Your Homeschool Opinion?

Question

I want your Honest to God answer what is you opinion on homeschool! I will probably not like some answers but I will not say anything Uless Of course you have a wrong concept and I want you to understand the right one!!!
and WHY???

Answer 1

We love to homeschool. It has been 4 yrs now and I will never return her to the Public OR Private school system.
Homeschool allows my child to learn at her pace and if she gets bored, well we just move to something else and come back to whatever we got bored with later. I mean really, where can you learn about the Declaration of Independence --without traveling to Philly? We can got to the Hall of Presidents at WDW (for the updated version) or she can listen to it on the old turntable and hear it (so to speak) from the horses mouth.
Want to learn how plants grow and survive??? Raise them yourself.
Any parent can teach, just like any person can teach...the difference between our pay is parents get paid in smiles and understanding from the kids, while Teachers get paid in cash and half the time could care less if the kids UNDERSTAND (I'm not talking all teachers, just a good portion) after all they have over 100 kids to teach A DAY.

Homeschoolers can: work around a Stay-at-home parents schedule, take schoolwork in the car or Dr's Office,ask questions and get real answers, do Science experiements that fail and still get a passing grade,learn at their pace and actually KEEP the information,turn anything into a lesson,attend lessons in their jammies.
Public/Private Schoolers must: conform to a dress code,ask questions that will recieve a generic answer (and be satisfied), have a time limit for each subject or project or test, be prepared for every class(no writing in crayon if you forgot your pencil), eat when you are told to eat, got to the bathroom between classes and still make it to your next class in time, repeat that science experiment you did in Kindergarten for your 10th grade class, learn only what is written in books that the School System buys and the County changes every 5 yrs (and half the information is STILL wrong), recieve detention for farting,belching,hiccupping,saying 'God help me',beg your pardon or standing too close to the Teacher (remember the Kindergartener who was expelled for hugging his Teacher???), and let's not forget the lovely trips thru the now prevalant Metal Detectors, locker search because you brought an ASPRIN to school (50 demerits) and Lock-downs because the old man coming down the street in a 59 Cady let his car backfire and someone thought it was a gunshot (think it's funny? Not for the 285 parents who just had to leave work for a non-existent emergancy for the 56th time this month---can we say PINK SLIP?!?).

Tell you what, when the School System and Goverment come down from their high horses and we actually have some TEACHING and LEARNING going on----Call me.
Until that time, I will be handling my child's education.

Answer 2

Homeschooling is not for everyone, it definitely depends on the personality and motivation of the child and parents. However, for the right student it can be a very good experience. As a homeschool veteran, I very much enjoyed my experience most of the time. I was able to work at my own pace, which was generally faster than I would have been able to go in traditional schools, was able to work 20-30 hours per week all through highschool as well as fit in dance classes without homework being a huge burden, learned to socialize with people my own age as well as adults--something I feel that many public school kids lack. I attended homeschool prom, was on the yearbook staff, and took classes for homeschoolers, but the majority of my close friends were public schoolers and thus I attended their football games and homecoming dances. Just because you are homeschooled does not mean you never leave your house! For those who are not self-motivated, homeschooling can provide a path of laziness and a student can slide through school making very little of their potential. For an intelligent or hard working student, however, the benefits are wonderful and often the student has opportunities to gain a broader education than many schools offer.
That's my two-cents :)
BTW- I was homeschooled K-12, and am now a junior at a large public university. I am on the honor roll and dean's list, have made tons of friends and have been told many times that people are very surprised to hear that I was homeschooled. This is because homeschooling is not what it used to be and people need to learn that it has come sooo far!

Answer 3

I was in private school at a very young age and didn't like it cause the nuns were really mean to me. I went to public school from 1sth to 12th grade and had to leave school 12th grade because I wasn't getting the help that I needed for school. I am now homeschooled and it's so much better. As far as socialization is concerned, I talk and hang out with the neigberhood kids. I also work, so there's enough socialization. A lot of kids where I live also homeschool.

Answer 4

My opinion on homeschooling in general is that it can be a very good thing when done well (which is how most homeschooling parents I know do it) or a disastrous thing when not approached well, which is rare, in my experience.

I think there are far too many people out there who really don't understand homeschooling and spread their misinformed opinions as though they are well-informed opinions or facts.

As for previous answers:
*How will these kids acquire social skills?*

How did people in the past acquire social skills?

*Work in group situations?*
I'm not sure how sitting in a room where you aren't really interacting with others is a "group situation". It's just a bunch of individuals working side-by-side. And homeschoolers can participate in group activities, like lessons, sports, and other community activities just as public schooled children do. Not to mention many homeschoolers are involved with homeschool groups in which they can do things together.

*The "real world"*
Homeschooling lets children live in the real world NOW.

*School "actually gives you a chance to meet people".*
Uh, so does homeschooling. Most homeschoolers don't lock themselves up inside all day.

Answer 5

I think that education is one of the most important aspects in our children's lives...

I also think that children are very much their own individuals. What works for one does not work for everyone.

I think that there are some great schools out there, and there are some horrible ones. I think there are great homeschooling families who really do give their children an advantage in life, and there are some who just are too lazy to do anything.

Personally, homeschooling works for us. My child is receiving a good education, because I work hard on it. I have a friend who is a proffesional teacher who also gauges her progress. I have a pediatrician who knows her well, and watches her progressing as a child.

My daughter is also special needs and in a full classroom would not get the individual attention that SHE needs.

Answer 6

It's a wonderful option and should NOT be more regulated by the government.

It works well for us as a military family. When Dad's off we are too or he's able to help out, the kids don't have to change schools every two years or so, we don't have to worry about everything else that goes with that either. We can go where we want when we want (Points of interest in our local community weather that's overseas or in the States), life experiences count just as much as book work, discussions revolve around real life and ideas from all sources, volunteering and apprenticeship opportunities can be taken advantage of, and the list goes on!

Yes it can be a daunting task - especially when a large percent of people are STILL saying you're inadequate - but it is well worth the relationships you build with your children. Which are after all, more important than those they build/or fail to at school.

Answer 7

I am not for or against homeschooling. I do, however, wonder how these children will acquire the social skills needed in order to survive in today's society. That is, if they are not given opportunities to work within group situations regularly. I'm not sure how that works with homeschooling. I am a teacher and believe this aspect of the classroom environment is crucial in order to be prepared for the "real world". Correct me if there is an aspect to homeschooling in which I am not aware . . . .



Ok.. I am posting again after reading everyone else's responses because I didn't know much about homeschooling, and now I feel like I do. I still am not for or against it. I believe that every individual family needs to decide what is best for their children.

For pinpiglet126 and glurpy:

As for the social aspect, I see where that all fits in now - but for the record : I am not the type of teacher who sits students in rows and students simply work alongside each other. I have different theories of learning and believe that children do need to be "in charge" of their own learning. The classroom should be "student-centered" rather than "teacher-centered". Alot of my lessons tend to be ones where I pose a problem in which the students are interested and they investigate with one another for the answers. Currently, schools are steering away from the more traditional models of teaching and all grade levels do interact with each other. For example, in one school that I've currently taught at we had "Book Buddies" where the fourth graders come and read books with first graders. Oh . . . and in my classroom, I don't care if the sky is blue, red, striped, or even polka dotted!!!

Answer 8

I think it works for some families and not others. The parents have to be disciplined in the way of being able to be consistent and follow a routine,when coming to the day to day teaching, for some because they are at home with the children, it is hard, too many distractions, the phone ringing, other children, and actual teaching time is cut down. Almost in a way of home based businesses really, there are pros and cons. If the parent can follow the proper curriculum and teach the child everything they need to know, then it can work well.

I think a con would be the child/children would not be interacting with other children, missing out on events and other social opportunities.

Then a pro would be the safety of being at home, since schools are now not as safe as they once were.

Really there are quite a few pros and cons. I am sure you will make the decision that best suits you and your family. Good Luck. :)

Answer 9

The wonderful homeschool "socialization" myth rears it's ugly head again. Good grief. Unless you lock your child in the house and never let them see another person again they will indeed learn how to interact with other people.

However, the good thing is that hs'ers usually learn to deal with people of all ages, sexes, abilities, etc instead of dealing with 25 other kids the same age all day long.

I don't get how kids in school are supposed to learn social skills any way. The teacher was always telling my dd she "socialized" too much and to be quiet. She couldn't ask questions about the topics she was really interested in because it was time to move onto another subject. And the sky in the pictures HAD to be blue. Period.

Homeschooling gives kids the opportunity to use their imaginations again. To learn what they want to learn and learn it to the best of their ability. To ask all the questions they want to and not be told to be quiet.

My kids are involved in homeschool gym, swimming lessons, dance classes, film school, musicals, archery and plays - and that's all with other homeschoolers. Besides that there is church, the neighbour kids, camp, etc.

My 14yr old also volunteered at camp this year on the work crew.

Answer 10

I think if you live in a town where the public education is not right homeschooling would be a pretty good thing to do. However, if their is a great public school in the area I would prefer my children go there. Why? There are endless opportunities to make friends, get involved in activities, and it's just something kids do. Is it right for every child? No, I'm sure many kids prefer being home-schooled but for my kids I feel that public school would be the best thing for them.