Busted our butts for months just to bring that child up to the level of her classmates in basic reading, writing and mathematic skills outside the rote memorization of the multiplication tables, spelling and state capitols (you know, the big homeschool sales pitch).
There are hundreds of different curricula from which to choose. You should have busted your but when it came to choosing one. The fact that you busted your but bringing "that child up to the level of her classmates in basic reading, writing and mathematic skills" shows that you can educate you child at home when given the proper resources.
My young children are two to three grade levels ahead in reading, writing and math. Your homeschooling flop seems to be an exception to the rule.
Nice try, but at that time, I was as pro-life as anybody on this board. After a few years here, I found myself argued into flopping that position.
There are hundreds of different curricula from which to choose. You should have busted your but when it came to choosing one.
Last I noticed, the curricula that we were on would be considered one of the flagships of home schooling, and we followed it far better than our homeschooling peers - in fact, our child was way ahead compared to them. In fact, I frequently supplemented the material. Add to that the notion that I spent about as much for the cottage school as I would for a private school. The flop wasn't for lack of ability, motivation or resources - it was the lack of a proper standard for comparison, the lack of upward motivating competition and peer pressure, and the lack of honestly set standards in the homeschool curriculum sales movement.
My young children are two to three grade levels ahead in reading, writing and math.
As are mine, at this point, according to every honest test.
So are mine, and they've been homeschooled all along. We know many other families (some paying 12K per child for one of the best private schools around) and our kids are much farther ahead in reading and math.
Needless to say, I'm thrilled with homeschooling. But as in anything, I think the results depend upon the individuals involved.