Topic : 11/24 Great School Debate

  If you only look at the examples presented on Dr. Phil's show today, it would be easy to think that homeschooling does not promote personal responsibility.  That is simply not true. I have 4 children, 2 of whom are school age. I teach them Latin, History, Geography,  and Bible, and English, in addition to daily life/social skills. They each study Science  and Math( video course) independently, with my supervision. They also take enrichment classes in our community. 

They do not need to be prodded and poked, because they love to learn.

They don't study just to pass a test. They study because they are excited. Why are they excited? We have a lifestyle of learning that is not dependent on anyone else's agenda. Is there structure? Yes. Is there order? Yes. Do I know everything  that they will ever need to know? Of course not. I am, however, an intelligent human being who enjoys the learning process AND teaching my children. I spend an enormous amount of time and energy choosing the right materials for each child's learning style...no cookie cutter texbooks here. We max out our library card, and help keep the bookstores in business.  Yes, I have to ramp up on some of the topics we study, but that is part of the enjoyment. I want my children to see that you never stop learning.

I do not agree with the unschooling philosphy, but I do agree that learning should not be confined to a classroom setting. It is absurd to think that the ONLY way a child can learn is in a government instititution.  Of course public school teachers are going to balk at the idea.  It is their job, and they are in the system.  I know, because I was in the system. I am a "trained teacher", but that has been more of a hindrance to me than a help. Why? Our system of education is designed to educate a large number of people in a short amount of time.  There is no time for enjoyment of learning, for we must pass those tests! Read the book, answer questions, and move on.  I enjoy being able to stay on a topic longer than we had planned, because the children wanted to make costumes, another craft, or go to the museum.

We have enjoyed not having evolution and alternate lifestyles shoved down our throats. We love to pray during our day, because there is no seperation of church and state in our school. Our children learn about honor, integrity compassion, and all of the other character qualities WE want to instill in them, not the ideals of the liberal media and pop culture.

 I am thankful to live in a country that gives me the freedom to educate my children. I am thankful that my children love one another. You won't hear the term "bratty little brother/sister" in our home.  The older ones mentor the younger ones. We play together, laugh together, cry together. How in the world could we have this if they were locked away 8 hours a day, doing 2-3 hours of homework each night, and participating in all those important "social" events?

 I have to laugh when people make the comment that the only way children can learn to socialize is to be in a room full of kids their own age all day. Please, why would I want my children to learn their social skills from kids who are learning themselves, and whose beliefs and values I don't know.

I am not saying that everyone has to homeschool.

What I want is for people to understand what homeschooling IS, not what it is NOT. We don't lock our kids away and never let them talk to anyone. Our children are out there in society, interacting daily with the community. Our local grocery manager told me that his best workers are the ones who are homeschooled. He said they are more mature and more responsible.

Almost every time we go out to dinner as a family, someone comes up to our table to comment on how well mannered our children are and how they wish more were like that. Now, some may disapprove of what we do, but it really doesn't change anything. We are committed to educationg our children and raising up leaders for the next generation.

When you turn on that light switch, be thankful. Thomas Edison was homeschooled.

"The bad home schooled families I know myself sure don't bother to document anything. They are certainly not having their kids tested, interviewed, studied, apply for college or speaking publicly about home schooling. 

These families, then, have TRUANT children, not homeschooled children.  Without following the laws of the state, a family cannot be said to BE “homeschooling,” no matter what they call it.  Homeschooling is a legally recognized and defined educational path in all 50 states, and in all 50 states, it requires some level of documentation or registration.  Equating them with homeschoolers is like saying kids who are skipping class with the permission of their parents are “homeschooled.”  Homeschooling is not simply not going to school!" 

In Oklahoma, we are not required to document, test or be held accountable to anyone.  Oklahoma is the only state in the nation with a state constitution that guarantees the right to homeschool without government interference.  So, it is simply untrue to state that just because a parent chooses not to document their every little move, that they are not truly homeschooling.  I would rather spend my time educating than worrying about "proving" that I am doing it. 
 

I used to live in Missouri where homeschoolers have to document 1000 hours per year.  600 of these are supposed to be core academics and 400 non core. 
 

When my kids went to public school for a short time, my son came home with his 4th grade class schedule and by the time you counted out non academic time, he was focusing on core academic subjects TWO AND ONE HALF HOURS per day!  So, when you break it all down... homeschoolers in Missouri are held to a higher standard than the government school teachers.  (180 days x 2.5 hours per day=450 hours for the school versus the homeschooler 600 academic hours)
 

And I can't tell you how disgusted I was when I saw the weeks and weeks spent preparing children to take some MAPS exam so the school could prove that NO CHILD WAS BEING LEFT BEHIND.  What a crock! 
 

All three of my step kids were being left behind as they sat in classrooms with information just going right over their heads before we started homeschooling.  But, due to some political bull crap they don't want to hold them back... why then they might lose funds.. because CHILDREN ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND.  
 

Not to poke fun... but I think I am a home schooler....

Since my child was old enough to talk which was younger than most of her age-mates... I have been teaching her - in a more traditional sense of the word - I've really been teaching her since she was born if I think about it... but back to my point, I started teaching and shaping my daughters ability to communicate - rules of politeness, grammer, vocabulary, ... their ability to manipulate their world... fine motor and all that... their ability to read (both read in Kindergarden) about nature, science, spiriturality, about how to manuveour within groups and teams.... and on it goes.... a lot of what my kids know now and all of what they knew when they hit school was taught by me.... HUH...

And although I was an excellant student and I have very bright kids.... I can't imagine that I am qualified to guide them through academia toward college with the proficiency of a school teacher... BUT I can support and enhance what they do bring home in their little pink backpacks!

A few years ago I remember seeing a very interesting programon PBS about the public school system and how it was developed. I willapologize ahead of time for not being able to reference the specific show butmaybe someone else saw this also.  

Part of the story explained that around the time that thiscountries’ industrialization was booming there was a need for large numbers ofworkers.  At this time there were alsolarge numbers of immigrants coming into the country.  In order to develop a workforce, specifically for thesecompanies, the public school system was further developed and standardized sothat the immigrants would “assimilate” (I remember specifically that that wordwas used) into the American culture and become those workers that wereneeded.    

Tests were given in the early grades.  The scores on the tests pre-determined thecourse of study that the students would be offered.  The tests were determining who would receive the education towork the assembly lines, who would manage and who would research anddevelop.  Most of the girls would betaught how to be successful wives.   

Anyone out there feel like a borg ?  lol   

After watching the show today, I found it pretty amazing that no one mentioned Private School as a learning alternative.  My child was in public school through the third grade. He was a ok student ( mostly b's and c's) and he did ok on the standardized testing too. In fourth grade We moved him to a private christian school.  There were many reasons for moving him.  The biggest reason was the number of children allowed in each classroom effective in fourth grade.(in some cases there could be as many as 39 kids in each classroom)  I can't tell you what a difference changing to a christian school has meant.  The first semester he earned straight A's!  It was wonderful that god was an important part of his everyday life.  Socially the first year was a little tough, yes he did have friends, but it takes time to cement those day to day relationships. That first year his standardized test grades were absolutely fantastic! He tested above grade level in every subject, including his bible studies. Some of his test scores were at college level (in fourth grade!).  Today I have to say moving him to the private christian school was one of the hardest and best decisions my husband and I have ever made. It was hard to pull him out of his comfort zone in public school. But I have to say the level of education, and the sense of family and family values we have encountered at the christian school make us wish our child had never attended public school. It has not always been easy to make the monthly tuition payments, but I would rather do with-out now, so that my child can have the best education I can provide for him. The best way to explain what a difference the right school can make to a kid is this-- When I used to pick my son up from public school and I would ask, "How was your day?" he would answer  "It was terrible,  Bobby pushed me, Sally hurt my feelings, Terry tripped me on the playground, my teacher ignored me and on and on" ( this was probably four out of five days)  Today when I ask the same question his answer is "I had a great day! I know I did great on my Spanish Test, Kenny and Billy and Kevin and I ate lunch together.  Suzey was so funny in English class want to know what happened?" Oh and guess what happend in History today?  Well you get the idea.

Let me first start out by saying that I have NO REPULSION to homeschooling whatsoever.  I think it's great that it works so well for so many families.  My conviction has always been that if we take all the Christian kids out of the public school, where does that leave the kids left behind?  They need the influence of Christian kids too and I've trained my kids to be examples to all kinds of kids...not that my kids are perfect by any means...but I always said that if by Jr. High my kids needed to be separated from the influences of the public school it would be at that time that I would put them in a private Christian school.  I have two high schoolers and a 6th grader - all of which have a lot of very good quality friends and great grades and great success in sports. 

I have noticed a trend as homeschooling becomes a more popular alternative to public schools and Nicole on the show, who was homeschooled and wished she hadn't been, hit the nail right on the head.  She said that homeschooled kids learn to be with kids like themselves...kids with the same interests, values and experience.   What homeschooled kids also share is the fact that homeschooling usually goes hand in hand with a negative attitude about public school.  Many homeschool parents also have a very negative attitude towards kids that are not homeschooled...especially those families that have a strong faith-based homeschool program.  Homeschooled kids are subliminally taught intolerance of many things...the most dangerous being intolerance of other kids with a different learning experience.

My experience with homeschool families has been primarily negative when the subject comes up.  It seems that as soon as they find out my kids go to public school, I've knocked myself down a couple of notches on the "righteousness" scale and I and my kids are instantly judged.  I even had a few moms that wouldn't allow their kids to play with mine because of that fact.  We are a Christian family...and I actually "homeschooled" my kids every summer when they were in elementary school so as to not "waste" the time during the summer...we'd review math, science, learn bible verses, read, exercise...you name it...every morning at 8am until about 11am.  It was hard work and my hat goes off to the moms and dads that do it 9 months of the year and not just 3!!! 

Here's where I'm seeing a disturbing trend...and it's not just my kids that are experiencing it...it's rampant among youth groups at churches of all denominations.  There is a HUGE hierarchy of cliques in youth groups right now.  My kids - who have never had a moment's trouble making friends - have yet to find a youth group that is not filled with homeschooled kids that feel spiritually superior to the rest of the kids and do not miss an opportunity to exclude non-homeschooled kids.  I'm not saying that cliques are anything new, they are always a problem among teens.  But, as I've mentioned the problem to other parents of kids who refuse to attend a youth group, they've told me the exact same story...homeschooled kids looking down their noses at the public school kids.  Your kids are taking your distaste of public schooling and applying it to the kids that go there!

Here's the saddest part.  We've been sending our kids to public school and teaching them to love others to Christ at school...which they've done.  My kids have brought lots of unchurched kids to church and the unchurched kids have been totally snubbed by the other kids...and their parents!  This has happened with many other families I've talked to as well!  When I was in school, all of my closest friends were at church (because of similar values) and my school friends were fun, but not the ones I held closest to me.  My kids have found Christian kids at school to hang with but have yet to make a single friend at church.  How is that even possible???  I am monumentally disappointed with that trend.  I do not "blame" the homeschool trend, but I do blame the attitude that accompanies it.  I am speaking primarily of those families of faith that profess to be Christians.  Your kids are hearing and feeling your angst about public school and the kids that go there.  It is okay to have differing opinions, God leads each of us in different ways.  He's blessed my decision to keep my kids in public school. 

I just wanted to give my frustration a voice.  I so appreciated what Nicole had to say.  She is a very articulate woman.  She put to words what I had struggled to figure out myself.  It is a tolerance for the familiar and comfortable and the lack of experience with the unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable that can affect homeschooled kids.  We all need to learn to be with people that are not like us...that think differently...have different opinions...different life experience...because in "real life" that's the majority of the people you'll be around...people NOT exactly like YOU!