Home schooling children

V

*Venus*

Bluelighter
Joined
Apr 3, 2002
Messages
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Curious as to how you all feel about the subject. I thought of this when a friend mentioned that she wanted to homeschool her kids.

Is this a good thing?

Should it be appropriate only during certain points of a childs education (elementary, middle, high..?)

Benefits/disadvantages

Are most parents who do it qualified?

Anyone been homeschooled?


Personally I think its generally not a good thing for kids. I wouldn't want my parents to teach me, even if I got one on one attention.


Thoughts?
 
I think home schooling would be tough for several reasons.

Firstly, in my opinion the mother/father would need to be qualified in some form. Education is like any other career and to become a teacher means studying for many years.

Secondly, I would find it to be quiet tedious being at home "ALL" the time and certainly being around a parent all day and night. Basically living with them constantly.

And finally, home schooling would be very socially isolating. Schooling is about education, but to me also about learning to interact with people, social skills, and meeting new people. It's a foundation of which you friends and learn to socialise and develop those types of skills.

Home school would be very restricted in that sense.

So I guess Im not really for home schooling, but in some cases it may not be avoidable.

shals :D
 
if you do it at all...I'd say go with elementary.

But I think a person learns most of their social skills at that age level?

personally, I'd be against Home school.



here, put yourself in that situation....would you have wanted to be homeschooled? Because your kid will probably share some of your characteristics.
 
I'm against it. I know some people that have done it very well, but I'd prefer to be very involved in a public school that my children went to than to homeschool them. I remember loving the whole process of school...getting on the bus in the morning, lunchtime with friends, having the library to go to most days, and a new teacher every year to meet and adapt to. When Jr high came I had the chance to join chorus and quiz bowl teams that allowed me to go on trips all over the state and various other cities in the Eastern U.S.
 
I'm very much against it.

First of all, our public school teachers are trained for their jobs - and it seems that most of the time, there is little "quality control" with homeschool mums/dads.

I also believe that social interaction is an important part of growing up - including getting picked on. I was picked on constantly growing up, and it toughened me up to the real world. I understood that not everyone was going to be nice to me.

That said, I know there are plenty of successfully homeschooled kids out there that are completely normal, well adjusted, well educated people. I just think that is the exception more then the rule.
 
By the way, I mentioned that I was against it Bighead.

I know there are some people who totally disagree with me though. I've spoken to both homeschooled people who wouldn't want it any other way and those who wish they hadn't been.

I just have a hard time believing that most parent teachers are more qualified than someone who has studied the subject extensively, let alone that they've taught it before.
 
I have to agree with everyone so far. Personally I'd be against it. For a few reasons, but mainly for a non academic one.

As others have mentioned, school is going to be the primary source, outside the family, of human interaction. After you've learned your " Three R's " school in my opinion has served its purpose. It does however do a very good job of teaching you how the world is not fair and is indeed a very shit place altogether. Not the sugar coated affair you're likely to live at home. This is really important I think!

Also, I wouldn't say its entirely a good idea to let a parent take their childs education directly onboard. As, despite whatever qualifications they may have, they could never be objective enough.
 
I have a low opinion of kids of all ages, so I'd say that for those who want to do homeschooling, go for it; that's just more bullshit than I think some kids should deal with. But hey, for those who feel social interaction--or the lack thereof in a social setting--is somehow character-building, so be it.
It just wasn't for me, and I can honestly say I grew more socially in a few years of college than I did in all my grade-school years combined. Grade school, with all its trimmings is a "Seinfeld" episode; the real-world is "Macbeth." One is clearly worth more than the other, IMO.
 
I'm studying to be a teacher and feel that homeschooling is not a good option. There are absolutely no benefits of it. Any positive effects of homeschooling are overshadowed by too many negatives associated with the practice.
You could even look at theories of gender identity as just one argument to support going to school and not being home schooled. Socialisation plays a huge role in gender identity, it is not the sole theory but it is the one with the biggest effect on this particular thing. Breaking away from that home environment is crucial to the development process of children, in so many areas - self-awareness, self-esteem, gender identity, criticism (constructive or other).

I find that the reason the families I know want to homeschool their children is because they want to protect them from the world. This is not the right approach because they are aiming for something that is ultimately unattainable. They will be exposing their child/children to a susceptibility of greater damage.

School environments are so crucial to our development as people they should not be avoided.
 
We've had this discussion before. Although it started out in a thread regarding a spelling bee.

this link provides the positives of homeschooling from someone who actually does homeschool and not just theorize about it.

Happy reading. :)
 
**see honEbee's link**
I don't have time for educating the masses anymore.

I will say that in addition to to my children's daily work this year they meet on a weekly basis for something everyday. They have homeschool swimming, homeschool ice skating, homeschool rollerskating, (bowling which we are skipping right now) and baseball.

They take piano lessons, guitar lessons, art lessons, plus a homeschool science class that is ran by the Asheville Science Center and an eco class called Nuts About Nature (my oldest (twins) are taking compass skills and survival classes) at the Pisgah Nat'l School of Forestry. All for homeschoolers. There are almost 30,000 in my area.

If that isn't enough for you they also joined the Culture Club where they study a different culture every month. They learn all the games and stories of that culture and the last week of the month they have to come dressed in native costume and bring a native dish of that culture. Our first month is Greece.

But wait, there's more. In addition to computer classes this is a sampling of the homeschool co-op that i joined. My sons each pick three classes at a time (fall, winter, and spring) . Classes are an hour each and they are once a week. I have also shortened this list:

Course Description

All Ages


Impersonating Famous People Class B


Each week we'll pick a theme (famous artists,

musicians etc) and a corresponding "famous person" to

research. The next week, come to class in costume,

and share some facts you've learned. The rest of the

class must guess your identity! Great fun and great

way to learn history!



All ages Teacher Linda Gerge
Younger Kids




ELEMENTARY ANIMALS Class A


We would discuss different animals, their habitat, diet and where in
the world they might live. I would like to concentrate on form and
function (for example: Why to camels have a hump?) and how an animal is
adapted to suit it's environment. The goal would be for the children learn
how animals are suited to their environments and how important it is to
try to maintain these environments for them.

Ages 4-8 Teacher Terri

American Kids Class A


Would be somewhat like the American girls, but without the fictional
characters. Each week we would pick a time period from American History
and learn in an informal way about what the kids from that period did
and experienced. We'll play games that kids from that time would have
played, cook foods from the time period, do authentic crafts, play
dressup, role play, and anything else we can think of.



Ages 5-8 Teacher Tracie Lemire

Spanish Class B


In this class we'll focus on introducing the spanish language and
culture through games, stories,food and music. We will learn simple
vocabulary as we sing spanish songs, sample traditional foods, and immerse
ourselves in the cultures of Spain and Latin America.



Ages 6-9 Teacher Jo/Lori

Crafts from Around the World Class B


Each week the children will make a craft that would be representative
of crafts made in different countries around the world.



Ages 8-10 Teacher Tamara Rutledge
Clay Class A


Creating with clay we'll make functional objects as well as decorative
pieces and sculptures. Projects include; pinch pot rattles, coil pots,
slab built boxes and serving dishes. The hand built projects will be
fired and then glazed.



Ages 8-14 Teacher Diane

Pirates! Class A



Did Pirates really bury their treasure? What sneaky trick did
Blackbeard use to scare the people of North Carolina? Who was the "Gentleman
Pirate"? Learn fun and amazing facts about the men and women who sailed
the high seas. Through story, song and crafts we will learn all about the
Pirate's world of adventure! This class is for 3-5th graders Maximum
size 10 students



Ages 8-11 Teacher Wendy
Discovering Mime Illusion

This class will explore the movement and techniques necessary to

creating mime illusions. We will stretch our bodies as well as our
minds in the discovery process of seeing everyday actions and how they can
be

recreated in a convincing way without props or words. Bring an open
mind, good concentration, and a willingness to expand your movement
potential.

Ages 10 and up. Teacher Katie Birchenough



* This is a 4 week course beginning in Mid October

Older Kids


The Poem in Its Skin Class A
We'll explore eight verse forms, different types of meter, and some
shaping forms. There will be handouts with 10 or 12 poems to read in class
and at home. Poetry writing assignments will be given. The requirement
is for strong readers with tolerance for somewhat mature content and
the occasional expletive.
Ages (Upper middle/high school) Teacher Joan Humphreys
Career Hunt Class B


Hiddle School/High School

Katrina Kaeck

First class we will poll the kids and find out what careers the they
are interested in pursuing. Then I will line up speakers who work in
those professions to come in and tell how they became interested in that
career and what educational/apprenticeship type path it took to get
there. Also address the realities of that particular career.

~~ my children get to learn fun stuff that they enjoy and get to choose themselves.plus they learn much much more then they would in conventional schooling.
For their basics we belong to this school (to follow) plus we supplement with the Saxon math which is the best math program.
http://www.globalvillageschool.org/

Now i have got to go. But please read my full response and the remarkable stats about homeschooling that i have already addressed on honEbee's link.

opps and how could i forget my 4H-HEArts group that meets twice a month?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4H-HEArts/
 
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I really don't know anything about homeschooling, although I think beaner's outline sounds great :)

I'm actually just interested in how someone (anyone) homeschools multiple children of different ages?
 
They way i have my day arranged Anna is that my youngest does his computer work first and watches an educational movie from our homeschool video library (kind of like Netflix) and while he is doing that i am going over our twins work which is highschool.
After going over it they work independently on it and then they also have computer work such as online classes and a blog they have to keep. When they are doing that i am with the younger. We have everything wrapped up by one usually and then we go to our fun classes or field trips .Bi- weekly we have an early homeschool activity that meets at 10.

One teacher can't effectively reach every child because they can't focus solely on every child's needs let alone teach according to that child's learning style. Heck, my SIL who is a public school teacher (3rd year) didn't even know that there were different learning styles. She never heard of John Holt either. When i asked her just what style of teaching she did learn to teach she looked at me all confused and said "the Sunshine State standards" or something like that which means she went to college to learn how to teach the way the govt wants her to in the Florida public school system. She is also dumber then a box of rocks and then the school system put her in kindergarten to teach her first year. Even i know a first year teacher should never be given kindergarten because they have to work their teaching kinks out so to speak and kindergarten is an important year in the devolopment process..

Anyways, that is off topic but my point Anna was meant to be that it is much easier to teach a small number of children individually then it is for one teacher to teach and reach an entire class.

Also, i'll let you in on a really good Live Journal i stalk that i found on the friends list of another bluelighter. She's a writer who pulled her son out of public school when he was in 3rd grade to homeschool after some traumatizing situations in public school with her son. She has her son's homeschool journal also linked here that you can check out. I think i have a secret crush on her. She has inspired me to give my son Jacob his own site this year:
http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=gnomeygirl

her cookbook also makes me want to consider eating meat again too ;)
 
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^^you'd have to give up pies, cookies, cakes, breads, etc... don't do it! :D

And I'll just add this - I used to be "against" homeschooling for all the reasons listed above but I've pretty much changed my mind on that one...
 
You''ll be losing your kid basic social skills.
 
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