We went to the post office Monday to mail off my math books to some. I was there with my oldest DD8. There was an old man in front of us asking if she was sending goodies off to someone. Then asked what grade she was in. She replied 3rd grade. He said he quit in 3rd grade because he had to work. He said he wished he'd stayed in school and told her how important school was. Then somewhere along the way he said that it's illegal now to pull a child from school. I guess he was pulled out to work. Anyhoo I told him that it was perfectly legal to pull your child from school. He looked at me in surprised. I was tempted to say I did it but at that point it was time for both of us to go to the counter. I spent the other day explaining to a lady how I 'do it' (keep those minds clean please ). She couldn't believe that we don't have to report to anyone here. You can school your child from K-12 and the system would never know. She asked how would the state know that the kids were learning. I couldn't answer that one just that I am following my last state since I am moving back.
Hmmm.... Should have told her that if your kids attend a "real" school, how would YOU know what they're learning?
Wow , that is a good one to think on too! Cause I never thought of saying that one in response to those types of questions. I just tell them I follow a curriculuim just like any teacher.
The easiest response to that is to counter with other things, like, "How would the state know my kids are brushing their teeth? Do I need the state to come in and make sure I have them do that?" Even in states where homeschoolers are monitored, there are always going to be those who can find a way to fly under the radar. If someone truly wants to keep themselves or a child from being a blip on the government's screen, they can do it. Tighter control on homeschoolers isn't going to change that.
I think it is hard for the older generation who experienced a time when it was acceptable to pull kids out of school for child labor to wrap their heads around an alternative form of education. My own grandmother had a only a first grade education and upon my decision to homeschool several family members commented that she would "roll over in her grave" if she knew I wasn't sending my kids to school. I think she probably would question me but upon seeing that my kids are not working the farm as she did but instead learning then she would understand. I also think this generation that saw friends and relatives struggle without an education because they were forced to work are the reason that there was a period of time when it was illegal to homeschool. Ps was never the only option, secular and nonsecular private schools were okay but home education faced intense scrutiny (still does in some areas). I think these are residual effects of the time period of this man. I try to keep that in mind when talking with those who don't understand my choice. I have found it much more effective to see their POV and try to help them understand than to offer a defensive answer (even if they really deserve one).
We have reporting rules for homeschoolers in my state, but if we didn't, I would not volunteer that information. If you don't have time to completely win them over, there is no need giving them a peice of information that from their current perspective would be negative. That's just me though -- I general try to avoid casual conversations about homeschooling. If someone really wants to know about it, they have to be ready to sit down with me for a while so they can get the whole picture, not just one distorted part of it.
Since I have been homeschooling I have found that the older people think it is great that my kids aren't in ps. I thought for sure my parents would freak 3 years ago but they were all for it. Just recently at church I had a conversation with several ladies in their 70s and they all agreed the schools basically suck and the kids these days have no manners and respect and they think homeschooling is great! I wanna know why people think it is the state business at all to know if my kids are learning. Like someone else said are they going to chekc if they brush their teeth? What about serving them a balanced meal? I hate states interference and I am so glad to live in Texas!
My MIL wanted to know who was "over me" (?????) in our homeschooling. We are very blessed to live in Texas, which is very homeschool friendly.
In our first meeting with my dd's psychiatrist, she asked which curriculum & tests we use. I told her we don't test & we're very eclective with our curriculum & don't use a packaged one. She looked at me like I was crazy. Then she asked why we don't test. I told her simply "Because we don't have to. We're not required to by law and I don't believe standardized tests give an accurate view of what a child knows." Then I explained why we're eclectic in our 'curriculum' choices. She seemed to accept my answers and hasn't asked about it since, but I will never forget the look on her face when I said we didn't do standardized tests. I love the laws here in IL. it gives me so much more freedom to teach, without having to worry about what the state thinks of what we're doing. I don't think it's any of the state's business. They didn't know what was going on with her even when she was in ps, why should they need to know now?
All my state wants to know is how many hours we spend on each subject each year. And they only want to know that if we're called into question by a judge (i.e. for abuse or truancy). Seriously though, how the heck does spending 100 hours a year on math in any way indicate that my child has learned any math? Irrelevent, I guess, since I don't think it's the state's business in the first place. On the other hand, how does passing grade after grade when you can't read prove that you've learned anything either?
Well, after 20 years of not TOO many regs, our new governor wants to be known as the one that reforms education. So that includes homeschooling laws. They have decided to revise things this year, and you KNOW what THAT means!!! Trouble is, I heard the governor on TV last night discussing education reform. He wants INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION for EVERY child in the state! Yeah, right!!! Guess what...it CANNOT happen in the classroom, but it CAN happen in my HOMESCHOOL classroom! He wants to remove "man-made constraints to education"...things like grades (as in 1st, 2nd, not ABC), time constraints as in longer days and school years. Again, not easy to do state-wide. But guess what!!! Again, it's something I can do in my HOMESCHOOL classroom!!! So I guess removing restraints in traditional classrooms is a good thing, but the ONLY place where his ideas work he wants to place MORE REGULATIONS!!! GO FIGURE!!!
When someone askes me why I do not test.. Did your mother test you when you were potty trained, when you learned to tie your shoe, whe you learned to walk? If not, how in the world did she know if you mastered it>????? It leads to the obvious conclusion that we do not test, because we KNOW when they have mastered the material, then we move on. Usually followed by the person going on and on about how "Thinking outside the box" is sooo smart. sigh NOW they catch on...
I usually say, "I am taking responsibility and raising my kids not the state/government, thank you" yes I have been asked that question before many time through the years...I just smile I have a bumper sticker that says, "My child is not left behind, We home school" Sam
I love that!! LOL I'm gonna have to get one of those. Here in Florida, some school systems are changing to a 4-day school week to cut back on expenses, like diesel for the buses, electricity, etc... A 4-day school week may work well for us here at home, but mercy me, how are those public school kids ever gonna learn anything? That's nearly two months of classroom time cut from the schedule, and on top of that they always spend the first three months of the year studying almost exclusively for the FCAT! Glad we're not stuck in that mess...
I took ds11 to a new doctor for a physical last year. When he found out that ds is homeschooled, he asked what we did for "socialization". I just ran down the list of extracurriculars we do including Martial arts 2x a week. He looked at me and said," You need to put him in football or soccer to build his social skills. It's not good for him to be alone. Martial arts is a lone activity." What!!! I'd like to see him throw himself on the mat!! I've not been back to that doc since, ds hasn't been sick. But I almost burst out laughing when he told me that football was a good way to socialize. I've nothing against sports, but I seriously doubt that it's the best way to learn social skills. I looked at the doc as seriously as I could, and asked him if working at a soup kitchen or a nursing home might help in his "social" development. He said ,'Well, I suppose they have value, but it's not the same as hanging with the Bros." (I guess to be properly social, we need to scratch our butts and take showers together.) Sorry, it just makes me wonder where this guy got his education. The saddest part? He's YOUNG. He's fresh out of school. sigh I think my son gets plenty of roughing up the guys while grappling on the mats in class.
