Is homeschooling better?

Discussion in 'High School Education via Distance Learning' started by Kizmet, Feb 23, 2019.

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  1. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  2. FTFaculty

    FTFaculty Well-Known Member

    We homeschooled all of our kids--and we have a big family, nine of them. We no longer hang out with any homeschooling groups, though, because a number of the people in them were nuts. Homeschooling's dependent on the environment, and some are just great, others are a dumpster fire. We had some friends--who are no longer friends beause we told them very bluntly what we thought of them--who homeschooled because they wanted to shelter their kids from the sinful world, but they forgot that they were sinful also, and probably a good sight more hateful than most of the people they wanted to shelter their kids from. I won't go into all the details of that, but none of the kids ended up going to college, last I heard one sells furniture, another's a hairdresser, and another just hangs around the house and does nothing, and he's about 25. Very strange people. I know some other homescholers who refused to show their kids catroons if they depicted cartoon characters kissing--because kissing is evidently sinful, of the devil. Some people are a little unhinged.

    Other friends did a fine job homeschooling their kids and their kids are flourishing in careers or college. Some of my best students have been homeschooled. One young lady, a former student, was homeschooled and after she got her degree from the b-school where I teach (relatively large public university), went to work for a manufacturer and so impressed them with her work ethic (she was putting in 60 - 80 hr work weeks without anyone asking, just one of these employees who decided they not only wanted to learn their job but everyone else's, just because, and stayed late each day to do it) that within four or five years and a couple promotions, they offered her the plant manager job in charge of > 100 employees making $100K+ a year. I saw her a few months ago at homecoming, at the tent where we have the b-school tailgating thing before the football game, and she said she's now being considered for CEO--at 29!
     
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  3. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    I'm not even going to click it. If public schools can't produce a consistent product, you can't expect parents to. Too many variables between my home and someone else's. The question also presumes that we have a metric for "better for the kids" which is controversial at the very least.
     
    Maniac Craniac likes this.
  4. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  5. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    One of these days I've got to learn how to post a meme pic in here. You know the drill. :emoji_birthday:
     
  6. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  7. ITJD

    ITJD Active Member

    It depends on the kid, the parent and the situation. Homeschooling has the opportunity to be great if tailored to the kid and independently evaluated. However, there are just as many cases of badly done "programs"
     
  8. GregWatts

    GregWatts Active Member

    There are only two reasons people homeschool a) the local teachers are idiots, or b) the parents are idiots. I have found b) to be most common.
     
  9. newsongs

    newsongs Active Member


    How true. We did some homeschooling and it was a great time with our children. The reentered public school with confidence and a grade level ahead. It can be a good thing in the hands of parents who are responsible and diligent... not afraid of the world but see it as their task to prepare their children. With that said... I am thankful for those who labor in the public and private schools who fulfill their calling well.
     
  10. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Wow, you sound like a real expert! :rolleyes:
     
  11. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    In my (limited) experience, a portion of the kids getting "homeschooled" are kids with some sort of behavior problems and the parents did not cooperate with the school system to solve the problem. Eventually the parents just pull the kid out of school because it's the easy thing to do. The kid is allegedly being "homeschooled" but there are real questions as to whether much of anything is being taught/learned. I think homeschooling is a great option for some families but I also think that it's used inappropriately at times.
     
  12. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator


    Yeah, but then there's this

    https://www.tuko.co.ke/321637-viemens-bamfo-meet-12-year-brainy-a-student-university-ghana-video.html
     
  13. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    There is a growing option called public homeschool. I've met many who say they are homeschooling, but are actually enrolled in public-school-at-home which is now a thing in all 50 states. Here's the upside: it's free*, there are teachers, they run everything, they grade everything, you usually get a free computer* and books, you still get a high school diploma from the local school.

    Here's the reality, these programs are "alternative" school options for at-risk kids or those with behavioral problems in school.

    Two big huge problems with this new school model.
    (1) Distance learning takes a tremendous amount of self-discipline and dedication on the part of the student.
    (2) Homeschooling takes a tremendous amount of attention and dedication on the part of the parent.

    Since parents who homeschool have generally one dedicated parent to manage the program, let's just imagine the likelihood of a parent who is used to working actually quitting their job to teach their 15 year old who just got kicked out of school for fighting again....

    So, we have a classroom situation with no teacher (parent) to supervise and no one asking for homework. No one to ask questions TO, and no lecture. No alarm clock, and no interaction with anyone.

    Who wants to guess what kind of outcomes these programs have?
     
  14. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    My eldest's girlfriend finished high school through such a program. She wasn't at risk and didn't have behavioral problems, she just wanted to get away from all the kids at the school who were and did. Her outcome was very positive and she's in college now studying to become an ASL interpreter. Three cheers for choices!
     
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  15. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    That's awesome! Programs like these (I'm thinking the K12 franchise) offer the whole range, all the way up through AP, so the potential is there for good students too. Sounds like his girlfriend was a perfect candidate.
     
  16. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    A friend of mine left public school and graduated at 16 from Penn Foster High School. I'm both proud and jealous of him!

    It's a great profession, and a good living can be made from it, but it comes with many, many, many challenges. Hope she knows what she's getting into :cool:
     
  17. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I'm also glad that there are choices. I know a young woman who was an exceptional soccer talent. She played on two premier teams in lieu of playing on a high school team (a choice more kids are making these days) and eventually her travel/practice/game schedule came into conflict with her regular school classes. She solved the problem by enrolling in an online high school. She graduated on time with good grades and is now attending a D2 college majoring in Physical Therapy. I have heard stories about other kids in similar situations. Musicians, computer geeks, etc. Standard school programs can get in the way of some kids as they try to move forward in their own trajectories.
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  18. riah

    riah New Member


    It’s not free option in “all 50 states” … I know it hasn’t been offered in NY state! :(
     
  19. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    It's a big state with many differently functioning school districts so it's impossible to say something hasn't been offered statewide unless there is a legislative barrier to it.

    And yes, it has been offered in New York State.
     

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