some thoughts on homeschooling

Here are some comments people made about homeschooling on APP.com.

- After homeschooling my three sons for the past 13 years, I have to say a classroom setting gives children the opportunity to learn to socialize with age mates but homeschooling gives the opportunity to socialize with all ages.
My three teenage boys interact wonderfully with senior citizens and babies, as well as with their peers. They experience the world and how to survive in it by being in it and learning from it.
I don't think most people realize there are many homeschool groups across the state that provide sports activities, trips, lectures, language lessons and social activities including teen dances and parties. We don't sit in our houses all day and shut the rest of the world out.

-I am a public schoolteacher who has worked with students who were homeschooled. Not all students who are homeschooled lack social skills or are behind in the curriculum. I know many well adjusted, intelligent homeschoolers.
I also know many who have no social skills and have learned nothing. It depends on the effort parents are willing to put into their child's education. But this holds just as true for any parent of a child who attends public or private school.
I can't tell you how many times I have contacted parents about their child's missing homework, not doing well on tests or poor behavior, and the parents just blame me. I didn't raise these children to have lack of respect for me or any of their other teachers, and I can't make them do their homework or study at home. The lack of support from the parents and community is the reason so many say public schools are failing.

- My favorite arguments against homeschooling is the socialization one. I went to public school and got to socialize with drug dealers, s--ts, incompetent teachers and principals, and lots of bullies. Just think of what the homeschooled kids are missing.

- {sarcastic} I don't know who these parents think they are. You would think they might leave the shaping of their children's minds, careers and futures to trained professionals, but they insist on interfering in their offsprings' lives every step of the way.
As if these children were actually their responsibility from birth to adulthood. Don't they realize these are the people's children, the state's responsibility. As such, they must be molded by the state and educated in accordance with state requirements — no more and no less.
They must be taught to accept the same values approved and encouraged by the state. They must be taught that all are equal, regardless of ability, intelligence or talent, and therefore, all must be rewarded equally, regardless of merit, just like the public schoolteachers.
They must be taught their self esteem is more important than anything they can contribute to society. They must be taught that acting in the best interest of the collective is more important than individual liberty.
They must be taught the role of the state is to protect the individual from his own inherent stupidity, because the individual is incapable of making intelligent decisions for himself, and therefore cannot be held responsible for his actions. The state must act as parent, Big Brother, nanny.
I understand the public teachers' union has the children's best interest in mind. These parents have a lot of nerve, refusing to conform.


It may be long, but I like some of the thoughts in there.
Happy Sunday!

Romans 13:8 (New American Standard Bible)
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

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