[jude24]

The biggest advantage to homeschooling is that it is a self-selecting group. It takes a whole lot of work on the parent (usually and particularly the mother), so, for the most part, very dedicated parents who think that this might be the best environment for their child in particular. That's why you can see amazing results. It's all traceable to the fact that you have dedicated parents working to educate children suited to the individual instruction environment.

The moment the pool of homeschoolers ceases to be self-selecting, however - e.g., if there is a financial incentive to homeschool (i.e., vouchers), the admirable job most homeschoolers do now will be diluted by people interested only in the check. Then, homeschoolers will include more parents who aren't as dedicated to their children, and more children for whom homeschooling is not the ideal choice.

[The Great Yazoo]

It's all traceable to the fact that you have dedicated parents working to educate children suited to the individual instruction environment.

The best argument yet for why "dedicated parents" should pull their children from public schools is that eduation results depend upon parental involvement.

[TomSmedley]

The moment the pool of homeschoolers ceases to be self-selecting, however - e.g., if there is a financial incentive to homeschool (i.e., vouchers), the admirable job most homeschoolers do now will be diluted by people interested only in the check.

Hence, as a concerned Christian parent, I must oppose voucher systems and charter home schools in every way possible. If I sit down at the State's table, I have no right to complain about the menu. What it feeds me, I must swallow. He who pays the piper calls the tune.

[sitetest]

Dear jude24,

I agree that when you do things to make homeschooling less self-selecting, you'll see homeschooling average educational attainment decline. In fact, regrettably, I see that where I live now.

Against federal law, local public school systems are giving up on lots of difficult kids, and more or less forcing them to homeschool. This kills two birds with one stone: it gets rid of lots of problem kids for the inept, incompetent, and immoral publik skool educrats who mostly hate kids anyway (ever wonder why the NEA is pro-abort??); and it gives homeschooling a bit of a black eye.

However, even though the "prestige" of homeschooling might take a hit by doing things that attracted more folks to homeschooling (like vouchers, etc.), here's what I know:

The majority of kids would be better off homeschooling than going to most public schools. Here in Maryland, the majority of children would be less harmed staying home and playing Gameboy all day than going to most of the local public schools.

Too, as others have pointed out, kids who don't thrive in homeschooling are kids who often don't have involved parents. Those kids underperform in public schools, as well. But kids who might get by, or do pretty good in public schools, in part because they have involved parents, almost always thrive in the homeschool environment.

Thus, homeschooling really isn't going to do much harm to the kids who would likely underachieve in either environment, but homeschooling really gives a big boost to kids who would generally get by okay in schools.

Finally, there are large numbers of kids who don't thrive in schools, public or private, who can thrive from homeschooling.


sitetest