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I know that the regular "college prep" biology here does not do anything that you mentioned, because I helped my last student with her biology. They dissected plants, a grasshopper and a frog last year. As a side note, there were many behavior problems in the non-honors/AP classes she took; it really seems like "college prep" is another word for "remedial" at this particular school. She took honors Geometry and AP US History, and those were much more appropriate in terms of behavior expectations. This was our first year in the district, so I'll advise subsequent students to try to avoid the CP and gen Ed classes where possible.
Anyway, my 7th grader took a bio class taught by a biologist at a science center last year. She learned a lot, and she dissected 10 things (there were 10 dissection labs, two per month from January to May). That I remember, there were sharks (some were pregnant!), grasshoppers, worms, frogs, squid, cow eyeballs, fetal pigs... and I don't recall the rest. I really cannot be all that concerned that my kids are missing out on academics by learning outside of our public school system.
Which is not to say that neither will never attend high school, by the way. It's a possibility we are considering for our daughter in a year or two. It's just that they are benefitting from other options for now.
I know that the regular "college prep" biology here does not do anything that you mentioned, because I helped my last student with her biology. They dissected plants, a grasshopper and a frog last year. As a side note, there were many behavior problems in the non-honors/AP classes she took; it really seems like "college prep" is another word for "remedial" at this particular school. She took honors Geometry and AP US History, and those were much more appropriate in terms of behavior expectations. This was our first year in the district, so I'll advise subsequent students to try to avoid the CP and gen Ed classes where possible.
Anyway, my 7th grader took a bio class taught by a biologist at a science center last year. She learned a lot, and she dissected 10 things (there were 10 dissection labs, two per month from January to May). That I remember, there were sharks (some were pregnant!), grasshoppers, worms, frogs, squid, cow eyeballs, fetal pigs... and I don't recall the rest. I really cannot be all that concerned that my kids are missing out on academics by learning outside of our public school system.
Which is not to say that neither will never attend high school, by the way. It's a possibility we are considering for our daughter in a year or two. It's just that they are benefitting from other options for now.
I don't mean to put down your daughters bio class, but those are very typical (and useful!) dissections to do, and like your daughter many students experience them in camp or middle school but in terms of science they are just the minimum for the level of science that good students should and are being exposed to.
My students, in a STEM themed public school, are raising and measuring Mercury transfer from mother to offspring of 34 sharks in a federal research lab with federal scientists . The students down the hall are designing and building a GIS data set of all known micro plastics research studies in the mid-Atlantic with scientists from 12 different organizations. Other students are building a prototype of an oscillating water column terminator with help from BOEM and testing it in the third largest wave tank on the east coast. And those are just a couple of the dozens of unique projects we do every year, and we are by no means alone, there are over a dozen schools win themes in different fields just in our one county alone. There are schools very similar to mine in your state as well, I know because before they opened they came to visit us to get an idea of how to specialize in our theme.
There are schools all over the country specializing in things most parents wouldn't even know are possible, and this is by no means limited to science. As I stated in an earlier post, most kids are well served by homeschooling, but for those who are truly gifted or are motivated in a particular area, there exist schools that give them opportunities they can get no where else and it is sad to me that those kids maybe missing out because their parents are unaware.
I do believe that there is a science/math magnet school in the general area... not in my town, but in my county. A student going to a STEM school is, of course, going to get more of a concentration in science/tech/math. Most kids (including the teens who are not mine that I'm responsible for) go to their regular district schools, though, so that's all I can base my knowledge on. Ours is actually a performing arts school, so kids who are into theater and dance can spend several hours per day concentrating on that. My last exchange student did that, in fact. If I had a child who was gifted in science, we might look into a STEM program. As it is, I have one who is gifted in art and one who is very interested in history, but not gifted in any one area.
Having specialty schools available is a good thing; by the high school level, I believe it is ideal for teens to have a choice as to where they should go and how they should learn. (In my house, the kids get that choice for high school; I believe that homeschooling is absolutely the better choice for us for K-8, but it's up to them what they do for 9-12. My son tried public high school and hated it, so he has chosen to continue at home. My daughter is going into 8th grade at home and might be interested in going to high school. We will help her evaluate the options this year.)
Then they need to be fixed. When the only option is a charter across town, that's not "choice."
Good luck with that. Chicago's schools have been terrible for a long time. Chicago has itself a mess in terms of funds because of the pensions (not the teachers fault, btw).
After years of pension holidays, overly generous pension benefits, a lack of transparency and rampant cronyism, both the CPS system and the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund, or CTPF, are now broke.
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The CPS system is a behemoth.Given the size of CPS, any CPS-related bankruptcy would have a serious impact on the credit of the city of Chicago, which has already been downgraded to junk.
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A well-managed pension fund should be fully funded. CTPF is just 51.5 percent funded.CTPF’s funding level has collapsed due to pension holidays, which shorted the pension system by almost $3 billion over the course of two decades.
A serious question: What would those saying "homeschoolers (or private schoolers or charter schoolers) should stay in the ps system and fix the problems" actually have us do? I understand that in general, homeschooling parents have several hours per day that we could, in theory, dedicate to the schools if we wanted/had to (if our children were in said schools). Do we have some greater power than the parents currently volunteering in said schools?
I know that in my limited experience in dealing with the public schools, it's all about policies and paperwork. We can't put your student in an algebra 2 class with fewer than 40 students, because that's policy. We need to fill out a bunch of paperwork if you want your 10th grade student to take US history because it's an 11th grade class. Your student who is not going to graduate here and who has been speaking English for just three years must take these mandated tests because of policy. And those are just minor things... I really don't see how parents can make much difference in a corrupt or dysfunctional school system simply by putting their kids in the school and showing up to volunteer. We can't change simple, ridiculous policies; what would it really take to make sweeping changes?
I think home schooling is great as long as the kids have a social life with OTHER kids - besides siblings - through some other means. I can't stand the idea of children having no exposure to the world outside their own home. If it must be done this way, at least phase them into grade school at some point.
Also, "teaching" is not a skill for just anybody. A parent has to have a lot of patient and know what they're doing.
I was raised by a very over-protective, possessive mother, and had she attempted home-schooling I would have fought it tooth 'n' nail. School was my only access to social life with other children. Loved my mother but I also resented her for keeping me sequestered from other children as much as she did. She had no patience either, and I was a difficult child. So it would not have gone well.
I think home schooling is great as long as the kids have a social life with OTHER kids - besides siblings - through some other means. I can't stand the idea of children having no exposure to the world outside their own home. If it must be done this way, at least phase them into grade school at some point.
The idea that home schooled kids don't have exposure to the outside world is absurd.
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Also, "teaching" is not a skill for just anybody. A parent has to have a lot of patient and know what they're doing.
Native language skills are important too!
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I was raised by a very over-protective, possessive mother, and had she attempted home-schooling I would have fought it tooth 'n' nail. School was my only access to social life with other children. Loved my mother but I also resented her for keeping me sequestered from other children as much as she did. She had no patience either, and I was a difficult child. So it would not have gone well.
Most home schoolers have very active social lives. That YOU did not outside of school is an issue unique to only some people.
The idea that home schooled kids don't have exposure to the outside world is absurd.
Native language skills are important too!
Most home schoolers have very active social lives. That YOU did not outside of school is an issue unique to only some people.
My comment lack about lack of social exposure was not said blindly. I have known quite a lot of families that home-schooled, and many - not all - did, indeed, keep their children too housed in. Had a couple of them in my own neighborhood and everyone else rare saw the children, and there were plenty of kids around to play with back then. THIS, is what I have a problem with.
On the other hand, I know a very large family that home-schooled all 8 of their kids and they were very well-adjusted and many went on to college. Their socializing was through their church and they did a lot of it. Haven't heard anything on them in a long time but I imagine they're doing fine.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
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I homeschooled all 3 of my children from birth to graduation---1 has graduated college, 2 are still attending. All 3 work and have savings and NO debt of any kind. At 22, one is getting ready to buy his first house. They have goals and an active social life. Both my husband and I worked full-time. Granted, I worked from home (I'm a CPA and have my own business), I still worked at least f/t and more during busy season.
We live in a great neighborhood with great schools (all elem, middle, and high are rated 9). We only cared about schools for resale.
We homeschooled for several reasons, not listed in any particular order (although none of my reasons were related to religion):
1) we did not want to be tied to the school schedule, we wanted the freedom to travel whenever we wanted
2) I knew I could educate my children better than the school system
3) I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I was not impressed with the teachers. Have you actually read the requirements for a teaching degree? I have. Not impressed.
4) My kids had the freedom to learn at their own pace and they had customized curriculum
5) I have higher standards for my kids than public schools
6) I have all boys and, right away, I was picking up on a bias against boys in public schools. I'll save that debate for another time.
I had concerns about socialization. Not from homeschooling. But from what my kids would pick up from public school kids.
My comment lack about lack of social exposure was not said blindly. I have known quite a lot of families that home-schooled, and many - not all - did, indeed, keep their children too housed in. Had a couple of them in my own neighborhood and everyone else rare saw the children, and there were plenty of kids around to play with back then. THIS, is what I have a problem with.
Not to be mean, but unless you are a total busy body you have no idea how "too housed in" a given family is. Or really to what degree "too" housed in for a given child.
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On the other hand, I know a very large family that home-schooled all 8 of their kids and they were very well-adjusted and many went on to college. Their socializing was through their church and they did a lot of it. Haven't heard anything on them in a long time but I imagine they're doing fine.
Glad to hear you have the definition of what it means to be well adjusted! I will be sure to check with you the next time I need to know.
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