Posted on 07/25/2005 7:26:05 PM PDT by Millicent_Hornswaggle
Schools With Good Teachers Are Best-Suited to Shape Young Minds By Dave Arnold
There's nothing like having the right person with the right experience, skills and tools to accomplish a specific task. Certain jobs are best left to the pros, such as, formal education.
There are few homeowners who can tackle every aspect of home repair. A few of us might know carpentry, plumbing and, let’s say, cementing. Others may know about electrical work, tiling and roofing. But hardly anyone can do it all.
Same goes for cars. Not many people have the skills and knowledge to perform all repairs on the family car. Even if they do, they probably don’t own the proper tools. Heck, some people have their hands full just knowing how to drive.
So, why would some parents assume they know enough about every academic subject to home-school their children? You would think that they might leave this -- the shaping of their children’s minds, careers, and futures -- to trained professionals. That is, to those who have worked steadily at their profession for 10, 20, 30 years! Teachers!
Experienced Pros
There’s nothing like having the right person with the right experience, skills and tools to accomplish a specific task. Whether it is window-washing, bricklaying or designing a space station. Certain jobs are best left to the pros. Formal education is one of those jobs.
Of course there are circumstances that might make it necessary for parents to teach their children at home. For example, if the child is severely handicapped and cannot be transported safely to a school, or is bedridden with a serious disease, or lives in such a remote area that attending a public school is near impossible.
Well-Meaning Amateurs
The number of parents who could easily send their children to public school but opt for home-schooling instead is on the increase. Several organizations have popped up on the Web to serve these wannabe teachers. These organizations are even running ads on prime time television. After viewing one advertisement, I searched a home school Web site. This site contains some statements that REALLY irritate me!
* “It’s not as difficult as it looks.”
The “it” is meant to be “teaching.” Let’s face it, teaching children is difficult even for experienced professionals. Wannabes have no idea.
* “What about socialization? Forget about it!”
Forget about interacting with others? Are they nuts? Socialization is an important component of getting along in life. You cannot teach it. Children should have the opportunity to interact with others their own age. Without allowing their children to mingle, trade ideas and thoughts with others, these parents are creating social misfits.
If this Web site encouraged home-schooled children to join after-school clubs at the local school, or participate in sports or other community activities, then I might feel different. Maine state laws, for example, require local school districts to allow home-schooled students to participate in their athletic programs. For this Web site to declare, “forget about it,” is bad advice.
When I worked for Wal-Mart more than 20 years ago, Sam Walton once told me: “I can teach Wal-Mart associates how to use a computer, calculator, and how to operate like retailers. But I can’t teach them how to be a teammate when they have never been part of any team.”
* “Visit our online bookstore.”
Buying a history, science or math book does not mean an adult can automatically instruct others about the book’s content.
Gullible Parents
Another Web site asks for donations and posts newspaper articles pertaining to problems occurring in public schools.
It’s obvious to me that these organizations are in it for the money. They are involved in the education of children mostly in the hope of profiting at the hands of well-meaning but gullible parents.
This includes parents who home-school their children for reasons that may be linked to religious convictions. One Web site that I visited stated that the best way to combat our nation’s “ungodly” public schools was to remove students from them and teach them at home or at a Christian school.
I’m certainly not opposed to religious schools, or to anyone standing up for what they believe in. I admire anyone who has the strength to stand up against the majority. But in this case, pulling children out of a school is not the best way to fight the laws that govern our education system. No battle has ever been won by retreating!
No Training
Don’t most parents have a tough enough job teaching their children social, disciplinary and behavioral skills? They would be wise to help their children and themselves by leaving the responsibility of teaching math, science, art, writing, history, geography and other subjects to those who are knowledgeable, trained and motivated to do the best job possible.
(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois.)
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.
That would certainly be the better choice of those two. Still, I think it's good for some home schoolers to do what they can to fit in to some extent (it's certainly more important in some careers than in others). Luckily, at my school, fitting in need not involve any drinking, sex or the like (after spending this summer at Georgetown--my first real time living in a secular environment--though, I see what a rare blessing that is).
I guess I just never had trouble fitting into real-world situations - grocery shopping, or hanging with friends - the college scene just isn't real-world. I mean, try growing up with six siblings and not knowing how to get on with people.
And who are on the front lines of this battle? Our kids aren't soldiers, and shouldn't be treated as such.
There's much to address in this article, but what do we expect, he writes for the NEA.
Oh my, totally missed that one. Too funny.
well said! :)
That's very true, for it is in the teaching that you must be first certain of your material and in the writing you are reinforcing that which you have first recorded in your mind.
I graduated cum laude in international relations with a double minor in history and political science. My wife has a PhD in animal physiology. I think between the two of us, our child will get one hell of a better education than she will from the bubbleheaded 24 year old who settled on Elementary Education because she couldn't handle the other four majors she tried.
Jen,
It took me until I was in my 30s (now) to realize the geeks are the ones who actually knew how to have fun. They don't worry about what "looks cool". They just are. They also are more sincere as friends.
Absolutely, which is why I'm only on the lookout for geeky guys as potential husband material. I want to raise nice geeks myself....
Or you could date a geek-in-denial... which is what I did. There was a dweeb thread on here that I posted my son's Geek Song to. My husband still doesn't think it's as humorous as everyone else does. I'd be happy to Freepmail it.
Dear Young Scholar,
"...after spending this summer at Georgetown..."
Do you go to Georgetown? That seems incongruous with:
"...and I go to a Christian college..."
Although Georgetown is a Jesuit school, it has a pretty poor reputation as a rather heterodox Catholic school. Not really on par with Christendom, Thomas More, or Thomas Aquinas, in terms of being a real, actual Catholic school.
sitetest
No, I go to Calvin College, but I am finishing up a two-month summer class/internship program at Georgetown. I was trying to say that, after spending a summer here (in a very secular environment), I realize what a blessing the Christian environment at Calvin is.
YOU ROCK!!!!! I am so happy when my kids score in the 90's on comprehensive tests.
"most homeschooling parents network with other such parents and usually seek out certain parents who may specialize in a particular subject to teach all the kids in that network."
Exactly. In my experience most homeschooling parents have spent a *lot* of time researching, networking, etc., and are also highly invested in helping their children to excel. This doesn't end with an initial choice of curriculum, homeschooling style, etc. It's an ongoing learning experience for parents as well as kids, and this education includes not only subject matter, but learning how to find the resources you need to do the best job for your children.
As I know the word, an amateur is someone who hasn't been paid for the skill under discussion.
Aren't we all amateur parents?
Head Custodian??!!??!!
ROFLOL!!!!!!!!!!
Well...sure he's an "expert".
What is wrong with your point is something that is becoming more and more obvious in today's society. Not everyone is alike. Not everyone needs to be alike, identical, fit in. Yet, that is what is pushed by the socialization club; people need to "fit in." Fitting in with "everyone" is conforming to the currently accepted norm, which is usually not healthy.
Like JenB said, homeschooling provides children with real world skills and the ability to fit in at day to date activities: the grocery store, preferred social groups.
I encourage my children to not fit in as much as possible, to be unique, and to be strong in their beliefs.
Some degree of conformity is necessity for a society to function. We have customs, manners, and the like, and problems arise when people do not share these. In these areas, there is no reason not to conform to societal standards, and for a person to successfully function in society, he or she must observe many of them. However, there are other areas where conformity is not the preferred path. Clearly, when it would involve something immoral or unwise, it is totally reasonable to refuse to conform. Part of growing up is learning the former, and part of maturity is learning the latter. Clearly, public schools provide far from an optimal balance (emphasizing the former--with mixed success, but totally neglecting the latter), and home schoolers should be able to do much better, but they need to be careful not to go too far in the opposite direction.
You are being vague. Give one instance where you think a homeschooler would not have the necessary skills to be fully functioning members of society.
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