Can Home Schooling be inadequate?

Question

My 3d cousin died when his son was 3. Now his son is 14. He was home schooled by his aunt on his mother's side. Who apparently, did a poor job. She left the kids alone. They looked up the answers in the book and turned the work in. He recently began public school and is struggling academically while being suspened on numerous occasions. He is unable to tell time. My neighbors down the street home school their kids. They play all day and are hardly ever inside. Mostly trespass and harass neighbors. I have heard of university students saying they were home schooled and received high test scores on the SAT's and credit by exams. There seems to be a huge inconsistancy. I know it depends on the school and how the parents are evaluated. There shouldn't be such a contrast among home schooled students. Opinions and comments?

Answer 1

Yes, it can. I am a product of home schooling and I am successful. I graduated college with a 3.6 GPA and honors, and I am now teaching in a public school.

Homeschooling, in short, is different for everyone. It is certainly not for everyone- that includes the students as well as those who wish to teach the students. Homeschooling should never be defined by the circumstances you described. I am sorry your relative had to go through that and continues to struggle. The decision to be homeschooled was apparently not in his best interest, but sadly, mistakes happen. However, it wasn't just the fault of the aunt; the school district is supposed to "keep tabs" on the student through a designated teacher sponsor. It's mandatory in most states, but not all.

As for your other comments, there are not always negative contrasts between public and home education. Many times students' scores are higher than average, but not always. There are pros and cons to both methods of learning, and they change from person to person and situation to situation. For me, it was the best choice and greatly added to my success as a student and as an individual.

Answer 2

Why shouldn't there be such a contrast among homeschooled students? Doesn't that contrast exist in public schools as well? Kids who are passed through grade after grade and reach 'graduation' only reading at a grade-3 level? Barely able to do math? Why should homeschooling be any different? Other than people expecting more of homeschoolers for some reason?

As to your actual question, yes, homeschooling can be inadequate when done by the wrong people. Just like a classroom can be inadequate when the teacher is not good or the style doesn't match up well for a particular child.

Answer 3

Of course it can be inadequate. Everything has the ability to be inadequate for various reasons. It is sad about your cousin and his son. But, as others have pointed out, there are many children in the public schools that are in the same boat. Children not learning happens across the board and for a variety of reasons. Some children cheat and deceive their parents. Some parents become overwhelmed and don't know what to do. Some children rebel, some parents give up. And you can add ps teachers to that too. Some teachers get overwhelmed and give up as well.
I speak from experience of being in both worlds.
As for the neighbor issue, it is very easy to judge things that one does not understand. it could be that these children need more accountability and more structure. It could also equally be that their schedule is different from the "usual" 8 am to 3 pm of ps kids. I know many families that HS in the evenings, or very very early in the mornings, or go through the weekends and take off a couple of days through the week.
so, even though the little darlings down the street may "seem" to you to not be receiving an education, they could be, just not when you expect it.
And, if those kids down the street were in ps, there is a very high chance they would be doing the same thing to the teachers and to the kids on the playground. Homeschooling does not produce neighborhood tyrants.

Answer 4

First, you answered your question. You see before you at least one instance of homeschooling being done badly.

I want to make a comment about something you said. YOu said that there shouldn't be such a huge contrast between homeschoolers. I ask you to go look at a public school. In a public school you will find kids who are honors students, excelling in every area, taking on several clubs, participating in sports and music, etc. You will also find kids who come to school stoned, start trouble with teachers, bully other kids, steal when they get the chance, and sometimes even bring weapons to school. Would it be fair to TOTALY blame the public school system?
There is also a discrepency from one school district to another, if you go to a poor neighborhood and look at the public school, you will see falling down buildings, out of date text books, inadequate libraries, underpaid teachers, etc. Now go look at a rich neighborhood, things are in perfect repair, the library is top notch, the teachers are better paid, the cafeteria offers choices, the students have access to the best computer equipment, the best gym equipment, everything.
So just keep in mind that homeschoolers can not all be expected to be the same. We can look at statistics that say on average home schoolers score far better on their SATs. But if you know even a little about statistics then you know that doesn't mean EVERY homeschooler will score better than EVERY public schooled student.
There are also other things to consider, some homeschoolers are being homeschooled because they have special needs the school didn't meet. Many have ADHD, or Aspergers, or some other condition that you can't see when you look at them but effects their behavior. They would have worse behavior problems if left in school.
So yes, in CAN be inadequate, heck even basic parenting can be done poorly without even considering the method of schooling. But homeschooling can also be the BEST option for some families.

Answer 5

What a sad story for your cousin's kids. This is not the norm in homeschooling. Sure, some parents can keep their kids home and do nothing- and that is inadequate. But from my experience - this is not what most homeschoolers do! Most homeschool families do not just sit home and not do school and not interact with others. We had 333 kids in our Friday co-op last school year, also ballet and dance classes completely made up of homeschool kids, as well as other church and sports activities. Many of my friend's kids are working above grade level. Almost all are very polite and love to play with their siblings (many 'regular school' kids seem to have been taught by their peers that playing with younger brothers or sisters isn't cool). There will unfortunately be the occasional family that leaves a bad impression and they will taint perceptions on homeschooling. But most homeschool parents are COMPLETELY devoted to nurturing and educating their kids... and trying to prepare them for the real world.

Answer 6

Who's to say that these particular children wouldn't have turned out the same if they had went to public school? It sounds as though the cargiver was their problem. I have hs'd my children AND had them in the public system...either way they are well behaved and at the top of the class.

As for the time they are in class... All things considered... homeschooled children as a rule, would not have as much "in school" time due to the fact that they are in the same class all day. (no changing classes, no recess, etc...) My children are involved in a "support group" one day a week they go to an alternate location where the "group"classes are held. (art, music, PE, home-ec, shop - we also have Spanish, Health and computers)

Answer 7

I know public school kids who have been in public school all their school years and cannot tell time and struggle academically. I know public school kids who stay out of school and break into houses. I know public school kids who play all day in the school, and when they are home they trespass and harass neighbors. Should there be such a contrast between public school students?
Should we close the public schools down because there are a few students who do not learn and do not care about learning?
I don't have an answer for you concerning your concern for your 3rd cousin and your neighbors down the street. I don't have an answer for myself concerning the students in public school.
People are people. We are all different. It is the parent's responsibility to teach their children. Many have chosen to turn this responsibility over to the government. That works for many people and allows the parents to concentrate on making a living and taking care of their homes. Many students thrive in the public school. Many students thrive in home school. You cannot take an example of what you perceive as a 'failure' and put all who make that educational choice in that category.

Answer 8

Unfortunately these are the people that ruin homeschooling for everyone. They don't actually homeschool, they let the student fall behind or just fail at meeting the student's needs. If the trend continues we will all be forced to submit our kids to standardized testing and standards that don't necessarily suit our goals and timetables for our children. I wish there was a better way to monitor a child's progress without the government interfering with the homeschool. Our state requires standardized testing or evaluation by a certified teacher annually and for that report to be submitted to the school board. I would hate to see anymore involvement by the state but I do worry about the parents who just don't prepare their kids for any real goals.

Answer 9

Opinion? those parents aren't homeschooling. Your cousin is living in all kinds of dysfunctional overprotection from his mother, and personally I don't know what's going on with the neighbors. If they are like our family, it took less than two hours a day to homeschool five different grades because the work was so easy, even bumping ahead a grade.

I know hundreds of homeschooling families, and perhaps only two are what I would say is neglectful. Should we cancel homeschooling for millions of children based on less than 2% of poor examples? Might as well legislate parenting, because there's a much higher number of neglectful parents, for whom it is easier to ship kids off to school each year, children who go unfed, unwashed, unloved.

Answer 10

Public schools certainly leave gaps as well.

Charlotte Mason says that we are to provide the educational framework to hold up our children and then they can fill in the "gaps" themselves. She uses the analogy of a hammock - it has holes in it but it still holds you up.

Obviously there will always be those parents who really don't care about their children's education in either setting - there are plenty of teachers who don't really care either! Why shouldn't there be that much contrast? There certainly is within the public school system!

Educating yourself about homeschooling rather than judging by a few people you've met would be a better use of your time. Can public schooling be inadequate? Then how does it follow that it is better than homeschooling? Or does it?