homeschooling

[smileyface cavy]

I am homeschooled, and from some posts I've seen, I know that *Piglets-Angel* and jaspers_girl are too! So anyone who's homeschooled please post in this thread. Nice to have some company here!

[smileyface cavy]

Anyone????

[optimusprime]

why do you homeschool?

[VoodooJoint]

I homeschool my 2 kids but was not homeschooled myself.

To answer Optimusprime's question: I homeschool to insure that my children are well educated, not subjected to negative socialization (i.e. peer pressure) and it is my duty as a parent to do everything I can to raise my children to be happy, well rounded, productive adults.

I started homeschooling for 2 reasons.

1. I live in the city. The public schools are HORRIBLE and we cannot afford private education...not that it's much better in private school (I went to private school myself)

2. My daughter was born with a vision defect that would have caused her to get left behind in a regular classroom setting. Her vision defect was not the type that would have allowed her to get into a school for the blind. She needed one on one attention.

Homeschooling worked so well for us that even after her vision problem was fixed and her brother was ready to start school himself we simply kept on homeschooling. I can go on and on but will limit myself.

[Slap Maxwell]

That's great voodoo. Seems your doing whats best for your kids!

[VoodooJoint]

Thanks Slap.

[optimusprime]

thanks

im always really interested in why people homeschool. i have just seen alot of the bad affects when parents dont do homeschooling right. Here in alabama, the laws regulating homeschooling are terrible, and you can get away with not schooling your children at all. My cousins have been this way for years, they have absolutely no social interaction with kids their age, and they are 3 or 4 years behind because they never do their schooling, and find loopholes around the annual testing. I belive that it is a viable options for children with special needs, or if the public school standards in your area are bad, but i dont think that it should be widely used, or used for most kids, i think that public, and private (secular) schools are great for socialization and teaching kids how to function in society. I greatly respect people who homeschool and still get their kids into social activities though (through church and community sports and the such) because it is so easy to just let your kids fall by the wayside in these areas.

[VoodooJoint]

Opti (may I call you Opti?)

[size=2][/size]I run a homeschooling group. We get our kids together every week in the park, several of the members' kids take horseback riding, soccer or other activities together every week and we have group art or fun science classes almost every week. That's not counting in friends in the neighborhood that don't homeschool and getting out kids together with their best homeschooled friends.

I agree that homeschooling isn't for everyone and some people abuse the system. Louisiana (where I live) has very lax homeschooling laws...and I like it like that. I don't want the government or school system messing with my rights to educate my children how I think best.

Unfortunately there are always the people that use these lax laws to drop their kids off the radar. It's actually fairly rare for people who homeschool not to do an adequate if not exemplary job...but like with everything there are always the people that will abuse the system.

In the case you mention, if it really is as bad as you say, I feel a call to your local child protection agency is in order. Under educating children is a form of abuse. These children face no bright future and will most likely have a life of meaningless, dead-end jobs.

I only have one family in my homeschool group that I feel is not educating their children well. However she is attempting to get her children enrolled into one of the few good schools we have in this city. 1 child is already attending, another is starting next year...I believe the third is still on the waiting list. Meanwhile I keep a close watch on these kids and do all I can to encourage her and the kids to take a more active roll in education. She has made progress but in my opinion could still do more. It's frustrating to know what to do.

Here is my group's public website. It's just the beginnings but at least we have something up. http://neworleanshomeschool.org/

[Peaches]

I know that many military families opt for homeschooling for several reasons. 1) consistency: some families move so much that changing schools and teachers and curiculum can be devestating. 2) school systems: many bases are in or near large cities not known for good schools. One of the main reasons I asked to transfer from DC was the schools for my kids. THey were horrendous and their special ed system for my oldest stunk. I cant home school as I am active duty myself but I would have considered it if I were a stay at home mom while my hubby was active duty.

[smileyface cavy]

woah, I started a major discussion here!

[optimusprime]

actually, i was schooled on army bases up untill high school, and feel like it was one of the best choices my parents ever made,
i definetly recieved a better education from the army base schools than i did in the public schools

[akgoaliemom]

Oh my goodness, it's amazing what pops up in the search when you type in keywords! I also homeschool my two older kids (13 and 7) in the state of Alaska for many of the same reasons listed already. I also am dismayed at the abuse that can happen. Fortunately, the homeschool population in Alaska is pretty large and it's actually not looked at as a "freakish" thing here. We are well-regulated (sometimes, too much so!) and are currently battling the state legislature regarding acceptable curriculum, allotments, and general funding.

[laura220]

My bestfriend is homeschooled but she is VERY far behind, in other words and literally, not too smart. Her spelling is horrific. Her mother isn't too strict with her about it.

[Sabriel]

I'd like to homeschool my children when I have them. My husband and I both spent our school life doing horribly at one subject and excelling in everything else. Since everything is alotted equal time in normal school there is no chance for a bit of extra or one on one help in a single subject unless you can afford a tutor.

My math was horrible untill my husband sat down with me and taught me. I had to take a math test for a graphic design course and he taught me in two days what the teachers couldn't in a whole semester.

I also want my children to learn a non Canadian language as well. French is nice, but they teach you Canadian French in public school. It's not the same French the rest of the world uses. It's close but there are many small differences. My husband and I are leaning towards teaching our future children Japanese and we are learning Japanese right now.

Even if we send our children to public school we will probably spend alot of time outside of school teaching them. I don't want them to become board and frustrated like my husband and I were.

[Poodles]

I was homeschooled in High School with an ACE program. Fist at home, and then was put into a Christian school. I was able to complete four years of classes in three, and graduated with high marks. But don't be fooled, I ended up there for a reason. Most kids in Private School have been kicked out of the public schools in their area. (I have grown up since.) Then went off to college for five years with a double major. (Business Administration and Secondary Education) Now I am a public school teacher. My son attends the elementary school in the same district I teach in.

There are some good and bad things about homeschooling. In the earlier grades I think it is beneficial, but once they get to be in the 9th grade, they really need interaction with their peers. There may be peer pressure in high school, but it is the same in college, and in the work world.

It does not matter if it is homeschooling or public education, if the parents are involved the kids will do better. Those kids that are most successfull are involved in after school activities (band, sports, art club, student council, etc) and have parents that know their kids are not perfect and will help the teachers/school when needed.

Even the special needs kids are served well in public schools. Really hate the reputation people give public schools, but that puts money into private schools and that is a business. My cousin is a teacher at a private school, and that bothers me. She has a high school diploma, and that is it. She likes to "rub it in" that she did not have to go to college to be a teacher, and I did. But that makes me wonder about the quality of education the kids are getting. People really need to know the hoops it takes to be certified, and they need to check into that.

Same with homeschooling. Parents love their kids. They are willing to spend the time it takes and give the attention their kids need, but when the subjects get to be harder than they can handle, they need to get the kids into a school with specialized teachers. You won't find me teaching my kid higher level math, I know when it is better to let the math teacher with 20 years experience do it.

Before my son reached 5, I became certified in General Elementary. Now I "homeschool" him during the summer, and tutor him after school. But he likes to interact with the other kids at school, play sports, and just get out of the house.

I believe every parent can be a good teacher, just make sure you know what you are doing. Even the best of intentions can go wrong. The common belief is: "I know what is best for my kids." Hopefully, that includes knowing when you can not do it yourself.

[Marlania]

Poodles, I'm still in shock after reading about your cousin. I've heard of private schools often not requiring certification in education, or for instance, hiring people with masters degrees in a certain subject to teach only that subject, but I could never find only a high school diploma acceptible! I know that I could never have taught anyone with only having a basic high school education. If I could have, I certainly couldn't have done a wonderful job. I know it must annoy you that she rubs the "not having to go to college to do the same job" thing in your face, but at least you know that you have an educational foundation, training, and certification, and hopefully all of that helps you to provide a higher quality of education to your students.