Are they really homeschooling?

[Anonymous]

There is tons of wasted time in school. So, yes, homeschooling can be much more efficient.

OP, you can nicely ask them to stay off your propert. That's all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The thing with homeschooling is that you can follow a traditional schedule or not depending on how it suits your family/kid.

If the kid is a morning person, they can get up early and knock out pretty much all they need to do in a 2-3 hours. If evening is there focus time, then start then. It takes a LOT less time when there is not 'settle in time', passing out of papers, collecting of papers, multi kid bathroom breaks, multiple repetition of instructions, you can also move faster- if theres no need to review yesterday's work first, then keep going.

So yes, it is very possible that your neighbor is homeschooling. She also might be sending out kids on a rotating basis while she teaches one or two inside.

A big plus of homeschooling is that your kids do get to spend lots of time outside playing because the same learning doesn't take as long when it's practically one on one tutoring. They are not beholden to the 4 walls of their classroom and to the 20 minutes of recess.

My kids are in public school but I did homeschool my oldest for 2 years. It was not easy and involved a ton of prep and planning on my part, but my kid did have a great deal of time to explore and just be a kid while still learning. And he was ahead by 1-2 grade levels in some subjects when he started public.

I'd just politely ask the neighbor to be mindful of the property line because you get disturbed by the noise when you're working. But you can't make anyone keep their kids in the house all day to benefit you.

This PP and others have explained it well.
I nearly homeschooled my son this year, and may next year if we don't change school situations soon. He is both gifted and learning disabled, which is the worst possible combination, and one schools can't accommodate well - no blame to them. While doing my research, I did understand that learning the same material at home takes a lot less time than at school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by a homeschooler that they can teach the material in an hour or two a day without all the other regular school filler. Many of them apparently use online resources. I work with someone who has a FT job and "homeschools" her child. The child is older. As far as I can tell, the child self-directs for an hour or two a day to complete online work, does some reading, and then just hangs out all day. This is a middle school age child.

BUT

It's none of your business and I don't really think you have a right to ask them to quiet down in the middle of the day. Maybe move to another location in the house or go to a public library.

Total bullshit, and I can't imagine why the state doesn't crack down on it.

I'm the poster you are responding to. I can understand this reaction, but I know for a fact that this lady's kid is learning the grade level material. The kid has to take standardized tests at some sort of regular interval to prove she is progressing.

It's just a different choice. I wouldn't do it with my own kids, but I don't know enough about it to declare it total bullshit and I bet you don't either.

I do know that if that's all it took, every other kid wouldn't be in school for as long as they are.

As a teacher, i can tell you more than 50% of the day is settling, organizing, and managing the classroom. Another 25% is teaching to the lowest learning level. Some can get through the requirements and have a much more enriching day at home I believe.

Another teacher here. Yup.

I've been subbing for about a year, this is my experience too. It has been a real eye opener!

[Anonymous]

OP, you can't blame them if you haven't actually spoken to them. You can politely explain you work from home and could they stay off your property? Then get yourself some noise-canceling headphones.

Last but not least, try to let go of your obvious bias against people who do things differently then you. You couch your complaint in simply needing to get your work done, but your bigger question is about homeschooling -- something you clearly know *nothing* about. Focus on the thing that's important; getting your work done. Getting the kids off your property and using noise canceling headphones should help. And maybe throw in some gratefulness that there are actually kids playing outside somewhere in America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is tons of wasted time in school. So, yes, homeschooling can be much more efficient.

OP, you can nicely ask them to stay off your propert. That's all.

I teach public school in a well-regarded system and so much time is wasted. This week, we were asked to make the same announcement in each of 7 periods for 3 days to make sure no child missed it. This was in addition to emails home, a statement on the website, and a flyer home. Sure it only took a couple minutes each class, but then, you have transition time so really it was 10-15 instructional minutes lost just the week for info already in writing via three other modes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they in Virginia? In Virginia, there are no requirements for homeschooling. It could involve zero schooling.

Have you introduced yourself, brought over cookies? Are the children fed, safe? It might be worth contacting CPS if th children seem neglected.

This is not actually true. Virginia has higher requirements than the other states with which I am very familiar, including a standardized test that shows "evidence of progress every year." The truth is, the level expected from the standardized test and the detail expected from the curriculum plan at the beginning of the year are very minimal. But expectations of children's performance are not much higher in public school. I am teacher and I am homeschooling my kids this year. They are 1 to 2 years ahead in absolutely every area, except those that are harder to measure (like history, for example) where, because they happen to be very interested and motivated, they are far far ahead. These are my own judgments. When my kids take the standardized tests, the results put my third grader at "above 12th grade" in math. That is meaningless, of course--like I said, they are 1-2 years ahead in math but my point is that the standards across the nation are extremely low.

I think everyone homeschools a little differently, but I choose to have a longer school day than most but with significant break and movement time. So my kids are outside and playing actively a lot. The littlest ones definitely get done in 1-2 hours, but as of third grade, I would say that my kids put in at least 3-4 hours of real work per day, most of it reading. I am always surprised when I hear about middle or upper elementary kids who only work 1-2 hours a day. I don't see how it could all get done? I assume people are referring to first grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they in Virginia? In Virginia, there are no requirements for homeschooling. It could involve zero schooling.

Have you introduced yourself, brought over cookies? Are the children fed, safe? It might be worth contacting CPS if th children seem neglected.

This is not actually true. Virginia has higher requirements than the other states with which I am very familiar, including a standardized test that shows "evidence of progress every year." The truth is, the level expected from the standardized test and the detail expected from the curriculum plan at the beginning of the year are very minimal. But expectations of children's performance are not much higher in public school. I am teacher and I am homeschooling my kids this year. They are 1 to 2 years ahead in absolutely every area, except those that are harder to measure (like history, for example) where, because they happen to be very interested and motivated, they are far far ahead. These are my own judgments. When my kids take the standardized tests, the results put my third grader at "above 12th grade" in math. That is meaningless, of course--like I said, they are 1-2 years ahead in math but my point is that the standards across the nation are extremely low.

I think everyone homeschools a little differently, but I choose to have a longer school day than most but with significant break and movement time. So my kids are outside and playing actively a lot. The littlest ones definitely get done in 1-2 hours, but as of third grade, I would say that my kids put in at least 3-4 hours of real work per day, most of it reading. I am always surprised when I hear about middle or upper elementary kids who only work 1-2 hours a day. I don't see how it could all get done? I assume people are referring to first grade.

Virginia has two types of homeschooling. If a family claims a religious exemption, then there is no oversight, testing, etc.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/students-home-schooling-highlights-debate-over-va-religious-exemption-law/2013/07/28/ee2dbb1a-efbc-11e2-bed3-b9b6fe264871_story.html

[Anonymous]

Well, I come
I to this with a bias, 90% of homeschoolers I have met are just to lazy and disorganized to make it to school on time everyday - or too poor to afford a better school district or private because they had four kids.
While the remaining 10% are Smart, capable and legitimately doing the best thing for their children.

That said - who's rights are more important here? The parent to raise their children however they please or the woman who wishes to work at home? Both are violating a
Basic social expectation - that kids are
In school and workers are at work during the day. So who's right to violate the social contract is more
Valid?

[Anonymous]

Wait, so you think she doesn't homeschool her kids.

I bet she doesn't think you actually work. Because working from home is lazy and you just surf the internet or watch TV instead. Are you annoyed people would think that? Then stop judging the mom homeschooling because you have NO IDEA!

Just be a nice neighbor. There are so many bitchy anti-social neighbors these days and you are starting to act like one.

[Anonymous]

my brother has 6 children and lives in VA. His wife homeschools the children. The majority of their day is spent outside with just 2-3 hours spent on school work. The kids are super smart! They are all testing above grade level. They love to have the extra free time to play. Homeschooling is not for me or my family, but I think my SIL does a great job with her kids.

[Anonymous]

F-that. I'd ask the mother to keep her kids off my property AND call CPS. If it turns out the kids are being homeschooled for real, and not being beaten or tricked out for kidde porn or neglected, no harm done - except to your relationship with your neighbor.
I would not take the handful of examples here, from well-educated people describing their mindful friends and relatives, as an accurate sample.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:F-that. I'd ask the mother to keep her kids off my property AND call CPS. If it turns out the kids are being homeschooled for real, and not being beaten or tricked out for kidde porn or neglected, no harm done - except to your relationship with your neighbor.
I would not take the handful of examples here, from well-educated people describing their mindful friends and relatives, as an accurate sample.

Or take the advice from PP with anger issues. Either way OP, good luck finding balance in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Some homeschoolers follow this method

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unschooling

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:F-that. I'd ask the mother to keep her kids off my property AND call CPS. If it turns out the kids are being homeschooled for real, and not being beaten or tricked out for kidde porn or neglected, no harm done - except to your relationship with your neighbor.
I would not take the handful of examples here, from well-educated people describing their mindful friends and relatives, as an accurate sample.

Or take the advice from PP with anger issues. Either way OP, good luck finding balance in this situation.

https://homeschoolersanonymous.org/
Homeschool survival stories

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they in Virginia? In Virginia, there are no requirements for homeschooling. It could involve zero schooling.

Have you introduced yourself, brought over cookies? Are the children fed, safe? It might be worth contacting CPS if th children seem neglected.

Yes, Virginia.

We've met them, and the children seem fine, but I only have a two year old and don't really know anything about kids. I'd say they're neglected, but my standards are different.

You sound like just a nasty old snob.

Snob, yes. Old, no. Nasty, no.

Perhaps you should keep your children off my driveway.

NP. What are you snobby about, specifically? It sounds like you live in a kind of mediocre neighborhood with shared driveways and tiny lots. You work at home at a job that sounds like it doesn't require a lot of big-picture thinking but a bunch of mind-numbing, detail-oriented processing. You've only managed to have one kid.

What ARE you snobby about?