Home schooling (vs local christian school)

[Alithis]

since the other thread on the topic is a bit outdated .im starting a new one .

home schooling -pros vs cons ?

what do you think .
we are on the verge of deciding whether to go home school or whether to go christian school.. (not catholic ) -in some ways we are blessed we have that limited option of choices .

Apart from the JUNK of the secular schooling system ,the greatest concern is that every child is apparently doing Oh SO WEll .. at least that's what the child and the parents get told .. yet sit them down to read a book and ...hmm they cant do so well etc .
It seems to be all about not hurting their self esteem . Never mind whether or not they are actually "learning" anything at all .

 

[SeventyOne]

In the past, I've sent my kids to private Christian schools and found the education to be similar to the public schools. I wasn't impressed at all.

Last year we tried an online Christian academy with my daughter, which actually was pretty decent as far as the education goes. This year it's both her and her brother, and I can't afford private schooling for both, so either I teach them myself, creating my own curriculum, or send them both to public school. I've opted for keeping them both home and teaching them ourselves. My wife will be handling reading, writing, spelling/vocab and grammar, while I'll be doing everything else.

It'll be rough until we get into the groove, but I can't in good conscious send them off to learn they came from monkeys, who came from rocks, which came from nothing at all. And also where we would all be better under a global government, the environment is god, gay is more right than not-gay, and to think otherwise makes them worthless haters.

I guess my sister-in-law has been very helpful in making such decisions. She's been a public school teacher for about a decade now and has come to the conclusion all parents are idiots and it's up to the school to indoctrinate the kids in the way they see fit, regardless of the opinions of any parents. She's very liberal and atheistic in her worldview, and teaches her kids the same. It's safe to say she thinks I'm a religious nut "ruining" my family because I wont subject them to her environment willingly, but I'm not interested in what she thinks.

As such, I say home school. Find yourself local homeschooling organizations and join them. They can help you not only connect to other students and parents for support, but also provide a way for your child to be involved in field trips and activities such as sports, and arts and crafts.

Also, have an end goal in mind. Public schools teach towards standardized tests for the purpose of helping their own funding, not necessarily the kids overall interests. I've decided to teach towards tests as well. In particular, several of the AP exams. https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse

 

[Alithis]

Thank you for the input... We will certainly look deeper into it we have about 2 years to prepare if we are to do this seriously and properly.i think in our country even home schoolers are subject by law to meet certain standards and standardized tests or their education wont be acknowledged.

 

[Xalith]

Also, Public Schools....

Bullies, drugs, snack machines, access to that vile Monster drink, and in their teen years, all of the half-dressed girls who wear absolutely shameful clothing and have absolutely shameful behavior, and the boys aren't much better, especially the gangsta ones with the sagging pants.

Our youth is sadly in such a deplorable state, and I am glad to hear @SeventyOne is working to produce children who aren't full of the World.

We need more such parents around, maybe society wouldn't be so deep in sin, eh?

 

[Xalith]

Thank you for the input... We will certainly look deeper into it we have about 2 years to prepare if we are to do this seriously and properly.i think in our country even home schoolers are subject by law to meet certain standards and standardized tests or their education wont be acknowledged.

The standardized tests are easy. That is why our education system has gotten as bad as it has; the standardized tests really don't actually test you much, or at least they didn't in 1998 when I graduated. I was so bored and half-asleep as most of the test was ridiculously easy stuff that nearly any adult should know.

Basic math, basic reading skills, basic science. It ain't hard to teach a kid into at least mid-highschool years, and anything you don't know, the internet should, especially wikipedia (I realize not everybody is a science wiz and such).

Also, public schools do so much back-tracking and repeating information to make sure no kid gets left behind, that you could probably easily fit 13 years of public schooling into as few as 7-8 years of home-schooling while giving the kid a better home life, and a closer relationship with his or her parents. Not to mention, Summer Vacation is the worst thing about public schools.

Back when farms were the norm, it was needed. But nowadays, with almost no kids working at home on farms... all Summer Vacation does is interrupt their learning and make them forget a good chunk of what they learned the previous year, so that the first 2-3 months of a school year is spent recapping what they went over the previous year.

If you homeschool, you don't have to take such long breaks, and therefore don't need all the re-capping.

I wish I had been homeschooled, but the problem is that my mom was forced to drop out of highschool and my dad had a fulltime job so it wasn't an option for me. I wish it had been, though....

 

[Hank77]

My youngest was homeschooled a couple of years. She aced the standardized testing.
She is homeschooling her son, he's starting 5th grade. He started homeschooling last year. He had some catching up to do because the public school was behind this program, especially in math skills. By the end of last year he was a least a full half year ahead of his friends in public school in both math and English.
She is using an online Christian school. The video classes are streamed and the teachers are all certified. The textbooks, teacher's books, etc. are all very good quality. His first class in the morning is a Bible study class. The classes are very structured and they provide the moderator (my daughter mostly) with instructions for each class, goals, mastering skills, etc.. Cost $750.00 per yr. including all books, etc.
The classes can be taken in any order, 24/7. Questions can be addressed to the teacher through e-mail.
This site may be helpful as well.
http://www.hslda.org/

 

[Xalith]

My youngest was homeschooled a couple of years. She aced the standardized testing.
She is homeschooling her son, he's starting 5th grade. He started homeschooling last year. He had some catching up to do because the public school was behind this program, especially in math skills. By the end of last year he was a least a full half year ahead of his friends in public school in both math and English.
She is using an online Christian school. The video classes are streamed and the teachers are all certified. The textbooks, teacher's books, etc. are all very good quality. His first class in the morning is a Bible study class. The classes are very structured and they provide the moderator (my daughter mostly) with instructions for each class, goals, mastering skills, etc.. Cost $750.00 per yr. including all books, etc.
The classes can be taken in any order, 24/7. Questions can be addressed to the teacher through e-mail.
This site may be helpful as well.
http://www.hslda.org/

If only this technology had existed when I was a kid...

I'd have been far better off...

 

[Alithis]

The standardized tests are easy. That is why our education system has gotten as bad as it has; the standardized tests really don't actually test you much, or at least they didn't in 1998 when I graduated. I was so bored and half-asleep as most of the test was ridiculously easy stuff that nearly any adult should know.

Basic math, basic reading skills, basic science. It ain't hard to teach a kid into at least mid-highschool years, and anything you don't know, the internet should, especially wikipedia (I realize not everybody is a science wiz and such).

Also, public schools do so much back-tracking and repeating information to make sure no kid gets left behind, that you could probably easily fit 13 years of public schooling into as few as 7-8 years of home-schooling while giving the kid a better home life, and a closer relationship with his or her parents. Not to mention, Summer Vacation is the worst thing about public schools.

Back when farms were the norm, it was needed. But nowadays, with almost no kids working at home on farms... all Summer Vacation does is interrupt their learning and make them forget a good chunk of what they learned the previous year, so that the first 2-3 months of a school year is spent recapping what they went over the previous year.

If you homeschool, you don't have to take such long breaks, and therefore don't need all the re-capping.

I wish I had been homeschooled, but the problem is that my mom was forced to drop out of highschool and my dad had a fulltime job so it wasn't an option for me. I wish it had been, though....

re- Basic math, basic reading skills, basic science.

the problem im noticing is that even these basics are unknown by a huge number of those passing through the schooling system -it does seem to be more about evolution and following the corporate mind of world society then about educating children. after all ..uneducated children who "think" they have been educated are rather easy targets for manipulation on a mass scale .
eben discussing topics like this is flagging us some where in this technological age as non conformists ..(haha whoo sounds like conspiracy theories)

 

[Xalith]

As far as Evolution... you'll just have to teach your kid that Evolution is taught in schools.. teach what the Theory of Evolution is, and why it is wrong... but also teach your kid that to pass the test, he has to "lie" on the test, or rather, answer the test's questions from a Theory of Evolution viewpoint (even if it is the wrong viewpoint).

And of course, obviously, point out the various reasons why that viewpoint is wrong.

 

[Hank77]

If only this technology had existed when I was a kid...

I'd have been far better off...

My parents wanted to send me to private school but couldn't afford to. I was fortunate that we did have a more than decent public school.

 

[Alithis]

If only this technology had existed when I was a kid...

I'd have been far better off...

thanks for the info. its not relevant to me so much as im in NZ ..but im sure there are such rescources here also .

heres a local news site article on the topic ..

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/life-style/people/5523453/In-a-class-of-their-own


hard case- i just found that article and i happen to know the first people mentioned in it .methinks it may be a good idea to go visit them and learn more

 

[Hank77]

eben discussing topics like this is flagging us some where in this technological age as non conformists ..(haha whoo sounds like conspiracy theories)

LOL, the thing is, most of the leaders in the government and corps. send their kids to private schools, to get quality educations that they can't in the public system. They also do it so that they are meeting other kids who are in the same social class and mind set. Christians are doing the same.

 

[WolfGate]

Sounds like your "homeschool or Christian school" thread turned into a discourse against public schools!!!

We went the local Christian school route. I guess we were fortunate as there are a couple in our city that do a really good job of providing great education along with an excellent arts and athletic program. The one we chose has roughly 3 classes per grade of around 25 kids each. Lots of AP classes and excellent history of kids getting accepted and doing well in college.

For us one of the biggest positives was they spend their day in an environment that was not home, but where the values we teach are consistently taught. There are kids there who are not Christian but are there for academics, so our kids do interact with them but the school is solid in it's principles. School rules are 365 days a year - you make a mistake on summer vacation and when school starts the consequences are the same as if you had done in during the school year.
In our case, we think that will best prepare our particular children for when they do go off to college - which will be away from our home town. I know the athletic and art opportunities are beyond what they would have gotten with our local home school groups, also important for us. My daughter will be swimming in college and our son is getting to play baseball and wrestle at a high level with excellent coaches who are more concerned with growing Christ following adults than winning games (but win anyways).

Certainly a negative is the cost. While our school is about half the secular private schools, it is still about $9500 per child each year. That $1600 per month takes quite a toll on the family budget and forces decisions in other areas. With so many kids in each grade, you do get some relationship issues that kids tend to deal with as they are growing up - but kids who ask for help aren't ignored as happens in many public schools.

Lots of families in our church have gone both routes and been successful. Depends on the kids and the goals of the family, I think.

 

[Alithis]

to be realistic ..it also sounds more like financial ability also. what of the christians families which simply cannot even come near affording non public school of ANY kind ?
they are forced to send their children into the world system .
as far as education goes ..thats a sort of lottery based on so many factors of each child's way of coping with learning and stress and society .as far as growing up to be strong christians ..i may be out of place to say ..it hurts them not at all if their heart is toward God .. I mean you can place them in the most sheltered spiritual environment until they are 21 and then release them to the wolves of the world utterly unprepared for the reality of wickedness out there .Children who come to the lord and go through the public system are already accustomed to living Gods way from inside the world.
i think one of the best verses to instill is about being IN the world but not OF the world