Homeschooling is wrong.

Hi, Jo! I was just thinking of you the other day.

 

Hi Becky I'm usualy in the woodwork you know here but not seen lol.

 

LOL. There are a lot of people who visit to read. I chuckled the other night when I saw under Who's Online the name of someone who previously said they weren't interested in being here. I guess the attraction never wanes!
I doesn't for me!

 

I did that at another site. Things got REALLY bad, someone actually was very directly rude to me, and you all know I'm NOT easily offended! Finally I had enough and decided to "leave", but actually lurked for a while. When it became clear that things were NOT going to get better over time, worse even, I finally deleted the site from my bookmarks and haven't been back since.

 

Becky... I think I know who you are talking about... I sent her here to read the post about the homeschooling mom who had just passed away...

 

Hi, I was just referred to this board this morning, read this post and decided to join so I could add my two cents.
It looks to me like callowminx feels let down by his/her parents because they are the ones that you all represent. I have the feeling that callowminx has never brought this up with them, but it is something that really bothers him/her, so he/she went to all the trouble of registering with this group just to let those feelings out.
Many of you pointed out already that the points that were brought up cannot be backed up by research, however when our feelings are talking, we rarely worry about if the points are valid.
I see someone here who was hurt by their parents and the way they homeschooled. Callowminx may have voiced his/her opinion then, but was not heard.
Callowminx, if you are lurking I want you to know that you have been heard and I am sorry that your parents did not provide a positive homeschool experience for you. But, you are now an adult (I assume) and you can make decisions for yourself. It is never to late to learn, so if you feel like you don't know something, go check out some books from the library or take a college class. Be empowered.
But, most importantly, take the step to forgiving your parents for not being perfect (no parents are) and move forward. Don't let your educational experience hold you back.
I will share personally for a minute. I went to ps my whole life. I was bored most of the time, I had to put up with fellow students who cared less about learning, and I had good teachers quit due to bad administration. I actually asked to be homeschooled and my parents turned me down. Now I could blame my parents that because they made me stay in ps that it did not prepare me for college (it didn't and I was valedictorian), but it's not my parent's fault. Yes, maybe ps didn't prepare me for college, but I had to make the decision that I would apply myself and desire to learn, no one could do that for me. BTW, I could have done better in college, but that was my choice and I did graduate cum laude.

Julia

 

Wow, you really did not enjoy high school home schooling!
I would like to mention a few reasons why I home teach my children.
The area I live in does not make public school teachers have a BA, or any other degree. The fact is (according to the state report card for my local schools) they have less educational learning than I do. I also take the time to know my children and thier needs. We sign up for many group projects as well as attending Church, which is a very social situation for kids these days.
We chose to home teach in the first place because we found the local school had a policy posted that said in basic terms " we will teach your child to do what they want".
That worried me, as at that time my five year old son knew how to do what he wanted, he just needed to learn to do what he was told to do, as well as educational things.
All three of my children have enjoyed homeschooling for the most part. The oldest went out for High school because I decided he needed to see that what I said about following directions and listening to the teaching was correct. Also because I was stressing about teaching Jr and Sr high at the same time. Fortunately we have the kind of curriculium that helps the teacher teach.
After checking private schools ( my son attends one that is excellent) we found they are costly, but that I am doing as good a job at home as they do. Actually better in some areas. So in our case, I can't speak for everyone, home teaching is the best choice untill someone changes the fact that you have to pay $$$ to get a good education these days.
My children all have chosen futures of college and what they would like to be "when they grow up" are detailed jobs. They are able to study about such things even in grade school and be prepared when they reach the college level to know if they are interested in such things for sure. I personally think that it is all in the parent you are...
if you are attentive to your children while home teaching, then they will enjoy it more. I do know that homeschool is not for everyone and believe it's important to pray first before starting to teach your children.
I join the group of people saying that we are sorry it did not work for you but that we hope you grow from your experience and make your life better now that you are grown.

 

well.................i am A HOMESCHOOLER! i've been homeschooled since i was 4(kindergarden) and now i'm 14 going into sophmore level. i .. hate ... HOMESCHOOLING! everything! my mom is so sick from two rare diseases she has she can't even drive and can't usually even help me with my school and my dad still thinks (god) wants us to keep homeschooling.

 

really sorry to hear all this, I guess out of all the really good advice we have hear you dug really deep to find the one thead that has been so long gone to vent with. I would just ask you family to let you go to public school.

Also there has been another young lady on here (age 13) I think that is basicly in your shoes where her parents aren't giving her much support but instead of hating homeschooling she is trying her best to help herself. It seams to me that you have some serious issues that you need to take up with your family. Good luck. If you choose that you want help from here please be more positive and we can help you.

 

o no. i was just looking at stuff about homeschooling on google search and i saw this so i registered.... but i didn't read everything but i know i don't like homeschooling anymore

 

ok i guess i don't hate it alot alot just i want to get out kind of.. and i was angry. and i just wanted to be a little more normal cuz i'm so random homeschooled, bi racial, VERY sick mother, kind of strict father, randomnesssssssssss

 

Hi dannyboi.....

I have a 15-yo son that says that same thing---"randomnessss"!

Hey, it CAN work out! You've been dealt a tough hand to deal with, and that can hurt and be frustrating. But don't let it make you bitter or angry. Try to make the most of what you have! I could tell you some pretty....ummm.... interesting stories about my childhood too, so I certainly hear where you're coming from! But try to turn those negatives into a positive and do what you can with your life! If you turn this into a positive by making the best of your situation and heading a positive direction, then when you're older you can help kids that are going through bad things, so they learn to have more of a direction in THEIR lives!

Do you have an older person that is a sgtrong upstanding citizen that you can "hang" with and that can help you through this time? That would be good to get a positive example, a mentor, that you can turn to for help when you need it.

I'll pray for you! I hope things work out for you, I REALLY do!

 

Well, I'm glad you are thinking about things more.

I bet you feel bad for your mother but you want your teen age freedome, but you feel obligated to be with her and help her..... am I a little right? Your dad means well I'm sure. And depending on what area of the states you live in, bi-racial is not anything unusual these days.

You do need some time to your self to do teen stuff with your girlfriends, but I really think that with the sickness your mother is enduring I bet the special together time with her (although I'm sure you don't see it as special right now) will some day be special to you.

I don't have any teenagers right now (8 and under) Each of my kids have had medical problems--one reason we decieded to homeschool....... so I can spend extra time with them if their life were to be cut short. Thank God they are all healthy right now.

But when I was a teenager I got "pushed" away from my mom....... and after I grew up a little I really missed being around her and I am glad to be near her now. (and glad that my kids get to be near her).

So please do some praying (sounds like you are christian), about this and hopefully after you get over your anger (and its ok to be angry) then you can help yourself get through homeschooling until the end, it will take a strong person to do that, but I bet you are a strong young lady that can do it!

we are always here to help if you have some questions, and some venting (we all vent around here.) And we are pretty good at helping, and praying.

 

By the way, Sorry if I thought rong, and you are a guy....

 

As homeschooling becomes more commonly-accepted, and virtual schools (government paid-for schools taught at home) lure more people to take on the homeschool label, we are seeing a greater variety of motives behind "homeschooling." I have seen web sites for pagan homeschoolers, atheist, Muslum--you name it!
So, first of all, not all homeschooling is done in the precious Name of Jesus. Not all homeschools are as wholesome as could be desired. The young people who wrote in this thread illustrate that. (This is NOT, however, an argument for public schools. God gave parents the responsibility to bring up children--not the state.) Secondly, even those of us who call ourselves by His Name don't do it well all the time. And thirdly, take that one step further: even those who fulfill their calling and provide a homeschool pleasing to the Lord, have no guarantee that all of their children will like it.
I love homeschooling. Not all my children do. I base what I do on what the Word says and believe that the Author of that Word will lovingly work with each of my children according to his or her own needs. It's hard to "let go and let God," but they each have the choice to reject anything in life that they choose to. Including homeschooling.

 

A few days later... In rereading my previous note, it seems so "cut and dried." I'm sorry. My heart breaks for the young people who feel like they're about to go crazy in their present circumstances, wanting to please their parents and yet not having many of their needs met and maybe not being able to verbalize clearly and gently what those needs are. Feeling trapped. My heart breaks for the parents, too. We trust that the Lord will give wisdom, one step at a time.

 

I'm not sure

I am a parent looking to find what is best for my child. Please don't view this response as any kind of attack. I'm looking out for my kids.

It is interesting that you bring up Einstein and God in the same message. There is evidence that Einstein didn't believe in God:

"It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it." - Albert Einstein

You are making the case that nuture is dominant over nature. This is a debated topic. From a religious view, are you claiming Einstein's mother was responsible for his achievements? Or was it God who created him?

In any case, it sounds like your experience with public school has been rather negative. I'm sorry to hear that. I'll admit that I don't know which is better. The information that I've read has been mixed. However, in general, the ACT and first year college results are the generally the same between a public and a homeschooled child.

My thoughts are that public vs homeschool depends on where you live. Some states have much better public schools than others. Also, my thoughts are that if I'm involved, I can help supplement my childs education. I have a Masters degree, but I'll be the first to admit I have a biased on many subjects and that I'm not qualified to teach many areas, including religion, politics, and history.

The key skills that must be learned in high school and college are working in groups, working with other cultures, and being flexible. We live in a global world. So the question is whether my wife can teach those values and skills better than the public school. I'm not convinced that she nor I can.

Honestly, I'm not sure that we should be focusing on standardized tests. Does anyone here feel that we can beat India in math? If you do, I think you should visit India for a month. America needs to focus on what we are good at, creativity and invention. Everything else can and will be outsourced. In a global world, we all need a global mind. That means acceptance of other cultures, religions, political views, and languages. Without that, our children will be lucky to end up as cashiers at Walmart.

So, my question to you and everyone is, what is best and why. I see advantages to both public and homeschooling, but at this time, I'm leaning toward public because of the resources that are offered. Furthermore, I feel having bad teachers occasionally is not necessarily a bad thing. I've had a number of bad teachers in college and worked with a number of engineers who were horrible at explaining things.

As for religion, I can pass my views on to my children and let them ultimately decide. If my views are "the" views, then won't my children ultimately make the right choices?

Before responding, I realized that there are clubs and sports for homeschooled children. So please don't say that I'm "stupid" because I think homeschooled children are isolated. Rather, I feel the opposite. From what I have seen, homeschool children are involved in many activities and get a lot of attention. Perhaps too much attention. More than they will get in the "real world" after they turn 18.

Please respond. All comments are welcome.


Cheers,
A person who really doesn't know

 

I'm deciding

What you say scares me and is the primary reason why I'm leaning toward public school. I don't want to force my views on my children. I want to offer them what I believe and let them decide. If my views the the "right" views, they will accept them. So, if they go to public school, they will do the right thing because what I've taught them is reality.

I'm not attacking your views, I'm trying to understand this whole thing and what is best for my family. My goal is for my kids to change the world for the better. Which is also my personal goal. If we live and die and don't do anything on this world to be remembered, what is our purpose?

 

I think it's a misconception that elementary school teachers are "experts" in the subjects they teach. Hardly. They've got something called "Teacher Editions" complete with answer keys.