Posted on 05/18/2008 3:05:27 PM PDT by wintertime
DOWNEY, Calif. - With the end of another school year approaching, college sophomore Moshe Kai Cavalin is cramming for final exams in classes such as advanced mathematics, foreign languages and music.
But Cavalin is only 10 years old. And at 4-foot-7, his shoes don't quite touch the floor as he puts down a schoolbook and swivels around in his chair to greet a visitor.
"I'm studying statistics," says the alternately precocious and shy Cavalin, his textbook lying open on the living room desk of his parents' apartment in this quiet suburb east of Los Angeles.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
By the way, one of my son's government school teachers told me that she saw **no** evidence that my son was advanced in math. When I asked her what she had done to look for it, she gave me that deer in the headlights look. The principal of the school did agree that ( maybe) they could arrange for special testing in the summer which was a full 7 months away. I gave up. We homeschooled.
Here is a homeschooling success story, and “Another Reason to Homeschool”!
I old enough to be your childrens’ parent, and I don’t even know what Calculus is.
It’s nice to find good news on the homeschooling front.
Guess it's all just a little too threatening for the low achievers populating the ranks of "educators" as they refer to themselves now.
Who taught the calculus?
I see the value of homeschooling and support calls for vouchers, etc.
I’m still not sure I see the benefit of college for students so young (if the middle school is a dangerous place, the college campus terrifies me!).
And what does the 13 year old college grad do next?
Flame-proof suit on!
Calculus..wasn’t he the third emperor of ancient rome?
When I was in high school, my algebra teacher gave me 4 D’s because she liked me..:)
When I took it as a “refresher” course in community college, I found it easy and can’t for the life of me figure out why it was so difficult in HS..
The real shame is that the public education system probably has no place for a natural educator like yourself. You could help hundreds more children.
But you'd have to follow their rules, you'd have to deal with the kids they say you have to put up with, and you'd be underpaid because the union negociated a "fair" pay scale so no one risks feeling bad because someone like yourself might be getting more money than another professional educator.
Why bother, right?
I've been told over and over that I'd make a great teacher. No way. Not with the current system.
“can’t for the life of me figure out why it was so difficult in HS..”
Possibly the defective instructional methods in public schools, even among teachers who are well-meaning.
Actually you’ve touched on something even a lot of homeschool (I hate that term) families never seem to consider. They spend years keeping their kids out of government schools and see the kids thrive and get superior educations, only to turn around at the end of it and say “OK, now we’ll send you to a government university!”
When homeschooling is done right, its better than any public education out there.
But then again, it might be arguable that not attending public school will make you smarter.
What prep work was done in math and who did it?
I'm again assuming that a basis of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and trigonometry would be needed before calculus.
I think homeschooling is awesome. I commend the parents who do this for their children too.
As far as a 10 year old becoming a college sophomore well, I don’t much like that. I want my 10 year old to be a 10 year old. I would think he would feel very out of place not being around his peers. I realize the child may be brilliant but somehow I think he misses out on normal kid stuff.
The public school system wastes more time than they use in those K-12 years. Take a child and properly educate them and they could easily have a college degree of today’s standards by the age of 16 and not work but half the time they now spend in classrooms.
When I was in high school, I spent algebra class staring at my teacher's double-D's because I liked them.
BTW My government teachers said I wasnt advanced in math, reading,or the arts....
I showed them when I designed a beer can statue that looked like a European Castle as a sophmore.
I wish I coudl have seen the looks on thier faces when they herd.
Completely private would be best. Tax credits are better than vouchers. There is less opportunity for government interference.
I’m still not sure I see the benefit of college for students so young (if the middle school is a dangerous place, the college campus terrifies me!).
And the news stories about high school and middle school campuses don't scare you? Really?
My homeschoolers started at the community college. They began with only one course. They went to their classroom, and I waited for them in the school library. The rest of their lives looked like any other homeschooler's. They were members of their church group; active in scouting; swam at the Y; took ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance; had many "sleep-overs" with their friends; were members of the choir; took piano and singing lessons; played with the neighborhood kids; went to space camp and traditional summer camp; etc.
Gradually, the children added more courses as their confidence grew. They also made friends in their math program. We had their friends over for dinner on several occasions and then afterward, as a family, we and their friends would all attend a school play, or musical event. As they grew older they became active in the ball room dancing club. (Their friends were delightful.)
Were you aware that it is common for homeschoolers to have friends with people of all ages? Young and old.
And what does the 13 year old college grad do next?
Some options are: go on to grad school, earn a second undergraduate degree, continue studying independently in an area of interest to him, develop a musical or artistic talent, start a business, travel in the U.S. and abroad with friends and relatives.
Flame-proof suit on!
No flame retardant suit necessary. You have asked reasonable questions, that I and my children have answered many, many times. :)
As the success of homeschooling becomes self-evident, parents will come to see that institutionalizing a child in prison-like, Prussian structure schools tends to infantilize youth.
Homeschooling children are normal. It is the institutionalized child who is artificially and unnaturally retarded in his social and academic development.
I mentioned this in a thread the other night. We used the local college from the time my son was 15...we had homeschooled up until then. But there's a major advantage to have a kid in college classes, and yet still at home, so you can discuss what they're learning, look over the texts, talk about the prof's agenda (if he has one.)
My kid took his Gen. Ed reqs while he was still in high school (under dual enrollment they graduate high school and get their AA at the same time...actually he was able to transfer 78 credits toward his major.)
Anyhoo, my point is, better to get their Gen Ed college credits while living at home where parents can discuss what is being learned in class. It's not objectionable to me (as a homeschool mom) for my kid to be exposed to the lies of the liberals. It is objectionable for him to believe the lies, and what better way to teach him how to think for himself, how to discern truth from error, and stand up for himself than while he is still under your roof.
Plus kids that take classes as high schoolers don't get caught up in the "peer" aspect of college. They go to class, they come home, they don't live in dorms, and are not influenced by the normal peer problems one encounters when they send their kid off to college. (and just let me say this...you mentioned government university, well I, personally went to a Christian U and don't think they don't have many of the same peer issues that are present on regular campuses. Just because it's against the "rules" doesn't mean it's not happening.)
If he can handle college at that age, it obviously isn’t because of homeschooling. The school system probably couldn’t deal with him.
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