Why Homeschooling?

[I can eat 50 eggs]

Why Homeschooling?

To be honest, I've never really understood the homeschooling phenomenom. Do any of you do this? if so, what were the main reasons? Are you happy with it?

 

[Dewjunkie]

I know several home schoolers, and all of their reasons are similar; the school system in this town is atrociously bad. On statewide comparison exams, the high schoolers in this town scored poorest in the state. The schools focus on the lowest common denominator in students, and anyone above that level has to suffer through mundane underteaching. The people I know who home school want their children to actually learn something.

I personally will choose a private school over home schooling, mostly because I feel that children need school environment for social skills. I also would like my daughter to have chances at competitive team sports or drama programs or whatever her preferrence will be. But, I remember the 2 years I spent in this school system, and see how intelligent children suffer through it now, and would never have my daughter endure that.

 

[lucypevensie]

The people that I know who homeschool like it for several reasons. They don't have to even think about what untruths might be being taught outside of their supervision. They like it because they feel that their kids can progress at their own pace, not being held back by troublemakers, or pressured by those more accademically inclined. In some cases it is less costly than private Christian school.

I also think a lot of homeschooling parents see their kids' education as their own responsibility and no one else's.

Some parents just really love to teach too, and they find the experience very satisfying, especially when they see the progress their children are making. I think that would be incredibly wonderful to know that I, their mom taught them how to do differential equations, US history, and taught them how to find something on a map, etc, etc.

So I can see why some people want to do this (though I personally don't plan to).

 

[Athlon4all]

I'm a 10th grader who has been homeschooled for all of my schooling. And I'm glad I am.

That being said, here's what my parents have told me. They felt lead by the LORD to homeschool me (I'm their first child) and they have stuck with it for all of my schooling, plus all of my 3 siblings schooling as well. I can't speak for them on why, but here's what I think on this subject.

Biblically, it is the Parents (both the Husband and Wife) responsibility to nuture their children in the ways of the LORD. I know there are verses that clearly say that. So, what ever schooling the parents do, it is their responsiblity to make certain that their kids will be nutured and brought up in the LORD.

The most important factor here is God's Will. If the LORD isn't in it, then it is the wrong choice. That's why you need to be reading the Word and praying and seeing what God's Will is.

I honestly cannot see today sending my kids to a Public School. The thought of sending them to Public School in 10-20 years when I might be married and have children is even more scary.

It must be recignoized that even in "Christian" Schools, you are going to be exposed to much of the **** thats in the Public Schools at well in terms of the enviornment, social cliques, peer pressure, dating/kissing etc. Curriculm should be better but, "Christian" schools must be recignoized for what they are.

Some people think that in Homeschooling, the Children don't have as good social skills, not friends, and get into a "bubble". I know a couple familys who homeschooled their kids for their first 6-7 grades and then went to Public because of social reasons. I honestly think that this really is not the important thing that some make it out to be. When you are a child, you should be focusing on developing your relationship with the LORD, and in both Public and Christian Schools, the "social satus" and the like get in the way often. I'm not saying that these issues can't present themselves in homeschooling, but its a much greater chance in Public or Christian Schools.

Another thing in Homeschooling is that there is greater flexibility when it comes to schedule. We do a lot of community Service and helping and serving the LORD and this often would not be possible in Christian or Public Schools. Like, we go and rake leaves in the fall and Spring at this elderly lady's house during the day usually. That's something that would be very difficult to do. My brother every day goes and shovels driveways when it snows and when it's a lot, he'll go up 2 times a day. My sister goes and serves in the nursery for a Women's Bible study in the morning. All 4 of us kids serve in another ministry that's in the morning.

Truthfully, it does again all come back to God's will. There are plenty of reasons to home school, but it all comes back to God's will.

 

[two feathers]

i worked with a missionary couple earlier this year and they live in a village where the school is awful (3/4 of the kids end up dropping out). their kids are, academically, two years behind where they should be. when asked if they ever considered homeschooling as an alternative- they said yes, but they decided against it. their reason being that if they did pull their children out of the village school system it would send a message to the community that their school(the best that this village can offer) just isn't good enough for a christian family.

i believe there is great wisdom in the decision they made because, no matter what strides they have taken in becoming a part of the community, if they did remove their kids from the school, the people of the village would see that action as proof that the family does not really wish to be involved with them. and it would also be seen that "for some reason the family thinks they are better than we are", in that "they can teach their children better than we can."

the question is, is this a necessary move? is it right to sacrifice the education of your children for a better standing in the community. that better standing giving you a greater opportunity to get involved in the lives of the people. this involvement being the key to building bonds and relationships that could effectively lead people to christ.

besides, how can the public school system ever be changed if we turn our backs on it.

 

[I can eat 50 eggs]

Ok, here's my real question about this. I guess it's hard for me to understand, because my wife is a teacher, and there is no way she feels qualified to do homeschooling. In order to be qualified to teach a kid k-12, you would need about 10 different degrees. I don't see how your average parent (even one with a teaching degree) can be competent enough to teach all the different material, especially in high school.

 

[ZiSunka]

Why homeschooling?

Many reasons:

1. the lack of adequate educational choices in public and private schools. These schools assume that every child learns the same way and that every child is average. If you child doesn't or isn't, they have to put up with an inadequate educational system.

2. the dangers of organized schools, that is, the bullying, the ridicule, the lack of respect, etc. Schools do nothing to teach kids to be decent people, and ignore bad behaviors. My nephew, who is deaf, foundered in school because he was picked on for being deaf. When he would fight back or protect himself against physical violence, he would get in trouble. This only gave the bullies license to pick on him more. When he moved to a school that practiced respect, he excelled and is now on the honor roll.

3. The lack of good textbooks and other resources. Let's face it, what school can afford the resources that you can? Good books, a computer for each student, personal attention for your children, etc.

4. Less wasted time. Organized schools spend so much time on administrative stuff and so on that they actually waste about two hours out of every day. That's two hours your kids could be using to pursue independent study, remdiation, socialization, etc. Home schoolers don't have to take attendence, buy lunch tokens, stand in line at the cafeteria, put their stuff in their lockers, change classrooms, or any of the time-wasters that organized schoolers do.

 

[I can eat 50 eggs]

I agree those are problems, but how can parents be qualified to do homeschooling?

 

[Tami]

Originally posted by I can eat 50 eggs
Ok, here's my real question about this. I guess it's hard for me to understand, because my wife is a teacher, and there is no way she feels qualified to do homeschooling. In order to be qualified to teach a kid k-12, you would need about 10 different degrees. I don't see how your average parent (even one with a teaching degree) can be competent enough to teach all the different material, especially in high school.

I don't know what makes a person competent or not but I know that my MIL and FIL homeschooled my SIL and my BIL's in their high school years and my SIL and one of my BIL's graduated a year early so they must have been competent enough and they don't have any degrees.  I've heard of other homeschooled kids graduating early so it must be making them pretty smart.  Just my humble $.02 for what it's worth.

 

Tami

 

By the way, Happy Birthday 50 eggs!  I hope you eat lots and lots of eggs, er...uh...I mean cake.

 

[ZiSunka]

Originally posted by I can eat 50 eggs
I agree those are problems, but how can parents be qualified to do homeschooling?

I have a friend who is a high school drop out and she home schools her children (at one time, she homeschooled all five of them!). On standardized tests, they are all consistently in the top 1% for their grades in the whole state. Homeschooling is not rocket science. Even a high school drop out can be very effective at it.

 

[Tami]

Originally posted by lambslove
I have a friend who is a high school drop out and she home schools her children (at one time, she homeschooled all five of them!). On standardized tests, they are all consistently in the top 1% for their grades in the whole state. Homeschooling is not rocket science. Even a high school drop out can be very effective at it.

I agree.  I forgot to mention that my MIL also didn't graduate high school and she homeschooled her kids.  She did get her GED later in life but it was well after she was done homeschooling.

 

tami

 

[I can eat 50 eggs]

How can someone who didn't graduate from high school teach Calculus, advanced physics or chemistry, music theory, etc? or do they just not offer the advanced classes, and stick to algebra?

 

[ZiSunka]

You buy a cirriculum and get support from the publisher and take advantage of the great resources that are out there for homeschoolers.

You can't be a total idiot and homeschool your kids, but you don't have to be a genius, either.

 

[GreenEyedLady]

I homeschool my children because God convicted me to do so.
It is truley not that hard and frankly I can give them a better education than any private or public school. I know my kids gifts, their weaknesses, their talents and intrests. How many schools do yuou know of that specialize in the childs individual needs and apply a circuulum to those needs? That is why homeschooling kids are so smart.
There are MANY recources out there that can help teach your kids. For 4500 years kids were homeschooled. Just in the past couple centuries did we start educating our kids away from home.
GEL

 

[GreenEyedLady]

PS. I am also learning while teaching which is great!
I might even learn how to be a good speller someday!
LOLOLOLO

 

[coastie]

I spent my life in large public schools. My high school had 3000+ students. I was a very hard way to grow up, but it makes you tough and street smart, but the education you get is sub-par if you ask me.

I struggled to get good grades even though I was always placed in advanced classes because, as with most students in public school, my social and athletic life was way mroe important to me. By my senior year I had straightened up and even earned my first 4.0 report card. But it was HARD.

My sister went through the same trials and because of the social pressures, spent much of high school depressed. However, my borther was very sick while he was young and was homeschooled through sixth grade. He is a very bright kid.

THen he went to a public Junior high and made a bunch of friends. Then after JH he went to a private Catholic High School. He is smart as a whip and at age 15 got a 1390 on his SAT's.

He was blessed because before then, my parents couldn't afford private school.

I joined the military because college wasn't an affordable option unless I got the montgomery GI bill. My SIsi has been working her way through college, but it's slow because she can only afford so many units a semester.

However, my brother is already getting scholarship offers.

You draw your own conclusions.

I will do whatever I can do get my kids into a private school.

 

[zyzychyn]

Hello, I don't know if you think teen advice is valid, but I really think it's better to send kids to school. Unless you're in an area where it's dangerous to send 'em, but that's a different story.

I've been to public schools all my life, I got a 1440 on the SAT when I was 13, I've had great teachers in the public school system, and most importantly, I've gotten so much better socially.

I still have a lot to work on, but really, the environment with so many peers helped. I didn't even look at people when we were talking in 7th grade, actually, I didn't talk much either. It took me at least half the year before I started making friends (we've moved several times).

I have lots of friends who are homeschooled, though, and I think there's just something about the classroom experience that's really important. You could probably learn the same material when homeschooled, but miss all the fun of being "the class of 2005". It's hard to describe... well, if you've been in school, you know how it is... class inside jokes, meeting teachers from last year (my biology teacher last year came into our chemistry class. she said it was like deja vu because so many of us were in her class). Just... the experience of moving through the school system together.

Private school is, I guess, a nice option, except I think I like public school better. I've visited private schools, I know some people who go to 'em. They're actually very similar to public schools, they're just more expensive.

I don't think it's a good idea to try to shield your kids from the world. It comes as a shock when the shield finally goes down. (I'm a very sheltered kid, I think I'm going to have a heart attack when I go to college...)

So basically, I think the social part of public school IS a big deal, it really is.

 

[Alenci]

i hate having to go to a public school. i always whine to my parents about why couldn't they homeschool me, since my mom has a teaching license... but Zyzychyn is right. i hate being exposed to extreme PDAs, profanity, and PG-13 movies being played during my study hall that i wouldn't even consider watching if i had a choice, but i need to be exposed to it now so i won't be so shocked when i have to get out into the real world. i think my classes and teachers are ok, but sometimes i feel that some of my classes go too slowly, like my Latin class. i think they need more honors and AP classes, and they should teach some of them over the summer if possible.
i'm also annoyed by the amount of time wasted by my TEACHERS, in particular my speech teacher, whose class i thankfully just finished before Christmas break. he plays music, tells us about his personal life and recent dates, and jokes with his favorite students. my orchestra teacher somedays doesn't even come out of his office, and I work on homework, but many (most?) of the other students play card games or talk. Well, that's all, i probably sound like such a brat, but i had to get that all out..

 

[zyzychyn]

Yes, well, that's the performing arts department for ya (I love it!)... but we learn a lot, compared to some schools...

 

[Alenci]

where music theory is concerned- care to explain what you have learned in that class? well not you because you probably know everything that they WOULD have taught in that class but.. let's put it this way: what have others learned?