Homeschool opposers--Why are you opposed to homeschooling?

Question

If at all possible, look at the September 2006 Reader's Digest page 167-174. "Dozens of studies show that the most consistent indicators of student acheivement are the home environment and parental involvement. There are now more than 1million homeschoolers in the U.S. One recent Columbia U. study found that homeschoolers outscored all other groups at college entrance exams." The article goes on to give three examples, on of which was a homeschooler. These parents do not force their interests on their children, but rather, let their children find their own friends and interests (there are so many co-ops in so many diff. communities for homeschoolers). Homeschoolers are not socially retarded (I did public school until my last two years of high school, and I became more social after homeschooling. I had good grades in p.s. but they got better.) Many homeschoolers are more social and get better grades than p.s. students (always a few bad examples) So why are you opposed to it?

I am in no way saying that ALL homeschoolers are better than ALL p.s. students...there are millions of very very smart p.s. students, but I'm just trying to focus on the homeschooling aspect.

First of all, Peter D, J.W.s are not cults. And as I said before, all schooling experiences have some bad examples. Some parents do homeschool to shelter their children, but some do it so that their children can have the best education possible. And I have had so many people who are very opposed to homeschooling tell me, so believe me, there are a lot out there.

Thank you, Glurpy. That is probably what it is...it just gets to me sometimes.

Nabdullah2001, were you ever homeschooled? Do you know anyone who was homeschooled? I know that there are many bad examples, but the majority of homeschoolers get a lot of socializing, not just socializing with other homeschoolers. There are kids in the neighborhood, family friends, parent's workmates and children. There are a million of places that they can learn to socialize. If the child is old enough to work, they make friends there, too. And there are many homeschoolers that are also able to socialize with adults on an adult level. As I said before, yes there are bad examples, but every educational experience has bad examples.

Answer 1

Personally, I'm not opposed to homeschooling. I think it's best. The student can learn at his or her own pace.

Answer 2

I was homeschooled from 5th grade until graduation. While I am a supporter of homeschooling, I don't think that just anyone can do it. Honestly, my mother could not. 2 of my sisters and both of my brothers did not graduate and have not received GED's. 2 sisters did graduate and one of them has pursued nursing. Not great statistics. Homeschooling requires a huge commitment and a very organized person. I would highly recommend that anyone thinking about homeschooling their children get in touch with a local homeschooling support group and really talk to a lot of people who are doing it to make sure you are up to the task. Another thing to consider is extra-curricular activities such as sports and drama. Look into local teams and programs like the YMCA.
That said, I think that you can give your children an amazing education at home. Don't let people tell you that kids need the socialization of public school. As long as you make sure your kids get some time with their friends, taking away the distraction of having so many peers around can really make a child focus on their education. Group sports, youth groups, neighborhood friends can all provide plenty of socializing.

Answer 3

i replaced into hostile to homeschooling initially. i did not bypass to college from grades 2 to 5. I felt quite unfavorable about it. My siblings did not study, we had no socializing and did not ever in advantageous condition back in to society. We were also remoted and further up 'weird and wonderful.' It replaced right into a huge decision to homeschool my very last 2 youngsters. My first children had an abysmal training from the classic college and the purely homeschoolers I had considered were "unusual". thankfully, there replaced into an outstanding homeschooling community accessible (merely an hour north of you, Glurpy) so I had some impressive position fashions. yet, yeah, I did sense like a nut for the first couple of years. that is been 7 years now, fairly some the homeschoolers we've met, if no longer all were worried mum and dad who needed the most suitable for his or her children. They used distinct procedures and resources; yet that purely demonstrates the uniqueness of each relations. we've left that comforting ecosystem now and are wandering on my own contained in the western barren region. yet to respond to your question. sure I nevertheless might want to homeschool. no longer because of what I perceived of homestead training, yet what i know of public training. the final inhabitants isn't sufficiently attentive to each of the options for training, and regrettably, they purely see the stereotypes and by no potential the reality of homestead preparation. regrettably, via relations and economic stress I have succumbed and despatched one infant to a small deepest college and may want to deliver the different if she wasn't so proof against the idea. Why? because we are getting all it truly is unfavorable about homeschoolers and that i do not opt for to bypass that route. i position self assurance in homeschooling one hundred% besides the undeniable fact that the reality replaced into purely about 20%.

Answer 4

I’m not opposed to homeschooling, but I do have a problem with absolutes. I get angry when people assume that just because someone is homeschooling, their children will excel. I feel the same way when someone informs me that children who go to private school do better. Some private schools are amazing, some home schoolers are wonderful and the some public schools are fantastic. Yet the converse is true also, it just seems to me that people in each camp aren’t willing to admit that.

I spent a few years as a home school teacher. My job was to meet with families that were homeschooling and evaluate the children’s process. I saw FANTASTIC things. Children who were grade levels above the state standards. Children who were socially active and participated in humanitarian projects. Children who were learning very well in all areas and yet were excelling in one area and were allowed to do amazing work in that area.

Yet I also so horrific things. A nine year old who was forced to spend the day playing with two year olds at a home day care center. Her only academics came when the babies were sleeping and she filled in the blanks in a workbook her mom bought at Wal-Mart.

A child who’s only reading and writing material was the bible. He had absolutely no interaction with people outside his family. In fact I had to get a court order to have his parents let me meet with him.

A twin brother and sister who at age 12 couldn’t read or write because they had “chosen” not to. The parents felt that children knew best and that when education became important to the children, they would automatically, without outside influences, learn whatever they needed.

I wish that instead of fighting about which is better, and attacking people who have chosen a different way then ours, all educators would work together to insure that each child was in an educational setting that was best for them.

Answer 5

It seems that those who are opposed to it either know a few who turned out poorly or are just going with what's taught by society.

Perhaps to further the question, why do people assume that the few homeschoolers they've met (or are aware of that they've met--many people have no clue just how many homeschoolers they've actually come in contact with) are representative of the whole?

If you were to go to some bad area of a city and the first black men you ever met in your life were part of some gang, would that make sense to assume that all, or even most, black men become gang members?

If you were to meet a few people from another country whom you all found weird, would it make sense to assume that everybody from that country is the same way?

Of course, first impressions are always the hardest to change!

Answer 6

I don't know how old Baby T is, but homeschoolers have sports, cheerleading, arts, etc. in such quantity now that it is hard to decide what to do.

The majority of homeschooling opponents I encounter are either p.s. employees or people who are hellbent on getting a hold on the minds of other people's children before the poor little moppets learn to think for themselves. The rest are mommies who work to pay for their 2nd tacky BMW/trips to Bahamas/whatever & dump their sweet little bunchkins off in daycare or p.s. & are guilt-ridden. Mommies I know who really MUST work usually wish they COULD be home w/their children.

Answer 7

I'm not really opposed to it, but I'm paying for public schools, I might as well get some use to them. It is a luxury if you have a parent who is able to stay home and teach their child.

I supplement school teaching with my own work and the importance of thinking critically and reviewing my child's work.

With respect, many home schoolers are taught because parents are opposed to certain widely-held scientific theories that are promulagated in public school. I believe that parents who do this are doing their children a disservice.

Other than that, I don't have a problem with it.

Answer 8

I generally tend to agree. The American public school system has major problems and needs to be changed or lost. It's that simple.

Teacher unions. Foreign immigrants. Gang-bangers. Druggies. Kids who hate school. These are the problems and home school CAN be (but isn't ALWAYS) the answer.

Answer 9

I don't know of anyone who has said they are opposed to home schooling. There is a stereotype that parents who home school do so as a way of sheltering their children. This yields the criticism that children who spend so much time at home will be socially maladjusted. The only other criticism I can think of is that it might be perceived that parents who home school are doing so to ingrain some "weird" cultish set of values into their children (i.e. Mormons, Scientologists, Jehovah's Witnesses, religious fundamentalists, etc.)

Answer 10

When I was younger, like in the 6th grade, me and my friends use to play with these kids on our block, we use to call them "the girls" because they were sisters and it was like 4 or 5 of them. Anyway whenever we talked to them they wanted to know about everything we did at school and wished that their dad would let them go. I remember when we all tried out for cheerleading and the girls wanted to so bad and couldn't. Being home schooled they have really miss out on some good times. For me high school was so much fun, I was a good kid and had really good grades. I know the girls wanted to go to football games, get-togethers, and prom like other kids and wasn’t able to. I really felt bad that they had to miss out on things that they really wanted to do.