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Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
39,031 posts, read 23,011,181 times
Reputation: 36027
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Quote:
Originally Posted by neil0311
Well to me that seems a bit silly when you have schools setup with educated professionals and ways to measure progress. I know this is a generalization, but frankly most parents just aren't qualified to teach their own kids, let alone someone else's kids. Do these parents have graduate degrees and a deep understanding of the subject they're "teaching" or just people who feel that because they use eTrade or can balance a checkbook, they're qualified to teach economics or finance?
I truly don't mean to be condescending here, but in all truth, most average people, even educated ones, are fairly ignorant, and that includes teachers, but at least with teachers you have measurable goals and testing. While I'm sure there are some really good home school parents, I also bet there are a ton of parents who think they know what they're doing and have no clue.
Why play around with your children's future? Wouldn't be me, that's for sure. I know what I'm good at and stick to doing it.
With all of the failures coming from our public school system, why should we play around with our children's future?
Look, I'm starting my first teaching job this fall. I try to do the best I can for my kids--er--students. I have creative lessons, I nurture, I encourage and I keep the classroom disciplined and structured. And my students know I care. And while I understand that I can have a big impact on a kids life, I also know that I cannot replace a good parent. And that's okay with me. I study, research and read all kinds of stuff so that my kids (sorry, students! ) can have a decent education, imagine the motivation of a driven parent toward their own child. This doesn't mean that home schooling is inherently better though. I think it's a mixed bag, I've met some who weren't so great, but the majority were incredible and have turned out very bright, socially adjusted good kids.
But then, I had a great public school experience where most of my classmates turned out the same way. So it's not for everyone.
My husband and I have seven kids, and none of them have ever attended school. They are intelligent, well-read, well-mannered, sociable kids, but we are still often criticized for choosing to teach them at home. Several people in my town are even campaigning to impose stricter laws, regulations, and requirements on home schoolers. I am curious because I do not understand: what are people's problems with home schoolers? We certainly have no problem with other people sending their kids to school! I am truly open to any insight or criticism, because I have yet to find a good explanation. Thanks very much for the discourse!
The problem with home schooled kids is they keep winning spelling bees and generally wiping up the floor with non-home schooled kids. The wishful thinking of the left that home schooled kids will fail once out of their unchallenging religious environment has failed to materialize in spectacular fashion. Even Evolution, the portion of standardized tests that these victims of religious indoctrination are supposed to be left in the dark about, is an area in which the home schoolers trounce the public school kids. The people who are going through the motions of raising children whom they may or may not have wanted will always resent your superior commitment to your children and seek to find fault with what you are doing. For them, it's always easier to sit back and snipe when the alternative requires real commitment and sacrifice. The practical solution for these parental slouches is to destroy your efforts. I wish you the very best in you efforts to provide your children with the best education and socialization process possible, and I applaud what you are doing.
Originally posted by momonkey
The problem with home schooled kids is they keep winning spelling bees and generally wiping up the floor with non-home schooled kids. The wishful thinking of the left that home schooled kids will fail once out of their unchallenging religious environment has failed to materialize in spectacular fashion. Even Evolution, the portion of standardized tests that these victims of religious indoctrination are supposed to be left in the dark about, is an area in which the home schoolers trounce the public school kids. The people who are going through the motions of raising children whom they may or may not have wanted will always resent your superior commitment to your children and seek to find fault with what you are doing. For them, it's always easier to sit back and snipe when the alternative requires real commitment and sacrifice. The practical solution for these parental slouches is to destroy your efforts. I wish you the very best in you efforts to provide your children with the best education and socialization process possible, and I applaud what you are doing.
I don't think home schooling automatically makes you a better parent. Making the educational choices that best suit your kid is. Sometimes that's public, sometimes it's private. But that doesn't make them slackers.
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
39,031 posts, read 23,011,181 times
Reputation: 36027
Quote:
Originally Posted by newtoli
The winner of the National Spelling Bee this year was a traditionally schooled student... two of the finalists were home schooled out of the top 11.
Scripps National Spelling Bee: CHAMPIONSHIP FINALISTS (http://public.spellingbee.com/public/results/2009/finishers/html - broken link)
Congrats to the winner. Since there are more traditionally schooled children than homeschooled ones, I think it is significant that 2 of the top 11 finalists were homeschooled.
Congrats to the winner. Since there are more traditionally schooled children than homeschooled ones, I think it is significant that 2 of the top 11 finalists were homeschooled.
Just responding to the previous post stating that homeschooled kids are winning the spelling bees.
Again, I have no problem with homeschooling... Traditional schools are not as bad as people make them out to be, however. Both systems could use a shake up and reworking.
Congrats to the winner. Since there are more traditionally schooled children than homeschooled ones, I think it is significant that 2 of the top 11 finalists were homeschooled.
Home School Success
Two champions—Rebecca Sealfon (1997) and George Thampy (2000)— were home-schoolers at the time of their championships. Sean Conley (2001) attended private school during the year of his championship, but in previous years had received his education at home. Evan O'Dorney (2007) was a charter school student who received much of his education at home.
I think we could go back and forth for years about which education type has more academic quality for children. What I'm not understanding is this: why is a child's education the responsibility of the government, and not its parents? And I know that some parents are incompetent, so I'm not asking why all kids don't get quality education; more, I'm asking when/why is it the government's responsiblity/right to intervene?
I think we could go back and forth for years about which education type has more academic quality for children. What I'm not understanding is this: why is a child's education the responsibility of the government, and not its parents? And I know that some parents are incompetent, so I'm not asking why all kids don't get quality education; more, I'm asking when/why is it the government's responsiblity/right to intervene?
Do you think there should 100% no restrictions at all on homeschooling?
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) can have a decent education, imagine the motivation of a driven parent toward their own child. This doesn't mean that home schooling is inherently better though. I think it's a mixed bag, I've met some who weren't so great, but the majority were incredible and have turned out very bright, socially adjusted good kids. 
