Any Unschoolers here who ditched that method?

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding this tangent of the discussion but just in case I'm not....here's a lengthy list of 'famous' people who've been homeschooled...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100303213715AA0fI2G

This list was discredited many pages ago since most of the people on it...had no choice but to homeschool since school hadn't been invented yet.

 

[princessmom29]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding this tangent of the discussion but just in case I'm not....here's a lengthy list of 'famous' people who've been homeschooled...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100303213715AA0fI2G

good list. My only comment would be that many of those were educated not by thier parents but almost exclusively by paid tutors. It was the standard education for anyone of means for quite a long time. While they were homeschooled, their parents paid others to do so in many cases. That being siad, I do think thsat homeschool students can be just as successful as everyone else. The regular normal kid educated at home primarily by thier parent who goes on to university and a sucessful career is far more compelling to me than a list of famous people educated by high priced private tutors. I know several such people.

 

[knitster]

There's a huge difference between a perfect SAT and an 890. That is a sad score.



I've never seen a school in which taking attendance, recess and lunch take up six hours of the day. They take up like an hour combined and kids eat lunch at home too.

As for moving from one activity, most elementary schools I know of don't move the kids much.

I am NOT generalizing. I have not, in any post, said 'everyone does X.' I have repeately made clear that I'm talking about what I know - which is no different in scope, I'd guess, to what anyone else knows. We all know other people, have family in other towns, etc.

As you yourself said, I said companies in my area. I originally asked because I happen to know some serious ballet people and have never heard of anyone dropping out to homeschool because of ballet. I went and looked at the company school in order to see if I was mistaken. I was not. Coconut said their area was the same. There is more than one company here, I'm not talking about Miss Julie's Little Dance Academy or whatever.

Yes, music lessons are an hour. Fencing or whatever is like an hour, or spend an hour hanging out with friends, and that's nearly the same time as the company school on schooldays, it's 2-2.5 hours a day.

I don't know people involved in gymnastics past the like, 6-year-old level, so I have no idea how it works here or elsewhere. I do know people involved in ballet, and have most of my life, and here, it's not like it is wherever that poster lives. That doesn't mean I think everyplace is like here. As you referred to me saying in my area, I thought that was clear.

I assume the second half of that rant was not directed at me...?

You have hit the nail on the head as to the difference between elemetary and high school. All of that wasted time doesn't happen in my Chemistry and physics classroom. I have 85 min blocks and 75-80 min of that time is spent actively working on the material in one form or another. I takes at least 2-3 hours a week for the vast majority of students to work enough practice problems to achieve a working knowledge of the material. It is one of those things where there is really no subistute for actually doing the work. There is occasionally a really bright student that can grasp the material without that level of practice, but they are rare. Once you add in the hour or 2 a week of lab time required to be proficient there and the time needed to actually teach the lesson you are looking at a good chunk of time, and that is just for one subject. High school SHOULD take more time.

And that is precisely why I plan to farm out the teaching of upper level science courses - because I did not take them and therefor have zero knowledge on the subject. The thought of trying to teach chemistry and physics actually panics me. My husband, on the other hand, would love to teach our kids those classes, but I doubt we could afford for him to quit his job to do so.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I've never seen a school in which taking attendance, recess and lunch take up six hours of the day. They take up like an hour combined and kids eat lunch at home too.

As for moving from one activity, most elementary schools I know of don't move the kids much.

I am NOT generalizing. I have not, in any post, said 'everyone does X.' I have repeately made clear that I'm talking about what I know - which is no different in scope, I'd guess, to what anyone else knows. We all know other people, have family in other towns, etc.

As you yourself said, I said companies in my area. I originally asked because I happen to know some serious ballet people and have never heard of anyone dropping out to homeschool because of ballet. I went and looked at the company school in order to see if I was mistaken. I was not. Coconut said their area was the same. There is more than one company here, I'm not talking about Miss Julie's Little Dance Academy or whatever.

Yes, music lessons are an hour. Fencing or whatever is like an hour, or spend an hour hanging out with friends, and that's nearly the same time as the company school on schooldays, it's 2-2.5 hours a day.

I don't know people involved in gymnastics past the like, 6-year-old level, so I have no idea how it works here or elsewhere. I do know people involved in ballet, and have most of my life, and here, it's not like it is wherever that poster lives. That doesn't mean I think everyplace is like here. As you referred to me saying in my area, I thought that was clear.

You are not SAYING everyone does X...but here and even on another thread--you are using your paradigm to not even try and understand how other areas might be different. Or at least that is how it comes across in your tone. But you may not intend that.

Now--the school we go to for ballet...they do shows. So in addition to the higher level girls taking their however many hours of ballet--the shows (with a professional ballet company) will have their own rehearsals. So that adds to the the ballet clock time. But my one daughter is just in the first level and only goes 2 hours a week. We only moved to that studio because we didn't like our last one and so many people recommended this place. So I really don't know how long the upper levels practice. But for giggles--I can check the schedule next time I am in out of curiosity.

As for gym--I hear you. I only know because I was curious and asked. The gym we go to have gymnasts up to level 9. I cannot gauge what level anyone is, but was chatting with a couple of parents. They had an 8 and 9 year old level 5 gymnast. I asked how much they come. For Level 5, they come 2 days a week for 4 hours and Saturdays for 4 hours. But at least one of the weekdays is Friday so they only have 1 homework night to worry about. No clue on the older girls.

My kids are still in beginner/intermediate recreational level.

Anyway--last tangent...pinky swear. I'm outta here.

 

[pacrosby]

This list was discredited many pages ago since most of the people on it...had no choice but to homeschool since school hadn't been invented yet.

oops, silly me once again

Did you check out my second link (it was added during an edit)? Sandra Day O'Connor doesn't count? What about Samuel Ting, the Chinese American Physicist? Are they only looking for people who've been born in the last 50 yrs or so?

Do Venus and Serena Williams count?


ETA: I'm not trying to step on toes and fight someone else's battle. Heck, I don't even homeschool. I've just found in the past, here on the DIS, that links to facts are often the only thing that will make some people knock off all the petty arguing

 

[knitster]

oops, silly me once again

Did you check out my second link? Sandra Day O'Connor doesn't count? What about Samuel Ting, the Chinese American Physicist? Are they only looking for people who've been born in the last 50 yrs or so?

Do Venus and Serena Williams count

The way it seems to shake down is as follows:

If they're dead, the don't count.
If they were homeschooled before public school existed, they don't count.
If they are weird, they don't count.
If they ever attended public school for any length of time, they don't count.
If they are successful athletes, they don't count.
If they're successful in the entertainment industry, they don't count.

Got it?

 

[princessmom29]

At this point--I have not heard one cogent explanation as to why the list was invalid. Just some various opinions on how it doesn't count because school wasn't invented yet. Nevermind that many on the list ended up going to university.

The list is simply a source of inspiration to homeschoolers who get repeated messages from the public how it isn't a valid method to educate. The list shows that it was valid to those who received home education. And the people on that list are successful regardless of what their success might be. I disagree with any and all who would suggest otherwise.

My only issue with the list is the high number of people there who were educated by high priced privite tutors. I don't think that really meshes with the current idea of homeschool.

I personally am in no way saying homeschool is not a valid method of schooling. I ma just not really impressed with those who succeeded because ofthier athletic talent or because they had high priced private tutors. I am much more impressed with the real life homeschool students I know who have successfully completed school and have successful careers.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Broke the pinky promise--y'all stop commenting so I can go to bed.

oops, silly me once again

Did you check out my second link? Sandra Day O'Connor doesn't count? What about Samuel Ting, the Chinese American Physicist? Are they only looking for people who've been born in the last 50 yrs or so?

Do Venus and Serena Williams count

That was what I was trying to figure out. I am not quite sure what "modern schooling" means to those who have mentioned it since schools did start in the New England colonies in the 1700s. (I maybe off--it is late after all!)

Tim Tebow doesn't count. So that may rule out the Williams Sisters.

good list. My only comment would be that many of those were educated not by thier parents but almost exclusively by paid tutors. It was the standard education for anyone of means for quite a long time. While they were homeschooled, their parents paid others to do so in many cases. That being siad, I do think thsat homeschool students can be just as successful as everyone else. The regular normal kid educated at home primarily by thier parent who goes on to university and a sucessful career is far more compelling to me than a list of famous people educated by high priced private tutors. I know several such people.

True--however, homeschoolers do that today as well. By choice. They outsource when needed or desired.

My favorite "homeschooled" historical person would be Nathanial Bowditch. But I'm sure someone will have a problem with him. Never heard of him until last year. He wanted to go to school, but had to become an apprentice instead. He taught himself in his "spare" time.

 

[princessmom29]

And that is precisely why I plan to farm out the teaching of upper level science courses - because I did not take them and therefor have zero knowledge on the subject. The thought of trying to teach chemistry and physics actually panics me. My husband, on the other hand, would love to teach our kids those classes, but I doubt we could afford for him to quit his job to do so.

That is a great plan. I know several teachers locally who teach online for homeschool groups or schools in rural areas who do not have access to advanced science courses. It seems to work well for them. I have seen it done through dual enrollment at a college as well.

 

[cornflake]

I will bet a LOT.... a lot a lot... that Sandra Day O'Connor was NOT homeschooled. Come on.

Knitster - no, it was not.

Lisa - don't generalize. If YOU think that's what I'm saying, fine, but don't say everyone does.

It's not that the Williams sisters don't 'count' but that their general life success has nothing to do with homeschooling, as it's not academic, and thus they can't really be held up as an example of successful homeschooling any more than a lottery winner could based on their financial success.

 

[princessmom29]

True--however, homeschoolers do that today as well. By choice. They outsource when needed or desired.

.

yes, that it true in upper level subjects, but I don't know of anyone who hires a full time tutor to teach their elementary aged child. I hardly think it is common, right? That was the case for many on the list.

 

[cornflake]

I freely acknowledge Wiki is not the most reliable source in the universe but I had to check and it was on top.

For most of her early schooling, O'Connor lived in El Paso with her maternal grandmother, and attended public schools and the Radford School for Girls, a private school. She graduated sixth in her class at Austin High School, in El Paso, in 1946. She attended Stanford University, where she received her B.A. in economics in 1950. She continued at the Stanford Law School for her LL.B., serving on the Stanford Law Review

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I will bet a LOT.... a lot a lot... that Sandra Day O'Connor was NOT homeschooled. Come on.

Ummm...okay--you lose? But not by much--don't have a quantity, but she did start out homeschooled by her mom but then was sent away for the "majority" of her schooling. Whether that was 1 day more than half her education or 1 day less than 12 years of school, I don't know.

But she was indeed homeschooled as opposed to NOT homeschooled.
http://www.famoushomeschoolers.net/bio_oconnor.html

(But I guess it doesn't count because it wasn't the whole time? )

Lisa - don't generalize. If YOU think that's what I'm saying, fine, but don't say everyone does.

Busted. Ooops! It's late.

It's not that the Williams sisters don't 'count' but that their general life success has nothing to do with homeschooling, as it's not academic, and thus they can't really be held up as an example of successful homeschooling any more than a lottery winner could based on their financial success.

True if one thinks that by homeschooling, you will turn out a lucrative star athlete. On the flip side--I would bet their homeschooling gave them more court time just like Bethany Hamilton could plan her surfing around the best time for waves as opposed to just want she could find before and after school hours. (Not that homeschooling would make you an awesome surfer or more prone to a shark attack.)

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I freely acknowledge Wiki is not the most reliable source in the universe but I had to check and it was on top.

And see I was making sure not to use wikipedia links.

 

[princessmom29]

I freely acknowledge Wiki is not the most reliable source in the universe but I had to check and it was on top.

I was about to post the same thing. Apparetly, she was actually schooled traditionally for the majority of her schooling.

 

[princessmom29]

And see I was making sure not to use wikipedia links.

I am looking now for a more reputable source for confirmation. I don't let my students us wikki as a source either.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

yes, that it true in upper level subjects, but I don't know of anyone who hires a full time tutor to teach their elementary aged child. I hardly think it is common, right? That was the case for many on the list.

Whatever makes sense to you, I suppose.

I do have friends that do outsource even for elementary through co-ops and other opportunities. Some do that with their full academic load. Same idea considering the moms that are teaching in the co-ops tend to be credentialed for the subject matter they are teaching. So you have scientists teaching sciences, math people teaching math, English/Lit teaching those types of subjects and so on and so forth. YMMV depending on the group, though.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am looking now for a more reputable source for confirmation. I don't let my students us wikki as a source either.

The link I provided had a biography about her on it--

Here's the link to the biography. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/06...=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0679643443

I was kidding about my wikipedia post as often it is discredited in discussions as a source, so I try not to use it and acknowledge that when I do. But because of the nature of the discussion--I did deliberately not use wikipedia and was just kidding cornflake with my comment.

 

[cornflake]

And see I was making sure not to use wikipedia links.

Seriously? No, you used a link that has homeschool directly in the site name. Wiki is open, but it doesn't have a point of view.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Seriously? No, you used a link that has homeschool directly in the site name. Wiki is open, but it doesn't have a point of view.

It was regarding a biography about Sandra Day O'Connor.

Do we now not trust those anymore. Geesh.

And I was kidding, btw, about the Wikipedia link.