Hi all,
Still learning how this site works, so I thought I would start off with an AMA. I home school one child, and have another child in mainstream. Ask me anything! If I can't answer, I will say, 'I don't know'.
Cheers,
Jools.
[AMA] I Am a Home School Educator - Ask Me Anything!
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You mentioned that you don't want your son to experience the bullying and swearing that goes on at schools, but how do you expect him to cope when he goes to university? The real world? School to me is a place where many social skills are learnt. You don't get special treatment. If you miss a concept, it is up to you to learn it yourself - which ultimately is like the real world. At most large state schools, there's well over 30 students in a class. Learning to work past distractions, whilst motivating yourself to learn is a skill that you get from being in these environments. How do you plan to expose your son to this?
I don't know what grade he is in, however it won't be long until he hits his senior years. How is he going to interact with girls? As I go to an all-boys school I understand that you don't necessarily have to go to a co-ed school to develop this skill lol, but I couldn't see it happening with a home-schooled child. How is he going to experience senior formals and balls? As a current grade 11 myself, they've been a few of the best nights of my life.
Finally, you mentioned that your son in mainstream recently failed English due to not handing assignments in. Do you feel as though you give your home schooled child much more attention than the other? I find it pretty hard to miss handing an assignment it, as my school would pester my parents over not handing at least a draft in.
You raise a couple of good points, but also a couple of invalid points. Also it sounds kind of rose-tinted from what I suspect is a selective school.
School to me is a place where many social skills are learnt.
This is an argument I've seen an awful lot during this post. And it is true. However school to a lot of people is where they learn social skills like how to hide, how to learn maladaptive coping mechanisms, how to not tell anyone anything personal, how to put up an aggressive front so that people don't pick on them. They are socially very isolated and alone. I have just done some work in Mental Health and the number of young people I've seen with horrible stories that affect them well into their 20's and 30's from a public school system that didn't care for them is astonishing. A lot of people I know loved school because of the social situation, and a number hated it for the same reason.
If you miss a concept, it is up to you to learn it yourself - which ultimately is like the real world.
Not really. Most schools, as you point out later, harass parents if their child is underperforming. Schools with good teachers try to cater for all learning types, and abilities. Underfunding, understaffing, and yes inadequate teaching does sometimes lead to kids being left on their own. I would argue in this situation it's up to parents to be a part of their child's life and be invested in them learning, regardless of whether the school has ensured this education. Also, sooooo many people get tutoring now (if they can afford it) that it's not really up to the child to learn it off their own back.
How is he going to experience senior formals and balls?
Good question.
A lot of people I know loved school because of the social situation, and a number hated it for the same reason.
I agree, but I think there's more to it than just school. I went to public schools my entire schooling life, and for certain parts of it, I could definitely call it the School of Hard Knocks. But I learned a lot through those experiences. That said, I wouldn't have preferred to go to a private school or be homeschooled.
What I experienced was life, but played out differently. Interacting with other kids is a very valuable experience because adults are actually very much like kids, but they've learned to hide their true motives and emotions.
Also, sooooo many people get tutoring now (if they can afford it) that it's not really up to the child to learn it off their own back.
Isn't tutoring an example of a child learning it off their own back (outside of the school system)?
I can see your point but there are lots and lots of people who go to school (public mostly) who just cannot cope socially. Of course the confounders are enormous which is one of the things that makes this sort of discussion so opinion based.
As to the second, I disagree. The vast majority of tutoring is the parents organising it, the parents pushing it and the parents enabling it. This is not what life is like for most people after school. I do however agree that this teaches the child the importance of self improvement and education. I would also argue that home schooling done with the same motivation teaches children the same thing.
Hi Kool,
How is your homeschooled child going in school generally? ie. What sorts of scores are they getting in standardised tests.
Does your homeschooled child enjoy being homeschooled? Do they ever ask why their brother is not homeschooled?
Cheers
AlanHave you looked into the trivia method of learning applied to homeschooling?
Some useful resources here: http://www.triviumeducation.com/Have you encountered a topic you could not teach? If so how did you handle that situation?
Additionally, if you do not mind advice research spaced repetition.
As that study method is gold.
I might be a bit late to the party, but regarding bullying:
You claim your child works better outside of a school environment because of your concerns of bullying.
Did your child suffer severely in the past due to bullying at school, and what did you do to assist them before deciding to home-school them?
Are you concerned that your mentality - remove the child from the situation instead of allowing them to resolve the problem - is going to create problems in the future when they can't just run away from somebody they don't like at work or university?Wow, thank you all for the time taken to add your beliefs to this topic. Whilst there are varying opinions on the topics, all have to remember that everyone does the best that they feel is for their child at the time. Yes, there are some passive aggressive and veiled hostile responses from some on here that I won't mention, as everyone is entitled to their opinions.
It seems to be the sticking point, not uncommon in chats like this, that some are most concerned with socialisation. School does not socialise a child - and if it does, is it appropriate socialisation? Our child attended five years of main stream school, and should he attend the last three years, that will be 8 years of mainstream school out of 13.
I went through to the end of high school, further education and employment, and I have to say, sometimes I don't like people either. Some of the comments here reinforces that haha :D
Wow, thank you all for the time taken to add your beliefs to this topic.
Thank you for taking the time to make this thread, start this discussion and put yourself in the "line of fire", so to speak, in terms of the criticism that can ensue from such a heated discussion. I've really appreciated learning more about this topic (reading opinions and doing further research of my own).
Yes, there are some passive aggressive and veiled hostile responses from some on here that I won't mention, as everyone is entitled to their opinions.
If I've ever come across this way, I apologise. It's all in the spirit of the discussion and any opinions I express are about the topic being discussed, not you personally. Ultimately, we live in a society where we all respect the right of others to do things which we might not necessarily do ourselves!
Whilst there are varying opinions on the topics, all have to remember that everyone does the best that they feel is for their child at the time.
I agree, even if we come to different conclusions. When my son was born, I had to decide whether I wanted to put him on waiting lists for some of the elite private schools around where I lived. Eventually, I decided against that because I had some of the best experiences of my life in the rough and tumble of public school life. There, I saw kids who struggled, parents who were poorer than mine, parents who were richer and kids who were smarter, the full lot.
To me, that's life and I wouldn't want my son to miss out on those experiences. Anyway, as the research shows, regardless of a child's schooling background, on average everyone turns out fine :)
I applied for distance education for him for next year. I did not know this existed…thank you to those that brought it to my attention!
how does the home schooled learn about team work or other competitive activities which requires peer interaction?