Barb in Louisiana

One of my granddaughters was home schooled for several years. In Louisiana, there are prescribed programs that fulfil their learning as if they were in a regular school. When she transitioned to high school, she was totally caught up, in fact, ahead of many of her peers. Her brother and sister tried it and hated it. Both are very bright, straight A students, but they missed the interaction of school, until they started going to a regular school. Now, two years later, I am hearing the same thing from them and their mom is concerned about all the drugs the students have on school grounds even though they are not supposed to have them. She may go the home school route again soon.

The home school students I know were all ahead of the normal student and got to try some things that weren't offered in their normal schools. If they want to do team sports, the local schools are required by law in Louisiana to let them participate. Some of the home schooled student's parents have started up a one day a week outing where there is a guest teacher that brings in something to teach that isn't their basic curriculum. Am I in favor of it? Yes although it doesn't work good for everyone.

We have Common Core in Louisiana. My oldest great granddaughter is failing because she knows her math in the old school way. She doesn't have to estimate an answer because she knows the actual. How crazy is that? I may have to keep her next school year, second grade, and help her get her self esteem back. FYI...when they get to high school, they have to do things as actual, real answers. Some of the kids are getting very confused and a lot of parents hate Common Core to the point of paying thousands of dollars a year to put their kids into private schools, or mom quitting her job to stay home and home school the kids.

Forgot to add: The home schooled kids are permitted to participate in any clubs of their local school and get that extra experience. They get to go to dances and have fun with their friends.

janiebakes

My son also had ADD issues. Learning facts was easy for him but appropriate behavior was something else. We spent more on his elementary education than on college, but he was able to attend a small Montessori school. He saw and was able to model on the good behavior of the other students. I attended a Catholic elementary school. We had a no library, a very limited art program and the only music was choir practice. After I transferred to public school in sixth grade, I was amazed at all I had been missing. It's funny, but the American folklore and folk songs we learned are what stands out in my memory as being a very good thing. All of us kids shared a common American culture that I think was a good base.

SusieQOH

I had a Catholic education and we learned way more about religion than anything else. I wouldn't repeat that with my kids for anything.
I don't know much about homeschooling. It isn't something I would have done either. I like the idea of kids being out in the world. Sure, they can learn bad things but if they have a good base at home they'll be okay. That's my take, anyway.

luvstoquilt

My children went to public and private schools. Both my husband and I had careers so home school was not an option. We were college educated and were on top of their school and extra curricular interests. They all did well in school and are college grads and wonderful parents and partners with their spouses. One of my granddaughters announced in first grade she was not going back to school and was going to be home schooled. My sweet DIL told her she was going to be on that school bus. I personally think home schooled kids miss out on social skills.

Karamarie

It's a tough world out there and I feel kids need exposure to the good things as well as the not so good things. This is where the parents need to step up to the plate and educate them of what is or is not acceptable. Religious training is also very important. They will have to deal someday with the real world out there.

LynnBBQ

I grew up in the St Louis MO suburbs and very few kids were home schooled back in the 1980's. My brother and I went to the regular public schools from kindergarten through high school. Two brothers who were our same aprox. ages on our street were home schooled from kindergarten through at least 6th grade. Their mother was a hot mess, so their grandmother had custody and raised and home-schooled both of them. She was a retired teacher. I cannot attest to their actual education, but Wow - those two boys were not socialized at all. Their grandparents were super-strict and did not allow them to play with any other kids or go to anyone's house to play or for birthday parties, etc. and they were not in any kind of social groups at all. This had nothing to do with religion- as far as I know the family was not affiliated with any religion.

I think most parents who home school now are making an effort to join other groups and expose their kids to some social interaction. But these two boys are now in their mid to late 40's and are still awkward and just cannot relate to most people. They are not autistic or anything like that.... just not able to socialize like most people do. And I understand being shy or introverted because I am both, but that is not their situation. I think they crave any kind of human interaction they can get (because they missed out on so much as kids) that it sort of creeps people out.

I suppose if I was in an isolated rural area, or an area with a lot of school violence, or if my child had some kind of special needs, I might consider home schooling my child. But they are going to have to interact with the general public when they are adults so I think most kids would be better off just going to the local public schools.

bearisgray

A question/opinion -

How can a parent/guardian teach something he/she does not know ?

We hear about kids not having manners or morals?

If parents/guardians do not have them - or are not home because they are at work or wherever - how can a child learn these things?

Is it up to a teacher (non parent or guardian) to train the kids?

I think kids pick up a lot from their environments (home - daycare ) from a very young age.

Kids are being "home-schooled" when we hold up two fingers and ask "how many fingers am I holding up?" or "Do you want the green or the red balloon?"

Back to the original question that KalamaQuilts asked: The only "experience" I have had with home schooling is observing a group of girls that were learning sewing at a church in Florida being taught by a volunteer. The girls that wanted to learn made some awesome items. (I had heard that a dozen girls signed up, but only six were there when I started going to the sewing group.) The girls were brought to the church by their parents and picked up about 2.5 hours later. They each had their own sewing machine. All those girls have "graduated" now and no sewing class at the moment.

carolynjo

We have 6 relatives who were home-schooled. They have gone on to excel in college. One advantage they had, I think, was that everyone loved to read. If they lacked for someone who could teach them, they figured out how to remedy the situation.

deeleigh

We have no kids so don't know what I would have done but I do have a question.When I am out shopping I see a lot of kids with adults and wonder why they are not in school.My guess is they are home schooled. How are these kids educated if they are out? I know of home schooled that are very smart but may not be the case for some

Watson

The families I know of who are home-schooled do it because of religious reasons for the most part.

These children are going to grow up and have to leave their insular worlds and it is going to be a huge shock and disservice if parents home-school without preparing children to think for themselves rather than be taught not to think, but only to have a narrow view.

I think public education, for all its downfalls, gives a wider view of the world and parents can then guide their children towards what is morally and socially acceptable from all the information provided.

Watson