Homeschooling

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

All the kids I knew of who were homeschooled were all a little strange. I know I'd be a little off if I had to hang out with my mom all day every day for the first 17 years of my life too...

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Your hardly hanging out with your mom all day.....plus I know of some Dads who homeschool!
With sports, there are plenty of classes to take and teams to be on that arent linked to any school. There is a homeschoolers association in our area, it strives to keep our kids active, and let them do things like organized sports...although some might argue against the whole sport thing to begine with.
But there are plenty of famous athletes that have been taught from home, to name a few: skater Tanith Belbin won the gold in the 2005 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Chad Compton won the title of top Junior Surfer in the U.S., 14-Year-Old Alexa Glatch was named one of the top 5 Americans in the World Junior Tennis Rankings. So I dont think missing out on sports or other social events is really something that can be argued....and is something that for sure no one should worry about.

A few people we have heard about that were homeschooled:
Lindsay Lohan, Raven Symone, Elijah Wood, George Washington, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Claude Monet, Ansel Adams, Amadeus Mozart, Irving Berlin, Charlie Chaplin, Charles ****ens, Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, George Washington Carver, Melinda Sullivan.

Plus there are a million diffrent forms of homeschooling....I know only homeschoolers realize this,

To break them down shortly there is:
Traditional or 'School at Home'
The traditional method of instruction would be similar to the public school style with a curriculum, grading, testing and schedules. Usually a curriculum package is used with the typical grades and subjects taught in a school. The 'school at home' family will usually have a daily schedule and will typically also have school days and vacation days.

Unit Study

Unit studies are an integrated thematic approach to learning several subjects/concepts through a main topic. Topics or themes can be chosen by the child's interests, experiences in family life, books, events in the news, etc. This method can be used with different grades at one time to incorporate all the children of a family. Unit studies can be made up by the parent, taken from a book of unit studies or from sources on-line. For example, a child's interest may be insects. Several subjects can be covered with this one topic. Science includes the insects' body parts and habitats. Geography is learned by studying different countries' insects. Many fictional books with insect characters can be found to cover reading. Social studies is covered with insect control or insect use in different cultures. For more help planning your own unit study

Waldorf

Waldorf education educates the whole child -- head, heart and hands. It is geared to the child's stages of development and incorporates all elements -- intellectual, artistic, spiritual and movement. The goal is to produce individuals who are able, in and of themselves, to impart meaning to their lives.

Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason was an educator in the 1800's. Her method "is based on core subjects and incorporates the fine arts. Children deal directly with the best books, music and art. The children are trained in the practice of narration, or telling back what they've learned. The emphasis is always placed on what the children do know rather than what they do not know. This training in essay-style examination effectively prepares children for adulthood and success in college." Her material covers an extensive amount of topics including: the formation of good habits, keeping a Nature Diary, and preparing a handmade Book of the Centuries. Charlotte Mason advocates the avoidance of twaddle, or what we might call "dumbed down" literature, and replaces twaddle with classic literature and noble poetry. Her method also includes a unique style of dictation and spelling.

Classical Education/Trivium

The Classical Approach to education is based upon the medieval scheme of education teaching children to think, not teaching "subjects". The medieval syllabus has as the primary part of education the Trivium. The Trivium consists of three parts: "Grammar", "Dialectic", and "Rhetoric". The first part, "Grammar", is not the subject of grammar; rather it is the study of the basic facts of different subjects. This stage covers the ages of approximately 6 to 10, the stage when children are the most receptive to information and will readily memorize information. The "Dialectic" stage, begins at approximately age 10 when children naturally begin to demonstrate independent or abstract thought. In the "Rhetoric" stage, the aim is to produce a student who can use language, both written and spoken, eloquently and persuasively to express what he thinks.

Eclectic

Using any combination of methods of homeschooling!!

Natural Learning/Child Led Learning/Unschooling

Education is not separated from living life. In unschooling, learning can happen anywhere and at anytime. It is an ongoing and natural endeavor. (this is what we will practice...mixing in diffrent teaching styles as we see fit) People are misguided and think its just sitting at home with mom/dad and having to hear them go on and on about stuff you learn in school...well it isnt, and its sad that one would say "I couldnt imagine being at home with my mom all day" right now I know there is no where my daughter would rather be, why not grow, learn and love right along side your child?

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A few people we have heard about that were homeschooled:
Lindsay Lohan, Raven Symone, Elijah Wood, George Washington, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Claude Monet, Ansel Adams, Amadeus Mozart, Irving Berlin, Charlie Chaplin, Charles ****ens, Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, George Washington Carver, Melinda Sullivan.

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To me, a list the includes Lindsay Lohan and Elijah Wood listed before Albert Einstein and Mozart has zero credibility. LOL....

Public school kicks it! Where else would kids learn about drugs, sex, and Rock n' roll? :headbang:

...LOL...try teaching how to deal with that kinda stuff in homeschool ;)

All joking aside.....Public school worked great for me and my wife, so I see no reason to homeschool our children in the future. However, if both the public and private schools in the area were so bad that our children would not recieve a proper education....then homeschooling would be an option. Actually, I can not think of a reason for homeschooling besides having a special needs child or lack of proper educational instruction in existing schools in the area. If any of you have other reasons, I would like to hear them just to be educated on the topic ;)

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Originally Posted by daniel1983

Actually, I can not think of a reason for homeschooling besides having a special needs child or lack of proper educational instruction in existing schools in the area.

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<-- Also a product of public education and until I discovered it did not pay enough to cover the bills I taught in public schools (HS).
My wife works in the evenings for an online education service which offers online high school completion and course credits. They do more than just the traditional make-up-failed-classes type stuff offering many of thier credits to homeschooled kids, internationally schooled (I know what a pain that is having finished half my HS education in India) and more. Some kids will not do well in a clasroom situation - period - whether public OR private schools - and it doesnt always have to do with ADHD. Some kids' brains just motor along at a thousand miles an hour and obviously the teacher cannot cater the class to that one curve-breaking individual. Bored because they "already get it" their minds wander. Individual instruction (whether at home, online or witha tutor) suits these kids much better since it can be tailored to their unique pace. I've never been that kid so it was a little hard for me to understand - but now as a parent of one it has been quite an experience. I don't think one or the other is superior - and there are so many variables involved it's hard to qualify all of them. I'm glad our kids are in public school and glad I was as well (though in no way do i mean that to demean private or home schooled programs). I do think it's a crying shame though that we pay our public school teachers so poorly as to drive people away from the profession who otherwise might make astounding contributions to impact and inspire kids.

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Originally Posted by daniel1983

schools in the area. If any of you have other reasons, I would like to hear them just to be educated on the topic ;)

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To me it's all about quality of education. In the public school system you're at the mercy of whichever teacher or class your child ends up with. However with homeschooling, you can modify the curriculum to suit your childs' needs and abilities. Everyone learns differently, yet the public schools cater to the majority. Sure, every child can learn the same things and have essentially the same education, but with homeschooling you can make it a more efficient and enriching experience. You can get the same education done in less time which will leave more time for additional experiences for your child such as sports, additional studies, playtime, field trips... whatever.

I find it interesting that the opponents to homeschooling really don't know much about it other than knowing some weird people that were homeschooled, yet they have such strong opinions about it.

All I know about homeschooling is that my cousins in Idaho are/were homeschooled. They are named Rainbow, Paz, Dove and Hope (their father is named Green) and their mother in the past grew weed on the roof of her trailer. Just a little insight into my world :)

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Originally Posted by jglass38

All I know about homeschooling is that my cousins in Idaho are/were homeschooled. They are named Rainbow, Paz, Dove and Hope (their father is named Green) and their mother in the past grew weed on the roof of her trailer. Just a little insight into my world :)

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LOL.....sounds like just about all the homeschooled kids that I ever knew....that, or it appeared like they were in some kinda religous cult ;)

I guess certain areas have different kinds of homeschools.....

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Originally Posted by daniel1983

LOL.....sounds like just about all the homeschooled kids that I ever knew....that, or it appeared like they were in some kinda religous cult ;)

I guess certain areas have different kinds of homeschools.....

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The thing is....its the wacky ones we hear about...or at least, they're the stories we're apt to remember. But there are millions of families all around us...and how many of them do we get to actually see what's going on inside? A handful or two at the most. So you just don't know about all those families out there who successfully homeschool their kids and are perfectly "normal" or "mainstream." Doesn't mean they're not there.

I think the choice to homeschool also has a LOT to do with the abilities and personalities of the parents, too. Both my older children have their own struggles in the public schools they attend....and both of them may benefit greatly from a good homeschool environment. However....even though I consider myself relatively bright and well educated.....I would have a horrible time as a homeschooling parent. I'm too disorganized...I procrastinate too much...I'm too impatient....do not have good teaching skills towards children...... So homeschooling, in MY household, would only be considered as a very last resort.

But I've known women who thrive on the 24/7 company of their children and absolutely love the chance to educate them at home. They do beautifully....and I envy them.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

All I know about homeschooling is that my cousins in Idaho are/were homeschooled. They are named Rainbow, Paz, Dove and Hope (their father is named Green) and their mother in the past grew weed on the roof of her trailer. Just a little insight into my world :)

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Okay... Rainbow, Dove and Hope I can understand... but Paz?! Sounds like the result of a bad trip. :rolleye2:

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Originally Posted by jglass38

All I know about homeschooling is that my cousins in Idaho are/were homeschooled. They are named Rainbow, Paz, Dove and Hope (their father is named Green) and their mother in the past grew weed on the roof of her trailer. Just a little insight into my world :)

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So when's the road trip donkey? I can't believe you've been holding out on me!!! :eek:

-adam