So consider this my venting place. I am not really talking to anyone in particular, but just want to vent. I read an online article recently that talked about a family from Germany who were granted asylum in the United States because they were homeschooling their children in Germany where it is illegal. The article turned into a debate from the readers about homeschooling. This lead to many people defending and bashing it. Here are some of the cons and my reactions:
1. "I had a kid in my freshman math class who was homeschooled and he could not even mulitiply."
Well, in all honestly I had a lot of kids in my freshman english class who did not know what a noun was. Some kids fall through the cracks of any system. Yes, there are some kids whose parents do not put as much effort into their education when they homeschool. Yes, those families exist, but by and large most homeschooled children score higher in academic tests than traditional schooled children. To say homeschooling does not work because you met one kid who was not very bright would be illogical.
2. "Homeschooling makes kids unsocialized."
Maybe it does. Maybe a homeschool child will not interact in the same way with their peers at 13 as a traditional schooled child. But I think it depends more on the family. Children will learn from who they are taught by. If my child spends the majority of time interacting with me and his or her siblings they will learn social cues from me. I kind of like that better. I think homeschoolers should have ample time to interact with people of all ages. I think it becomes the parents responsibilty to make sure the child is given opportunites to make friends and spend time with their peers, but I don't think that spending 8 hours a day with peers is crucial. Children can learn to be polite, kind and have manners from mom and dad. They can have fun, laugh, play games and share jokes with siblings.
We are not at school age yet. But I think we will be homeschooling. We have weighed the options and at this point that looks like the best choice for our family.
Do I think that every family should homeschool? No. I don't think homeschooling is feasible for everyone. Not every family will like it and I cannot decide what is best for you. Maybe those people who are anti-homeschooling could take a closer look before they decide what is best for my family.
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2 comments:
yikes, someone set you off. isn't it crazy how people bash each other and its really all a choice, what's best for your family... We need to learn to celebrate our differences and learn from them! We don't help anyone (including ourselves!!) if we are bashing others views and choices. I'd never homeschool, not my gig (I don't think i could work fulltime and homeschool - nobody would win), but good for you!
Margie-
I agree with you that homeschooling does not work for everyone and Phyllis is a prime example that children can go to school and still turn out great! I think each family needs to assess their own needs and capabilities. And what God is calling them to do. I was just frustrated by the ignorance some people display about homeschooling. It was on a public website for moms. It is not a Christian site. I think the public in general does not know a lot about homeschooling and it shows with the opinions many people form. Thanks for reading!
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