Home schooling - please explain this to me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting around 2nd grade, many home schooled kids are in a co OP. The parents pay a fee and the kids go 1-2 partial
days a week to a place (rec. Center room, library meeting room, church room) with lots of other kids for certain subjects. Also, there are whole catalogues of home school materials available so it isn't like these families are recreating a curriculum. They teach subjects from a book. VA requires home schooled kids to be tested (by the parents) to determine where they are, but I do know one family who specifically home schools so their kids don't have to take the SOLs.

I know several home schooled families. This is what I've seen:

They have difficulty in group settings BUT in subtle ways. If asked to ask a QUESTION the kids will start with a story. (Typical for preschool and kindergarten, but usually by first grade a kid knows a question begins with who, what when, where, why, esp is the adult has already given the instruction more than once)

More difficulty navigating relationships with peers - again in subtle ways: a friend says to knock something off as it is annoying (repeated humming), the home schooled kid continues it smiling, not to be annoying, but just not picking up in the social cue that the friend meant it. If doesn't get his or her way immediately runs to tell the parent in the room (at the age of 9), example "mom, I wanted to play battleship but the 3 others said let's play tag."

They report they are "done" with school in 2 hours a day. Obviously even with time wasted in school, that's a lot of missed learning time.

More immature (by a lot)

Easily overwhelmed in larger setting - cry easily, run to mom and dad, etc.

BUT:

Wonderful manners

Very family focused

Have wonderful experiences (more day time hours to explore museums, try different sports,

In Fairfax, the homeschool requirement for K is 7 hrs of one on one time a week. So a kid that finishes in two hours a day is getting a the learning a public school kid gets. One on one is an efficient way to learn. And public schools have a lot of time spent on lining up, transitioning, etc that you wouldn't have at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was home-schooled by my mother for a year and a half, OP. The school district we lived in was okay (small town in Illinois) but the specific elementary school that I attended was not a great experience for me. Their academic tracking system was rigid, such that a student entering the school in 4th grade (which I did because we relocated to the area) was not able to place or test into their gifted and talented programs. I was placed in basic reading and math classes, which were well below the level of the 3rd grade I'd attended the year before elsewhere. The teacher was autocratic, dismissive of my previous educational experiences (at a private school that uses an alternative education method) and hostile to my mom, who spent the first quarter of 4th grade trying to figure out ways to work with the teacher to improve my experience. The superintendent was wonderful (and actually remains a family friend to this day), but the staff at that elementary school were terrible, and my mom, who stayed home with my younger siblings, made the decision to pull me out of school at winter break and teach me home the rest of the year and the following year because of that specific elementary school.

We bought textbooks for math and science and a stack of novels and non-fiction books. I wrote essays and learned about basic writing principles. We also did art projects, cooking projects and spent a lot of time outside. I'm not musical or athletic, so we didn't really do those things, but I maintained friendships with neighborhood kids. It was basically the same social set up as the handful of kids who went to private school - we'd all go to our various "schools" in the morning and then when school let out, we'd play in someone's yard.

I returned to public education for 6th grade having begun learning algebra and geometry and reading novels that are usually assigned in high school. My family is not religious, so it was not a religious education issue. I was not being bullied, so it was not a social issue.

NP here. These are the kind of stories I hear a lot -- kids are pulled out for specific reasons relating to the combo of the child and school environment. I think it's great that the internet has made it so much easier to do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting around 2nd grade, many home schooled kids are in a co OP. The parents pay a fee and the kids go 1-2 partial
days a week to a place (rec. Center room, library meeting room, church room) with lots of other kids for certain subjects. Also, there are whole catalogues of home school materials available so it isn't like these families are recreating a curriculum. They teach subjects from a book. VA requires home schooled kids to be tested (by the parents) to determine where they are, but I do know one family who specifically home schools so their kids don't have to take the SOLs.

I know several home schooled families. This is what I've seen:

They have difficulty in group settings BUT in subtle ways. If asked to ask a QUESTION the kids will start with a story. (Typical for preschool and kindergarten, but usually by first grade a kid knows a question begins with who, what when, where, why, esp is the adult has already given the instruction more than once)

More difficulty navigating relationships with peers - again in subtle ways: a friend says to knock something off as it is annoying (repeated humming), the home schooled kid continues it smiling, not to be annoying, but just not picking up in the social cue that the friend meant it. If doesn't get his or her way immediately runs to tell the parent in the room (at the age of 9), example "mom, I wanted to play battleship but the 3 others said let's play tag."

They report they are "done" with school in 2 hours a day. Obviously even with time wasted in school, that's a lot of missed learning time.

More immature (by a lot)

Easily overwhelmed in larger setting - cry easily, run to mom and dad, etc.

BUT:

Wonderful manners

Very family focused

Have wonderful experiences (more day time hours to explore museums, try different sports,

In Fairfax, the homeschool requirement for K is 7 hrs of one on one time a week. So a kid that finishes in two hours a day is getting a the learning a public school kid gets. One on one is an efficient way to learn. And public schools have a lot of time spent on lining up, transitioning, etc that you wouldn't have at home.

7 hours/week is disgraceful. Yes, there is non-academic time in elementary school, but not the equivalent of 6 hours/day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Homeschool kids score higher on ACT/SAT, get higher grades in college, graduate at a higher percentage , have more college credits prior to freshman year and are more likely to vote and participate in community service as adults.


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-homeschoolers-do-well-in-college/


Why wouldn't people who care about their kids homeschool?

Well, for one: because a lot of people who care about their kids have these things called jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Homeschool kids score higher on ACT/SAT, get higher grades in college, graduate at a higher percentage , have more college credits prior to freshman year and are more likely to vote and participate in community service as adults.


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-homeschoolers-do-well-in-college/


Why wouldn't people who care about their kids homeschool?

Well, for one: because a lot of people who care about their kids have these things called jobs.

and when both parents don't work the one at home is rarely the one competent enough to homeschool. Of course once kids are in HS, they can do all their courses on line and don't really need a parent at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Homeschool kids score higher on ACT/SAT, get higher grades in college, graduate at a higher percentage , have more college credits prior to freshman year and are more likely to vote and participate in community service as adults.


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-homeschoolers-do-well-in-college/


Why wouldn't people who care about their kids homeschool?

Well, for one: because a lot of people who care about their kids have these things called jobs.

and when both parents don't work the one at home is rarely the one competent enough to homeschool. Of course once kids are in HS, they can do all their courses on line and don't really need a parent at home.

PP who was homeschooled from 4th-5th grade here.

What we did was possible only because my mom was already home. I don't know why you'd suggest that someone staying home with their kids isn't competent to teach. I know teachers who stay home with their kids who would be great homeschool teachers, being as how they are actually educated and credentialed to teach in a school setting.

As for high school age kids being trusted to do all their coursework online, if that's the case, why bother having high school at all? Let's just let all children take classes online because obviously, they will not in any way benefit from having an adult assisting with the learning process.

[Anonymous]

My sister HS her kids bc the kids are bored in school. The teachers are so busy with the non smart kids, disciplining the trouble makers, showing movies, etc that her kids are under stimulated. Despite multiple conferences with the teacher, my sister ended up supplementing at home. That turned into homeschooling.

Seriuously, spending 3 consecutive class days learning how to write a letter would drive me into boredom too, as an example.

My sister has a home schooling circuit which helps. There are also classes and discounts at museums and nature ctrs that cater to HS kids.

My nieces are in high school now. No more home schooling bc of the various subjects offered and academic levels. No social problems at all. In fact, they're both out going and involved in extra cirricular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Homeschool kids score higher on ACT/SAT, get higher grades in college, graduate at a higher percentage , have more college credits prior to freshman year and are more likely to vote and participate in community service as adults.


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-homeschoolers-do-well-in-college/


Why wouldn't people who care about their kids homeschool?

Well, for one: because a lot of people who care about their kids have these things called jobs.

and when both parents don't work the one at home is rarely the one competent enough to homeschool. Of course once kids are in HS, they can do all their courses on line and don't really need a parent at home.

PP who was homeschooled from 4th-5th grade here.

What we did was possible only because my mom was already home. I don't know why you'd suggest that someone staying home with their kids isn't competent to teach. I know teachers who stay home with their kids who would be great homeschool teachers, being as how they are actually educated and credentialed to teach in a school setting.

As for high school age kids being trusted to do all their coursework online, if that's the case, why bother having high school at all? Let's just let all children take classes online because obviously, they will not in any way benefit from having an adult assisting with the learning process.

You should thank your mom because she is rare. What I said is it is rare that the person staying at home is also the one good at educating their child. Even if the person that stays at home is a heart surgeon that does not mean they are competent at art/calculus/history. Most moms would agree they did not stay home to homeschool.

I think many HS students could be trusted to do all their course work at home on line but they like the atmosphere of school/clubs/sports/lectures/etc.

It's not a one size fits all world out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sister HS her kids bc the kids are bored in school. The teachers are so busy with the non smart kids, disciplining the trouble makers, showing movies, etc that her kids are under stimulated. Despite multiple conferences with the teacher, my sister ended up supplementing at home. That turned into homeschooling.

Seriuously, spending 3 consecutive class days learning how to write a letter would drive me into boredom too, as an example.

My sister has a home schooling circuit which helps. There are also classes and discounts at museums and nature ctrs that cater to HS kids.

My nieces are in high school now. No more home schooling bc of the various subjects offered and academic levels. No social problems at all. In fact, they're both out going and involved in extra cirricular.

There are so many homeschoolers here. Plenty of opportunity for socializing.

If the parents are social people, the kids will likely be just fine.

[Anonymous]

Lots of different cultures and related beliefs in the US so people sometimes want to home school their children.

[Anonymous]

My friend homeschools her SN dc (HFA with severe anxiety) b/c he was mercilessly bullied at public school and there was no classroom that was a good fit for him. Her other three children go to public school.

[Anonymous]

One relative home schooled her two children for 2 years during middle school, because their son had learning difficulties that were not being helped by his school. He had been held back so many times he was in the same grade as his younger sister. Did enable them to do some traveling, and started some life-long history hobbies for their son, who was uninterested previously in any thing academic. They went back to public school in the first year of high school.

Another relative home schooled because their base school was populated by mostly English-as-second-language third world immigrants and their son was a tall, large, academically serious white boy who stuck out. They did not want to move, and he did not fit in well with the private school they tried--not interested in the "silly games" etc... Not sure homeschooling was the best idea in the long run, because he probably would have been served better by a more challenging high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows homeschooled kids are weirdos.

It's funny because it's true...

[Anonymous]

I wish I could homeschool, but we need my income. In addition, the costs of the classes, excursions and travel I would want to do as a HS parent would be out of the question. I would love to give my third grader more time for the things he loves: science, art, math and sports. I would also include music lessons, which he enjoys but doesn't love. Plus, for him to have all of the time he needs for inventing things, playing with legos, playing Minecraft, etc., without the interruption of school and homework, that would be heaven. He goes to a "good" school, but in any school there are huge amounts of time wasted and very little time for recess, gym, art, music, etc.

So far, he does well in school. If there were ever issues of bullying or violence, that would be it for me, we'd be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting around 2nd grade, many home schooled kids are in a co OP. The parents pay a fee and the kids go 1-2 partial
days a week to a place (rec. Center room, library meeting room, church room) with lots of other kids for certain subjects. Also, there are whole catalogues of home school materials available so it isn't like these families are recreating a curriculum. They teach subjects from a book. VA requires home schooled kids to be tested (by the parents) to determine where they are, but I do know one family who specifically home schools so their kids don't have to take the SOLs.

I know several home schooled families. This is what I've seen:

They have difficulty in group settings BUT in subtle ways. If asked to ask a QUESTION the kids will start with a story. (Typical for preschool and kindergarten, but usually by first grade a kid knows a question begins with who, what when, where, why, esp is the adult has already given the instruction more than once)

More difficulty navigating relationships with peers - again in subtle ways: a friend says to knock something off as it is annoying (repeated humming), the home schooled kid continues it smiling, not to be annoying, but just not picking up in the social cue that the friend meant it. If doesn't get his or her way immediately runs to tell the parent in the room (at the age of 9), example "mom, I wanted to play battleship but the 3 others said let's play tag."

They report they are "done" with school in 2 hours a day. Obviously even with time wasted in school, that's a lot of missed learning time.

More immature (by a lot)

Easily overwhelmed in larger setting - cry easily, run to mom and dad, etc.

BUT:

Wonderful manners

Very family focused

Have wonderful experiences (more day time hours to explore museums, try different sports,

In Fairfax, the homeschool requirement for K is 7 hrs of one on one time a week. So a kid that finishes in two hours a day is getting a the learning a public school kid gets. One on one is an efficient way to learn. And public schools have a lot of time spent on lining up, transitioning, etc that you wouldn't have at home.

7 hours/week is disgraceful. Yes, there is non-academic time in elementary school, but not the equivalent of 6 hours/day.

A typical day at my child's school involves 1-1.5 hours of math, 2.5 hours of language arts, 1 hour of social studies or science, 1/2 hour of lunch, 1/2 hour of playtime, and 1-1.5 hours of either music, art, PE, guidance, STEM enrichment activities, or library time. There are three transitions during the day which probably take up about 5-10 minutes each or a total of 30 minutes and mostly involve WALKING - the horrors. Each day is about 4.5 hours of academic time and 1 hour of enrichment. I think the academic time could take place in 3 hours at home, but not less and the enrichment time would probably be longer because most parents would have to drive elsewhere for it. Factor in coop groups that involve driving and the typical homeschooler actually has more transition time during the day that a typical public school student. There are some good reasons to homeschool, but saving time doesn't seem to be one of them.