Topic : 11/24 Great School Debate

(This is my second attempt to post. I apologise if both of them show up)

We removed our three from school a short while after we adopted them and we began unschooling from the start. I realise that a lot of you have never even heard of unschooling, let alone really understand it. I'd like to leave a few links for you to check out when you have some free time. These are blogs by unschooling families and they'll give you a glimpse into their lives. The first one is mine.

http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/

http://radicalunschooling.blogspot.com/

http://organiclearning.blogspot.com/

http://zenmommasgarden.blogspot.com/

http://robinsblueskies.blogspot.com/

Thanks and have a great day!

Joanne

I am fascinated by this episode! I am a 31 year old public school teacher who happened to have been homeschooled from 3rd grade through high school along with my brother.  It was an awesome experience. My Mom ran a family business and took on the tremendous responsibilty of our education. It is an overwhelming task and it is not for everybody. Parents who homeschool have to understand this. This is not about sheltering their children. It is about providing the best one on one education and going beyond the doors of traditional school education. I also see the value in public school. I see it every day. I am impressed with my colleagues professionalism and care for our students.  The energy and the task of public school teachers is grand and overwhelming. We still have a system that allows children from all walks of life to get an education and make something of themselves. This is a great American gift.

However, I am not impressed with the "socialization" arguement it is disturbing when teachers ask this instead of asking how well the education process is going. I see very poorly socialized and very well socialized students everyday. It has little to do with the "school building". I have met poorly socialized adults whom attended public schools and I have met well socialized adults who were homeschooled.

Unschooling sounds a bit too free and unstructured, I hope people can separate that from home schooling. I am unfamiliar so that is all I can say about unschooling.

Homeschooling worked for us. Yet people are always responding in surprise at how we are the exception and I smile and agree that my brother and I are exceptional! I have a masters degree in education and my brother has three undergrad degrees and three masters degrees in geology, math and physics.

I believe we are well adjusted, educated, contributing members of society and so it worked. I think it is grand to live in a free society where people do have the choice for how best to educated our children and are free to debate all these ideas! God Bless America!

I feel no matter which method any parents use it is always the

parents that give the most input to a child learning or not.

Many children are in public schools and failing the most

fundamentals like Math and English?  I am sure there is a few

also failing these at home schools.  It is why they have the periodic

testing to find out where the children are at?

   I also think it is absurd that in the public schools before the testing

the children are given focused teaching 'to pass that test'!

Random testing for both would prove weather any teacher in public

schools and home schooling is giving each individual what they need?

As like so many things in our culture, HOW a child is raised does not

always predict what happens to them in society or thier social skills.

There is those who in school was very popular, good grades and good

parents that can go bad just like there is those who had bad grades, not

popular and unhealthy parents that succeeded well to great members of

our society.

                      The most important things  a parent gives thier children is Love,

Structure, Consistant rules to function in rules and education.

Our laws need to protect ALL children including those home schooled, not

in school at all and in public schools.  Thus giving random tests to schools

which contains material that a teacher does not know is contained in it,

simple questions that give a look into how the child feels about life and

learning and logic solving problems would solve alot of the problems in

them all.    I cheer on the parents so involved with their kids.

I agree, it is not bad to home school.  I do have a problem with the

Mother sitting there still breast feeding a 5 year old and giving her a

bottle, she needs educated to tooth decay and that breast feeding

as awesome as it is, I breast fed mine, is for infants, babies and even

a toddler but then the milk is no more than a weekly vitamin.

She also did not seem to give proper structure which teaches a child

about self control nor did she seem to understand that a child does

not have the ability to decision making skills unless taught them and

learning through being given it?

   ALL children need protected and tested to find what is going on for

sure and certainly the government giving testing that shows it all

without a parent or teacher preping them for the test would show more.

Not ALL of anything is all right or all wrong All has problems?

In most states, it is against the law  to keep children home from school. Are these home schoolers exempt from the law? If so, why do they think they are priviledged from society?  Legalities should have been brought up.  Also, if these parents Do NOT have at  least a master's degree or a PHD, how can they teach these kids past the 6th grade?  Dr. Phil was right on when he said that kids don't know consequences and cannot possibly make the right decision. especially w/educational choices.  Elaine