How do you deal with 'anti home schoolers'

[BrianP]

While I admit I'm not very poilitically correct at the best of times, I have to admit that I don't understand the opposition to home schooling.
My wife and I have 3 univiersity degrees between us, etc., etc., and I think my wife is a great teacher (even our 4 1/2 years old reads in 2 languages).

The way I see it:
1) Public school is a least common denominator type situation: the kids get taught at the rate of the slowest kid in the class
2) Based on what we witnessed when we had a kid in public school, certain teachers don't necessarily know how to teach (even though that doesn't seem to cost them their jobs)
3) 'State sanctioned thinking' regarding morals, religion, and so on is a non-so subtle subtext to the whole curriculum
4) Bullying, harassment, etc., are big problems that are getting worse
5) I promise to choke the next teacher I hear blather on about attention deficit disorder. I read recently that up to 20% of children in some schools are medicated. Somehow that scares me more than dope: at least illegal drug users have a choice.

Recently my oldest came home and told me all about a neighbour who was complaining about how are kids are homeschooled. I told him everybody has a right to an opinion, they just don't have a right to share it with me.

Any comments? Why do people care how my children are being taught.

Brian

ps: Not ot brag, but our oldest child, who was mostly homeschooled, recently started univiersity. He spent the last 3 years going to high school because we figured he needed marks to get into a good university. He did: he is the only person from his high school to get into the computer science faculty at waterloo, considered one of the worlds best comp sci schools. Obviously, my wife's teaching wasn't all that bad.

[Gatorboy]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />

Why do people care how my children are being taught


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In a word: Jealousy

[spunkey22]

I did'nt home school my children , but if I had it to go over I would do so . My daughter had so much trouble at school, with peer preasure and I had to move her. She ended quitting in the tenth grade.But she got her GED and Has a good life for herself now. I was very dissapointed with the teachers. I worry about my grandchildren now.

[RMeadows]

The bigest thing I hear is the social issue. Teaching kids to get along or social skill. I am hear to tell you as a father of 3 home schooled girls (and one more coming) socialaztion is not the problem. Monday Open, Tuesday- PE, Wed - AWANA Clubs and jr high group, Thurday - Choir, Friday - Band, ARt, and 4-H. Spread in the week - Tae Kwon Do, praise team for church, horse lessions.

Heck, if we sent them to public school, what would we do with all our time.

Roger

ps - not to brag either, but my oldest entering sixth grade just tested out at a 12th grade level in all expect math. In math she only tested out at 9th grade.... [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

pps - as you can see, I don't teach spelling! My wife does [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

[Tractorgirl]

I have to agree with you. Socialization is the cited reason for public schooling. My comeback on that tends to be "I want my children to learn not socialize." Prior to 1925 when John Dewey introduced socialism, education had been in good standing in this country. The 8th graders were able to do what we would now consider college work. When Dewey brought his ideas, the dumbing down of our schools started. We teach more social issues then meaningful education. Our standardized tests have been "dumbed" down in order for students to meet the standards students years ago scored. Our students now are taught "touchy feely" math and to spell by how the word sounds. The schools have taken upon themselves to provide "sex" education which is only a veiled attempt to promote alternative lifestyles though studies have never been conclusive. The list could go on forever.

I admit, I give those who question homeschooling the above reasons why we do homeschool. They generally go away with food for thought. Once they see that my children are much more advanced than theirs, they understand.

[BrianP]

Its interesting that the reasons to send kids to school seems to have less and less to do with learning things like reading, writing, math, science, etc., and more and more to do with touchy feely things like socialization and so forth.
I agree with you, Tractorgirl, I really don't want our kids kids to know how to socialize, but it doesn't seem to be a problem with our kids, as RMeadows said. Could it be that children don't need 'professional' help to learn how to make friends? What a radical thought!
I actually don't mind the exposure to alternative points of view, sex ed, etc., because this stuff will come up one way or the other. But then I completely understand how some people wouldn't share my point of view - which probably explains why I'll never run a school system.

[Tractorgirl]

I don't mind my children being exposed to alternative lifestyles, theories, etc. but as parent I want to be the one to present the information to them. If they see a subject on tv, I want to be involved discussing what they've seen and heard. I greatly desire for my kids to be able to critically think through material based on their worldview rather than just believing what is handed to them. [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

Now its time for me to chill out as this subject does get my dander up! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[knucklehead]

Shoulda been over on TBN when we went into this.....but then again, we hit the PS system pretty hard, and there's a lotta good teachers out there.

Anyone doing things differently is a challenge to those who accept the status quo, and it's easier to criticize than to change.

Keep yer dander up!

[Haz]

We have been homeschooling for about 10 years and we have heard that one about socialization about a zillion times. Anyway, after a while we just learned to ignore it along with the people in the checkout line who would always ask my wife who had brought the children with her to the grocery store, "Are these all yours?" ( We have seven children, by the way). And then the statement, "That's enough kids, you really don't need to have anymore". Interestingly I (the husband) got a different comment, "Can't you control yourself?" It still astounds me how people who have been "socialized" in public schools are so rude. Anyway we have accepted the fact that homeschooling and having a large family is not popular nor politically correct but we are very happy and love our family and children. It is also funny how we don't get too many rude comments anymore. I'm not sure why but we certainly don't mind.

Keep on homeschooling, it's the best!

Haz and Kathi

[tlphlps]

Bless You, Haz! We have 7 children and have home schooled them exclusively!
We have recently moved and just found a church we feel led to join. We visited last evening with the pastor whose wife and daughter are involved in public school teaching. There are 3 other families in the church that home school also and those families have been there about a year. The pastor and his wife both very enthusiastically support home schooling now. Also his daughter has a young child and is now planning to home school! He said the key to their change-of-heart regarding homeschooling was seeing the results in these other families and ours. The children are well behaved, interact well with adults &amp; children, and obviously don't have problems academically.
I find most people that object are ignorant of the results and have the idea that we are hurting rather than helping our children.
Years ago, our former church pastor said, " Our job as parents is to train our children to be adults, not children ". That is one of the best statements I have ever heard anyone make! Children will be childish, children will play, children will be "kids", no matter what - the need is for them to learn to be adults! That does not come from peer pressure in a public school setting!
Bless you all for the courage and desire to train your children academically, socially, and spiritually at home!

Terry, Holly, Taylor, Hannah, David, Mindy, Michael, Sara and Carter (and I do know their birthdays! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] )