Homeschooling Debate

[Pinnie]

I have taught from pre-k to University classes over the past 29 years and from MY experience all I can say is:

"The tighter the spring, the bigger the bounce."

pinnie

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

"The tighter the spring, the bigger the bounce."

But that assumes the spring is tight.

I had "friends" in school--whose spring was so tight.....let's just say BOING!!!!

homeschooling doesn't create isolation.

and public/private school doesn't create immunity from rebellion.

There are extremes in both.

 

[auntpolly]

True--my kids hang out with kids whose parents I know.

Do I want to be my kids number one peer influence---heck yes I do!!!

My kid meets "strangers" all the time---but since I am there...if the kid has behaviors I don't approve of....it can be taken care of. I cannot have any control over who she is exposed to at school--be it the sweetest angel on earth...or the worst little hellion to roam the planet.

It doesn't block anything in the real world. My child will see more of the real world than she will be in a classroom. She will be learning about life just fine!

I understand that and I honestly respect you for it and I just disagree 100%! I just wanted you all to know that I understand socialization.

And you should know another thing - about me. I know better than you realize the position you are in, defending your choice of education. When we put DD in private school in HS, we got all kinds of crap for it. "Why do you need a fancy private school when we have a wonderful public school" (fancy private school always said with a snarl.) We did what we thought was best for DD and I care very little what those people said (mostly behind or backs) or thought.

I have no desire to wish bad things for your children. I just disagree with you - this is a debate. I lived in a neighborhood with homeschooled children and I know quite a few here and I just don't like what I see. Doesn't mean your kids won't do great! I hope they do! I'm sure they will!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I understand that and I honestly respect you for it and I just disagree 100%! I just wanted you all to know that I understand socialization.

*snip*

I have no desire to wish bad things for your children. I just disagree with you - this is a debate. I lived in a neighborhood with homeschooled children and I know quite a few here and I just don't like what I see. Doesn't mean your kids won't do great! I hope they do! I'm sure they will!

That's cool.


Out of curiousity---what do you see that has you so very opposed? I'm curious of the laundry list of what you see daily/weekly from these kids that tells you that it is wrong.

Thanks

 

[auntpolly]

That's cool.


Out of curiousity---what do you see that has you so very opposed? I'm curious of the laundry list of what you see daily/weekly from these kids that tells you that it is wrong.

Thanks

Really want to? I've been avoiding this.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Really want to? I've been avoiding this.

You can PM me if you want--if anything...I'm one to avoid stereotypes...and I'm curious..if these parents are doing something...that perhaps they shouldn't. I wouldn't want to make the same mistake.

No need to post it--and I promise not to debate you on it. Just genuinely curious.

 

[disneymom3]

You know, reading this thread makes me wonder #1 where all these failing homeschoolers live. I am in three different support groups and no one I know is homeschooling in order to cheat standardized tests. #2 Why if the public school system is so perfect for everyone we bother having private schools and why there are over 3 million kids in the US being homeschooled. And #3 Why people get so worked up about people having choices in the way they educate their kids. If they fail, honestly, so what? Plenty of public school kids fail and I just don't see the passion about that as I see about antihomeschooling. How does homeschoolers not doing a good job affect your quality of life?

I am thrilled that not everyone has to do the same thing all the time. We are all free to meet our children's needs as we see fit.

 

[nuzmom]

I'm very curious about the decision that people make to send their child to private school. Is it because the public school was failing their child in some way? Is it because you felt like they would get a better education at the private school? Did your child have needs that weren't being addressed in public school? Was it because the public school had too many kids with "bad attitudes" or safety concerns (metal detectors)?

I applaude parents that care enough about their children to make those tough decisions, even if it may not be "popular".

 

[auntpolly]

I'm very curious about the decision that people make to send their child to private school. Is it because the public school was failing their child in some way? Is it because you felt like they would get a better education at the private school? Did your child have needs that weren't being addressed in public school? Was it because the public school had too many kids with "bad attitudes" or safety concerns (metal detectors)?

We have one of the best in the country in our area - we can afford it - we did it. It was great. DD would have been great in the public school too, but this was greater. Kind of like sending your kid to Oberlin when OSU is a fine school (to use Ohio examples.)

 

[disneymom3]

We have one of the best in the country in our area - we can afford it - we did it. It was great. DD would have been great in the public school too, but this was greater. Kind of like sending your kid to Oberlin when OSU is a fine school (to use Ohio examples.)

There ya go. We can't afford private school and chose to do what we could to make a fine education be outstanding. Why is it any different?

 

[auntpolly]

There ya go. We can't afford private school and chose to do what we could to make a fine education be outstanding. Why is it any different?

Because it was still a traditional classroom - with teachers other than me, and kids from all kinds of backgrounds that I didn't have anything to do with her meeting.

But it's the same in that we all have that right to choose, and I already said so - remember?

 

[JennyMominRI]

So what you're saying is that you don't like socialization, as it is defined in the article, because other people's 6 year olds are bad influences for your child? Honestly, I'm not trying to be flippant -- is that the point?

I guess this is the crux of our debate - in a nutshell, then. I think socialization with people I haven't handpicked is crucial for a child's developement.

I don't think that at all..The more races,religions,nationalities my kids are exposed to the better..In my case I'm experiencingthe opposite of what you speak of..In my neighborhood in Ca,we were the minority..As I've said the kids friends were AA, Mexican,Samoan,Vietnamese..They had friends that were BAC,s, Buddhists and Jews
We moved to an area that is not so diverse... My kids school is now basically,White,middle class, Catholics ..The only diversity is between whether those Middle class Catholics are Italian,Irish or ain a few cases Portuguese.. My kids experienced more diversity when they were homeschooled...In this case it was just the luck of the draw that it worked out this way

 

[auntpolly]

I don't think that at all..The more races,religions,nationalities my kids are exposed to the better..In my case I'm experiencingthe opposite of what you speak of..In my neighborhood in Ca,we were the minority..As I've said the kids friends were AA, Mexican,Samoan,Vietnamese..They had friends that were BAC,s, Buddhists and Jews
We moved to an area that is not so diverse... My kids school is now basically,White,middle class, Catholics ..The only diversity is between whether those Middle class Catholics are Italian,Irish or ain a few cases Portuguese.. My kids experienced more diversity when they were homeschooled...In this case it was just the luck of the draw that it worked out this way

I'm sure this is true for you - I'm just reacting to the article. And speaking about homeschoolers I know in this area.

 

[JennyMominRI]

I'm sure this is true for you - I'm just reacting to the article. And speaking about homeschoolers I know in this area.

I hesitate to say this. It's just my experience,but most of the homeschoolers that I knew,who tried very hard to shelter their kids,were Born Again Christians.. Not all were like this but many were..I hung out in the Liberal ,Secular or Jewish homeschooling community and saw very little of that.I think that the face of homeschooling is changing . There are far more secular and even Liberal families using this option

 

[disneymom3]

But it's the same in that we all have that right to choose, and I already said so - remember?

I do remember.

 

[auntpolly]

I think that the face of homeschooling is changing . There are far more secular and even Liberal families using this option

Which leads me to a whole different problem I have with a whole different group of parents. We have here, the ones that frankly think their kids are too good (too smart - gifted - inquisitive - imaginative etc etc etc) for the general public and that us normal folk would crush their little spirits.

I'm not saying this is you! (I don't have to keep saying this do I - you know I have no beef with you!)

 

[JennyMominRI]

Which leads me to a whole different problem I have with a whole different group of parents. We have here, the ones that frankly think their kids are too good (too smart - gifted - inquisitive - imaginative etc etc etc) for the general public and that us normal folk would crush their little spirits.

I'm not saying this is you! (I don't have to keep saying this do I - you know I have no beef with you!)

NO ,You don't have to keep saying it.. It's funny,but You're right in many cases.. One of the reasons I pulled my kids out was that a couple of them needed advanced classes that were not available. I would never call those 2 kids *gifted*.Just smart... I have 2 kids that are average academically also. That's OK..Not every kid needs to be destined for college.
I think many homeschoolers are afraid to admit that they have average kids. I think it comes from the fear that people will look down on them,or tell them the PS would do a better job with their kids
Now I need to go help my DS with the horrible cursive work on his writing.
Poor boy has inherited my handwriting

 

[Puffy2]

I don't think my children are especially "gifted" - I think ALL children have special talents and abiliities and if given the chance and encouragement they would excell - the problem with public school is that they DON'T allow the average child to excell - they stifle their curiosity and kill their spirits by labeling them as "average" - keeping them out of any programs that have any imagination or challenge because those programs are set aside for the "gifted" . One reason I homeschool is so that my children aren't "labeled" and therefore denied opportunity. At least this has been my experience in our community.

 

[Puffy2]

I hesitate to say this. It's just my experience,but most of the homeschoolers that I knew,who tried very hard to shelter their kids,were Born Again Christians.. Not all were like this but many were..I hung out in the Liberal ,Secular or Jewish homeschooling community and saw very little of that.I think that the face of homeschooling is changing . There are far more secular and even Liberal families using this option

I agree with that general statement - that has also been our experience.

 

[Puffy2]

no one I know is homeschooling in order to cheat standardized tests. #

That would just be stupid anyway. The only standardized tests that matter are the SATs and you can't cheat on those.

Standardized tests taken in highschool (and younger) are to let the parents know how well the child is doing and if there are any areas the child needs to work on. To cheat would be self defeating.