[MortMan]

I'm all for homeschooling - but you have to be rational about the potential benefits to academic achievement for each individual kid.

You're missing one of the key ingredients. Public schools have taken to teaching singular methods - even in subjects like math, where any number of techniques can correctly derive the correct answer. The teacher gives a single methodology, and proceeds to mark wrong anyone who uses a different methodology, even when the disparate method is correct.

Unfortunately, the singular method taught doesn't "click" with all of the kids. In fact - it's frequently an estimation method and not a solution, in my experience. When a kid "gets it" through using another method, he or she is told that noncomformity is not an option, even if he or she can't do the work using the conformed method.

Homeschooling gives the opportunity to explore as many correct solution methods as necessary to make sure the child "gets it". The 30-point differential, in many cases, is not unrealistic. I have 2 kids who have demonstrated this VERY clearly (having started out in private and/or public schools, then progressed into homeschooling).

You seem to have an axe to grind. I'm curious as to what it is.

[RFEngineer]

"You seem to have an axe to grind. I'm curious as to what it is."

Why don't you just say what you think it is - I've stated my position, I'm curious as to why you wouldn't take me at face value?


"The 30-point differential, in many cases, is not unrealistic. I have 2 kids who have demonstrated this VERY clearly (having started out in private and/or public schools, then progressed into homeschooling)."

Remember, 30 points is an AVERAGE (it could be much more). But you are comparing your individual kids to the entire population of public school kids - not much point.

That stat serves no purpose than to make homeschooling parents feel good - which is fine, but accept it for what it is.

[metmom]

You're missing one of the key ingredients. Public schools have taken to teaching singular methods - even in subjects like math, where any number of techniques can correctly derive the correct answer. The teacher gives a single methodology, and proceeds to mark wrong anyone who uses a different methodology, even when the disparate method is correct.

You got that right!!!! We sent my son to public school for the first time as a trial cause he wanted to do the sports thing and we moved to an exceptional school district, in general. However, he has encountered this very problem in his geometry class. His teacher has told him that if he doesn't do the problems exactly the way she says, even though he knows a easier, faster way, she will mark it wrong. It supports my contention that the schools aren't interested in really teaching the kids to think. But he knows this because we've discussed it and we're, at the moment, discussing options to this class.