Home Education vs. Public Education

Lewrockwell.com ^ | August 2, 2002 | Jacki LeClair

[homeschool mama]

My daughter *is* a shy-bug. She'll be taking Speech this year from a woman with a heart of gold. We routinely give her 'confidence challenges' ranging from ordering by herself in a restaurant to voicing her thoughts to folks over for supper, and all possibilities inbetween. She's extremely active in sports and has loads of fun with friends on a regular basis.

Thank you again.

[cowgirlcutie]

'Confidence challenges' are great! We've always done the same thing with our daughter and it helps immensely. Ordering for herself in restaurants when she was very young, returning something to the store while we supervised, and as you said, speaking her mind in a respectful way. When I was growing up, my parents (even though they meant well) had the motto of not speaking unless I was spoken to and wanted to handle all of my problems for me, so that when I was old enough to be doing all of my own business, I didn't even know how to write a check! They're overprotectiveness only hindered me.

[Aquinasfan]

Good job Korth. Since you never had the "pleasure" of attending a government detention center, you may never fully appreciate the benefits of homeschooling.

How would you know whether or not I attended public schools?

I thought you were homeschooled. That's why I used the word "fully."

[Khepera]

Here is something you may find interesting

[yendu bwam]

Thanks Khepera. I'll look through this carefully. I'm very much in favor of the option of home schooling. I'm not sure yet what I think about dismantling the public school education system.

[homeschool mama]

I don't recall if you've ventured over to the 'homeschool forum'...you'd be a welcome contributor, cowgirl. Your experience and common sense speak well of you. If you'd like to be pinged let me know. :o)

[Domestic Church]

Here's a good HS link:

http://learninfreedom.org/homeschool_hotlist.html

[cowgirlcutie]

Thanks! I just got home from work and saw your ping and the ping from the homeschool forum. Thanks again.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

I'd rather have CIVILIZED children than SOCIALIZED children. :o)

We used to have a t-shirt that said, "Homeschoolers aren't socialized--they're civilized!" and it was fine when my second oldest son wore it. But, when it got passed down to my next son, I had to constantly warn him about what his shirt said when he wore it. "Mikey, don't forget that you're wearing that t-shirt that says you're civilized....you know how you can be!" LOL

[Osage Orange]

My reply to the socialization question...is this. I look them in the eye..and smile and say..."Yes, we are very concerned about socialization, in fact, that's was one of the very reasons we home school".

That usually scrunches up their faces....:)

Best FRegards,

[Osage Orange]

You stick to your guns. HS'ing has been one of the best things we ever did for our children. We have HS'ed for over 12 years now.....

We've found that most HS comments & questions are uninformed and/or intellectually vacant. What I mean by that is....the facts are unknown and/or the questioner is just parroting what they've heard or read.

HS'ing is a labor of love. You will reap the rewards. Take good care....and best FRegards,

[usmom]

Thank you for your encouragement. I am so excited to do it and I know in my heart it will be the right thing. It especially hurts to have my own family act like I am abusing my children for doing this, however. Just today we told my husbands parents that we had decided to hs this year for sure. They shook their heads and said what a shame that we are 'making them miss out on so much at school, it was a big mistake and we better reconsider before it's too late." They think I'm ruining their lives. I know they are just ignorant of the facts since when I offer to let them read my stacks of books and articles and even go through the curriculum that I have painstakingly researched and put together they just wave me away. Kids belong in school and I am cruel for not putting them there with their 'friends'. I guess time will tell.

[Tribune7]

bump

[cookiedough]

My first grader came home with a catalog of stuff to sell for the school. I sent the materials back to the teacher. My child is not going to become a door-to-door salesperson on my watch!

[Mr. Mulliner]

More bad news on the public school front, I'm afraid. My 6-year-old is in first grade and my wife just told me last night that some of the first graders have already been talking about boyfriends and girlfriends and trying to involve my daughter. One girl said to a boy in her class, "You just want to have sex with me." I was shocked that first-graders talk like that and I'm this close to yanking my kids out of school. However, to be fair I can't blame the teacher. I just know that if I was the teacher and I heard about that, I'd have the parents in for a chat post haste. To long-time homeschoolers like us, this stuff doesn't go down well at all!

[cookiedough]

I despise our PS. IMO, they have mounted a campaign to separate families from their children, to indoctrinate children in politically correct ideologies.

Our PS hates me, too. Why? I tell them point blank that I am the parent, that I am responsible for my daughter's education, and that the buck regarding my daughter stops with me. They get a googly-eyed look on their faces, like they cannot believe what they are hearing.

I already HS 3 of my kids and I am an inch away from HSing #4 -- I afterschool her already, and the only reason she is in school is that she loves it (although I teach her every educational thing she knows).

[Osage Orange]

We faced much of the same thing...when we started to HS. My sister-in-law and her husband are both PS teachers...My brother-in-law's wife is a PS teacher also....They were never too vocal to us about our decision to HS...But, at family functions I could tell they were watching our children closely......

In the beginning we strived to build a solid foundation for our kids to stand on. We stressed the importance of reading with understanding. Our kids have become avid readers...and now are mostly self learners...We just "rig the rigging" and they sail the ships.

Once again I will say..."Stick to your guns"....You have been given a very important commission to raise your children. We , of course very naturally, questioned ourselves along the way...but we always, always, always had some sort of confirmation that we were/are doing the right thing. It's been and continues to be the very best thing we have done as parents.

Best FRegards,

[ladybug_joy]

My name is Tiff and I am doing a debate on Homeschool vs. Public School. I have read a lot of opinions and stories on this site and others, but I can't seem find some hard evidence from research or well documented magazines. I am debating for homeschool and I was wondering if anyone would know of any websites or research that I could look into.

[KS Flyover]

Welcome to FR. Let me see if I can find you some help.

Could you ladies assist a newbie in her research?

[ladylib]

Check out HSLDA.org (Homeschool Legal Defense Association) and advocacy group for homeschoolers. On the left side of the page is "Quick Links." Check out "National Home Education Research Institute" for statistics.