I'de say that's the hardest par. I usually spend as much as half the time I'm working on my online classes surfing CFC... Somehow I force myelf to do the work, but it'sw not easy.
Ask A Homeschooler
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I'de say that's the hardest par. I usually spend as much as half the time I'm working on my online classes surfing CFC... Somehow I force myelf to do the work, but it'sw not easy.
I am no longer home schooled myself, but I was home schooled up until last year for my entire life (11 grades, with a few classes at home school co-ops) so I feel that I'm qualified to share my views. 
2. Great flexibility in learning. Homeschoolers can focus your studies more towards where your interests are. (For me, that'd be history and philosophy/theology)
3. Greater control over what your child learns, if you want to exercise it. (Whether this is a plus or minus depends on your perspective, I suppose)
4. Greater time flexibility. (While homeschooled, you can take field trips whenever you want to, and if there are times when you need to stop school to do something else important - missions work, farm work, or whatever, you can do that easier than in a public school)
Basically, it's all about greater flexibility. Homeschooling isn't for everyone, but it can be a great alternative to the standard public school fare.
This especially happens with older home schooled kids (Like I used to be) who are effectively teaching themselves, because their parents are often teaching the younger kids as well. I basically taught myself 3/4 of my first three years of high school. I believe I may have accomplished less than I would have if I'd been held more accountable, but I seem to be at least up to par with non-home schoolers. (In the private school I attended this past year, I got a 4.39 out of a 4.5 GPA grading system.) And in an odd way, perhaps my "wasting time" on the internet or reading books when I should have been doing Algebra and Biology worked out for the best - I now have a good pool of general knowledge, and I'm a fairly good debater and thinker for my age. Personally, I'd rather really learn to think for myself over memorizing the different kingdoms and phylum and all that by rote.
Some kids are really motivated, though. I had friends who finished all their textbooks months early. Really this depends on how motivated the kids are, and if they aren't too motivated, the parents need to make sure the kids are doing their work.
I took standardized tests most years I was homeschooled, and I think that's the norm for most homeschoolers.
1. Great flexibility for children that are not normal in their intelligence. (Either very intelligent or unintelligent)
2. Great flexibility in learning. Homeschoolers can focus your studies more towards where your interests are. (For me, that'd be history and philosophy/theology)
3. Greater control over what your child learns, if you want to exercise it. (Whether this is a plus or minus depends on your perspective, I suppose)
4. Greater time flexibility. (While homeschooled, you can take field trips whenever you want to, and if there are times when you need to stop school to do something else important - missions work, farm work, or whatever, you can do that easier than in a public school)
Basically, it's all about greater flexibility. Homeschooling isn't for everyone, but it can be a great alternative to the standard public school fare.
Socialization is definitely one of the weaker points of homeschooling. However, there is almost always organizations or groups that the parents can get involved in. Whether it is NCFCA speech and debate, or a local co-op or KONOS group, or whatever. These days, there are home schoolers almost everywhere in the US. Additionally, many school districts let home schoolers take part in their local sports teams, so if there isn't a YMCA or anything similar that you can use, you can still get involved in sports.
The other big issue with home schooling.
This especially happens with older home schooled kids (Like I used to be) who are effectively teaching themselves, because their parents are often teaching the younger kids as well. I basically taught myself 3/4 of my first three years of high school. I believe I may have accomplished less than I would have if I'd been held more accountable, but I seem to be at least up to par with non-home schoolers. (In the private school I attended this past year, I got a 4.39 out of a 4.5 GPA grading system.) And in an odd way, perhaps my "wasting time" on the internet or reading books when I should have been doing Algebra and Biology worked out for the best - I now have a good pool of general knowledge, and I'm a fairly good debater and thinker for my age. Personally, I'd rather really learn to think for myself over memorizing the different kingdoms and phylum and all that by rote.Some kids are really motivated, though. I had friends who finished all their textbooks months early. Really this depends on how motivated the kids are, and if they aren't too motivated, the parents need to make sure the kids are doing their work.
This varies from state to state. Some states require some sort of periodic check ups to make sure the kids are learning, and standardized tests every year. Other states may not have any regulation at all - all you have to do is send a letter to the school board notifying them of your intent to take your child out of school, and teach them yourself. (And my Mom never even did that, because we moved around every couple of years and technically weren't local residents - technically speaking, I played hooky my whole life, if you only consider the public school system)Thanks for the answers. Sorry to hear about brother thoughI wanted to know about the requirements for homeschooling exactly because of some crazy people. Sounds a bit frightening that some fundie nutjobs can teach their children in their own home without people monitoring the standard of teaching.
This actually brings up more questions. I don't know much about the American schools systems, but do you participate in some exams for the state or something with which they can monitor what you have learned so that the university/college you might apply for in the future knows what kind of a person are you? Of course you do, right?
I took standardized tests most years I was homeschooled, and I think that's the norm for most homeschoolers.
Well, i was only homeschooled for the 10 weeks when were in Australia when i was 10, it rocked.
I did'nt start until like 11-12, basically i got plans over what the kids back home where doing and i just did the same assignments the had to, wich ofcourse saved me a lot of time. So i had pretty short days too
People up here dont really belive me when i say i've done math in 40C, i even got to drink coke when doing maths, atleast that time. Oh those where the days
I did'nt start until like 11-12, basically i got plans over what the kids back home where doing and i just did the same assignments the had to, wich ofcourse saved me a lot of time. So i had pretty short days too
People up here dont really belive me when i say i've done math in 40C, i even got to drink coke when doing maths, atleast that time. Oh those where the days
Kennigit
proud 2 boxer
Do you still take the SOL's? (Standards of Learning for those of you unfamiliar- its a Virginia test). How do you do on them if you do take them?
Also, are you more inclined to like what your parents like or not like things that your parents don't like? How much influence do your parents have over what you tend to enjoy or what your opinions are? Since you do spend a large portion of your time with your parents at home, have you inherited much of the same attitude/opinion/outlook/ambitions for life?
Same question really, couldn't think of a good way to word it.
Also, are you more inclined to like what your parents like or not like things that your parents don't like? How much influence do your parents have over what you tend to enjoy or what your opinions are? Since you do spend a large portion of your time with your parents at home, have you inherited much of the same attitude/opinion/outlook/ambitions for life?
Same question really, couldn't think of a good way to word it.
Hello! I was homeschooled until the last year of high school, so I figure that qualifies me to put my oar in as well.
I had a 1600 on my SATs (back when that was the highest score). I think that I was taught much, much better than I would have been in a US public school - and I did spend a year at one (after taking the SATs), so I do have a basis for comparison. That isn't to say that it's the best choice for everyone - it all depends on you and your parents. But it is a very viable option academically.
I had very few before going to university. On the other hand, I had very few during my year at the US high school. I'm a rather withdrawn person.
Varies from person to person. I got up at 7:00 and worked until 18:00 - my parents were hard taskmasters. At the other extreme, I had a homeschooling friend who quite literally never worked, in a structured sense, at all.
I take it you never went to a US public school. I remember a number of answers being posted on a homeschooling magazine a while back:
1. The teacher asked me to leave because I was breaking the curve
2. We found a drug dealer closer to home
3. The price of weapons got too high
(Needless to say, all of these are facetious).
1. All sorts of reasons. It varies from person to person.
a. If your child is significantly brighter than the average, home school makes sense because public schools cater to the lowest common denominator.
b. If you live in an area where the quality of schooling isn't very good, you may well be more qualified than the teacher.
c. If you move a lot, it's very hard for the child to keep adjusting to different systems.
2. Even in a public school, virtually all of what you learn comes not from the teacher but from the textbook. The teacher just summarizes the material (superfluous for a bright student) and tests you (not a time-consuming task for him). It's a prodigious waste of students' time, besides being very boring for someone who already knows the subject. My teaching was virtually all reading (and tests) ab initio.
3. No. But my father was a professor, so he knew how to teach.
Guilty as charged. But I don't think that's a consequence of the homeschooling.
It cuts both ways. I remember that I used to wonder how public-schooled children managed to sit through hour after hour of some know-nothing teacher sounding off. And my parents were strict and tested me regularly, both orally and in writing.
I had a 1600 on my SATs (back when that was the highest score). I think that I was taught much, much better than I would have been in a US public school - and I did spend a year at one (after taking the SATs), so I do have a basis for comparison. That isn't to say that it's the best choice for everyone - it all depends on you and your parents. But it is a very viable option academically.
I had very few before going to university. On the other hand, I had very few during my year at the US high school. I'm a rather withdrawn person.
Varies from person to person. I got up at 7:00 and worked until 18:00 - my parents were hard taskmasters. At the other extreme, I had a homeschooling friend who quite literally never worked, in a structured sense, at all.
I take it you never went to a US public school. I remember a number of answers being posted on a homeschooling magazine a while back:
1. The teacher asked me to leave because I was breaking the curve
2. We found a drug dealer closer to home
3. The price of weapons got too high
(Needless to say, all of these are facetious).
1. All sorts of reasons. It varies from person to person.
a. If your child is significantly brighter than the average, home school makes sense because public schools cater to the lowest common denominator.
b. If you live in an area where the quality of schooling isn't very good, you may well be more qualified than the teacher.
c. If you move a lot, it's very hard for the child to keep adjusting to different systems.
2. Even in a public school, virtually all of what you learn comes not from the teacher but from the textbook. The teacher just summarizes the material (superfluous for a bright student) and tests you (not a time-consuming task for him). It's a prodigious waste of students' time, besides being very boring for someone who already knows the subject. My teaching was virtually all reading (and tests) ab initio.
3. No. But my father was a professor, so he knew how to teach.
Guilty as charged. But I don't think that's a consequence of the homeschooling.
It cuts both ways. I remember that I used to wonder how public-schooled children managed to sit through hour after hour of some know-nothing teacher sounding off. And my parents were strict and tested me regularly, both orally and in writing.
Nope, wasn't in Virginia.
My parents and I disagree profoundly on a wide range of issues. I would probably agree with them more if I hadn't been cooped up with them for so long.
But they did influence my choice to become a historian, even though they tried not to do so.
When I lived in Virginia yes.
Maybe, politically I'm fairly in line with my parents opinions (especially my Dads), also my entire family is Atheist...
That being said my parents like oldies I listen to rap etc. Yes, we agree on some things, but I don't think any more so than normal.
Gaius Octavius
Deity
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Hey, another homeschooled person!
I was not homeschooled my entire life, but I was during high school. I have to say I am a better and smarter person because of it.
As for the benefits, and if you're dumber than a "properly educated" person, I'd say absolutely not. Especially considering the way the modern American school system is these days. When I started applying for college, I scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and ACT, and ended up going on a physics scholarship to a major university. The sterotypes that homeschoolers are dumb or won't get into a good college are grossly unfair and patently false. I'd stack them against any of the best public school students anytime, anywhere. What Atropos said is hard to refute -- the ones who clearly benefit the most from homeschooling are the best and brightest.
The best thing I have to say in favor of it is its flexibility. You can go as fast as you want, meaning you don't have to waste time moving slowly with the rest of the "herd" in a public school. This also lets you devote more energy to the areas you are really interested in. And I still had a lot of people from my previous school who continued to befriend me, so that sterotype isn't necessarily true either. I suppose it can cause you to be socially reserved, but people in my line of study (physics) usually are anyway, so that doesn't matter for me. However, I do have a rather good sense of humor (for which d.highland can vouch) that I developed over those years, so it can actually enhance your personality.
I honestly don't know why people are so deadset against it. Perhaps because it's something they don't understand, or maybe they feel genuinely threatened.
I was not homeschooled my entire life, but I was during high school. I have to say I am a better and smarter person because of it.
As for the benefits, and if you're dumber than a "properly educated" person, I'd say absolutely not. Especially considering the way the modern American school system is these days. When I started applying for college, I scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and ACT, and ended up going on a physics scholarship to a major university. The sterotypes that homeschoolers are dumb or won't get into a good college are grossly unfair and patently false. I'd stack them against any of the best public school students anytime, anywhere. What Atropos said is hard to refute -- the ones who clearly benefit the most from homeschooling are the best and brightest.
The best thing I have to say in favor of it is its flexibility. You can go as fast as you want, meaning you don't have to waste time moving slowly with the rest of the "herd" in a public school. This also lets you devote more energy to the areas you are really interested in. And I still had a lot of people from my previous school who continued to befriend me, so that sterotype isn't necessarily true either. I suppose it can cause you to be socially reserved, but people in my line of study (physics) usually are anyway, so that doesn't matter for me. However, I do have a rather good sense of humor (for which d.highland can vouch
) that I developed over those years, so it can actually enhance your personality.I honestly don't know why people are so deadset against it. Perhaps because it's something they don't understand, or maybe they feel genuinely threatened.
My landlord lives upstairs from us and she homeschools her two children (aged 9 and 4).
I thought the idea was ridiculous at first, but now that I've become famillair with it my opinion has changed drastically.
Apparently one study has shown that homeschooled children relate better with adults than children in public schools.
I thought the idea was ridiculous at first, but now that I've become famillair with it my opinion has changed drastically.
Apparently one study has shown that homeschooled children relate better with adults than children in public schools.
Gaius Octavius
Deity
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That is probably true, and certainly it was true in my case, although I was that way long before I was homeschooled. Maybe it's just something inherent in certain people, and these are the ones that work well in the homeschool environment.
Is the quality of public schools really so bad in the US that a parent with decent education is able to compete or even beat the whole system? I've always had prejudices towards homeschooling as I've mostly thought it as a way of religious radicals to keep their children away from 'dangerous' ideas but based on the this thread that's by far not the only reason. Maybe I've just never realized how bad public shools really are in USA.
When I was in school here in Finland the teachers were mostly good at their job. I don't think I could ever have got the same level of education at home (of course my parents aren't academic so I might not be a good comparison). The teachers were generally cabable of giving related information that wasn't in our books. Also in here parents would have a hard time with testing the kids on the same level as school does as in Finnish school we don't do much multiple choice tests but write essays.
So basically I guess I'm asking if the public school in US is really so bad that parents with decent education are cabable of providing the same or even better level of education to their kids?
When I was in school here in Finland the teachers were mostly good at their job. I don't think I could ever have got the same level of education at home (of course my parents aren't academic so I might not be a good comparison). The teachers were generally cabable of giving related information that wasn't in our books. Also in here parents would have a hard time with testing the kids on the same level as school does as in Finnish school we don't do much multiple choice tests but write essays.
So basically I guess I'm asking if the public school in US is really so bad that parents with decent education are cabable of providing the same or even better level of education to their kids?
I was home schooled for 2 years, 6th and 7th grade.
I think the effect on my social development may have been significant; on the other hand, I remember not having much in the way of social skills before, but certainly it was hard for me to interact much with others, and thus get more social skills, and thus interact with others, etc. after going back to (in my case Catholic) school starting in 8th grade. On the other hand, my older brother and sister were homeschooled, I don;t think it affected them. Same with my youngest 2 sisters who are now being homeschooled.
I think the effect on my social development may have been significant; on the other hand, I remember not having much in the way of social skills before, but certainly it was hard for me to interact much with others, and thus get more social skills, and thus interact with others, etc. after going back to (in my case Catholic) school starting in 8th grade. On the other hand, my older brother and sister were homeschooled, I don;t think it affected them. Same with my youngest 2 sisters who are now being homeschooled.
Yes, the reason is the school bearocracy. It assumes everyone conforms to the same pattern, if you do then great, but if you don't you'll be much better off homeschooled where you can adjust your schooling to your personal aftributes. Also being homeschooled you run into peer pressure/drugs/smoking etc. later than you would in public school, which makes it easier to avoid.
Basicaly yeah, it's not for every kid or every parent. I know a friend of mine who was homeschooled switched to public school, and is now doing much better. I also no many people who have gone from school to homeschool, and done better... So it's really differant for every situation.
I'm homeschooled so I think I'll take a shot at answering some of these questions.
Depends on the day. I have a day job, so I do my schoolwork in the mornings on certain days, and evenings on others.
I have my strengths and weaknesses just like any other student. I did test highly on the PSAT though.
A few. I have several friends whom I would call genuinely close, and plenty of others I hang out with occasionally. I'm not the best in social situations, but that has less to do with my education as it does with my personality. But I've made many friends through church and activites like Boy Scouts that I've kept all my life.
If you have parents who have the time and talents to teach, there are many benefits. Small class size, flexible schedule, and the ability to choose classes more easily are a few bonuses. Also, parents can spend more time with their children while avoiding the often bureaucratic and inefficent public school system.
I've been homeschooled all my life. Now that I'm older, I mostly teach myself from various textbooks, but when I was younger my parents taught me most of my work. My mom is actually a qualified English teacher, and my dad has a great interest in history, so together they make a good teaching team.
I'm mainly self-motivated. My parents trust me to keep track of my own progress and studies, and then sign off on my grades. I just keep my dreams in mind. I want to get a good education and become a minister, and that's not possible unless I make the effort to do good work in school.
Depends on the day. I have a day job, so I do my schoolwork in the mornings on certain days, and evenings on others.
I have my strengths and weaknesses just like any other student. I did test highly on the PSAT though.
A few. I have several friends whom I would call genuinely close, and plenty of others I hang out with occasionally. I'm not the best in social situations, but that has less to do with my education as it does with my personality. But I've made many friends through church and activites like Boy Scouts that I've kept all my life.
If you have parents who have the time and talents to teach, there are many benefits. Small class size, flexible schedule, and the ability to choose classes more easily are a few bonuses. Also, parents can spend more time with their children while avoiding the often bureaucratic and inefficent public school system.
I've been homeschooled all my life. Now that I'm older, I mostly teach myself from various textbooks, but when I was younger my parents taught me most of my work. My mom is actually a qualified English teacher, and my dad has a great interest in history, so together they make a good teaching team.
I'm mainly self-motivated. My parents trust me to keep track of my own progress and studies, and then sign off on my grades. I just keep my dreams in mind. I want to get a good education and become a minister, and that's not possible unless I make the effort to do good work in school.
CaptainF
The Professional Poster
Damn, reading through this, maybe I should've been homeschooled.
I'm currently a senior, and am going to graduate very soon, but maybe homeschooling would have been better. I'm a smart fellow, and find much of what public school teaches to be utterly trite and boring (not to mention useless. Matter of fact, I don't really think I've learned anything of substance in all my 12 years of public schooling).
But the thing is, that I couldn't bear being alone all day. I'd much prefer to interact with my friends and acquaintances at school. I'm a smart fellow, but I'm also pretty darn outgoing.
Who knows? If anything, it probably didn't affect me that much to go to public school, other than the fact that I'm now incredibly cynical towards it.
I'm currently a senior, and am going to graduate very soon, but maybe homeschooling would have been better. I'm a smart fellow, and find much of what public school teaches to be utterly trite and boring (not to mention useless. Matter of fact, I don't really think I've learned anything of substance in all my 12 years of public schooling).
But the thing is, that I couldn't bear being alone all day. I'd much prefer to interact with my friends and acquaintances at school. I'm a smart fellow, but I'm also pretty darn outgoing.
Who knows? If anything, it probably didn't affect me that much to go to public school, other than the fact that I'm now incredibly cynical towards it.
I totally disagree.
My mother runs "digital homeschools" for a living, which allow homeschool students to do k-12 coursework online, using a standard circiclum. Over the past several years, we've been involved in 4 different schools, each having several hundred students. I think its very safe to say that we are working from a very large sample group.
The top of the top, the best homeschool students, are often better than the best public schoolers, no doubt. Several kids at each school, each year enrolled so they could graduate early, or tour the country because they were amazing musicians, or something else (we had a student who was an olympic level ice skater, for example). Kids go to ivy leagues every year.
This kids are NOT EVEN CLOSE to the average for these schools.
In my (I worked for these schools sometimes as a computer delivery man, so I got to meet a lot of familes, and my mother has shared my observations) experience, kids are typically homeschooled for the following reasonsL
1) Their kid is super talented, and will be left behind in the public syste,
2) the kid is very special needs (sick, handicaped, Pregant (tons of these), and cant attend regular school
3) the parents are religious fundimentalists
4) the kid is in trouble with the law
2 is by far the most popular, followed by 4, and then 3.
For what its worth, when you compare average proficiency scores with the largest homeschool unions (schools like the ones I discribed), they have similar, or worse scores than the WORST INNER CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Homeschooling is good for some people, but that sterotype is there for a reason. Most of these kids are NOT college bound. Obviously, the CFC sample is.
Love
Deity
I know some from america who also have homeschool... Yes, they say they like it... But Are you planning to go to high school? It's a stupid X-post I know but... You will probably get a real change in your lifestyle in that case...
Assuming that your parent(s) are more or less average people, who really aren't intimately familiar with anything beyond basic science or mathematics, how do they teach you the more advanced levels of those subjects (I'm not talking about AP Calculus or etc, but normal high-school level algebra, algebra II, geometry, trig, biology, chemistry, algebra-based physics and so on)?
Well for starters there not, My Dad has a PHD in computer science, and all the other high-level courses that go into that, and my Mom has a masters in something... I can't remember what though.
That being said most of my higher level courses I have either taken online, or from a tutor. For example once me, and two other kids took Algebra from a hawt college student. I'm telling you she was also the best damn teacher I've ever had... So my schooling is a mix of things taught me by my parents or gathered in classes I have taken both internet, and normal.
No, I don't plan on going to a highschool. I've kicked around the idea as a way to meet girls, but I like homeschooling to much for that think.
Trust me, unless they're in a particular field where they use it regularly, they're definetly not "intimately familiar" with those particular subjects. My mom has a masters in education, but toss her science or math subject matter beyond the 5th-6th grade level that she's taught her whole career and she's usually stuck until she does some reviewing, because it's material that she's barely touched since high school or college
And after all, how many Americans do you think actually have a parent with a masters, let alone a PhD?
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