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Home Schooling any thoughts???

#21
higgi said:
But if you read the articles I listed and google for more you will see that home schooled children excel in college.
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Just so you know, those articles you listed are a good effort but don't say much at all. You really need to look more into the statistics they used: sample size, statistical differences, alpha level...etc. Just following one or two students isn't much and then a brief paragraph about the SAT diff. in PA isn't very strong.

I'm positive you'll find homeschooling that has worked out and you'll find others that don't. There are way too many variables invovled to clearly say which is better. Take some classes on child development, adolescent dev, and social dev. to get a better more informed opinion. Homeschooling can be such a heated debate, that finding honest (scientific or other) articles can very hard.

I'll argue that social intelligence is just as (if not more) important as educational intelligences. Homeschooling does seem too extreme for me though.

I "auditioned" for the GATE program as well, I didn't make it :(. But the kid that did make it in my class brought a flare gun (can be very deadly) to high school. He even went to public school. I'm sure as long as you are attenative to your kid and supplement his public education (and social education), your child do well for him/herself.
 
#22
i don't see how it could work well.....unless you suplemented (spell? i went to public school :) ) it with A BUNCH of outside interaction...

your kid needs to develope the tools and weapons he needs to work and protect himself in the real world....

if you homeschool him he will have no social tools or weapons...

what is the worst that can happen in elementary school? some kid punches him and takes his milk money???

if he gets out in the real world and doesn't know how to handle himself A LOT worse stuff can happen...

if your worried about his safety don't worry till high school when the kids develope musicles and can do some real damage....if your worried about education...home school him during the summer or after school...

:hiding:
 
#23
SnoMan said:
Guy, I'd be curious as to whether you could elaborate on "...is incapable of dealing with any situation outside the norm..."
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Sure. The children I am refering to have a very difficult time dealing with any situation that occurs outside of their parent-controlled home. For example, these kids were in absolute shock at a neighborhood BBQ we had last year. They were clinging to their mother the whole time, literally leaving finger marks on her legs. They would not speak to anyone, even other children. They wouldn't look anyone in the eye, except for their parents. When one of the neighborhood dogs (a small terrier) got too close, both children absolutely lost it. Their mother took them home early, because they both had a look of sheer panic on their faces.

We've been in their house, and they are different children there. While they would not speak to my wife and I directly, they would have very detailed conversations with their parents and each other. They were, however, almost incapable of recognizing our existence in their home and spent most of the night interrupting us in order to talk to their parents. The parents did try to correct this behavior, but the children seemed almost incapable of recognizing our presence.

Bear in mind, this is an extreme example. These kids hardly ever leave the house, or their fenced backyard. They do go to church, but they are not allowed to go to Sunday School or do anything that takes them out of their parents grasp. They have NEVER eaten in a restaurant or played an organized sport. Their parents do all of this to "keep them safe from the dangers of the modern world until they are ready to deal with them."

The other home-school kids we know fare better than this, but all of them are quite awkward around anyone other than their parents. The seems especially awkward around other children and tend to prefer the company of adults. They tend to have a difficult time sharing and seem to be fairly self-centered.

Please bear in mind, this is nothing more than my observations on a small group of home-schooled kids. I am not a professional educator, nor did I sleep in a Holiday Inn last night.
 
#24
It's sad that those ignorant(use applied to this specific example) parents are completely destroying their children's lives.

Destroying them far more than what they actually believe they are protecting them from.

Sad....
 
#26
SnoMan said:
I wonder if there would be anyway to help them. I wouldn't ask you to bear a burden yourself, but I wonder if that could possibly change somehow.....


Maybe you should make the parents watch Carrie.
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It is truly sad. What's worse, every time the children act crazy in a "public" setting, the more convinced the parents seem to become that they need to do more "protecting." The mom, for example, used to take the children grocery shopping with her. But after a meltdown caused by "a street gang on skateboards", she now waits and does the shopping when dad can watch the kids at home.

Bear in mind, I live in one of the most white-bread suburbs in Middle TN. The median income in somewhere in the neighborhood of double the national average. There is very little crime, and no gangs. Simply put, these kids are incapable of witnessing other children acting as.......children.

A number of the other parents in the neighborhood have tried talking to these parents to no avail. They were both home-schooled and seem to have an arranged marriage of sorts (they married right out of high school and neither dated anyone other than their spouse.) They literally can't imagine any other way of doing things. The wife has told us on a number of occasions that they are saving money to buy a house in the country to get away from the "inner-city." :rolleyes:

Personally, I can't stand talking to either of these people. I have an aversion to uber-right-wing religious zealots that want to discuss nothing more than my immortal soul.
 
#27
I've been homeschooled most my life, up until just recently when I've started college.

Yeah, theres a few (usually hardcore Christian) wierdos who homeschool for whatever whacked-out reason, and yes in that case the kids turn out whacko as well. Duh. But most other homeschoolers I've met have been perfectly well-adjusted... I really don't understand why people think homeschoolers never have any friends, that's just stupid. Here's the truth: At least for me, it meant I had *more* time to hang out with my friends.

Also do to where I lived, I think I was much better off not going to school than going to the local terrible high school.

I'd say go for the homeschooling. If youre really worried, sign your kid up for sports programs at a local YMCA or something. Really, I don't know why there should be any problem socially, and the schooling will probably be far better.

Now, I haven't fully read this thread, but it looks like people are worried about the whacko christian kids: yeah, they give us homeschoolers a bad name. Don't follow their lead, and you and your kid will be fine :D

-Dash
 
#31
Dash Rantic said:
I've been homeschooled most my life, up until just recently when I've started college.

Yeah, theres a few (usually hardcore Christian) wierdos who homeschool for whatever whacked-out reason, and yes in that case the kids turn out whacko as well. Duh. But most other homeschoolers I've met have been perfectly well-adjusted... I really don't understand why people think homeschoolers never have any friends, that's just stupid. Heres the truth: At least for me, it meant I had *more* time to hang out with my friends.
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This is my basic story too. My sister was homeschooled from 6th-12th grade and I was from 1st-8th. She went off to college and I went to a junior high and high school locally. I didn't really find it hard to adjust to public school, and I never had a real hard time making friends. My mom always made sure that we had time that we could spend with other kids, like our YMCA had a home schooling group that would meet every Thursday morning. We would play different sports, moving to a new sport every 6 weeks. This was a great way to get out and have some fun while meeting new kids. There was plenty of chances for all the kids to get together through a local homeschooling "support-group" (I guess that's the right word for it) called "Kanawha-Putnam Home Educators", and they had several big events every month for all the kids to hang out at. Anyway, when I did go to high school, some of my friends were talking about how bad homeschooling was and how socially ******** homeschooled kids were, and they were really surprised that I was homeschooled. So yeah, I think homeschooling can be good, if you make an effort for your child to be in good social situations, but I liked high school a lot too. Use your best judgement. Take care. -Brad
 
#32
KeithBMI said:
I wouldn't do it. The social element is the best part of school. The only reason I get up in the morning is to see my friends.
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Who says there's no social element to homeschooling? Yeah if you force your kid to stay indoors maybe, but the whole "homeschoolers are unsocial" thing is total BS.

I know this because as I said, I was homeschooled. I never had a problem with friends, either.

-Dash
 
#33
I personally would be against it. If your wife has enough time to home school, possibly she has enough time to get a part time job? Pay for a private school? Try and get scholarships? Send them to public school for elementary -> middle and then private to highschool. Let me warn you, private catholic highschool, in my experience, is very dangerous. More then 3/4th's of the people there don't want to be there. The rules are stricter which leads to more rebellious activity. If your kids want to do drugs, they will. No matter where you send them this is going to happen. Unless of course you cutt off all social activity with anything (like those crazy christians).

So what do you do? My suggestion, first try public school. If it really is not what you want, try private. If you can't afford private try home schooling. Or you could move to South America and start a Llama farm. Your choice.



No matter what he'll be waiting for you:

llama1.jpg
 
#35
I completely disagree with homeschooling, but after looking at Modesto High School on greatschools.net (very good website to look at schools if you're moving somewhere but you don't want your kids to be in bad schools), I can see why you're considering it. My honest suggestion would be that, if possible, move. If that's not possible, then I'd suggest private school. You said that's really not an option, though, so I don't know... I'd never reccommend homeschooling, though. I've never met a homeschooled kid who isn't socially ********, and very very few that I've met have been smart. The second part, though, depends on the person homeschooling them.

If there's really no way to move/put him in private school/have him tough out public school, your wife may want to take classes for teaching.
 
#36
jady said:
Anyone here who was actually home schooled or home schooling thier kids now?
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Yup. Our son is finishing up high school right now. He is going to graduate about nine months earlier than if was in public school.

My wife and I chose to home school our son so we could have more control over what he was taught, and tailor the learning experience to his needs. After talking with our son about it, he agreed to do it as well. He did go to public school through seventh grade.

-Mike
 
#37
I am adamantly against homeschooling.

My mom homeschools my little brother for the 'religious reasons'. Luckily, they didn't try to force me into it as I was already in like 8th grade when they started homeschooling my little bro after he asked them to (He didn't know what he was getting into). Basically, the church I'm forced to go to is SUPER catholic, most of the kids there are homeschooled, and most of them are SUPER CREEPY. I get forced to go to a youth group with them sometimes, and basically those few of us who aren't homeschooled stick together, and the homeschooled kids don't talk. I'm the coolest one, obviously, as I'm the only one who goes to public schools, not a religious school. Okay, arrogant way to put that, but I really am the most socially adjusted person. And really, coolest.

My little brother and those guys do get some social interaction, and some of them aren't too bad. But one thing homeschooling does in that since your parents get to choose every part of your curriculum, you get used to the idea that you should be in COMPLETE control. You don't have to get used to dealing with conflicting opinions from other people. As far as little bro goes, he's a jerk. He's terrible about accepting other peoples opinions or not getting his way. It's kinda a 'bully-authority syndrome' to make up something that sounds pychological. The parents are the authority figure, but they're also the 'bully' in that they choose everything. When the kid gets into a situation where he or she is in charge or with equals, the idea that they should get to choose everything seems to come into effect.

I'm also a little spoiled when it comes to education, as I go to a great school in a great suburb. I've been doing the gifted program here since about 2nd grade (Best part of elementary school EVARRR. And pretty sweet in middle school and high school) and I've been in a lot of different programs and extracurriculars. Our school has like 12 national merit semifinalists this year, one of which is me :D and has a very good reputation in a lot of things. Throughout high school, I've dabbled in math club and latin club (well, stuck with latin club, but its pointless. I dont actually do anything in it, and math club was only frosh year :P), played tennis and football, and been intensely involved with journalism and orchestra. I'm a violinist in our top orchestra as well as having played in the pit for musicals and our extracurricular symphony, and I'm sports editor for our newspaper and editor in chief for our literary magazine. I'm also in National Honor Society and have done some academic competitions like National Academic Decathlon. Granted, not everybody is dumb enough to get involved in so much stuff, but there's no way I woulda been able to do all the things I've done as a homeschooler.

I think it's necessary to learn to deal with different people and learn how to deal with adversity and make your own decisions. Homeschooling just doesn't have the edge when it comes to that.

Don't do it.
 
#38
We're a former home schooling family. The only reason we didn't stay in the game was for severe economic difficulties.

I also know literally dozens of home school families, and I have observed them over Decades, not days, weeks or years.
All my experience is life-earned - none of it is speculated or read from a Google-indexed article.

The facts:

- Home schooled students do not usually turn out *socially ********* [By the way, that's a really foul, offensive phrase]

- Home schooled students typically achieve higher academically than non home schooled kids.

- Home schooled students have a Wealth of extra-curricular activities available to them.

- Home schooled students have the advantage of getting the ability to focus on weaknesses. These same students would get filed quickly in the *dumb*/special groups in public schools and remain there for life.

- Many schools - and many people working at the schools - are incompetent and ill-motivated. By the way, my wife is now a public school high school teacher.

- Home schooling has Saved many kids from the *special* labelling - and enabled them to excel on their own timetable.

- Home schooling recognizes the fact that every child is an individual, developing in different areas at different timetables. Schools are largely incapable of dealing with this.

- Too many people throw the Socialization word around with this topic. But really, how much of the Socialization in this current world do you really want to put on your children? Guess what folks? The world is Not becoming a Better place over time.

But the net is: you need to answer Why you're even considering home schooling. It's not for every family, and there are specific reasons why a family should or should not choose this path. First outline very specifically your goals and concerns about schools in your area, and then go from there.

And one more thing: choosing home schooling for spiritual reasons does not make a family a bunch of wackos.
It makes them a bunch of principaled people earnestly trying to do The Right Thing, not just sleep through what the current world deals them.
 
#40
I am in my last year of high school, and I have been very lucky to have a great school to go to. Iroquois Ridge High School. I just love the freedoms that you have in school that you don't have at home. You can hang with your friends during breaks, and spare periods, and be doing something, instead of sitting around at home all day. You'd be missing out on gym classes, class experiments, fun activities, and at some good schools, they have special programs that really help you stay above the water should you get overwehlmed.

I probably woudn't survive with school at home, I need to have people there, I hate being alone, It's boring, and is not especially fun. I am not an attention craver, but some is nice ;)

Also, what about girls? If it wern't for school, I wouldn't have had a great girlfriend last year, and I don't think that I would have met her if it wern;t for school. School gives you so many more advantages over home, learn to deal with bullies, how to treat others, how to know when enough is enough, and other peoples tolerances. I just really couldn't imagine myself at home, I would probably completely resent my parents if they home schooled me. I am not joking. I like the public school system, at least around here, it's great. And with 4 high schools in my town, there's always selection, heh :cool:

But that is all IMO, IME, and whatever else applies here ;)
 

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