Homeschooling: Freeper Needs Guidance on *Effective* and *Proven* Programs

quesney | quesney

[quesney]

I'm looking into effective, *proven* home schooling programs and curricula as I come across ongoing reports on the many failings of the US school system. I have an eye toward a future family w/kids, but have a limited budget to pay for private school.

Can expert Freepers out there advise me on the best home schooling programs, curricula, support groups and testing programs out there? I could also use any advice on the U.S. states most receptive to and supportive of home schooling programs.

I'd really appreciate the help, especially from homeschooling parents.

[ican'tbelieveit]

Oh, one last thing that struck me about your post. This idea that Christians, etc., must keep their kids in a public school so they will be a good influence on the other kids.

Would you surround yourself with people socially that you have absolute opposite values than you do? As an adult? Of course not. You seek out people who share similar beliefs. As a Christian, you find fellow Christians to build that social circle, to support you and to help you grow.

But we expect our children, the weakest among us, to do what we won't do as adults, when we send them into a public school. To withstand all of the temptation, the pressure, the mess.

[JenB]

My feelings about homeschooling is that most parents do not see it through, consequently their kids go back in the system unprepared and overwhelmed. Because of this trend, I do not know of one teacher that is a fan of homeschooled children.

Well, as a teacher, the only homeschool kids you're going to see are the 'failures', after all. Since you live in a state with a sane homeschool law that doesn't force homeschoolers to submit to governmental approval every year, the only time you'll have contact with homeschoolers is either when they drop out and come to your school or when they're on the chess club/math team/debate team/science project that beats your school in a competition.

Plus, if they're in the upper grades, the kids miss a lot of the high school experience. No proms, no homecoming queens, no football on Friday nights, no baseball and track, no band practice, no drama club, no yearbook or school newspaper to read, no JROTC to prepare them for the armed services if that is their wish, no teacher-student basketball games, and no high school reunions when they are 50ish as I am...private schools can still offer most of these "perks," but no home school can.

I have to laugh about that. Most of my friends from college never went to their proms because they were such total geeks. They avoided the football team because the jocks beat them up. The cheerleaders snubbed them. Other than that, homeschoolers have drama clubs and sports teams of their own. We have all sorts of academic teams and groups. And I am positive that any homeschooler who wants to do JROTC can find a way to do it.

[meandog]

I have to laugh about that. Most of my friends from college never went to their proms because they were such total geeks. They avoided the football team because the jocks beat them up. The cheerleaders snubbed them. Other than that, homeschoolers have drama clubs and sports teams of their own. We have all sorts of academic teams and groups

Homeschool, Homeschool, Rah, Rah Rah!
We have real fun, too! Zip-pee-dee-do-dah!

[JenB]

Now that is just offensive. I don't mind homeschooler humor and jokes and stuff but honestly. And if the best defense you can have of the public school system is to post stupid pictures that you claim represent homeschoolers, then it's no wonder we're leaving the system behind.

[meandog]

Jenny: I do not understand homeschooling, especially in the state of Iowa which can truly boast of some of the best public schools in the nation courtesy of your fellow Hawkeyes, who really care about education. (Each year, public schools give the Iowa test of academic achievement to assess student progress--you may have heard of it?}

Homeschooling is for parents in large metro areas that are dominated by bad public schools...so, unless you live in Des Moines, you're really doing your kids a disservice.

If you're homeschooling because of some sort of fundamentalist fear that children will fall victim to some atheist or wiccan influence take heart that you and your husband have probably done an adequate job in insulating them against the sins of the world. Cheers!

[meandog]

Here is some information you may find handy click here

[JenB]

I don't have kids yet. I grew up in suburban PA, pretty good schools. As homeschoolers we were required to take tests every few years and the ones my parents signed me up for were the Iowa tests. They were idiotic, I thought for the longest time that scoring in the 99th percentile meant I got one percent of the questions wrong and I was disappointed. So if that's the test of Iowa's schools...

I don't plan to homeschool because I'm afraid my kids will have their beliefs shaken. I plan to homeschool because I can do a better job than the typical education major who has 30 other kids to babysit. I expect our kids to be pretty darn bright and I won't have them in a classroom at age 8, like my husband was, bored to tears and learning to hate learning. I want them to get the love and wonder of learning that I got from my homeschool experiences.

Homeschooling is for any parents, anywhere, who wants to be involved 24/7 in their childrens' lives, to customize their educational plan for that child, and let their children have a real childhood where they can run and play and build tree forts for as many hours a day as they're spending on school.

[kalee]

As the parent of a succesful homeschool graduate, I would suggest that inclination combined with motivation and commitment will lead to success in homeschooling.

Our son is at a very old, prestigious, private college on academic scholarship. He was president of the local chapter of the homeschool honor society, paged for the governor and general assembly in our state capital and was governor at Boy's State. He was an excellent student who received numerous awards at the diocesan level in our church, in the community and beyond. He applied to 4 colleges, was accepted at all with scholarship offers. He is doing well in college, a double major and is active in numerous organizations in leadership positions. I don't have a teaching degree, pulled together my own curriculum, even writing some of it myself and we did a great job. Our daughter is now homeschooling her little girl.

[kalee]

"teachers are extremely more qualified than parents in the education of children (especially if the child is gifted or talented)."

Our son was in the gifted program when he was in public elementary school and I had no problem meeting his needs after we pulled him out in 5th grade to homeschool. As I said before motivation and commitment combined with the desire to do it were all we needed.

[Running On Empty]

Marking

[meandog]

and was governor at Boy's State.

Good for him, I mean that...but you know what prominent recent politician was also a governor at Boy's State though, don't you?

...He applied to 4 colleges, was accepted at all with scholarship offers...

Seeing your state flag, I trust perhaps Emory, Ga. Tech, maybe Ga. State...but, please don't tell me that school in Athens where "How 'bout them Dawgs!" rings in your ears and you're abused by inhospitable, barking and drunken rednecks attired in read and black and hollering "Dawg Meat!" if you dare enter 'tween the hedges in an opponents colors. I got beer poured on me, and I was spat upon and generally had my life threatened there in the 1970s, whew, and I thought Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was bad--it was like a 4-star hotel compared to Sanford Stadium!

[kalee]

Studies also show that while homeschooling may have merits for some kids, most children do not get what they need to excel in a "real world" environment. Parents, being parents, cannot be objective and unbiased about academic performance.


ROFLOL Read my earlier post about my son's "social skills", he was never lacking.

As for objectivity and unbiased assessment, a college admissions offficer told our son that "everyone knows all homeschool students get straight A's because the mothers do the grading". Our son's reply, "don't I wish".


Piaget? Read him in college in child psychology class but found all that pretty worthless when I became a parent. I'll take instinct and common sense and keep the "experts" away from my children.

[kalee]

"But homeschooling cannot offer children such things as high school band practice, junior ROTC, or Friday nights representing the pride of your town in football jersey or cheer-leading outfit."

You are incorrect about this. For everything you have mentioned there are alternatives available.

[kalee]

"No proms, no homecoming queens, no football on Friday nights, no baseball and track, no band practice, no drama club, no yearbook or school newspaper to read, no JROTC to prepare them for the armed services if that is their wish, no teacher-student basketball games, and no high school reunions when they are 50ish as I am...private schools can still offer most of these "perks," but no home school can."

Incorrect again. You really don't know what you are talking about. You need to get out and meet real homeschoolers.
Our homeschool group put together a yearbook, held a prom as well as a Fall Wing Ding. Civil Air Patrol and Young Marines provide jr ROTC equivalent experience. A friend of our son is in his second year at West Point after Civil Air Patrol.

[kalee]

You said that homeschool students weren't socially adept and I gave my son's Boy's State experience as an example of his social skills. He has always had friends and he has always been a leader.


We are from Ga but now live in NC. Our son didn't apply to any GA schools. He is at school in VA, very old school, very pricey, very preppy. Many of his classmates came from exclusive prep school backgrounds. (Prep school seems to be a biggie with you.) I'm just trying to make the point to you that our son is able to compete and even excel when you've judged him ill prepared to do so.

PS. Maybe poor socialization in the public school environment created the problems with that prominent recent politician you mentioned. ;)

[ican'tbelieveit]

seems like meandog needs the socialization he so adamantly is claiming homeschoolers lack

[meandog]

We are from Ga but now live in NC. Our son didn't apply to any GA schools. He is at school in VA, very old school, very pricey, very preppy.

Some fine ones here: Mr Jefferson's University, W&M, W&L, Emory and Henry, VMI, JMU, GMU, Old Dom., U. Rich., 'bout the only one I wouldn't recommend is VCU--unless your son is interested in ballet or liberalism.

[Moose Dung]

You said:
"Plus, if they're in the upper grades, the kids miss a lot of the high school experience. No proms, no homecoming queens, no football on Friday nights, no baseball and track, no band practice, no drama club, no yearbook or school newspaper to read, no JROTC to prepare them for the armed services if that is their wish, no teacher-student basketball games, and no high school reunions when they are 50ish as I am...private schools can still offer most of these "perks," but no home school can."

I completely understand your opinion of homeschoolers missing out on these activities. However, one of my biggest complaints about other people's opinion of homeschooling is that I feel I am constantly having to explain that my children aren't locked in a closet at home when they aren't having school time. People ask me all the time "what about socialization"? My children, being elementary school age, participate in many activities: Little League, Fast Pitch Softball, weekly park day, dance lessons, piano lessons, etc.

When they reach middle school/high school age they will have the opportunity to participate in band and team sports (with the local school). Many people don't realize that local school districts are open to welcoming homeschooled kids into these kinds of activities. In addition, local city parks and rec departments offer sports, classes, dances (for older kids), and many other things of the sort. So we don't miss out!

Secondly, in an earlier post you commented about the fights you broke up, the kids you caught smoking weed, and some other, not so attractive, activities in your school. This is one of the reasons my children are homeschooled. I do not want them exposed to this kind of life. I understand not all kids are like this in public schools, but many are and there is no reason I should subject my children to that kind of influence! And please, don't say "they have to be exposed to the world some day so it might as well be now". Something else I hear, even from my mother in law!. There is no reason any child, and I emphasize the word child, should have to be around this kind of influence until they are old enough and have learned enough from their parents about right and wrong to make their own good (hopefully) decisions about life.

My daughter had to go to public school for a few months in second grade, second grade mind you! After a week, she came home using the "f" word...on me....correctly! Exactly what I told everyone would happen if we put her in school. I cried the day she went to public school and many days after that.....never again!

Mrs. Dung who just had an argument with the school superintendent yesterday about why kids in second grade have to take state tests! Another thorn in my side!

[Oberon]

Well it's good, Dr. Dung, that you have the knowledge to purchase the right curricula to educate your kids--most parents don't and do their children a disservice when schools could do a better job.

Your experience with homeschooling simply does not resemble mine in any fashion. It's difficult for me to be certain that you are even discussing the same topic that I pursue with my children.

[Oberon]

I've taken a lot of heat on this thread because so many FReepers seem to want to ignore the problems with public schools rather than trying to fix them.

The reason this Freeper fails to attempt to fix the problems of the public schools is that they're unfixable. The problems are inherent in the paradigm, and therefore the way to fix them is to use another paradigm.

And that's what I'm doing.