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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Jan 25, 2013 - 09:36pm PT
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Home schooling implies that some one needs to be at home in order to see to the children's education. This is no longer an option for the majority of the American populace. Quite simply it now requires two incomes to live the American Dream!
If you have the luxury of home schooling your children you should be very grateful, and you should realize that most of us cannot afford to do so.
The unwashed masses are left in the public school morass.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Jan 25, 2013 - 09:50pm PT
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Just to share a story. Most of the home schooled kids I know are great but...
I had two home schooled girls (age 14 and 17)and their mom working for me for a few seasons at The Ren-Faire. Mom was a single parent doing the home schooling.
The whole family was likeable, bright, whizzes at doing math in their heads and not socially awkward at all (extroverted if anything). They were my top sales people making triple the commission the other employees were.
... I was sad to find out after a few years that neither of the girls could read or write. (They were very skilled at hiding the fact). Mom couldn't read well, so she sort of left that part out of the home-schooling. It kinda made me mad when I found out. It seemed like a pretty critical skill for life in the real world. The kids were brilliant and mom basically slammed the door on a lot of opportunities for them. They were able to enroll in classes later to learn, but I'm sure it was a bit rough learning to read in your 20's.
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SCseagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Jan 25, 2013 - 09:50pm PT
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Micronut... Are your kids being homeschooled privately or under the auspices of your public school district? I was a district office administrator for most of my career and I administered our "homeschooling" programs. A public school district calls them "homeschooling" because that is easily understood. Legally, they are "full time independent study". All students in a district run full time independent study are legally allowed access to all the activities the district offers such as sports, dances etc. Many districts don't adhere to that or try to implement policies to circumvent that. I've been retired a couple years but I don't think that has changed for programs operated by the district. Just some info
Another thing....California still has compulsory attendance laws so "homeschooling" is technically illegal unless you do it through an authorized school or agency or get an "affidavit" usually from a county office of education....and typically they are just given out with no checking to see if the "teacher" is capable of educating.
Susan
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kennyt
climber
Woodfords,California
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:08pm PT
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Like, food, shelter and clothing. Cragman,please tell me I misread that your wife is a public school teacher but you homeschool your kids.
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:13pm PT
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My take on it is it works because the parents are very involved. Most of those kids would do well in a public school because their parents would still be very involved. I worked with a great kid who was home schooled. She was so happy when, at 16, her parents let her go to a "real" school (a small private school). Why? She got to spend more time with other kids and teachers for a more rounded point of view (that was her reasoning). If all parents spent 2 or 3 hours working on their kids school work with them I think we would see the return of our high standards.
BTW I have a 1st and 5th grader. Both at an excellent public school. It's excellent because the parents at the school are some the most engaged and involved I have seen. We (and by "we" I mean mostly my wife, I'm at work :) spend a couple of hours every day on various school work (even during weekends and the summer).
EDIT: fortunately they take after their Mom. Those Indians don't fool around when it comes to education (haha)
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
-A race of corn eaters
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:19pm PT
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My take?
If you're doing it primarily to give your kids a Christian bible education, like millions are, it's terribly misguided.
Or for prayer in school reasons, again, terribly misguided.
This is the 21st century, parents. Your kids and theirs are going to have to compete against the Asian Indians and the Chinese in an overpopulated highly competitive world. Keep that in mind. Would your homeschooling include Chinese as well as calculus? Mine would. :)
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kennyt
climber
Woodfords,California
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:21pm PT
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My wife left her job 3 years ago to be at home with the kids before and after school. She also volunteers at their school 3 days a week to try and make a difference. I get sick of this my kids can't live up to their potential at public school bullsh#t. Get out their and try to make it better for all the kids not just your own.
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:24pm PT
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Cragman . . . let me be clear, the vast majority of the American populace cannot afford for mom to stay at home and school the chilluns. Those who are fortunate enough to do so are in the minority. It is simply not an option.
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kennyt
climber
Woodfords,California
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:26pm PT
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Kalimon, You need to sacrifice more! What you don't love yer kids?
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:31pm PT
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It is simply not an option.
Is this true? Yes, for many. But for many of the "we both have to work" whinning is hard to take when the family has iphones, computers, multiple cars, etc. For many 2 income households it's not that they can't do it, it's they are not willing to sacrifice "stuff" for it.
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:33pm PT
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I think it is wonderful to home school your children! It is unfortunately a luxury that few can afford. Even healthy food can be a precious commodity for many of the less fortunate in our country.
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:35pm PT
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Is this true? Yes, for many. But for many of the "we both have to work" whinning is hard to take when the family has iphones, computers, multiple cars, etc. For many 2 income households it's not that they can't do it, it's they are not willing to sacrifice "stuff" for it.
Dude, the people I refer to are most certainly not sporting the latest technical gadgetry . . . you need to get out of your suburban cage.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:37pm PT
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My general impression is that home schoolers are fundamentalist Christians who don't want their kids to pick up secular humanist values in the public school system.
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:39pm PT
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Kalimon - People who truly are in those situations have my sympathy and empathy.
EDIT Dude, I am not trapped in a "suburban cage". You don't enough about me or my upbringing to make that statement, Dude!
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:43pm PT
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A dumbed down Calif. Curriculum vs. Teaching how and what we deem important
"How and what we deem important" is not a general prescription for an education that is either high-quality or well-rounded. Maybe some of the "unimportant" things done in the schools would be unexpectedly valuable.
Bullies and school shootings vs. A caring and safe environment
Yes, but bullies and school shootings, in spite of the terrible things we read about, are not characteristic of children's school experiences.
A worldview shaped by lusty, lazy classmates with home issues vs. A solid identity based in love and respect
Wow, that really disses the majority of school students. I would caution you to not allow these attitudes to color your children's view of the world, because their worldview, in or out of school, is going to be primarily shaped by your worldview.
Friday night lights football(I do miss it) vs. Trad climbing with with my kids (no contest)
A good school will have all kinds of clubs, sports, and activities, some of which the parents may know nothing about. Just because we love climbing is no reason to suppose it is appropriate for our children.
Truancy vs. Family adventure Wednesdays whenever we want
Do you make up the educational time on task lost on those wonderful Wednesdays?
There is little doubt that home-schooling done right, is as good or better than the best public schools. Unfortunately, this is just a definition "done right," nothing more. I honestly have my doubts about many parents, even assuming they have the time, financial resources, and ability to re-educate themselves, being up to the task of doing English, History, Social Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Foreign Language(s), just to mention some basic core subjects, and I suspect the "what we deem important" clause comes into play both by direct choice and by at least semi-unconscious avoidance.
I'm also sure some people can pull it off, but a lot fewer than the number who are actually trying. Yes, there is mediocre and worse schooling, but this is true both in and out of the home.
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:55pm PT
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My general impression is that home schoolers are fundamentalist Christians who don't want their kids to pick up secular humanist values in the public school system.
The funny thing is that I was ignorant to the whole religious right aspect to home schooling . . . but of course they do not want their children subject to reality! Scary stuff out there.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
www.climbaddictdesigns.com
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Jan 25, 2013 - 10:56pm PT
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I never knew of any home-schooled kids when I was young, and admit I was pretty oblivious that it was even occurring until about 10 years ago. Seemed to become a media topic, along with some other subjects, right around the 911 time.
But as for it being religious fundamentalists who home school, I did know one climber who was home schooling his, and yes, the kids seemed very well behaved, intelligent and aware. They were also filled with fun and energy. And I am pretty sure this guy is an agnostic or atheist.
At any rate - good for those who care about their children, wherever the kid is educated! There are too many whose parents don't.
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Gunks Guy
Trad climber
Woodstock, NY
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Jan 25, 2013 - 11:03pm PT
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Homeschooling - It never ceases to amaze me what passionate opinions it generates in people who not only have little-to-no experience with it, but have little reason to care about it. What is it about it that sticks in your craw? I am curious because, from what I can tell, choosing to homeschool is an intensely personal decision that has little impact on you or the rest of the world yet requires incredible dedication and personal sacrifice. I really am curious to know what it is that bugs you so much.
Obviously, this post is directed at the detractors.
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Jan 25, 2013 - 11:04pm PT
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Forget the bouldering there...go to the North Shore and take the kids on a zipline tour.....you'll all have a blast!
That's what all the poor folk do when they are in Hawaii, when they are on home school holiday.
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
-A race of corn eaters
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Jan 25, 2013 - 11:19pm PT
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Homeschooling is like homebuilding.
For every one done right, there's probably five to ten done poorly.
Depends on your standards.
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