The Home Schooled Girl

Elijah Company Newsletter ^ | September 22, 2004 | Chris Davis

[The Red Zone]

Yeah, the church! Who'da thunk it. Is this article stereotyping in some subtle underhanded way?

[Gabz]

Breathtaking?! Oh man! That's an understatement! These kids are an average of three grade levels ahead of their public schooled peers.

While I agree with you that many homeschooled children are that far above, there are also children in public school doing the same or better.

My daughter tested with a 95 at the 4th grade level for reading when she finished kindergarten in June.

I acknowlege that much of that is because of how daddy and I do things at home, however it not only is possible but does occur. A combination of regular school and parental involvement can and does make a difference.

[jude24]

I was a big proponent of home schooling until I met some family members who are products of a home school. The conclusion I've come to is that home schooling is only as good as the home they are schooled in.

Absolutely right.

Homeschooling, in the hands of good, loving, hard-working parents can really work. I'm where I'm at because of it. But there are exceptions -- and they are rare -- where homeschooling is nothing but a cover for negligence, or even abuse.

This is why -- and this is an unpopular sentiment amongst some homeschoolers -- I firmly support the local school districts checking up on homeschooled kids.

[cyborg]

Don't know about stereotyping but it has to be annoying the liberals.

[GOPrincess]

"so I will never again give a blanket approval to home schoolers."

I'm curious, do you give blanket approval to public schoolers? You could say the same thing there which you've said about homeschoolers -- a public school education is only as good as the school in which it takes place.

You're going to find disappointing experiences in either place. Odds are, however, you'll find far fewer problems in the homeschool environment; as time goes on this is increasingly backed by hard data.

With best wishes --

[I got the rope]

I'll bet money that FReeper's kids are in the upper percentiles in most subjects.

[Bob Mc]

"I met a 17 year old and a 14 year old who had the maturity of someone less than half their ages. The 17 year old failed the SAT and in my estimation will never pass it."

And of course, this has never happened to a public school kid. >/sarcasm off

[Bob Mc]

" I firmly support the local school districts checking up on homeschooled kids."

And I firmly support the local school districts mind their own business. I am insulted that some petty bureaucrat (a total stranger no less) feels the need to approve the raising of my family.

[The Red Zone]

Well, it does seem to be giving short shrift to the "BODY" of Christ concept, as if leaving the world's side means going off into a vacuum. The church isn't supposed to be a herd of cats.

[Boazo]

<

[The Red Zone]

And why, sir or madam, do they not go checking into themselves at least as vigorously? That would be much more fertile ground for finding trouble, if the numbers hold good. I think this new law school of yours is turning your brain into a mindless liberal.

[cyborg]

I don't agree with isolationism either. I get that impression from reading some folks' materials, and I do have a bit of that attitude myself. It's unfortunate, but I do think most parents get into homeschooling out of genuine concern for their children.

[Gabz]

I'm not going to take that bet - because I agree with you.

[Boazo]

Odds are, however, you'll find far fewer problems in the homeschool environment; as time goes on this is increasingly backed by hard data.


Right on!

[The Red Zone]

Loving one another is supposed to witness to the world of the love of Christ. This isn't accomplished by a plethora of individual pilgrims each on a journey of one. There's a kind of masked pride in that sort of approach (IMHO).

[JenB]

OK - I think this article is sortof depressing, but everyone else seems uplifted by it.... So maybe I am just missing something!

Um... this article is insanely depressing, IMO. This is basically the stereotype I've been fighting for years... the girls I know who fit this little pattern are married or engaged. I'm the one who doesn't fit in - in homeschool circles because I was too into science, fantasy, that sort of thing.

[jude24]

And why, sir or madam, do they not go checking into themselves at least as vigorously? That would be much more fertile ground for finding trouble, if the numbers hold good.

Sure, it can and does happen in public schools. THe sheer volume of students educated in public schools practically guarantees it will happen. But there are mechanisms in place, in most cases, to catch 'em.

The consequences of child abuse are horrific. Your should see the baggage these kids have. I worked with kids this summer whose parents were their abusers. One of them acutally did keep their kid from school so they could "punish" them. Really.

I have no problem with responsible parents teaching their kids as they see fit. But some people, by what they did to their kids, have invalidated their rights to be parents. The school districts are the ones best situated to prevent homeschooling from being used as a cover for them.

[DanielLongo]

They have brought these kids up by spoon feeding them intellectual pablum and making them incapable of any initiative or independent thought or action.

At the very least you can say they are no worse off than a public education (or lack thereof). I have to agree with your overarching point. I only know of one instance personally, but it was equally as sad. The two boys were in a broken home with a mother who kept them there for her own emotional security. The real shame (these boys not knowing how to read) was that the mother would coach them on how to "fake it" and/or dodge questions and inspection. But in the end it is also a fact that the public school system pumps out a shamefull percentage of these type of kids yearly. With homeschoolers it is a true anomaly. My wife does an outstanding job homeschooling with our kids. I'm proud of them and they are very bright. I have only optimism for their future success and thank Heavenly Father for such a wonderful wife and that he continues to bless us that the sacrifices we make to help our children in this way truly become light when tied to the yoke of Jesus Christ.

[DanielLongo]

lol Someone on this T-shirt needs to be carrying a shotgun for a little realism.

[hiredhand]

Four years ago (approx) we started homeschooling. We'd never done it, and frankly were terrified.

But one day my (then) 7 year old daughter came home from school and gave me some "facts" she had learned at school that day. I don't remember what these particular facts where. I looked at her mother, who returned an equally puzzled look. I kindly corrected our daughter, who was adamant that I was WRONG and her teacher was RIGHT.

This is when we realized that anybody who has your kids 6 hours a day, when you only really have them for at best about half that (total) has a distinct advantage over you in forming the childs thought processes. Worse yet, they'll tell you that you aren't smart enough to homeschool. They'll tell you that your kids will be poorly socialized, and that a lot of people give up in frustration. We encountered an incredible wall of FUD (fear uncertainty, and doubt) spread by the public education system here in NC. This pricked our ears, because it's the same nanny mentality that tells us we aren't smart enough to manage our own money (hence social security), or own weapons in defense of the United States Constitution. The very fact that the public education system discourages homeschooling shows their bias and agenda.

Yes, there are some VERY intelligent and advanced kids in public schools. ...and if you have good schools, then this is a good thing.

But I can assure you of one thing today in America... Your children will never be taught a traditional Judeo/Christian value system in a public school, which gives any more than a smattering of credit to God. Just try and change this and you'll get an up close look at an ACLU lawyer. At worse, one day they'll come home with bad info like my daughter did, and challenge your authority, because you don't "weigh" enough anymore. When they're only 7 years old, there is time to fix this. But when they are teenagers, and hormones have kicked in, they're not really "kids" anymore.

Our nation is at war. ...and it's not a war fought with weapons that kill the body (yet). It's a war for the minds and hearts of our young people. ...and to a large degree, our enemy owns and operates the public school systems here in America.

If we want to maximize our effectiveness as builders of the generation we have produced, they MUST stay with us until they are ready to be released. NOT with somebody else!