arguments for and against homeschooling?

Question

My parents have offered to allow me to be homeschooled..basically to buy me books of my preference, according to my interests and teach myself pretty much. What are your opinions on this?

I am very philosophical and have a strong moral sense and in general dont 'fit in' not that I would want to. I worry of lack of interaction, and dealing with situations.. this would be a huge change. I am in 10th grade in highschool.

They do know what they are doing, and it isnt that hard. I am more concerned about such a drastic change..

out of touch with things like what?
superficial things do not interest me, such as gossip and day to day things. Im independent.

My parents DID go to college.

People against homeschooling-Did you know that many of the most successful people were homeschooled? You could have gotten the list of them on google..Patton, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln...so many amazing people

If by cop-out you mean purposely leaving a govenment instituiton that indocrinates and brainwashes the masses as the church of liberalism then yes I am coping out but if you mean to say that I am a quitter somehow then you are mistaken.

Answer 1

This response shows a complete lack of actual knowledge of homeschool laws across the country:
"I'm not sure they (or you) understand the process. They must purchase a curriculum, have lesson plans, test you, provide documentation to the State Dept of Ed that you are in 'school". "

Wrong, wrong and wrong. Investigate the individual state law via www.hslda.org and you will see that all of this is untrue.

"This is not an easy process. In most states you still must take the GED."

Again, this is incorrect. You are not required to take the GED, and many homeschoolers go directly to college, proving their ability by scoring well on AP exams, SAT and SAT II individual subject tests. All of the best colleges (Harvard, MIT etc) accept homeschoolers because their experience has shown self-motivated homeschoolers thrive in that environment.

"I would worry about the lack of discussion. I am not sure you can decide what you need to learn nor how you can teach yourself."

This is complete bunk. Have you ever taught yourself anything? How to ride a bike, how to draw, how to cook - anything?? Then you can learn, and you don't need some "expert" teacher to explain things to you. I don't know about you, but I retain much more when I am learning (and making mistakes) things I want to learn, and struggling and acheiving under my own steam.

I answered another question tonight, but I'll give you the same booklist:
Teenage Liberation Handbook (Grace Lewellyn)
Dumbing Us Down (John Taylor Gato)
Teach Your Own (John Holt)

Answer 2

From a parent's point of view, the best reason to homeschool is that we get to be with our kids for the best hours of their day. If the kids are in school, we see them when they are tired, stressed and still need to do three hours of homework. So we're still homeschooling, just at the worst possible time, under very difficult circumstances. I have never been able to figure out why the lessons can't be taught during school, and why it should be necessary to put in three more hours after the kids have been there all day.

Almost every type of activity is available for homeschooled kids from athletics to music to science fair. It helps to live near a large city, of course, for some of those things. My kids did it all.

The pros in favor of public school are that a child may truly want to participate in band, orchestra, drama or debate club or be on a basketball or football team and those opportunities are not available at all in an area where one lives.

If public school doesn't have something to offer that you are just passionately wanting, then by all means, school at home. The volunteer, work and other opportunities are far greater with your time flexibility. And don't pay any attention to the sad child who said that staying at home with your parents all day would be too boring. I am sorry that child has boring parents, but it sounds as if yours are great and have your best interests in mind.

Answer 3

Your social interaction will not be affected. I was homeschooled after my Sophmore year. I had been shy, but I learned how to overcome my shyness. I still have my friends from high school, but I have other friends, too. Many communities have homeschooling co-ops, so you can still do extracurriculars, if you'd like, and meet other people in your area who are also homeschooling.
I loved homeschooling, but I know others who didn't.
The social aspect is the main thing that people argue about, but that isn't even an issue anymore. Also, for those people who think that homeschoolers are not intelligent, Columbia U. conducted a study that showed that homeschoolers scored higher on college entrance exams than other students.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at [e-mail].
If you are trying to find a curriculum, I would suggest the American School of Correspondence or Penn Foster. Both of these offer accredited high school diplomas. They are recognized by colleges. For high school, I preferred the American School, but Penn Foster is good, too.
www.americanschoolofcorr.com
www.pennfoster.edu

ADDED:
Homeschooling has changed a lot since a few years ago, let alone 15 years ago. As I mentioned before, there are many ways to socialize.
Also, you do not spend all day with your parents. Your parents go to work. You can hang out around town.
To make sure you don't get lazy, set a daily, weekly, and monthly schedule. Stick to it. If you don't think you could stick to it easily by yourself, have your parents or a friend set a realistic schedule for you and have them keep track of whether or not you stick to it.
Also, if you go through a distance education course, you can contact that school for help. If your parents can help you, great, but if they can't, distance education is helpful.

ADDED:
You know, it amazes me how many of these people who have never been homeschooled say it's the worst thing you could do, but when someone who had never been to public school comments on it, they tell that person that because they never experienced it, they don't know what they're talking about, so that persons answer is no longer valid....maybe they should take their own advice. I know you wanted arguments from both sides, but only homeschoolers know both sides of it. I've met some who loved it, but I've also met some who hated it. So really, the ones who have never been homeschooled shouldn't be answering this question because they just could not possibly know.

Answer 4

I don't think it needs to be said, but I highly highly recommend going homeschooled.

You do need to be very self-motivated, but if you've got that much you'll do fine. I started community college in the 11th grade and have taken all college level courses: I'm graduating with an associates' degree instead of a high school diploma and am accepted to 5 four-year institutions, two out of state and one private university. Every single person in the college I'm at tells me that they are extremely glad to be out of high school--the drama and lack of a good education just don't make up for those "priceless" experiences like prom and getting your diploma.

Keep in mind that these days, with the level that public education is at, a high school diploma won't qualify you for anything. I'm taking the GED instead, mostly because many colleges want some proof that you've at least gone through a high school program.

The "lack of social interaction" idea is pretty stupid, too. I and my siblings are/were involved in youth programs like 4-H, church youth groups, and others, which will all teach you something in addition to giving you social interaction.

Don't let all the stuff about testing and curriculum, etc., scare you. Some states will be stricter than others about this, but most are fairly leniant on homeschoolers. Where I live, the only state requirements we had to meet were filling out a yearly form of intention (stating that we weren't attending a public school) and taking a once-yearly standardized test of our choice. The state doesn't even do anything with the results; all it does is give your parents a feedback of how you're doing compared with other kids that level in the state.

It sounds like you are exactly the kind of person who will excel at homeschooling and be better prepared for college as a result. I hope you choose it and wish you the best of luck!

Answer 5

Just from the brief description of yourself, I think you would probably enjoy homeschooling. Depending on where you live, there may be other high school homeschoolers where you live. While not all groups are the same, I know that the groups we do things with, the high schooled kids are very diverse and don't worry about fitting in--mind you, there's nothing in place that they have to fit into! It's just accepted that everybody's different. You would also have the chance to get a job, volunteer, take lessons of interest... There may even be homeschooling clubs you might want to partake in. I know one of the groups here has book clubs, a debate club and more. Being homeschooled doesn't have to mean being isolated.

And I, too, recommend "The Teenage Liberation Handbook". It'll open up a world of possibilities to you.

Answer 6

It bothers me that people who were obviously not homeschooled have so much to say about the subject! Maybe I should answer questions about cars even though I don't know anything about them... Hey, I've heard/read stuff. I'm an expert right? Not! If you have not been homeschooled, quit bashing it! How can you spout off on stuff you've never experienced?!

I was homeschooled my whole life, am now in college, have never regretted anything, and you know what? Most people never guess I was a homeschooler! Shocking, I know. But it's true. Homeschoolers can be normal. And parents can be the best teachers.

Answer 7

I would recommend homeschooling to anyone who asks. I was homeschooled from my 8th grade year all the way through high school. You have a chance to be more independent and learn at your own pace. As far as lack of interaction and dealing with situations, I think that you learn so much more about life being homeschooled. You could find things in your area, clubs and things to join and still hang out with the friends you have. I think you learn more about yourself when you're homeschooled..At least for me, when I went to public school I always went along with what my friends thought and their opinions on things so I would fit in..I think being homeschooled really helps you be your own person..Where as in public school everyone just wants to fit in.

Good luck with making your decision!

Answer 8

I homeschooled and I think it was harder then being in a class setting. You don't have a teacher when you need one and you might get lazy. I wouldn't do it unless you are positive it's the right thing to do. I think homeschooling is great for little ones but I don't think it worked out well for me. I started homeschooling in the 8th grade. I do however homeschool my preschool aged children but lets face it. It's the alphabet and counting. A whole different ball game and not as hard. Good luck!

Answer 9

I just wanted to say that you seem like a bright young man and I believe that you would do awesome being home schooled! Plus, it gives you the opportunity to pursue your own passions. I Home school my two girls and the relationship we have is so sweet. It makes me sad to see kids turning their backs on parents because they would rather "hang out" with the crowd. That being said, my kids probably have the busiest social life in our neighborhood! But what's cool is that I can trust where they are going and the choices they make. Half the time one of the parents or even all of us are invited to tag along. Even when we don't go along, they keep themselves accountable. It is awesome.
Depending on where you live, you may also qualify to go ahead and take some college courses. My daughter is going to dual enroll her 11th grade year and possibly graduate high school with college credits if not a 2 year degree. That's a nice jump start!
Best of luck whatever you decide.

Answer 10

"Can a parent with a high school education teach as well as a university educated professional?"

Yes, I think they can. Look, I have a BS degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and I also have all the credits but 6 for a BS in Education. Can I tell you the education majors only had to have a C average and many of them barely made that?

"Can a parent who works teach as well as a qualified educator?"

What defines a "qualified educator" and have YOU ever taken any education courses. I have, and it is all about crowd control - you don't need that in a homeschool. And YES - I work part-time and teach my family as well. It is called multi-tasking!

"How many parents are experts at math, biology, chemistry, physics, history, english grammar etc etc ?"

LOL - how many teachers are?? I can tell you from personal experience, those science teachers I had in school - they were mediocre at best. I was stuck with them. At least with my family if we hire a tutor for an area we don't know, we can change if we need to!

"We all know how many dysfunctional households there are in the USA, alcoholism, drug use, domestic violence, religious fanaticism - these people don't want the world to see their lives, so they are the first to embrace home-schooling. Their kids don't stand a chance. It's criminal. "

Yeah. What about all those principals and teachers who are drug abusers http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070301/NEWS/70301014/1006/NEWS and sleeping with their students??