Posted on 06/27/2006 9:24:45 AM PDT by JSedreporter
This woman in the article is an academic snob. She thinks her child is too smart to be in school with children her age. I hate to tell her this but there are lots of brilliant children out there. Her child was bored because she kept telling her that she should be since she knew this subject already. I hate to say it but a lot of life is boring and not intellectually stimulating. She is giving everyone a good lesson in how to raise a very obnoxious child who will not know how to fit into society. This has nothing to do with home schooling. This mother just wants everyone to know how brilliant her child is. I have known many home schooled children over the year and they all seemed markedly well adjusted.
Well, there's something to be said for socialization. If there's a congenial homeschool support group around, you've got it made. But...
Thinking of my favorite homeschoolers in history, the family of St. Thomas More: it was an extended household with More's children and grandchildren, tutors, servants and their children, etc. I'd have to imagine that most of the great homeschooled people of the past did so in social networks rather bigger than those of today.
Even a socially-cohesive neighborhood would address some of the social isolation problem. In the working-poor neighborhood I grew up in, at least we knew our street: on our side old Mr. Abbey and his dilapidated little store, the Rogers, the Wygants, the Fullers, the Gilkeys; on the other side the "Biergarten," a tavern with the Stallsmiths living above.
Kids could range around freely for hours without the worry of perverts grabbing them. A double-dutch jumprope would bring a half-dozen girls gathered around; and we and the boys played stickball in the street. It was great.
I bring up all these seemingly peripheral musings because we really are much more relationship-impoverished these days. Think of it. If you don't know the neighbors (we don't) and you don't have much of a support group (we didn't) and Mom'n'kids are kinda stuck in the house (and we were), it's possible to see some debits.
Nevertheless, there are big credits to balance those debits: teaching and learning at home was great when our boys were pre-teens.
Now that they're both teens, they may need to range around. They have the grace of their Baptism and a sound moral core. They might not put up with the mickeymouse rules and narrow authoritarian Bu!!sh!! of the conventional classroom; but if they turn out a bit oddball, a bit rebellious, I shall think it a good thing.
My musings as of today.
Your Mrs. Don-o
"The danger of education, I have found, is that it so easily confuses means with ends. Worse than that, it quite easily forgets both and devotes itself merely to the mass production of uneducated graduates--people literaly unfit for anything except to take part in an elaborate and completely artificial charade which they and their contemporaries have conspired to call 'life'."
"The least of the work of learning is done in classrooms." --- Thomas Merton
Did anyone post the article about how the socialization question isn't about socialization, but socializing? I just saw it posted to livejournal the other day if anyone is interested in reading it.
My children got to be exposed to public school type of socializing when they played with the neighbor kids. They found out about diversity, bullying, and two-faced friends all at once. They finally realized the kids who live on our cul-de-sac aren't worth their time. My son was even telling me the other day that he never wants to go to the local junior high, since many of the kids there have the same "gang banger wannabe" attitude.
Was that the one about the true definition of "socialization" being to learn good manners and how to behave properly? I don't remember seeing it here on this forum. I think I read it elsewhere; it might've been an email. It made a great point!
And from my 12 years of incarceration for having committed the crime of being born, I know this is just the tip of the iceberg.
People often remark about how well-behaved our children are. It's not complicated. They just need a little discipline and a lot of love from mom and dad.
Here it is. Linked from: http://www.nhen.org/newhser/default.asp?id=415
How to Answer the Socialization Question Once and for All
by Marsha Ransom
I am beginning to tire of the many articles, essays and responses I keep running across on what has become to be known as the "socialization question."
Homeschooling families, please listen carefully: What people refer to as socialization is a non-issue! It has become a buzz-word among the Official Homeschool Nay Sayers Society. When someone asks you the question ("What about SOCIALIZATION!?"), I suggest you begin by asking them, "What do you mean by socialization?" They will more than likely proceed with some variation on the following theme: "You know, having your kids spend time with other kids their age. Hanging out with their friends, stuff like that." At that point do not, under any circumstances respond with, "Oh my little Susie gets plenty of socialization! She's in 4-H and Awanas, and Sunday school and HomeSchool band and she volunteers at the nursing home etc.etc. etc. In fact she has so many opportunities for socialization that I hardly have time to teach her some days..YaDa YaDa YaDa." Why not? Because this is not what socialization really is!
Here is a more appropriate response: "Oh, I think the word you are looking for is socializing. Socialization is actually defined as the process by which the norms and standards of our society are passed from one generation to the next. I've never really thought that a complete strangers six-year old child would be a good source of information on the correct standards of behavior in our family and in society as a whole. As for socializing, I remember from my school days that it was something you weren't supposed to be doing during class!"
We do not have to defend homeschooling based on false assumptions, false accusations, and false information. Please stop telling others about all the opportunities your kids have for "socialization" and start gently exposing them to the real issue here-- a lot of what kids learn from other kids in social situations is simply living according to "The Law of the Jungle." In our family, we have a higher set of laws to follow and I bet your family does too. Next time, don't be afraid to say so!
Marsha's book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Homeschooling, can be purchased through the amazon link on the right side of this page. Remember, any Amazon purchases linked FROM the NHEN site will benefit NHEN financially. It's an easy fundraiser - go for it!
The only time my son has ever gotten into a fight was because wound up hitting the girl next door after she hurt his little sister. Imagine, this cub scout coming home all excited about getting his Trail of Light Award, goes out to play, then comes back in with both he and his sister in tears (his because he was so mad). It was just great having to tell him he knows he's not supposed to hit girls, then at the same time being proud of him for defending his sister.
Yeah, like getting shaken down for your lunch money, or getting molested by your teachers, or sexually attacked by classmates, or getting your feet urinated on by the boys on your bus, or....
Tired,
How timely!
But you know what - I have to agree. There is no comparison between the experiences - and I don't mean that in a bad way.
Yep, that's the one. That's good advice. :-)
"but it wasn’t quite the real world" -- one of my all time favorite arguments. As if being crammed into a classroom with 30 people your exact age IS the real world. You never ever in your whole life will encounter such a situation again, but THAT is the real world?? //rolling eyes in amazement//.
What would you have missed out on?
As info, I'm part of a group of home educators that provides coop classes for students as well as sports, drivers ed, volunteer and internship opportunities, graduation with cap/gown/valedictorian (of course based on SAT/ACT scores), and a Spring Formal. Are they missing out?
Times are different now, and I would not want to home school, but that might be the best alternative. The schools are sewers compared to what they used to be. I got a first class education in the public schools and was better prepared for college than most as was my sister. We got support and encouragement at home.
Home schooling is over protective, almost cult-like with some, I can see why people feel they have to do it, but I would rather leave home every day and go to a regular school if it was fit to go to.
No, they aren't missing out, depends on how you define missing out. When I went to school, you were only educated at home if you were too sick or handicapped to attend regular school. And most of the kids at school in the classes I took were wonderful kids and grew up to be fine contributing citizens to this country with good jobs, nice homes and families.
tiggy: Staying home and reading books with no computer or tv? Are you for real? Is that what you think home schoolers do all day? You think we live in caves?! hahaha...oh my. Did you not read my post?
alisa: Home schooling is over protective, almost cult-like with some, I can see why people feel they have to do it, but I would rather leave home every day and go to a regular school if it was fit to go to.
tiggy: Wow. I've no idea what kind of homeschool folks you come in contact with, but I've homeschooled for almost 11 years and have **never** come in contact with the sort you describe.
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