Topic : 11/24 Great School Debate

I also know several unschooling families.  None of them are ultra-religious. 

What people need to understand is that unschooling isn't just washing your hands of textbooks, curriculums, and planning.  It's actually a greater responsiblity, creating an educationally-rich environment, and providing their children with lots of resources.  Dr. Phil actually made a few points FOR unschooling that he may not have realized.  Saying he enjoyed learning about the market in his 30s and absorbed and enjoyed it was the point of self-led learning, whether it be by a child or an adult.  Unschooling parents often leave little tidbits about to spark a child's interest.  I know many who put interesting books in the bathroom (even as an eclectic homeschooler I do the same) and before they know it, the child is asking for resources on that topic. :)  Trust me, we all remember the things we wanted to learn about way better than that we learned just to pass a test. 

<grin> on the class size comment.  The county in which I live just published that they are short 1,300 students by their annual projections.  Luckily they're blaming the rising insurance, home prices, and taxes for this, not the homeschoolers or private schoolers.

As Dr. Phil said on his show, history tends to repeat itself.  For most of humanity there were not public schools, and we seemed to do just fine without them in the past.  Since they are a recent development and have not doubt served their purpose (and continue to do so for the majority of society), I doubt that they will cease to exist anytime in the near future.

I do think my children learn more by being out and about where life is being lived can teach them more than a classroom.  Problem is, is that the school system is a behemoth and very difficult to change.  I doubt that my efforts or even those combined with other homeschooling parents could affect change soon enough to have any effect on my own children.

Notice I'm not blaming teachers or schools for society's ills.  I'm not.  But I speak with parents of other public school children here in town (my kids have many schooled friends) and the stuff their kids are exposed to at a young age is atrocious.

Before I'm accused of sheltering my children from the big bad world -- far from it.  We regularly discuss sex, drugs, pot, gays, gay marriage, nudity, porn, etc.  The thing about it is that at home, they're free to discuss it and get an ADULT's input.  On the bus, on the playground, many of these conversations take place OUT OF EARSHOT and without adult input.

I also know several unschooling families.  None of them are ultra-religious. 

What people need to understand is that unschooling isn't just washing your hands of textbooks, curriculums, and planning.  It's actually a greater responsiblity, creating an educationally-rich environment, and providing their children with lots of resources.  Dr. Phil actually made a few points FOR unschooling that he may not have realized.  Saying he enjoyed learning about the market in his 30s and absorbed and enjoyed it was the point of self-led learning, whether it be by a child or an adult.  Unschooling parents often leave little tidbits about to spark a child's interest.  I know many who put interesting books in the bathroom (even as an eclectic homeschooler I do the same) and before they know it, the child is asking for resources on that topic. :)  Trust me, we all remember the things we wanted to learn about way better than that we learned just to pass a test. 

<grin> on the class size comment.  The county in which I live just published that they are short 1,300 students by their annual projections.  Luckily they're blaming the rising insurance, home prices, and taxes for this, not the homeschoolers or private schoolers.

What does my church have to do with me pointing out that I believe people should have the right to  take their children out of the public school system if it is not working for them?

As Dr. Phil said on his show, history tends to repeat itself.  For most of humanity there were not public schools, and we seemed to do just fine without them in the past.  Since they are a recent development and have not doubt served their purpose (and continue to do so for the majority of society), I doubt that they will cease to exist anytime in the near future.

I do think my children learn more by being out and about where life is being lived can teach them more than a classroom.  Problem is, is that the school system is a behemoth and very difficult to change.  I doubt that my efforts or even those combined with other homeschooling parents could affect change soon enough to have any effect on my own children.

Notice I'm not blaming teachers or schools for society's ills.  I'm not.  But I speak with parents of other public school children here in town (my kids have many schooled friends) and the stuff their kids are exposed to at a young age is atrocious.

Before I'm accused of sheltering my children from the big bad world -- far from it.  We regularly discuss sex, drugs, pot, gays, gay marriage, nudity, porn, etc.  The thing about it is that at home, they're free to discuss it and get an ADULT's input.  On the bus, on the playground, many of these conversations take place OUT OF EARSHOT and without adult input.

Every state has homeschool laws. Period. There are no states that rely on "standards". 

As for the couple on the show, I would be willing to bet they are under religious exemption so they are not required to test at all, and can literally fall off the radar. 

As for the "scrapbook", a portfolio is a much greater representation of a childs education than filling in circles on a test.  States vary, however, a parent must show the evaluator (who is a teacher) that progress has been made throughout the year by showing actual work done by the child.  A parent cannot say "We did this" or "We went here" they must have proof (pictures, tickets, receipts, etc) that certain trips were taken or areas were covered. The evaluator is also free to talk with the child, which most do (I cannot speak for all of them as I do not know all of them) at which point, the teacher can find out directly from the student what has been taught or covered and what has not been.