Home school vs public school?

How well does your mom know your sister? What are your sister's strengths? Weaknesses? What works for her? I homeschooled my two kids during middle school and high school. My son had opportunities to excell in his strengths and take the extra time he needed for his weaknesses. He is now finishing his PhD in physics at Vanderbuilt. He has spoken around the world about his research. He will complete his PhD before he is 26 years old. My daughter did best in public school during elementary school. But choose for herself to try homeschool after seeing her brother doing so well at home. Even after her 8th grade, she was allowed to choose to go back to public school if she wanted to for high school. We visited classrooms at the local high school (algebra, biology and english classes). She was upset by the waste of time by students who did not want to learn. She liked that she could move at her own pace. She choose to do high school at home. She wrote for our homeschool network's monthly newsletter. She held the title of children's editor for two years.

Homeschool is not for everyone. For some it works well. Students succeed and fail in all systems of education. Developing the love of learning is essential to success.

As a certified, licensed school teacher, I am always concerned when parents pull their children out of regular school and say they will be "homeschooling" their child from that point forward. I will share my reasons below:

1. Qualifications/educational level of parents - Can a parent reach and teach their child the important things that child needs to know? Do they know what "developmentally appropriate" is for their child's age? Are the parents knowledgeable enough about the curriculum to present it in ways the child understands?

2. Is the curriculum relevant? Is the child learning what should be learned, versus what the parents want that child to learn? (some HS programs offer "revisionist" history, where important truths are conveniently left out - eg, slavery, holocaust, etc) There are certain skill sets/requirements all children MUST know in order to be well rounded adults. Slanted or inaccurate information can negatively affect a child's future.

3. Is the parent willing to sit by their child, invest the time, and hold their children accountable for their school work? Many parents nowadays have to work, and trusting their young child to stay home and do their school work all on line is a recipe for disaster. My daughter's friend is now being homeschooled (due to bullying) and guess what? This girl only gets 5 hours of weekly school work, which is less than one full day's worth of schooling. In a WEEK.

4. Schools provide the opportunity for children to learn HOW to get along with others, even if the children are being bullied. Instead of retreating into a "safe" world, it is better to learn how to handle the bullying and work on developing self esteem. Running away from it doesn't build self confidence, it only pushes the real issues aside.

I hope this provides you with some real information to make a very educated choice. I'm not anti-HS, I am against homeschool programs that end up causing more harm than good. Make sure your child is being monitored on a regular, weekly basis, by qualified school teachers, and is learning STATE curriculum standards. If those criteria are met, then a HS program should be okay overall.

As a fellow educator, I 100% agree.

Reposting my response to the above from earlier in the thread:


First of all, let me say that I absolutely agree that not everyone is cut out for homeschooling. It does take a lot of time and dedication. The bottom line is the parents need to be involved in their child's education, whether it be public, private, or home school. As a side note, here is a VERY short list of famous homeschoolers who thrived and were/are very successful adults: Louis Armstrong, George Washington, George Patton, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ray Kroc, Clara Barton, The Wright Brothers, Thomas Jefferson, Susan B. Anthony, and Beatrix Potter. The list could go on and on.

1. I have a friend who was homeschooled by his mother, who only had a high school diploma. He graduated at 15 and started college. He is very successful today. It is not all about the parents, though. The parents job is to teach the child to have a love for learning, so that they will explore and learn on their own. One can present material, but one cannot force someone to learn. There are innumerable resources for home schoolers. I home school my two children and I would not even begin to pretend I can teach chemistry. Therefore, we joined a co-op, where all the high school classes are taught by parents who have a college degree and know and are able to teach the material. We also use standardized testing every year to make sure we are on track. I also find it curious that if one must be "certified," then why do most public school systems allow people who have very little college hours, and may not even be majoring in education, subsitute teach?

2. I have never heard of anyone (I have been home schooling for 6 years) purposefully leaving out important historical events in teaching their child. Frankly, that is just absurd.

3. It absolutely does take an investment of time and holding the children responsible for their work .... which is why we joined a co-op. We go once a week for history, reading/writing, and science, from 9 to 3. The children then have homework to do the rest of the week in these subjects that is due the next Monday. We do the other subjects at home. Also, just as a side note about your friend's daughter. I don't know how old she is, but younger grades can absolutely cover an entire week's worth of schooling in very little time. The fact is one can just cover more material in a shorter amount of time when it is one-on-one. In public school, there is a lot of time spent getting the whole class lined up to go to the bathroom, recess, or lunch. There is time spent waiting for Johnny to find his work in his folder so that everyone is on the same page. There is time spent dealing with behavior problems. Consequently, just because a student may be at school for 8 hours does not mean they are receiving 8 hours of instruction. In fact, when you take the time from all those factors, it is nowhere near 8 hours.

4. I completely disagree that homeschoolers are sheltered from the "real world." The opposite is true. The whole "socialization" argument is just ridiculous. Let me temper this by saying I have known of some kids that were homeschooled that are socially awkward, but, guess what? I've known public schoolers that are socially awkward, too! When will a child EVER be in a situation again where they will be with 20-30 people exactly their age. My children spend time during the week with children much younger than themselves, with children their age, and with adults of all ages. The socialization argument cannot hold water. Period.

I am not anti-public school, but I am against making judgements on something one hasn't experienced himself and making unfounded assumptions. This would be a good time to mention that my children attended public school for the first five years. My children had some good experiences in public school and some bad ones, but we, personally, are MUCH better off homeschooling now.

I think it all depends on the individual situation. I'm not a parent. I was the first boss several home-schooled kids had. I was a manager at a large pet chain. The store manager hired two home-schooled teenage boys. Both were 18 or close to it. Both were completely socially inept to the point of not even showering regularly. They had no work ethic, no discipline. I had to constantly remind them that they were being paid to do their jobs and that meant they had to work. They had to show up on time and work. They had spent so long being allowed to do schoolwork whenever they wanted that they just couldn't deal with a deadline and a schedule. Both had very religious parents who had taken them out of school because of religious reasons and then once they got the home part, they got lax on the schooling.
My aunt has a niece who was homeschooled. Again, very religious parents. They didn't let her watch anything more than a G rated movie, preread all her books and kept her very sheltered. They did actually teach her so that was helpful. She got into a very small religious college. Now, as a young adult, she gets offended and upset if someone says, "darn." How did they help her? She's completely unprepared for the real world. She could be a housewife or work at a church. Anything else would be too much for her delicate little self to deal with.
I do think homeschooling can work. With the right parents, for the right reasons (not simply because you want a stranglehold on anything they learn) and for the right kids. And you would still need a support system in place. Kids need to interact with their peers. And a group of parents teaching would probably work better than one set of parents trying to teach everything. I am good at math and science. Another person is better at creativity and art. Having a group of parents teaching and each parent teaches his strength. If I someday have kids and the Georgia school system hasn't improved, homeschooling may be an option. Or maybe public school with extra Mom classes.

As a person who was very shy for most of her life, I can say that though I didn't want to go to school either because of my anxiety, I'm glad I did. If I had been homeschooled I wouldn't have had much opportunity to develop my social skills, and I would have been even more shy when I went to college.

I'm sure there are some normal people out there who have been homeschooled... but I went to a college that seemed to have a lot of people who were homeschooled. Most of them were very nice people but every single one of them was socially awkward.

I think it all depends on the individual situation. I'm not a parent. I was the first boss several home-schooled kids had. I was a manager at a large pet chain. The store manager hired two home-schooled teenage boys. Both were 18 or close to it. Both were completely socially inept to the point of not even showering regularly. They had no work ethic, no discipline. I had to constantly remind them that they were being paid to do their jobs and that meant they had to work. They had to show up on time and work. They had spent so long being allowed to do schoolwork whenever they wanted that they just couldn't deal with a deadline and a schedule. Both had very religious parents who had taken them out of school because of religious reasons and then once they got the home part, they got lax on the schooling.
My aunt has a niece who was homeschooled. Again, very religious parents. They didn't let her watch anything more than a G rated movie, preread all her books and kept her very sheltered. They did actually teach her so that was helpful. She got into a very small religious college. Now, as a young adult, she gets offended and upset if someone says, "darn." How did they help her? She's completely unprepared for the real world. She could be a housewife or work at a church. Anything else would be too much for her delicate little self to deal with.
I do think homeschooling can work. With the right parents, for the right reasons (not simply because you want a stranglehold on anything they learn) and for the right kids. And you would still need a support system in place. Kids need to interact with their peers. And a group of parents teaching would probably work better than one set of parents trying to teach everything. I am good at math and science. Another person is better at creativity and art. Having a group of parents teaching and each parent teaches his strength. If I someday have kids and the Georgia school system hasn't improved, homeschooling may be an option. Or maybe public school with extra Mom classes.

Okay, so, um, religious home school parents should force-feed their kids filth and vulgarity to prepare them for the scum that's in the world?

And can I assume that the only bad workers in this pet chain over the years have been home schooled kids? Because they're not taught to work? And you know firsthand that their parents were lax in schooling? Don't get me wrong. I don't endorse the not showering. But as we've talked about the broad brushes, that's an awfully large one you're using.

What gets me about all the judgments being thrust on homeschoolers....ask yourselves this. Would you or should you judge a race by a few negative interactions with one? Should I say all black people are lazy because I used to work with Marsette, who couldn't get out of her own way? How would that be okay?

We have a school board member here who said basically what you're all saying, in voting to keep home schooled kids out of extracurriculars...."I know some people who home school, and I'm not too keen on it."

Insert these words...."are black," "are Christian," "are Muslim," are "gay."

That would incite rage and offense-- but because they're home schooled, it's okay?

Not.

I find it funny how far some of you parents go to shelter your kids from life. Teach them right from wrong, teach them about morals and values and let them decide how they want to live their lives.

They'll make their own choices when they pay their own bills. Until then, as a parent of minor children, I'll raise them and educate them as I see fit.

Your advice is foolish, in my opinion.

Okay so if I read too much of this thread, I know I'm going to get heated, but let me just say this.

I was home educated from fifth grade until the end of tenth grade, then stopped. Why? Because I started attending community college at the age of 16 instead. Now, I'm eighteen years old and have 58 college credits. I have a healthy social life, and I know with 100% certainty that the public school system would have ruined me.

In addition, anyone who says that a parent absolutely NEEDS to sit by a child's side for hours while they learn has NO idea what they're talking about. After fifth grade, my mother handed me a stack of books at the beginning of the year and said "do them." There were consequences if I didn't, of course, but I had to learn to teach MYSELF.

The fact of the matter is....it IS really based on the individual. Home educating does not work for everyone; HOWEVER, if done properly, home education provides students with more opportunities than the public school system.

I find it funny how far some of you parents go to shelter your kids from life. Teach them right from wrong, teach them about morals and values and let them decide how they want to live their lives.

They'll make their own choices when they pay their own bills. Until then, as a parent of minor children, I'll raise them and educate them as I see fit.

Your advice is foolish, in my opinion.

Dont blame me when your kid grows up to be a socal leper.

Believe me, I won't even think of you.... and I got ten bucks that says my kid can at least spell social.

I find it funny how far some of you parents go to shelter your kids from life. Teach them right from wrong, teach them about morals and values and let them decide how they want to live their lives.

They'll make their own choices when they pay their own bills. Until then, as a parent of minor children, I'll raise them and educate them as I see fit.

Your advice is foolish, in my opinion.

Dont blame me when your kid grows up to be a socal leper.

Believe me, I won't even think of you.... and I got ten bucks that says my kid can at least spell social.

I meant "southern California" leper

:laugh: :laugh:

Have a good night.

I was home schooled for 2 years before I demanded that my parents put me back into public school. I enjoyed being around my peers and my friends in school, home school was very boring and I found myself not being able to concentrate.

That's funny! This year my nephew demanded to go to public school. He loves it and is thriving now. He's involved in activities and sports, etc. He had no friends at home and for years his mom tried to scare him into thinking public school was a terrible place. This fall he turned 13 and started to boycott his work. His mom threatened to send him to scary public school and he called her bluff. Haha! Homeschooling isn't for everyone, just like public school isn't for everyone. If you are going to do homeschool, that's fine, but no man is an island. Make sure your kid gets outside interaction. And if your kid is in public school, just make sure you keep track of what's going on.

I do'nt think anybody said that formal schooling was horrible. Just that homeschooling is also a valid option.

I disagree - many people on here have said that formal school was "horrible, and the worst experience of my life", painting a broad brush of discontent all over this thread. It gives the impression that there are NO good teachers out there, teachers hate kids, don't deal with bullies, want to snoop into childrens' lives, etc.

Anecdotal experience. These are certain individual's experience with the system. Because some found public school to be ht worst experience of their lives, doesn't mean everyone will find it that way. For me, the public school was the best thing that ever happened to me. But that was before the Teachers' Union, No Child Left Behind, and governmental mandates that mucked up the whole educational system.

I'm just here to put in a good word for the profession. I am very proud to be a teacher, and I hold my head up high every day, despite overly involved helicopter parents who demand their children be placed on some undeserving pedestal, demand lessons that are "fun and engaging" every day, demand we discipline them (or don't discipline them as harshly because little Johnny got his feelings hurt because he was asked to do chores -- the HORROR!) because "they won't listen to me", expect us to make ZERO mistakes, complain to the principal at the drop of a hat, etc. etc. etc.

It's actually almost funny that "professional teachers" blame the non-involvement of parents when a school fails. Always. I have seen it each and every time. But then, when a parent is actually involved they are "overly involved helicopter parents." Well, I am an involved helicopter parent, and I am damn proud of it! My first responsibility in life is to see that my kids get what they need to succeed. That is why I home school. That is why my son got accepted into law school at age 19, because I didn't trust someone else to do the job.

And when said parents don't get their demands met, they blame the teachers for not doing their jobs and yank them out of school because "only I know what's good for my child". Of course those of us who have trained for years to learn all sorts of valuable information about the raising and educating of children (many of us parents ourselves) KNOW NOTHING.

Yup.

Booyah-- out of the park, Rex.

I'm seeing a lot of immature, thin-skinned, self-absorbed people with crappy social skills who can't spell all over the forums this morning (not this thread). I guess they were probably all home-schooled. :laugh:

I'm seeing a lot of immature, thin-skinned, self-absorbed people with crappy social skills who can't spell all over the forums this morning (not this thread). I guess they were probably all home-schooled. :laugh:

And if they haven't showered, bet the ranch they're home schooled. :noway:

Home schooling is not something I would do with my daughter but she does go to a private school. As long as I can afford it I will keep her in the private school setting!

Wordnerd-- I don't doubt for a minute that your job is infinitely harder these days than it was "in my day." We know society has had a breakdown in parenting.

Personally, without meaning to start another heated discussion, I think it could be tied to the throngs of mothers back in the workforce. When I was a kid, stay-at-home moms were the norm.

But, regardless of my opinion, it is undeniable that far too many parents simply don't want to parent. You see it at restaurants with parents sitting cluelessly while their precious little angels run around bothering everybody. You hear words such as, "I know someone who demanded to be sent back to public school. He refused to do his work," on this thread.

Man-- that'd be the day when my kid would 'demand' or 'refuse' anything. But, too many parents are letting little Johnny run the show, and don't mind that schools and government (in an effort, no doubt, to bridge the gap) are stepping in. I'm sure they welcome it-- means less work for them.

I'm sure you're faced with more undisciplined kids and clueless parents more than ever.

And to be truthful, that's part of the reason why I homeschool. I see the parents in my own neighborhood with completely beastly, undisciplined kids. You know, no thanks-- not interested in having my kids sit and try to learn in an environment that includes these kids.

I do have respect for teachers-- the ones who really love their profession, and don't want to simply get a great Christmas vacation, spring break and summers off. And edited to add-- I have respect for the ones who realize they're helpers to the parents, not the children's final authority, and don't get off on a power trip.

I agree wholeheartedly with everything you've said. Kids are being empowered too much these days in the wrong things. UGH. (Not MY kids tho)