Posted on 08/17/2002 5:06:31 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
As the summer comes to a close, and fall creeps in, millions of children and teens will be trudging off to the local institutions of learning in the early morning hours. The greatest number of these institutions are the so-called "public schools."
However, there is another form of education that has begun to do extraordinary things. Homeschooling has already outperformed every other form of education in America – and not just in test scores.
In 1985, a Gallup Poll surveyed America on their opinion of homeschooling. The results might startle a few today, because 75 percent of Americans thought homeschooling was a bad idea. Public opinion – at that time – believed that the notion of parents alone teaching their children at home was a foreign idea and questions were raised about whether it would or could be successful.
However, when homeschoolers had a chance to perform and show the world what results could be accomplished, public opinion changed drastically. Less than 20 years later, another Gallup Poll was taken on homeschooling and America changed its opinion to 75 percent believing homeschooling is a good idea.
The simple answer to why public opinion has radically changed on home education is the fact that homeschoolers outperform their peers in government schools and other forms of education.
First, on average, homeschooled students score in the range of 75 to 85 on most tests – while their peers in government education score in the range 50 to 60 on the same tests.
Second, home-educated students score above average on the SAT and ACT tests. Additionally, many colleges and universities are now more likely to be interested in homeschooled students because of their above-average results.
Third, homeschoolers have been ruling the academic "bees" for some time now. Year after year, homeschoolers have been in the top placements for the Geography Bee, Spelling Bee and the USA Math Olympiad.
Even after the successes of homeschooling, the National Education Association still continues to raise the issue of socialization. You would think, by now, we would be past this fundamental issue. Yet, homeschooling is not just about results, test scores and the future business success of a student, but the time spent the way it should be – with families living their daytime hours together.
Government-run public schools have had their chance. For over 100 years, schools have been run publicly by the government and – from the beginning – it has been going downhill alongside the intelligence of America.
In addition, you can see severe lower standards in government schools these days. When students have a 3.6 Grade Point Average and score below 20 on the ACT and have to take remedial classes in college, you know we have a problem with standards in schools.
However, test scores and results on the ACT and SAT are not the worst problem facing government schools. But, rather, it is the intentional indoctrination that is taking place in many schools, under the banner of "hate-crime prevention," "tolerance," and "multiculturalism."
Yet, while some school districts are accomplishing good results, most are not. Education expert and nationally known author Thomas Sowell said, "If every parent in America knew what was really going on in public schools, there would be a revolution."
He was right. American parents are becoming aware of what is happening in our schools and reform has just now begun to take shape.
What's this reform I speak of, you ask? It's the reform that is taking place by responsible American parents taking their children out of government schools. The only element that has a chance of saving public education is competition between private education and public education.
Therefore, I call upon parents to take their children out of public schools, ensure their ability to perform in the business world as an adult, and choose the greatest form of education: parents teaching their children at home.
These examples can be found at which public school again? Oh wait, aren't those people in the REAL WORLD?
:)
Citation for this please. Be careful of subjective anecdotal opinions. I, personally, know only two sets of parents who have homeschooled. One of them is now divorced, the other was seperated up to the time of the husband's untimely death. Although my observations have no bearing on the true stats regarding homeschooling and marriage - neither do yours. On the upside, both familes produced amazingly intelligent and academically talented kids.
precisely! So why spend 7 to 8 hours locked in a classroom with kids your age when you can be out exploring the real world, including interacting with those both younger and way older than you? When my kids start working, they will not work at companies where everyone is the same age they are..
I can personally attest to that. The number of spelling, grammatical, and logical errors in the memos was the big wake-up call for me in my first year of teaching.
Two problems with this. First: This is America, and it's nobody's business how parents choose to socialize their kids. In bygone days, it was not uncommon for kids in rural areas to grow up having never met anyone of a different race, religion or economic "class." There's no evidence that this was either harmful of helpful in forming their personalities or world views. Second: It's presumptious to make the blanket statement that homeschoolers are never exposed to "others" who "aren't like them." Where's the data or evidence supporting this opinion? Most homeschoolers are deeply involved in church activities that participate in missionary and community service work. The evidence I see is that homeschooled kids are able - at a much earlier age - to negotiate the complexities of the adult world. The idea that this makes them somehow deprived or defective is a blind prejudice. What we've come to know as "teen culture" didn't even exist before the 1950's, and there's no evidence that this new development in Western culture has made the world a better place.
The most important job in the world is Mother , and having them teach their own children the three R's along with selfdiscipline and personal responsibility can only make America what it once was.
Hats off to the ones lucky enough to teach their own children.
Our first line of defense is Knowledge and Truth , armed with that , all of the lies in the world don't stand a chance........
I attended summer camp as a child and there were many kinds of kids there unlike myself. I also played soccer for 12 years in leagues which had nothing to do with government school. I also belonged to Indian Guides as a child. Although I did attend government school I had many opportunities to interact with other kids outside of school.
You make my point with that all-important qualifier: "... parents can involve their kids." IOW, the parents are controlling their kids' interactions, leaving the kids with little opportunity to deal with situations on their own.
Of course parents should control their childrens' interactions. Who else should control them? And even if parents are over protective, so what? Children will grow up someday and learn to interact on their own and hopefully not to repeat their parents' mistakes.
I can relate to your comments on over protective mothers. I think a problem that arises and should be dealt with is the amount of time the boys spend with mom and sister/s. There needs to be concerted effort to allow boys to be around other boys and men. My husband started up a Tuesday night group for homeschool boys and dads to spend time together--they learned algebra together and did some other stuff. My son and husband went to Boy Scout camp for a week this summer and I was so thankful that my son was getting a whole entire week with boys only--then I found out they allow women leaders! (better than gay anyway, right?) But, you know what I found out is that the Lord made my son to grow into a man and he is becoming just that despite all the time he spends with me and his sister.
And yet, there's that class of home-schooling parent whose actions are precisely to limit their kid's access only to people just like them.
You seem to have a problem with parenting here. I think time spent finding solutions to parents that don't give a flying fig at all about their kids is time better spent.
Heh heh... I could be a wrong as a football bat here, but I'm guessing that anybody who would talk as if that were a bad thing doesn't have any kids. There are rave parties, crack houses, jails and morgues full children who were given all the opportunities in the world to "deal with situations on their own." The idea of "children's rights" is mostly a Marxist construct bent on the destruction of the family.
This simply is not true. The government school system has an agenda and it is NOT about educating children. If you had your eyes wide open you'd know that public schooling is working but not for the right reasons.
You certainly do not sound like a person who is favor of homeschooling or is very conservative.
No one here is foaming at the mouth and I really do not appreciate your implication here on this thread of homeschoolers.
Gee, it sounds like you're needing to get a dig in there.
It doesn't matter the denomination. They all can become quite legalistic--yes, even Catholics. Bottom line its about a relationship with our living Lord. Man loves to try to control that.
I seem to recall saying something about people with their own political agenda....
Not in the least. I didn't name the denomination, just its doctrinal bent. I spoke of a specific group in which I was personally involved. You weren't there, I was. I sat and listened to the Word of God intermixed with the ridicule and demonization of not just the institution of the RC church, but of good Catholic people. To foment hatred with the Word of God, IMHO, defiles it. My characterization of these people as ""rabid anti-Catholics" in a "brittle environment" were not spoken with bitterness or hatred, but with pity. If I somehow touched a nerve, tough.
I'm not saying that parents shouldn't exert some control -- it'd be irresponsible not to. However, parents should not control all of their kids' interactions, because outside of communes and tyrannies real life doesn't work that way. One has to deal with all kinds of people, and it's not something one picks up easily upon leaving home. Kids have to learn to deal with people early on.
In the end, it's a delicate balance of freedom and protection.
Homeschoolers tend to be quite protective in the first place, and need to be careful about overdoing it. I've known several home-schooled kids who have difficulty interacting with others, and they tend to be the ones whose parents are too protective. (I'm admittedly painting with a broad brush here, but I trust you'll see what I'm trying to get at.)
Public schools, like the army, put a lot of disparate people together in the same place, and they have to learn to live together. That's an important and useful lesson -- provided, obviously, that there is discipline to keep the bad actors either in line or out of the picture. (Lack of serious discipline is one failing of many public schools).
And even if parents are over protective, so what? Children will grow up someday and learn to interact on their own and hopefully not to repeat their parents' mistakes.
All too often they end up as ninnies. There's a reason that "momma's boy" is (or was) considered to be an insult.
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.