Homeschooling Poll

[muck]

Homeschooling is becoming more widespread.

 

I was curious what others had seen / experienced with it...

[Chavez]

Ooooo, I get to be the first to vote!

 

My opinion:

 

I would like to homeschool my kid(s), but I don't know that it is possible.

 

That said, I think it's kinda baffling that somehow, over the past 20-some years, the public school system, which has essentially been a minor miracle over 70 year or so - (theoretically) equally educating American children of all stripes - is suddenly Da Debbil.

 

My main problem with home-schooled children, and this is 100% bias-filled, is that the people most likely to do so are those who fear the insidious creep of "liberalism" into their kids' education, and thus are the most likely to send their kids out into the world thinking that Jesus rode a dinosaur into church.

 

That said, the lone home-schooled student I know is an absolute joy - she is bright, beautiful, personable young lady attending a fairly prestigious (Marquette) university; I haven't sat down and done a "do you believe/don't you believe" conversation (and I don't plan to) but I have no reason to believe that she didn't receive an adequate education at home.

[darin3]

Good poll, first and foremost. Now, some explanations as to my votes.

 

1. I am a product of the public education system. It's my assessment that I was one of the last few classes (at least at my HS) that produced a wide set of scholars. My school got dumb (read: somewhat ethnic... sad but true).

 

2. I don't have any real basis to say they're providing good or bad teaching/training. I guess it's really a case-by-case basis. Home-schooling CAN be highly effective, but then again, it could also spurn social retards.

 

3. I'm not sure if I know anyone that was homeschooled or that has homeschooled their kids. So can't answer this.

 

4. Again, it's a case-by-case basis as to how the kid(s) turns out. I think social interaction is a necessarily evil (even if it's an all-boys or all-girls school type of situation). But with regular social interaction in conjunction with home schooling, I think it could be a very effective way to raise your children.

 

5. As I noted above, there is the POTENTIAL for a serious gap in learning. Part of learning is (sadly) competing against your fellow classmates. Group projects. And of course, the social aspect. However, if prepared correctly, home schooling can mimic these aspects of "normal" schooling.

 

6. I can't say for sure whether homeschooling has any political or socio-economic vital signs. I would ASSUME it's probably more of a liberal idea, and a family would probably have to be rather well off (read: have a parent home all of the time). So if I had to pick, I'd say liberal and above average income. But I'm sure some conservative people find today's schooling a hotbed of liberalism and prefer to manage what their children are learning.

 

Again, interesting poll. The wife and I will most likely NOT homeschool but have agreed that public school - for all intents and purposes - has gone completely downhill and private and/or same-sex schooling is in our kid(s)' future.

[Chavez]

I don't have any real basis to say they're providing good or bad teaching/training. I guess it's really a case-by-case basis. Home-schooling CAN be highly effective, but then again, it could also spurn social retards.

I think it's beyond doubt that home-schooling gives the "teacher" TREMENDOUS influence over the students. The question is, is that teacher effective? And since home-schooling is off the map, as far as measuring/testing goes, it's impossible to know what they're being taught, aside from the ability to pass standardized test when needed.

 

3. I'm not sure if I know anyone that was homeschooled or that has homeschooled their kids. So can't answer this.

I think social interaction is a necessarily evil (even if it's an all-boys or all-girls school type of situation). But with regular social interaction in conjunction with home schooling, I think it could be a very effective way to raise your children.

I've seen that parents who home-school are getting into co-ops where their kids can compete in sports and such with public-schooled kids. Not a bad idea.

 

6. I can't say for sure whether homeschooling has any political or socio-economic vital signs. I would ASSUME it's probably more of a liberal idea, and a family would probably have to be rather well off (read: have a parent home all of the time). So if I had to pick, I'd say liberal and above average income. But I'm sure some conservative people find today's schooling a hotbed of liberalism and prefer to manage what their children are learning.

Again, maybe it's just where each person is coming from, but I always assumed it was some sort of reaction by the right/Jeebus-ers to the "liberal agenda" public schools push.

 

The wife and I will most likely NOT homeschool but have agreed that public school - for all intents and purposes - has gone completely downhill and private and/or same-sex schooling is in our kid(s)' future.

 

Read Freakonomics - it has a section on the school choice program in Chicago (or maybe it was Cleveland) - a study showed that it wasn't the students who WENT to the non-public schools who excelled, but all the students who APPLIED to go to those schools - essentially, if a parent is going to have a hand in getting their kid the best education possible, the kid is going to get a good education, whatever happens (I may be f*cking up the explanation of this) - active parent = good education, in short.

[muck]

When I was in college, I paid for some of my education by selling books door-to-door (straight commission) in the summer. Doing this, I met loads of home schooling families. Most of the ones I met were very hard core hippies. The most interesting one I met provided for his two wives and six kids by running a t-shirt printing company. His biggest customer was the Greatful Dead. There were a few that were "church types", but most of the ones I met drank goat milk, made their own clothes and didn't eat meat.

 

However, since then, most (but definately not all) of the ones I've met have been from more conservative or white-collar families.

 

Anyhow, since first being exposed to this type of teaching your kids, I've wanted to do it. My wife and I are thinking about starting this fall (our oldest will be in the 3rd grade this fall and we have two younger kids, too).

 

For us, the benefits include a freedom to customize the educational experience to each of our kids individual learning style ... allow us to combine whatever it is that our kids are interested in and using their interests to teach them whatever is age-appropriate ... travel extensively to teach about things outside the US by actually experiencing it (emersion in local cultures) ... actively volunteer in local charities ... less expensive than private school ... focus on teaching character, decision making, and other personal attributes that are important for life skills not really accessable in larger classrooms ... able to piggy-back off of other homeschool families that have a paricular expertise in a specific subject (science, math, languages, etc) ... unlimited amount of time to be spent socializing in whatever arena each kid wants (music, sports, etc) ...

 

The main downside I can see? I'm afraid it'll take a ton of work. Most serious homeschoolers tell me that I'm right about that ... however, from most everyone I've ever talked to about it says that there is nothing more rewarding for the parent or the kids (if done right ... and "right" includes a ton of external socialization and seeking help when you need it from someone else that knows more about a particular subject). I think they may be right ... teaching my kids is one of the most imporant things I'll ever do. They can make it sound pretty cool, but I'm a little hesitant (my wife is 99% of the way there). One of the main things I keep asking myself is, "If it does take a ton of work, is there anything more beneficial to myself or my family than pouring myself into than teaching my kids?"

Edited May 2, 2007 by muck

[Chavez]

 

If muck is pro- something, I find it hard to be anti-

[Bier Meister]

1. 3 years public, the rest private/private catholic

 

2. pluses and minuses. i think the children get to learn quite a bit, teacher (mother/father) can be more creative (ie: field trips/learnign experiences), most of the kids have been socially akward...i wouldn't call them anti-social.

 

3. quite a fedw of my friends home schooled their kids.

 

4. social skills suffered

 

5. very well prepared academically.

 

6. politically more lib.... mid to high mid class....... that was bay area so, it's all relative.

[muck]

Another thing about the social skills of home schooled kids vs. their public / private schooled peers ...

 

When's the last time you went to the local high school (or pre-school) and saw a bunch of kids hanging out and said, "I want my kid to turn out like that." ??

 

..... NOTE THAT WE ARE NOT HOMESCHOOLING OUR KIDS RIGHT NOW (but we are thinking about it) .....

Edited May 2, 2007 by muck

[godtomsatan]

What's wrong with kids going to school with each other?

[Thews40]

great poll.

 

The family that lived in the house next door to me in California home schooled their kids. They were devout Christians, and in my opinion were trying to protect them from the world. Just my observation, but those kids were social outcasts. No friends and home with mommy all day. That can’t be cool when you’re 13. Unless you live on Walton’s mountain and there are no other choices, it’s best to just send them out in the world and learn to deal with it… they’re going to have to someday anyway.

[godtomsatan]

When's the last time you went to the local high school (or pre-school) and saw a bunch of kids hanging out and said, "I want my kid to turn out like that." ??

 

 

Whenever I went to one of my nephew's football games. Whenever I have been to one of my nieces plays/musicals. Not every kid hangs out, and not every kid is bad news.

[DMD]

I do not pretend to know every case of home schooling out there, but of those I have known have always involved one of these:

 

A.) Parents that want to cocoon their kids, convinced that the mother is capable of teaching every subject in every grade to their kids because "they know best". They are often parents that do not mix well with the rest of the neighborhood. They are vocal about how bad the school system is despite not really knowing what they are talking about.

 

B.) The kid involved has some problem that the parents feel is better served not being in a public or private school. Either the kid is just sort of strange or a bit slow. Said kid does not mix well with other kids.

 

I am sure there are tons of big success stories out there but I have never lived near any. I think it all depends GREATLY on the child, the parent and what they would be in for public or privates schools otherwise. The parents are making what they feel is the best choice for their kid and I absolutely respect that. But I think it is so individual in nature as to what is good or bad about home schooling that treating it as an overall issue is hard to do. It just depends on the entire situation involved.

[Azazello1313]

How were you educated from K - 12? denver public schools

What do you think of parents that primarily homeschool their kids? my first instinct, like chavez, is to think of the elizabeth smart type of families that just give you that weirdo religious vibe.

I know kids who have been homeschooled for an extended period? a few, but not many. my wife, as someone who plays the harp and went to a music conservatory, has run into a ton of them. musical training is big with the homeschoolers.

What do you think of the social skills of kids that are primarily homeschooled? generally more socially awkward and insulated, but of course there are exceptions.

What do you think of the academic preparedness of kids that are primarily homeschooled usually very well prepared

Parents that homeschool are: probably the leading demographic IMO would be politically conservative and religious, middle to upper middle class.

 

homeschooling is probably not something we would do, because of the limitations as to what your kids are exposed to (some view that as a good thing, we view it as more of a bad thing). but i definitely believe pretty strongly in education at home in addition to what they learn in school. i'll probably make my poor kids turn in book reports to me, and show me what they're learning in math class, dedicated discussions about history, etc.

[Bier Meister]

 

homeschooling is probably not something we would do, because of the limitations as to what your kids are exposed to (some view that as a good thing, we view it as more of a bad thing). but i definitely believe pretty strongly in education at home in addition to what they learn in school. i'll probably make my poor kids turn in book reports to me, and show me what they're learning in math class, dedicated discussions about history, etc.

 

 

 

agree...... and when we travel reports and intellectual activities will be required

[Czarina]

I've known families that homeschooled for a wide variety of reasons..many religious.

 

If you've got a competent parent/teacher, there's no reason why the child can't do well. There's close to 1:1 attention and they can move at their own pace. As the child gets older though, the parent has to be on the ball about knowing what they don't know, advanced math and such. They need to know how to get the child what he needs as he grows.

 

I've known a few parents who primarily homeschool but have an agreement with the school district for the child to attend art/music/pe type classes at the school for a little balance. And many homeschoolers form groups, they don't just sit in the house all day, so they can have socializing opportunities, etc.

[sunysteelfly76]

It would be interesting to see some data on how homeschooled children perform on the standardized tests that are used as the criteria to judge how well public schools are educating the students.

[Footballjoe]

It would be interesting to see some data on how homeschooled children perform on the standardized tests that are used as the criteria to judge how well public schools are educating the students.

 

 

From what I heard and read the Homeschoolers are exceeding the public school kids. My son is home schooled and has been for the last 4 years. My wife does most of the teaching although he does have a Math tudor. He excels in Math but struggles in English type courses. He can do in a few hours what it takes the schools 8 hours to teach. He is bright, well behaved and outgoing. He is involved in music, church and works part time. Religion is not the reason for being home schooled but more a combination of struggling in English and the BS from the public school system.

 

My daughter chose to go to public school so she could attend the Governors School for the Arts. If it was not for that she would have not put up with all the crap in Public School. SAhe had some friends who dropped out of Governors School because they could not deal with the crap from Public School.

 

As long as the parents and teachers of home schoolers are doing their jobs the child will far exceed the public schoolers. Just my 2 cents.

[Big John]

I am having some issues with my brother on this. He pulled his son out of public school to "homeschool" him. But he has no inclination to educate him.

 

He claims he needs to teach him something only one day of the year and he is e-mailing me articles from a extreme homeschooling site supporting this stance. (this is not a reputable homeschooling site that emphasises education while homeschooling).

 

He is being ordered to prove that his son is being educated or to bring his child back to a school, but he is fighting this all the way.

[cre8tiff]

My wife homeschooled our daughters from 2-5th grade. Both are now Honor students.

 

Worked for us.

Edited May 2, 2007 by cre8tiff

[Grits and Shins]

My education came in the public school system.

 

My children are in the public school system.

 

I have two close friends that home school. Their children seem to be normal children in regards to social interaction and education. I think it is going to be very hard to generalize/categorize answers because so much depends on the effort and ability of the home schooler.

 

For the most part it seems to me like parents home school for two reasons

1) They are disatisfied with the quality of the education provided in public schools

2) They are disatisfied with the public school environment

[Gonkis]

he does have a Math tudor. He excels in Math but struggles in English type courses.

 

Genetic?

[AtomicCEO]

I remember Mrs. Shields being a hardass. I remember Mr. King being goofy and funny. I remember Mrs. Hefffernan being incredibly clever and interesting.

 

If I had one teacher my whole K-6, I would have missed out on the different perspectives of all those different teachers.

 

I think it's pretty arrogant and paranoid to want to be the only influence on your child's education. I'd rather my kid get a variety of different influences to make them a more balanced person.

 

I'm awesome (clearly) but I don't think my kid needs to get ALL of his information and influence directly from me. Even if they have a bad teacher, it'll teach them how to deal with that.

[Grits and Shins]

I remember Mrs. Shields being a hardass. I remember Mr. King being goofy and funny. I remember Mrs. Hefffernan being incredibly clever and interesting.

 

If I had one teacher my whole K-6, I would have missed out on the different perspectives of all those different teachers.

 

I think it's pretty arrogant and paranoid to want to be the only influence on your child's education. I'd rather my kid get a variety of different influences to make them a more balanced person.

 

I'm awesome (clearly) but I don't think my kid needs to get ALL of his information and influence directly from me. Even if they have a bad teacher, it'll teach them how to deal with that.

 

 

I tend to agree (except for the part about you being awesome), however with the increase of violence and drugs in the public school systems I understand the desire to remove your child from that environment.

[Yukon Cornelius]

a lot of home school kids in my area... 99 % is for religious reasons... done buy wealthy and poor... kids turn out a mixed of great, ok. terrible.... about the same as public school ... some parents do a great job some do a horrible job.....

[Egret]

For the most part it seems to me like parents home school for two reasons

1) They are disatisfied with the quality of the education provided in public schools

2) They are disatisfied with the public school environment

 

I'll agree with Blitz here. As a public school teacher, there are issues with the curric and environment. While I do believe in public education, there are definite benefits for home schooling. There are a broad range of reasons why folks do it. The biggest challenge to public education in a traditional setting is not charter schools, vouchers, schools of choice or private schools. The biggest challenge is home schooling.

 

When done correctly, I have no doubts that it can be a wonderful way to learn. Too many of the currics that I've seen online are worksheets and textbooks. It's a serious issue that will come to the forefront more and more.

 

There is a disparaging lack of equality in the system right now. Too many parents are uninvolved with their children's academics and lives. Our mental health system doesn't adequately solve all problems and it affects our children. Our schools place too much of an emphasis on testing and standards, and it affects our children too.

 

I could go on and on... but I won't.