which is best city for home schooling (college, degrees, public schools)

[hose111]

Is there a ranking of best city for home schooling?

Is there a trend where families are home schooling more and more?

Thanks

[kyle19125]

I don't think there is a ranking for that. I wouldn't say it's anymore a trend than it has been in the recent past. Something to consider is the lack of socialization that occurs with home-schooled children. I've often wondered the need for home-schooling if the parent(s) are so willing to become involved in a child's education, other than providing "subject selectivity" and omission of the widely held theory of Evolution. Public schools by and large aren't the issue, it's the lack of parental involvement and the notion that teachers are responsible for parenting somehow.

[Count David]

North Idaho. A lot of people up there have this strange aversion to anything government related.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Something to consider is the lack of socialization that occurs with home-schooled children. I've often wondered the need for home-schooling if the parent(s) are so willing to become involved in a child's education, other than providing "subject selectivity" and omission of the widely held theory of Evolution. Public schools by and large aren't the issue, it's the lack of parental involvement and the notion that teachers are responsible for parenting somehow.

Pretty sure the OP isn't interested in your opinion of homeschooling.

Originally Posted by kyle19125

I don't think there is a ranking for that.

Here's a link I found ranking all 50 states that might get you started: Best Places to Live for Homeschoolers | Homeschooling: A Family's Journey
At the July 4 parade I attended yesterday, there was a band comprised of children who are homeschooled in the western Michigan region. Obviously there is a community of folks there who are sufficiently networked to not only pull off such activities, but to get their children half-way across the country. I mention this as you might want to investigate that area, as well.

[stepka]

I would say that it depends on your primary focus in HS. Are you doing it for religious reasons or lifestyle reasons? That could influence the answer quite a lot b/c if it's for religious reasons then a city in the Bible belt would be more likely to be the best for you. Otherwise, it might be a city in a state with a high population and great libraries and friendly laws.

[counselor123]

If there was, I imagine Steubenville, Ohio, would be near the top. Very large, and social, homeschool community. It is pretty Catholic though.

When you have an active community all homeschooling like that, then the socialization point becomes moot. Homeschool kids socialize with other homeschool kids and their families.

[uptown_urbanist]

Not a homeschooler here, but here's my two cents all the same: what do you mean by "best"? I would think somewhere like New York City would be about as good as it gets, as you have both tons of other homeschoolers as well as unlimited educational options just outside your door.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

I don't think there is a ranking for that. I wouldn't say it's anymore a trend than it has been in the recent past. Something to consider is the lack of socialization that occurs with home-schooled children. I've often wondered the need for home-schooling if the parent(s) are so willing to become involved in a child's education, other than providing "subject selectivity" and omission of the widely held theory of Evolution. Public schools by and large aren't the issue, it's the lack of parental involvement and the notion that teachers are responsible for parenting somehow.

There is NO lack of socialization that happens with homeschooled children in general. There may be some families that don't socialize, but for most people who homeschool, the fact is that kids are socialized through homeschool groups, classes in dance, or art or karate, being around family and friends, sports teams *and* possibly church groups.

While homeschooling *can* be a bad thing when the parents are nutty (as in the parents of Christian Choate), it can also be a good thing.

Socialization in schools can also be good or bad. How many kids are socialized into the drug culture in school? How many kids are bullied in school?

A good school that creates a culture of kindness can be great, but many schools are not good for kids socialization at all.

[MaryleeII]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

I don't think there is a ranking for that. I wouldn't say it's anymore a trend than it has been in the recent past. Something to consider is the lack of socialization that occurs with home-schooled children. I've often wondered the need for home-schooling if the parent(s) are so willing to become involved in a child's education, other than providing "subject selectivity" and omission of the widely held theory of Evolution. Public schools by and large aren't the issue, it's the lack of parental involvement and the notion that teachers are responsible for parenting somehow.

Well, I actually homeschooled for a year because the teachers thought the parents were responsible for teaching. by the time I got through helping them with their homework, and all those silly make work assignments, we'd spend at least 3-4 hours per night, anyways. I found I had to "unteach" them, the methods they used were so convoluted the kids couldn't see the forest for the trees.

My son simply couldn't read, it became a downward spiral. The more he lagged, the more they stuffed him into remedial reading, they had him sounding out everything, and no English is NOT a phonemic language. Perhaps Spanish, I've found if I can say it I can spell it (in Spanish) and 90% of the time I'm correct. But English is simply a hodge podge of written and spoken languages medled together, they tried to make a rule for everything. Poor kid, no wonder he couldn't read, I could barely read after observing one of their remedial classes. all those rules, I never hear of, and I did ok! (obtained 4 college degrees). That crap about the magie e, the ing brothers, geez! Then, of course, there's exceptions to all those rules, so he got so screwed up it was pathetic.

I took over, or he would have never learned to read. Now he's at grade level, at least he has the most basic skill for learning--literacy!

Also, they teach math back a$$wards, my dh has 3 engineering degrees, and he couldn't figure out what they were doing !

Oh, in answer to the original question, Alaska has the best overall homeschooling curriculum and materials, etc. Guess Alaska is so spread out and remote a lot of people do homeschooling, go check their websites, materials, etc, just start with Alaska+homeschooling.
!

[MaryleeII]

Oh, but Texas has the most lenient laws regarding homeschooling. Basically, you just say you're homeschooling, and you can do whatever you please, there's absolutely no oversight, except perhaps random spot checks. You're not required to use any certain curriculum, not required to take any standarized tests, and no basic educational requirements for the parents.

You can have parents sleep all day while the kid watches TV, call that education. For us, we puchased a curriculum that required sending in periodic tests, projects, certain tests had to be proctored in a site away from home (we had a librarian friend proctor their tests in the library), also, we had the him take the TAKS test, anyways, although not required. I took the responsibility very seriously, but appreciated not having government intrusion, after all, that's what I was trying to get away from!

DS is back in school now, at least he has the basic tools he needs, but once he got back into school, he became (and still is) a major behavioral problem. Can't win!