Interesting to me- reasons

[dntd]

One of my son's has aspergers in Ontario to get help he must be enroled in a public school. He hasn't done work in over 2 years so I suggested unschooling him, let him learn what he wants to. Make it a fun project, well they feel he's supe rsmart but he needs his meds fixed up first so they are going to let him sleep through class not doing anywork. We have been working on his meds for a long while, so long I'm about to give up!

 

[Wifezilla]

Free, I have run in to homeschool kids from my days teaching summer art camps. Some were just amazing like you described. Others were incredibly arrogant and didn't understand that the class wasn't all about them. Their parents had obviously gone overboard because they really had a hard time understanding that they had to take turns and not interrupt

As for bullying....oh heck yeah. That is a horrible public school issue. I got suspended twice from grade school for beating up bullies. If you reported them to the teachers or the play ground attendant, you were a tattle tale. If you said nothing, you were tormented daily. Finally I just decided I had had enough. A kid taller and bigger than me was pushing my brother in to a rough brick wall. I went over and told him to stop. He tried to push ME in to the wall so I beat the stuffing out of him. I got hauled in to the office and reamed for beating up a 1st grader. I was in 5th grade and this kid was a MUTANT. He was as tall as some of the teachers.

Anyway I pointed out that he had been picking on my brother in clear view of the playground attendant and she did nothing. AND that this had been going on since school started. Then the principal said "Your brother has to learn how to fight his own battles. Are you going to fight his battles for him the rest of his life?"

I said "It wasn't a fair fight and you know it. Mike didn't start it and the kid is WAY bigger than him. Anytime he is bullied I will beat up the bully!"

He did not like that answer and mom got called in. I was expecting to get in trouble but instead I got taken out for ice cream

 

[freemotion]

Free, I have run in to homeschool kids from my days teaching summer art camps. Some were just amazing like you described. Others were incredibly arrogant and didn't understand that the class wasn't all about them. Their parents had obviously gone overboard because they really had a hard time understanding that they had to take turns and not interrupt

Yeah, I know, it is never always/never, but I just wanted to balance out the previous post.

He did not like that answer and mom got called in. I was expecting to get in trouble but instead I got taken out for ice cream

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I chose not to homeschool my child because my degree is not in education, so I don't feel qualified. I believe that in order to teach, you should be trained to do so. I also feel that children need to make social connections, learn to work in groups, and get a taste of the real world - which isn't always pleasant, but they have to learn to deal with life on life's terms. I don't believe they really benefit from being sheltered and secluded.

I personally know 4 families who homeschool, not including my own. In no way would I say these kids are sheltered or secluded.

IMO, the kids are exposed to more real life situations (dealing with cashiers, court houses, post offices, sanitation workers). They also have many gatherings with other kids, birthday parties, HS outings, sporting events and the like, just like kids who are in public or private schools. In fact, because they are not stuck in one seat or another, they get out & enjoy more fun & interactive learning activities.

One mother has a high school education and is currently beginning college. She was uneasy over her "qualifications" until she got the first SAT scores back on her 11 & 9 year olds.

The 11 year old was at college level in everything but English, and he was at high school sophmore level in that.

The 9 year old was at upper level high school in everything but reading. He was POST-college level in that.

My own 7 year old daughter is about to take the SAT. She has been homeschooled for just under 1 year. I fully expect her to score at or above 4th grade level in all subjects, based on my own testing of her abilities. She is in 2nd grade.

Qualifications don't matter as much as knowing your child & how they learn. Besides that, being one on one, day in & day out, with no other kids (or very few!) the learning goes much faster, at the child's rate instead of the group's rate. If there needs to be more focus on a particular subject, there is. No question. If the kid is advancing through something quickly, he can do so freely.

WZ, I'd say any kid has the capacity to be that way, especially the single kids. Our job is to make sure our daughter knows that while it is all about her right now, in about 15 minutes its going to be all about her brother.

I'm so glad you got ice cream. I'd have taken you out for some too. Similar situation with my oldest. He was being picked on pretty badly by an older kid. He picked up a stick & whacked him. Thankfully a teacher was on her way to haul in the bully and saw the whole thing. He did get 1/2 day at home suspension, but we ate cookies & played outside all afternoon. The other kid got three days in school suspension.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

Qualifications don't matter as much as knowing your child & how they learn. Besides that, being one on one, day in & day out, with no other kids (or very few!) the learning goes much faster, at the child's rate instead of the group's rate. If there needs to be more focus on a particular subject, there is. No question. If the kid is advancing through something quickly, he can do so freely.

i'm glad you said this NCL.... i know a family who is homeschooling. they are teaching their 6 & 9 yr olds german and latin...and their kids read better than most kids i know.

public schools? i'd hate to send my kids there. granted i'm not a mommy but i cringe when my nieces come home .... i cant believe the stuff they are learning from their friends and NOT from school. a lot of the schools here are total crap. a 'lesson' is a bunch of 14 year olds, shoved in an over crowded classroom, given a book and they need to fill out a paper. there isnt even teaching anymore.

as for qualifications - with respect to any here who is actually a teacher - most of my teachers were horrible. it was like the only reason they took that job was to have summers off. i did a lot of training in my corporate life and the only qualification i had was that i'm not afraid to stand up in front of a group and talk. looking back i wonder if that was the only qualification those teachers had.

with lesson plans so readily available, if you can, i'm not sure why you wouldnt home school. school isnt what it used to be....

and everybody saw the news story about the school that fired all their teachers?

 

[savingdogs]

Our two older children went to public school, the second one is graduating this June.
Our third child however has done poorly, he is over absorbed in his peers and was getting into trouble as well as failing.
We just switched to an online public school, where my husband and I are more in control of what is going on.
He isn't doing that great yet, so wish me luck!

His curriculum is all set and actually looks pretty good so far, but he needs to get himself motivated! We are still working on that one.

 

[ducks4you]

I chose not to homeschool my child because my degree is not in education, so I don't feel qualified. I believe that in order to teach, you should be trained to do so. I also feel that children need to make social connections, learn to work in groups, and get a taste of the real world - which isn't always pleasant, but they have to learn to deal with life on life's terms. I don't believe they really benefit from being sheltered and secluded.

My older DD's (now 26 and 29 years old) do not live next to, socialize with, or benefit from ANY of the bullies who tried to make their time in public school MISERABLE.
LOTS of educated people like to throw their education in your face. I am proud that I have a Bachelor's, but teacher certification gave me no additional degree despite an additional 100 hours of (mostly) BS (that's a joke, you know, "Bachelor of Science") courses. (Yes, I have 232 collegiate hours under my belt.) The worst was the required "Special Education" class. Every test was multiple choice, every section every year got the same 5 tests/semester. I even had a question (on one of those tests) that--no joke--was worded with 3 double-negatives. Whisky Tango Firefox
If you make ANYTHING complicated enough, people believe that it's hard to do. Were you UNABLE to potty-train your child? Were you unable to teach your child language? Were you unable to teach your child to dress?...not run into traffic?...watch tv?...color?
It is just plain hooey to think that you cannot teach your child without a degree. The Teacher's Unions make you feel inadequate. The HEADS of the teacher's unions steal union dues to pocket and to elect their own politicians who support their own interests. Any teacher here on this forum that can refuse membership in a union? Anybody?
I know that we will have vouchers in the future. It will destroy the corruption--they know this. DON'T let ANYBODY make you think that you cannot teach your children!! We do NOT want our kids to grow up like the 2008 Chinese Olympic Gymnist who, when asked about her parents in the audience, and when she'd go home next, didn't know. (WHY? Because she is a slave to the state.)
We are Americans. We are self-sufficient. We CANNOT be defeated, unless we let someone defeat us. ...rant over...

 

[okiegirl1]

We have HAD to homeschool our daughter off and on because of her health problems. Neither my husband nor I enjoyed it. DD really missed being around peers. She was bored most of the time. I felt like I was actually dumbing her down because I had forgotten most of what she had to learn. We bought the whole Christian curriclum because we worried we wouldn't be able to teach everything. It was very hard on everyone.

Now, with her being in public schools, she has more services available to her and she is so much happier being around other kids. For our family, the public school was a better option. Besides the fact the schools here are great. The teachers and the principal go out of their way to make sure she has everything she needs.

 

[savingdogs]

I think every child is individual and every family situation unique. There is no right way because children learn differently.

 

[freemotion]

....quality of education which is my #1 reason for homeschooling. My #2 reason would be to focus on family relationships over friend relationships.

What have you learned when talking to people? And what are your main reasons for homeschooling?

Sounded to me like tamlynn is looking for support, so I happily give it to her.....Way to go, tamlynn!!!!