Christians and homeschooling

[ThatRobGuy]

My question to Christians that homeschool is this.....why?

 

[ChrisCountryGirl]

I have no problems with kids being homeschooled as long as they get the education and life skills they need to be independent adults. Homeschooled children also need the proper socialization with other kids of their age too.

 

[flicka]

I've known a couple homeschooled kids in my time (religious affiliations unknown) and there is always a story behind it. Sickness, educational issues, family obligations that don't correspond to the school calendar, etc.

That SO MANY Christan's choose to homeschool almost feels as if it's become part of the faith, at least the most vocal proponents make it appear that way. Where there is a desire to homeschool your kids for whatever reason it's good that the resources are there. I just hope it's not being done out of pressure to conform or fear of the evils of public school, or to limit exposure to certain info in favor of religious doctrine... those are not good reasons IMHO.

 

[Bananafish]

My question to Christians that homeschool is this.....why?

From what I've noticed, Christians homeschool because they want to shelter their children from the world. I think that's a bad idea. They're going to experience the real world at some point, why not prepare them for it?

 

[Verv]

Some people live in very bad parts of the country and sending their kids to a public school to be exposted to negative influences is not positive. If you have a son or a daughter that you caught using narcotics due to the influence of the school system, one would want to take them out of it, and if one cannot afford private education (and often private educational institutions have the same issues) then it is only proper to find your own way to take them out of that environment.

It is for the protection of your own children.

 

[Lynden1000]

The homeschoolers I work with in my job usually state that they homeschool so that their children can have a personalized education, tailored to their individual talents and interests, and so the parents can integrate the family's religious beliefs into all areas of the curriculum.

I must say that the homeschooled kids i've known are some of the most considerate, well-behaved children I've ever met.

 

[Mling]

There are a lot of different reasons to homeschool. My cousin, for example, is doing much better in homeschooling than she ever did in public school, because the public school did not take her learning disabilities into consideration. Also, the crowd she hung out with in public school had a horrible influence on her, and, after being removed, she has really started to clean up her act.

There are plenty of legitimate reasons--if a school is saturated with drugs, bullying, or other problems, somebody might choose to take them out.
On the other hand, there are people who seem to have forgotten that "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" was a forgery, and really believe that public schools are part of mass conspiracy to take over the world, in part by poisoning the minds of children and turning them into agents of whoever the person thinks is conspiring.

 

[Otzee]

How do they manage to take the necessary educational examinations, particularly if they are homeschooled so their education can be personalised?

 

[ThatRobGuy]

The homeschoolers I work with in my job usually state that they homeschool so that their children can have a personalized education, tailored to their individual talents and interests, and so the parents can integrate the family's religious beliefs into all areas of the curriculum.

I must say that the homeschooled kids i've known are some of the most considerate, well-behaved children I've ever met.

I can understand that every parent would love to give their kids an experience that is truly personalized to them, but then we go back to one of the initial opposing points.....how is that preparing them for the real world? Once your out in the job market, the work experience isn't "personalized" for you, you have to eventually learn to fit in and conform to a certain extent. Otherwise, you won't make it in the real world.

 

[Mling]

How do they manage to take the necessary educational examinations, particularly if they are homeschooled so their education can be personalised?

I know there are standardized exams that homeschooled students need to take in order to make sure they really are being educated. So, you can't just not send your kid to school and claim they are being homeschooled. I don't know the details.

 

[Borealis]

Here are some links that talk about homeschooling success stories. Note that this is a small sample of what homeschoolers can achieve.

http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/weblinks/Famous.htm
http://www.homeedmag.com/blogs/newscomm/?cat=14
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/notable.htm

Homeschooling can, if the parent puts the effort into it, give a far more comprehensive and fulfilling educational experience than public school can, for one simple reason: one-on-one teaching. No public school teacher, no matter how gifted or dedicated, can match a parent's ability to focus on the needs of a single child.

I'll also point out that universities are now actively seeking homeschooled enrollees, because the statistics show that homeschoolers consistently outperform public and even private school students on tests and interaction. Why? Because homeschoolers do not, despite the image portrayed by their opponents, sit in the kitchen doing bible studies all day. They are out in the world, meeting other homeschooled kids, meeting people in the community, and meeting people from all walks of life. They're also less likely to become parents at the age of fifteen, smoke cigarettes or drugs, get smashed at parties, and exhibit a far greater maturity when dealing with their peers.

 

[Steezie]

I understand the desire to homeschool, public schools are crowded, they teach to the lowest common denominator, they remove any incentive to question authority or commonly held beliefs and they perpetuate the myth that the world is a static place.

HOWEVER, school is an essential part of a person's life. It gives them valuble social training that they need later on in life. It also acts as a filter to catch behavioral, medical, and mental problems before they become serious or dangerous. School can also catch abuse in the home or elsewhere.

I believe homeschooling should only be used in extreme cases

 

[Vylo]

If yer christian and you homeschool, it would be wise to get your children involved in church youth activities, that way they are properly socialized.

 

[Otzee]

I know there are standardized exams that homeschooled students need to take in order to make sure they really are being educated. So, you can't just not send your kid to school and claim they are being homeschooled. I don't know the details.

Ah ok, well that's good I guess. Thanks for answering

 

[TheBellman]

If yer christian and you homeschool, it would be wise to get your children involved in church youth activities, that way they are properly socialized.

And then when they join the real world after graduation and come up against people who aren't Christian, wonder how well they'll deal with it?

 

[sister_maynard]

Four of my cousins (all in the same family) are homeschooled, so I know a bit about their parents' reasons for choosing that path. Homeschooling really does allow the parent to focus closely on what the children need; they have the time to slowly and patiently work through a hard math concept, for example, and answer the child's questions at any later time. This means that the homeschooled kid can really understand the concepts where they would have been floundering if it had come and gone too quickly in public school. Conversely, homeschooling allows the kids to move quickly in areas where they are gifted. My oldest cousin, for example, is a brilliant writer. She was always performing four or five grades ahead of where she would be in public school, so she moved at a pace fast enough to really challenge her and is now taking some early classes at the local college. This convenient acceleration and deceleration of subjects based on the individual students means that they're really engaged instead of either being confused because it's too fast or bored because it's too slow. All my cousins are very socialized: they're involved in several community clubs like 4H and they often do interesting cooperative science field trips and investigations with other homeschoolers. One of their most recent activities was a huge homeschool dance that was apparently a lot like a normal homecoming.
They have extra time to pursue hobbies because they don't lose so much time in transportation, dead time at the end of classes, taking roll, having useless homeroom time, running from class to class, getting into lockers, or doing any of the other things that eat away at our days. If they get work done early they have even more extra time; if they drag a little over then their mom takes the time to see what's wrong and explain things if anything is missing. The extra hobby time is apparently great for them; the oldest is the paid church piano accompanist, writes a lot of good stuff, and has over forty pen pals. The next oldest has placed in the top three to five in several state photography competitions, crochets beautiful blankets and scarves foir relatives and charities, and takes all the nice photographs for fmaily and friends on vacations. The youngest two (a boy and a girl) are doing hours of gymnastics and figuring out what hobbies would suit them best.
If the local schools are undesirable or dangerous and you can't afford to move, homeschooling can start to look like an even more attractive bet.

 

[sister_maynard]

And then when they join the real world after graduation and come up against people who aren't Christian, wonder how well they'll deal with it?

Most of them do fairly well, actually. Homeschoolers spend a lot more time being active in the community and working with homeschoolers who don't always share the beliefs than you might think. Lots of them also have time to attend extended workshops, camps, or seminars to specialize in their favorite subjects; that sort of environment can be very mind-broadening even for those who go to public school. This wealth of experience is making some colleges actively encourage homeschooler applications; I doubt they would be doing so if the homeschoolers turned into fainting violets at the first sign of an atheist.

 

[Otzee]

How do the parents make sure they're knowledgeable enough to teach such a wide range of subjects? I mean, maths teachers are usually maths teachers because they're half-decent at maths. Not everyone is.

 

[Vylo]

And then when they join the real world after graduation and come up against people who aren't Christian, wonder how well they'll deal with it?

Well considering I was involved in church youth activities......... . Not every kid who attends church is homeschooled. They will at least meet other people. As for dealing with those who aren't Christian, I suppose that might depend on how liberal your church is. My catholic church was very liberal and accepting. They taught us to tolerate all other religions and beliefs. Even after I became an atheist, I still have helped out the church time from time. It is a congegration full of some very decent individuals.

 

[flicka]

How do the parents make sure they're knowledgeable enough to teach such a wide range of subjects? I mean, maths teachers are usually maths teachers because they're half-decent at maths. Not everyone is.

This is true. Some homeschool families go to outside tutors or are part of a larger community where the strengths of each family can be shared with other families. So even if you don't understand algebra there might be someone else who does and can teach it well.

I agree that homeschool kids can often be above average in alot of areas. We hear alot about the success stories but not the failures, of which there are plenty. It's not "better" because it's homeschool, it's "better" because the parents and the kids are intelligent to begin with and don't waste that gift. The others are basically raising a generation of uneducated simpletons. There is no escaping both extremes.