Home-Schooling?

[LittleMan]

Here are some facts:

Quote:
1.2 million children taught at home

Last year, home-schoolers not only took the top three spots in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee, but also won the National Geographic Bee.

The U.S. Department of Education estimates that 2 percent of all school-age children, some 1.2 million, are taught at home.

More than 10 percent of students that competed in the Spelling Bee are home-schoolers. 27 out of 248

Performance of home-schooled students on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). In 2000, the College Board reported they scored an average 568 on verbal and 532 on math. The national averages for traditionally schooled students were 505 and 514.

Also, what those don't say is that some of the students that got first in those spelling bee's got pulled out of public school when the teachers told their parents that they would never be able to spell 'cat'
I knew one of them and went up against him in a local spelling bee. I got second, he got first. (I was happy for him.)

 

[JonMikal]

Calliope,
I am homeschooled and have been for my entire life.

thats it, they're going to public school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LittleMan]

thats it, they're going to public school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

reminds me of when I wrote this huge essay and the teacher saw my cover page and threw away the whole essay right there because she didn't like the title... :lmao:

(I made her retrieve it and read it... )

 

[thebeginning]

Like everyone above has mentioned, homeschooled kids don't get interaction with kids their age...
That's completely NOT TRUE unless the parents want it that way. There are homeschool co-ops out there that I was a part of from about 2nd grade through high school. They are places where you can go and have classes together with other homeschooled families and do things that maybe you couldn't teach your kids... like violin, painting, calculus, karate, etc...

Homeschooled kids not only interact with kids their age but with adults/younger kids where I see that public schooled kids tend to stay away from anyone not their age... Think of it this way, if everyone who is 14 hung around kids that are 14... how is anyone going to learn from their friends??? it's like the blind leading the blind...

good point, I was about to mention that. I too am homeschooled and have been all my life. Many of my friends are homeschooled also, and they are all highly educated, polite, well-spoken individuals. Most of them get automatic acceptance and large scholarships to the colleges of their choice, and all have high SAT scores. Many of them actually received scores in their sophomore year of high school that granted them full tuition at major universities. Many of these universities give homeschoolers a large benefit when applying simply because they know the average intelligence of most homeschoolers. There is obviously no argument over whether or not homeschooling is a good form of education.

Now homeschooling is not for everyone. Like Chris said, it takes alot of work and patience. In the long run, it can provide more flexibility as well as more varied social interaction and academic opportunities. I realize that some homeschooled families do try to shelter their children a little too much(although sometimes justifiable), but that is often the fault of the parents, and cannot be associated with homeschooling in general. The homeschooler's prototype is created mostly by biased, public schooled individuals that know nothing of the process of homeschooling or its potential. I actually just wrote a satirical essay on critics of homeschooling for my English Literature class.

Now I have to go, for I am typing this when I should be doing my physics homework.

 

[Andrea K]

i would suggest a private or Catholic grade school. i went to a private grade school and even though i'm now a senior in high school i constantly think about memories from the 8th grade. public schools in my opinion are insane, at least from what i hear in my area between the sex and drugs that are present in the schools.the private school i went to had no religious affiliation (however, there are plenty of excellent Catholic grade schools around...even if your not Catholic, the structure is what is important) and i think that i benefited from the constant social interaction, small class sizes, and even the competition among students. now i'm currently a senior in an all girls Catholic high school (i converted to Catholicism in 8th grade so i had little knowledge of the Catholic faith and have had absolutely no trouble learning the religious material) and i can proudly say that i'm at the top of my class, with damn good SAT scores (i might add), have a lot of friends and have no complaints about my educational experience. i also am glad to say that i never wake up feeling scared that i'm going to be beaten up or that someone is going to bring a gun to school. there are no security guards or police in my school (there are in some other local public high schools) and i can say that we really don't need them. i don't know what the public schools in your area are like, but if theyre anything like the ones around me there is no question between public or private school for me.

i personally wouldn't home school (i've only ever met one home schooler that i know of and she was rather quiet. i do realize that i'm basing my knowledge on the experience with one person) probably because im so used to being in a school, and i think that i have gotten the social skills that i could get in a public school and the feeling of safety and security that i could get at home, in my private high school. the relationship with teachers and students is excellent because the class sizes are so small, so the classes become much more personal yet they are still taught by different teachers (some i agree with and some i don't)so i get many different perspectives and i learn to adapt to different teaching and leading styles. because my school is so small (81 seniors and 350 some odd students in all) i have had the opportunity to have the same english teacher all four years of high school, so i know what i can expect from her and i know what she expects from me. therefore, i would also look into private schools for your kids as well because perhaps that will provide both the social skills and the safety that you want for your kids.

 

[Calliope]

I see a lot of valid points on both sides. I have never known anyone home-schooled... both JonMikal & I went to public schools. I guess everything also depends on the quality of schools. We will be doing a lot of research about that too...

 

[Alison]

I think it comes down to the individual child. There are some children that would thrive at home and others would do better in a public school or private school. As you can see by the wide variety of responses it really is different for everyone! I would encourage you to do a lot of research, and get in contact with other families in your area that home school as well. Good luck in your decision, making choices like this is one of the more difficult aspects of parenting!

 

[LittleMan]

I think it comes down to the individual child. There are some children that would thrive at home and others would do better in a public school or private school. As you can see by the wide variety of responses it really is different for everyone! I would encourage you to do a lot of research, and get in contact with other families in your area that home school as well. Good luck in your decision, making choices like this is one of the more difficult aspects of parenting!

definately :thumbup:
do research.

The schools around here aren't that great... they don't allow lockers because of the bomb/drug problems.

 

[TPOL]

I first started off in public school, and for various reasons went to homeschooling in about 6th grade, did that for few years and now I am in a Cyber School. I would choose either over a public school, but that is just my opinion. I want to second LittleMan on the home school co-ops, please do not think that just because some children are homeschooled means they do not socialize with children their age, there are many opportunities for that. As far as a cyber school goes, I don't know if there are any in your area, but the one I belong to is actually six hours from where I live. In my cyber school, I have virtual classes with a real teacher and classmates that I can hear but not see...now if you have young children, a virtual classroom would not work too well(at least not with my cyber school). And to second AlisonPower (or third, whatever) I think that no matter how many of us say yea or nay to homeschooling...you have to choose what you think is best for your child/ren.

 

[thebeginning]

I see a lot of valid points on both sides. I have never known anyone home-schooled... both JonMikal & I went to public schools. I guess everything also depends on the quality of schools. We will be doing a lot of research about that too...

well now you do know some homeschoolers. and I promise, we're not all that bad

i agree, do some research and talk to some homeschoolers in your area. they should be able to give more details and info.

 

[TPOL]

maybe even do a google search for some homeschool groups/co-ops in your area...

 

[LittleMan]

well now you do know some homeschoolers. and I promise, we're not all that bad

i agree, do some research and talk to some homeschoolers in your area. they should be able to give more details and info.

haha, yeah... I'm one of the worst homeschoolers I know... :lmao:
I'm usually the one who makes my public school friends look sheltered.. :blushing:


:mrgreen:

 

[Scott WRG Editor]

In my opinion both options have merit and disadvantages. Homeschoolers without a doubt would be able to obtain a better academic education than a public schooler. The resources just are not allocated to public schools to compete. However, academic education is only half the issue. As others have pointed out there is the social aspects. If you are going to homeschool your child you need to have them in social activities to allow them to develop the skills necessary to interact in society, which is often a harsh place.
With all the PC behavior being mandated it is getting harder and harder for children to develope into functioning humans. Children that are overly sheltered and kept in a 100% safe environment tend to be incapable of functioning when faced with adversity.
Basically you have to balance your child and make your decisions based on your child and the oppurtunities available in your area.

BTW, I love kids, I have several recipes.

 

[jstuedle]

The subject of guards and police in our public schools is a valid one. We live across the street from our local elementary school. This is a town of 619 people, but some students are bused in from the local farming areas. The school has an attendance of about 180 kids, K - 6. They have had a full time security guard and our one town policeman spends about half the school day there taking reports and investigating. This town is about 50 miles from the closest big city in another state. It boggles the mind that children in the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grades are involved in drugs or threatning violance. Last year a teacher was stabber with a ball point pen. A high percentage of the kids we see lighting up and smoking on there walk home. The language they use and the suggestive clothing is unbelievable for 9 to 12 year olds. I have to say it has only gotten worse since our kids were there, and it most likely will not improve anytime soon.

 

[Unimaxium]

Personally, being a student right now, I personally think I would hate to be homeschooled. I love being at school every day and being around my friends. Even if you do participate in activities outside of your lessons, there's still a large chunk of time that you spend away from your friends. Also, I happen to be very good friends with someone who was homeschooled for a year, and he says he hated it too. Obviously there are students who feel differently, but before you make the decision make sure your kids like the idea.

BTW JM/Calliope: Wasn't one of the reasons you moved to st. michael's so that you could be in a better public school system? Is it maybe not as good as you expected? Or something?