Homeschooling

I'm very Pro-homeschool as long as people do it right.
I went to public school as I child (Kindergarten - sixth grade) and I had huge problems. I was extremely withdrawn, overweight and depressed. I became so withdrawn I would not speak to anyone that wasn't close family member or friend, not even doctors. I was constantly sick with one virus or another (often with more than one thing at a time) and always had lice thanks to all the other kids. I had to eat out of a lunch room that literally had roaches crawling around the food and rats running around the floors, how they passed supposed inspections is beyond me. I once had to serve food at lunch time and we had to wash our hands to keep things clean, but there was a huge roach on the hot water handle on the sink (which was connected to the serving table) so they told us just to use the cold water, great logic there! We also ended up bringing some of the roaches home and had to move before we got rid of them all.
When I started seventh grade I persuaded my mom to home school me (not for religious reasons) and for my social skills I volunteered at the local zoo and humane society. I lost weight to the point I had to gain some of it back, I became so outgoing I start long conversations with random strangers and ::knock on wood:: I've rarely been very sick and never had lice again.
I also graduated from high school at 16 years of age.
I will admit it is expensive and it was harder for me with things like calculus since my mother didn't understand it either, but with study I was able to figure it out.

I went back and forth. I was homeschooled most of 8th grade. I was completely miserable. I was thinking about running away, but being homeschooled allowed me to grow as a person and find myself so to speak. I was ready to go to public school come 9th grade, and did well until old friends started crap and harrassing me. I dont think they were too happy that i didnt want to be friends with losers. Anyways, i was homeschooled the rest of 9th grade, and moved to oregon by the next school year. I completed 10-12 grade at a public high school in oregon. It was a much different going to school in another state. I think if i had gone to school in oregon as opposed to iowa to begin with i would have never been homeschooled, but i wouldnt be the same person as i am today. So, i guess it all depends on the situation. Religious homeschoolers were very different than i was (they kinda made me nervous), i just think its kinda weird when people are extreme about the whole thing. Going on a rant....

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

and some kids love science... while others prefer pottery. doesn't make one 'less than'... just different ;)

honestly, i didn't write my post to argue with ya... i was merely stating that when i read your blog... my interpretation was... (see my post) - and after all... we all interpret things differently. :P (a good example is the bible if you really want to see a LOT of different interpretations of one book!)

you are a science teacher, therefore science is your 'thing' your passion... but there's lots of kids out there who could care less about learning science. http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1.../knitting1.gif i understand and commend you for your passion.

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There nothing wrong with friendly argument or discussion-that's how we all learn. I took nothing you said as a threat--I just wanted to clarify my position.

True, there are a lot of kids that could care less about science. I know and have worked with many of them. :) However, science teaching isn't just about teaching science to those students who are bound for scientific and technical careers. There's a certain level of scientific literacy that everyone should have today just like everyone should know how to read and write, do basic math, and understand personal finances. We live in a technological and scientific world, if you don't understand science....your more likely to fall for quackery in medicine and health care and how can you make an informed vote on an environmental or societal problem involving science? Most of the big problems today involve science somehow......

English class wasn't my favorite subject, but I benefited greatly from having a great English teacher look over my papers. Furthermore, I benefited from reading books that I would have choose not to read.

Please don't take this as a person attack....Not that this probably matters too much to you that you have my stamp of approval, but I see you as one of the strong homeschooling teachers on here because of your personal inquisitiveness--a strong trait in any teacher/learner. Plus if your isolating DNA from bananas....well that says it all......

My general point was also perhaps not made clearly by me in my original blog entry. What I am against is home schooling extremists, not the educational method of home schooling. As an in-home tutor I have worked with homeschooling families and just like regular schooling...you have your good and bad grapes.

Home Schooling Extremists are those individuals who attack public and formal education and offer Home Schooling as a panacea for all of our educational problems.

Lets look at two states....Pennsylvania and Colorado....PA has few home schoolers while CO has quite a bit. Both states have fairly well educated populations and decent economies. Both have areas and schools that perform well educationally.

Home Schooling extremists act as though if we enacted home schooling in mass in a state that is educationally depressed that all that states's educational problems would just disappear. I don't think that's the case at all. Educational problems are woven into larger socioeconomic and cultural factors. Homeschooling is just a piece of the educational puzzle and it can be a good or bad piece just like any school.

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

dr phil had a show on homeschooling last year and i was completely appauled at his biased opinion and how he shared it with the world, instead of allowing people to make their own choices/decisions regarding homeschooling.

the link is the story of a homeschooling mom who was at the show... and how dr phil padded the audience with school kids, ignored the people who were are knowledgable about homeschooling etc.

if you are passionate about your disdain for dr. phil - you may want to read this. i know this is an old thread... but... i was just sent this link and wanted to share it with you all.

personally i consider dr phil just another jerry springer... it's fake, sensationalized television... at it's worst! i don't watch him, but i did watch that episode... unfortunately :rainon:

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was this the episode with the "un schoolers" aswell as the homeschoolers?

I'd like to add--Homeschoolers who support pseudoscientific texts are not going to help those that really like the educational method of homeschooling in the long run.

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Originally Posted by worldcupkeeper

was this the episode with the "un schoolers" aswell as the homeschoolers?

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unschoolers are homeschoolers.

it's kinda like saying you are christian... and then you mention you are lutheran (or whatever).

homeschooling is when you have your children at home to learn.

then there are many, many, many alternatives to how you teach... how they learn. the unschoolers on dr. phil should not be seen as what all unschoolers families act.

we are unschoolers and we don't follow anything similar to that family. ;)

and mendel...

i failed english - every year for three years in high school. i am now an editor, publisher and writer.

so... it is my belief learning isn't only done in school. it isn't only done in a classroom. it's done by being curious, finding the answers and living your life.

i teach my children to be curious and assist them to find their answers to whatever their minds can come up with, or a show inspires them to ponder etc. i hope their natural curiousity never ends. ;)