Your opinions on homeschooling

[mekannik]

From a discussion I was having with a coworker yesterday. He and his second wife have six, yes - 6, kids (three are his, three are hers) (and yes - I already made the Brady Bunch jokes). We were talking about real estate, locations, local government, and schools. That was when he chimed in with 'oh, we homeschool our kids. I guess you would call it the Smith School System'.


Seeing as how I am a product of public education and have had friends from private schools, for some reason I was just shocked by his admission. Not condemning his family's choice to homeschool. Just never really met/interacted with someone who actually did it.


So my question - if a friend/co-worker homeschooled their children, would this affect your opinion of them?

 

[Eye34]

Not at all. I think MORE POWER TO THEM... No way in Hell I'd do it! My kids would drive me crazy.

My neighbor tried it for one school year. They have 9 kids, yes 9! After the first semester she sent 7 of them back. She said it was just too hard to stay on top of them doing their work. Well, I GUESS!!!

Anyway, my opinion is that kids really need social interaction. They need to hone those skills cuz they're gonna be working(hopefully) in public one day. Doncha know?

 

[Raina]

My 2 best friends growing up were homeschooled on and off when they were young...but their mom was a teacher and they moved a lot.

Homeschooling doesn't really bother me as long as the kids get to be around a lot of other kids socially. I know a lot of homeschool parents get their kids together for sports and things like that.

I'd have no interest in homeschooling though. lol

 

[EnderJE]

According to stats, home schooled kids do better in school (no shocker) and better socially developed then PS kids. The reason? Given that the kids are home schooled, parents put their kids in alot of events (soccer, hockey, you get the idea). Given that there's all in those type of events, the atmosphere is very supported and not prone to bullying.

 

[Longhorn85]

My wife and I homeschooled for years. Our oldest from K-6 and our next oldest from K-5. I have a masters but my wife has only a HS Diploma. She did all of the teaching.

There are a lot of curricula available for homeschooling that is very good. We always belonged to local homeschool associations. Most who homeschool do a good job but there is always the occassional homeschooler who doesn't.

My kids did well. They performed exceptionally on standardized testing and made a seamless transition to public school. My oldest is a Senior now and has been offerred scholarships to more than one University. Most critics are concerned about the supposed lack of socialization but that is not really a factor if you involve your kids in sports, field trips, activities, etc. Besides most social skills are developed right in the home, or at least they should be. I think as a society we rely too much on others to raise our kids.

Highly recommended only if you're serious about the committment.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

Better than government schools by a factor of 10000000000000000000000.

 

[awittyusername]

According to stats, home schooled kids do better in school (no shocker) and better socially developed then PS kids. The reason? Given that the kids are home schooled, parents put their kids in alot of events (soccer, hockey, you get the idea). Given that there's all in those type of events, the atmosphere is very supported and not prone to bullying.

I disagree

I learned the best lessons in life being bullied, and getting my ass kicked frequently.

Yes, I know public schooling sucks. But, it trains you how to deal with all types of people.

My cousins were home schooled. (Mother was a teacher and father a preacher.) The boy is very smart. However, he has the social skills of flexygel. The one girl wanted to make more friends, and go to school. She was picked on so bad she only lasted a yr. She was 14, but had the social skill and interests of a 10yr old.

They all have had trouble functioning in society. Oh. Both daughters were knocked up by the first guy to show interest in them by 18

 

[Longhorn85]

Oh. Both daughters were knocked up by the first guy to show interest in them by 18

Ah, the joys of public school "socialization."

 

[EnderJE]

I disagree.

I learned the best lessons in life being bullied, and getting my ass kicked frequently.

Given that's it's you, I will give you a serious answer rather then the half baked ones that I usually do.

Check the stats. Yes, there are cases of home schooling failures, but by in large, the stats seem to indicate that they are a success. For the record, my kids aren't home schooled because I can't afford it.

 

[Gymgurl]

For some people it is a good thing....I want my kids to have the social experience of school....plus I could never teach them math

 

[Longhorn85]

I thought it was great for the younger grades. Do you really need to teacher to teach your kid how to tie his shoes, learn colors, count to 100? Have respect for adults and others?

Like GG said when the math/science starts getting complicated and you want them to be able to compete in sports is when public school was right for us. I didn't like it when my kids brought public school jokes and stuff to the dinner table, but we deal with it.

 

[awittyusername]

Given that's it's you, I will give you a serious answer rather then the half baked ones that I usually do.

Check the stats. Yes, there are cases of home schooling failures, but by in large, the stats seem to indicate that they are a success. For the record, my kids aren't home schooled because I can't afford it.

I agree with you on stats, and higher test scores...etc. (I am not saying public schools are great) They may be learning more.


More of a problem in social situations. For example, the child would have a better chance at solving a problem being bullied by a coworker...if they had experiance simmilar situations in their youth.

 

[Gymgurl]

^^^ I agree....

 

[javaguru]

You have to be careful of socialization when it comes to home schooling. Eventually they will have to live in the "real world." My nephew was home schooled and he's the most jacked up of my nieces and nephews. The other two kids my sister had who attended public are thriving. He actually had some court cases over DV and inpregnated a girl at eighteen.

 

[Gymgurl]

See those are some of the things that I have thought too....plus I get a break from the kids for awhile lol

 

[the-short-one]

i was in belize last year and home schooled my son. He's just turning 6 and is in would have been in kindergarden.

i just put him back in school this month, and got a call from the principle the first day. They tested him and felt he should be in the 2nd grade. (he's reading, adding & subtracting with high double digits, and can tell time on a real clock...)

I told them to keep him in kindergarden, but send him up for a hour a day for reading or math. They also send home extra work for him that is challenging him at his level. (The rest of his class is just finishing going through the alphabet.)

I kept him in Kindergarden because I felt he needed to learn social skills.

 

[SlimJim52]

My brother's wife is home schooling the 2 kids. I think too much religion on it on my Bro's part, but the kids are very well rounded and out going. They are both about 2 years ahead of their public school piers. Both like sports and the out doors, like fishing, camping and even hunting. So, how can it be bad for them?

Also, know a family of 4 that were home schooled. 3 are on US Ski Team with 4th heading that way.

 

[sre30]

I see the argument that home schooled kids to better on standardized test.

My arguement is that any kid who has parents that will show the interest that a homeschooling parent does is going to score higher than the "average" public schooler.

That, plus the socialization factor is what leads me to believe that schools are a better option than homeschooling.

If public schools are dismal in your area, like they are in Baton Rouge, I would look into private schools.

Standardized test from public schools will always be lower as a result of averaging every idiot's scores into the ones that actually give a damn.

 

[Bikini Mod]

I would give my eye-teeth to be able to home-school my children.

 

[Longhorn85]

i was in belize last year and home schooled my son. He's just turning 6 and is in would have been in kindergarden.

i just put him back in school this month, and got a call from the principle the first day. They tested him and felt he should be in the 2nd grade. (he's reading, adding & subtracting with high double digits, and can tell time on a real clock...)

I told them to keep him in kindergarden, but send him up for a hour a day for reading or math. They also send home extra work for him that is challenging him at his level. (The rest of his class is just finishing going through the alphabet.)

I kept him in Kindergarden because I felt he needed to learn social skills.

You homeschooled him last year and this year he's in kindergarten? Kudos to you for raising a smart kid but isn't that expected? We have become so dependent on others to take care of our kids these days that if you keep him home during pre-school years that is considered by some to be "homeschooling".

My wife runs into that a lot in her circles. People joining homeschool associations because they have a 3 yr old at home.

 

[the-short-one]

You homeschooled him last year and this year he's in kindergarten? Isn't that expected? We have become so dependent on others to take care of our kids these days that if you keep him home during pre-school years that is considered by some to be "homeschooling".

My wife runs into that a lot in her circles. People joining homeschool associations because they have a 3 yr old at home.

School year for kindergarden started last year - we weren't in the USA. I just put him in this month, and school year will be finished in May.

But yes, I've worked with him since he was old enough to teach. Magnet letters, educational toys, etc, etc.

 

[Longhorn85]

School year for kindergarden started last year - we weren't in the USA. I just put him in this month, and school year will be finished in May.

But yes, I've worked with him since he was old enough to teach. Magnet letters, educational toys, etc, etc.

Kool. You're a good mom. I still don't get the 2.5 times in the sack thing though.

Aren't you a MILF?

 

[the-short-one]

Kool. You're a good mom. I still don't get the 2.5 times in the sack thing though.

Aren't you a MILF?

uh. Am I? I guess that's subjective.


Thanks, BTW. Not going to explain the 2.5 times again, though.

 

[swolenole]

I agree with you on stats, and higher test scores...etc. (I am not saying public schools are great) They may be learning more.


More of a problem in social situations. For example, the child would have a better chance at solving a problem being bullied by a coworker...if they had experiance simmilar situations in their youth.

I think you run a high risk of raising socially awkward weirdos..If you home school.....plus no football team.