Reporter Takes over Interview with Anti Homeschool PhD

Don't let this person get you upset. He is egocentric and could care less about what a homeschool parent thinks. He gets off on people challenging his views on homeschooling. He does not want to see the positive sides to homeschooling. Believe me when I tell you that he has already done his research on homeschooling. Anything positive he disregards, but anything negative he accepts. Please don't waste your time emailing this negative person. He will only draw you in with his negative energy, and at the end of the day you will be left with negative feelings.

 

I didn't let it ruin my day or anything. LOL! I just thought he would be more...I don't know...human. I guess I was wrong. I decided pretty much what you said. He has made up his mind regardless of the facts and no words would ever change what he chooses to believe in spite of the facts.

The part that got me more than anything in what he wrote was his implication that homeschoolers are abusing their children. Notice in the last sentence: Children have a right to equal protection under the law...

I feel sorry for the people that have to deal with him. I also sincerely hope there aren't many more of him in the world!

 

He states, "Children have a right to equal protection under the law." My question is where were the public schools when some of our children were being abused by their peers and school personnel in the public schools. Oh! I guess Mr. Phd thought we were too stupid as parents to remember that. Oh, I see! As long as our children are being mistreated in a public school, that is okay.


"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

-Abraham Lincoln

 

I feel sorry for him. Anyone with such a twisted understanding of "equal protection" must have needed it and feels he did not get it. Perhaps, deep down there is a little boy there trying to to get someone's attention, trying to put on strong front with all his achievements while hiding his true feeling of inferiority. Sad.

 

Ok, I know I'm nitpicking here, but...
You would think that a "Distinguished Research Professor" would be a bit more detail-oriented and better at written communication. My 10 y.o has a better grasp of the English language than he showed in his response.
I'm pretty sure he meant AMATEUR not ARMATURE, especially since the definition of armature is:
NOUN:

1. Electricity
   1. <LI type=a>The rotating part of a dynamo, consisting essentially of copper wire wound around an iron core. <LI type=a>The moving part of an electromagnetic device such as a relay, buzzer, or loudspeaker.
   2. A piece of soft iron connecting the poles of a magnet.
2. Biology A protective covering, structure, or organ of an animal or a plant, such as teeth, claws, thorns, or the shell of a turtle.
3. A framework serving as a supporting core for clay sculpture.

Also, that last sentence has multiple grammatical & puntuation errors.
For someone who thinks he's so much more intelligent than us poor, undereducated homeschoolers, his writing skills and grasp of the English languauge are deplorable. My dd just read that & was laughing at the mistakes he made. She was also able to tell me everything that was wrong with it. She's 10.
Then again, you would also expect a 'Distinguished Research Professor" to actually RESEARCH a topic before discussing it in an interview.
If that's what the public schools produce, it's no wonder our country is in the mess it's in right now.
On a more personal note; this guy is a total a$$. He's made up his mind about homeschooling & won't change it no matter how much proof (that he's wrong) is thrust at him.
I think what bugs me most, about that mentality, is how utterly insulting it is. When taking classes to become a certified teacher, I seriously doubt you have to take 'How to Use a Teacher Manual 101' or 'How to Find Appropriate Educational Materials'. So, why is it so hard to believe that someone, who doesn't have a degree in education, can choose educational materials & use teacher manuals?

 

Having completed a Teacher Education Program, we do NOT have to take "How to Read a Teacher's Manual"!!! How INSULTING!!! :lol:

However, most of our classes are on "How to Control the Masses". Seriously, the majority of the program is how to teach large numbers and classroom managment. Both are subjects that the average hs'er doesn't have to worry about!

 

Exactly my point. Teachers don't need training on how to use a teacher manual, & most homeschoolers don't have 20-30 kids to deal with. So, why are we not qualified to teach our own kids. There are plenty of curricula for us to choose from that are just as good (if not better) than what public schools use. Plus, unlike ps teachers, we can choose which curricula to use for our kids based on their strengths, weaknesses, abilities, needs, learning styles, etc. Many hsers use programs with teacher manuals (or tutors, outside classes, etc.) for the classes that are more difficult or that the parent doesn't know well enough to teach without help.
People like this guy make it sound like homeschooling is just us teaching our children only what we remember from school, thus providing them with a substandard education.
My ex-step-mom is a teacher. She has been my biggest supporter from the very beginning. She has never once given the impression that she thinks I'm unqualified or shown any doubt in my ability to provide my kids with a great education. In fact, she often tells me how proud she is of me & the way I'm teaching & raising the kids. She doesn't drill my kids to make sure that they're learning, and when she asks how our schooling is going, it's out of an interest in our lives. I have a great respect for her & what she does. I know I couldn't possibly deal with a room full of 30 kids everyday, and I freely admit that. However, my inability to deal with & teach 30 kids doesn't equal an inability to provide my 2 kids with an excellent, well-rounded education.

 

I am absolutely NOT QUALIFIED to teach higher math and science. And guess what...I DON'T TEACH IT!!! I bought a curriculum that more or less does it for me. Rachael goes through the material on her own, and tells me when she takes a test. I keep track of the test scores. Not only do I NOT have to know it, but it has the added benefit of helping her to become an INDEPENDENT learner. In addition, she's taking the lab part of science at a co-op, with a lady who may or may not be "qualified" to teach it (according to Mr. "Distinguished Research Professor"). I'm not worried about whether or not she has teaching credentials. This lady enjoys the subject and knows it well enough to communicate what needs to be communicated to the kids!

 

You are so right on!
I totally let it upset ME and I should have known better. Good advice!

 

You know, Carl commented on the "self-doctoring". He says that YES, we are constantly self-doctoring! Moms do it constantly!!! Every time we take an asprin, or put fill a kid up with chicken soup and put him to bed, without a formal diagnosis. If we feel it's something we cannot handle, we are intelligent enough to get the help that is needed.

And Carl says that yes, we do the SAME THING with school. If it's too much for us, we get the help we need.

 

Jackie that's very true, and you know I never would have thought of it until you said something. But you are right there are some things we know we can take care of at home, and some that we know we need help with. Thanks.

 

You mean that you actually dispense an OTC drug to your own child without a medical degree!

I am feeling faint. I probably need to put my head down low--Oh, no. I cannot know to do that because I have not yet seen a doctor. :roll:

 

:lol::lol: