There is a an abundance of information and videos about Common Core, but this one gives us the reason homeschooling is in danger with CC in place.
I can see what he is saying, and he is right. However he failed to mention that there are a few ways for homeschoolers to get into college without having to take the standardized exams like the ACT and SAT. If all hser's use alternative routes into college than what he is saying will happen, won't. Having your high schooler take classes at the local college during high school (most allow 16yo and older to do this) will make them a transfer student when they graduate therefore eliminating the need for them to take the ACT or SAT. Some states even allow kids to start college level classes in 7th grade, so by the time they graduate from high school they have their associates and have done a yearish in addition toward their bachelors. Have your kid go to a trade school. They don't require ACT and SAT. Now, things can always change and someday the SAT and ACT will be required no matter what, but for now there are ways to get around it. We are hser's! Let's think outside the box!!
There may be ways around it now, but what he is saying is that there will be a reverse of the current trend in which homeschoolers typically score better on these tests. That will give lawmakers ammunition to eventually try to make homeschooling illegal.
Sixcloar- I understood what he was saying. I was just trying to point out that if homeschoolers don't take the tests then they will have nothing to compare them against ps kids.
Minthia, I get what you are saying! I absolutely think CC will bring about changes in homeschool laws though.
Sixcloar- It will definitely make changes to hsing but I think it will take a few years for it too happen. Until then, we as homeschooler need to fight cc every step of the way.
I didn't watch the video.. but I wanted to chime in here... I do not think that there will be a change in the trend that homeschoolers do better in standardized tests. I think we do better because we naturally cover what CC is trying to get the PS system to cover. I have read over some of the CC requirements (not all, and just briefly) but I was like "ummm even in our relaxed way, my kids are covering this all and more".
I agree, Minthia. I will graduate my first this year, and I suspect will make it through with my 15 yo without too many changes. I do think I will see changes within the school years of my younger ones. I'm going to do some research on the standards, because what I have seen so far is not the way I teach.
Sommer- The problem is not that we don't teach it, it's that ALL the questions will be worded to be ambiguous so that only those in the ps system will understand HOW to answer them. HS kids will undoubtedly be smarter and able to get the right answer, but if they don't get to the answer the way cc wants them to....then the answer will be marked wrong even if it's right. I have done a LOT of research on cc and it is some scary stuff. It will eventually effect hsing, we just don't know how soon.
Sommer, the issue is that the "right" answer is no longer right. It has to be worded the CC way, and our kids won't be able to do that. Minthia, here in central Ohio, a high school kids MUST PASS the Ohio Graduation Test BEFORE they can enroll in either Columbus State Community College or Ohio State University as a high school kid. Right now, homeschooled kids DO NOT have to take these tests to graduate, but if they wish to attend either of these schools as a high school student, they must pass them FIRST. Rachael attended Columbus State as a high school Senior; she still needed to take the SAT for admission to college. Especially since she wanted scholarships. Common Core WILL make a difference in homeschooling. Anyone who says otherwise has his head buried in the sand.
I know that I am pretty much at the end of homeschooling my children but I do admit to being worried about them going to college now. Hopefully, they will do well on the entrance exams and CC hasn't reached that level yet. I really do see the government taking our rights away to school our children. I can see people going into hiding because of this.
I guess I just refuse to let myself stress out over it. I take every day as it comes, I already live in a highly regulated state where we are asked to jump through flaming hoops, what's one more hoop? I also am comfortable with the fact that homeschooling may not always be an option, I have always known that, not so much for this reason but for reasons such as me having to go back to work or whatever. My first choice, if I had to make one other than homeschooling, would be to choose a cyber. And seriously, public school didn't kill me, and many more options are available now for students to excel in a field that is of interest to them. Do I like the government involvement? Heck no! But then I don't like spaghetti either but we eat it often because it's cheap and it's what we can afford
The issue really isn't homeschooling. It's who "owns" the children, who has the right to direct the children. Is it our right, our responsibility, or charge from Heaven, to raise our children as we see fit? Or should it fall upon the government to dictate how our children should believe? Do we trust our government to have the best interests of our children at heart?
Honestly, the Common Core thing really disturbs me... but I know that the best thing to do is to keep our country in prayer, and keep our freedom to homeschool in prayer. I know not all of us here are Christians, but for me, I know that God is not going to allow anything to come to my family that is not what He sees fit. I'm trusting in Him and praying for our country.
I am not worried. There is already some unique wording on the SATs and ACTs. My child studied and learned those wordings and got 2090 on the SAT the first time around. I do not think she spent tons of time studying. Fellow public schoolers so never were taught real math, or vocab, won't do as well, no matter how much test prep they receive. There is only so much you can do to replace a life time of good education.
