Do you have kids or teens in distance learning?

Discussion in 'High School Education via Distance Learning' started by ElectricWaffle0, Jul 28, 2014.

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  1. ElectricWaffle0

    ElectricWaffle0 New Member

    If I ever have kids, they will NOT be going to a public school. That said, private vs online public or private is an issue for me. I would say let little kids go to a regular school to socialize and learn how to learn, and then switch to online once they are in their teens. What do you think? Has anyone here done this with their kids? I just graduated high school and I REALLY wish my parents could have enrolled me in something like The Keystone Schools or Penn Foster :(
     
  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    It turns out that it's a myth that young kids who don't go to formal schools are disadvantaged socially as a result. And I'm not sure what you mean by "learn how to learn", or why that could happen for kids in public schools but not homeschooled kids.
     
  3. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    I think when you have children, you will do your best to make the best decisions based on what you know at the time. There are many educational options, and I'm sure that there will be even MORE in the future. Good luck!
     
  4. suelaine

    suelaine Member

    I homeschooled my son through 10th and 11th grades. Though I never homeschooled younger children, I got involved with the homeschooling community in my area and learned a lot about homeschooling children of any age. I agree that it is a myth that homeschoolers are disadvantaged socially. While we see extreme cases on television, this is not representative of most homeschoolers. In fact our group had organized social activities such as bowling and picnics. They also had an organized gym time where we actually took our children to an old school gymnasium for activities. This type of socialization was far better supervised by adults than typical scenarios often were in public school. (I worked as a public high school teacher in the past and even I was shocked and dismayed to see what goes on there on a daily basis, as compared to my own high school experience in the '70s).

    I found it interesting that when I was homeschooling my son, some of those expressing the most concern were actually teachers. They would always tell me they worried he would not get the needed socialization. My son was in 9th grade and a big part of the reason I took him out of public school is because of the issues he was having getting along with kids in school. If they did not teach him effective socialization skills by that time, did they really think this was going to be accomplished in three more years in the same setting?

    I have gotten to know several children who have been homeschooled their entire lives. Other than being more polite and respectful, generally speaking, than other children, you would not notice any particular difference in their social interactions.
     
  5. truckie270

    truckie270 New Member

    My two daughters (9 and 10 yo) go to private, Catholic school. I also have them signed up taking supplemental math online through Stanford University's Education Program for Gifted and Talented Youth (EPGY).

    Stanford EPGY - Education Program for Gifted Youth
     
  6. archananair

    archananair New Member

    Its a great experience to go to public school and learn then online learning.
    Going outside house meeting people being socialize make you confident and create awareness about things which are going outside.
     
  7. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    Going outside the house.... that's hilarious. I'm wondering if you go outside your house to do your online learning? Just curious.

    For those for whom it isn't obvious, distance learning IS HOMESCHOOLING; Sometimes it's for adults, sometimes for teens, sometimes for a diploma, sometimes for a degree. But, it's the same thing.
     
  8. tcnixon

    tcnixon Active Member

    A lot of people see the full-time program and forget that this wonderful EPGY program still exists. Kudos to you for finding it!


    Tom Nixon
     
  9. tcnixon

    tcnixon Active Member

    I think that there are many available options. I have read some articles recently that warn about too much technology too early. That doesn't mean no technology, but emphasizes that students need to investigate, play, and interact as well.

    As to socializing, I have met some homeschooled children that fit the stereotype of what a homeschooler is supposed to be like and I have met homeschooled children that were no different than any other children. Of course, I have also met children who attend public schools who fall into that same dichotomy.


    Tom Nixon
    Best Online High Schools
     
  10. potpourri

    potpourri New Member

    I had this discussion with some parents not too long ago. I feel that it is ok to home school kids at a young age up I to middle school (8th grade) and then I think they should attend public school.

    One reason is that when their teens they need t learn how to fend for themselves. If their parents are spoon feeding them and I mean no disrespect they will not know how to overcome challenges and obstacles. My experience has been honestly the vast majority of teens that are home schooled that they lack social skills. When introduced to an adult for instance they tend to be standoffish and if they don't know someone they will stick close to their parents. While it is good to be someone cautious they don't know how to interact or strike up conversation.

    Secondly they need to know that not all sizes fit all. People are all different and keeping them home schooled they only learn one set of perimeters. We aren't all robots and we must be thinking creatures. When a teen has the social skills and the ability to reason without havng his or her hand held by their parents they can learn to achieve and maximize their educational learning experience.

    I know that some advocates for home schooling will differ but these are some prime examples. How will a student that is with their parents all those critical years if sent off to a public college or university handle those pressures. I suppose one could be home schooled though out all those years but social interaction is vital and I feel that having students go to public school helps elevate those concerns. In addition, it is a good challenge to see how well you prepared your son or daughter with the experience of home schooling.
     
  11. tcnixon

    tcnixon Active Member

    I readily admit that I don't know enough homeschooled children on a personal level to know exactly how they react to life. I have know a few personally, have met many at homeschooling conferences (when I used to present at them), and have seen some from afar.

    On, I believe, the second book I wrote for Ten Speed Press, I interviewed a dozen or so former homeschoolers. Only a couple of those interviews actually made it into the book. These were all homeschoolers that had gone on to college (and rather good colleges at that). By and large, they were being successful.

    Most homeschooling situations that I have seen involves parental teaching, but also involves Boy Scouts, music lessons, homeschooling groups, volunteer organizations, and so on. Even if there is some differences early on (and I don't believe there is enough evidence to prove such a possibility), it does not seem to affect them much, as a group, later on.

    But, as I said, your mileage may vary.


    Tom Nixon
    Best Online High Schools
     
  12. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    My opinion is the polar opposite, and I'm not an "advocate" by any stretch of the imagination. We practice homeschooling (in our 20th year) but you can search 100% of my comments and you'll never find evangelism or advocacy coming from my posts. I feel like I should make that clear, because I'm not a rah-rah homeschooling kinda gal.

    There are lots of potential areas where homeschooling is a poor choice, but most people who don't ever really go there.

    The old socialization argument is always the go-to for people who've thought about homeschooling for 12 minutes, but if you can give it another 12 minutes of thought, I'd like you to consider the artificial environment that is created by grouping people together by age where they learn "socialization" from their peers. Where the ratio of 20ish peers and 1 role model (or not) adult is overseeing the "development" of these "social skills" you speak of.

    This "real world" experience that occurs for those 12 years is of course the most un-real-world experience ever. In the real world (where MY kids learn socialization) they'll spend 60-80 years of their life. In that world they'll work on teams, as subordinates, as leaders, with all ages, all colors and religions. They'll be fathers, husbands, grandfathers, neighbors, and volunteers in their community. Furthermore, they'll have learned that by people already skilled at it- adults.

    Children having FRIENDS is important. My children have strong relationships and friendships. But, that's where it stops. We don't delegate something as important as "socialization" to their other children.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 14, 2015
  13. lawrenceq

    lawrenceq Member

    Send your kids to public or private school and let them play pencil break, make spitballs and fight at PE. Who wants to miss the action sitting around being schooled at the crib?
     
  14. Homeschooling was fantastic! It allowed us to pursue the things that we were interested in, and to learn from experts in those fields. It gave us the freedom to learn the way that fit each of us best. It allowed us the time to visit Congressmen, to travel, shadow different professionals in their fields, put in hundreds of community service hours, get to know (and help) our neighbors, to actually go to historic sites and learn from docents rather than reading about them, and to experience life. We know our local law enforcement officers, grocery clerks, senior center staff and members, postal carrier, and other community members -- not just people in a small, institutionalized setting.

    If you're going to homeschool only part of the time, junior high and high school are much more critical.
     
  15. Shawaq

    Shawaq New Member

    I took my son out of public school after grade school, and it was the best decision I ever made. Nowadays he is able to take care of his regular high school courses by doing JMHS's online college prep diploma, study programming online, build video games, hang out with his friends, tinker with machines, go on field trips with our home school support group, take science classes at the co-op, exercise, get sufficient sleep, learn to manage a chronic health condition, and, most important, be a happy and healthy teen.

    He's doing well by any measure you could think of (including standardized tests) and is in general so much more well-adjusted than he was as a harried, tested-to-death public school student. Another benefit is that we've been able to sidestep some of the problems that young men in our ethnic group seem to encounter in this school district (the rate of expulsion, suspensions, and assignment to special ed is just ridiculous). And it's cheaper than private school. And it allows our family to have a more forgiving schedule. Did I mention I love homeschooling?
     
    SpeedyAlchemist likes this.

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