Top Ten Weaknesses in Homeschooling

[MathGeek]

Ten. Socialization – This is not as big an issue as home schooling opponents make it out to be. The lack of socialization opportunities afforded by regular attendance of brick and mortar schools was not a big hindrance to the life and ministries of Jesus or the Apostles Peter, James, and John. It did not impede the success of Abraham Lincoln or a long list of accomplished Americans including Ansel Adams, Susan B. Anthony, Louisa May Alcott, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Franklin Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Michelle Kwan, Tim Tebow, Woodrow Wilson, or Laura Ingalls Wilder. Reduced socialization did not obstruct accomplishments of Europeans including Queen Elizabeth II, Ernst Mach, Erwin Schrodinger, C.S. Lewis, and Wolfgang Motzart. Yet, it must be acknowledged that home schooled students in the 21st century have less opportunities to interact with peers than students at brick and mortar schools, and there is a concomitant risk of lower social development.
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[Smalls]

How is #2 a weakness? I'm confused on that.

Only one I disagree on is where you have #9. That could severely cripple a student later in life if he has inadequate knowledge in a certain area. That may not apply to you, but that's not to say someone else that is weak in math or English should be teaching their children Trigonometry or how to write a well constructed thesis statement.

I also find it slightly ridiculous to use Jesus, Peter, James, and John as examples of people who were not hindered by the "lack of socialization opportunities". You're going to compare the society of today to that of 2 millennia ago? It's completely different.

Also, Theodore Roosevelt is a rather special case, considering his family chose to home school him for medical reasons, and because they could do it; the Roosevelts were a very wealthy family. He was also an exceptionally bright child.

[seachaser250]

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by Smalls

How is #2 a weakness? I'm confused on that.

Two. No Immunizations Required – Most American school children have their immunizations checked and completed about the time they enroll in school.


You can think of home schooling as a loophole in the immunization requirements of most states. My wife and I have reviewed volumes of data and evidence and concluded that children are better off being immunized against the common childhood diseases for which immunizations are safe and readily available.

Originally Posted by Smalls

Only one I disagree on is where you have #9. That could severely cripple a student later in life if he has inadequate knowledge in a certain area. That may not apply to you, but that's not to say someone else that is weak in math or English hould be teaching their children Trigonometry or how to write a well constructed thesis statement.

The common misperception here is that homeschooling parents need to or actually serve as the primary instructor for all classes and courses. Through middle and high school, most homeschooling parents outsource an increasing amount of coursework to options that are more qualified than they are, especially in math, science, and foreign languages. Of the 24 high school credits needed to graduate, our own children will average about 14 credits earned in a setting taught by a source other than a homeschooling parent.

I am planning for articles in the coming weeks describing some of the best available resources in math and science for homeschooling parents to outsource those courses. Of course, parents of public and private school students may also consider whether some of these options are better than the choices may be a better match for their children than the options at their local schools.

Originally Posted by Smalls

I also find it slightly ridiculous to use Jesus, Peter, James, and John as examples of people who were not hindered by the "lack of socialization opportunities". You're going to compare the society of today to that of 2 millennia ago? It's completely different.

That's a fine opinion. It's up to each parent to consider the relative value of socialization and academic rigor as it pertains to their own children and the brick and mortar schools available in their own district.

Peter and John ended up travelling widely in the Roman world and needing to communicate the gospel to more languages and cultures than will likely ever be encountered by the average Louisiana public school graduate.

Originally Posted by Smalls

Also, Theodore Roosevelt is a rather special case, considering his family chose to home school him for medical reasons, and because they could do it; the Roosevelts were a very wealthy family. He was also an exceptionally bright child.

Sure. But given the available resources of today, a family need not be wealthy to provide a very high quality home school education to their children. Even outsourcing the majority of our children's coursework, we are spending a small fraction of what Louisiana parents invest in their children's private school education or what taxpayers are paying for each student's public education. We are averaging less than $2k per year per child, and most of that is related to their science projects which are a great experience, but definitely an elective expense.

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by MathGeek

Two. No Immunizations Required – Most American school children have their immunizations checked and completed about the time they enroll in school.


You can think of home schooling as a loophole in the immunization requirements of most states. My wife and I have reviewed volumes of data and evidence and concluded that children are better off being immunized against the common childhood diseases for which immunizations are safe and readily available.

This makes more sense now. I see your point, and agree with you on this one.

Originally Posted by MathGeek

The common misperception here is that homeschooling parents need to or actually serve as the primary instructor for all classes and courses. Through middle and high school, most homeschooling parents outsource an increasing amount of coursework to options that are more qualified than they are, especially in math, science, and foreign languages. Of the 24 high school credits needed to graduate, our own children will average about 14 credits earned in a setting taught by a source other than a homeschooling parent.

I am planning for articles in the coming weeks describing some of the best available resources in math and science for homeschooling parents to outsource those courses. Of course, parents of public and private school students may also consider whether some of these options are better than the choices may be a better match for their children than the options at their local schools.

That's all fine and dandy, but I'm sure those options cost money. What if a parent that thinks, as you do, that the public system isn't adequate, but they don't have the money to send their child to private school, and choose to home school instead? That child is likely to be inadequately educated in the same areas that the parent is inadequately educated or weak because the parent cannot afford to take advantage of those other options.

Originally Posted by MathGeek

That's a fine opinion. It's up to each parent to consider the relative value of socialization and academic rigor as it pertains to their own children and the brick and mortar schools available in their own district.

Peter and John ended up travelling widely in the Roman world and needing to communicate the gospel to more languages and cultures than will likely ever be encountered by the average Louisiana public school graduate.

All you've done is confuse me more on this point, and make your initial point even more pointless. It further proves my point that society was different 2000 years ago when Peter and John were traveling and had to "communicate the gospel to more languages and cultures than will likely ever be encountered by the average Louisiana public school graduate."

How does their evangelization relate to the life of a home school student in 2016? What home school student is traveling to "communicate the gospel" and has to know many different languages to do so?

It's an irrelevant comparison because it has no commonality. Was there even a choice between brick and mortar schools and home schooling 2000 years ago? How do we know what education the apostles had? Was the education system the same as it is today?

Originally Posted by MathGeek

Sure. But given the available resources of today, a family need not be wealthy to provide a very high quality home school education to their children. Even outsourcing the majority of our children's coursework, we are spending a small fraction of what Louisiana parents invest in their children's private school education or what taxpayers are paying for each student's public education. We are averaging less than $2k per year per child, and most of that is related to their science projects which are a great experience, but definitely an elective expense.

Cost was not really my point. The decision of Roosevelt's parents was not made even majorly because of their ability to home school him. He was a very sickly child, and home schooling was the best option. The fact that they were wealthy just made that decision easier.

The decision for Roosevelt to be home schooled was obviously different from the decision for Tim Tebow to be home schooled. Tebow was an exceptional athlete; health was not a problem. In fact, the Tebows' decision to home school was based on the desire to instill Christian values in their children.

My point is, just because a few famous people were home schooled doesn't mean anything. Each person makes that choice for a different reason. They didn't become famous or successful solely because they were home schooled. That is purely anecdotal evidence for why home schooling is successful, but there is no way to prove that they became who they were because of home schooling.

No doubt, they are good examples of home school successes, but I feel we are going to have to agree to disagree as to the significance of home schooling to who these people were. I mean, let's face it, Tebow's fame has little to do with him being home schooled. He was a Heisman Trophy winning Quarterback and 2-time National Champion at the University of Florida. None of that had anything to do with his home schooling, because he wasn't taught how to be a great QB in home school. Hell, he played at a public school.

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by Smalls

My point is, just because a few famous people were home schooled doesn't mean anything. Each person makes that choice for a different reason. They didn't become famous or successful solely because they were home schooled. That is purely anecdotal evidence for why home schooling is successful, but there is no way to prove that they became who they were because of home schooling.

I wasn't claiming that home schooling was a cause of success, only that the lack of socialization in a home schooling environment did not hinder success. A small number of counter examples is adequate to disprove the often heard claim that home schoolers will be hampered by their lack of socialization.

Home school students can have plenty of socialization opportunities without spending 30-40 hours per week in a public school.

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by MathGeek

I wasn't claiming that home schooling was a cause of success, only that the lack of socialization in a home schooling environment did not hinder success. A small number of counter examples is adequate to disprove the often heard claim that home schoolers will be hampered by their lack of socialization.

Home school students can have plenty of socialization opportunities without spending 30-40 hours per week in a public school.

So even if someone could point out countless more examples of home schooled students with inadequate social skills, that does not matter?

I went to college with a kid that was home schooled. Some called him "Captain Awkward" because the kid had no social skills. I know a whole family that has been home schooled; nice kids, but some of them lack the ability to function in social settings.

I'm not saying your point about those people is wrong, but find some examples from our current society other than Tebow. The Roosevelts and those others you listed all come from a different society, a different time in our country.

For what it is worth, my wife and I have this very discussion all the time as it pertains to our future children. We have made no decision yet, but given that both of us attended public school and were home schooled, and I attended private school as well, we are considering all options.

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[jpd0144]

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[BassYakR]

Originally Posted by jpd0144

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I agree with this statement...

[swampman46]

Originally Posted by jpd0144

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X2

[jpd0144]

Originally Posted by jpd0144

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I'll try and insert it again here ...

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by jpd0144

I'll try and insert it again here ...

I'm not really trying to convince anyone, just putting information and viewpoints out there for discussion.

Back in the 1990s I had a fairly negative view of home schooling, similar to the negative views expressed by many here.

My view began to change in 2002 when I took my first faculty job and saw the difference first hand between college students prepared by the public schools and college students prepared by home schooling. My view matured through a series of faculty jobs and family experiences in the public schools which made me painfully aware of how bad public education had really become since I was a student in the 1980s. Some of my faculty experiences are described here:

https://biblicaltheologyofscience.wo...y-of-academia/

Just as I was unconvinced by homeschooling proponents in the 1990s, but later became convinced by things my family experienced first hand, I expect many readers won't be convinced until they begin to see the failures of the present educational system first hand. But when you do, you will have a better context and understand your options better having heard the experiences and viewpoints of a home school proponent.

[Goooh]

Originally Posted by MathGeek

I'm not really trying to convince anyone, just putting information and viewpoints out there for discussion.



Back in the 1990s I had a fairly negative view of home schooling, similar to the negative views expressed by many here.



My view began to change in 2002 when I took my first faculty job and saw the difference first hand between college students prepared by the public schools and college students prepared by home schooling. My view matured through a series of faculty jobs and family experiences in the public schools which made me painfully aware of how bad public education had really become since I was a student in the 1980s. Some of my faculty experiences are described here:



https://biblicaltheologyofscience.wo...y-of-academia/



Just as I was unconvinced by homeschooling proponents in the 1990s, but later became convinced by things my family experienced first hand, I expect many readers won't be convinced until they begin to see the failures of the present educational system first hand. But when you do, you will have a better context and understand your options better having heard the experiences and viewpoints of a home school proponent.

Perfect, only when people who disagree are enlightened will they agree and obtain full self righteousness.

We now know that once we are as smart as you we will be accepted and on the right path, anointed one...

[seachaser250]

Originally Posted by jpd0144

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again.

[B-Stealth]

Ok I'll take on #1

Soooooo your saying that homeschooling will lower the tax burden?
Lol, get in line behind sever thousand parents who pay for private education before you try that move.

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by B-Stealth

Ok I'll take on #1

Soooooo your saying that homeschooling will lower the tax burden?
Lol, get in line behind sever thousand parents who pay for private education before you try that move.

Sure, both private schooling and home schooling lower the tax burden by reducing the total amount that the taxpayers need to contribute to public education. Private schooling, however, is very heavily regulated in Louisiana by the Dept of Education, required standardized testing, and government programs.

[jpeff31787]

i liked this site better when all we talked about was fishing.

[bobo23]

Originally Posted by jpeff31787

i liked this site better when all we talked about was fishing.

Boom!

[swampman46]

...and I thought all this was covered already.

["W"]

#1 reason not to home school

Vacation from kids for few hours a day