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I just have a problem with the fact that people are claiming the states don't require proof that the children are getting an education at all. A piece of paper saying "I'm homeschooling my son, kthxbai" is enough in some states, according to some of the people posting here.
Statistics only count the people who choose to be counted. How many kids who were unschooled, are NOT literate to a 6th grade level by the time they're ready for college? Since unschooling parents don't have to register their kids as unschooled kids, there's no checks and balances. Yes, 2.5% of all college students are unschooled. Terrific.
And 94.7% of all registered unschooled kids go on to attend college. Awesome.
But what about all the kids who are not registered? How many are there? And of those, how many are literate, know how to count change, how to write a resume, how to apply for a job? What is the percentage of unregistered unschooled kids, to registered unschooled kids?
It's a trick question - because they're unregistered, the unregistered ones can't be counted. For all we know, the ones who go to college and succeed, only account for 2% of all unschooled children in this country, and for all we know, 98% of all unschooled children are illiterate and end up on a social worker's roster.
That's the problem with unschooled. There is no way to know if it's really helpful, OR if it's ONLY helpful to the minority of kids whose parents are intelligent enough to allow their kids to learn at least some basic understanding of..basics.
I keep hearing apocryphal worries about the poor illiterate homeschoolers and unschoolers here on CD. But I'm curious: given the relative small number of homeschoolers-- and specifically unschoolers-- wouldn't it be more productive to worry about the number of high school graduates who aren't literate to a 6th grade level, or the kids who aren't graduating at all? According to this USA Today article, there's an appalling percentage of kids who are not managing to make it through high school-- and on the taxpayers' dime, unlike your friendly local unschooler. (In three counties in my state, the odds are less than 50/50.)
Even in my state, which has pretty undemanding laws, the chances of my kid falling through the cracks are far less as a home/unschooler than they would be as a student at Vinnie Barbarino Memorial High School. And if she fails at home, it's not costing you as a taxpayer $9000-plus per year.
But you needn't play high school ball, either. AAU girls' basketball, for example, draws a lot of scouts, including recruiters for the military academies.
A lot of sports recruiting, at least around here, is not from high schools. Many recruiters check out travel ball (club ball in other regions or certain sports) because many of the better players play that instead of high school ball.
I homeschooled my kids for several years, and although we did not 'unschool', the few families that I knew that did-they were really motivated, and their kids did learn well. I never actually knew any unschooling family where the kids did 'nothing'...they all seemed to do a lot of educational pursuits, just not in a traditionally structured way.
BTW, my oldest was homeschooled all the way until high school-he entered public school in 9th grade, was an honors student, in student government, and just started at a top college. All the other kids he grew up in our homeschool circles with, are either going to college or military. No one turned out illiterate!
One of my problems is that by the very act of home schooling or unschooling, I feel like the parents are saying "public education is not good enough" or "no school is good enough" "no teacher is good enough" for your kid. As a mom who sends my kids to public school, I feel like you are thinking that I am doing something wrong, or that the school may be good enough for me, but not for you. Do you parents think that, or am I way off?
I think you are way off. Many people who homeschool, will also at some point send the kids to public school. Some families have some kids at home and some in school. Myself, I homeschooled for years, and have had kids in public schools for years now too. It's not necessarily an 'either/or' thing.
I'm curious to know what you base that opinion on...?
Be advised that there is some slippery term definition being used when categorizing homeschoolers. When quasi-census questionnaires are sent out, as one was in the last year, through homeschooling organizations, there is a tendency to lump together "moral" and "religious". I provide moral education to my children (which I would do no matter how they were educated). I provide religious ed, both in my own beliefs and in comparative religions. However, we are not only not the stereotypically fundamentalist, denim-jumper-wearing, quiverfull Christian, we are not Abrahamic of any sort. (One of the kids was atheist last time I asked.) Yet strictly speaking, we fall into the definition of "homeschooling for religious/moral reasons", particularly if you can choose one or more reason, as most questionnaires of the sort allow.
Oh, I admittedly base my opinion on nothing but my own thoughts on homeschooling. As with lots of other things, I could be completely full of horse manure.
I have said that I think home schooling can be wonderful for a certain type of child. I don't, however, think I will ever be sold on un-schooling...just way to out there for me.
As parents, you are completely within your rights to raise your child as you see fit, I would never lobby against that. Having looked at that map and seeing ten states that require no notification scares me though. To me, that is ten states too many. Be it religious, moral, political or whatever other reason..one child left behind through no fault of their own, is one too many.
Hmm your article and post mysteriously disappeard on my end. But I did read that article. it says those high drop our rates are common in low income schools where students often have to work.
So where are these "high drop out" rates among normal middle class people?
I was going to answer you, I just had to finish something up.
First, being a single Mom, home schooling was not an option but not one I likely would have chose anyway.
Why would I send my kids to public school? The socialization, the problem solving, the coping with others, learning to deal with others, structure etc...Never mind the teachers are way more qualified to teach than me.
Every side is going to have their upside in this debate. I guess it is just what you, as a parent, prefer. Homeschooling, to me, is keeping your kids in a bubble. They simply don't have to deal with things that will guide them through their lives and that, in my eyes, is a detriment.
Every side is going to have their upside in this debate. I guess it is just what you, as a parent, prefer. Homeschooling, to me, is keeping your kids in a bubble. They simply don't have to deal with things that will guide them through their lives and that, in my eyes, is a detriment.
Unfortunately & fortunately, today's society is incredibly complex. Children have to be given the tools to survive. Can this be done successfully in a homeschooling environment...of course.
I agree that w/ homeschooling, parents are able to shield their children from some very necessary evils. Children have to learn to fight their own battles (I'm not talking fighting or excessive bullying & so on) but how to handle others who are not raised exactly as they & disagree. One of the biggest issues I've seen w/ homeschooling is that the families tend to be painfully similar in their circles. Very little variation. I want my child to be incorporated w/ all sorts of personalities, backgrounds, etc.
I like the idea that if my 10yr old is fascinated w/ media production, as a homeschooling family, we could incorporate all the different academic concentrations into that topic & he/she would probably RETAIN the learning far better than in a traditional setting. That is the aspect of homeschooling I find so appealing.
On the flip side, I am not of the personality to have my children w/ me 24/7. I love my children but do not feel I would benefit them by homeschooling them. If we were in an area or had a situation where schooling was a serious issue, I would not hesitate to homeschool & make the best of it.
As for unschooling, it's just too defensive & extreme. It has its points but I also feel that if not incorporated almost perfectly by the parents, it is dangerous to the child.
Homeschooling & unschooling require extreme parent involvement & time. Not all families have this option.
(I did catch The Duggars last night & as we all know, they homeschool. Their oldest daughter has no clue what she wants to do w/ her life & keeps trying out different things. Unfortunately I feel there are reasons she is not as independent as her male siblings at that age. But that is not the point. Point was she was homeschooled & searching just like an average teenager who went to public school....)
As parents, you are completely within your rights to raise your child as you see fit, I would never lobby against that. Having looked at that map and seeing ten states that require no notification scares me though. To me, that is ten states too many. Be it religious, moral, political or whatever other reason..one child left behind through no fault of their own, is one too many.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ohiogirl22
Hmm your article and post mysteriously disappeard on my end. But I did read that article. it says those high drop our rates are common in low income schools where students often have to work.
So where are these "high drop out" rates among normal middle class people?
Well, granted, you're not LMass, but I kinda took the "one kid too many" statement to include all kids, not just the cute, well-scrubbed and well-fed ones. Hence my response. I'd no idea we were okay with sacrificing those under a certain income level. Does that include lower-middle or lower income homeschoolers, as well?
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