Poll: Homeschooling: Where do you stand?

[CM156_v1legacy]

I had a question for the members of the Escapist community. Where do you stand on the issue of Homeschooling?

Wikipedia
Homeschooling or homeschool (also called home education or home based learning) is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school. Although prior to the introduction of compulsory school attendance laws, most childhood education occurred within the family or community,[1] homeschooling in the modern sense is an alternative in developed countries to attending public or private schools.

I ask because I was home schooled myself on and off.

One major advantage is getting to learn about what you want to learn. A disadvantage is the lack of direct social interaction with your peers.

I think that it is a good system if the parents are involved with it. I got to learn medicine and biology from my father who was an Internist, and home ec skills from my mother, who was a pastry chef.

 

[lacktheknack]

Nice poll, not having the "I was homeschooled and not in favor" option.

I was homeschooled for four years, and while homeschooling results in faster learning, I had a stunted social life. Do with that what you will.

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

Nice poll, not having the "I was homeschooled and not in favor" option.

I was homeschooled for four years, and while homeschooling results in faster learning, I had a stunted social life. Do with that what you will.

Sorry, I hit enter too quickly. It's been fixed. Sorry about that.

 

[Hazy992]

I think if you want to homeschool your child that's fine but you've got to remember that school isn't just about getting an education; it's also important for acquiring social skills which you're going to need just as much. Unfortunately that aspect tends to be missing in homeschooling.

 

[JaceArveduin]

I was homeschooled for most of my 10th grade year, ended up finishing at a public school and was one of the top scorers on the end of year tests, except in geometry, and actually scored the highest in Biology.

Of course, I've never been a sociable person and the school I went into wasn't exactly massive
(HS had roughly 125-175 students) but it also depends on how the person learns. I learn best by reading it through a time or two, which is why I've never been great in the math categories, and my mom just let me go at it without messing with me.

 

[TheIronRuler]

I had a question for the members of the Escapist community. Where do you stand on the issue of Homeschooling?

Wikipedia
Homeschooling or homeschool (also called home education or home based learning) is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school. Although prior to the introduction of compulsory school attendance laws, most childhood education occurred within the family or community,[1] homeschooling in the modern sense is an alternative in developed countries to attending public or private schools.

I ask because I was home schooled myself on and off.

One major advantage is getting to learn about what you want to learn. A disadvantage is the lack of direct social interaction with your piers.

I think that it is a good system if the parents are involved with it. I got to learn medicine and biology from my father who was an Internist, and home ec skills from my mother, who was a pastry chef.

If you are up with the standards the national exams in your country have, go for it, really.
There's nothing wrong in that, you'll just need to find other places where you can find and develop circles of friends, like band or some kind of a sport (sparring is always fun with a friend).

 

[evenest]

I like homeschooling because you can still hit the students' knuckles with a ruler. . .

I've met several people who homeschool. Those who seemed successful were the ones who were themselves studying to be teachers or pursuing advanced education. I've met far too many silly people (nicest adjective I could think of) that I question their motives for homeschooling their children.

Homeschooling gives some students a greater sense of stability (i.e., some of the military families I have met who have had to travel from base to base); whereas some people I've spoken with were homeschooling because they didn't want their kids exposed to certain ideas.

I voted it depends for these and other reasons.

 

[Gennadios]

I've met several people who homeschool. Those who seemed successful were the ones who were themselves studying to be teachers or pursuing advanced education. I've met far too many silly people (nicest adjective I could think of) that I question their motives for homeschooling their children.

As far as home schooling goes, I've only me the latter. Stupid Ignorant people with an agenda, worse still, that agenda is of the religous sort.

Is there some kind of exit exam where pupils have to prove they were actually taught anything?

 

[Jenitals]

Social inadequacy is bad enough when you're an insecure teenager. I don't know how I'd ever have met new people of my age with the same problems and difficulties as me if I hadn't gone to school.

 

[Tratchet]

I was homeschooled until I was sixteen. Then I went to community college until I was eighteen, then a university for a degree. I feel that it was a very good thing for me, but I can personally attest that it's not for everyone. Both the parents and the children need to have the right temperament to make it work, and I've known people on both sides of the spectrum.

 

[Mikodite]

My big worry in the area of homeschooling is the simple fact that there are people that want to homeschool there kid because they want to indoctrinate their kid in their own crazy ideology... ideology that even they know can't be upheld if one was properly educated. Extreme conspiracy theory nuts and religious idealogues that make the religious look bad tend to fit in this category... especially if they lost a fight with the school board to have their preferred brand of crazy taught in schools.

Course, I have heard of the sad reality that man parents are forced to homeschool their kids to keep them safe. The kid was being bullied and the schoolboard, like most to my knowledge, are comprised of apathetic dipshits who secretly don't care about the health and well being of your child, or think bullying tactics are a valid means of social interaction and the kid was that loser at the bottom of the totem pole.

It isn't completely cut and dry, though if you want to homeschool your kid you have to be an educated person and the kid has to be able to meet standard tests to prove that they are not falling behind. This will come important if such child decides to pursue post secondary... and most good jobs to my knowledge need papers from a collegiate to prove you can talk the talk and walk the walk.

 

[Mr Fixit]

It all depends on the student, i was homeschooled for four years, the middle school years, while it is great to learn at basically your own pace, it can be very hard being so alone. I went back to public school for my high school years & found myself very out of place. I was nothing like all the other students there, but i also had no problem with the easier school work in public schools.

 

[Limecake]

I'm against home-schooling, public school teachers (while not a beacon of excellence) are still head and shoulders above your average person, most teachers can put away their personal bias and teach the curriculum.

People often don't use the full curriculum that would be taught at a public school, I'm not saying it's the end all be all of curriculum's but at least you'll be taught the same things as everyone else.

and people who homeschool often do so for a reason, and it's too easy to fit in your own bias or view of the world when homeschooling a child. Not to mention that there are very few social skills being developed when you're homeschooled (which can be arguably just as important as book smarts).

School is a great way to learn basic concepts and skills, however it's very effective on helping you learn your 'role' in society. After all not everyone can give orders, someone has to be there to follow through with them.

 

[Angerwing]

While it can be good from a purely academic sense, you're missing out on a shitload of very important social interactions. It's not about making friends, it's about learning how to make friends. Everybody is awkward as a teenager, but it's a lot more noticeable when they're 20.

I've never met a homeschooled person who was confident and fun to talk to.

 

[trollnystan]

It all depends. As long as the homeschooling follows certain rules and regulations, then yes. Here in Sweden though it's become against the law which i think is a bit stupid.

Lack of socialisation is a big problem with it, I concur. Kids need to learn to interact with other kids and adults outside their own familial sphere.

 

[RuralGamer]

After seeing my cousins who were home-schooled, I'm in favour for it when its done properly; one is a manager at a huge hotel, another is a cello teacher and is studying history at university and the youngest is currently sitting his final year of high school (when his parents moved back to the UK a couple of years ago, they decided the two younger ones should sit a couple of years of high school, just to make their prospects for university better) and he's had offers from quite a few universities. They aren't the most socially confident, but two of them have now married and for people who grew up quite isolated, that's an achievement no?

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

It all depends. As long as the homeschooling follows certain rules and regulations, then yes. Here in Sweden though it's become against the law which i think is a bit stupid.

Lack of socialisation is a big problem with it, I concur. Kids need to learn to interact with other kids and adults outside their own familial sphere.

To be fair, we often do. There are "conventions" for homeschoolers where the children meet other children and socialize. Not as often as day to day, I admit. But we're not devoid of it.

There's also homeschooling "co-ops", such as the one [http://www.thepillar.org/] I went to. Quit a large amount of social interaction there.