Homeschooling Headache

Termlimits.org ^ | 9/19/03 | Jacob

[pabianice]

Big problem. They're doing too well.

Cassandra Stevenson of Connecticut has just started college. She's 15. Her sister, Samantha, is 19 — and has a master's degree in astrophysics.

"Homeschooling is more like college than a public or a private school is," says Cassandra. "You learn what you want to learn and what you need to learn. The curriculum is fitted to you."

That's exceptional. But your average homeschooler still does pretty well. A National Home Education Research Institute study found that the typical homeschooler's academic achievement easily tops that of the typical public-school student. The Institute estimates that as many as 2.2 million children now benefit from homeschooling.

See the problem? Robert Rader does. He's the executive director of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. Call it Status Quo United for short. Rader agrees that "parents have the right to educate their children at home." On the other hand, he worries that "children don't always get the rigorous structure and up-to-date educational techniques, which are applied in public schools."

Uh, hello. It's that so-called "rigorous structure" that parents and kids are escaping from! Mr. Rader doesn't seem to realize that he and other educators might learn from the homeschoolers — if effective education is really their goal.

If you want process, call Mr. Rader. He'll process your kids for you. If you want results — well, a great many families have figured out how to get those . . . at home. Mine too.

This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.

[pabianice]

""children don't always get the rigorous structure and up-to-date educational techniques, which are applied in public schools..."

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Thanks. I needed that.

[Jen]

Homeschool ping.

[cyborg]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo this is better than drinking coffee.

[Ogmios]

Sounds like common sense to me, homeschoolers have always scored higher, and always will score higher.

They are independent thinkers, the pariah of the public school system.

Gotta love this stuff, it makes the Career educators nuts...

[netmilsmom]

Help. This article has started an fight in our house. My hubby says that the vast majority of students in the country are Public Schooled. I say that that trend is greatly changing. More kids are homeschooled, charter schooled and private schooled. He says no way. Does someone have the stats on this and how many of these kids go to college?

[Poser]

The NEA needs to read this.

[GummyIII]

This isn't exactly what you wanted, but good stats, nevertheless: Home School Stats

[Reagan79]

"A National Home Education Research Institute study found that the typical homeschooler's academic achievement easily tops that of the typical public-school student."

duh! Not a big surprise there. My pastor is home schooling his children and he and his wife are teaching them the classics. They are very well skilled in rhetoric, latin, advanced mathematics, history, and literature. His children range from the age of 10-16. As a product of the public schools I did alright and I am working on a master's of divinity right now. I however realized that much of my time in school was wasted. Much of that is of course my own fault. The best two years of my schooling was when I lived in Egypt and attended a private school.

When I am married and have kids I will definitely be severely hesitant to send them to public schools.

[Chad Fairbanks]

DOn't know if this will help...

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Education/WM134.cfm

If not, tell him to agree with you anyway, or he can sleep on the couch ;0)

[cyborg]

My best friend was planning on sending her son back to Ghana to be educated. I told her no need to. She can homeschool him and I will help. My mother homeschooled me with english tablet primers. She barely had a highschool education. Who said you needed a certificate from the school of miseducation to teach?

[dawn53]

Lots of homeschoolers in our area start college at 15. My son is enrolled at 15 and doing just fine.

Here's the program we use. Best news, tuition is free.

http://www.spcollege.edu/ac/dc/#DC

[netmilsmom]

AH HA!!!!
As always, you have come through with the solution to the whole problem!
I'm sure my girls will be homeschooled next week.

[netmilsmom]

Oooo, that's a good one.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Glad I could help ;0)

[ImaGraftedBranch]

Can you tell me more about this? My eldest is 15, in 11th grade, and If I can get his daul-credits now, that would be great. He's already done a year of college-level biology.

[abner]

Ping!

[4mycountry]

I'm homeschooled, and will probably be in college when I'm 16. Sweet!!!

[4mycountry]

I'm homeschooled, and will probably be in college when I'm 16. Sweet!!!

[VRW Conspirator]

Hoeschool bump!

[Hildy]

Congratulations!