Question: Homeschooling? Pro's/Cons and overall do you think the pro's outway the cons?

[crimsonaudio]

No, because there is still a college professor on the other end...you know, someone who knows what they're talking about versus someone who is playing school.

 

[Hamilton]

Seriously. Would you be okay with "home college?"

 

[crimsonaudio]

Seriously. Would you be okay with "home college?"

Such broad statements...

Some here are talking about high school home schooling, some are talking about just elementary, etc, yet you continue to paint with a broad brush.

Our kids received an excellent education from (primarily) my wife. I don't know what grade(s) you teach, but if we're just going to be honest, teaching most ages isn't rocket surgery. Sure, many high school classes require more expertise in given areas, but below that, most any motivated, decently intelligent person can teach.

Now if you want to tell us that teaching 30 kids takes talent, sure, I'll go with that. But to act like intelligent, motivated parents can't teach their kids the basics as well (if not better) than someone with a degree is, well, silly...

But if it makes you feel important to continue to take shots at people who chose differently than you would (and were very successful doing so) go right ahead.

 

[bama_wayne1]

No, because there is still a college professor on the other end...you know, someone who knows what they're talking about versus someone who is playing school.

That is my fear of the home schooled exactly.

 

[bama_wayne1]

Such broad statements...

Some here are talking about high school home schooling, some are talking about just elementary, etc, yet you continue to paint with a broad brush.

Our kids received an excellent education from (primarily) my wife. I don't know what grade(s) you teach, but if we're just going to be honest, teaching most ages isn't rocket surgery. Sure, many high school classes require more expertise in given areas, but below that, most any motivated, decently intelligent person can teach.

Now if you want to tell us that teaching 30 kids takes talent, sure, I'll go with that. But to act like intelligent, motivated parents can't teach their kids the basics as well (if not better) than someone with a degree is, well, silly...

But if it makes you feel important to continue to take shots at people who chose differently than you would (and were very successful doing so) go right ahead.

Crimson, I think you are right. If there is a reasonably intelligent person handling things and tests are standardized somewhat it has a lot of merit. However if it's just some goob that wants to be trendy with a kid's education it worries me. NOT making statements about anyone in particular, but we all know parents who do not fit your description.

 

[Hamilton]

Such broad statements...

Some here are talking about high school home schooling, some are talking about just elementary, etc, yet you continue to paint with a broad brush.

Our kids received an excellent education from (primarily) my wife. I don't know what grade(s) you teach, but if we're just going to be honest, teaching most ages isn't rocket surgery. Sure, many high school classes require more expertise in given areas, but below that, most any motivated, decently intelligent person can teach.

Now if you want to tell us that teaching 30 kids takes talent, sure, I'll go with that. But to act like intelligent, motivated parents can't teach their kids the basics as well (if not better) than someone with a degree is, well, silly...

But if it makes you feel important to continue to take shots at people who chose differently than you would (and were very successful doing so) go right ahead.

You must have missed where I said it became impossible to do it properly around grade 8, more or less.

 

[RVTIDER]

I never would have guessed this thread would have reached 10 pages. Just an observation, I am back out of the way now.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Crimson, I think you are right. If there is a reasonably intelligent person handling things and tests are standardized somewhat it has a lot of merit. However if it's just some goob that wants to be trendy with a kid's education it worries me. NOT making statements about anyone in particular, but we all know parents who do not fit your description.

Sure, I agree, though the numbers quoted earlier show that, while some are most certainly ill-equipped to do it or are doing it for the wrong reasons, in general home-schooled children score considerably higher on standardized tests.

The issue we should be focused on is why so many parents who send their kids to public schools aren't willing to be more involved in their child's education...

 

[twofbyc]

You must have missed where I said it became impossible to do it properly around grade 8, more or less.

I will agree with this.

 

[crimsonaudio]

You must have missed where I said it became impossible to do it properly around grade 8, more or less.

I guess I did, sorry.

It just seemed as if most every post I saw of yours railed against homeschooling in general, with statements such as 'there is ALWAYS a better solution', etc. If that statement is made under the constraints of 'high school' (-ish) age only, then I'd tend to agree.

That said, there have been quite a few cases of very well educated kids home-schooled all the way through HS, so even then I'd only agree that it's true for a vast majority of home schoolers. I'd not dare try to teach my kids HS-level stuff.

 

[bama_wayne1]

Sure, I agree, though the numbers quoted earlier show that, while some are most certainly ill-equipped to do it or are doing it for the wrong reasons, in general home-schooled children score considerably higher on standardized tests.

The issue we should be focused on is why so many parents who send their kids to public schools aren't willing to be more involved in their child's education...

You sir, are correct!

 

[Hamilton]

I guess I did, sorry.

It just seemed as if most every post I saw of yours railed against homeschooling in general, with statements such as 'there is ALWAYS a better solution', etc. If that statement is made under the constraints of 'high school' (-ish) age only, then I'd tend to agree.

That said, there have been quite a few cases of very well educated kids home-schooled all the way through HS, so even then I'd only agree that it's true for a vast majority of home schoolers. I'd not dare try to teach my kids HS-level stuff.

Again, this has to do with parental involvement, not with the quality or presentation method of the material.

 

[cbi1972]

Again, this has to do with parental involvement, not with the quality or presentation method of the material.

Parents willing to get involved enough to take their kids out of a crappy school = double win

 

[crimsonaudio]

Again, this has to do with parental involvement, not with the quality or presentation method of the material.

Hence the point that homeschooling is not somehow a 'lesser approach' than more traditional schooling. You can argue why it's a compromise all you wish but the numbers don't lie. There are pros and cons to both approaches - I'm willing to concede that - but it's the main point I've had with your posts, which indicate a belief (biased by your profession, no doubt) that school teachers are in all cases superior to home schooling parents wrt educating children.

My point has solely been that, for the right families, it's a fantastic approach to educating children.

 

[Hamilton]

Hence the point that homeschooling is not somehow a 'lesser approach' than more traditional schooling. You can argue why it's a compromise all you wish but the numbers don't lie. There are pros and cons to both approaches - I'm willing to concede that - but it's the main point I've had with your posts, which indicate a belief (biased by your profession, no doubt) that school teachers are in all cases superior to home schooling parents wrt educating children.

My point has solely been that, for the right families, it's a fantastic approach to educating children.

I'm in favor of private schools, too. I've taught in both. If you don't like the public school system, I can't blame you. The parent who is homeschooling, however, would be better served to go out and get a job so that private school would be affordable, versus staying at home.

 

[TheAccountant]

I'm in favor of private schools, too. I've taught in both. If you don't like the public school system, I can't blame you. The parent who is homeschooling, however, would be better served to go out and get a job so that private school would be affordable, versus staying at home.

I agree with you that parental involvement is key to any education. If the parents weigh their options and decide HS is the best option for a few years, who are you to tell them they are wrong? Not all private schools are great, especially in many rural areas where it seems to just be a way to segregate. Perhaps that new job the parent has to get wouldn't allow the time needed to supplement their childs education when they get home.

I tend to let responsible parents make their own decisions for their children and family and not question it. Quite a few examples have been provided here by parents who seem to have done the approach well.

 

[crimsonaudio]

I'm in favor of private schools, too. I've taught in both. If you don't like the public school system, I can't blame you. The parent who is homeschooling, however, would be better served to go out and get a job so that private school would be affordable, versus staying at home.

And that's where we disagree - thankfully, money isn't an issue for us, and our kids' Stanford Achievement test scores were essentially off the charts. Could they have been better with public or private schooling? Doubtful - schools can only move as fast as the average or slower child.

Again, teaching individuals K-5th grade is simple stuff - acting as if the knowledge required to teach these grade-levels requires a teaching degree is silly.

But I've made my point, not going to belabor it any more than I already have - there are plenty of kids that prove your assertion incorrect.

 

[Hamilton]

And that's where we disagree - thankfully, money isn't an issue for us, and our kids' Stanford Achievement test scores were essentially off the charts. Could they have been better with public or private schooling? Doubtful - schools can only move as fast as the average or slower child.

Again, teaching individuals K-5th grade is simple stuff - acting as if the knowledge required to teach these grade-levels requires a teaching degree is silly.

But I've made my point, not going to belabor it any more than I already have - there are plenty of kids that prove your assertion incorrect.

If you'll look at SAT scores in the light of OLSAT scores, you'll see that home school students don't have higher achievement than students at public school, or at least they didn't four years ago. The problem with getting reliable data on the issue is that many home school students don't take the OLSAT.

 

[UAinAthens]

It's interesting to me that there hasn't been a study done of students whose parents who take as much of an active role in their child's education while sending the child to public school versus students of parents who home school.

I can guarantee you that if parental involvement were the same, the child attending an average public school would fare better. One such study was proposed when I was in college, but it was shot down.

I believe the difference between some home school students and some public school students is that parents who home school have to shoulder the responsibility and, as a result, they step up. Do that when your child is in public school and see what happens.

You can't guarentee this because as you stated, you don't have any evidence. You think this, but you cannot prove it. I know from my personal experience, having been both a homeschool parent and now a particpating parent that its going to depend on the kid and their needs and abilities, but in general, I could offer more as a homeschooler in terms of academics on a per child basis.

I also don't subscribe to the need for a college degree in education and a specialization on a per subject manner to be able to teach through high school. Obviously you have to be able to do or understand a topic to teach it, but if you can stay ahead of the pupil, you can succeed in teaching the material.

The reality is that even at good school systems, there are varying levels of teacher ability, and often drastic levels of teacher motivation. If a school could guarentee a competent, motivated teacher every year for my kids, I wouldn't have ever considered homeschooling. But that, quite frankly, is never the case. I have 3 kids in public school and one in private. Two have great teachers, but one had a weak teacher last year. My older kids change classes, and of their 4 teachers, we have one great, one good, one average, and one outright bad. And this is one of the best schools in the best school system in the state.

The numbers shown before on homeschooling are dead on what I have seen in the past. Ironically, the only category of private schools that compare are Catholic Private schools. The fact is that there is no substitude for individual instruction. If you could do that in a school setting, you likely could compete. Certainly the private institutions that you see advertised appear to do so. But in any group setting, you are either going to leave someone behind or teach to the lowest common denominator. So you either don't cover as much as you could for some, or you have to leave someone with less understanding than you could have. Simple logic.

 

[Hamilton]

See my previous post. The issue isn't achievement. It's achievement versus ability. You can't compare a kid with low ability in the public school system to a kid with high ability in the home school arena. There's no significant difference in SAT scores among students of the same ability level. If I can find that study I'll post it.