“Homeschoolers are weird”

[Anonymous]

I find them weird in the sense that many of them are quirky or different, but I don't necessarily view that as a negative. It depends on how they manifest it.

[Anonymous]

I think it was "weirder" back in the 80s and 90s when our public school system was stronger. Now, especially after Covid, it's become more mainstream.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Evangelical families make up the homeschoolers in our area.

Might be true someplace.

All the homeschool families we know in Fairfax County are non-religious and started homeschooling after seeing what a mess FCPS is. They use mainstream materials, teach evolution and science, and their kids are having no problems with obtaining good college admissions. So far, one has a BSN from UVa with an RN. Another is studying engineering.

The common theme...they are all poor.

Nobody with $.02 homeschools unless they have an elite athlete/musician/actor or like some billionaire I know wanted to sail the world on his 200 foot yacht for a year and hired two teachers to tag along to teach his kids (and then promptly re-enrolled them in a private school when back on dry land).

I started homeschooling because our school options were not great. I could pick from either terrible public school (as in under 75% of the kids are not at grade level, and 80% low income) or mediocre privates. I looked at all of the private options, including catholic and they were unimpressive and used a ton of Ed tech. I would still end up having to spend the afternoons supplementing material to provide what I feel is necessary for a well-rounded education and challenge. I got tired of doing this. Now my child is getting an excellent education AND we have the afternoons to spend cooking, doing sports, music, and freely playing.

Which begs the question...why do you live in such a shitty area? It's not because you are rich and just decided to "slum it", right?

Where I live, the public schools aren't great but aren't terrible either, but you have the choice of like 6 private schools within 3 miles, a number of which rank in the top 100 in the country.

What makes you think your child is getting an excellent education...because you teach it?

Check out Bloom's two sigma problem. Not sure why anyone with the proclivity to homeschool would pay five figures per year for worse academics outcomes.

Because most people with a “proclivity to homeschool” meaning they are the ones teaching, aren’t wealthy and aren’t qualified.

If you are so qualified then why send them to college? Homeschool through college as well.

Granted, plenty of ultra wealthy that think nothing of hiring tutors to bring on their world travels that don’t want to be tied down to a formal school schedule, though equally likely to send their kids to boarding schools.

Anyone with a college degree is qualified to homeschool a normal elementary child. The question is whether they can or want to put in the work to do it. Middle school (if working at a high school level), and high school are harder to homeschool for reasons mentioned above. Homeschool is a year by year choice, weighing in what other academic options are available and what you can provide. We homeschool through elementary then send to public once the accelerated programs and access dual enrollment and AP classes become available.

This makes sense to me! Through elementary, that is. We did for a few years as well when young. What I don't understand is how people do it for high school unless they have either low standards or all the time, money, and resources in the world to bring in help. I have a law degree and DH a PhD, both from Ivies, and we...would have to do a LOT of re-learning to teach multi-variable calculus or similar. There's just no way we'd be better than someone who teaches that subject matter day in and day out. Regardless of the academics, I worry aboit the socialization by that age too.

[Anonymous]

There are so many weird kids in public schools too.
-public school mom (we homeschooled one semester during Covid. And I mean homeschooled, registered them, etc.)

[Anonymous]

I find it weird when homeschooling parents like to hang out in the public school and private school forms to brag about how homeschooling is better

[Anonymous]

My kids have studied in public schools.

I was disappointed with the low quality of instruction and curriculum in American schools, and so in trying to keep them competitive with the students from my country of origin, I leaned heavily on many homeschooling resources to accelerate, supplement and enrich their education.

No, I do not think homeschoolers are weird. I think they are intelligent and smart. Most importantly, they do not waste away years of their life from K-12 in getting substandard or lopsided education. My reason for having my kids be in public schools was mainly for socialization and some guidance in the American education system. Also, I did not think that I could handle the burden of homeschooling since I was not familiar with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know, but homeschoolers ARE weird. I've known several throughout a few different states and over the last few decades. Funny how adults sometimes find them lovely, but they can't get along with other kids their age for anything.

My thoughts too unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Evangelical families make up the homeschoolers in our area.

Might be true someplace.

All the homeschool families we know in Fairfax County are non-religious and started homeschooling after seeing what a mess FCPS is. They use mainstream materials, teach evolution and science, and their kids are having no problems with obtaining good college admissions. So far, one has a BSN from UVa with an RN. Another is studying engineering.

The common theme...they are all poor.

Nobody with $.02 homeschools unless they have an elite athlete/musician/actor or like some billionaire I know wanted to sail the world on his 200 foot yacht for a year and hired two teachers to tag along to teach his kids (and then promptly re-enrolled them in a private school when back on dry land).

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know, but homeschoolers ARE weird. I've known several throughout a few different states and over the last few decades. Funny how adults sometimes find them lovely, but they can't get along with other kids their age for anything.

Not my experience at all.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever considered that we’re homeschooling because some of our kids were weird to begin with?

Mine is bright, creative, funny, and also has a lot of behavioral challenges due to adhd and anxiety. He can’t get accepted to privates, not just top tier, not any of them because of his quirks and challenges. And some public school staff might see his potential, but the need for and focus on compliance stresses him out, so he can’t learn there. We’re two income UMC, homeschooling, doing lots of enrichment classes, and my son is finally making progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it weird when homeschooling parents like to hang out in the public school and private school forms to brag about how homeschooling is better

Maybe they also have kids in public/private? Just because you homeschool one child doesn’t mean you homeschool all. My high schooler goes to a public magnet school. He is extremely bright and needs the advanced academic and research opportunities that his school can provide. I can’t homeschool multi variable calculus. I homeschool my elementary child because public elementary is crap. Our private options for elementary aren’t anything outstanding. I’m able to give my child a better education, so I do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Evangelical families make up the homeschoolers in our area.

Might be true someplace.

All the homeschool families we know in Fairfax County are non-religious and started homeschooling after seeing what a mess FCPS is. They use mainstream materials, teach evolution and science, and their kids are having no problems with obtaining good college admissions. So far, one has a BSN from UVa with an RN. Another is studying engineering.

The common theme...they are all poor.

Nobody with $.02 homeschools unless they have an elite athlete/musician/actor or like some billionaire I know wanted to sail the world on his 200 foot yacht for a year and hired two teachers to tag along to teach his kids (and then promptly re-enrolled them in a private school when back on dry land).

+1

Maybe true in areas where they are multiple outstanding, top tier private school options. But that is pretty limited to a few areas in the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it weird when homeschooling parents like to hang out in the public school and private school forms to brag about how homeschooling is better

But you think it is perfectly normal to come to the Homeschooling Forum and participate in a thread called "Homeschoolers are weird." It seems like socialization might have failed in both venues.

[Anonymous]

The common theme...they are all poor.

Nobody with $.02 homeschools unless they have an elite athlete/musician/actor or like some billionaire I know wanted to sail the world on his 200 foot yacht for a year and hired two teachers to tag along to teach his kids (and then promptly re-enrolled them in a private school when back on dry land).

Poor as in can't afford $50K private schools and have limited options if they are dissatisfied with the public schools, or poor as in poor? Because, in the DC area, I don't a single poor family that is homeschooling. I do know a lot of MC/UMC (by education) families where parents have advanced degrees but have chosen lower paying jobs. Many of them started out in public schools, but that was not a good fit for various reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The common theme...they are all poor.

Nobody with $.02 homeschools unless they have an elite athlete/musician/actor or like some billionaire I know wanted to sail the world on his 200 foot yacht for a year and hired two teachers to tag along to teach his kids (and then promptly re-enrolled them in a private school when back on dry land).

Poor as in can't afford $50K private schools and have limited options if they are dissatisfied with the public schools, or poor as in poor? Because, in the DC area, I don't a single poor family that is homeschooling. I do know a lot of MC/UMC (by education) families where parents have advanced degrees but have chosen lower paying jobs. Many of them started out in public schools, but that was not a good fit for various reasons.

Poor as in can’t live in a quality school district and can’t afford even a $30k private. BTW, if they are really that strapped the Sidwell’s of the world will provide FA.

Why choose a low paying job if it means you now have to homeschool your kid (which is no job I think)?