Why homeschool?

Question

I was homeschooled until I was 14. I started college at the age of 16. I graduated early with a 3.5 GPA while working 30 hours per week. Throughout my education, I was 2 grades ahead in math & science. I was actively involved with homeschool groups. I've met hundreds of homeschoolers in my life.
That being said, I would like to pose some questions. These are NOT personal attacks and you don't have to justify anything to me. I'm just curious as to the motivation behind homeschooling.
#1. What is your highest level of completed education?
#2. Why are you homeschooling your children?
#3. What impact do you believe homeschooling has on your child's social development? ("None" is not an acceptable answer)
#4. Should anyone be allowed to educate their own children? Why?
#5. Through what grade level do you plan on teaching your children? Why?

Answer 1

#1. What is your highest level of completed education?
High school diploma & trade school. Some college classes... just for personal enrichment.
My dh had some college. We have owned 2 different successful businesses and financially do better than most of our college degree friends.

#2. Why are you homeschooling your children?
I feel that I have been HSing my dd since birth. She is extemely bright and would be bored in the PS system. I had her tested at age 4.5 and she was testing at month 8 of Kindergarten for reading & spelling and month 6 of 1st grade for math. The tester said that the test was unfair to my dd because the test is for 5 and above. She explained that if I had her retested after 5 she would probably score even higher. My point is that her educational need would not be met in PS.

#3. What impact do you believe homeschooling has on your child's social development?
I believe that her social development would be hindered if she were made to be with children her own age only. She has fantastic social skills...people that have just met her often are amazed at how well she can talk with adults and play with children of all ages.

#4. Should anyone be allowed to educate their own children? Why?
In a perfect world and perfect circumstances I would say yes.
While it is lawful for anyone to educate their own children...I don't feel that everyone should be able to have children let alone educate them. HSing takes a lot of effort and time if it is going to be done right and some children unfortunatly are better off being babysat by the state than being with their own parents.

#5. Through what grade level do you plan on teaching your children? Why?
At this point in time until college...but if her education is suffering we will make adjustments when and if that time comes.

Answer 2

#1. What is your highest level of completed education? I have a AS in Child Development, BS in Education, and one class short of As in Pyschology.

#2. Why are you homeschooling your children? I have one daughter and I homeschool her because I can. I don't work and this is something that both me and my husband feel strongly about. I have worked in the school system both public and private and after seeing the overcrowding and the things they teach I prefer to keep her at home and teach her myself. No reason to send her to school.

#3. What impact do you believe homeschooling has on your child's social development? Homeschooling will allow my child to socialize with more than just children her own age. It opens doors that otherwise wouldn't be open to her during the day.
#4. Should anyone be allowed to educate their own children? Why? Anybody is allowed to educate their children. It is not illegal anywhere in the United States so yes if a person wants to homeschool then why not.

#5. Through what grade level do you plan on teaching your children? Why? I plan on homeschooling thru highschool and then she can go to college or do an online course in college.

Answer 3

1. College graduate
2. For a great Christian education
3. They have many, many friends! Homeschooling has given us the time to develop those friendships and get them involved in things where they could meet people.
4. I think anyone should be allowed to - the children belong to the parents, not the state. This is a free country! (Unless there is some abuse or neglect, of course)
5. I plan to homeschool the kids as long as they want to... They are now in eighth and tenth grades. Daughter wants to be homeschooled 'til graduation, son is thinking about going to school next year...

Answer 4

I'm new to this site and therefore I don't know about the "bashing" and negativity towards you yet but I would like to answer your questions.
1. I have a degree in medical Assisting and in Early childhood education.
2. I am homeschooling my two children so they can have more opportunities and more free time to explore who they will be and who they are without being hindered by expectations of school boards and peers.
3. My children have have martial arts, gymnastics, art class through our city program and many neighborhood kids to socialize with. Unfortunately they know no other homeschool children because we don't have a local group. I believe socially they will do better than public school children
4. I don't think anyone should be allowed to educate their own children. Not everyone wants to take the time to do it in a productive way. and parents with a short temper or attention span will not do well.
5. I plan to teach my son through high school he is in fourth grade now and has been out of public school since first grade. My daughter on the other hand shows some interest in going to public school and since our whole point in homeschooling is to not hinder their decisions in who they are we will take it year by year with her and let her grow on her own.

Answer 5

I went to college to thru my jr year. I absolutely do not believe that any college education is necessary to help facilitate learning. I also taught as a substitute teacher for DoDDs jr high for 2 1/2 years. I don't see that as being particularly helpful in my homeschooling either.
As to why I homeschool, lots of reasons. Physical safety, there are routinely stabbings at schools here, and I think a gun issue will happen in the next couple of years, food issues my kids react to corn products but since it's not a full out life threatening reaction the schools wouldn't do anything to help monitor that, I think one on one education is better than one on thirty. We enjoy being able to follow our interests and explore things we enjoy. I want my kids to learn, not just learn things that are on a test. the schools here seem to have the attitude that if it's not on a national test, it doesn't matter.
As far as social development, I think it's been good for my kids. We can do things in small groups, which is the social situation that my kids thrive in the most. We do a co op that is a class and PE every week. My son has done scouts and sports, my daughter's interests lie elsewhere.
I absolutely think parents should retain their legal right to homeschool their kids. Yes, some people abuse or neglect their kids and call it homeschooling. Just like some people who send their kids to school abuse and neglect their kids and call it parenting. Home education and child abuse are two seperate issues that should be treated as such. If someone is neglecting or abusing their kids, then help should be given to the kids, whatever they need.
I plan on helping my kids to learn at home until it doesn't work anymore. I see no reason to think that won't be when they start college. (hopefully early just like you did.) The plan is to go all the way thru with it. The why of it is easy to answer, it works for us.

Answer 6

1. I have a Bachelor of Education in terms of formal education. I have since studied on my own further topics of education, child development and psychology.

2. Because we believe our home is a better place for our kids to grow up in. (I live in a large city of close to 1 million people, if that helps provide an idea of social climate.) We don't believe our kids would turn out to be horrible people if we sent them to school, we just believe we're giving them an extra advantage by being at home and growing up in a good environment. We also, as teachers, know that the system is set up to tailor to the middle ground and either holds back those who are ahead or causes those lagging behind to suffer. So character and general education are our main concerns.

3. It has given our children a chance to be better educated in terms of socially acceptable behaviours. They receive more attention on how to behave. They are supervised more. They have better behaviour models. They are not adopting bad attitudes that others around them have. They are not focused on their peers and fitting in. They meet a wider range of children and become friends with kids who aren't necessarily their age or in the same grade. They are used to meeting strangers on a regular basis since our homeschooling activities never have the same people all the time.

4. Yes. First of all, we live in a free country. Secondly, most of those who choose to homeschool take it seriously and want the best for their children. It is unfortunate that some parents don't seek out extra help or consider the possibility of public, but that's certainly not something that can't be overcome. While it was a long time ago, it still serves to illustrate a point because some not-so-famous people accomplish the same thing today: Abraham Lincoln didn't learn to read until age 14. He still went on to become a lawyer and President. It is one's character and emotional development, one's willingness to go further and take charge of oneself that makes the greatest difference in later life, not how much science or history or whatever he's learned.

5. We plan on homeschooling at least until the end of grade 9 because of how horrible the social scene is at jr. high schools here. If we stick it out through high school, we will sign up with a school that can help us through it.

Answer 7

1) MS Biochemistry, hubby has a BS Engineering
2) It is a better fit for our family and our child. She is very advanced in some areas and can work at her own pace.
3) She has made a great many friends in our homeschool group as well as in her other activities. She used to be somewhat shy in new situations and in groups, but we have seen that lessen and nearly disappear.
4) Anyone willing to dedicate themselves to educating their children should be allowed to do so. Anyone who can be a good parent can be a good homeschool parent.
5) We take it year by year, but mostly likely until college.

Answer 8

Sorry James, I have a hard time believing your sincerity after reading your snarky and insulting comments to and about home educators. Perhaps you had an ugly relationship with your parents and the choices they made for you or didn't allow you to have but, uh, newsflash...children in school have those problems too.

You say that you were two grades "ahead" of others in math and science but then basically called your parents incompetent and clueless, sounds to me like you have a few anger issues.

To answer your questions....

1. High School.

2. Because we can and it is an excellent option.

3. A great impact because they get to see how things function and interact in the adult world on a daily basis. At the same time they get to enjoy being children and have much freedom.

4. No, we certainly do not want child abusers having their children home all day long. Other than that, it only takes a loving parent who is willing to give their children resources and access to the world in which we live.

5. That depends, perhaps my children would like to go to school someday. If not...the whole way.

Answer 9

1. I'm in the 9th grade now
2. I wanted to be homeschooled in 8th grade because my school was the worst place to leave and i didn't want to fail my classes because some of my teachers didn't like to teach.
3.I'm a competition dancer and i go to church and i have friends so it's not like i'm at home 24-7
4. No. My friend in 6th grade died from child abuse and people like that have no right. But if you do any harm to your child then go right ahead.
5. I am apart of the School of Tomorrow Ace program and even though we are a church school we are still called homeschoolers. Til i graduate at 16

Answer 10

1. I have a Master's, my husband has a BS
2. Because the schools in my area are HORRIBLE. 33% are failing federal standards. And I know for a fact that my home elementary school tolerates violence.
3. They aren't exposed to people walking around with their pants around their knees, they will not be invloved in oral sex parties. They won't be exposed to poorly behaved, bad mannered kids.
4. Yes, who knows the child better than the parent? That said, if the child is not progressing like they should be, then their education should be taken over by someone else.
5. As of now, 8th grade. But if they want to HS for high school, I'll do that as well.