Question Homeschooling?

[nightshade]

Since there is a lot of talk about children lately I thought I would ask your thoughts of home schooling. Would you do it, what do you think or people that choose to teach their children at home instead of sending them to school?

 

[Cast No Shadow]

Oooh, we had this convo in chat fairly recently!
I wouldn't want my children to be home schooled, I think children need the social aspect of going to school as much as the educational aspect.
Also, despite the fact that parents have to qualify to teach their children at home, there's no guarantee in the quality of the education that the child will be receiving. Schools are thoroughly tested through OFSTED, and have to meet stringent targets, which doesn't happen when children are home schooled.
I know there's going to be people who are all for it, and I'm aware that sometimes it does work, but I think that those cases are in the minority.

 

[sisterofmercy]

Each to their own but I'd prefer if my niece/nephew went to a place where they were taught by professionals who are qualified to teach to a suitable standard. I think that parents can be great teachers but in terms of GCSEs and proper exams I'd think it's perhaps safer to make sure the proper expertise is given. Plus there's a social dimension you get at school which is hard to replicate outside of that setting.

But then as I live in a place where homeschooling is rare (usually only in exceptional circumstances like where the kid has been excluded or is being bullied), I'm probably not knowledgeable enough to pass judgement. I'm sure it works for some people, I'm just glad I'll never have to realistically think about any of that.

 

[ashleigh]

I have no strong opinion either way. If both parent and child feel it is best for them then I see no reason why a child shouldn't be home schooled. On the other hand I see no reason why they shouldn't just go to school.

 

[Faith]

This is a very rare practice here in the UK. I have never met or even heard of anyone who did not attend mainstream education. While i'm sure that home schooling your child will increase your bonding I don't think it is adequate to replace the more traditional method.

Teachers train for several years in their field, can you reasonably say that you can provide the same standard of education?

Add to this the importance for child development that they experience the social setting and practices with their peers then no, I don't think it is a good idea.

 

[Taake]

Teachers train for several years in their field, can you reasonably say that you can provide the same standard of education?

Add to this the importance for child development that they experience the social setting and practices with their peers then no, I don't think it is a good idea.

I agree with this and I would never consider homeschooling. I'm all for taking an interest, helping out with homework and keeping up with what the school is teaching your child. But I think the school setting, the varied ideas they're going to encounter and experiencing a world outside of the home is far more important than being able to control the ideas or topics they're exposed to.

 

[Kean]

In all my life I've never known nor heard of someone being home schooled in Ireland. For that reason alone I wouldn't want it for my child. Why single them out so profoundly? I think I'd be setting my child up for a very difficult time when it came to social interaction with their peers. However, I do think it would be different in a country that has a strong home schooling background, like the States. I'd imagine it would be a more acceptable choice. I doubt it is a choice I would avail of for my child, because I believe the social interaction of mainstream schooling is terribly important for children. Then again, if my child was coming home from school having been ridiculed, harassed and physically abused, my opinion could change fairly drastically.

 

[arabella]

Whatever works for the family. Homeschooling doesn't have to be an isolating practice for the child. Many children who are homeschooled attend group classes throughout the week to have peer interaction and supplement the curriculum that is provided by the parent. Generally, when a child go has been homeschooled in the States goes to university, they participate in testing to determine I they are prepared for the basic classes and are remediated if needed but that is not often needed. Recently, many children and families are taking advantage of the online public school that is offered in Georgia. These children are technically homeschooled, however they are using the same resources and curriculum as children attending public school and taking the same tests. The parents then supplement as desired to enrich the child's experience. And as to the qualifications of the parents who choose to homeschool, it is m y experience that a great deal are educated at the bachelors or masters level in m y circle and many are formerly educators who distrust the "performance driven" system in which a child can receive very little individualized attention and often do not learn the things that are needed in an effective long-term manner.

That said, personally, we intend to send our child to public school. I enjoyed public school and hope m y child does as well, but if homeschooling seems to be a better option them we will explore it... After all, I'm currently a stay-at-home mom and adjunct faculty at a local university so I suppose I'm as "qualified" as I'm going to get to teach my own children. Hahha!

 

[Goby]

It is very common where I live. BTW, the kids are tested, and usually there are meetings a few times a month. Many times it's done for religious reasons. In public schools they teach evolution. I cringe when I hear about a high school grad home schooling their mom. I've seen success, and I've seen failures.

But it can be done right. I've heard that the highest testers on standardized tests and many spelling bee contestants are home schooled.

 

[david4wt]

How can they pass tests or final exams if they don't know about evolution?

 

[dexeded]

Felicia Day was homeschooled. And she went to college at 16.

Personally, I think it's entirely up to the parents. Sometimes homeschooling works, sometimes it doesn't. That said, I myself wouldn't homeschool my child. Besides the whole teachers-have-actual-training, I think it's very important to learn to interact with others in different situations, the whole social aspect of school.

 

[Vamp Jenny]

I don't believe in home schooling, since I live in a place where the education is subject to changes every generation or so. My mom was teached in one way and I was teached in a different way and today's kids are teached in another way. So you can't really homeschool in Quebec, because your kids wouldn't have learned the same thing in the same way, at school.

If a kid is bullied and really don't want to go to school anymore, I think the best way would just be to change school. That way, it is a fresh start for the kid and he/she still get to live the social aspect of being at school

 

[Goby]

How can they pass tests or final exams if they don't know about evolution?

In the US many believe in creation, and some believe in literal creation, which means men and dinosaurs lived together.

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

Many people have doubted the level of education you reeive at home. I guess it depends how autonomic your learning behaviour is and how much your parents know, but honestly, I'm about 99.9% sure I would've learned more at home than in school. For one thing, I learn better by reading, and listening to someone has just never worked for me (so basically the actual sitting in class has always been a waste for me). Additionally, the pace of normal lesons was aways pretty slow, so again, would've been better to just stay home and learn it by myself. Also, teachers can be pretty unqualified. Like my dad always says, those who can't, teach.

However, I do believe school is important for soialization. I don't think people can turn out all right if they're completely isolated. I know this doesn't have to be the case with everyone, but if you have, let's call it 'eccentric' parents, the influence they have on you would just be way too big. Children woudn't even get the chance to make up their own minds, it is in a way a medium for brainwash. It is interesting that it is religious reasons are often at the base of homeschooling (somebody mentioned earlier, I think), because I believe they would benefit the most from getting away from certain thought patterns for a while.


Intrestingly, homeschooling is illegal in Germany. Has been since the 3rd Reich. Back then, Hitler passed the law so that no one could get away from his ideology. I don't know why they kept this law after the second world war, but it is dfinitely stil in action.

 

[VisionGirl]

ITA with everything [MENTION=6330]arabella[/MENTION] said. I know quite a few homeschooling families and I don't see any socialization difficulties with their children. Usually the mothers (who do the bulk of schooling) have college degrees. Some may do it for religious reasons but I know many who do not.

Personally I would not do it because I have to work and I don't think I have the temperament. I do work with children, but working with your own children is completely different. I am a speech pathologist & do work with my own child at school in speech therapy, & at times it's less than ideal. He's doing fine though so I guess it all worked out. 🙂

---------- Post added at 09:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:37 AM ----------

Alright, there's April Fool's stuff going on, isn't there? Everytime I typed "w h o" it comes out like "why". I even double-checked it by clicking Edit.

 

[Flannen]

Many people have doubted the level of education you reeive at home. I guess it depends how autonomic your learning behaviour is and how much your parents know, but honestly, I'm about 99.9% sure I would've learned more at home than in school. For one thing, I learn better by reading, and listening to someone has just never worked for me (so basically the actual sitting in class has always been a waste for me). Additionally, the pace of normal lesons was aways pretty slow, so again, would've been better to just stay home and learn it by myself. Also, teachers can be pretty unqualified. Like my dad always says, those who can't, teach.

Okay, a few things I have to address here from a teacher's point of view. One, I teach because I can not because I can't. I teach because I can have a positive influence on kids' lives, I can help them to develop confidence in what makes them who they are, I can help them to make the specific progress they need to make in order to be someone in the world, I can help them to overcome the obstacles to their learning because I've been trained to do that; more importantly I want to do all of these things. 🙂

Second, if my job was to just stand up and talk about what kids need to learn, my job would be a heck of a lot easier lol! In the majority of my lessons, my kids learn by doing, by teaching each other. Lecturing, and incidentally reading, are the least productive ways children learn and myself, and the team I work with, have a vast bank of strategies they use day in and day out to provide a varied approach to learning. Similarly, pace is one of the most important aspects of my job: it supports behaviour management and learning when it comes to children and when it comes to me, it's very rarely, slow.

The things I've just commented on are only one part of a teacher's job that I don't think can be met by home schooling.

Some teachers might not be at the standard that is expected of them, but the education sector is a competitive and tough place to work in nowadays so the level of unqualified teachers is not quite as bad as people would be led to believe.

Alright, there's April Fool's stuff going on, isn't there? Everytime I typed "w h o" it comes out like "why". I even double-checked it by clicking Edit.

We're looking into it 🙂

 

[EvilWillow]

My mother-in-law homeschools my brothers and sister in law partly because of religious reasons (NOT evolution) and partly because of the bad environment that a public school provides. Her kids are very socially involved. They go to church and serve as alter boys/girls, they have black belts in tae kwon do, etc.

I don't think you have to be as qualified as people might think. My mother in law isn't a teacher, or anything special, and her oldest that is a HS senior is already taking college classes that a sophomore takes. The next one isn't far behind. They give you instructions on what to do, and it's really quite simple.

I agree it's not for everyone. I don't see myself doing it with my kids. However, the public school system in the US is so flawed and dangerous to my children's well being, I'll probably try my hardest for private school.

 

[Faith]

My mother-in-law homeschools my brothers and sister in law partly because of religious reasons (NOT evolution) and partly because of the bad environment that a public school provides.

When you say a 'bad environment' do you mean in relation to religious reasons?

 

[Mr Giles]

With all the dumbasses ive ever known, maybe Homeschooling wouldnt be that bad. Dont think it makes that big a difference though. Some of the teachers i had didnt have a clue.

 

[EvilWillow]

When you say a 'bad environment' do you mean in relation to religious reasons?

No, I mean bullying. I don't know about anyone else, but I was bullied repeatedly by students AND teachers.