One thing that helps is your local community. Enough people homeschool now that you can find a local group in your area of other homeschoolers. These groups can help arrange social functions, science fairs, and even proms depending on your needs and wants. One of my nephews was homeschooled his entire life, yet he grew up with friends, competed on a homeschool football team through high school, and went on to college. When he graduated the parents pooled resources and got them a full graduation ceremony. Replete with rings and diplomas.
This system is not new, small gatherings of homeschoolers have been finding each other for years. Though recent increases in the homeschooled population have made it more … complete.
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Comic Talk and General Discussion *
Homeschooling
Blntmaker, your post is just as biased as any of ours is going to be. You're a teacher, no surprise you feel strongly about public education. I, on the other hand, am equally biased due to my quite successful (if I may be so bold as to say) homeschooling experience.
It's silly to say that our reasons are the right reasons, because for other people they aren't. For some, they are the wrong reasons for being either taught at home or in the public system.
No one will ever have a perfect solution. Homeschooling or public schooling, both can and will fail on occasion, and both will turn out good and bad experiences. In essence, we can't tell another person what would be best for him or her to do in any given situation, including education, because we aren't that person, and our beliefs and feelings can be as different from theirs as night is to day.
Austin ISD had no tolerance of him and wanted him on Ridlin and literally removed from interaction with other students.I had this same problem when I was in the Austin-area schools (Leander, actually). Truth is, I was bored ALL the time - the coursework was easy (UsedBooks said it best - everything was focused on standardized testing and leave-no-child-behind). I'm like Johnny 5 - NEED INPUT! So when I wasn't getting it, I would fidget. Fidgeting obviously equals some sort of learning disability. Psh.
I was in public schools all my life, but based on my experiences, I think I want to home school my (potential) children.
EDIT: Not to say my entire public education experience was bad - I had some wonderful teachers and some wonderfully challenging courses - those were just few and far between.
Went to Catholic Private Schools K-12 and don't regret it. Yeah, there was a bit of going to church and such, but they didn't really care if you weren't christian. My schools more focussed on the learning rather than the religion.
The only problem I had was in my last year of primary where we had this teacher who liked to think we were all still 5-year-olds (We were 11-12 at that time). When they started sex-education, we had to work with the other classes because she refused to 'Pollute our minds with such filth'. Anyway, a few times when the other teachers started talking about the more, shall we say, personal stuff, she'd leap in with these absolutely stupid comments. For example, she told us that when you wanted to have a child, you needn't actually have sex. Just strip off, lie there and maybe read a magazine or watch TV or something. And no, I am not kidding. You don't even want to hear how she tried to 'purify' wet dreams.
But, other than her idiocy, it was fine. Made a lot of good friends and got a good education. But apparently public schools are just as good down here, so I don't know which I would have preferred
Geez. You guys are all so earnest ^^
I didn't take learning seriously till I was doing my post grad stuff at Uni.
I went to a private Catholic school when I was little, but my parents pulled me out of that because they thought it was too religious. lol!
Then lots of public school…
Round about grade 4 my family went off for a half year holiday. My sister and I were meant to be taught by our parents and do all this course work we were given, but it just never worked out. Eh, we still managed ok in the end, missing out half a year. I never did get long division though -_-
I my case, I can't see how the schooling system was to blame. I did brilliantly at what I was interested in, excellent in intelligence type tests etc. (as you'd expect Haw haw haw :P), but no teaching method ever made me care very much about learning.
I knew a girl who was homeschooled throughout her primary years, mainly because she lived on a station quite a bit out of town. Her mother was a qualified teacher, so she got the education that she needed. I know that I keep harping on about this, but I still get worried about the qualifications of homeschooling parents.
Does anybody know if homeschooled children are tested by any independent regulatory body to make sure that they learning adequately?
I knew a girl who was homeschooled throughout her primary years, mainly because she lived on a station quite a bit out of town. Her mother was a qualified teacher, so she got the education that she needed. I know that I keep harping on about this, but I still get worried about the qualifications of homeschooling parents.
Does anybody know if homeschooled children are tested by any independent regulatory body to make sure that they learning adequately?
Depends on the state. Some have no requirements, others require weekly inspections and require homeschooler homes to meet safety standards for a public building. In some states it is illegal to homeschool. But answer me this. Are public schoolers monitored by an independent regulatory body on a regular basis? I'm not talking about the district either. districts are trusted to report information and taken at their word. So what is left? A standardized test every few months? Maybe an accreditation committee for the school? I think we all know how great that works for educational quality in this country.
It would be persecution if you singled out homeschoolers for monitoring and excessive government meddling. Especially when so many districts are failing to teach the 3Rs with almost zero interference.
For more info on legal requirements by state go here: http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp
But Public Schools are consistently mentored, not by the school, but by higher levels of Government. If teachers are doing their job inadequately, their teaching methods are reviewed and the problem rectified. There is constant advancement in the field of teaching. I know that teachers in this state have to go on a touch up training session every three years.
You could even go as far as saying teachers get reviewed by the parents. If the parents feel that the teacher is not doing a good enough job, the parents complain and the teacher is reviewed.
Teachers are constantly watched to make sure that they are doing a good enough job. There are set standards that they have to meet, and if they don't meet them, they lose their job. Home schooling does not have this kind of regulation, no quality control.
But Public Schools are consistently mentored, not by the school, but by higher levels of Government. If teachers are doing their job inadequately, their teaching methods are reviewed and the problem rectified. There is constant advancement in the field of teaching. I know that teachers in this state have to go on a touch up training session every three years.
You could even go as far as saying teachers get reviewed by the parents. If the parents feel that the teacher is not doing a good enough job, the parents complain and the teacher is reviewed.
Teachers are constantly watched to make sure that they are doing a good enough job. There are set standards that they have to meet, and if they don't meet them, they lose their job. Home schooling does not have this kind of regulation, no quality control.
I respectfully disagree. It may be that efficient in some areas, but I guarantee that its not the case for every backwoods overlooked elementary school, every overcrowded and dangerous inner city high school, in every district, in every state.
Even wide open states require some level of progress reporting on the student. There IS quality control. Is homeschooling perfect? No. Yet regardless of the parents qualifications, by and large the children still receive a quality education that makes them more than capable of going on to college or joining the workforce directly with no handicap.
I was homeschooled from hmm birth until 6th grade? uh Pre-k to 6th?
When it came time for me to start schooling we were in Germany and my parents decided that the German schools and the on-base schools were too crowded or poorly staffed or something. I have no idea.
And then, joy of joys, my mom just continued to homeschool me. Until the 6th grade.
And then they put me in a private school. My school, not my class, my school, consisted of 9 other students. Now, I was ahead in academics, but I was socially retarded, and pretty much remained socially retarded until high school.
Now. In hindsight, I think it benefited me in terms of book-learnin', but my social developement was seriously stunted, and it was very stressful to adapt. It was also a huge drain on my mother, who had to teach as well as perform the intimidating tasks of an army-house-wife. She had to teach my brother as well. Although her background is not in education she did do a good job of teaching me scholarly things.
But overall, the casualty of social skills is not worth the other benefits. I consider myself lucky that I was thrown into the shark tank in junior high rather than high school or *shudder* college.
If the local schools were terrible, I would move before I considered homeschooling my children.
I spent about a week in kindergarten. but other then that homeschooled 100%. I'm even going to spend my time at uni/collage living at home (it's free rent and food not 'failure to launch' ).
my mom had started homeschooling with my two older brothers. she didn't want them in the system because one got curb stomped. and the schools were filled with drugs (other then school and the YMCA, drugs were the only thing kids could do in Regina)
she was a really great teacher though. she didn't know every subject, but most of the books we just read and did the questions, and when she needed to she'd look up the information or get someone else to help. there was no serious religious pressures in the family. though everyone is spiritual in some way, we all ended up with our own beliefs.
and as for socializing, we had to find our way into programs. like the Regina YMCA was amazing for youth programs. and when we moved out to the east coast i found youth centres.
hell I've got a friend or two off of myspace even. the parent just needs to help the students charisma grow a bit.
though i do have to admit over the winter it gets pretty friendless. but I'm doing schoolwork anyways. and I've got msn, and my sibling.
it takes effort from the parent though. and my mom knew quite a bit of psychology so that probably helped.
it's not meant for everyone, like public school isn't meant for everyone.
I was in a boarding school ever since I was 3. And then at around the high school level (when I was 13 or so), I got myself kicked out of there on purpose because I seriously hated it there so much.
It was rife of hyrocyorsy. "Oh, we're not a Christan school, we're a secular school who welcomes all kinds of deaf/hard-hearing/disabled kids from ALL religious backgrounds, or lack therefore of. Yet despite the fact that we're a secular school, we make our kids go to a Lutheran church every Wednesday night and freaks out over anything resembling Satan/or the occult!! Even if that satanic-looking thing is actually just some harmless object like a crystal ball PAPERWEIGHT." Oh yeah, that makes sense… not.
The school staff were total freaks, and they loved to pick on anybody who didn't act according to their ideals of the "norm". But it was funny to watch them freak out over the littlest thing, which was why I often acted out there and did all kinds of outrageous things. like that one time I did my revenge on an neighboring dorm girl who I didn't honestly like. Read "What's the most evil thing you've ever done" thread for more details.
Anyway, the reaction of the school staff along with that bitchy dorm girl was hilarious… Just picture a bunch of supposedly "rational" adults running around like headless chickens, spazing out and going: "MY GOD!! WE'VE GOT A SATANIST ON THE PREMISES! WE SHOULD CALL THE PRIEST OVER AND HAVE HIM PURIFY THIS SCHOOL! EVEN BETTER, LET'S HOLD A EMEMCERY AMBESSLY AND HAVE HIM EXORCISE EVERY UNHOLY THOUGHT OUT OF EVERY STUDENT FOR EXTRA MEASURES!!"
After a few more incidents like that, I got kicked out and then I did a little bit of public school for a few months and then I did home schooling the rest of the time.
It's true that during home-school you don't get a lot of socialization. However I must point out that not all homeschooling is all about religion, etc. My parents were actually never particularly religious, even if they did believe in the possibility of god(s), as I do.
I actually learnt all of the normal things they do in public school, and more. In fact when I took the GED tests before, the people in charge of the GED tests told me that my scores for reading, science, etc were actually higher than the normal avenge of the public schools. All expect for Math, which I was always horrible at anyway.
and I got my socializing after I was done homeschooling and when my friends were done with their public school. And to be honest… I actually liked homeschooling a whole lot more than I did my boarding school life. The parents and tutor just has to take into account your social needs too.I hear that some parents actually even arrange meetings for homeschool students to meet each other, and to help each other study.
My son was home-schooled. He is now 18 and extremely self-confident.
I visit each classroom at the various schools in which I hold my Cartoon Art Courses and to be frank… they scare the hell out of me… 25-30 kids in one room with only one teacher!
My mother was a teacher before she recently retired so I was 'brought up' in the education system.
School is essentially babysitting. You only need a half hour or hour each day to learn what you need, the rest… potentially damaging babysitting.
By damaging I mean self-esteem.
So many teachers don't have a clue how damaging to a child's self-esteem their comments can be.
I can usually tell a home-schooled kid right away.., they are so full of self-confidence. As long as the home-schooled kid has a regular 'interest', my son's was tennis (he was ranked 180 in Australian Open Men's tennis at 18), they will get all the social interaction they need… without some stressed out teacher telling them they are stupid for not understanding the teacher's method of teaching.
I mean for God's sake… most teachers aren't even aware that there are three basic methods of learning! (Kinesthetic, auditory and visual)
My son tried school out in grade one and came home bullied and hating reading because of how thye teacher taught it.
I pulled him out and gave him my collection of Uncle Scrooge comics to 'read'. when he was ten he read 'The power of One' by Bryce Courtney! A thick, adult novel!
And he completely taught himself to read with comics!
Believe me I could rave on with facts and statistics about the education system that would scare the pants off anyone with kids.
Go Homeschoolers!
I mean for God's sake… most teachers aren't even aware that there are three basic methods of learning! (Kinesthetic, auditory and visual)
Must be a probelm in Oz. In NJ teachers have it shoved down their throats along with the latest update on learning styles.
In my military instructor courses they reviewed a fourth learning method (and arguably the best):Teaching. In the Army an instructor is often tasked to learn a skill they have no experience in, teach it and be an expert in it. Once you've taught the class once or twice you often know it better than the people whose job skill it is.
Good morning in this class you will instructed and tested on the clearing, disassembly, assembly, functions check and loading of an M240 series 7.62 mm machine gun. These procedures must be performed… etc.
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