kennyt
climber
Woodfords,California
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Jan 25, 2013 - 07:21pm 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 - 07:24pm 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 - 07:26pm PT
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Kalimon, You need to sacrifice more! What you don't love yer kids?
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Jan 25, 2013 - 07:28pm PT
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Kalimon, I believe you are correct.
That being said, I know of MANY homeschool families that made it work....not easy, but they did it.
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Jan 25, 2013 - 07:31pm 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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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Jan 25, 2013 - 07:32pm PT
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+1 Srbphoto^
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Jan 25, 2013 - 07:33pm 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 - 07:35pm 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 - 07:37pm 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 - 07:39pm 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 - 07:43pm 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 - 07:55pm 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 - 07:56pm 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 - 08:03pm 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 - 08:04pm 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 - 08:19pm 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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micronut
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 25, 2013 - 08:49pm PT
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Kennyt
Two points.
1. Anybody who values their children and wants to homeschool can, regardless of income. We have three close friends who are strapped financially but choose to homeschool (3-6 kids each family) Dad is a PE teacher at a small country school. Mom stays home. The other is a youth pastor. Mom stays home. TOTAL family income in the 30-50Krange. They do not eat out. They go out to a movie rarely. They have old phones and no cable. But they have great kids who are growing up healthy, smart, and well rounded. And these moms have college degrees. Could be out makin' that cash. But they choose to put their time talent and energy into something other than themselves.
2. I dig a good public school. Two of my four went to public school for some time and had good experiences. We had some good teachers and some not so good. Many of their friends are public schoolers. They just like homeschool more and we dig it and the fruit we see in their lives is our barometer.
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micronut
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 25, 2013 - 08:54pm PT
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Also,
You're hosed if you try to homeschool to "keep your kids away from the world" or to "protect them from it".
They're gonna live in it for the rest of their lives. They need to know how to navigate it and be in it but not "of" it, if that makes sense. Homeschooling lets us prepare their hearts and minds and logic and creativity to to grow up healthy, with a strong, confident identity so they can grow up to be amazing plumbers, physicians, lawyers, starving artists, dirtbag climbers or whatever they want to be.
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graniteclimber
Trad climber
The Illuminati -- S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Division
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Jan 25, 2013 - 08:56pm PT
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I'm glad that your children are doing great in a homeschooling setting.
A dumbed down Calif. Curriculum vs. Teaching how and what we deem important
-Bullies and school shootings vs. A caring and safe environment
-A worldview shaped by lusty, lazy classmates with home issues vs. A solid identity based in love and respect
These are all strawman arguments. If you live in a bad area with bad schools, bad teachers, bads peers, then this is true. But there are lots of good schools that teach challenging curriculums in caring and save environments and with classmates that are every bit as smart and inquisitive as your own, and who add to the experience and whose ideas help your children develop their own worldview based not just on what you the parent is teaching.
Just sayin.
Go ahead. Pat yourself on the back. But not too hard.
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Jan 25, 2013 - 09:00pm PT
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“There is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a virtuous parent.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
“Homeschooling and public schooling are as opposite as two sides of a coin. In a homeschooling environment, the teacher need not be certified, but the child MUST learn. In a public school environment, the teacher MUST be certified, but the child need NOT learn.”
― Gene Royer
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