I wish homeschooling didn’t have a stigma...

[Anonymous]

OP, where do you live? If you are in the DC area, there are thousands of homeschool families that have the range of different philosophies.

[Anonymous]

No I don’t agree. If you want to homeschool, then homeschool if it’s right for your family. At your age you should really stop caring so much about the opinions of strangers.

[Anonymous]

Personally, I think kids benefit from spending some portion of their childhood in school, but I have no issues with home schooling for some subset of years. It just shouldn't be all of their education. There is value to being part of a group and learning patience in a group setting.

As one example, my sister had a good friend who was homeschooled forever. She wanted to work for NASA for her whole childhood and got a degree in aerospace engineering. She only lasted at NASA for about a month before she quit. She couldn't handle to structure and beaurocracy. That was her first and last job. She now stays home and homeschool her kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I think kids benefit from spending some portion of their childhood in school, but I have no issues with home schooling for some subset of years. It just shouldn't be all of their education. There is value to being part of a group and learning patience in a group setting.

As one example, my sister had a good friend who was homeschooled forever. She wanted to work for NASA for her whole childhood and got a degree in aerospace engineering. She only lasted at NASA for about a month before she quit. She couldn't handle to structure and beaurocracy. That was her first and last job. She now stays home and homeschool her kids.

You can't possibly say that not being able to "handle" working at NASA is something against homeschooling. NASA is one of the most strict and structured work environments on the planet. I was not homeschooled, I actually did extremely well in school including receiving several prestigious awards (in addition to a hard science PhD), and I couldn't handle it either.

Why don't you look at it the other way - that it's interesting she was able to get a degree in aerospace engineering after being "homeschooled forever" and downright impressive that she was able to achieve what many have tried but few have been able to do and to actually get a job working for NASA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really can’t imagine homeschooling my kids but my very bright cousins definitely faced a college admissions stigma, which I found very unfair.

Homeschooled kids can find lots of ways to be just as well socialized, and a self-directed kid is probably on net getting a better education. I found public school to reallt stifle my self-directed learning which is part of why we use a private school.

This is interesting. Did they apply within the past few years? I've heard that the top colleges look favorably upon homeschoolers now. Or maybe your cousins didn't have high SAT scores?

[Anonymous]

Homeschooling was the best thing I ever did for my kids. Please do it if you can. School is waaaay too structured. It quashes creativity and is more like a military base. I work in one. Trust me.

[Anonymous]

I don't think that it's associated with conservatives, I think homeschooling is associated with weirdos, no offense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I think kids benefit from spending some portion of their childhood in school, but I have no issues with home schooling for some subset of years. It just shouldn't be all of their education. There is value to being part of a group and learning patience in a group setting.

As one example, my sister had a good friend who was homeschooled forever. She wanted to work for NASA for her whole childhood and got a degree in aerospace engineering. She only lasted at NASA for about a month before she quit. She couldn't handle to structure and beaurocracy. That was her first and last job. She now stays home and homeschool her kids.

You can't possibly say that not being able to "handle" working at NASA is something against homeschooling. NASA is one of the most strict and structured work environments on the planet. I was not homeschooled, I actually did extremely well in school including receiving several prestigious awards (in addition to a hard science PhD), and I couldn't handle it either.

Why don't you look at it the other way - that it's interesting she was able to get a degree in aerospace engineering after being "homeschooled forever" and downright impressive that she was able to achieve what many have tried but few have been able to do and to actually get a job working for NASA?

I would agree with you if she had gotten another job. Instead she decided to be a stay at home wife for several years and volunteer at her church until she had kids. She's missing the ability to function in any workplace.

[Anonymous]

Yes it has a stigma, and yes I think it's (mostly) deserved.

[Anonymous]

I have nothing against homeschooling. However, I am not sure I could handle teaching my kids for 5-6 hours a day.

[Anonymous]

Homeschooling is weird. Period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Homeschooling is weird. Period.

You know what? It really isn’t. Period.

Signed,
Parent of kids in public school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have nothing against homeschooling. However, I am not sure I could handle teaching my kids for 5-6 hours a day.

If you're even vaguely competent, you don't do formal "teaching" for anywhere near 5-6 hours a day. Not unless they have learning disorders and/or special needs anyway (and probably not even then). In the beginning grades it's much lower, more like 1 or maybe 2 hours a day.

It's not until the upper grades that it starts becoming 5-6 hours a day of "academic work" but by then, most of it is done independently by the student so it's not really "teaching" for that long either. Maybe still an hour a day of actual teaching from you plus a bit more of grading and admin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have nothing against homeschooling. However, I am not sure I could handle teaching my kids for 5-6 hours a day.

If you're even vaguely competent, you don't do formal "teaching" for anywhere near 5-6 hours a day. Not unless they have learning disorders and/or special needs anyway (and probably not even then). In the beginning grades it's much lower, more like 1 or maybe 2 hours a day.

It's not until the upper grades that it starts becoming 5-6 hours a day of "academic work" but by then, most of it is done independently by the student so it's not really "teaching" for that long either. Maybe still an hour a day of actual teaching from you plus a bit more of grading and admin.

This can't be true!
1-2 hours of teaching a day??!
I don't believe you.
Homeschoolers are trying to fight the stigma, and this, well, sums up society's fears about it. Lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Homeschooling is weird. Period.

You know what? It really isn’t. Period.

Signed,
Parent of kids in public school

Yes, it is.