Topic : 11/24 Great School Debate

Teaching begins in infancy and doesn't stop - unfortunately there is no way to compensate for uninvolved or outright bad parenting.  Did you notice that the mother on that show was surprised at the state of her daughter's high school?  Hello?!?  Why wasn't the natural follow-up question to her, "WHY have you never set foot into your daughter's school, that this should all come as a shock to you now?" 

Okay, so why is it that when I write something like that, I get criticized?? This is exactly the point I have been trying to make, and I get pooh-poohed by people who simply want to blame schools and teachers for every social ill!

Socio-economics was not the problem - uninvolved parents and students who, overall, didn't care enough about their environment to not vandalize it were the problem.

Actually, there is a strong correlation between socio-economic class and student achievement. It is a complex and pervasive problem. For deeper insight read A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby (I can't remember her last name!).

I am a former school teacher as well as the parent of two grown sons. They both attended either private or public schools. During their growing up years I owned my own craft business and taught  art classes to homeschool kids. These were generally well behaved kids, but no real social skills. They only knew how to get along with their siblings, or the other home schooled kids they were always with.

How can any parent not want their children to do all the things they get to do in school? Not only are they learning from books in school, but they are also learning how to get along with people! Not all, but a lot of homeschooled kids are overbearing and want attention from the parent they are with. As they used to say, 'He's a momma's boy!'

The two young men and young lady in the audience did not look extremely happy, and obviously are way behind in the way they groom themselves. Is the long hair a cover-up so he doesn't have to look anyone in the eye? It was obvious to me that the two young men didn't want to make eye contact with anyone, not even their mom. Never once saw them look at their mom, even though she constantly looked at them. Wow, that's scary!

I believe a mom who homeschools is an overbearing, controlling person. Maybe this gives her the power she has always wanted, but never had either growing up or in her current life!  When homeshooled kids participate in community activities, aren't they afraid someone will hurt them there? So many times, this is where kids are abducted, or molested. Does the mom run and play right beside them so no one will put a hand on them?

A child must feel some independence, or they will never mature in a well rounded way.  It can also be looked upon as a trust issue. Does mom not trust the kids to make decisions away from her?? That is what it looks like to me.. I went to public schools all my life including college, and I think I came out pretty good! I do realize that times have changed, but kids are still kids, and they still enjoy the same things young people have always enjoyed!

As far as the unschool people, I think they are off their rocker! Does that mom let them decide when to bathe, what to eat, what is safe to watch on TV, how/when to dress, when to go to sleep, when to drive a car, or any of the day to day things? I think kids really like for mom or dad to make decisions for them, even if they protest. When a child is acting out and fussing about somehting, what they really want is a parental decision.

I was talking with someone about how much to feed their dog. Well, one person has a planned feeding schedule, the other puts all the food out for the day. Eventually the second one only eats what is necessary, but that doesn't give that pet any individual attention the owner would give him during feeding time.  Any decision a child makes does helps him grow, but if he/she is allowed to decide everything, look out as they grow up!! They might over-indulge in things!

There are several good on-line school programs that need only a parents supervision....and intersction, but that are taught by certified teachers.  Some are totally on-line and some are DVD and on-line.  Depending on your state you may qualify for a program totally free of charge.  Some of these programs include a computer, internet and all supplies needed (even for art calsses and such).  Try www.connectionsacademy.com, if they are not in your state yet check into A.C.E schools and http://www.abeka.com/  ask about finacial aid.  Check into small private schools and ask if they know of any state of federal grants you can get to help pay for their school (My daughter went to private school for 2 years on grants and we paid only for the uniforms, the grant had nothing to do with the students grades, but rather about the child's need)  I would never send my child to a school that made him physically ill every day and would not even return my call.  Good luck.

LOL, I agree.

I'm not such a stickler on message boards online, as not many people are good keyboarders.  But I do mind in print media and on TV, with regards to both written and spoken English.

Typos drive be nuts!  But not online.  I think most people feel that the 'net is a casual atmosphere.  I'm just glad that the teen text lingo isn't predominant on most sites, because I don't care to decipher it. :)

On this board, I'm more concerned with teachers and their grammar than parents and teens.  After all, they're representing their schools and I feel should be held to a higher standard than non-professionals.

Are you on the Tribe list here in CT?

I don't know what the Tribe list is.

One of the  premises of homeschooling is to teach kids at their own pace, and to encourage their strengths. Who decides what an 8 year old 'must' know? Yes, I know there are state standards for this, but IMO they are not realistic. Kids walk and talk when they are ready, and they learn academic skills best when they are ready too. When a certain amount of delay is involved, academically or physically, it's a good idea to offer special help- but with most kids, variances of learning skills at different ages is normal and will lead to eventual success.

I don't have a problem with some limited testing, perhaps every three to four years, with flexibility in what are expected results. Scoring low in one area but high in another shouldn't be a cause for major concern. Scoring very low in every area should not result in forced schooling, but perhaps in referral to support for the parent or diagnosis of special needs in the student. Tests can be a positive tool to find out where a child needs more help, but should not be used as threats.

Tests are given by each state yearly in school. Some kids do very well on them, others very poorly, and the average is used to judge the school's success. When schools have a 100% success rate with every child, then I guess you can demand that of homeschoolers, and threaten to force them to put a child who fails tests into school. 

There may be some parents 'out there' who are homeschooling ineffectively. I can tell you with certainty there are some school teachers who are teaching ineffectively as well! Neither system is perfect.

This is the third time I have seen this list posted here. Yours is slightly different as you are at least not laying claim to MOSES!!

Don't you think a list that includes a great many people who were dead before public schooling was even an option is a bit disingenuous? I do not doubt there are a great many homeschool success stories; I personally know a few. Posting a misleading and not entirely accurate list of "homeschool success stories" threatens your credibility.