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HOw is homeschooling a viable alternative? We aren't all teachers, we're parents. We don't know enough to school our kids in math, physics, etc etc. We don't even have the training to handle kids in school. We're parents, so we teach them how to be good kids, not good students. Leave the education up to the experts. ↓
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| Name: Tia | Date: Jul 1st, 2005 6:39 AM |
| You can't be serious! Each child learns differently and who better to bring out the best in your child then you. Oviously you don't know anything about homeschooling. Your given materials to base your lessons on just like a teacher. Schools don't care about your child. They have one method of teaching and the schools are so over crowded that they're actually lowering the standards so more kids can pass. Any parent that homeschools their child has a great deal of interest in their childs future and will put in the extra effort in learning the materials that they teach. And since when aren't parents teachers? Do you even have kids? Are you involved in their lives? I got news for you the best teachers we have are our parents not some strangers that can't even remember your childs name. Get a clue!!! ↑ |
| Name: Penny | Date: Jul 3rd, 2005 9:29 AM |
| I have a teaching cert. and I can tell you the home school students I've encountered were calm, polite, self motivated learners. I worked with these kids in scouts and a few who entered the school system in middle or high school. One family had one daughter with CP and a younger sister in eighth grade. This was the first year they attended public school. The older sister was wheel chair bound and had been sick so I was sent to the home from the school district to offer home instruction. Her sister completed eight grade at the public school. She was awarded many honors at the end of the year. She was in a few clubs and played three sports. When her parents gave her the choice to return to homeschooling or move on to high school she said she couldn't see herself waisting another year. She felt each day she was held back. The work she did in 7 hours would have taken her 2 hours at home. Homeschooling is a lifestyle. It can be a great success. ↑ |
| Name: Pam | Date: Jul 3rd, 2005 10:40 AM |
| I agree with you ddn. I also think that kids need to interact with other children. Teaching them at home doesn't really give them the social skills that they need. I know people that have been home schooled and i thank God my parents sent me to a regular school. ↑ |
| Name: Gypsy | Date: Jul 13th, 2005 7:57 PM |
| ddn you are so right people a social animals and homeschooling is such a prison for kids who belong in the main stream with their peer group. ↑ |
| Name: kerry | Date: Aug 1st, 2005 4:21 PM |
| Homeschool is not a prison my daughter has so many friends through her homeschool program and im glad she doesnt have to deal with the crap the highschool gives out and teachers who think they know it all, my daughters getting scholarships and doing things the highschool here wouldnt provide, plus she has all the interaction with kids since she wasnt homeschooled her whole life she has friends in regular school and friends that know her through her music and friends who go to her homeschool because the homeschooling does do stuff for the kids to interact with they have concerts and they go to school once a week and they have regular teachers just like the regular school but the parent is the primary teacher the other teachers are just there in case you need help with anything ↑ |
| Name: Gypsy | Date: Aug 4th, 2005 7:30 PM |
Kerry, I feel sorry for your dd and every other child who has suffered through homeschooling. The largest group of people seeking mental health help world wide are adults who use to be homeschooled. I would like to see wat you dd would post her self 10 years from now or even 5.
ddn say so much so right Parents should teach there children how to be good kids not good students! ↑ |
| Name: Kerry | Date: Aug 7th, 2005 5:20 PM |
| Yeah.....I guess you're right......leave the minds of our impressionable children up to the 'experts' who will teach them that homosexuality is okay and that the world was just blasted into being and that we gradually became humans from mud and monkeys!!! You must have no idea how homeschooling really works or you would feel like a stupid idiot just posting a message like you did. Get off of this site and go to a forum where there are 'other people' like you that will appreciate your babbling about subjects you know nothing about. Have a great day =) ↑ |
| Name: Kerry | Date: Aug 7th, 2005 5:24 PM |
| Also....to gypsy. My husband is in the military and he too was homeschooled. His commander told him that the best military personel they see are usually the ones who have been homeschooled because they are disciplined and have some common sense about things that ARE NOT taugh in public schools. I used to work with people who went to public school that didn't know what to do if their calculators wouldn't work. It never even crossed their mind to use their brains to figure out their problems. I don't know what the world will do if all the computers ever crash because no one knows how to add or subtract in their heads! ↑ |
| Name: Pam | Date: Aug 8th, 2005 7:12 PM |
| Well, i know people that were home school their not the brightest bunch of the pack. They are very gullable and easy to use. They don't have the social skills that child who went to public school has. As well as u can be as dumb as bricks to get into the military that doesn't mean crap. As far as them teaching about homosexuality what school did u go to? And they are going to learn about it eventually in the real if they don't experiment with it themselves. Actually the people i know who went to homeschool are actually bi-sexual so that don't say much for home schooled kids. ↑ |
| Name: Carter | Date: Sep 9th, 2005 9:52 PM |
| Some of you are just idiots. Sorry! You wouldn't understand why these parnets are homeschooling if you had it carefully explained. I was homeschooled from 6th grade to graduation. My act scores would blow the average public school kid out of the water. If you would like to talk about this in an intelligent fashion, I suggest you do some reading on the subject. Don't spew this load of bull about homeschoolers being the largest group seeking professional help. That is so ridiculous!! Children are molested and beaten, yet the ones that seek help in adulthood are usuallly the homeschoolers? You just have to know that sounds completely retarded. ↑ |
| Name: MOMMATAB | Date: Sep 29th, 2005 7:34 PM |
| Name: Angel | Date: Sep 30th, 2005 8:35 PM |
| Not only is your statement rather harsh, it could not be further from the truth. Granted Homeschooling is not for every family, but it is a wonderful choice. Experts? What experts? Are you speaking of the experts that are consistently passing children that are barely literate? Do the math our own President had to pass a law "No Child Left Behind" just to get the experts to their job! ↑ |
| Name: Denise | Date: Oct 1st, 2005 11:49 AM |
| Pam, you are so far from the truth. I was homeschooled and went onto graduate from dental school. I am now happily married and extremely successful. As far as not being the brightest kids in the pack, I probably make more money in a year than you will ever see in a lifetime. More power to you all you homeschooling moms! ↑ |
| Name: coleen | Date: Oct 1st, 2005 2:27 PM |
| I highly disagree with you ppl who havnt been homeschooled first hand because Why act like you know everything "Oh my gosh I know someone who was homeschooled.." that doesn't mean a thing. My husband was homeschooled he is a very very sucessful biolgist one of the top 5 in the state and guess what those top 5 were homeschooled and it's obvious you have no idea what goes on in regular school, drugs, drinking, smoking, There are more kids at public school who are bi and gay it doesnt mean anything ↑ |
| Name: Mommyof6 | Date: Nov 9th, 2005 9:03 AM |
| I would like to offer up a classic example of a product of public schools...why, it's a post here (and the corrections are in parentheses)...."Well, i (I) know people that were home school(ed) their (they're) not the brightest bunch of the pack. They are very gullable and easy to use. They don't have the social skills that child(ren) who went to public school has. As well as u can be as dumb as bricks to get into the military that doesn't mean crap. As far as them teaching about homosexuality what school did u go to? And they are going to learn about it eventually in the real if they don't experiment with it themselves. Actually the people i know who went to homeschool are actually bi-sexual so that don't say much (excellent English) for home schooled kids." Obviously, if I had meager intelligence such as this, I would not be attacking others. And, I am quite sure that my children, who are homeschooled would be able to out-score you on any given standardized test--as well as the test of life. My daughter, who we homeschooled through middle school is now in public high school taking AP classes that aren't challenging her. As for socialization, that is a complete myth. Homeschooled children are able to "socialize" and communicate with people of all ages. ↑ |
| Name: ben | Date: Nov 9th, 2005 5:03 PM |
| I agree homeschooled kids can be just as social as public schooled kids.. and why is it all the public schooled parents are trying to talk everyone out of homeschool if they don't know anything about it? ↑ |
| Name: Angie | Date: Nov 17th, 2005 8:00 PM |
| Hello? Where have you been that you think public school in this country is the best choice for every child? Do you ever read the newspaper or watch the news on TV--or how about going to one of the news websites since you evidently use the 'net?! Before posting next time, let me offer you some advice: You'd have much more credibility if you did some homework on 1) homeschooling, since you seem to think it is NOT working, and 2) government schools, since you seem to think they ARE working! 'nough said. ↑ |
| Name: brooke&jack's mom | Date: Nov 20th, 2005 1:30 PM |
I am 26 years old. I was home-schooled.
I am a mechanical engineer, and have many friends. NOBODY has ever referred to me as "dumb, unsocialized, or easy to outwit."
ENOUGH SAID. ↑ |
| Name: britt | Date: Nov 22nd, 2005 9:02 PM |
| Name: Michele | Date: Dec 1st, 2005 10:22 AM |
I am a public school teacher and I am not writing to tell you all how horribly wrong you are, I promise. I felt that some of the comments about public schools seem of base, but I don't know the school system that you have had experience with. If you see these problems with the public schools you have had your children in, then I highly sugget you look for another public school system, or do something in the current school to help change that pattern. I can say that there are some public schools have have high standards and treat all kids as if they were part of a family. My school is one of them. I truly care about each and everyone of my students.
I also have a good friend who homeschools her children and I can also agree that there are certain programs for homeschooling that I feel are a great choice for those students who may not learn well in a public school setting. The program my friend uses is christian based and her kids are very smart, polite, and well versed. She encourages her children to participate in youth activities like the community swimming team. Her children have many friends. I also know that in Ohio, any homeschooled child may participate on the highschool team of the district they live in. They pay taxes towards that school and therefore, may be involved with the team. This is something my friend has tried. It worked out wonderfully. I see both sides of the story and I feel that different situations are different for everyone. I think that you have to make the best choice for your child. If your public school is truly that horrible, why not check out other public schools in the area or get involved in making them better for everyone. If you'd rather homeschool, then do it. ↑ |
| Name: Patti | Date: Dec 12th, 2005 8:29 PM |
Homeschooling is the best thing I did for my son! This is our first year, and neither one of us could be happier! He only has to study for a couple of hours a day, and is already ahead of other kids his age. As for the social aspect, he does BETTER being homeschooled, because he has TIME for other activities, instead of having to waste time afternoons and evenings doing homework. He is in 5th grade, takes guitar lessons, very active in the church, 4-H, and will be getting him into tae kwan do. A lot of places have openings for classes ( such as the tae kwan do and the like ) for homeschooled kids. We go to the park, he has lessons in math when we go shopping...... there are so many learning opportunities just in every day life! Home Ec is a fun one! He's 11, and learning how to cook and bake. PE..... he enjoys skateboarding, bike rides, playgrounds, etc. It all counts!
If you're not a homeschooler, you're missing out on a lot! It's a lot of fun, doing science projects together, and taking field trips whenever we feel like it. It's the best experience we've had yet! ↑ |
| Name: Patti | Date: Dec 12th, 2005 8:40 PM |
I would also like to include that I did quite a bit of research before I decided to homeschool my son. More and more colleges are accepting homeschooled graduates, and some even PREFER to accept apps from homeschooled seniors, as their scores are often higher than public school kids. They ( homeschooled kids ) are more disciplined in their study habits, for the most part.
I am NOT knocking public schools. My son is a gifted student, and his school was unable to provide him with the challenges he needed to keep his attention. At home, I can provide him with more challenges than the school is able to afford.
He has the world at his fingertips. In public school, they have to learn only what the teachers have time to teach a classful of 20 - 30 students. Being homeschooled, he has the time and ability to learn about everything and ( almost ) anything that catches his interest.
Granted, there are some homeschooling parents out there that just let their children slide thru, without really giving them the education that they need. I don't have a certificate, but I am doing just fine, teaching my 5th grader. ↑ |
| Name: Meg | Date: Dec 19th, 2005 9:49 PM |
| I was homeschooled for just 4 months while I had a medical condition my freshman year of high school. I liked it a lot but it was impossible for my father to keep it up past my 4 month abscence. I am now looking into starting to homeschool my daughter as she goes into kindergarten next year. I can't believe some of these people who say that all homeschooled kids are dumb.....have you met every one of them? Do some research and then make a comment. ↑ |
| Name: Rian | Date: Jan 1st, 2006 1:39 AM |
| I have so much respect for homeschool parents and children. We are considering it. My husband is a Sheriff's Deputy and we are about to move to an area in town that is a high crime area. The school district has a lot of gang activity via the parents and also the clothing that kids wear (this school has now made it mandatory to wear uniforms because of this) and I am speaking about the Elementary. My husband has to deal with the families from this area regularly, so for safety reasons we are thinking about homeschooling. One problem though. I am not a patient person, and I lose my temper sometimes when working on homework with my kids. So, I don't know if I could, would, or should consider homeschooling them. Anyone else struggle with this but has overcome it? If so, how? Any help with this is appreciated, and since when is going to public school about being social? I thought we sent our kids there to learn! Not to socialize. They can do that anywhere! Also, I want my kids to learn about Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. Also, the Big God Truth, not Big Bang Theory. ↑ |
| Name: Tracy | Date: Jan 3rd, 2006 3:15 PM |
and "teachers" that are not even parents are better...
"teachers" that have a corrupt morral view are better...
"teachers" that have no control over behavioral problemed children are better...
"teachers" that dont have a degree in the subject they are teaching are better...
"teachers" that hate their job and children are better...
...maybe if you aren't smart enough to have learned the basic education in life...you should not have had children for someone else to raise...
just a thought... ↑ |
| Name: Rian | Date: Jan 3rd, 2006 5:26 PM |
| Name: JAK | Date: Jan 4th, 2006 12:41 PM |
| Hurray to all of you parents who homeschool!!!!! My kids are in 5th,4th and 2nd grade. The CRAP that they bring home scares me. I keep considering home schooling and a good majority of my family does it now. But untill I can make that leap I have them involved heavily in our church and I am trying my best to have all their friends in MY home so I can hold on to their innocense as long as I can. So bravo to all you homeschoolers out there and ignore all the negative feedback. They do not have a clue!!!! ↑ |
| Name: Sunshine | Date: Jan 9th, 2006 6:09 AM |
Here is my two cents... From the moment we learn we are with child every chioce we make for their well being is just that our choice, sadly too many generations have been trained to beleive that we cannot possibly know what is best for ourselves , let alone a our child. We see this in the medical feild with the lack of faith in a womans ability to give birth safely with no interference , women are scared into thinking that they just don't know what to do and they should just leave it up to the "experts" .Well in many many cases this creates complications , which never would have occured had the women been educated fully about the process, the biological benefit of every stage of labour , of coping techniques,and faith in her wonderous inate ability to not only create life but to give birth to that life safely in an enviroment that is most comfortable to her . Humans miraclous creatures we are born with instincts that should be fostered and encouraged, and trusted. For if we do, more often than not, we will remain intune with what is best for us and our children. Now, I parallel childbirth with homeschool because it is the first of many choices that parents turn over to others. Our decision on their education should be based on our knowledge of our child , who they are , how they see the world, what is most comfortable for them, where they thrive and when they are oppressed. Again we see parents simpley ignoring their instincts and blindly accepting that the "experts" know better than they, this couldn't be furthur from the truth, who knows your child better than you? Certainly there are times when expertise has it's place such as in genuine medical emergencies , or specific feilds of study ;and then that is when we are free to say "My instincts tell me to reach out for help with this" , Certainly in todays world many families simply cannot afford to stay home with their child once he/she is of school age this is a sad fact of modern economy. While plenty of children do just fine, and sometimes excell, in public school ; many struggle to just get by and just as many fall between the cracks. There are the odd few incidents where a family who homeschools is extremely protective/ paranoid about their childs exposure to the outside world and therefore does stifle socialization, but the majority of homeschoolers simply trusted that they could give an education in a way that was best for them based on what felt comfortable to them and this also includes carefully chosen social activities where many different interactions occur with many different age groups. there is nothing wrong with wanting to shelter your child just so long as you teach them the realities of our world in a way that feels best for their age and maturity, and your explinations should be filled with respect and compassion for that which is different from your life. There are a vast amount of ways in which to live a good life . There are no truley bad people just bad decisions. Yes we should do our best to protect ourselves from that which undermines our sense of security in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual ways, but there is never a reason to teach hatred . Our child sees a direct example of how to trust when their parent trusts what is true from birth, you are their teacher you signed on for the job when you chose to be a parent it was never not part of your job your child has never seen you any other way,so why should you , regardless of what others have to say, those who have lost faith in themselves and sadly the world at large, they will never realize what they are missing out on until they beleive that we all are full of answers and questions and that is why we are here for each other and that is why we do reach out to for what we need , be it a surgeon or a teacher .Only you can decide what is best for you and your child and by acting on that knowledge you are inturn teaching them how to trust themselves as well that is your job too so why oh why would you want to let someone else tell you what you need , unless you first felt you needed their in put. If you need public school then by all means utilize it , be informed and involved as much as possible, homeschooling can simply and extention of public school. If you feel you need to homeschool well then take the time to find an approach that is most effective for you and your child. There is no reason to beleive that you can't at least try, you will know what works and what to abandon and if you should find that perhaps it's not for you , don't worry , you will not have permantly scarred your child , not listening to your heart will cause you to do things that could far out way a year in a difficult homeschool attempt, and hey if you want an inbetween approach you could check out many of the alternative , virtual , or online schools out there. The options are many. The bottom line if I haven't made it perfectly clear is Trust in yourself, Trust in your love for you child, teach your child to trust them selves,trust your child, and never ever settle for less than what feels right just because it does or doesn't work for someone else.
Be Well* ↑ |
| Name: jojowentbyby | Date: Jan 11th, 2006 2:36 PM |
| Public school was a huge waste of our time. I met with the Director of curriculum and she even admitted that public schools are not equipt to handle anyone above the median. We started homeschooling and have consistantly been working 2-3 years above grade level. Public school is great if you have a child who performs right along the statistics or below but few children are right inline with every one else. About the socialization thing: walk down any public school hallway at the start of the day and tell me which behavior you want your child to replicate. How can a 20 minutes recess a day be more socialization than a 3 hour playdate? My children belong to Girl Scouts, Basketball, and a chorus. We also belong to a homeschooling group and do things with some of her traditionaly schooled friends. my children 10 times the education then any public schooled student and 10 times the socialization. I was very involved when my first daughter was in school (president of the PTA) and can compare both worlds. I do however notice that a lot of the homeschoolers we meet are kind of "out there" but you weed through them. BTW almost every woman on DH is or was a school teacher and they are amazed at the well rounded wonderful people my children are. My children can cary a conversation with an adult or a child. I am sorry you don't know enough about math, physics and such to pass on that knowledge, you must have gone to public school. Even when my children were in public school I did not think that their eduation ended when they walked out the door of the school. Any teacher will tell you that parent involvement is in direct relation to how well your child does in school. As a parent did you ever teach your child to ride a bike, tie their shoes, or anything like that? All Parents are teachers even if they are not smart enough to realize it (example : the people who unknowingly teach their kids to swear) There are lots of teachers who cannot teach or handle a large group of kids. And in my experience most parents are not good at parenting, that is why Nanny 911 is a hit. public schools only teach children to take tests, not to actually master anything, other wise you would know more about math, Physics, etc etc. If the "experts" could educate my kids I would leave it up to them. No one is more of an expert on my children than I. I would think you should educate yourself before making such a generalized statement. Look into who won the last few National Spelling Bees. ↑ |
| Name: me | Date: Jan 12th, 2006 7:46 PM |
Myth: Homeschooled children are undereducated.
Fact: Numerous studies of homeschoolers' achievement show that homeschoolers score exceptionally well on standardized tests, with the average/median homeschool students outperforming at least 70 to 80 percent of their conventionally schooled peers in all subjects and at all grade levels. (18,19) Studies also show that the longer a student is homeschooled, the higher his or her test scores become. (20) In addition, homeschoolers have been described as "dominating" national contests, such as the national spelling and geography bees, and are now sought by many colleges. (21-26) ↑ |
| Name: carolee | Date: Jan 25th, 2006 10:36 PM |
| I do believe that children need the social interaction of a school. I agree that the schools leave much to be desired! You need to research and get your kids into a goo school, even if it means relocating or paying for private school. I am a teacher and I agree that good teachers who have patience and really care about all kids are rare. But I don't think homeschooling is the solution, because the social skills are so important. ↑ |
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