The nice young blogger, Laura over on “and if not” aired her concerns about homeschooled students not being all that and a bag of chips.
Homeschooling might give loads of opportunity, but one person’s success (yours) doesn’t make the system a success. I, like Balthazor, have seen plenty of kids go through homeschooling and come out a total flop. Socially and academically they are not where they are supposed to be. And before you jump and say that you are fine and that not all homeschoolers are that way, let me assure you that I understand. Not all kids that come through public school are where they are supposed to be academically and socially. But you have to apply the same principles and efforts both places
I am providing my responses below.
Disclaimer: I do want to say that I have known a lot of wonderful public schooled, Catholic schooled, cybeschooled and homeschooled kids. My nieces and nephews fall into many of the above categories. Over the course of my life time I have also had the occasion to know some kids that were a bit socially inept, both in the institutional school setting and from homeschooling. I tend to think that there is a lot into making a personality besides where one is educated. It’s probably much to complex to go into with this post.
So without further adieu – my responses will be in blue. Laura’s responses in italics.
Hi Laura,
I’m a new reader – found you through the Catholic Carnival. I’m also the homeschooling mother of six children ages 17 to 1.
So of course this post caught my eye and I decided it needed a good old-fashioned, (and good natured!) frisking! (a blog term)
Not all kids that come through public school are where they are supposed to be academically and socially.
Who defines where someone is supposed to be? What standards are using for academics? Social graces? And where does the faith (which is the main reason many of us choose to homeschool) fit into your critique?
But you have to apply the same principles and efforts both places.
Why? I chose to homeschool because it wasn’t like an institutional education. So why do I have to apply the same principles, efforts or anything to it?
In both systems the child must work for an education. It is not handed to them.
True enough. But can you also agree that a homeschooler has much more freedom and flexibility to learn in a way that is best for him/her? Institutionally taught children are required to learn certain things, at certain times in certain ways, period. As no two people were created equally, I don’t see how this cookie cutter approach to educating children is supposed to be the best for all or even most children.
Certain standards must be met in order to advance through the system.
Did you know that “the system” was designed to educate the working class? The system feeds itself. I am more interested in learning and education for its own sake, rather than meeting artificial standards to advance through an artificial system.
(This is where I would use the example of friends who have homeschooled and are not at all advanced academically and possibly not at all where they should be academically.)
Is it possible that your friend has some sort of a learning disability that would have made it very difficult to be one of 30 in the classroom, where has the individualized attention he received from a parent at least got him to the level he is today?
If you want the best education out there, you must learn to be self-reliant and self-disciplined.
I agree with what you’re saying to a point. However there comes a point where an institutional program rewards learning and regurgitating to a test and not a real interest in learning and knowledge for its own sake. When you spark that desire to learn, kids want to be disciplined because it is exciting and enjoyable for its own sake.
You have to make sure you complete your work on time to the best of your ability, utilizing all possible resources.
Again, I agree with you to a point. But remember deadlines benefit the institution, not the individual. If my kid can’t get the times tables down in third grade because he just is not developmentally ready to, will the world end if we take another year to learn them? I think not.
No one takes your hand and helps you through it.
I do! ; ) that’s one of the benefits of home schooling!
I’m not saying that I don’t think homeschooling can be top notch, just that you must not come into this assuming that because you succeeded to a fuller degree than someone from public school that you automatically ‘win’.
Uh… we’re not playing. That’s the point. If I have literate, functional adults, who love their God, understand their faith, serve their community and live, love and play fully, I’ll count that as a success. Whether or not they had four years of Latin on top of that doesn’t particularly matter to me.
We, the children who were not homeschooled, did not automatically lose when our parents decided (for whatever reason) that we would go to private/public school,
I was completely educated completely in an institutional setting. That’s why I homeschool.
I’m adding on my blog that one of my favorite memories of 8th grade was when the teacher told us what we were supposed to be studying for the semester and then let a few of us research the topic on our own without sitting for class. Our test was to write out everything we had learned that semester. That was great fun!! It was one of the lessons that helped me choose to homeschool, where that type of learning can be the norm instead of the exception.
And I must say that I give a lot of credit to those who can afford to stay home with their children.
I always hate that. What does it mean “can afford?” We scrape by every month and hope to make the ends meet. But this is important so we make it our priority.
That’s all. Thanks for posting this thought provoking piece!
Any thoughts?
Up date: The Spunky one left some good comments on Laura’s blog. As Laura is on a trip for a while, I am copying them here.
I find Spunky’s comments very inspirational especially as I struggle with what to do with my 8th grader next year!
1. I, like Balthazor, have seen plenty of kids go through homeschooling and come out a total flop. Socially and academically they are not where they are supposed to be.
Couldn’t the same be said about Jesus and his band of twelve disciples. One turned out to be less than he should be. Should we fault the educational method for the disicples failure. No. That would be absurd.
Education is discipleship. It relies on both the teacher and the student to be a success – as God defines it. Not as WE or the STATE define it.
You shall love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.
2. If you want the best education out there, you must learn to be self-reliant and self-disciplined.
The Bible doesn’t preach self reliance, but total dependence on Jesus and the Truth. He who finds his life shall lose it. And he who loses his life for My sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39).
3. I believe in both systems…
I understand your reasons. But te underlying assumption is that education is neutral. And a diligent child will be a “success” no matter what the method is. But education is not neutral. Jesus said, “He who is not for me is against me.” The public schools do not teach “in Jesus name” nor do they seek to glorify Him, or make disciples in Christ. Therefore according to the words of Jesus they are against the Lord. Putting Christian children in the counsel of the ungodly is warned against in Psalm 1.
Your answers to the question of education are logical. But logic isn’t the only consideration. We must consider what is also Biblical.
