Is Home Schooling really a viable option today?

[Teresa]

That is one of my biggest concerns about home schooling - parents think little Fred is a genius and gifted and coddle him and control his schooling.

Then little Fred gets one puck of a reality check when he hits the real world/non home schooling.

The denial level I've seen with some parents when they have teachers and experts constantly telling them the reality of little Fred is downright scary - can't imagine it when there isn't any impartial feedback.

30abob - the idea of homeschooling on this scale is new to me, that's why I'm asking questions about it. I keep asking for feedback because I want to know more about it and the reasons why people are choosing that option. When I was in school there was only 1 kid who was homeschooled and if 10% of the kids in this area are being homeschooled that is quite significant IMO.

scooter - this is not a homeschool issue. it is a parent issue, imo. they are so unrealistic. and many times the school encourages this with their own skewed definitions of intelligence and who qualifies for gifted education and who doesn't.

any homeschooling parent will have much more realistic feedback about their child than other parents because they know exactly what is going on with the education of their child.

30abob's description of homeschooling is the only "type" of homeschooling I've ever known about, has been done for quite some time, and is becoming more popular. his story is not unique, and it is why I'm impressed with parents who have the ability and resources to do this. it is an incredible thing.

 

[scooterbug44]

Yes, it is most definitely a parent issue. :roll: I was just concerned that it could be an issue if said delusional parents are now the sole educators of their kids without competition/exposure to other kids to disprove it.

I am not trying to knock homeschooling, I am just trying to find out why it's a better choice for some people - if the schools aren't providing a good education, safety issues, curriculum etc.

Are my kids going to be SOL on the basic education front because Mom & Dad both work and Sowal schools aren't good?

So far I've heard that you can tailor the curriculum to your kid's specific needs, add in subjects like foreign languages that aren't available at school, improve your relationship w/ your kid, and keep them away from the bad influences at school (which if you are socializing them through sports and extra curriculars becomes a moot point IMO).

 

[canoehead]

This is a very interesting conversation! I was wondering if some of this might be perspective - as scooterbug and others mentioned, a lack of arts, accelerated classes, etc. I'm also interested in hearing more about the reasons outside of that. My biggest concern wouldn't be so much relating to other people, rather being able to handle different situations, both good AND bad. I'd worry about kids being unequipped to handle situations that deal with negative aspects of the world (bullying, conflict, etc.) as well as worrying about "street smarts".

BTW, I loved the "They're no baby Einsteins" article - I've been reading a lot about the "millenial" generation, as both HR and management at my company have been struggling with the idea of a generation of kids that are so convinced that they're special and wonderful that they fail spectacularly at good old fashioned hard work.

 

[30abob]

The issues/concerns raised by those who don't educate their children at home or have a close relationship with someone who does seem to be universal.

The issue of "socialization" seems to always be one of the first to be asked. After years of personal experience my belief is that children who are educated outside of an institutional setting are very adept socially. For some reason interacting with adults (parents and otherwise) in a conversational manner on a daily basis encourages children to become comfortable expressing themselves. Additionally we provide our children with ample "play" time with other children, as most home educators do. I heard recently on NPR that psychologist's now believe that it is the lack of "unstructured" play time that is causing the most developmental problems with children. How much unstructured play time is afforded to regular school children with the endless demands they face? My daughter who attends public school has much less "free" time available than either of her siblings who are educated at home.

 

[Goddessgal]

I teach for a unique arts program at a university - I have classes of children from public school as well as homeschool classes. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical before I taught my first class with homeschoolers (about two years ago), but have since changed my tune. Most of the homeschool parents I have personally encountered are very highly educated, and they are very organized. Many have formed regular subject-specific study groups and seek out the best community resources. Some of my students are currently at a national homeschool sports conference. I think, if done correctly, it is a viable option. The parents on this thread seem like the kind who are very responsible and resourceful in their home education.

I like my homeschool classes because they are generally very serious students who will take notes on the art historical period, artist, vocabulary words (without complaint), and come to class prepared and eager to learn. I allow them to arrange their own still-life setups in groups because they work well in small cooperative groups. My only concern, sometimes, is them becoming accustomed to a traditional classroom setting when they come to do more structured activities, and when they go to college. Some of my particular students are so accustomed to conversing with adults (and more informal learning environments) that they have to be gently reminded not to interrupt and talk over me while I am demonstrating, sharing, instructing. Overall, though; I think that it is possible that homeschooling could provide just the right blend of structured and unstructured play times. I agree with some of the above comments that so many kids just don't seem to have time to just play - especially outside. I am so happy to teach art to children but am saddened when some have been in school all day, come to art class, then go straight to tennis and gymnastics, then homework and projects, etc. etc....

I also think there are so many wonderful schools and teachers. So much of public school is what you make of it, and depends on supportive involvement of active parents. There are advantages and disadvantages related to either choice. I have many good public school students whom have obviously had excellent instruction. And most of my family are dedicated public school educators whom I am really proud of.

Anyway, my two cents worth.....

 

[Teresa]

this topic just gets more and more interesting with the input from all of you with direct homeschool experience. all such excellent points.goddess: you bring up an issue that really concerns me too. as a parent, I want to try to keep balance in our lives...between school and extra-curricular, family, friends and of course lots and lots of play. I'm learning to keep extra curriculars to a very minimum, and choose activities very carefully. also, we went all fall with no extra curricular, and it was just great.

 

[Goddessgal]

It seems to me that it is all about personal choice and your family's needs. I can only share my viewpoint... Tootsie, I think you have hit the nail on the head for all of us - we are all doing the best we can to maintain a balanced lifestyle.

Cheers!

 

[Teresa]

It seems to me that it is all about personal choice and your family's needs. I can only share my viewpoint... Tootsie, I think you have hit the nail on the head for all of us - we are all doing the best we can to maintain a balanced lifestyle.

Cheers!

great synopsis on an interesting/educational thread.

if anyone has any additional resources they would like to share for parents who home school or are thinking of home schooling, please list them here or start a new thread!

thanks to all for telling us your stories.

 

[Neauxbunny]

I constantly wonder about the level of instruction and socialization skills home schooled kids get. I'm not saying that it isn't a good option for a few rare kids, but IMO it doesn't teach kids the wide variety of skills they need for life and I wonder how much it really teaches them in general.

Here's a short list of homeschoolers a bit more well known than some of those from Walton County who have done very well

just a lil FYI

FAMOUS HOMESCHOOLERS

Constitutional Convention Delegates
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? Richard Basseti - Governor of DE
? William Blount - U.S. Senator
? George Clymer - U.S. Representative
? William Few - U.S. Senator
? Benjamin Franklin
? William Houston ? Lawyer
? William S. Johnson
? William Livingston - Governor of NJ
? James Madison - 4th U.S. President
? George Mason - Justice of VA
? John Francis Mercer - U.S. Rep.
? Charles Pickney III - Governor of SC
? John Rutledge - Chief Justice
? Richard D. Spaight - Governor of NC
? George Washington
? John Witherspoon
? George Wythe - Justice of VA
Presidents
? John Adams
? John Quincy Adams
? Grover Cleveland
? James Garfield
? William Henry Harrison
? Andrew Jackson
? Thomas Jefferson
? Abraham Lincoln
? James Madison
? Franklin Delano Roosevelt
? Theodore Roosevelt
? John Tyler
? George Washington
? Woodrow Wilson
Statesmen
? Konrad Adenauer
? Henry Fountain Ashurst
? William Jennings Bryan
? Winston Churchill
? Henry Clay
? Pierre du Pont
? Benjamin Franklin
? Alexander Hamilton
? Patrick Henry
? William Penn
? Daniel Webster
Military Leaders
? John Barry - Senior Navy Officer
? Stonewall Jackson - Civil War General
? John Paul Jones - Father of the American Navy
? Robert E. Lee - Civil War General
? Douglas MacArthur - U.S. General
? George Patton - U.S. General
? Matthew Perry - naval officer who opened up trade with Japan
? John Pershing - U.S. General
? David Dixon Porter - Civil War Admiral
U.S. Supreme Court Judges
? John Jay
? John Marshall
? John Rutledge
? Sandra Day O'Connor
Scientists
? George Washington Carver
? Pierre Curie
? Albert Einstein
? Michael Faraday - electrochemist
? Oliver Heaviside - physicist and electromagnetism researcher
? T.H. Huxley
? Blaise Pascal
? Booker T. Washington
Artists
? William Blake
? John Singleton Copley
? Claude Monet
? Grandma Moses
? Charles Peale
? Leonardo da Vinci
? Andrew Wyeth
? Jamie Wyeth
Religious Leaders
? Joan of Arc
? William Carey
? Jonathan Edwards
? Philipp Melancthon
? Dwight L. Moody
? John Newton
? John Owen
? Hudson Taylor
? John & Charles Wesley
? Brigham Young
Inventors
? Alexander Graham Bell - invented the telephone
? John Moses Browning - firearms inventor and designer
? Peter Cooper - invented skyscraper, built first U.S. commercial locomotive
? Thomas Edison - invented the stock ticker, mimeograph, phonograph, and perfected the electric light bulb
? Benjamin Franklin - invented the lightning rod
? Elias Howe - invented sewing machine
? William Lear - airplane creator
? Cyrus McCormick - invented grain reaper
? Guglielmo Marconi - developed radio
? Eli Whitney - invented the cotton gin
? Sir Frank Whittle - invented turbo jet engine
? Orville and Wilbur Wright - built the first successful airplane
Composers
? Irving Berlin
? Anton Bruckner
? Noel Coward
? Felix Mendelssohn
? Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
? Francis Poulenc
? John Philip Sousa
Writers
? Hans Christian Anderson
? Margaret Atwood
? Pearl S. Buck
? William F. Buckley, Jr.
? Willa Cather
? Agatha Christie
? Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)
? Charles Dickens
? Robert Frost - Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
? Charlotte Perkins Gilman
? Alex Haley
? Brett Harte
? L. Ron Hubbard
? C.S. Lewis
? Amy Lowell
? Gabriela Mistral
? Sean O'Casey
? Christopher Paolini - author of #1 NY Times bestseller, Eragon
? Isabel Paterson
? Beatrix Potter - author of the beloved Peter Rabbit Tales
? Carl Sandburg
? George Bernard Shaw
? Mattie J. T. Stepanek - 11-year-old author of Heartsongs
? Mercy Warren
? Phillis Wheatley
? Walt Whitman
? Laura Ingalls Wilder
Educators
? Amos Bronson Alcott - innovative teacher, father of Louisa May Alcott
? Catharine Beecher - co-founder of the Hartford Female Seminary
? Jill Ker Conway - first woman president of Smith College
? Timothy Dwight - President of Yale University
? William Samuel Johnson - President of Columbia College
? Horace Mann - "Father of the American Common School"
? Charlotte Mason - Founder of Charlotte Mason College of Education
? Fred Terman - President of Stanford University
? Frank Vandiver - President of Texas A&M University
? Booker T. Washington - Founder of Tuskegee Institute
? John Witherspoon - President of Princeton University
Performing Artists
? Louis Armstrong - king of jazz
? Charlie Chaplin - actor
? Whoopi Goldberg - actress
? Hanson - sibling singing group
? Jennifer Love Hewitt - actress
? Yehudi Menuhin - child prodigy violinist
? Moffatts - Canadian version of Hanson
? Frankie Muniz - child actor
? LeAnne Rimes - teen-prodigy country music singer
Business Entrepreneurs
? Andrew Carnegie - wealthy steel industrialist
? Amadeo Giannini - Bank of America?s founder
? Horace Greeley - New York Tribune founder
? Soichiro Honda - creator of the Honda automobile company
? Peter Kindersley - book illustrator and publisher
? Ray Kroc - founder of McDonald's fast food restaurant chain
? Jimmy Lai - newspaper publisher; founder of Giordano International
? Dr. Orison Swett Marden - founder, Success magazine
? Adolph Ochs - New York Times founder
? Joseph Pulitzer - newspaper publisher; established Pulitzer Prize
? Colonel Harland Sanders - started Kentucky Fried Chicken
? Dave Thomas - founder of the Wendy?s restaurant chain
Others
? Abigail Adams - Wife of John Adams; mother of John Quincy Adams
? Ansel Adams - Photographer
? Susan B. Anthony - reformer and women?s rights leader
? John James Audubon - ornithologist and artist
? Clara Barton - Started the Red Cross
? Elizabeth Blackwell - first woman in the U.S. to receive a medical degree
? John Burroughs - Naturalist
? George Rogers Clark - Explorer
? Davy Crockett - frontiersman
? Eric Hoffer - social philosopher
? Sam Houston - lawyer; first president of the Republic of Texas
? Charles Evans Hughes - jurist; Chief Justice
? Mary D. Leakey - fossil hunter; wife of Richard Leakey
? Tamara McKinney - World Cup Skier
? Harriet Martineau - first woman sociologist
? Margaret Mead - cultural anthropologist
? John Stuart Mill - Free-market Economist
? Charles Louis Montesquieu - Philosopher
? John Muir - naturalist
? Florence Nightingale - Nurse
? Thomas Paine - political writer during the American Revolution
? Bill Ridell - Newspaperman
? Will Rogers - Humorist
? Bertrand Russell - Logician
? Jim Ryan - World Runner
? Albert Schweitzer - Physician
? Sir Ernest Shackleton - Explorer
? Herbert Spencer - philosopher, sociologist
? Gloria Steinem - founder and long-time editor of Ms. magazine
? Jason Taylor - plays in the National Football League
? Mary Walker - Civil War physician; recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor
? Lester Frank Ward - "Father of American Sociology"
? Martha Washington - wife of George Washington
? Frances E. C. Willard - educator, temperance leader, and suffragist
? Frank Lloyd Wright - Architect
? Elijah ben Solomon Zalman - Jewish scholar

Famous Homeschool Parents
Will Smith - singer, actor
? Michael Card - singer, songwriter
? Mike Farris - lawyer and co-founder of Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)
? Robert Frost - Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
? Christopher Klicka - attorney and Senior Counsel of Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)
? Len Munsil - attorney and President of The Center for Arizona Policy (CAP)
? Paul Overstreet - musician, songwriter
? Kelly Preston - actress, wife of John Travolta
? Mike Smith - lawyer and co-founder of Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)
? John Travolta - actor, pilot
? Lisa Whelchel - former actress, "The Facts of Life", now a pastor's wife and author

 

[Neauxbunny]

My biggest concern wouldn't be so much relating to other people, rather being able to handle different situations, both good AND bad. I'd worry about kids being unequipped to handle situations that deal with negative aspects of the world (bullying, conflict, etc.) as well as worrying about "street smarts".

Not to worry, canoehead....homeschooling families have covered the "socialization" deficiencies right at home!

Once a week, the dad of the family takes the child into the bathroom, beats them up and takes their lunch!

::rofl: