Why did you chose to homeschool your kids? (mathematics, logic, classroom)
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So that I wouldn't have to explain to them that we didn't descend from chimpanzees, that homosexuality is not normal or acceptable behavior, that US history did not begin in 1965, that we owe allegiance to God, family and nation, and that no one owes us anything. Things like that.
Homeschool parents are by their very definition are solely from the "engaged" category of parents. It is meaningless statistically to compare them to ALL other students including those from lower SES and those from less than involved parents. The only meaningful comparison would be with other students from similar backgrounds.
Hmm...okay. Then we probably should go with other defining characteristics, as well. If we posit that homeschoolers are often kids with "issues", as has been done several times in this forum, we should also only compare them against public school SpEd kids. And we'd definitely have to leave out the wealthier public schoolers. Most homeschooled families are only getting by on one income, which tends to limit things. (We could easily continue this ad absurdum.)
The breakdown for a class is more 5 A students, 10 B students, 5 C students and 5 (or more) special ed kids in a "least restrictive environment" -- who were pulled out on multiple times in the day and lost time in "regular" education ( so, what was the purpose to be there at all?).
This is not a rant on Sp. Ed. kids; They are still mostly great kids, but I am not sure "least restrictive environment" is a great deal for your average everyday garden variety student who is trying to get the most from school.
My daughter would be a special ed kid in her least restrictive environment (at least when she is in school fulltime; while homeschooled she is just Young Miss Aconite). She's also the kid raising her class's FCAT average, for the record. "SpEd" is not necessarily synonymous with "stupid" or "bad".
So that I wouldn't have to explain to them that we didn't descend from chimpanzees, that homosexuality is not normal or acceptable behavior, that US history did not begin in 1965, that we owe allegiance to God, family and nation, and that no one owes us anything. Things like that.
Or, conversely, so we can teach our kids that evolution does not claim that we descended from chimps, that people aren't assigned value by whom they love but by how they live, that US history is not just isolated facts and dates, but involves interconnected human stories of all kinds of people, and that we don't swear oaths to inanimate objects or things we don't believe in, because words are powerful.
Or, conversely, so we can teach our kids that evolution does not claim that we descended from chimps, that people aren't assigned value by whom they love but by how they live, that US history is not just isolated facts and dates, but involves interconnected human stories of all kinds of people, and that we don't swear oaths to inanimate objects or things we don't believe in, because words are powerful.
Because homeschoolers are a diverse bunch.
Yes! There are some homeschoolers who take kids out because of the reasons this person lists, but most I've met have done it for reasons other than complete control of what their kids are exposed to. I would have never believed this before we tried homeschooling, but it's true. It's really not mostly right-wing, evangelicals that want to shelter kids.
Yes! There are some homeschoolers who take kids out because of the reasons this person lists, but most I've met have done it for reasons other than complete control of what their kids are exposed to. I would have never believed this before we tried homeschooling, but it's true. It's really not mostly right-wing, evangelicals that want to shelter kids.
I think it's a stereotype that will die hard with Gen Xers and Boomers. Back in the day only hippies and Jesus freaks homeschooled. Now it's a much harder to categorize group. Younger parents are likelier to know homeschoolers, or even homeschooled adults, and tend to think of it less as a freakish novelty.
Though large homeschool organizations, like FPEA (Florida Parent Educator Assn.), will probably remain somewhat dominated by the Christian evangelicals simply because those who are weary of being pigeonholed don't often join large structured groups.
How do homeschoolers deal with teaching subjects like modern languages (e.g. French, German, Spanish) or classical languages such as Latin. I hated Latin at school but my daughter loved it. There is no way I would have been capable of teaching it to the level she finally achieved.
How do homeschoolers deal with teaching subjects like modern languages (e.g. French, German, Spanish) or classical languages such as Latin. I hated Latin at school but my daughter loved it. There is no way I would have been capable of teaching it to the level she finally achieved.
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You can sign them up for a class, hire a private tutor or a teacher, find books, videos, etc. for them or learn the language together.
Well, we have school system that fails anyone who is not 'neurotypical.'
There are too many kids who are bright and smart yet because they have some sort of disability, they are put in with Special Ed. and not allowed to be all they can be.
They dumb down these children and allow 'so called experts' do whatever they want knowing the kids are too scared or confused to complain.
Most teachers are overwhelmed with nonsense and teaching to tests rather than instructing children in what they need to know. A few are psychos who HATE children but work with them because they cannot survive dealing with adults.
I should know, my son has had a few of them.
We homeschooled last year and will do it again this year. We have no religious agenda. We are not hippies. I have a degree in English and a MS in Teaching. I just don't think a regular school is right for him.
This year I will be teaching Spanish 2, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, and Technology.
As for how to teach subjects you hate or can't do very well--the internet and library are great for resources.
Hmm...okay. Then we probably should go with other defining characteristics, as well. If we posit that homeschoolers are often kids with "issues", as has been done several times in this forum, we should also only compare them against public school SpEd kids. And we'd definitely have to leave out the wealthier public schoolers. Most homeschooled families are only getting by on one income, which tends to limit things. (We could easily continue this ad absurdum.)
My personal experiences with HSers were such that none were classified with an ED or LD as would be required to be classified SpEd (504s notwithstanding).
But yes I think it would be much more valuable to compare them only to other students of similar socioeconomic status since we know that is the single best predictor of student achievement.
Hardly absurd to control for the variable that is known to have the largest effect.
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