Homeschool Wish List

Campus Report ^ | February 5, 2008 | Malcolm Kline

[bs9021]

Homeschool Wish List

by: Malcolm A. Kline, February 05, 2008

They are about the one group that so-called elites have no problem piling negative stereotypes upon. Thus, it usually comes as a shock to the system of folks who think that having a BA and watching CNN makes them well-informed to learn that homeschoolers don’t fit the stereotypes that they have come to regard as fact.....

Because misconceptions abound about home schooling and those who are, homeschoolers have circulated a “wish list” on the internet....

1. Please stop asking us if it’s legal. If it is, and it is, it’s insulting to imply that we’re criminals. And if we were criminals, would we admit it?

2. Learn what the words “socialize” and “socialization” mean, and use the one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now. Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly......

3. Quit interrupting my kid at her dance lesson, scout meeting, choir practice, baseball game, art class, field trip, park day, music class, 4H club, or soccer lesson to ask her if as a homeschooler she ever gets to socialize.

4. Don’t assume that every homeschooler you meet is homeschooling for the same reasons and in the same way as that one homeschooler you know.

5. If that homeschooler you know is actually someone you saw on TV, either on the news or on a “reality” show, the above goes double.

6. Please stop telling us horror stories about the homeschoolers you know, know of, or think you might know who ruined their lives by homeschooling.... (25 total)

[TightyRighty]

I can’t even count the number of times my girls are “tested” by family members and strangers. It’s really aggravating to hear, “What’s six plus one?” - “How do you spell frog?” - while their cousins who attend public school bounce off the walls nearby.

[agrace]

Ha, good article.

[VegasCowboy]

My wish list as a non-home schooler:

1) Don’t act as if home-schooling makes you a better parent than me. It doesn’t.

2) Understand that I acknowledge my child may be subjected to some things that I don’t personally believe in. Please also understand that I do not fear this, but rather see it as an opportunity to teach my child critical thinking skills and to not simply believe everything told to them by a teacher.

That’s it. Its a short list. I respect those who take on the commitment to home-school. However, I prefer my child get to experience the same things I did as a child: making new friends, attending social functions, and learning to exist in an environment filled with many different types of people. Afterall, someday they will have to enter the workforce, and as much as I love them I won’t be able to protect them from the big bad world forever.

Oh, one last wish: don’t take the above comments as implying you can’t give home-schooled kids the same experiences. I’m sure it can be done with some effort.

[JenB]

I haven’t heard “is that legal” in at least ten years. I think that one is dead. I do get “wasn’t it hard to get into college?” (no) and “didn’t you miss X about government schools” (heck no).

Mostly I get “Oh, you were homeschooled? Uh, I still think most homeschoolers are misfits. You’re obviously the exception.” No, no I’m not. My siblings and I, and my husband and his siblings, are the norm for graduated homeschoolers - successful people who look just like everyone else.

[Walkingfeather]

Meh, We are a homeschool family and people never ask us those things. Our children are polite and respectful and people are generally pleased that our children will engage with total strangers.

Solution: Create a private schoool that only your children go to. File a doing business as, ( costs 30 bucks) Tell your children they are now enrolled in a private school) When people ask where your kids go to school ( remember they are probably just trying to make conversation not quiz you on your effectiveness as a teacher or your choices) the kids or you tell them you go to a private school.

We live in California where every kid that was on TV basically went to a home school. So it is more socially acceptable here. Just remember a few things. You may catch strange looks or condesending tones for your descision to homeschool now. However University professors realize their best students are homeschoolers and schools are now scouting for those students.

In the next 20 years you will see more of todays students moving into leadership roles and homeschooling will almost be a given in their vitae of success.

Also most homeschoolers have far more responsibilities than most other children. Businesses, check books, running various aspects of their home. Tell the catty moms out there that after this our 8 year old is going home to pay the bills and balance the family check book.... what about your kid?>

[darkangel82]

Some people are just ignorant.

[coramdeo]

ADD: And if your kid is fortunate enough to get into Harvard, Yale, Annapolis or West Point, don’t be surprised when you find out a number of their classmates were home-schooled.

[cyclotic]

Here’s a good one. My homeschooled daughter and my niece are only about 3 weeks different in age. Both are graduating this year. Niece is government schooled and is a perfect little socialist who actually told me that communism is cool. Mine is homeschooled. This past Christmas, everyone was going gaga that my niece got accepted to college. No one even bothered to ask my daughter if she was going.

Now my niece did get accepted into a good state college, apprently earned some scholarships but is also taking plenty of state aid. My daughter is going to the local community college to get the same pre-req education for about 30% of the cost and we’re paying our own ticket.

The year before, they were making a big deal ofver the government schooled kid bacause she chose to not get her driver license (cause she’s scared of mommy’s big van) while the home schooled kid was never even asked. (had been driving for over a year)

My family prefers to keep the blinders on and act as if our kids barely exist.

I’m really getting sick of the third class treatment but I guess it goes with the territory.

[JenB]

Thing is, there aren’t laws in place specifically to make it more difficult for government schooled kids to get into college (there are such things in various states for homeschoolers) or to make them ineligible for scholarships, or second class citizens in their communities. Homeschoolers have been marginalized and actively discriminated against for thirty years. Now that our success is inarguable, we can be a little defensive sometimes. It’s pretty natural.

[maine-iac7]

3. Quit interrupting my kid at her dance lesson, scout meeting, choir practice, baseball game, art class, field trip, park day, music class, 4H club, or soccer lesson to ask her if as a homeschooler she ever gets to socialize

The "MANTRA" hurled at home schoolers and Christian schoolers: "But what about their socialization?"

I had my daughter in Christian school = not my denomination, but a whale of lot better and pro-family than public schools.

I heard the Mantra all the time. People spout it like robots.

Truth is, particularly for home schoolers, that they get much more time to pursue many other activities and learn/acquire skills public school kids don't have time for.

And as for the socialization part - they are interacting with a more normal mix of ages and people than public school kids.

My prediction is that online schooling, etc., is going to eclipse public schooling and most particularly colleges.

Colleges are out-pricing and under-educating - and people will switch to alternative education.

Here's a couple of wonderful examples of how young folk can learn when unfettered:

Enjoy!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KrYL8zPDINQ

and

http://www.komotv.com/news/14848331.html?video=YHI&t=a

..

[Tired of Taxes]

Ping

[TightyRighty]

I live in CA also and as far as homeschooling goes am glad that I do. I did the whole private school thing with a name and everything but the girls are still young and when they are asked “we go to school at home” rolls right out. Strangers I tend to give the benefit of the doubt to - it’s family that upsets me - my father-in-law and stepmother have a regular go at the girls and drill them. Stepmom is a public school teacher - father-in-law, well, I don’t know what his game is.

[Thombo2]

Good article.I don’t have kids-but i know w/out a doubt if i did,they’d either be homeschooled or attend a private school that i approved of.Hypothetical question:With a good outline,books,lesson plans,etc i(imo:)could teach my kids just as competently and thoroughly(if not better)than a public school teacher.However-once a child reaches say 11th or 12th grade level in mathmatics-geometry,calculus,advanced algebra,etc-i’d be totally lost.How would i remedy that?Hire a part time math tutor?Is this an issue for other homeschoolers?BTW-if you can’t tell,i’m the product of 16+ yrs of public education-still waiting for the next ice age:)

[Monterrosa-24]

We homeschool during some years when we’re short tuition for the private school. I answer the “socialization” Qs by saying that I went to government schools from first grade though my Master’s Degree and I never got the benefit of this “socialization”.

[JenB]

You could hire a tutor, find another homeschool parent who has a talent in those areas, get videotapes, or have your child take a class at a community college, among many options. I did the community college thing and it worked great for me - calculus was easy once I had someone to explain things to me!

[goodwithagun]

Thank you!

[latina4dubya]

I can’t even count the number of times my girls are “tested” by family members and strangers.

my 11-y.o. son's uncle just asked him yesterday, "what is the reciprocal of 1/2?" his uncle was satisfied when my son said, "2 over 1... simplified, it's just 2..."

yes--this happens often...

it's bad enough that i test my kids often...

[Monterrosa-24]

“...once a child reaches say 11th or 12th grade level in mathmatics-geometry,calculus,advanced algebra,etc-i’d be totally lost....”

I don’t think so. Your math skills are probably higher than most HS grads and most of them certainly do not take calculus. I would just concentrate on the math preps for taking the SAT or ACT and get as far as you can. Believe me, lots of those being tested are missing the easy word problems dealing with percentages, metric conversions, and simple math.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

The "MANTRA" hurled at home schoolers and Christian schoolers: "But what about their socialization?"

Generally, the people who are worried about homeschoolers being properly "socialised" are actually worried about whether they are being properly "socialistised".