Replies

I know someone who was unschooled very well, a US soldier who was in one of the first to go to Iraq. I know another studying in the IVY league. I don't think either has dragged the HS movement down but the NEA and the Dems would like to smear the HS movement and use this modus operandi of homeschooling to vilify everyone involved. The whole idea is to renew the natural curiosity and joie de vie in learning while allowing healing. When the public schools fail, there are plenty of walking wounded.

I had to homeschool one of my kids for a couple of years to teach him to read. Deschooling...teaching him to sit still and pay attention to detail (stop guess reading and look at all the letters of a word) was not easy. It would have been easier had I been the one to teach him to read from the beginning because bad habits would not have been formed.

Also, at group school, everything he did was "just great" - "SUPER." At home getting things right was super; otherwise more work was required. At one point, he told me I was the meanest mom in the world. : (

However, after a few months when he was reading and doing math in his head, he thought I was the smartest mom in the world. He had actual reason to feel good about himself and the truth is, he knew he was faking it in group school and it felt a lot better when it was all real. He was in control of himself. We became much closer as a family. He is spiritually connected to me in a way none of my other children are.

The socialization from group school is not all it's cracked up to be. We should not have factory schools anymore. You only see and understand the extend of the difference between home school and group school when you experience it. The thing that would block most parents from homeschooling, though, is that you have to actually give your life over to it. It can not be one of many chores - like doing homework. It becomes a lifestyle.