Home schooling - please explain this to me
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Anonymous
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Hello,
I am from Europe, although have lived here for a long time. Please explain to me why a young family living in a great neighborhood in NW DC would home school their two young boys. I really don't get the concept. Does the mother really think she can provide the same learning environment as a school could? Also how long can you home school your kids and how does that effect high school, college etc? I would like to understand this, since at this point I just find it weird and really isolating for a child. Thanks! |
Anonymous
| Parents are the first teacher. Any teacher learns that in college in teacher education 101. |
Anonymous
It puzzles me too op and I am also not from this country originally. Aside the social experience (I won't touch that) it just amazes me how some people can pull or attempt to pull this off (and some do it successfully). So, there are parents out there that are great in all subjects - math, geometry, physics, chemistry, history, geography, english, foreign language, arts, music, etc. These people must be very driven. I could never do it. |
Anonymous
| The reasons for homeschooling vary. Sometimes it is for religious reasons. Sometimes it's because the available school options are unsatisfactory. You don't need to look far to see that school isn't always a great place for all kids (violence, drugs, alcohol, bullying, peer pressure, excessive stress). Personally, we only know one family that homeschools and that is because the daughters are ballerinas and homeschooling allows for a more flexible schedule. |
Anonymous
| I don't want to provide the same learning environment my kids could get in public school. That's sort of the point. Also, you can homeschool through high school. |
Anonymous
| They want deep engagement and learning, which not all kids will get in schools, even with good scores, but will get in unschooling. Also, I don't know how it is in your country, but some of the weakest students become elementary teachers, and then aren't paid well, and then aren't given professional autonomy to develop into great teachers, and then are harassed by test based evaluation to hammer home just what is on the test at the expense of real learning. My mom (teacher) used to read books to her middle schoolers in her at risk school. They were rapt, even the discipline-problem-prone boys. Number the Stars was one. Now she drills what will be on the test. She used to develop fantastic lessons for her students and go to workshops all over the county to help her bring exciting content to them. Now her school district hands her lessons (I wonder if they are prepared by the testing company) that help her student develop the skills they need to do well on the test. Scores are still bad but they are up. Her students are learning less. |
Anonymous
| college teacher here. My home schooled students are the best. Actually want to learn and curious. No social issues (there is plenty of places to learn to socialize, and being in a class of 22 people your age is not normal socialization anyway - you learn a lot about how to socialize in a setting with 22 people your own age, which has about 0 use value once you leave schooll) |
Anonymous
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People HS for different reasons. I know of a child who has a medical condition and would miss too much school for appointments. Some people want to allow their kids to have more creative time (music, art etc.) or prefer to do more museum trips than what a typical school schedule allows.
Also, there are a number of HS groups and classes, homeschooling being isolating is a big misconception. |
Anonymous
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I am a public HS teacher who can't imagine teaching my own kids at home (I feel like my son listens best to anyone BUT me!), but I know how much time we waste in school.... UGH. I have several students in my classes who are so far beyond the curriculum that I'm working with them to skip ahead because it's probably painful for them to sit and wait for everyone else to catch up.
I think a lot of people do it for religious reasons as well. |
Anonymous
Especially as kids get older, many home schooled kids do online or correspondence classes. So the parent doesn't have to be an expert on everything. Some will also form collectives so multiple parents are teaching the kids in different subjects. |
Anonymous
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I am not a proponent for home-schooling a child, but I think the reason parents choose this option is because they may disagree w/the curriculum that is taught in the public schools + perhaps may not be able to afford a private school education.
I notice many of my church member families choose to home-school their children and I think it has to do w/their religious beliefs and how they do not agree w/how the public school educates its students. For instance, the way evolution is taught. Also, that homosexuality is taught as more as an orientation vs. a preference, etc. Those types of things. |
Anonymous
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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, etc.) |
Anonymous
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To me, this is a stupid question. "Does she really think she can provide the same education as a real school" is essentially the same as saying "Everyone knows that traditional schooling is perfect and has zero drawbacks. How can homeschooling compete?"
Obviously, every form of schooling has drawbacks. Even a really fabulous public school wastes a ton of time on housekeeping stuff like fundraising, announcements, lining up, not to mention the days that are wasted on testing or days when they learn very little such as the last day before a holiday or the weeks after standardized tests for the year have been completed. They also have a very artificial social environment, with not enough adults to manage social dynamics so even at a young age serious bullying can occur. They also are built to teach kids who are the middle of the pack and kids who are gifted, learning disabled, or worst of all both simutaneously are not well served. You might be able to find a private that fits your needs, but it will cost a lot of money. If the parent is SAH anyway, or can working flexibly or part time, then you can accomplish the same level of education faster (because it is geard to your specific child and there are no logistics to eat up class time), then spend the remaining time on either working ahead of the normal curriculum or on other valuable life experiences, such as deep involvement in a hobby or sport. Your kid may spend the mornings relatively alone, or may have a class of mixed-aged homeschool peers to study with, and afternoons/evenings will often be as full as most kids--sports, music, art, and other classes with groups of peers to socialize with. In short, it should be obvious that there are SOME drawbacks to everything and that many people prioritize different drawbacks than you do. |
Anonymous
| Schools treat boys like they ADHD ridden demons if they wiggle in their seat. Not the best environment for many boys. |
Anonymous
| Everyone knows homeschooled kids are weirdos. |