschooled kids are generally regarded as being much more mature, adult-like, and sociable than government school kids. I imagine they simply let their kids out to play with other kids in the neighborhood.