Posted on 02/23/2002 6:53:33 AM PST by RMrattlesnake
Why I Homeschool
By Vicki Blackmore
I homeschool because I had no say in what my children were taught at school. I went to my fourth-graders class for a parent-child tea party and discovered that they had spent several weeks having the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone read to them. They had spent hours preparing a report on what they liked about it. I was surprised because I had not known they were reading this book. It was very controversial at the time and though I had not yet made up my mind about it, the fact that they were reading such a controversial book to my children without my knowledge upset me.
Understand this, they were reading the book to the children, they were not having the children read the book. It was not a matter of teaching them to read at all. The excuse that they were trying to find something the children would want to read wouldn’t have held water. I complained. I suggested that if they were going to read to the children they should choose something that would teach a lesson, perhaps about history or geography, rather than a fiction book which had nothing else to recommend it except that it was an exciting story. My complaints fell on deaf ears, as did many other complaints and concerns I expressed to that school. For instance, my fourth-grader had not been taught his multiplication tables, nor had he been taught to write in cursive, although I had been taught these things in the third grade. He still struggles with these even a year later. He was not being taught history or geography. They were basically just babysitting the children.
I also had no say whatsoever in their lives while they were at school. I was asked to sign a paper allowing my children to be videotaped and to be allowed to participate in projects with local college students. I deliberately did not sign them, (I had my reasons,) but they were participating in the projects anyway. I would refuse permission to a field trip because I felt my children hadn’t earned it. They went anyway. My complaints about this also fell on deaf ears. .I would not have been allowed to hold either of my children back, even though I knew that their academic and social skills were not advanced enough to pass them on to the next grade. My children had been primed for failure and their self esteem levels and frustration levels showed it.
I homeschool because the public school system completely failed my children. I have been home schooling for a year now, and it is the best decision I ever made. We are focusing on the basics of reading and writing and arithmetic. No, it is not easy. It requires time, patience and sacrifices, but it is worth it to see my younger child finally master the multiplication tables and to see my older child enjoy reading again.
And they have better socialization skills than their peers in the public schools.
Of course, not every area is as dismal as what you describe, and even private schools are sometimes part of the problem.
Keep up the good work!
the first thing i noticed about him was that he was different...he stands out. there's no doubt in my mind that this kid will succeed big time in life.
he's always got his work done, waiting for the next development.
he's very bright.
then one day i asked, what college courses are you taking?
his response: me, i'm doing home schooling with my mother at home.
i said, you must have a cool mom.
he pauses and thinks for a moment and then says, yeah, i do.
I cannot agree that the Harry Potter books are among them, but to each his own.
Good for you for doing 'afterschooling'. We basically did this when our older boys were in Catholic Grade School, but their Catholic High School was OUTSTANDING. Our younger two went up to 5th and 7th respectively and finally we saw it just wasn't working for them. Our son was having a great time with his friends, he just wasn't learning much. And our daughter felt like she was totally out of place. She had NOTHING in common with the girls in her class because she just wasn't into the boys, the clothes, the music and the most popular tv shows; and though this was a Catholic school, the kids just didn't act much different than their public school counterparts.
So we kept them home this year. Our son will do the next two years at home then will go to the same all boys school his brothers attended. Our daughter, however, has decided she wants to do high school at home, expecially when I informed her that she could actually get all the credits she needed and have a diploma in 3 years! Then she can attend any college she wants! If she doesn't want to go away just yet because she would still be young, there are 10 Colleges and Universities in Worcester alone from which she could choose. It gives her so much more freedom. She said time spent in a classroom is for the most part wasted and I agree!
We're homeschooling because most of what passes for education ANYWHERE is simply filling time until the kids go home again, and you never can tell what the 'professional educators' will be pushing on them next. There is a lot of 'social studies' but not much history, so the kids don't get the grounding in the forces that actually shaped our nation. I want my kids to learn as much as they can about our nation and all the nations of the world. That just reinforces why we're so fortunate to be here. And as for their religious education, I'm using 'beefier' materials than their school used anyway, so they're ahead in that regard also!
Hooked on Phonics, some BJU materials, alot of interactive computer programs and activities in the community & outdoors are all serving, I think, to provide my children with a much more thorough and rigorous education than I had in the Michigan and South Carolina government schools in the 70's and 80's.
A salute to all the fellow homeschoolers out there!
My biggest challenge as a homeschooling mom is to find DOWN time! My kids are so social that even a trip to the grocery store takes 2 hours, because they start chatting with people, and asking questions, and wanting paper so they can draw that fruit over there, and wanting to go to the library and get that monkey video again (because of the bananas), and discussing how the checkout scanner works with the clerk... and they're 5 and 3.
Educate at home (or at the store, or in the park, or in the car...LOL)
Regards
Absolutely. In fact, this is the norm in most support groups that I am familiar with.
Homeschooling doesn't mean you do everything, just that you direct the educational experience. I "outsource" part of my music and art, for example. Homeschooled kids are welcome in most local youth symphonies as well.
Even for "academic" subjects, many parents enter into cooperative agreements. It gives each parent a chance to work from his/her strength and it also gives the kids a chance to do oral reports and presentations.
Sorry, but this is a blatantly false statement. The "socialization" that happens in a school environment is abnormal. It doesn't apply to real life where those of us outside school interact with a variety of people of differing ages in a number of different settings.
The only folks that usually buy that old socialization chestnut are those who pay dues to the teachers' unions. I hope you're not one of them.
If you are just genuinely concerned, that's great. But, please don't advise people to have their children socialized at school. It's the worst possible environment to accomplish those goals. Tell them to join 4-H instead.
Art and music helps in many ways to round out a personality. Studies show that music helps with math skills. You can look for a local artist who teaches in her home. Or, you can always enroll your child in a private music program. The only thing I co-op with other parents on is physical education. A retired scientist I know teaches science. You can find experts where you need them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.