homeschooling bad?

Question

i have been trying to convince my mom in letting me be in homeschool she keeps saying no i should be with other people my age at school. i really dont like school. it gets boring and this makes my grades DROP! i think homeschooling would be better for me. i'm to scared to ask her again because last time i did she just kept saying NO!! then ignored me. lol what should i say to convince her, (ive been trying for 2 yrs)? do you think homeschooling is a bad idea?? plz help my school starts in 17 days!!

Answer 1

Homeschooling is definitely not a bad idea if you are committed to making it work and are unhappy at school.

Write a letter to her. Tell her how you feel. Write out the reasons why you think you should homeschool. Write out the reasons why public school is not the best for you. Write out the reasons you don't need to be with other kids your age every day, list everything negative that goes on that she never knew about. Attach to it a printout of http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/admin/books/files/homeschool.pdf . Leave it where she will see it with a sticky note on it saying, "Mom, could you read this when you have the time?" Also, research the homeschooling support groups in your area and list those contacts and activities or anything you can find.
Contact me if you would like help in finding something.

Added: Madee, I tried responding to your message to me but it says you haven't confirmed your email address yet. Basically, I wanted to encourage you to do your research and do try to leave something in letter form. This is a technique some psychologists suggest doing when trying to communicate with someone you find difficult to communicate with, especially when they won't really hear you out. It almost forces them to really hear you out instead of interrupting or just pushing aside. Finish the letter with a "Let me know when we can talk about this more," and "Thanks for listening." Good luck!!!

Answer 2

Homeschooling is not bad. It is a different educational approach, but it is not for everyone.

Depending on your age and grade level and amount of teacher guided learning you need, your mother may not be able to commit the time to homeschooling you. If you are older, seriously committed to learning independently you can achieve much success with homeschooling, but you must have your parent(s) consent and support.

My main question is why you do not like school? If school is boring because you do not have many or any friends, homeschooling is only a means for you to escape socially, and truthfully, that is not the best reason for homeschooling. In my opinion, you need to be prepared to handle social problem solving because in the real world you will be working with a variety of people.

Is school boring because you are not being challenged academically? If so, ask to test into advanced classes, speak to your teachers about doing special projects. You can also join clubs and do volunteer work. If school is boring because the academics are hard, you can get a tutor and still attend regular school---maybe doing better academically will make school more rewarding.

People learn differently. If you want to homeschool because you learn differently than the way your teachers present in class, then you may have a legitimate argument for independent learning.

I don't disagree with your mother that you should be with people your age, but you CAN accomplish this while homeschooling. You can join clubs, do volunteer work, participate in team sports, join homeschooling support groups (many offer book clubs, science clubs, etc. for many interests).

Do some more research of what is available in your area for homeschoolers. Present your research to her. I would also write up an Educational Contract/Plan that outlines what your educational plans and goals are to show your sincere commitment to this learning approach.

The internet and your local library are good resources. Look for the book: The Educated Child by William J. Bennett. It shows what a child *should* be learning by subject and grade level. If you are older, look for: Homeschooling: The Teen Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- to 18- Year-Old by Cafi Cohen.

Answer 3

I was homeschooled from 4th grade untill I graduated. It can get boring and you have to make yourself work hard at it. You can't just waste time because you are homeschooled. I graduated with a 3.8 GPA and then graduated from college with a 4.0. It takes work, but i wouldn't go back to public school for anything. If you work hard enough at it and then do good on your ACT colleges will be asking you to come. I don't remember how many colleges were asking me to come, including Harvard. So I don't think that it is a bad idea at all. Some curriculums you can get on DVD and the teacher is actually in a class at an academy so it is basically like being in a school classroom. (ABEKA is one) By the way I don't work at WalMart. I work for a company that has made Forbes top 100 fastest growing businesses and is in the top 100 small businesses. My job is making sure that about 600 hospitals' computer systems are always running. Homeschooling done right is good.

Answer 4

Maybe your mom doesn't want you to do homeschool because she doesn't know much about it or doesn't have the corage to homeschool you. If you know anybody personally who does homeschool thn have your mom talk to the person. I'm homeschooled and I LOVE it! I was homeschooled all my life except for 4th grade. And in homeschool kids do get to socialize with other people. It's just that some kid's parents don't want their kids to hang around others for some reason of the parents. But most homeschooling kids do get to socialize. I could have more friends then most public school kids if I wanted but I like having a few best friends then a lot of just regular friends. Just tell your mom to let you try it for a semester and if she or you or both of you end up not liking it then you'll go back to public school.

Answer 5

I have been homeschooled for over three years now and I like it. I am going into tenth grade this year. I do other activities with people my age, so I still socialize quite a bit. Being homeschooled gives you more flexibility with time. For example, I have the ability to go swimming at the local pool during the morning and afternoon when other people are still in school. I also can take courses that may not be offered in public schools. This coming year I am going to take marine biology, I am not sure if it is offered in public schools or not, but I don't think it is. It is true that homeschoolers don't get as much socialization as people from public school, but is school for socialization anyway? I am also going to be taking college courses online soon. I would never say homeschooling is bad, yet it does have its disadvantages as well as public school. But overall, I believe homeschooling is great.

Answer 6

Do your research. Find the local homeschool groups. Prove to your mom that you won't be socially deprived. There are homeschooling sites you can go to in order to strengthen your argument. Show her where you will get your socialization (which is probably her main concern) Point out the many opportunities you will have *because* you are homeschooled that you'd never get in a school situation (I was in a mentorship program with NASA because of my homeschool status and my sister was sent to Aruba to watch the Solar Eclipse in that program).

Show her statistics about homeschooling to show that you will not get a worse education and you will probably get a better one.

(It's a fact that a large percentage of the winners for the national spelling and geography bee have been homeschoolers, but that fact is seldom advertised because it looks bad on the public school system.)

You *can* get a very good education in a homeschool environment and you *can* get good socialization. Just look for a Co-op (a place where homeschool kids get together once a week or so to have school together or just socialize, depending on the type of co-op it is.)

Homeschool parents and kids are always willing to help you get information on it. I've been in both the homeschool environment AND the school environment and I can tell you that homeschool is so flexible it's really fun. Just don't make your classes go longer than they need to. I didn't like doing math and it took me longer than it should have for me to finish it, but I did it and I graduated from college. You can do it too.

Answer 7

Homeschooling IS a good idea if you are bored in school and not being stimulated. If there is a topic you want to learn about, you can go with it and learn as much as you want about it. You don't have to stop at the end of the week like you do in school. I have been homeschooling my children for 3 years now and I will not turn back. You don't have to take instruction on a phone conference. You can just learn from the internet or text books. It's not expensive. And it IS recognized. Many of the top colleges are RECRUITING homeschooled kids. Now, as far as social interaction. Who would be better off socially? Someone who sits in a classroom for 8 hours a day with ONLY kids their own age and taking orders from adults. Or someone who uses the world as their classroom and learns to interact with everyone from the baby next door to the elderly at the nursing home. You can join any number of social groups and not have to worry about being shot up in your classroom by some deranged person whos parents didn't care about him....

Answer 8

If your mom does say yes, and homeschools you. Do you think you might get bored with homeschooling? I go to public school, but I do know a few people who are homeschooled. You'll still be able to meet people and hang out with your friends. You should perhaps try doing some research and then present your mom with plenty of pros that will back up homeschooling. But if she stills says no, you should find a way to make school more fun, even if its only in your mind and only you know about it. But I don't think you should give up yet, like I said above, try presenting your mom with a lot of good points about homeschooling.

Answer 9

ok this is mainly for the one who answered this... if homeschooling is so bad then how come most of you cant type. also homeschooling is not a bad thing... you work at your pace, you learn what matters to you. and as for friends... you see them outside of school hours.. not when there is a ton of others around trying to start crap or listen in.

now for the young person who asked the question... ask your mom if she would see about finding a trustworthy family that would be willing to homeschool you if your state allows that. and if she will try that... ask her if you can try it for a semester and if things dont chang you will go back to school... hope this helps...

Answer 10

If your parent is not interested, yes it is a bad idea. She is right that a child should have social interactions with other children. Some home schooling families do have their child in other social activities. I think that maybe you could benefit from speaking to your school counselor and ask about classes that may be more challenging for you. Hang in there. College is so different than high school and offers many opportunities to spread your wings and take classes that are more interesting to you. But you can't get there without first getting your high school diploma.