Public School vs Homeschool (medical school, grades, admission, logic)
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I'm sorry to hear your daughter had such a rough time in public school. Your approach seems very reasonable and not at all what I perceived homeschooling to be. I really wouldn't even call that homeschooling, more like online school.
I really do think public school helps you develop socially though. In that it teaches you how terrible people are. Really its no different then any office or restaurant I have ever worked in. Well especially restaurants and other blue collar jobs, dudes are brutal there. People are just more tactful with their abuse as they get older.
Anyways, I went through a great public school system that provided me with more opportunities than I could ever take advantage of. It was very safe and low crime in general. There were no cameras or full-time police, there was one officer for all 4 high schools in the county. At the time it was the best school in the county and ranked favorable against all public schools nationwide. I realize not all public schools are like this but there are public schools that provide a solid education option.
Most homeschooling is probably not at all what the average non-homeschooler perceives it to be. There are so many opportunities for homeschoolers now. There are virtual schooling (my son takes a class through our state's virtual school); co-ops; dedicated homeschool classes held at art centers, science museums, historical sites and community colleges; educational trips spent in other areas of the country and other areas of the world; field trips to all sorts of interesting places (and homeschoolers get the school rates most of the time, particularly when a group goes!); and the list goes on.
Homeschooling has become so prevalent and widespread that I think it's changed dramatically even in the past ten years. It used to be that it wasn't accepted (even when it was legal), and parents often felt the need to keep their kids inside during regular school hours. It's not like that anymore. On any given day, we run into other homeschoolers while out and about at the library, at the park, in the grocery store. The world is our classroom, so we're out in it, interacting with others and learning at the same time.
Sometimes homeschoolers will do posts on their blogs titled something like "a day in the life." They either take photos of what they do all day, or else just document it in writing. I used to read these when they came up (it seemed to be a thing where one person would do it, then that person's readers would do it on their own blogs, etc), and I never have seen one where they took a picture of Johnny doing spelling at the table at 9:00, then math at the table at 9:30, then PE outside at 10, then science at the table at 11, lunch, etc. Kids learn all over the house, yard, neighborhood, in the car, on field trips (not limited to a couple per year), in the woods, at nature conservatories, on a boat, at homeschool creative writing class taught by another homeschooling mom, at an art class held at the art center, and on and on it goes.
I think that you would be surprised if you saw what homeschooling, when done well, is all about.
Ah, I see. You are going to change definitions when proven wrong got it.
Here is the thing, you are not really adding much to the discussion but sarcasm and accusations. By your own account, you have said "in your experience". Ok, in your experience, you don't have much experience with homeschoolers or the homeschool community so your strong assertions or subtle sarcastic remarks are really unfounded. What I mean is that your opinions are greater than your actual knowledge of the subject at hand.
In your experience, homeschoolers do not know the same things as your students. You present that as if it is supposed to be shocking. As the kids say, "WELL DUH". You seem to be forgetting that it works in reverse as well. That doesn't mean that either group is incapable of filling in the gaps. Nor is it really a point to debate because it is sort of obvious that people in different environments will have different content knowledge.
What you do with the knowledge is more important than just having random facts in your head. Also, the ability to seek out what you do not know is an important skill to have.
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Ah, I see you have parents who own their own full equipped functional research vessels, and have their own state of the art biotechnology labs, etc. Got it
I am not sure if it's homeschooling parents who run the programs or not. But yes, there are opportunites for homeschoolers to use fully equipped research labs and the like. Your limited experience does not allow you to realize that there are companies who focus on science (and other subjects) for homeschool students. These opportunities take the "homeschool" out of the home. So they arrange time at labs, college facilities, and other places for students who want that advanced science knowledge (or whatever the topic is.) Sometimes it's just a semester or sometimes it will just be a week where you stay overnight at the location. It varies. But the opportunities are there- you just have to pay for it.
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They also actively seek out my public school students and just last year gave our 75 graduating seniors over 2 million dollar in scholarships. I am sure you could take any 75 homeschooled high school students and do the same thing right?
I am not sure what your question is. The sarcasm is clouding any point you are trying to make. Do homeschool students get scholarships? All of the time. If I asked 75 students, would the amount equal $2 million? I have no idea, and you don't either. Maybe you could contact some of the families or sources cited in the articles-
I am sure you teach at a wonderful high school. That is great. That still doesn't mean that every homeschooling parent would change their minds about homeschooling if they lived in your town. For many families, there is more to it than the benefits that you are seeing in your school. That is not the bottom line. So while I am sure it is great for the families that attend, it still would not be a first choice for me and my family. But I am glad that you enjoy your job.
IN MY EXPERIENCE:
public school teachers tend to look at homeschool families with a good dose of wariness. I think that's understandable. As degreed teachers, they are the professionals, the experts, and it doesn't speak highly to their profession when random moms out in Whoville claim to be able to teach just as well, or better.
And IN MY EXPERIENCE:
the wariness public school teachers hold toward homeschoolers is, at least somewhat, deserved. I have known a lot of homeschool families who were NOT doing their children justice in terms of a quality education.
BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE:
homeschooling CAN be a fabulous choice for some families, IF the parent and children are fully on board and dedicated. For us, it took a LOT of time and money and commitment.
Education is not a "one size fits all." I raised 3 boys, and throughout their school years, we utilized public, private, and homeschool, so I've seen the pros and cons of each, so far as they relate to OUR family. I homeschooled them for many years, but they went to private or public school for high school. Even though I was a science major myself (upper level science being one area that many homeschool parents are intimidated to teach), and I had set up an impressive science lab in our home, I knew I didn't have the resources at home, or in my homeschool community at that time, to give them the kind of AP level science education I wanted them to have.
When my boys switched from homeschool to their high school, all 3 were WELL above grade level, and consistently scored in the 96th to 99th percentile on all standardized tests. Principals and teachers made numerous comments about what excellent students they were, and that our family had changed their image of homeschoolers.
They all went on to great universities on full or substantial academic scholarships. One is now completing his MBA at Vanderbilt, one is working as a Mechanical Engineer, and one is starting dental school this fall. I am proud of the education I gave them in homeschool, but I am also happy I knew my limitations and sent them to other schools for high school.
So, I guess I'm an oddity, in that, even though I know first hand that homeschooling CAN be a great option, I do have concerns based on the many, many other homeschooling families with whom we interacted. The lack of oversight, the lack of a requirement for standardized testing, and the lack of standards.....while giving homeschoolers a freedom to teach what and how they see fit.....means that SOME children will miss out on a full, solid, well-rounded education.
I can already hear it now....people saying "Well, many public school kids end up not getting a full, solid, well-rounded education." True. There will always be unmotivated students who do not take advantage of all that their public school has to offer. But I believe it's immensely more difficult (not impossible) for a parent to duplicate all that a decent public high school offers.
First, your premise that kids come to my school because homeschooling "is no longer working" is fundamentally flawed. Kids come to our school because it is a unique environment with unique opportunities that cannot be matched in the home.
Second, you should reread what I wrote. A few of the homeschooled were "pretty good", the rest had huge gapping holes in their knowledge set. That is why I said based on my experience, meaning a minority of my homeschooled students were above average and the majority were below.
I teach gifted students, I am sure you are completely capable of teaching college level courses in every subject, most people are not. BTW these classes include engineering, CAD certification, marine physics and a variety of other course outside the norm. Think you are "qualified" to teach all of those?
And yet the last homeschooled student I had in chemistry had never even heard of atoms when she got to my class. This is a state standard, actually the standards include far more than just "atoms", for middle schoolers, and this otherwise bright child was so far behind that she struggled for the rest of the year. Her mother didn't like science do didn't "really" (her word not mine) teach it.
Over the last 8 years of teaching I have had 20 or so homeschooled kids. None of them where AHEAD of their peers when it came to content knowledge. A good number of them were smarter than their peers. I will say of the 2000 students who apply to our district academies, there has not been one homeschooled student who passed our district entrance exam this year. I am not sure if it is a temporary situation, increased competition from the public school kids, or if it is something else.
As for community college, that nice. Again, not applicable to my school. Our curriculum is unique, our resources are unique <snip phrase that seems out of place>
You cannot compare *your* public school to the normal public school though. Your school has a specialized program and most public school students would also be behind the students you have in your school, it seems to me. Your school is selective, right?
How many kids homeschooled *or* public schooled or even private schooled want a program in marine biology or marine physics? Not many I wager.
I admit that having a homeschooler who passed the exam to get into your school who did not know about atoms sounds a bit odd.
You will have to note that most parents who homeschool do not expect to teach all subjects except perhaps in the elementary grades. They use others who have knowledge or they have the students take online classes or community college classes once they are older.
You took the words right out of my mouth! Very well said. I do agree with you, I was homeschooled and maybe I am biased like someone else said but I feel even though I've never went that I do not want to have my child in that kind of environment.
The fact that you think what Neutral posted "well said" just makes me think home schooling is absolutely the wrong choice.
That was not well said. It was full of bias and vitriol, which someone with a proper education might have picked up on.
No offense.
The fact that you think what Neutral posted "well said" just makes me think home schooling is absolutely the wrong choice.
That was not well said. It was full of bias and vitriol, which someone with a proper education might have picked up on.
No offense.
Im sorry you feel that way, no offense taken. I just agreed with their point of view. I will absolutely agree I am biased, and maybe that is why I felt it was so well said.
The fact that you think what Neutral posted "well said" just makes me think home schooling is absolutely the wrong choice.
That was not well said. It was full of bias and vitriol, which someone with a proper education might have picked up on.
No offense.
Most people are biased in some way. It is called having a world view. The problem is when your "bias" do not match the "biases" of the general population, you are accused of being "biased" as if it is some sort of insult.
It's like the concept of tolerance. Some of the most intolerant and bigoted people in the world are the first to accuse others of being intolerant and bigoted.
I am not neutral on the idea of my children being in public school and I will not apologize for it. Nor will I pretend to see so many positives to avoid being accused of being biased. I am biased on that subject. That is my world view based on experience, observations, and a bit of scholarly research.
However, that doesn't mean I am emotionally invested in what other people choose to do with their children. I am not, because I don't care. Live and let live. We can still get along though your views on what a proper education is may be vastly different from my own.
Most people are biased in some way. It is called having a world view. The problem is when your "bias" do not match the "biases" of the general population, you are accused of being "biased" as if it is some sort of insult.
It's like the concept of tolerance. Some of the most intolerant and bigoted people in the world are the first to accuse others of being intolerant and bigoted.
I am not neutral on the idea of my children being in public school and I will not apologize for it. Nor will I pretend to see so many positives to avoid being accused of being biased. I am biased on that subject. That is my world view based on experience, observations, and a bit of scholarly research.
However, that doesn't mean I am emotionally invested in what other people choose to do with their children. I am not, because I don't care. Live and let live. We can still get along though your views on what a proper education is may be vastly different from my own.
Again... Well said, and I agree with you. Especially about the intolerance part. But that is a total different thread. And I fear I am too new to start too many highly debateable threads. lol
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There are so many opportunities for homeschoolers now. There are virtual schooling (my son takes a class through our state's virtual school); co-ops; dedicated homeschool classes held at art centers, science museums, historical sites and community colleges; educational trips spent in other areas of the country and other areas of the world; field trips to all sorts of interesting places (and homeschoolers get the school rates most of the time, particularly when a group goes!); and the list goes on. 
