Help me overcome my prejudice against home schooling

[Anonymous]

My sister's SIL's daughter was home-schooled until middle school..she had 3 younger siblings and I think she was more like the whack job mom's nanny.

She transferred into public school in HS and was very behind.

The Duggars do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an ex-teacher, can't imagine schooling my own kids on top of keeping the household going (when do you sit down to devise the curriculum while still getting some free time to yourself; how do you feel confident that you know all the subject content plus the best teaching strategies without practical experience, ... ?), and have never seen home schooling in action. My only experience is a distant relative's son who was home schooled after the age of 13, supposedly gifted as a child, but ended up with no qualifications and no hope of getting into any college. I know that research on this issue is very hard to do but I can't see any studies on really long-term outcomes for these kids. Not whether they are doing better (academically or social/emotionally, etc.) at the time of home schooling but whether they have the same or more opportunities as others when they are 18+.

Do you know adults who were home schooled? Friends in college? Was anyone famous home schooled?

No flame wars - I just really want to overcome my natural reaction to feel that this is not the best arrangement long-term for kids.

Well, you are a pretty poor excuse for a teacher. I have a relative in California (where schools are terrible) and she home schooled all four of her children. Every year they had to take an exam to show they were on a par with those taught in public school. They always scored in the top 2 percent. One was admitted to Stanford; another had a full scholarship to Cal Tech. the third just graduated and has a scholarship to a school in the East coast (Ivy League); fourth child is still being home schooled.

You missed the boat because I bet you never had three students taught by you who were even comparable to these three. You shouldn't even be allowed to teach because you don't know what you are talking about.

Wait, what? She is admitting that she could be more informed, and is asking questions, and for that she's a poor excuse for a teacher? Shouldn't a teacher be open to new ideas, and admit when she doesn't have knowledge about something? She shouldn't be allowed to teach because she is looking for information on a subject that she's not familiar with? OP sounds exactly like the kind of open-minded person I would want teaching my kids. I truly hope that *you* don't home-school your kids if you slam them for admitting they don't know a lot about something and asking questions to broaden their perspectives. Sheesh.

No, I didn't homeschool, all thre attended private schools.

[Anonymous]

We have several homeschoolers in my youth club and others in school. One set of kids is way above grade level. The other are behind the other kids in the club as far as writing, spelling and general knowledge. It depends on the parents. No one is homeschooling for religious reasons. I think the one family will be great, but I am concerned about the other family, especially when the older child hits middle school age in about a year.

[Anonymous]

My children were home educated K-12. My oldest is now 19 and a college sophomore. She also works part time. My younger is 18, working part time, taking one college course and finishing up her high school work with plans to start college full time in January. As teens they were very involved in many activities including regional youth orchestra, young adult library council, basketball, church youth programs, 4H including the student ambassador program and a stint on the state 4H council, volunteering for political campaigns, community volunteer work, etc. And yes, they dated, went to proms, games, etc.

These outside activities were selected by my children, not forced upon them by parental or peer pressure.

I kind of wish they might have considered a gap year of work or travel before college since I have read about its importance but I am proud of them for wanting to get on with college too. http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/time_off/index.html