Replies to '11/24 Great School Debate'
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November 23, 2006, 5:34 am PST
 Quote From: violetmay "Our daughter has many advantages over children who are in public schools. She does her studies in the morning and is usually finished by lunch. Then she helps me with the daycare children, and helps bake and clean, and of course, she gets to spend alot more time playing. She is getting hands on learning as well as book studies, and will most likely graduate at age 16. "
You say this like it is a good thing. As one who graduated early...in fact, I was skipped a grade in primary school...I can attest to the fact that it is not. We adults tend to forget (or ignore) the fact that children have their own society and there is precious little we can do to change it. To a kid, one year is a HUGE amount of time and represents a HUGE amount of difference. To be a year or more younger than your classmates can be an enormous dividing factor, especially in the teens. When your peers are taking driver's ed, you aren't old enough to get a permit. When the dating game starts, the girl two years younger than her classmates is perceived as a "baby" rather than a peer, especially if the parents give priviledges based on age rather than grade level. Worst of all, kids hate to be shown up by those younger than themselves...if you are 14 in a classroom of 16-years olds and you're making the best marks, you can just about count on being ostracised.
So your daughter may graduate at 16...then what? Think about what you are dooming her to (in my case I missed a lot of fundamental math when I was skipped a grade, a problem that haunts me well into adulthood) just so you can crow about how smart your daughter is. Then sit down with your school, work out an Individualized Education Plan (every school is mandated by the government to give each child a free and appropriate education...the IEP is the vehicle, worked out by parents and educators together), find ways to supplement her education at home if necessary, BUT PUT HER BACK IN SCHOOL WITH KIDS HER OWN AGE!
If you don't, she's the one who will suffer the consequences of your pride.
I am sorry you had a bad experience with graduating early but it doesn't apply to everyone.
My 17 year old loved starting college at 16. He relates well to his classmates even though they are older. They may or may not realize he is younger then them. He was always tall for his age, by 16 when he started college he already had his driver's license and his own car, so he had the same experiences they did. He has a great time with his co-workers (he works at a fast food place with a lot of teen workers of various ages) and classmates.
And what makes you think you would have been any happier in a classroom with kids your own age? Granted you wouldn't have been the "baby", but do you think they would have been any happier when you always had the best marks? |
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November 23, 2006, 5:55 am PST
Quote From: violetmay "Our daughter has many advantages over children who are in public schools. She does her studies in the morning and is usually finished by lunch. Then she helps me with the daycare children, and helps bake and clean, and of course, she gets to spend alot more time playing. She is getting hands on learning as well as book studies, and will most likely graduate at age 16. "
You say this like it is a good thing. As one who graduated early...in fact, I was skipped a grade in primary school...I can attest to the fact that it is not. We adults tend to forget (or ignore) the fact that children have their own society and there is precious little we can do to change it. To a kid, one year is a HUGE amount of time and represents a HUGE amount of difference. To be a year or more younger than your classmates can be an enormous dividing factor, especially in the teens. When your peers are taking driver's ed, you aren't old enough to get a permit. When the dating game starts, the girl two years younger than her classmates is perceived as a "baby" rather than a peer, especially if the parents give priviledges based on age rather than grade level. Worst of all, kids hate to be shown up by those younger than themselves...if you are 14 in a classroom of 16-years olds and you're making the best marks, you can just about count on being ostracised.
So your daughter may graduate at 16...then what? Think about what you are dooming her to (in my case I missed a lot of fundamental math when I was skipped a grade, a problem that haunts me well into adulthood) just so you can crow about how smart your daughter is. Then sit down with your school, work out an Individualized Education Plan (every school is mandated by the government to give each child a free and appropriate education...the IEP is the vehicle, worked out by parents and educators together), find ways to supplement her education at home if necessary, BUT PUT HER BACK IN SCHOOL WITH KIDS HER OWN AGE!
If you don't, she's the one who will suffer the consequences of your pride.
Your argument doesn't really add up. You are saying,
To be a year or more younger than your classmates can be an enormous dividing factor, especially in the teens.
Of course, this particular student does not have to worry about this situation because she is homeschooled. The situation you are describing is only applicable to students outside of a homeschool setting.
Suggesting this child be PUT HER BACK IN SCHOOL WITH KIDS HER OWN AGE! is silly. Why on earth would the child want to attend a class full of children her own age when academically she is above the children her own age?
find ways to supplement her education at home if necessary,
I've never really understood this argument. You suggest she is only homeschooling her child for pride's sake but then argue that she should dumb down her child by putting her into an academically lower class and then take the time to homeschool her after her formal school day. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Can you explain your stand more please? Perhaps I am missing something.
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November 24, 2006, 1:54 pm PST
Quote From: violetmay "Our daughter has many advantages over children who are in public schools. She does her studies in the morning and is usually finished by lunch. Then she helps me with the daycare children, and helps bake and clean, and of course, she gets to spend alot more time playing. She is getting hands on learning as well as book studies, and will most likely graduate at age 16. "
You say this like it is a good thing. As one who graduated early...in fact, I was skipped a grade in primary school...I can attest to the fact that it is not. We adults tend to forget (or ignore) the fact that children have their own society and there is precious little we can do to change it. To a kid, one year is a HUGE amount of time and represents a HUGE amount of difference. To be a year or more younger than your classmates can be an enormous dividing factor, especially in the teens. When your peers are taking driver's ed, you aren't old enough to get a permit. When the dating game starts, the girl two years younger than her classmates is perceived as a "baby" rather than a peer, especially if the parents give priviledges based on age rather than grade level. Worst of all, kids hate to be shown up by those younger than themselves...if you are 14 in a classroom of 16-years olds and you're making the best marks, you can just about count on being ostracised.
So your daughter may graduate at 16...then what? Think about what you are dooming her to (in my case I missed a lot of fundamental math when I was skipped a grade, a problem that haunts me well into adulthood) just so you can crow about how smart your daughter is. Then sit down with your school, work out an Individualized Education Plan (every school is mandated by the government to give each child a free and appropriate education...the IEP is the vehicle, worked out by parents and educators together), find ways to supplement her education at home if necessary, BUT PUT HER BACK IN SCHOOL WITH KIDS HER OWN AGE!
If you don't, she's the one who will suffer the consequences of your pride.
I wonder how you could have accessed that my daughter will suffer the consequence of my pride.
If you had read my entire post, then you would know that the teachers and staff at the public school in our district did nothing to help my child sociallly, nor was my daughter being taught on her academic level. She was NOT mainstreamed with children her age while in kindergarten. She felt alone. The anxiety and stress of being sent from class to class and having no stability at school, caused severe asthmatic symptoms. Remember that I stated how my daughter missed recess and field trips due to being taken to different classrooms fo reading and math. She was NOT able to play with children her age in that setting. She was not playing at all.
Due to my daughter being homeschooled, she not only socailizes with children her own age (in church groups, dance, taekwondo, learning cooperatives etc.), but she is also able to communicate very well with older children, adults and younger children. She is profiting greatly from her homeschooling experience. My daughter is not lacking in socialization, and she is asthma-free.
I am not an uneducated person. I have worked in the child-care profession for years.Having 2 adult children and a grandchild, I am fully aware that the government mandates an education for all children. Anyone who owns a home and pays property or real estate taxes is also aware that public education is not free. Public Education is funded by the taxes we pay.
I do know how to communicate with teachers and para educators concerning the needs of my children.
Ultimately It is the responsibility of the parents to choose the educational plan that suits their own children.
I question how you would have been advanced a grade during elementary school, yet missed the fundamentals of math in that grade. Obviously, the school you attended committed a great injustice. As a parent of a homeschooled child, I can assure that what happened to you, will not happen to my daughter. I am directly involved in my child's education and know exactly what she has mastered and what she needs more work on.
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