Quote From: movillecowgirlYou say that private schools do not "prepare them (kids) for real life where they will have to make the best of what the get and deal with all kinds of people". How do you know what every private school is like and what cultures/races go there? Children interact with kids and adults OUTSIDE of school which is a fact that some seem to forget.
"I am referring to the vast numbers of students who are failing or dropping out."
Yes, but WHY are they dropping out/failing? This is NOTHING new. Why do you think this is an "our generation" thing? People for CENTURIES (well those lucky enough 100 years ago to go to school to learn) have been failing and dropping out. Look at the schools in Texas. EVERYTHING is geared towards the TOS test for EVERY grade EVERY year. Wouldn't you get bored if all you were "taught" if you were actually paying attention was going to be on a test? Where is the joy in learning?
"You can get a good education in public school"
Yes, but many do not. I left Texas after being homeschooled and went to a SUNY school where many of the students there were the "top" of thier class and tested "high" on thier final tests. Why is it being after being homeschooled I was helping these kids write basic english papers do Math 101 (if they were even that far advanced), and yet, I was in Honors Freshman English (by choice.. I tested out of English) and I took no math as I also tested out of it?
I can tell you why. Because my parents saw what the public schools did, and decided to homeschool me. Could my parents have done that with me staying in a public school. You betcha! They would have been doing the SAME thing as homeschooling though in making sure I understood everything going on and teaching me BEYOND what the "text" does.
Parents who are not involved in thier child's education (I'm not talking about ragging your kids to get thier school done, watching thier grades, or joining PTA!) should not be gripping about parents who homeschool thier kids and help them to learn. I know several wonderful, involved parents of public school kids, and they are there for EVERY aspect and are constantly talking to thier childrens' teachers about how to encourage them and expand thier minds.
All that being said, i believe that a parent essentially has to make the BEST decission for thier child(ren) whether that be going to a public or private school, homeschooling, or unschooling (which I have seen successful and very UNSUCCESSFUL cases of). Each child is different.
Jessica
You are the first one who has said it all in a nut shell. Thank you, from all the homeschooling families out there that work very hard to educate their children and keep them on track at home. Along with raising my children, it is one of the hardest jobs I have ever done. I wish everyone would just mind their own business and look in their own home. No one is perfect! No one should have an effect in what I do with my children unless you live in my shoes and support my home. My children went to a private, then public school. It was so sad to see innocent children come home with their spirit broken. This was a hard, emotional, exhausting and rewarding decision for us to make. When you have a network of homeschooling families to help support you it is much easier. We all have insecurities and other people around us telling us that we are ruining our children whether they are going to public, private or homeschooled. It is so difficult raising children today without the compounded interest of others. How ever parents educate their children, the ultimate goal is to raise self-confident, loving, caring, trustworthy, responsible, intelligent, successful young adults. Parents who choose to homeschool their children need support from family and friends just like everyone else. It would be nice if everyone just tried to support each other instead of finding fault with everyone but themselves. We all need to take care of our own family and help others in need instead of talking about our neighbor and not supporting them. It would be nice to see positive homeschool families and all the work that is put in a day instead of showing the negative of homeschool.
Parents want the best for their children, but what’s the best way to educate them? Dr. Phil’s guests face off in a debate about whether to school, homeschool or unschool. Dana and her husband, Joe, call themselves radical unschoolers. They say education happens as a side effect of life, and they don’t believe in tests, curriculums or grades. Are their three kids learning what they need to know? Then, RaeAnn says public schools are death traps and wants to homeschool her children. Her husband, Steve, says their kids are safer at school than they are at home. Can this couple reach a compromise? Plus, Nicole feels like an outcast at 26. She says she hated being homeschooled, and couldn’t relate to other kids. Share your thoughts here.
