[quote]lucasa wrote:
on edge wrote:
Without any interaction with other children, a child probably would make a better adult, however, the childhood joys that a child should have would be seriously limited. I think finding a good balance is critical and I think, for many children, the balance of influence is tipped too heavily toward other children in a classic school environment.
While I agree ideas like “emotional intelligence” are drastically overrated, I think depriving yourself (or your children) of normal social interaction (normal being determined by the average) at any age is detrimental.
I’ve seen lots of kids grow up just fine being home schooled. I also see spelling bees and geography bees dominated by homeschoolees.
Are the ones who dominate spelling bees also getting into Harvard in droves or are we looking at very small numbers of very specialized actors and ascribing them collectively as superior? And I’m not saying homeschooling always mutates a kid’s social skills irreversibly forever (I don’t think anyone has), merely that if caution is not exercised homeschooling can quite easily be synonymous with brainwashing, much the same way it can be perceived that propaganda is rampant in schools.
BTW- It’s okay to use the word homeschool (and its conjugates). It’s real. “Homeschoolee” on the other hand…
I also know that home schooled kids get into Stanford and Harvard at a higher percentage rate than the rest of the population.
So, the majority of students at Harvard and Stanford are homeschooled? Nope. So, the majority of people who apply to these schools and get turned away aren’t qualified? Nope. So very many public HS generate too many candidates for Ivy League schools some of whom are less qualified than homeschool students? Yep. And this demonstrates homeschooling’s superiority or has bearing on social interaction because?
You’re missing my point entirely, I’m not against homeschooling, I’m not saying homeschooled kids can’t achieve. I’m more against attributing false statistics against a false cause because of emotional attachment (which you fling vicariously at others). Or throwing up tangentially relevant statistics in an effort to smokescreen the truth. Good parenting leads to smart kids. Lots of interaction with others leads to good social skills. Homeschooling inherently predisposes one, public schooling inherently predisposes the other, neither ensures both. And to absolutely deny or absolutely ascribe (which Mr. Ian did not do) is shinola of the purest form.
Choosing homeschooling is clearly not throwing caution to the wind. It clearly works out very well for a lot of kids.
Were you coming at this with eyes wide open you would know that that’s not what I (via Mr. Ian) said. Homeschooling isn’t throwing caution into the wind, but when homeschooling, it is wise not to throw caution into the wind.
You question if you were homeschooled by one parent while your other was a teacher forces me to admit that virtually everyone has come in contact with someone who has made a compelling (compassionate) argument against HS. So, I admit, I was making a safe categorization.
It’s public education, dimwit. Everyone is involved in one way or another. Everybody is going to know somebody who knows somebody. Just because somebody knows a schoolteacher doesn’t mean their opinion is biased or irrelevant. And once again, as nice as it is for you to be able to file people in neat little baskets and make diagnoses without really knowing anything, this is the internet, for all you know I was raised by wolves.
And I’d get off my ‘emotionally biased’ high horse. Like homeschoolers who spew false data and derogatory “statistics” at people without once considering that maybe it’s the parenting rather than the actual education that makes a difference are any less biased.
Here’s the funny thing, either you a) were homeschooled or homeschooled someone (Which means you’re a biased hypocrit guilty of the same BS that you’re “fighting against”) or b) were publicly schooled and do the same with your children. (In which case you’re a biased hypocrit guilty of the same BS you’re both “fighting against” and supporting.)[/quote]
Man, could you blow any harder? Could you be any angrier about this? As if I attached anyone one on this topic. I am simply defending the option of homeschooling.
Wrong on A and B. I went to school and I’ve never homeschooled anyone. My son is not school aged yet, but eventually you will be able to place me in neat little basket A.
Since it’s easy to provide social opportunities for children while homeschooling, there’s no reason why it can’t be a better option for those willing to do the work.