Anonymous wrote:My child is a very serious cellist -- Meadowmount, Julliard, etc. Many of her friends in high school were homeschooled beginning in their teens and sometimes younger so that they could concentrate on music.

My sense is that often they got the minimum amount of education in other subjects. Enough to comply with state laws and requirements, but not much more. Occasionally, one of them would say something that revealed a depth of ignorance outside of music which was kind of astounding -- an inability to do much math above multiplication, not actually understanding how Congress works, etc.

Plenty socialized into the larger world but highly specialized from a very young age. But perhaps for a prodigy on that level that result would be inevitable no matter where you went to school.

Sadly, the same could be said of many public school graduates. I teach remedial courses at a community college - the things my students don't know shock me sometimes.

I'm a teacher, and no, I don't look down on them, not even the religious zealots. I kind of envy them their courage and dedication. I'm not sure their decision is the best one, but I'm also not a big fan of our public schools, so I think everyone just has to make the best decision they can with the information they have. So I don't judge, at least not just for the decision to homeschool.

My sister "homeschooled" her two daughters from K-12. I use the term loosely because her oldest spent her teenage years locked in her room sleeping all day and cutting herself when she wasn't sleeping. They were only allowed to attend church occasionally and the only friends they had were their cousins. When her oldest got a job at 18, she had never bought a drink out of a drink machine before, and she tried to put pennies in one. Her co-workers had to explain how to use it. This is how sheltered she was. The youngest daughter is quite socially awkward but thinks that she is not, so it's impossible to even have a conversation with her. Neither of them received an education. My sister falsified their records and ordered diplomas for them. I read Homeschoolers Anonymous and think of them. It's sad.

Anonymous wrote:I think it's super weird and arrogant. I'd steer clear of homeschooling families.

+1...there is a military family in my neighborhood that homeschools, and they have about 5 kids she's 16 - 3. The kids are always outside unattended. I saw her last weekend pushing the youngest down the street on a push toy. He was wearing nothing but a diaper and sucking on a pacifier. I judge that, and question the quality of the education that they receive.

It depends.

I know a lot of kids who homeschooled for my sport (equestrian). The top kids need to be in Florida every weekend from January to March so it's more convenient for them to homeschool. There are excellent and expensive tutor services designed for these kids. I don't look down on that.

I do look down on my brother's homeschooling, as his wife homeschools their kids so they won't learn sacrilegious things like evolution and the Big Bang Theory. He ought to know better -- my entire family believes in science. He turned fundamentalist after marriage and has derailed intellectually. It's sad.

My child is a very serious cellist -- Meadowmount, Julliard, etc. Many of her friends in high school were homeschooled beginning in their teens and sometimes younger so that they could concentrate on music.

My sense is that often they got the minimum amount of education in other subjects. Enough to comply with state laws and requirements, but not much more. Occasionally, one of them would say something that revealed a depth of ignorance outside of music which was kind of astounding -- an inability to do much math above multiplication, not actually understanding how Congress works, etc.

Plenty socialized into the larger world but highly specialized from a very young age. But perhaps for a prodigy on that level that result would be inevitable no matter where you went to school.

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Anonymous wrote:No. I know several homeschooling families through DS's activity, chess, and the parents are lovely and the kids very nice, accomplished and talented. Many are also very accomplished musicians. These kids are music and/or chess prodigies and homeschooling works for them.

If you personally know of "many of them" from your son's activities, it is highly unlikely that they are prodigies. A prodigy is extraordinarily rare. The fact that you would know many makes it very unlikely that they are truly prodigies. Are you a homeschooler yourself?

I don't homeschool and it has never appealed to me.

These are the top kids in the country for their age and I am sure there is a future US or World champion among them including the current Jr World Champion so yeah, these kids are "true" prodigies.

Top in country? Please list their names as it should be public enough...

Here you go:

http://www.uschess.org/component/option,com_top_players/Itemid,371/

and

http://www.uschess.org/component/option,com_top_players/Itemid,371?op=list&month=1704&f=foreign&l=R:Top%20Under%20Age%2021.&h=Top%20Under%20Age%2021%20regardless%20of%20Country,%20Residence,%20or%20Federation