What are the benefits of homeschooling?

Question

Hey - how come homeschooling questions always end up in R&S?

Answer 1

My son loves it. He still has all of his friends from when he was in school (they never get to really socialize like that IN school anyway... it's AFTER school they do that). As for being qualified... have you seen some of these teachers lately??? Come on! 2 of them from my son's high school were escorted off of school grounds by police because they were drunk. Another was arrested because she was selling cocaine to the kids. These are the people who are teaching our kids and you all think they're qualified lol Get real. They'll hire anyone to teach anymore. You don't even need a college education to get a teaching job in KY. All you need to do is become a teachers assistant (which I did for 3 yrs) and then take some classes that talk about the education system, which I didn't do. You can still do gym (we hike when the weather permits and camp). You can still teach music appreciation. If they wish to learn how to play an instrument, there are tutors everywhere that would be more than happy to help out. They don't miss out on ANYTHING, except the bell ringing and a teacher droning on and on.

Benefits - you don't rely on people you don't know to teach your children. YOU pick the subjects each year, which means they don't review everything they've learned every 2 yrs (which is what they do from junior high thru high school). Most colleges accept homeschooled kids. There are online schools which your child can take the classes you don't feel comfortable teaching. You teach them what is Important. (What the hell does diagramming sentences have to do with the real world anyway? And will knowing the starting date of the Civil War get me a cheeseburger at McDonalds?)

It drops it in R&S because most people who homeschool their kids are Fundie Christians who don't want their kids to learn about Evolution.

Heathen

Oh yeah, my son is 17, has already completed World Civ and the first semester of English (we started beginning of Sept). He has a full time job, 2 bank accounts, a credit card (of his own) and is working to get himself a new car. How many 17 yr olds IN school can claim that? He has also started getting info from colleges and spoken with 2 so far. Each of them told us that they would accept homeschoolers. All he has to do is take the Entrance Exam. =)

Answer 2

It depends on how it's done.

For example, what I'd like to do with my kids is this:
1. I'd teach them language arts, history, and literature.
2. Another homeschooling teacher (lots of homeschooling parents do this) would teach them math and science.
3. They'd go to public school for art, music, and/or P.E.

This way, they'd get the best of all worlds. They wouldn't be around me all day, so I could things done, plus they'd be able to make friends in school.

I would make sure that the books I taught from contained the same material that was being taught in public schools, so that my children would receive the best education possible.

What's really great about homeschool is that lots of parents are doing it, so there are programs all over the U.S. for homeschooled children. They can go on "field trips" with other homeschooled children, learn at their own pace, and have a lesson plan that's completely compatible with their learning style.

Too often in public school, teachers are overwhelmed by too many students in their class, so they're not able to focus on the various learning styles.

For example, I'm a visual learner. Audio doesn't work on me. I have to watch movies with subtitles, or I won't be able to focus. When my teachers would stand up and just lecture, without writing main points on the board, or using a slide of some kind, I'd space out and not be able to remember anything.

I believe homeschooling can work, if the parent or parents are qualified to be teaching. So in brief, the benefits of homeschooling would be: 1) Specialized lesson plans; 2) Frequent field trips; 3) The parent or parents is/are able to keep a tight hold on what their children are being taught.

The last one may not always be a good thing, but that depends on the parents. I want my children to have a well-rounded education, and I want them to be able to think critically for themselves. I don't believe that these skills are really taught in schools. My teachers used to get mad at me when I asked them how they knew what was in the textbooks was the total truth. LOL.

Answer 3

Well, I don't home school and never would BUT my daughter has many friends who are and the things they say is that they don't get out of bed until the late day or afternoon, they only have school for about 2 hours. They can take 'field trips' to run errands with their mom and they don't have to worry about not fitting in with the other kids (clothing).

There are things I see is disadvantages too but you didn't ask for those.

Answer 4

Home schooling is crap. Unless parents are trained teachers they should leave it to the experts.

My parents tried home schooling me for a while, then got a bit creative with the curriculum. I missed so much real content I could barely cope with some subjects when I got to high school.

Answer 5

with homeschooling, you can pray before each class... public school is soooooooo restricting in that area

Answer 6

It allows for people to be programmed in isolation, meaning they can be programmed without ever learning how to learn or having there views challenged untill they are relatively unchangeable,

Answer 7

You can avoid daft teachers, be educated in hours that suit you, choose which subjects to learn, more freedom to choose which places to go to that compiments your education, in some ways more resources because you choose what material to learn from. And you can teach/learn/incorporate your 'religion' to suit you.

Answer 8

don't know... i never did homeschooling and i think i wouldn't like it very much...

Answer 9

i dont agree with it...kids need gym and music and friends too..
spending time with mom might be nice but usually she isnt qualified and why take away their friends??