Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 20:11     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
I am the poster who asked about homeschooling (b/c I'm curious). You will note that I never fled against it and actually had some very positive things to say about it (despite the flaming posts in my direction and the fact that my DC is not homeschooled). I find that sad. I'm just trying to learn something. I didn't anticipate the hostility. My mistake. As for the socialization issues, those were not mine. Those came up in others' posts and I just wondered how they were addressed. Not a judgement, just a question. There was obviously an answer, just like there was an answer to the question. I'm sorry I asked. I didn't mean to offend or start a fight.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 19:54     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
Oh, as for science: you would be astonished by what you can order online. Anything in your wildest dreams, really.

But for really motivated high schoolers, most just go straight to college classes at community colleges. That way, they grab some college credit, build up an independent transcript, and get the higher level of instruction they desire. Win-win-win, really.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 19:51     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My DC is not homeschooled, but I do think that for some families it can be the right answer. I do have some questions for the homeschoolers out there though, just b/c I'm curious. When your DC gets to college, how do you send transcripts in? Obviously you do, and obviously children are accepted into very good schools, just wondering how those assessments work. Also, I know many have stated that bullying and shyness or "fitting in" seem to be a pretty common theme. How do you deal with this as your DC gets older in terms of eventually moving on to either HS (for those who mainstream then) or college? Are there special science classes that you can send homeschoolers to so that they have access to lab equipment for experiments? TIA
.


Regarding the negative socialization aspect:

Home schooled kids don't have to wait to go to an institutional school to experience bullies, jerks, cliques, mean authority figures, etc. They are out and about plenty, and difficult social situations are part of life.

But whether high school or college is the first taste of just how mean kids (and adults) can be, at that point, most homeschoolers know who they are and are more equipped to deal. And even if the transition is hard, all those unmolested years are a gift in themselves.

My siblings were floored by how petty, materialistic, vicious, shallow, foul-mouthed, and vapid their classmates were...since I was never home schooled, I never saw those aspects of teenagers as strange. My siblings were comfortable in their own skin, though, and made their own way.

For me, well, after a childhood of being tormented by my (private school) classmates for being a different race and the smartest kid in the class, I moved on to a public high school where I was despised for my grades and hated for the fact that I did not drink, do drugs, or have sex. Then I was raped shortly after I turned 15, and my life spiraled down into the depths of despair. I was suicidal, and my classmates thought I was good for a laugh.

I will not apologize for giving my beautiful, multiracial, intelligent daughters the great gift of freedom to live with self-assurance, confidence, and joy. I will not cringe because my girls are clueless about how vile girls and boys their age can be. I celebrate the fact that they LOVE to learn and have no idea they should hide their zest for life. And that they love each other so much.

The day will come that my kids will be plunged into the muck ( and exhilaration) of the "real world.". Hopefully, I will have done a good job as a parent in forming their character. But I am thrilled that we are able to give them the gift of homeschooling for now.

Another benefit to waiting before serving them up as lambs among wolves? They will all be experts in jiujitsu by then


You're homeschooling for selfish, controlling (aka fearful) reasons.
.


Nah. I'm actually a religious zealot.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 19:45     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
Anonymous wrote:I don't get the vitriol/disdain for homeschoolers. Every family homeschooling is paying taxes but not taking up space/resources in public schools. I say the more homeschoolers, the better!


Well then, praise those who place their children in private school, too. They pay taxes AND tuition - and they free up space in the public system.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 19:44     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My DC is not homeschooled, but I do think that for some families it can be the right answer. I do have some questions for the homeschoolers out there though, just b/c I'm curious. When your DC gets to college, how do you send transcripts in? Obviously you do, and obviously children are accepted into very good schools, just wondering how those assessments work. Also, I know many have stated that bullying and shyness or "fitting in" seem to be a pretty common theme. How do you deal with this as your DC gets older in terms of eventually moving on to either HS (for those who mainstream then) or college? Are there special science classes that you can send homeschoolers to so that they have access to lab equipment for experiments? TIA
.


Regarding the negative socialization aspect:

Home schooled kids don't have to wait to go to an institutional school to experience bullies, jerks, cliques, mean authority figures, etc. They are out and about plenty, and difficult social situations are part of life.

But whether high school or college is the first taste of just how mean kids (and adults) can be, at that point, most homeschoolers know who they are and are more equipped to deal. And even if the transition is hard, all those unmolested years are a gift in themselves.

My siblings were floored by how petty, materialistic, vicious, shallow, foul-mouthed, and vapid their classmates were...since I was never home schooled, I never saw those aspects of teenagers as strange. My siblings were comfortable in their own skin, though, and made their own way.

For me, well, after a childhood of being tormented by my (private school) classmates for being a different race and the smartest kid in the class, I moved on to a public high school where I was despised for my grades and hated for the fact that I did not drink, do drugs, or have sex. Then I was raped shortly after I turned 15, and my life spiraled down into the depths of despair. I was suicidal, and my classmates thought I was good for a laugh.

I will not apologize for giving my beautiful, multiracial, intelligent daughters the great gift of freedom to live with self-assurance, confidence, and joy. I will not cringe because my girls are clueless about how vile girls and boys their age can be. I celebrate the fact that they LOVE to learn and have no idea they should hide their zest for life. And that they love each other so much.

The day will come that my kids will be plunged into the muck ( and exhilaration) of the "real world.". Hopefully, I will have done a good job as a parent in forming their character. But I am thrilled that we are able to give them the gift of homeschooling for now.

Another benefit to waiting before serving them up as lambs among wolves? They will all be experts in jiujitsu by then


You're homeschooling for selfish, controlling (aka fearful) reasons.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 19:42     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
I don't get the vitriol/disdain for homeschoolers. Every family homeschooling is paying taxes but not taking up space/resources in public schools. I say the more homeschoolers, the better!
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 19:39     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
Anonymous wrote:My DC is not homeschooled, but I do think that for some families it can be the right answer. I do have some questions for the homeschoolers out there though, just b/c I'm curious. When your DC gets to college, how do you send transcripts in? Obviously you do, and obviously children are accepted into very good schools, just wondering how those assessments work. Also, I know many have stated that bullying and shyness or "fitting in" seem to be a pretty common theme. How do you deal with this as your DC gets older in terms of eventually moving on to either HS (for those who mainstream then) or college? Are there special science classes that you can send homeschoolers to so that they have access to lab equipment for experiments? TIA
.


Regarding the negative socialization aspect:

Home schooled kids don't have to wait to go to an institutional school to experience bullies, jerks, cliques, mean authority figures, etc. They are out and about plenty, and difficult social situations are part of life.

But whether high school or college is the first taste of just how mean kids (and adults) can be, at that point, most homeschoolers know who they are and are more equipped to deal. And even if the transition is hard, all those unmolested years are a gift in themselves.

My siblings were floored by how petty, materialistic, vicious, shallow, foul-mouthed, and vapid their classmates were...since I was never home schooled, I never saw those aspects of teenagers as strange. My siblings were comfortable in their own skin, though, and made their own way.

For me, well, after a childhood of being tormented by my (private school) classmates for being a different race and the smartest kid in the class, I moved on to a public high school where I was despised for my grades and hated for the fact that I did not drink, do drugs, or have sex. Then I was raped shortly after I turned 15, and my life spiraled down into the depths of despair. I was suicidal, and my classmates thought I was good for a laugh.

I will not apologize for giving my beautiful, multiracial, intelligent daughters the great gift of freedom to live with self-assurance, confidence, and joy. I will not cringe because my girls are clueless about how vile girls and boys their age can be. I celebrate the fact that they LOVE to learn and have no idea they should hide their zest for life. And that they love each other so much.

The day will come that my kids will be plunged into the muck ( and exhilaration) of the "real world.". Hopefully, I will have done a good job as a parent in forming their character. But I am thrilled that we are able to give them the gift of homeschooling for now.

Another benefit to waiting before serving them up as lambs among wolves? They will all be experts in jiujitsu by then
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 19:18     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
^^^"of the sneering," sorry...
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 19:17     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
Anonymous wrote:My DC is not homeschooled, but I do think that for some families it can be the right answer. I do have some questions for the homeschoolers out there though, just b/c I'm curious. When your DC gets to college, how do you send transcripts in? Obviously you do, and obviously children are accepted into very good schools, just wondering how those assessments work. Also, I know many have stated that bullying and shyness or "fitting in" seem to be a pretty common theme. How do you deal with this as your DC gets older in terms of eventually moving on to either HS (for those who mainstream then) or college? Are there special science classes that you can send homeschoolers to so that they have access to lab equipment for experiments? TIA


Most colleges have information on how to apply as a homeschooler.

Here is a link to the page at Stanford University:
http://admission.stanford.edu/basics/requirements/home_school.html

Here is a comparable page from Princeton University:
http://www.princeton.edu/admission/applyingforadmission/tips_for_home_schooled/


Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 19:17     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
I think some on the sneering here is misplaced. So what if homeschooling parents seek out resources beyond their family? Do institutionally schooled kids' parents provide all extra curriculars personally? Are they their kids' only friends? What a silly thing to be up in arms about! Again, homeschooling allows flexibility and variety. If a teenager wants to do "school in a box," or a correspondence school, or an online school, or wants to make things up as they go along by unschooling, if they go on to become productive members of society, why worry?
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 19:04     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
Anonymous wrote:A masters is required to teach in MCPS.
.

A masters in education? Or in the subject taught?
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2011 18:21     Subject: Why do you homeschool and where are you located?
A masters is required to teach in MCPS.