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    Maricruz's Avatar
    Maricruz Posts: 37, Reputation: 7
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    #21

    Aug 12, 2007, 09:15 PM
    I think one of the advantages of public school is not only "socialization" but learning to work with people of different ethnic backgrounds, beliefs and socioeconomic status, just like in the real world.
    I think children will receive a good public education at school if the parents pay attention and "enhance" the subject areas that are lacking with worksheets, trips to museums, home experiments, etc.
    Homeschooling is a good but tough choice, it means that you have little time away from your kids and little time with your husband. Remember that a healthy individual takes care of themselves first and everyone else later. If you can't/don't have time for yourself, the rest of the gang will suffer.
    sunniibunnii7's Avatar
    sunniibunnii7 Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #22

    Aug 27, 2007, 09:04 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by PixieMama
    My husband and I have decided to home school our children because we do not feel that the public education systems are very good these days. When we were in public school the teachers spent more time trying to control and disipline the class or individual students then they spent teaching. I also feel that the public school system is too focused on passing standardized tests then on real education. And it seems to be getting worse as the years go on. (I have a 13 yr old sister in the public education system and I am appalled at her reading/writing skills!) My husband and I feel that education is important and we want them to have good and strong educations, as they are already very bright children and at three years old, my twins can already spell a few words. Since there are four of them, we're not very concerned about their social skills. My kids have great social skills already, and besides, the husband and I decided we are going to get them involved in other activities that they show interest in (such as music or sports or art) outside of a school setting so they can make other friends and explore their interets. We also live in a neighborhood with lots of families who have young children as well.

    However, my mother is so ANTI home school that she says it borders on child neglect and that parents who home school are lazy and bad parents. Yet, she always comments on how smart my children are and she's amazed by how much they know. And I ask her where she thinks they learn everything from? She quickly changes the subject and gets angry if I tell her it's because I'm already home schooling them on a pre school level. She's convinced that public school is the best way to go and I'm horrible for thinking otherwise.

    So my question is - for those who home school, AND for those in the public school system to share your thoughts and experiences and how you think it's positively or negatively effected your children? Or if you are a child who has been home schooled/public schooled - your thoughts are welcome too.

    I'm just looking for outside input to share with my mother because this is an issue she and I both get very heated about.

    Thanks!

    *EDIT* My kids already have Florida Prepaid set up so they can go to college when the time comes for that and my husband and I agree that we both feel college is important to their continued education so they can have good careers when they become adults.
    Today was my 5 year oldsons 1 st day of kindergarten and he hasnever been to day careof pre k just me and him stay at home mom, he is very social and plays with his cosuins. I had to leave him today in kinder crying.. we went to bed early, he woke up ate breakfast, then got dressed, then we left early and walked in together. He asked me to stay, I said I would as long as I could. We sat in the room and I helped him get organized etc, then it was time for me to go, he cried and didn't want me to leave, I said I would be back not to worry. I handed him off to Mrs. White and left with a lump in my throat, being as strong and I could for him. And fell apart in the car, got a grip with myself and went back in to make sure he wasn't crying... he didn't see me I peeked in andhe was sitting on the floor with the other kids, while Mrs. White was reading. I know it will be a tuff adjustment for us both.. once he feels secure I know he will be fine.. one day at a time I am at home cleaning the house.. its lonely and quiet here. We will survive but IF WE Don't.. PLAN B IS HOME SCHOOLING EVEN FOR 1 YEAR? How do I go about doing this? Please help me. I am all for home schooling.. but don't know how... or where to start.


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    imadreamer's Avatar
    imadreamer Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #23

    Oct 2, 2007, 06:52 PM
    I'm going to have to agree with you. Public schools these days are absolutely atrocious, and it sickens me really. I was homeschooled most of my life, though I had a few ventures in the public/rivate school world, but honestly... I don't think I learned nearly as much material or SPELLING/WRITING/READING skills as I did when I was homeschooled.

    And the part where you said your mother was saying homeschooling parents are lazy... um, hello, that's like saying that teachers in a public school are lazy for choosing that profession. Homeschooling is a lot of work, especially for "busy" children. You go, girl! I plan on homeschooling mine.

    First is due in Feb!
    Leidenschaftlich für Wahr's Avatar
    Leidenschaftlich für Wahr Posts: 243, Reputation: 46
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    #24

    Oct 2, 2007, 07:02 PM
    Well, I was homeschooled throughout most of my school days, except first grade, 8th, and 10th. Anyway, Ive seen many different outcomes of a homeschool scene. Sometimes parents homeschool just to completely shelter their kids from the world, and some parents are very lenient. It all depends really on how much time and effort you are willing to spend on your children. Some parents would let their kids get up when they get up, then start school, some would start righ at 8am, and some parents would even make their kis wear uniforms.
    Anyway, I personally never found any drawbacks in being homeschooled. My parents enrolled me in many social homeschool groups, like the homeschool 4H group and CHEA (Christian home educators assoc.)
    Faith Fellowship, and may others.
    I plan on homeschooling my children, but upon high school age Im going to allow them to choose. I just think that the elementary school ages are such an impacting time on a persons life, I don't think I would trust strangers to do the job effectively.
    Especially when you hold certain specific beliefs that the public school doesn't feel necessary.
    Anyway, there are pro's and con's to either situation, but its mostly in the hands of te parents what type of homeschool life their child will hold.
    sGt HarDKorE's Avatar
    sGt HarDKorE Posts: 656, Reputation: 98
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    #25

    Oct 2, 2007, 07:04 PM
    I would rather be in a public school and be homeschooled. School is where you make your friends, learn about life, and everything. Im sorry but keeping your child protected from the world is not a good thing because when they do have to face it, it would be a lot more difficult.

    If education is what your worried about, look in the newspaper and see what schools have good ratings. My school's classes are pre-college classes, even the basics. And your child can always go into advance classes and such.

    School gives the child a chance to be on sport teams and socialize and go to dances. You seem to be like my mom where nothing but best when it comes to education but to tell you the truth, 2+2 will equal 4 any where you go. It just depends when you choose to learn it. Im taking basically all advance clases and I'm fine and being challenged.

    If anything choose a private school or charter school. There are less kids to a teacher. That's why my mom did, I moved to a charter school when I was in second grade and there was about 10 kids to a class.

    Not to be rude or anything but do you know everything about subjects? Do you know who the 7th president is? Sorry just some random question, anways teachers go to school for years and get updated yearly and know a lot about their topics.

    That's my opinion
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
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    #26

    Oct 2, 2007, 07:18 PM
    Of course a parent does not have the chioice to chose which public school they send their child to, that is decided by the government, by normally where you live.

    Also most parents do not have the option for private or charter schools, first because they don't have the money to pay for it, and second many areas don't have charter schools.

    And your teachers may be good, but a lot are not, a lot do the min they have to and some less after they have tenure and can not be fired.
    When we lived in Atlanta, ( inner city) actual school officials told my wife and I, that if we had any option don't send our child to their schools) this was actually the people running and teaching in the schools.

    And home schooling is not a matter of protection, than it is contoling what is taught, it may be issues of religion, moral values and more.
    And many home school children have better education skills and interact in the real world better. Proper interaction can be done easy. And many states now have or are passing laws that require public school sports to allow home school children to be part of.
    sGt HarDKorE's Avatar
    sGt HarDKorE Posts: 656, Reputation: 98
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    #27

    Oct 2, 2007, 07:21 PM
    Oh well in Michigan we have something called School of choice and you can go to any public you want as long as its not full basically

    So I guess it depends where you live
    princessgloomy's Avatar
    princessgloomy Posts: 31, Reputation: 1
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    #28

    Oct 15, 2007, 05:58 PM
    I'm 17, 18 in December and I've been homeschooled for almost a year now. I was having 6 hours of hw for 3 classes on top of a job and regular weekly church attendance. It was my decision and there is little I regret.

    Here is my opinions based on experience:

    - Consider the school they would be enrolled in. I was paying tuition to go to a better school so paying for a homeschool equaled out. It was a decent school but I knew that I could do better

    - Socially I have a job (and had it while I was in public school), attend church and still hang out with friends. But I do think that younger kids need to be in public school. Even though you have four kids, they are going to have to learn to deal with other people. There is a difference between siblings and friends.

    - Like you stated, it'll be necessary to involve them in other activities so they can shine in their indiviual ways. The thing I miss the most about school was my art teacher- she taught me the only things I've used so far :)

    - If you choose to send them to public school, stay involved with the activies there also! My mom was always up at the school helping out with field trips, parties, etc.

    - A big part of the decision is knowing your kids, which you seem to care for them a lot :D. If they are naturally shy around strangers then they should be in school for a couple years. Or maybe they don't respect other authoritative figures- that could prove to be a challenge also.

    Hope this helped!! Good luck!
    N0help4u's Avatar
    N0help4u Posts: 19,823, Reputation: 2035
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    #29

    Oct 31, 2007, 08:35 PM
    I agree with shy
    The kids who go to school, for the most part, have the lazy parents because they leave it to the schools and the neighborhood to raise them. Many of them have no idea what their kids are up to or learning. Many teachers put their biased ideas into your kids heads.

    I heard that if you want your kids to participate in an extra curricular school activity the school can not turn you down simply because you home school.
    jennnnnnifer's Avatar
    jennnnnnifer Posts: 12, Reputation: 3
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    #30

    Nov 15, 2007, 02:58 PM
    I am doing a research paper on homeschool vs public school and my original thesis was going to be about public school being better for the social aspect, but I cannot find any evidence that this is true. All of the research that I can find says that homeschooled kids are smarter and they have better social skills. I haven't found any evidence to back this up either, all I can really find is opinions, so I haven't changed my opinion although I am keeping an open mind.
    The reason I think public school is better for the social aspect is because I know a few people who have been homeschooled, some for their entire life, and some only up until middle school, or even half way through elementary school. All of these people lack social skills and before I thought about this I didn't realize how important the social aspect of grade primary is.
    A lot of the sources I have found for my research paper have not been helpful at all because they are opinions of defensive homeschooling parents saying "There is nothing wrong with my kid. My kid is not socially retarded, and if socially retarded is not knowing the latest trends, not having the peer pressures of drinking, smoking and doing illegal activities, not wearing the most revealing outfits and not being a slut, is it really horrible to be socially retarded?
    In my opinion, this is my opinion it is perfectly all right to disagree I don't have enough research to back myself up but this is how I feel about this right now. That is not what being socially retarded is! There are good things and bad things about being homeschooled and public school and you have to look at the pros and cons of each. Every child will handle both situations differently and just because someone goes to public school it does not mean they will have to deal with all or any of the above issues.
    Personally, for the social aspect I think that public school is better because the child has more opportunities to spend time with children who are his or her own age. If the child has supportive parents and makes friends with children with supportive parents alcohol and drugs and all of those issues most likely will not be an issue.
    pavray's Avatar
    pavray Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #31

    Nov 17, 2007, 08:05 AM
    Home schooling sounds like a terrific idea, but it is exceptionally difficult. Curriculum, instructional issues, intellectual group interaction, cooperative and competitive learning, learning styles, and that's just the start. If you are committed to home schooling, contact the local chapter of the home schooling association in your area. They often provide advice, curricula, and opportunities for group "classes". Additionally, the state department of education often provides information and curricula for home schooling. Good luck to you.
    asking's Avatar
    asking Posts: 2,673, Reputation: 660
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    #32

    Nov 19, 2007, 09:30 AM
    I home schooled my 13 year old son for one year and enjoyed it immensely and have no regrets. But I also felt like it was a lot of work. I did it when I didn't have a job, so it was fine. But I knew I couldn't do it if I started working again and I put him back in school. Last week, he told me that there had been a small explosion outside his school and it turned out to be have been done by some teenagers from the home school community. I'm not saying this is typical, but if other homeschooling parents are working and not supervising their teens, I can easily imagine how this can happen. I've read that police say that kids get into the most trouble not on weekends or at night, but between 3 and 6pm, when they are out of school and their parents are not home from work... This is just another perspective, not meant to condemn homeschooling generally.
    Asking
    michealb's Avatar
    michealb Posts: 484, Reputation: 129
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    #33

    Nov 19, 2007, 04:43 PM
    Another problem that I noticed recently with home schooling. Is that most people don't know that they are stupid. Not to say that all public school teachers are smart. They least always understand what is being taught. Lets face it though half of all people are below average intelligence and average isn't that smart.
    coolcourtney8's Avatar
    coolcourtney8 Posts: 12, Reputation: 2
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    #34

    Dec 28, 2007, 01:59 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by PixieMama
    My husband and I have decided to home school our children because we do not feel that the public education systems are very good these days. When we were in public school the teachers spent more time trying to control and disipline the class or individual students then they spent teaching. I also feel that the public school system is too focused on passing standardized tests then on real education. And it seems to be getting worse as the years go on. (I have a 13 yr old sister in the public education system and I am appalled at her reading/writing skills!) My husband and I feel that education is important and we want them to have good and strong educations, as they are already very bright children and at three years old, my twins can already spell a few words. Since there are four of them, we're not very concerned about their social skills. My kids have great social skills already, and besides, the husband and I decided we are going to get them involved in other activities that they show interest in (such as music or sports or art) outside of a school setting so they can make other friends and explore their interets. We also live in a neighborhood with lots of families who have young children as well.

    However, my mother is so ANTI home school that she says it borders on child neglect and that parents who home school are lazy and bad parents. Yet, she always comments on how smart my children are and she's amazed by how much they know. And I ask her where she thinks they learn everything from? She quickly changes the subject and gets angry if I tell her it's because I'm already home schooling them on a pre school level. She's convinced that public school is the best way to go and I'm horrible for thinking otherwise.

    So my question is - for those who home school, AND for those in the public school system to share your thoughts and experiences and how you think it's positively or negatively effected your children? Or if you are a child who has been home schooled/public schooled - your thoughts are welcome too.

    I'm just looking for outside input to share with my mother because this is an issue she and I both get very heated about.

    Thanks!

    *EDIT* My kids already have Florida Prepaid set up so they can go to college when the time comes for that and my husband and I agree that we both feel college is important to their continued education so they can have good careers when they become adults.
    I got to a public school. I say ask the children what they think and maybe some of them might not want to be home schooled and some wo want to go to a public school. Try not to control them too much. I would prefer to be homeschooled cos I hate school because someimes the teachers spend more time on the peaople who they THINK need help than the peaople who Actually need it reallii x just saying x
    asking's Avatar
    asking Posts: 2,673, Reputation: 660
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    #35

    Dec 28, 2007, 06:12 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by coolcourtney8
    I got to a public school. i say ask the children what they think and maybe some of them might not want to be home schooled and some wo want to go to a public school. try not to control them to much. i would prefer to be homeschooled cos i hate school because someimes the teachers spend more time on the peaople who they THINK need help than the peaople who ACTUALY need it reallii x just saying x
    Have you asked your parents about homeschooling you? If you agreed to be self disciplined and maybe set some rules and goals that you would accomplish along the way, they might agree to let you try it for a year.

    I agreed to home school my son for one year (he was 12 then and also hated his school) and it was great. We did history by watching history documentaries from Netflix and talking about them. Many school districts have programs supporting home schooling. They'll supply books and other materials, help you stay on track as far as state standards, stuff like that. You could look into it.
    Good luck,
    Asking
    Maricruz's Avatar
    Maricruz Posts: 37, Reputation: 7
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    #36

    Jan 7, 2008, 12:28 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by N0help4u
    I agree with shy
    The kids who go to school, for the most part, have the lazy parents because they leave it to the schools and the neighborhood to raise them. Many of them have no idea what their kids are up to or learning. Many teachers put their biased ideas into your kids heads.

    I heard that if you want your kids to participate in an extra curricular school activity the school can not turn you down simply because you home school.
    I respectfully disagree, both my children have been in the public school system and my husband and I have been involved with the school from the time they were in preschool. In the primary years we helped in the classroom almost every day or with school activities when necessary. We have always known their classmates by name and we are always on top of homework, activities, etc. There are many parents like that in our school, even those who work two jobs have time to help out.

    Even now when the older one is in high school (private high school, that was HIS choice), we are still involved and on top of him regarding homework, assignments, emails, text messages etc. We have all his passwords to his accounts and check them periodically.

    So having a child in public school can keep you quite busy if you so choose. Schools WANT the parent's help and it can be fun...
    dunno's Avatar
    dunno Posts: 160, Reputation: 19
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    #37

    Jan 19, 2008, 10:51 AM
    My step daughter is homeschooled by her mom. And while the mom seems to be doing a good job of teaching her, my step daughter seems to also have some social issues. THe mom runs a daycare so my SD is around lots of other kids. But she never wants to try anything new. When it comes to adults, she doesn't want to be around new ones. She quit one activity because the teacher left and she doesn't want any other teacher.

    She won't play a sport because "What if the other kids are better than me?"

    I don't know... I just think it depends on the parent. I think the key is getting them in extra curricular activities or enrolling them in a class or two at the public school. Like gym and music... that's what my step daughter was in until her mom pulled her out. But that way, they'd get to know more kids their age and who they also might go to school with someday.
    mldubose's Avatar
    mldubose Posts: 35, Reputation: 1
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    #38

    Jan 26, 2008, 01:45 PM
    I have homeschooled my kids and was very different from many of the parents in my area. For one, we did not do it for religious reasons (I'm an atheist), but for academic ones. I have children who were tested as "gifted", but the schools spent more time getting the children at the bottom to meet the basic requirements for state testing than they did making sure my children had any kind of challenging work. The NEA still functions under the belief that "smart children learn in any environment". Pulling them out once a week to do a dumb project is not any kind of enhancement. Gifted education in Georgia is a joke.

    I also had a problem with the schools not teaching their own standards regarding science and social studies. When I started home schooling, I decided to start with the state standards for each subject and to then puchase any materials needed to comply with these standards. I was horrified to see what my children had not learned in school! My seventh grader had not even been told anything about Charles Darwin or evolution, even though the Georgia standards very clearly state that this information is required to be taught. Teachers avoid the topic like the plague, especially when the Secretary of State wanted stickers to be placed in science books to "warn" students that evolution is "only a theory". I wanted to push the woman out of an airplane and let her test the "theory" of gravity.

    I was alarmed to see the letters that would be sent home that would have grammar and spelling errors in them coming from my children's teachers. And we live in a "good" school district! I actually sat in the class while the teacher went over vocabulary words and heard her tell the kids the wrong definition for the word "anxious"! Good grief! Had the woman ever picked up a dictionary?

    My children are constantly exposed to people from all walks of life, from our friends who live in the city (and are two older gay men) to the religious nuts passing out fliers telling us we're going to hell because we don't love Jesus. My girls also have gotten an enormous amount of "sex ed" because they wouldn't have gotten any of it in school. The parents here keep their kids so sheltered, and they are in the public schools! Even my nine-year-old knows what the term "blow-job" means. She asked. I told her.

    I guess mine have had the good experience of doing both public school and home school. But they languished under the tyranny of dumbing themselves down to fit in with other kids in public school. They were bored out of their minds because the rest of the class moved too slow, and their friends were never concerned with social issues. My oldest wore a pin that read, "Another straight person for gay rights", and got stares. They also didn't fit in because we weren't in church every week like everyone else.

    But as far as a homeschooling support association, I'm on my own here. I refuse to take part in the local one that is church affiliated because it's the "dinosaurs in the Bible" sort. My kids have had enough exposure to that stuff, and we've covered that "thought process" in our comparative religion topic.

    As far as your mother goes, tell her to butt out. I stopped speaking to my MIL over homeschooling. My children are her step-grandchildren, and she didn't want to meet me for the first 2 years I was dating her son because of my children. So she has no right to even have an opinion, even if she is a teacher. My mother-the-teacher wasn't too bad about it, but she beat the hell out of me when I was a kid, so I don't care what she thinks either.

    They're your kids and screw what anyone else thinks. Whether it's home or public or private schools, whatever works for you and your kids is the right answer.
    mldubose's Avatar
    mldubose Posts: 35, Reputation: 1
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    #39

    Jan 26, 2008, 02:02 PM
    I just wanted to add that my husband has a PhD in chemistry, and I'm about to start working on a Master's Degree. I do know of parents who have no business trying to teach their kids because they need to go back to school themselves.

    I especially think it's interesting to see parents who haven't mastered subject-verb agreement and can't even use lie and lay properly (among other things). If you asked them what a "subjective clause" was, they'd freak out. This is information any high school graduate should know, but most parents don't.

    They have read that they don't need teaching degrees to teach their kids. Well, they don't, but mastery of their own language is definitely required. After all, if you can't do algebra either, then you shouldn't even consider trying to teach your kids. Many of them will puchase a curriculum that just lets the kid sort of "teach himself", and the parent has to do nothing but grade everything. This is the idiot version of homeschooling and not any better than teaching your children to be little robots. They need to learn to think for themselves and to have opinions that are different from yours. They also need to learn to question authority (it was inborn in my kids) and to always want to learn, without a teacher standing over them telling them to do a worksheet.

    Just more of my opinions. I hate seeing children who are nothing but carbon copies of their parents, and it saddens me to no end to see children who do nothing but mimic their parents' opinions.
    mldubose's Avatar
    mldubose Posts: 35, Reputation: 1
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    #40

    Jan 26, 2008, 02:05 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Maricruz
    I respectfully disagree, both my children have been in the public school system and my husband and I have been involved with the school from the time they were in preschool. In the primary years we helped in the classroom almost every day or with school activities when necessary. We have always known their classmates by name and we are always on top of homework, activities, etc. There are many parents like that in our school, even those who work two jobs have time to help out.

    Even now when the older one is in high school (private high school, that was HIS choice), we are still involved and on top of him regarding homework, assignments, emails, text messages etc. We have all his passwords to his accounts and check them periodically.

    So having a child in public school can keep you quite busy if you so choose. Schools WANT the parent's help and it can be fun...

    It sounds like your children have great parents.

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