Home Schooling

[rustyp]

What would you do if your children decided to home school your grandchild?

[redwitch]

Let's face it, unless our grandchildren are being abused or neglected, we have no say on how they are raised, any more than the next door neighbor does. We can rail, we can whine, we can beg, but all that does is insure we don't get to see our grands.

Homeschooling can be a good thing, if done correctly. I've had a little of everything educationally as I was growing up, depending on the country we were in and what my parents felt my brother and I needed at that time. I learned as much in school as I did at home.

It sounds like your kids are pretty determined to raise their kids according to their standards and criteria. You can accept this or fight them every step of the way. Ultimately, you'll lose and so will your grands in not being able to see you. At least your kids care enough to keep you in the loop.

[rubicon]

If cost to attend a private school wasn't viable or a charter school possible then perhaps home school

Schools being guarded by guards metal detectors, etc, drugs, secular slant, pedophile teachers and more poisoning our kids does give one to pause and ask what the heck happened? Universities were first amendment speech is shut down ...............you get the picture

Children are no longer truly treated as a protected species and allowed to experience to being just kids

[graciegirl]

What would you do if your children decided to home school your grandchild?


I had prejudged home schooling until one of our granddaughters neighbors became her friend. I was not impressed with her parents ability to teach her having met them, but the fact is that teaching was shared among a number of home schooled families, and this young woman entered high school as a senior and graduated with honors. This was NOT an easy high school or a mid city one. This was in a very tough climate of really great scholars from international parents who really expected a lot from their kids.

She has now graduated college and has a respected job with good pay in journalism.

I think the reason for homeschooling is varied, and can be religious, but sometimes, actually many times, home schooled kids really do very well after they enter the traditional academic community. (google Home schooled kids do well on SAT)

I used to think that they were isolated, and didn't have a chance to socialize with other kids, but that is not true as many group activities are scheduled. One of the things that sometimes does happen since many have been raised so strictly that once they are away from home they tend to "test the waters" of what they were not allowed to do, but almost all college students do that.

I wouldn't worry quite as much as you will. We all want what we know works for our grandchildren. Your excellent genetics are playing in and I am sure that you sewed fine seeds in your children too that are being resewn in your grandchildren.

[hulahips]

Did they give you a reason why they prefer to do this? There are many valid good reasons why to home school today. Do they feel they can give your grandchild a better education. ? Ask them. They may have perfectly legitimate reasons

[happy employee]

School is nothing like it was when we were growing up. With all the problems that we see in the news every day, why would anyone turn their children over to the government to be educated? I would rather see my grandkids educated at home and risk a slightly insufficient education than to see them raised to be good little worker bees and have all the risks associated with our modern-day schools.

[6XNANA]

We have 4 grandchildren (one family) that has been home schooled right from the start. Our 18 year old grandson "graduates" in 2 weeks and has done amazing academically, socially and is an examplary employee. Last year he enrolled in the College Plus (dual enrollment) program and has thus far earned 39 college credits that are transferrable to most private colleges. He is planning a degree in Business Management. My daughter will have this coming school year a 7th,9th and 11th grader who are also academically and socially proficient. All very outgoing kids and very well respected by their peers. This has been a joint effort between daughter and son-in-law as he has worked 2 jobs so that she can continue their children's education. My daughter deserves the TEACHER OF THE YEAR award. She follows public school calendar and each year has everyone evaluated by the department of education (at her expense) even though she pays taxes to support the public schools. She doesn't consider snow days thus they are done with school in 2 weeks where the rest of MA will be going to almost end of June due to the harsh winter. She is involved in a very large Home School Cooperative and everyone is very much involved. My grandkids have never expressed an interest in public schools and they do participate in PE classes along with music , art and organized sports from baseball, basketball. swimming etc. The best part, they can attend class in their pajamas :) So proud of the teacher(s) and students in this family and am so proud of the young adults they are becoming

[Villager Joyce]

You also inquired about immunizations for grandkids. Do you suspect your grandchildren are not being treated appropriately? If you are concerned, is there a professional you can speak with to give you moral and legal rights?

[Madelaine Amee]

I'm yet another proud grandmother of two home schooled grand daughters. The oldest was a gifted student and got a full scholarship to a prestigious University when she was 17 yrs old and is doing very well. Her SAT scores were in the top 10% for the country and she was inducted into the National Honor Society as a gifted student. She is already picking out International Universities to further her education overseas. The younger one is not as gifted, but will follow her own path to success when the time comes.

They are both great kids and a joy to be around. Home schooling is not like "Little House on the Prairie" any more. As the other poster said these kids have to be evaluated every semester by the State. They also have to buy their classes and one of the classes cost my daughter-in-law over $1,000 and she still has to pay her taxes for the public schools. They are also part of a home schooling cooperative, attend lectures at Museums - you name it, they are very educated young people. They are also on the East Coast in NH.

I should add that the Principal of the local high school in their district home schools his 7 children - and that was the decider for my son and his wife.

[DianeM]

I used to think that homeschooling was very isolating and did not give the child the opportunity to be around other children and partake of childhood joys. I no longer feel that way. I see how The kids in my life are being taught today and quite honestly, do not like what I see. They are being taught to pass the common core testing and nothing else. We are raising a generation that is no longer well-rounded. Put that with the violence in schools and as another poster has mentioned having to go through Metal detectors to go to class, and I honestly believe I would seriously consider homeschooling my children.

[Carla B]

I know of two families who lived aboard cruising sailboats and home-schooled their children very successfully. The kids not only had to learn how to live at sea with the skills and resourcefulness that requires but also how to socialize with adults.

[Madelaine Amee]

I used to think that homeschooling was very isolating and did not give the child the opportunity to be around other children and partake of childhood joys. I no longer feel that way. I see how The kids in my life are being taught today and quite honestly, do not like what I see. They are being taught to pass the common core testing and nothing else. We are raising a generation that is no longer well-rounded. Put that with the violence in schools and as another poster has mentioned having to go through Metal detectors to go to class, and I honestly believe I would seriously consider homeschooling my children.

I, too, was very much against home schooling until I saw it in action and truly learned what it means to be "home schooled". There are no latch key kids in the program because the Mother has to be there to teach! There are no bullies, no profanity and other undesirable influences. The group that I see on a regular basis are all decent, hardworking parents trying to give their kids the best start in life. As one poster commented - their school day is shorter because there is no wasted periods, so both my grand daughters have learned to cook and clean, they are 4-H members, they raise chickens and they HAVE to put the chickens to bed and wake them up in the morning, no matter what the weather is doing. One of them took part in an obedience class with her dog through 4-H. They can also go on vacation whenever the parents want to up and go and continue their learning on line. To me, it's all good.

[queasy27]

Perhaps some of the suspicion towards home schoolers is that, in the past, the practice has primarily been associated with the type of parents who do it because they want to restrict their children to a very narrow curriculum so they won't be exposed to other ideas/ideals. More and more parents now seem to choose it because they want to provide their kids with access to more information and allow them to have more freedom than either public or private schools can provide.

Anyway, parent/teacher nights must be interesting.

[Fraugoofy]

I would support my children and know that they are doing right by my grandchildren. Trust goes a long way in a strong relationship...

[manaboutown]

My four grandchildren were home schooled two years. Their mother has a bachelor of science from a top university and additionally trained as a teacher. When the children entered public schools upon testing it turned out each child was at least two years academically ahead of the rest of his/her class. The two boys are the youngest as well as the top students in their classes seemingly without much effort. Where they are benefitting is making new friends and getting into various group activities and team athletics. Unfortunately, their schools being public they plod along at an excruciatingly slow pace academically speaking.

[Madelaine Amee]

I wonder if any other parents or grand parents have noticed this ..... the grand daughter who is in college applied for every type of scholarship in her town and State and got NOTHING. All the scholarships went to public school kids! Thankfully her academic ability got her a full four year scholarship, without which she would have had to take loans.

[sunnyatlast]

My four grandchildren were home schooled two years. Their mother has a bachelor of science from a top university and additionally trained as a teacher. When the children entered public schools upon testing it turned out each child was at least two years academically ahead of the rest of his/her class. The two boys are the youngest as well as the top students in their classes seemingly without much effort. Where they are benefitting is making new friends and getting into various group activities and team athletics. Unfortunately, their schools being public they plod along at an excruciatingly slow pace academically speaking.

Yes, but they must allow themselves to be utilized to "level the playing field" and make it "fair" for those who are at a "disadvantage" for not having parents who, for example, read to them at home…….

Is having a loving family an unfair advantage?

"Plato famously wanted to abolish the family and put children into care of the state. Some still think the traditional family has a lot to answer for, but some plausible arguments remain in favour of it. Joe Gelonesi meets a philosopher with a rescue plan very much in tune with the times."

Is having a loving family an unfair advantage? - The Philosopher's Zone - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/philosopherszone/new-family-values/6437058)

[manaboutown]

Sadly, the powers that be in the USA have been dumbing down the schools for many years now. SAT scores peaked in 1965 if I recall correctly; it has been down hill ever since. The situation got so bad that several years ago they dumbed down the SAT in an attempt to raise current mean scores back up to what used to be the mean in the good old days. Tragic!

I wish my grandchildren could attend schools as good as Finland has. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Finland

[jojo]

I have worked in education all my life and have been consulting across the country in the area of high school improvement for the past 15 years. Most folks define school based on their own experiences and media descriptions. I have probably observed more than 2,500 classrooms in the past few years and have seen it all from poor to extraordinarily gifted teachers. For the most part, I see teachers who are professional and personally committed to students despite often adverse conditions and increased standards (which are a good thing). I am sure the same continuum exists for home schooling. As many of the posters have said, it is not what it used to be. That said, I’m hoping my grandchildren will stay in public schools. The first grader has homework that I didn’t do until middle school.

[DougB]

My four grandchildren were home schooled two years. Their mother has a bachelor of science from a top university and additionally trained as a teacher. When the children entered public schools upon testing it turned out each child was at least two years academically ahead of the rest of his/her class. The two boys are the youngest as well as the top students in their classes seemingly without much effort. Where they are benefitting is making new friends and getting into various group activities and team athletics. Unfortunately, their schools being public they plod along at an excruciatingly slow pace academically speaking.

And there are some homeschoolers who come back to public schools two years behind. What's your point?

[PammyJ]

I have three college degrees and I didn't know "jack" about how to educate until I actually became a teacher. Now that I supervise over 80 staff and teachers, I find that we are constantly learning and keeping up with the latest research.We are in exciting times in Education! It is hard to understand because it is not the same education that we received. I assure you, it is not dumbed down. It is full of rigor and problem solving skills needed for the work force of the future so that we can compete with the rest of the world. America educates all young folks and does not pick select few. Teachers work very hard to provide meaningful experiences for our youth. Because of the pendulum swing we are in, there may be a few teachers who are resistant and are not willing to grow. Time will take care of this. This is my life profession in which I am dedicated and continually grow in. I know what I am talking about and ask you to withhold strong judgement. We are working hard! I cannot see how homeschoolers can compete in 21st century skills in a home school situation,unless there are very structured programs available for them. In my experience, home schoolers come back to the school system at least two year 's behind. I am sure this is not true everywhere, I home schooled one of my sons, but I am an educator. I did it for social reasons, not academic. Education is not the same regurgitation of facts as it was in our day. Problem solving skills and rigor are key. It is amazing and invigorating to see our youth rise to this expectation!

[manaboutown]

The proof is in the pudding. U.S. Students Slide In Global Ranking On Math, Reading, Science : The Two-Way : NPR (http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/12/03/248329823/u-s-high-school-students-slide-in-math-reading-science)

http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=978874#.VV_OWqZRrR0

http://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/PISA-2012-results-US.pdf

[DougB]

The proof is in the pudding. U.S. Students Slide In Global Ranking On Math, Reading, Science : The Two-Way : NPR (http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/12/03/248329823/u-s-high-school-students-slide-in-math-reading-science)

New survey ranks U.S. students 36th in the world - How do we improve? : News : CNYcentral.com (http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=978874#.VV_OWqZRrR0)

http://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/PISA-2012-results-US.pdf

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[DougB]

What would you do if your children decided to home school your grandchild?

There is no one right answer. There is no home school vs public education debate. Every child is an individual. Some will thrive in public education, some in private, and some in home school. You need to look at the child and the services and resources that can be provided to help them achieve success and reach their full potential.