Home Schoolers Threaten Our Cultural Comfort

[add]

mom did her best, to teach her kids
she [s]was[/s] is the Best mom in the whole world

[Tally Marx]

[quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1242794018' post='1871519']
My little sister is going to be homeschooled, next year. It is her senior year of high school. She was informed by her friends, that despite the fact that she's gone to "regular" school most of her life, she, as they were, will still be asked "Do you have friends?" I told her to respond with, "And here I thought that it was the home school kids who were supposed to be lacking in social skills." [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/mellow.gif[/img]
[/quote]


I had the following conversation once:

Girl: "You're homeschooled, right?"
Me: "Yes."
Girl (lowering voice): "So... how do you meet people?"
Me (also lowering voice): "You mean, you're not people?"


To anyone who claims that homeschoolers as a general rule are unsocialized, unsocial, and un-educated... all I can say is that you are wrong. VERY wrong. I can cite the statistics and make arguments. But take it from me at my word. I went to public school, private school, and was finally homeschooled (which last was by the far the best experience socially and educationally).
I have met literally [i]hundreds[/i] of homeschooled families and children. I have met one family (two kids) who were unusually unsociable. I have met two families (three kids) who were under-educated. I have met no children who are being abused (I have met public-school kids who were being abused, however). I know that it can and does happen. But not often enough to be extremely concerning. Children are more likely to be abused by their parents, teachers, and peers if they attend public or private school.

Pax,
~Tally

Edited November 9, 2010 by Tally Marx

[sixpence]

Does anyone know of a situation where a child is/was home-schooled, while both parents were working professionals? Is this impossible? Would they hire someone to do it? How expensive would that be??

[Tally Marx]

[quote name='sixpence' timestamp='1289350574' post='2186057']
Does anyone know of a situation where a child is/was home-schooled, while both parents were working professionals? Is this impossible? Would they hire someone to do it? How expensive would that be??
[/quote]

Yes, there are such cases.
There exist "schools" for homeschoolers.
Children go once or twice a week, and are taught the subjects in a classroom setting with an actual teacher. They are sent home with homework and assignments, which they do the other three/four days of the week.
It is possible for both parents to be working in such a situation, but it's really only practical if your child is old enough to stay at home alone (eg, in highschool) and responsible enough to actually do their assignments. Otherwise, you would have to get a babysitter to see about them during the day. I suppose the cost for tuition varies from school to school; the one I am familiar with is rather pricey: about $400-$600 per course.

It is also possible, provided your child is, again, old enough to remain at home alone and responsible enough to actually do the work, to buy a boxed curriculum (I recommend Seton Homestudy School). Such a curriculum comes with lesson plans, which give the assignments for the day. It is possible and actually downright easy (especially with Seton, in the junior-high and highschool grades) for children to read these lesson plans on their own, and do the daily work and assignments themselves.

Edited November 11, 2010 by Tally Marx

[add]

3 cheers for homeschool (mom"s)


PS: the above may or may not have anything at all, to do with a certain Mod by the same name (sorta)