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Hi,
My name is Courtney and I am doing a senior exit project on the Effects of Homeschooling on Children. I believe that homeschooling should not be in effect.
If you have been homeschooled and it has a strong impact on your life, could you give me feedback on what you think
Thank you
What experience do you have with home-schooling? Is this a senior high-school project? I was home-schooled and I know many, many people who were also. I home-school my children and feel the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. One of my children, who graduated high school at age 16, is now working full-time and in college and tutors four children from four different families, who go to public school! In this subject, or any other, make sure you have all the information before you make up your mind.
Good Luck!
I homeschooled in 8th-12th grades and my siblings both homeschooled for various amounts of time at different ages. In terms of socialization, I personally was not very social in school mostly because many of the kids were mean and made fun of me for being shy or not making fun of other kids who were different. (Sometimes I verbally defended different kids with disabilities or different sexual orientations or other differences.) The problem was I never tried to conform to a group even when I was a young teenager. So I was picked on a lot.Quote:
Originally Posted by cds123
I became a lot more social after I left school because I had more of a choice with who I interacted with and was able to build up confidence to feel comfortable with myself and who I was before I had to face more of the people I didn't want to deal with.
Sometimes it's an issue of quality vs. quantity. And I'd rather have quality anyday. I'm 25 now and I occasionally find I missed what might have been an ordinary teenage social interaction, but I wouldn't trade it for going to high school in a million years.
My sister, on the other hand, felt she needed the high school scoial interaction. And she went to high school, but she never really had consistent social interaction. Her friends changed every year and she got into major trouble with her social interaction. (A friend of hers nearly died twice from poor alcohol judgement. And I never was pressured to consume alcohol until college, when I was comfortable enough in myself and mature enough to make responsible judgements and only drink when I wanted to.)
I don't know a lot of people well who were homeschooled from young ages, but the ones I do know are delightful people and socialize in their own ways and are completely functional in adult society. I can refer you to a few if you PM me.
Homeschoolers totally miss out on some of the socialization associated with institutionalized schooling.. peer pressure, bullying, getting beat up,.
Personally I'm opposed to home schooling. Not so much because of any potential social impact but rather an academic one. I feel that homeschooled children do not develop good work habits as they don't learn to adhere to a schedule, unless the parents doing the homeschooling are very conscientious about establishing a schedule and making sure their children adhere to it. Most parents simply have too many other responsibilities on their plate to establish and implement a proper homeschooling program though they may have good intentions. The other major concern is that homeschooled children don't acquire a sufficient background in the various academic subjects, unless the parents are highly educated and recall enough of their own schooling to impart the required knowledge to their children/pupils. For example, how many homeschooling parents could tell me how to use trigonometry to solve a right triangle problem? Now this may sound like an extreme example but it is an expected skill for secondary students in the public school system. Any student who leaves high school not knowing how to do this isn't going to be able to progress much further in higher education or the professional world. If one is going to pump gas or flip burgers for a living then fine, but if one wants a successful career (s)he's going to have to know how to do this particular skill, at least for academic reasons if not practical ones. So all things considered I'm generally against homeschooling as an option.
In general most home school kids out perform public education kids in most academic areas. And honestly I would bet 90 percent of graduating seniors can solve a right triangle problem, man can't balance a check book. Only a small percent of public school kids do college preep work.
In fact the home school kids do better on college entrace exams and over all do better in college. Look at the current spelling bee competition for a good example of this.
But addressing socialization, this is not that hard, in many areas there are play groups, organized activities, Music lessons, soccer, sports, karate and many other activities.
While there are good public schools many are not, we had public school teachers and officers in Atlanta actually tell us if we could afford a private school do it. Even here in rural TN we had teachers even tell us to lie about where we lived ( use a work address) to get into one school instead of the other public schools.
So in general, most home school kids are better prepared for college and for getting ahead in life.
But with any program, it is how it is done, there are parents that don't need to be doing it. It most certainly needs one parent to be at home full time to develop the education program.
There are many good programs with online teacher assistance where parents don't have to have specific knowledge on technical subjects.
But yes it will go better if at least one parent is higher educated.
Most states have requirements on this, depending on the type of program that is used, for example you can use a detailed program that is administrated by a school. Programs arranged by the parent alone still needs to meet specific state requirements
a. I feel sorry for your childhood, sounds like it was roughQuote:
Originally Posted by Wyeast
b. the real world involves aspects of this, you need to learn not to be a victim
You're opposed to home-schooling for academic reasons? Wonder what the percentage of parents who home-school vs. parents of children in public school insist on a schedule of homework, etc. for their children. A school principal told me recently that she's going to homeschool her children because they learn so much more at home.
One of the main things I want my children to know is - if they don't know the answer to something, they know where to look to find the answer.
There are parents who aren't suited for homeschooling, but there are many PS teachers who aren't suited for teaching!
Courtney I don't know if I am too late but I am doing a research on home schooling and its social impact mainly looking at their social development. I would be glad if you could chat with me so we can maybe exchange views and opinions.Quote:
Originally Posted by cds123
Basically the social "impact" is just a lie of the government system trying to stop children from leaving public school, since they loose tax money, they are paid in many areas by the student, so they loose money when they loose students.
But I can not believe any rational parent would want their child in a public school today, and social issues just don't exist, there are associations of home school children that meet regularly where the kids get together,
Home school children do regular field trips and there are so many other areas from music, to dance to sports that provide more good skilsl than public school ever could
The image of a parent who home schools their child - the one mentioned above about not following a schedule, not following a routine, not developing good work and study habits - I do not doubt it does happen. I do know ONE family like that. I know FIFTEEN families that do not. There are curriuclums available for home schooling, your respective state has standards of education, the children are tested - I cannot see the advantage of staying in a public school versus being home schooled. Homeschool parents and their families do not live in an oyster - many have the internet and use resources there, as well as various libraries. Parents who want to make it work for their child will do everything needed to make sure their child exceeds any standard the state can set.
You will always find the parent or the child who is not the best match for homeschooling. You will always find the teacher who should be out digging ditches instead of teaching. But overall, my faith would be in the homeschooled child.
Father,
I read what you wrote and wonder if your views on the public schooling issues are focused uniquely on the U.S.. In Canada I do not have such a dim view of the public education, I think they do an admirable job.
Regardless of which country you are in I do have these comments
- I have nothing against homeschooling... if done well. I do imagine that 90% of the parents today wouldn't know where to start if they were told that next year their kids would be taught by them. And frankly I bet many would have the interest or the effort required.
- can one parent have access to the same body of knowledge that a dedicated government department has? i.e. methjods of teaching/learning, resources for various subjects, etc.
- how does that work with two incomes families or families with multiple children? Not all parents have the energy level required to be the sole provider of schooling and playtime to 3 children, 5 days a week.
Just thoughts. I am currently quite happy with our school system here. I supplement what she learns with some real world experiences.
Every fast food chain was started by a drop-out of high school; in fact most dropped out of elementary school: McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's... you name it. Perhaps they didn't waste their time figuring out trigonometry (I can't even spell it) and actually got on to follow their interests.
Incidentally, virtually all of the computer software and hardware entrepreneurs are college dropouts: Bill Gates, Paul Allen, the guy from Dell, Kinkos, Steve Jobs, you name it..
School does turn out a pile of cogs that work in cubicals, though. We need these people to work for the homeschoolers, and dropouts.
This is a pretty ignorant statement. I homeschooled from 9th-12th grade, I started going to a state college when I was 16 through concurrent enrollment. I am now a Registered Nurse having graduated from a University. When I was in college most of the kids were high school graduates from public school. I was surprised at how 'dumb' most of them were. I was a little nervous when I first started college because I thought my education levelwould be greatly inferior compared to these other students who had taken classes in public school but boy was I wrong! What do they teach in public school anyway? Many of my classmates could not write a decent college level paper using proper grammar or structure in the paper. Oh, and I really don't remember how to use trigonometry as it was not a requirement to get into nursing school.Quote:
Originally Posted by s_cianci
I would also like to add that I know a few people who did not get a college education who are definitely not 'flipping hamburgers or pumping gas for a living', but making 80k per year. These are very self-motivated individuals who probably couldn't tell you the first thing about trigonometry.
In my experience, most home-learners take their education more seriously than those in public school, and are much more self-motivated learners.
[offensive post I was referring to has been removed, I have thus edited my post]
Sorry Karma, I don't understand how you linked my post about my experience being homeschooled with racism, could you please clarify yourself:confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by NeedKarma
Ah I see. There was an offensive post right after yours that was removed. I will edit my post accordingly. Sorry for the confusion, I could not have foreseen that happening.Quote:
Originally Posted by mandaloolu
The first point disregards the fast that homeschoolers are a self-selected group: those who are motivated to learn how to do so, will.
Home schooling is beyond a blessing. I was home schooled and my children are home schooled as well. Usually the people who don't agree with homschooling have never done it. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I graduated High school when I was 16, and college when I was 20. I was never influenced by the decsions other parents made with their children and my children have not been either. I find that Home schooling makes for stable, more confident, children who grow into stable more confident adults.
And for social development my children are in a number of different activities. They are happy. I am happy. Home school has been wonderful to my family :-)
I agree with Fr_Chuck and many states do allow home schooled kids to attend and participate in the public school functions. The system just doesn't want you to know that but if you push for it the law is on your side.
HSLDA | State Laws Concerning Participation of Homeschool Students in Public School Activities
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