What do you think about home schooling?

Question

I am a home schooled preson, and have never been inside a public class room my whole life. I'm not saying I regret this in any way, I just what to know your thoughts on the matter. Like, if you send your child to public school, Why do you do so? and if not, Why not?

Answer 1

I spent all my school years in public school. I enjoyed my time and became a teacher. I taught, wasn't thorougly happy with what I saw there, had my first child and said, "I don't want to send her to school." My dh, a junior high teacher, brought it up first after dealing with jr. high girls on a daily basis and seeing the 'socialization' that goes on. He didn't want our dd to be in jr. high, daily bombarded by advertisements, essentially, of a lifestyle and way of being that are contrary to our own. I should perhaps mention that one of their hallways was known as the Red Light Hallway because they dressed in the skimpiest clothes they could get away with.

There is constant talk about how much effect commercial ads have on kids and how much affect what they watch has on kids, it only makes sense that what they live on a daily basis has an effect on kids. Since public schooled kids spend more time in school than they do watching commercials, what is displayed at school can be an even deeper-reaching 'ad' than tv commercials.

The socialization that school provides was our primary concern. That was not the society we wanted our kids to live in--a society very different from our own adult society--and we didn't want them growing up thinking that was good or normal.

Academically, it became clear with both our kids that school would not go the right pace for them. One would have spent a lot of time being bored or simply doing unchallenging work and think that everything should be easy; the other, who has always walked to the beat of a different drummer, would have resisted the type of structure school offers and would have missed out on learning what he's learned so far because it didn't match his needs.

So, to sum up, we chose to homeschool our kids because we are quite certain that it's better for them in terms of social/emotional and academic development than going to school. We continue to homeschool them because we love the family closeness and now see public school as the alternative form of education. :)

lbredd: I love the analogy!!!!

Answer 2

It appears that the majority of home schooled children do better than public schooled ones.
Home schooling takes a LOT of commitment on the part of the parent, but generally pays off very well. I have never heard of any proof that there is an advantage to public schooling.
Many of the countries settlers and pioneers were home schooled, such as Abraham Lincoln and Sam Houston and it didn't hurt them!
With the physical dangers a child faces at school from bullies, weirdos, and teacher with an agenda to brain wash kids, I can see how home schooling would be an attractive alternative!

Answer 3

I attend a public school and extremely dislike it. If I were stupid, I would have a hard time in the classroom because public schools are so big, and ever since the No Child Left Behind act was passed, all they're concerned about is standardized test scores. I receive almost zero individual attention, and my state requires so many credits to graduate in areas that I am not skilled in and I have zero interest in. I have a friend who attends a co-op and it always seems like she has a much better time in school and she can learn whatever she wants. She has learned Latin and French and she's learned to sew and play guitar in school. Of course, she takes the required courses (math, English, science), but she never takes it beyond the level that she needs to know, which means she'll never take calculus. Lucky.

Answer 4

I would definitely send my child to public school. There is no doubt in my mind. I just know that even though public schools might not give you the centered education that might be received from home schooling, there are certain things that just can't be learned at home. Some things a child needs to experience in an environment different from their own. I especially think that children that are home schooled by their parents are missing out on a lot of experiences that should just be seen. All people aren't alike and even though people may hear that, they still need to see it. You can never really understand other cultures until you know people that are a part of them. I think that's why there is so much discrimination, even between one minority and another. I know that even being in public school there might not be a chance for this to fully happen, but there is a greater chance for this experience to happen. This is one of many things that can't be fully learned in a home school environment. Home schooled kids also miss out on so many things, such as Prom and Homecoming. You may go to some of these things, but it just doesn't mean the same thing if you're not a part of the school. There are high school sports that the whole community gets into. I still go home to my high schools football games. It wouldn't have been high school for me without football games in the fall, basketball in the winter, and soccer in the spring.

Answer 5

For the most part I hate public schools and some private schools and have done some home schooling and advocate it.

BUT there are a FEW things you can miss out on.

Music, such as choir.
Theater, putting on plays
Cheerleading
Sports, unless your parents put you into a Softball or Soccer league.
And OCCASIONAL brilliant teacher and EACH school has one or two.

YOu also miss out on meeting Boys from areas far from where you live. By that I mean if you are on the WEST edge of the district you get to meet boys from the EAST edge of the district who may live as much as 4 or 5 miles further then you travel normally.

Most of these things aren't horrible, but they are the primary disadvantage.

Answer 6

I was homeschooled from the 3rd grade until the 7th grade, and then the 10th grade through the 12th. I decided to do this because the teachers played favorites with other teachers kids, and all the school money always went to the sports teams. The system itself had deteriorated, the teachers weren't doing a good job and as I said, they were guilty of favoratism. A lot of kids attending the school had no superior in their homes and were definitely not good influences. I am now attending a nationally accredited university online. So studying from home has the advantages of teaching you how to use your time wisely, and also you can have a part time job.

Answer 7

my children went to public, private and private christian schools , and they were not getting the education I felt they needed, so for the past 3 years we have homeschooled them nd they are doing great they enjoy school, and they do there best and are both above average in their grades and both have been tested every year to make sure they are going forward both there averages are above 97 so I am proud to say we homeschool our children, they are both socially active and have many friends, they are also active in church, I did not approve of some of the stuff they learned from school, and some of the stuff they should have learned and did not. I think it should be both the kids and the parents wanting to do this , because if the kids are not happy whether at school or at home they are not going to do well, homeschooling you are able to monitor your childs progress at all times, and work with them 1 on 1 show me a public school that willing to do this at all times. I hope I answered your questions.

Answer 8

I know both homeschooled students as well as public school students. In my family, I have relatives who are homeschooled, and also many public school teachers in my family.

We send our children to public school for several reasons.
1) There is a reason why a public school teacher goes through several years of training and continued certifications.
2) A public school student will have opportunities to learn from different viewpoints, which will include ideologies totally opposite. That's not a bad thing, especially when it teaches you to get along and to respect other people's viewpoints. This is an important skill as an adult in the working world. So, as parents, we work with our kids and discuss issues we are concerned with.
3) We feel our children have a better shot at being successful as adults.
4) We feel that our kids are getting a better standardized education. We know that our kids will obtain specific training at the school which the state feels is important. But we also are in a school system which workds with students who are advanced in various subjects.

Answer 9

Obviously we like it, or wouldn't be doing it. I was in public schools up to tenth grade. At that point I went to a boarding school. The difference was so great that I cannot even begin to explain how it has impacted my life. For one I had to learn very quickly to not be a sheep, that I had to think and learn for myself. That's something I want my children to always know.

Again, you people need to drop the socialization argument. It's old and worn-out, and really not feasible for a majority of homeschoolers. For example "I think that's why there is so much discrimination, even between one minority and another. " That kind of discrimation is being perpetrated in public schools every day as kids are forced to tolerate each other regardless of interest. My kids probably talk to more and more varied people every day than any person in public schools. Those people are as varied as their grandma and grampa to the checker at the Asian or Indian Food Mart, the college kid at the health food store, the neighbors around the block as we walk, the fishermen at the lake as we hike for exercize, the teens at the videogame store. They do everything with me, and have more experiences and real world time than any kid in public schools. They go to the school board meetings, the town council meetings, scouts, band, orchestra, 4H, library clubs, tae kwon do, disabilities support groups, etc. That's just in one week.

Most homeschoolers I know have similar lifestyles. Drop the socialization argument. Ask yourself where your actual in-real-world data comes from, and drop the assumptions based on a miniscule minority.

Answer 10

I think home-schooling can be a good thing, as long as the child does not miss out on the social interaction that they would normally receive. I would send my child to a public school though.