Topic : 11/24 Great School Debate

I agree that the government is not a magical power.  I did not imply that in my posts........I am simply stating that there needs to be an accountability for all students.  Regardless if they are home schooled, unschooled or publicly schooled.

I don't want the government's nose in my business any more than it already is.

Ha Ha!  I agree, although in living in a democracy it really is the governments business to have it's *nose* involved with all aspects of the nations undertakings.

My bottom line remains as such, I feel that EVERY educator should be held accountable in that the very best interests of the child are being met.

Fredi

I never thought I would homeschool before becoming a parent. In fact, I didn't know homeschooling was really an option. I now have a 6 year old daughter and a 3 year old son. My 6 yo went to preschool for 5 months when I pulled her out. We were spending money on an education that was way below her level. Not only that, I was frustrated with the teacher's attitude and didn't think it was worth the effort and money to be annoyed all day, every day. She had been exposed to many extracurricular activities already by 3 years old. She had been to swimming, dance, gymnastics, music, art, baseball camp, Vacation Bible School, etc. I continued doing what I always did with her - read and teach her to read. By 4 years old, she could read and now at 6 she has read more books than many adults have in their whole lives. She is on her 5th Harry Potter book in the series. We homeschooled her for kindergarten and moved from NY to NC in April, which would have really been disruptive if she was switching schools like that. We had to move again from one area of NC to another so that would have been even worse.

My husband was fine with homeschooling her for preschool but he wasn't crazy about the idea for kindergarten but he soon realized she was so way ahead of the game that she would have been bored. However, he made me agree to put her in first grade. I reluctantly agreed hoping that he would change his mind. 1st grade came when we were in NC and we registered her but I informed everyone I could of her situation. I was in contact with the principal, the person in charge of gifted education and the teacher. The most she was ever allowed to read was Amelia Bedelia. They kept telling me that she was being challenged. Now, I am not saying she did not like school. She is a very sociable girl and she loved that aspect but how could I justify her getting "socialized" in 1st grade when she was not in the least bit challenged. We ended up pulling her out after a bit over a month when we realized that it was going nowhere. Now she has book club, a homeschool group, Girl Scouts, Communion classes, etc. We work on reading at her level. She has free reading time to read her Harry Potter and her Charlotte's Web for the second time. She reads to her brother and is teaching him how to read too. We don't "do school" everyday but she is responsible for science projects and reading assignments. She has to finish a certain amount by a certain time and we set goals to achieve them. She knows all about Ancient History, the Revolutionary War, the Colonial Period and is now learning about the Medieval Period. She scored a perfect score on the CAT test for the end of 1st grade last month and I'm sure she would get at least a near perfect score for the end of 2nd grade as well.

My point is, how would she be better off in public school? She sees her friends often but she is not as easily influenced by the trends and fashions. IMO, she is a bit young to worry about that. She can be pursue more of her passions because she can explore. Not everyone is made to homeschool, just as not everyone is really made to parent. We all make mistakes but so do teachers and schools. In the end, many parents are doing what they feel is best. Look at the educational system in the US compared to many countries. We are not #1 in most things anymore. We can't brag about how great schools are. I do know there are many. Just as there are many great teachers but there are also many great parents that chose homeschooling. What is right for one does not have to be right for everyone.

Would Dr. Phil argue his point so much if the parents sent their child to a school in an alternative setting? The point is, this is America and we do have choices. They may not be your choice but it is our right and freedom.

As a former educator, let me assure you this is a HUGE myth.  

Not totally a myth, though I see where you're coming from.  I have an insatiable curiosity and always have.  Yet when I got to school, all excited to learn, I was constantly told by teachers, "Oh, we'll cover that next year."  Or, "Yes, but that's too in depth for what we're discussing."  Or "You want to take what?! class?  But you're college prep!  You can't take any Vo-Ag classes."  Or, from my peers (the glares and jeers) "Shut up, will ya?"  Because they don't want whatever additional stuff the teacher might say in response to my question put on the test.

So, I did what lots of the smart kids do.  I sat down, shut up, did what was expected of me, made the Honor Society and was totally bored out of my freakin' mind.  OTOH, my ex-husband, a totally smart geek, did the opposite.  He did the minimum, got bad grades, and bided his time til he graduated.  Our nephew, also quite smart, was labeled ADHD because he constantly thought outside the specific directions the teacher wanted him to do his work by.

I have seen TOO many children who walk into Kindergarten completely unmotivated to learn.

 Many children are not being nurtured in the quest for learning before they hit school. Their questions to What and Why  are often answered with Not Now, Sit Down and Shut Up.  Their development is not only neglected but trampled before they ever walk through the school doors.

And this is a social issue.

I am never going to argue that schools are without problems

And I'm not ever going to argue that radical unschooling is for everyone.  What I do know is that when nurturing the love of learning in those early years, it spills over to the rest of our childrens lives.  School, therefore, becomes an obstacle to learning for my children, because of the time away from home or activities, homework (which I personally feel is a waste of time) and an intrusion on family time. 

What if the government began monitoring all parental activity for the "best interests of the child" would you agree?

I would agree.

Wow, I am surprised. I'm not trying to question your decision but allow me to ask a few questions. You would actually be okay with a government agency entering each home in America that contains children, reviewing all parental decisions and deciding if they up to state standards?

As far as the whole Foster Care scenario you implied about, I can't see that happening.  Yet I am grateful that there are laws and agencies in place (albeit not perfect ) in order to protect children.

See, I gave the foster care scenario because IMO it is the equivalent of what is being proposed for homeschoolers. I agree with you that our society needs to have laws and agencies in place to protect children. However, these laws must be balanced and not intrude on all privacy. IMO, it would be absurd to allow the foster care agency to enter every  home in America, review all parenting decisions and rule as to whether that decisions were according to the state's standards. Sure, we would catch a few bad apples but would it be worth intruding on the privacy of everyone else?

Perhaps I don't agree because I believe strongly in personal accountability. IMO, alot of people count on the government to do things which are not needed. I believe in taking responsibility for our own actions and not expecting the government to do it for us. Does that make sense?

The silly laws I am referring to are laws such as the no child left behind. I have heard many educators explain why it does not work and why it actually hinders the education. What is your take on it?

In a democracy it is up to the government to ensure the highest quality of education for our children.

Not trying to be snarky but don't you think the government should fix the government schools before they begin working on other schools?

I do understand your point of view and I appreciate the fact that we have been able to communicate effectively.  I understand and agree with your feelings of protecting our children. But homeschooling has been proven to work time and time again. The vast majority of homeschoolers are doing a terrific job. It would be a pitty to scrutinize a group because of a slim few who are not doing well. KWIM?