If you homeschool your kids, were you homeschooled?

Question

If you are homeschooling your child...were you homeschooled? Also, what level of education and training do you have to be an educator?

Answer 1

I was homeschooled, and I would never home school my kids. There is so much that I never learned in homeschool, which I later had to teach myself, which was more difficult.

Answer 2

I homeschool my kids, but I was not homeschooled. I would have hated homeschooling--only child with an overbearing, single mother. Not a good mix for homeschooling!

I have a Bachelor of Education, the standard level of education required for public schools here. However, I will say that almost NONE of my training has enabled me to be the one-on-one type of tutor I am with my children. My teaching degree is about meeting a certain minimum standard of education to teach in government-funded schools, in a single-aged GROUP situation. My actual education training classes were about how to present things to a group to get every student engaged, how to assess all the children, how to incorporate different styles in every lesson so that I could reach each child, how to break down a textbook into a year (which any person with any reasonable thinking skills can figure out on their own; I simply had to pay $$$ to have the certification that I'd done it), how to manage a class, including discipline techniques... The two situations, and I say this from experience, are COMPLETELY different.

When I was in high school, there was a grade 12 student tutoring kids in grades 10-12. If an uncertified student is able to tutor peers and younger, why can't a parent, who assumably can read and write and do at least basic math (and who likely has at least a high school diploma), and who would have to help their children with their homework each night not have the skills to tutor a child in reading, writing, math? Somebody will cry, "But what about science?" You want to know what I did for science class? I followed the textbook and teacher's guide that were provided. Parents who can read can do the same thing. It's not that hard. There are TONS of resources out there with parent/teacher guides which guide the adult step-by-step. Anybody who thinks that modern teachers simply know everything and only go by what their training supplied them is very misguided. Modern teachers have to be life-long learners, as you will find most homeschooling parents are, because there are always new programs, new approaches, new problems... Besides, if teachers were all taught EXACTLY how to teach, then every teacher would teach in exactly the same way and that would bring on a whole host of other problems in the schools...

Answer 3

I wasn't homeschooled. I went to a Christian school from grade 4-12, then got a BA in Psychology. I actually got a pretty good basic education, but things have changed since I went to school. IF I could find a decent private school, then I...might...consider sending my kids, but they are in grades 7 and 8 right now, and are so far ahead of kids their ages that I am not sure they would...fit in...very well. Plus, the private schools we have lived near so far have had some real problems maintaining order in the classrooms and have a lot of busy work, both of which would drive my kids BATTY. Also, my husband and I are members of Mensa, and I just have not found an educational option other than hsing that would provide an adequate education.

Answer 4

No, I wasn't, and the gaps in my education, and the haphazard way material was covered, are the reason I'm going to home school my kids.

I've taken some college classes, but not earned a degree.
But I'm intelligent, and I read a lot. I've done a lot of homeschooling research and am incorporating many different methods into the curriculum I'm planning, and am networking with other home schooling families. So far my 3 and a half year old kid reads at a second to third grade level. And counts to 100. All without benefit of a certified teacher.

Are you aware that private school teachers aren't required to have teaching degrees, and despite that fact, private school students tend to fare better academically?
Are you aware that "before compulsory schooling in America, the unschooled, mostly farming population was more literate and better educated than afterward"*

Answer 5

I was raised by my single dad and he was working 6 days a week 12 hours a day. I did attend public school but didn't learn much there as a gifted kid. My dad would take me to the public library and I would check out huge stacks of books every week. I kind of think I did a bit of self-schooling; I've learned most of what I've learned in life through reading it myself.

I did go to college and have a Master's degree in Elementary Education, and took several courses in Special Education, did student teaching for 2 years and teaching for one year, but don't think that is essential for being a homeschool teacher. I think any reasonably intelligent person can homeschool their child and do a good job. I think a certain amount of motivation is needed; probably most of us homeschooling parents do have a lot of motivation.

Answer 6

I am in my last year of homeschooling my kids (this is my 16th year). I was not homeschooled.

I have a BA, and did 1 year of grad school for my credential, but some of the most successful homeschool teachers I know didn't study education at all, some have little or no college as well.

I think it is important to know your strengths and weaknesses. I am not a great writer, it is my least favorite subject, so I teamed up with other parents, or hired tutors to work with my kids in that subject. We also made use of the local junior college when they were in High School. My daughter just got accepted to the college of her choice and received a scholarship as well. I think that is because I used many resources to provide her with an excellent education.

Answer 7

I was not homeschooled. I have a master's degree in Biochemistry, a bachelor's in Chemistry with a math minor. Training as an educator has definitely been on the job, LOL I feel I have grown quite a bit as a teacher and a parent.

We started homeschooling 3 years ago and it has been a wonderful experience. My daughter has grown in leaps and bounds academically and socially. She also has plenty of free time to pursue her piano, dance, sports, and very important play. She has made some great friends with a wide range of ages and interests as well as a couple of 'best' friends.

If we are judging sucess as a teacher by our student's progress - then I guess we are doing just fine.

Answer 8

I was not homeschooled.

To be an educator in government schools, after NCLB, you must have a BS in the subject you teach, or in education. Then there is a follow up master's program in which you 'learn' to teach. Basically they reboot your natural instincts to teach, I spent two years in the program, and finally quit out of disgust. We were already homeschooling by then and I was not impressed.

Ironically, most successful private schools do not require certification. This is because they realize that competency in a subject and the joy of teaching it is good enough. Kind of like our house.

Answer 9

I homeschool my children and I went to public school. I have a high school diploma. I think it might depend on the state as to what education or training you need to have to homeschool.

Answer 10

i'm a homeschool youngster. If I attended public college, i may be in 8th grade, yet I artwork at a 9th- 10th grade point. i admire being homeschooled. I learn so lots better through fact my mom is conscious me ok and is conscious how I learn. She additionally can see if i'm combating something. i'm loose to be despite if i decide to through fact i'm not forced to be cool or enjoyed. additionally, i've got faith my kin is closer than maximum through fact we are together lots and have found out to artwork together. As for the cons, some say homeschooled young babies at the instant are not socialized, yet I do co-ops, play basketball, scouts, and a super number of of different greater advantageous-curricular activities. i'm not a homeschool parent yet i will make it easier to be conscious of with regard to the curriculum i take advantage of. For math i take advantage of Saxon, and it makes use of a super form of assessment. For historic previous, i take advantage of Tapestry of Grace, and its sturdy for households with different babies. i take advantage of Apologia technology, that's an exceedingly in intensity technology with a super number of experiments. those are the main issues. i desire I helped! I went to public college for some years, so i be conscious of what its like. i'm VERY chuffed my mom homeschooled me.

Answer 11

I home educate my children. I was educated in the public school system. THAT is why my children aren't.

It's funny you ask about our training. Many people snub me for homeschooling my children until they find out my experience and then it's like oh..okay. Like they have some right to determine who is qualified to teach and who isn't. Many "trained" teachers aren't trained to teach. Not only are we QUALIFIED to teach our children, but it is our DUTY.