OP, thanks for the sincere and non-judgmental question. There are many reasons, and not all who home school are extremist, religious zealots trying to keep their kids away from the evil world.

I know many people who homeschool. I don't and probably wouldn't, but I understand and respect their choice.

Here are some specific reasons I have heard, from some reasonable, intelligent, educated families:

Military lifestyle. Many of us move every 10 months to 3 years. In my spouse's career, we average around 2 years at an assignment. This lifestyle can result in very inconsistent education for the kids so a lot of military families choose to home school. Every state has different requirements (Think 3 different states in a 4-year high school career. Each state requires geometry in a different grade, but never the grade in which you were stationed at that location. Imagine the kind of senior year catch up and academic holes that situation would bring.). Many military bases are not located in communities that offer high quality education, and a military salary usually does not support expensive private schools, especially if a family has multiple children or is lower ranking, so they choose to homeschool. I know of several military families who usually use traditional schools, but choose to home school in this city because of the wealth of resources that are available. Homeschooling also offers military families flexibility to deal with the unpredictable job requirements, and a sense of continuity and stability for the kids.

Health and well being: I have a very good friend who homeschools her children due to health concerns of one of her children. Her kids are intelligent, well behaved, socialized, articulate and a joy to be around My sister decided to homeschool her son with Aspergers, because the school system was not meeting his unique intellectual and social needs, and because he was starting middle school and becoming aware of the bullying and being ostracized by the other kids. The large junior high was just not the best place for his needs to be met. He is flourishing socially when you compare it to how he was prior to homeschooling.

Academic: A family member attends a well-respected school district. This district adopted a new math curriculum designed to raise the state mandated test scores of the lowest performing students. They were making similar changes in other core subject areas. After one year in this program, my highly gifted niece’s math state achievement scores dropped a significant amount from the 98-99% she usually achieved. Many other high achieving students saw similar results. They home schooled for a year to bring her back to an appropriate level, and put her back into traditional school the following year.

Values: Many home school families do home school their kids for religious reasons. Not all of these people are judgmental crackpots. Many homeschool their younger children to give them a foundation centered on their family’s core beliefs. Once that foundation is built, many send them to public or private high school.

My friend who homeschools is extremely religious and doesn't want her kids exposed to others value systems. She is a very nice person but her views are a bit extreme in my opinion.

I echo pp's response to 10:47. And I'll add that a teacher's job shouldn't be to teach values or parent but if we encounter kids who don't get that at home or we encounter kids who are getting taught values like "hate ____ group" we often do end up countering it in order to create a tolerant classroom community.

I was homeschooled until 7th grade. There is definitely a right way and a wrong way to do things and sometimes it's ok and sometimes it's not. My experience with homeschooling wasn't great and I personally wouldn't homeschool.

And I'm a teacher and a supporter of public schools and change in public schools. Ironic right?

I was under the impression (maybe false) that many parents who homeschool are usual at the extreme end of either the conservative or liberal spectrum.

I started homeschooling because we are a military family, and I did not want to pull my children in and out of school every couple of years. Now I cannot imagine doing anything else.

We have complete freedom. We are always together. My children are each other's best friends. We take on life and the world together. I learn so much by learning with them. They have no idea learning is supposed to be onerous, or boring, or something to be made fun of for loving it. They have a zest for life and nature and time and experiences. They are friends with people of all ages and backgrounds. They have the time to do charitable works, earn money, joke around, visit family, pursue passions, exercise for hours every day, read an entire book in a hammock. Homeschooling is a way of life, our family philosophy, who we are.

Such a shame the thread took such a negative turn. Homeschooling is such a joyful way to live.

I shutter to think of what 10:47's "right values" are. I'm going to venture to guess they aren't anything I want to instill in my daughter.

Anonymous wrote:I think most "teachers" are pathetic overpaid public employees. They whine about the children's behavior. They while about the parents. They whine about all the extra hours for prep time. They want to be revered as the most important professions in our society, but they hide behind their union to secure benefits for even the worst of their kind.

Our kids are our responsibility to raise into educated adults with the right values, and there is no indication that the teachers we've dealt with are up to that challenge.

Besides, what's the downside? Am I going to teach finger-painting wrong?

The kids get lots of socialization through church and sports, etc. but instead of sitting in a room with 30 kids the same age and marching to the sound of a bell every hour, they get to learn in a much more exciting and fulfilling way, taking lots of trips and having lots of spontaneous interactions with people from all walks of life.

Let me know how much finger-painting pays as a career. Maybe I'll look into it.

13:35 poster

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/188557.page

Piggy-backing on the previous post, homeschooling can't offer a worldly view or the independence a child gains from being their own person at school and taking in the influence of a multitude of teachers who will bing a variety of knowledge to your child. Furthermore, elementary school is a lot more than finger-painting. Teachers are highly trained to teach valuable literacy, comprehension and analytical skills. To any parent who can blow off my four years of undergraduate work in Education and two years of graduate work in Education and on-going yearly professional development, you are truly underestimating what it takes to successfully "school" a child. And one more thing, if you thing having routines, bells, waiting turns and learning how to respect an adult and follow classroom rules is a waste of time, good luck to your child when they have to go out in the real world on their own for the first time!

Anonymous wrote:I think most "teachers" are pathetic overpaid public employees. They whine about the children's behavior. They while about the parents. They whine about all the extra hours for prep time. They want to be revered as the most important professions in our society, but they hide behind their union to secure benefits for even the worst of their kind.

Our kids are our responsibility to raise into educated adults with the right values, and there is no indication that the teachers we've dealt with are up to that challenge.

Besides, what's the downside? Am I going to teach finger-painting wrong?

The kids get lots of socialization through church and sports, etc. but instead of sitting in a room with 30 kids the same age and marching to the sound of a bell every hour, they get to learn in a much more exciting and fulfilling way, taking lots of trips and having lots of spontaneous interactions with people from all walks of life.

That, I think, is why many people choose to homeschool. Finger-painting versus values.

If we valued the teaching profession, perhaps more intelligent individuals would go into teaching. My mother has a Ph.D. in biochemistry and is a professor at an accelerated high school. She has told me that while many home-schooled kids are very talented, they in no way reach their potential at home. Anyone can teach finger-painting; parents can teach values; but very few can teach multivariate calculus or quantum physics.

As one of many dedicated and hard-working teachers who is not a public employee and not in a union...I am crushed by the PP's response. You are clearly misinformed and making rash judgements. But now your kid is lucky enough to stay home with you everyday and get brainwashed by your negativity, rather than experiencing the influence of other positive teachers in his life.

Anonymous wrote:I think most "teachers" are pathetic overpaid public employees. They whine about the children's behavior. They while about the parents. They whine about all the extra hours for prep time. They want to be revered as the most important professions in our society, but they hide behind their union to secure benefits for even the worst of their kind.

Our kids are our responsibility to raise into educated adults with the right values, and there is no indication that the teachers we've dealt with are up to that challenge.

Besides, what's the downside? Am I going to teach finger-painting wrong?

The kids get lots of socialization through church and sports, etc. but instead of sitting in a room with 30 kids the same age and marching to the sound of a bell every hour, they get to learn in a much more exciting and fulfilling way, taking lots of trips and having lots of spontaneous interactions with people from all walks of life.

I'm glad your kids aren't in school with my kids.

I think most "teachers" are pathetic overpaid public employees. They whine about the children's behavior. They while about the parents. They whine about all the extra hours for prep time. They want to be revered as the most important professions in our society, but they hide behind their union to secure benefits for even the worst of their kind.

Our kids are our responsibility to raise into educated adults with the right values, and there is no indication that the teachers we've dealt with are up to that challenge.

Besides, what's the downside? Am I going to teach finger-painting wrong?

The kids get lots of socialization through church and sports, etc. but instead of sitting in a room with 30 kids the same age and marching to the sound of a bell every hour, they get to learn in a much more exciting and fulfilling way, taking lots of trips and having lots of spontaneous interactions with people from all walks of life.

I'll be the first to admit my double standard here. As much as I'd LOVE to be a homeschooling parent, my kids would drive me insane. I do NOT support the school system, yet I take advantage of it. How's that for pathetic?

I have a few friends who homeschool. Their families are much more tight-knit. And the kids listen better. It's a leap to jump into it, but for most families who do it, they are better for it.

It is very new concept to me, I hear that so many people do homeschool their
children in DC area. I would like to hear from you what did promt you to
homeschooling. Did you your child ever go to school.