Home Schooling; Are the Public Schools Really That Bad?

james wrote:

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Dear Lance , you seem to be an expert at everything. Now home schooling. I know several people who home school their children and they are not qualified to teach and I believe their children will suffer set backs if they try to go to college. Why don't you do the car and the garden hose experiment as part of your home schooling.

MRS wrote:

<quoted text>Let's not forget the money lost if more go to home schooling. That is the bottom line and that is why "educators" hate even thinking about home schooling spreading. Colleges need American children enrolling and paying big bucks. Illegal aliens are going to college for a lot less than American citizens do.

Lance Winslow wrote:

This is an interesting insight. How long ago was this? Because it seems that Home Schoolers are more organized today than ever before. The reason I say this is as I travel around the country and talk to folks it seems they are sharing and have huge groups online too to assist. Some of the Charter Schools are getting better too as I see. I think education in America might just be the edge we need to stay on top. I enjoyed public school, class president, varsity sports, clubs on campus, but I also felt that it was underwhelming in many regards. Not good enough, more babysitting.
So I ask what would you do to make things better? Should home schooled kids perhaps have a pre-re-entry course prior to coming into College? Well, because I do a lot of public speaking at colleges and one business college; University of Pheonix that I commonly speak at for MBA students and such, has a course that everyone takes to re-train them in how to best excel in the college, how to study and get the most out of it. What are your thoughts on that?
Would you say that there is a mixed bag still with home schooled young adults entering college? They are worlds apart and of course not all home schooled kids would turn out totally equally I suppose. Have things changed since then? What to your former professor friends say? What would you change? We must upgrade our educational system, because the future is here and we need abled technicians and professionals to make all this high-tech stuff work and run the place?
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THEAprof wrote:

True. It is easy to lie on line. So perhaps we should all question how well your daughter is doing in college. How do we know that you aren't lying? Get ready to be shocked: I have two graduate degrees, have been a full-time college professor for 17 years and an adjunct for 6 years before that. Believe me or not, that doesn't change the facts.
LOL...I have no doubt that ALL college admission offices welcome home-schooled students. It is their job to recruit students; more students means more money for the college.
Try talking to most college instructors. They'll tell you what they see in the classroom. Those colleagues with whom I've discussed home-schooling share my opinion; while some home-schooled students are strong academically, most are socially deficient. Doesn't mean I dislike home-schooled students; some of them have been my favorites. I do, however, question the wisdom of seeing home-schooling as "the" answer to our nation's educational needs.
And what about my comments made you call me "anti-family"? There was nothing "anti-family" in my remarks. A wee bit paranoid, aren't we?
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Lance Winslow wrote:

Homeschooling Has Advantages; Critics Say Kids Will Lack Socialization
Homeschooling has its obvious advantages especially considering the problems in public schools and the lack of discipline. You see, Home schooling has its advantages as the modern day US classroom is more like a giant babysitting endeavor and it hardly teaches kids what they need to know at rate they are capable of absorbing it.
Recently this debate came up in an online think tank and one homeschooling brilliant parent stated; “I disagree that homeschooling leads to isolation and/or an unrealistic view of the world. A common misconception is that with homeschooling, the child(ren) is isolated and starved for social contacts with peers - this is untrue.”
Well if it is not done correctly it surely could be a problem in that regard, social interaction is part of understanding the reality of things. And for those parents who do field trips, involve their kids in team sports and other activities then these problems can be over come quite easily and actually become an increased benefit as the schools lack the funds for many meaningful field trips.
Many parents if they have the time may opt for the homeschooling advantage while other parents who are the product of the public school system may assume that it was good enough for them, so it is good enough for their kids too. I hope you will consider both sides of this issue and think it through before you make you decision. Check it out, you might like what you find out. Consider all this in 2006.
Public School Baby Sitting or Home Schooling
The behavior of our children in the public school system in United States of America is getting out of hand. Many parents have decided to take their kids out of school and do home schooling. In fact many groups have formed home schooling associations, which charge modest fees and also have consultants, advisers and veteran home schoolers who help the parents and assist the group in doing it correctly and educating the children efficiently. Many people believe that we have a falling down in our school system and this is probably why the United States government passed; The No Child Left Behind Act.
Some people feel that the “No Child Left Behind Act” should be called the no child allowed to advance act, because if they are teaching towards the middle of the average of all the students and different children learn at different speeds at different times in their development then they are always teaching at a slow speed all the time even when their child may be wanting to and capable of learning at a faster speed. Therefore the child is not getting the benefit of their ability to learn at that speed of their brain development.
When looking at the public school system and considering the home schooling option more and more homes chooling is looking like the way to go. And there must be a reason why more parents are deciding to go for it into home schooling. Consider home schooling and think on this in 2006.

THEAprof wrote:

Aorry, but it more than a myth. In my 17 years as a college faculty member, I've had a number of home-schooled students in my classes. Academically, they were a mixed bag; some were well-prepared for college, while others weren't. However, each and every one of them had social deficiencies; many have not been prepared to deal with the diversity of the college classroom (and the "real world"), some didn't really know how to work with others, and some didn't understand that they are not the only student in the classroom that mattered.
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Debra J M Smith wrote:

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I have no doubt that SOME home school families do not do as well as others. There is variety in all things. However, I can guarantee you that all who turn to the true God and ask Him for their needs to be met in home schooling, will succeed. The majority of home schooling families are true Christians and turn to God for all of their needs, hence, most home school families have much success.

james wrote:

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Dear Lance it seems your education is lacking as you cannot even spell the name off the college you claim to work for. It is the University of P H O E N I X not P H E O N I X. I doubt you have any degree or do any public speaking. I can't imagine a college hiring someone who can't even spell the name of the place they work. Also I can't see a college hiring a narrow minded, mentally ill, know-it-all who doesn't seem to know when enough is enough.

Debra J M Smith wrote:

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I have no doubt that SOME home school families do not do as well as others. There is variety in all things. However, I can guarantee you that all who turn to the true God and ask Him for their needs to be met in home schooling, will succeed. The majority of home schooling families are true Christians and turn to God for all of their needs, hence, most home school families have much success.

Rusty wrote:

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Debra, the trend lately has been away from religious based homeschooling. The new homeschoolers are from parent/s who want their child/ren to actually learn something away from the distractions of a classroom. It has nothing to do with religious beliefs. Most are or the greatest majority are middleclass. It is not a financial decision, but a commitment to give a child an education that he/she deserves. The public schools are failing in many areas in this regard. In respect to all of the teachers out there, the parents and school administration have failed their children too -I in no way blame the teachers.

THEAprof wrote:

True. Try talking to most college instructors.>

james wrote:

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Dear Lance it seems your education is lacking as you cannot even spell the name off the college you claim to work for. It is the University of P H O E N I X not P H E O N I X. I doubt you have any degree or do any public speaking. I can't imagine a college hiring someone who can't even spell the name of the place they work. Also I can't see a college hiring a narrow minded, mentally ill, know-it-all who doesn't seem to know when enough is enough.

james wrote:

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You are correct in your saying that the majority of home schoolers are Christians. But I will go furhter and say that they are FUNDAMENTALIST Christians who teach their children such academic pursuits such as the ten plagues, and how Jacob began to be called Israel. Not exactly the material that will get you through college.

Debra J M Smith wrote:

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I have no doubt that SOME home school families do not do as well as others. There is variety in all things. However, I can guarantee you that all who turn to the true God and ask Him for their needs to be met in home schooling, will succeed. The majority of home schooling families are true Christians and turn to God for all of their needs, hence, most home school families have much success.

rap city rhapsody wrote:

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while i am not a christian, i decided--along with my partner--to homeschool our son for grades 2-5. this was after having witnessed what i considered substandard primary curriculum and an atmosphere of resentment among the teaching staff at our local elementary school. upon entering 6th grade (middle school), he was well ahead of his peers, identified as 'gifted' and has continued on an advanced track to this day (he is in grade 9). we never regretted the decision to devote those 4 years to homeschooling.
we decided to release him into the regular classroom at grade 6 in order to ensure adequate social interaction, and so far i believe we made the right choice. homeschooling isn't the answer for every child or family. i am aware of some children who are very socially phobic who are still being partially homeschooled. i do,however, think that it is an excellent choice for some children.

aLifeUncommon wrote:

There are pros and cons to home schooling just as with private and public education.
Many parents have to work for a living so home schooling is not a choice.
Despite the debate here, most home schooled children do indeed have inappropriate social skills.
Lastly, I had thought about it but in my opinion, home schooling puts too much of the parent's influence on the child's decisions later in life. Social and religious beliefs for example are forced upon the child by the parents reasoning and I think it's important for kids to get out in the real world and learn to make up their own minds.
That's not saying parents should not teach right from wrong and give them a stable environment which may or may not include religion, I just think they need more real world situations.
I know a good deal of very well rounded kids that have been home schooled. But most of them have spend some time in a public or private school system.
Most of the home schooled children I've seen, are too reserved, shy, under informed and generally not prepared for the real world that awaits them.

Debra J M Smith wrote:

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Anyone who speaks ill of Christian home school kids, has an agenda. Duhhh.
A lesbian 'nurse' is not qualified to judge any children. This is just another reason, parents should be careful who they take their children to for medical care.
Debra...