If you homeschool your children do you see ANY benefit to send your child to public school)?

Question

I appreciate everyones opinions, INSULTS of my intelligence, corrections, and facts stated in my previous "homeschool" questions, but I just wanted to know what aspects about public schools do u like, if any?

I wasn't trying to knock homeschooling, I just asked questions and had opiniated statements to get some honest, blunt, yet defensive feedback. Just trying to understand the reasons why people homeschool.

I respect the whole homeschooling thing. I have the patience to deal with my child, but its not for me. I just feel that EVERY CHILD should experience a traditional classroom @ LEAST ONE YEAR in there life.

Answer 1

I agree with you that every child should experience a traditional classroom at least once in their life.
Social interaction is a good thing. It can be a bad thing too, depending on the kind of people your child is hanging around.
I have known some homeschoolers who were completely sheltered, and I felt bad for them when they would have to go out into the real world after they leave their parents house. they would not be prepared for what they will encounter.
I was homeschooled all my life, but I took a class at my local Vo-Tech center junior and senior year, and was exposed to a lot of new things, but I think it was good for me. I think I turned out alright. The only bad thing about being homeschooled is that I believe it made more of an introvert.

Answer 2

I guess I would question WHY a child should experience a classroom for at least a year? From that point of view, there must be something that a child will get from this experience that they cannot get anywhere else. Is that correct? If that's the case, where will that human EVER need this information again?

The traditional, public school K-12 classroom is an artificial environment that a child will never experience again...therefore, I see little to recommend it as an experience you have to have. It won't really help in college or in a university...these are different settings, with different controls (in fact, American College Testing says 1 in 4 college freshmen drop out...interesting article here http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTR/is_4_22/ai_84599442/pg_1 )

The experiences apparently are not enough to actually ensure sucess anywhere but in a public school setting. If you don't measure success with a public yard stick, then the reasons for attending seem to disappear.

My kids are doing fine. They don't have "socialization" issues, unless having too much to do with too many people counts. They were able to learn at their pace, and when they don't get something, we don't have to consider tutors, or Sylvan, or afterschool work, extra credit...we just take more time and teach them until they DO get it. Makes for a better educational experience as far I am concerned.

Hope that at least gives you a little more insight.

Answer 3

I think the benefits(and any drawbacks) are different with each child. My 3 year old loves people. Anyone, everyone. She loves to talk with people. She would like that aspect of school, but I am not sure she will be able to control WHEN you can talk for some time. My little one, is quite shy, and would benefit from the'forced' social setting a bit. However, we keep ourselves social and busy with others, so that benefit can be met at home as well. I am just the one that has to make it happen.

I am sure there are others, however, I am not part of the public school system and haven't been for sometime. What ever they may be, can't outweigh the reasons I chose to homeschool though.

Answer 4

No benefit whatsoever for our family. I also homeschool our daughter who is only 5. I have worked in both Public and Private schools as a Teacher and I can tell you first hand how detremental it can be on a child. We live in a society that is so screwed up that they think it is acceptable to send their children to some institution, being taught by strangers, and being away from their parents and loved ones for 6-8 hours per day. Very sad!! Homeschoolers will always get flack for teaching their children at home because it is out of the "norm". I do not like any aspect of Public schools and would never send my child away to basically a daycare center. I have heard more and more parents complain because their children are not learning at school and they wind up coming home anyways to "homeschool"- meaning homework everynight and the parents wind up teaching them things that they couldn't learn from the teacher at school. I remember the days where you actually did all your work at school. No homework until I got to be in College. They did study halls where there were tudors to help out. So for those out there knocking homeschooling and your child comes home every night with homework and you help them out- well I have news for you- You are homeschooling!! We homeschoolers just happen to be doing it during the day when you are sending your child away for care.

Answer 5

What an interesting question, and what great timing. I homeschool my children, and nope, honestly I cannot think of any benefit for my children. it would save me a ton of work, but that work is something I don't mind doing. The only thing they are missing out on is the utter waste of their time in bureaucracy and petty tests that can't possibly measure all the nuances of their learning. They learn teamwork in our household (why is getting along with age peers taken so seriously, and yet we all take it for granted that children should 'rebel' against their families and hate their siblings?) They learn collaboration playing in the park, at the library, at church and in scouts, band, 4H, sports.
As for socialization found in schools....
I just read a book called 'The Children in Room E4', a chilling work on the crisis facing education right now. Not one based on just economics, or teacher training, or test scores. As late as 2005, the absolute segregation of children between urban and suburban schools. We are quite lucky that the school we did attend was the one closest to university, because we did have a large diversity. However, most public schools are either a huge percentage of white vs. black/latino. and NEITHER has children learning much about others. It's by Susan Eaton, just well done.
Socialization in the real world, by parents who are trying, is going to be, by far, much more effective and educational than that found in a segregated public school. Even if that segregation is de facto rather than de jure. My children have friends from the Indian store, the Chinese mart, the African textiles. They have friends across all races/ethnicities/economic status.

Answer 6

I appreciate your attitude, too. You do seem very open-minded.

We are pretty defensive on this forum because our choice to homeschool has been ruthlessly attacked over and over with the same false arguments, and to be honest, some of us are losing our patience. It's so frustrating to hear/read what a terrible choice you've made for your child so often by people that really have no idea what they're talking about. We're the ones who've spent hours researching, thinking, and (many of us) praying about this decision for OUR children whom we love far more than anyone else does. Nobody wants better for my children than I do. And when numerous naysayers continue to come to this forum to tell us what a horrible parenting choice we've made without knowing anything about us or, really, anything much about homeschooling, it gets frustrating. If they have something to say about our parenting decisions, I think we'd all appreciate it if they'd bother to do a little valid research first.

Now, in answer to your question:

In our case, it serves as a reference--a reminder that we don't want to go back. My oldest son looked so forward to school before he started, but was incredibly disappointed once he was there. He was in PS for a year and a half, and he was changed by it. He'd gone into school so outgoing, happy, and sure of himself, and came out shy, unhappy, and insecure. That was 1st grade! He was very strong academically--even bored, but the social pressures were damaging to him. He's always been one to stand up and do what he believes is right, and it cost him. It made some kids mad when he wouldn't just follow along. He was so young to have to deal with that, and he was so sensitive. He's going into 6th grade and is just now back to his old self. He's gradually gotten his confidence back and is happier than ever. He has a variety of activities that he wouldn't have time for if he were in PS. He has a lot of great, diverse friends, and he's just becoming an awesome young man. He's trustworthy, responsible, a hard worker, a wonderful big brother, a terrific friend, and just a fun guy to be with. My other kids are all thriving in the homeschooling environment as well.

I grew up in public school, and I taught in public school, and IMHO it's not all it's cracked up to be.

Answer 7

I tend to think of traditional schooling, whether it be public or private, as a necessary evil for families who are unable to homeschool. I sincerely wish that something could be done to make traditional schools more beneficial to the all around well-being of its students. However, that would require major over-hauls that would be seem to scary for parents who are entrenched in the way school was when they were children (although they often have many complaints about how things were and are in schools).

I think that traditional schooling is more beneficial to parents than to children. It is basically 8 hours of daycare. I don't know how many times I've heard parents comment that they could never be with their kids all day. You wonder how they make it through the week end.

There may be little things that kids miss out on by not going to traditional school, special activites or traditions or fun moments. However, homeschoolers also usually experience lots of little things that kids in school never get to. And most of the great experiences from school such as field day or prom can be recreated through homeschooling as well.

Thank you for asking such an interesting question. Sorry, for all of the people who are on the defensive. It's not always easy swimming against the tide.

Answer 8

Do I see any benefit? Yeah, I guess, it was so tough that I'm like a ragging bull when it comes to my beliefs and values and it's hard to shake me. I'm not giving anything up to please anyone!!! Except maybe God. (Unfortunately I also come off blunt and rude.)

I was a Martyr in school for being who I am. Tolerance? Socialization? If socialization really happens in public schools it sure doesn't happen because of them. Friends? I never had one, but not because I didn't want any friends. I was so shunned by my 'peers' for my values and differences (being poor, wearing dresses, wearing glasses, needing help, being smart, being stupid, laughing, crying, living, being Catholic, praying, loving God, loving my siblings, standing up for my siblings, listening to my parents)

Teachers seem to have no control over bullies. They can't watch all the time, and when I attacked a guy (using harmless pressure points in the shoulder muscles) to get my sister's shirt back, after he ripped it off of her. I got punished and he got off completely.

I actually ended up getting some 'socialization' but mostly because I volunteered for everything I possibly could, from indoor sports to helping the kindergarten teacher to doing extra homework at lunch hour, to avoid being the brunt of people's jokes. I also started a group called 'the kid's club' with the youngest children to teach the 'troubled' children how to get along with other children.

Benefits? It's like sending your heart into a war zone. Why would I do that for a year or even a day? Truth be told I'm going to have to 'let go' some day and I'm sold on the idea of 'letting go' while you still have some say, so I may let my child chose, when He's sixteen, where he goes to school and whether he experiences that torture or not.

I want to send my son to the local school sometimes because I think we could use some space or time away from each other, but then he tells me, "Mom I love you so much. So much." And I don't ever want him to stop saying that because it's not cool.

He can say all of his prayers by heart. I don't ever want him to stop because it's 'not cool'.

I want him to have the best, and I know that what I can give is better. Mostly because I love him so much.

So yeah, there are some benefits, but if it's toughening up he needs, maybe he should take Martial Arts, stay at a Monastery, join the cadets or later the Army, at least they don't toughen you up in the name of 'socialization'. How cold is that?

Forgive the bluntness of my answer. I'm very passionate about homeschooling.

Edit : Just thought I'd add that my parents and grandparents used to call me 'Little Miss America' as a child because I was so extrovert. Now I'm the biggest introvert you've ever met. I associate people with pain, and that's not a good association. I wonder how extrovert I would be if I was nurtured by my parents instead of the cold blooded system.

Answer 9

My daughter spent 3 horrible years of her life in a typical classroom. I have spent the last 2 years trying to fix the things that were made wrong by the public school system. Children in the public school system will learn things you do not want them know about sex, they will become very tredny--wear whats popular and try to fit in, they will lose their focus with 20 other kids in the class, they will get a watered down education. In the end you make the choices for your own children, but as a mother who has seen the product of public school I advise against it!

Answer 10

I think that the classroom situation is usually experienced sometime before or shortly after home school high school graduation. There are some students who do distance learning in college, but I would think the majority would attend college class. Many home schooled students are being recruited for early college and dual enrollment classes at community colleges. In addition to that, home school students many time attend art classes, dance classes, etc.
There are some students who do very well in public school. My nephews and niece did wonderfully in public school. They made good grades and are exceptional young people. I would like to add, that they were more protected by their parents than most home school students. I've always been proud of them. They would have done well in private or home school because of their parent's guidance and influence.
By the way, I don't think they ever attended a prom.

Answer 11

Just curious, but if you believe that every child should experience school at least one year, do you also believe that every child should experience homeschool at least one year?

Anyway, I don't agree... I think that living in America our kids will get a good enough idea of what school is like without actually being in one, and then there's always college (if they want to). I'm also going to encourage our kids to be exchange students in a foreign country for a year, which will likely involve being in a "traditional" classroom. Now, if our kids decide they want to go to school here in America, I think I'd let them, although I'm not fond of the idea for a wide variety of reasons.

Benefits of public school... well, they're good for kids with lousy parents. No matter how much I think school sucks, some parents are just worse than that. I'm currently pregnant with #1, and my mom tells me I'll change my mind and send my kids to school anyway because it's like free daycare and taking care of the kids all day is too much, so I guess you could see that as a 'benefit', but I'm not exactly convinced on that one yet. On the one hand, yes, it'd save me work to send my kids to school, but on the other hand I know how much trouble me and my brother had in school and how much of a toll that took on my mom... I honestly believe her life would've been easier if she'd homeschooled us. My brother would act out at school, whereas I would be a good girl at school but then depressed and such at home. I know for a fact that it was emotionally really draining on my mom to see us having so much trouble in/with school, plus I was ill a lot and stayed home about 1/4th of the time anyway.