Whenever at a homeschool 'panel' or meeting, one can always expect certain questions. They become so standard that one has a good deal oftime to think of answers for the next time they are directed at oneself. Following is an attempt to give the questions I am most asked with the answer such a question is likely to prompt. Questions are phrased as they might be asked.
Do you think homeschooling removes the benefits of socialization?
Firstly, any question regarding socialization and homeschooling posed by a non-homeschooler is generally assuming that socialization in the public school environment is beneficial to children. There are several answers to this question:
1.When children are in the younger days, they have limbs and concentrations too weak to avoid their parents' example if poor, or to avoid influence from outside sources and become corrupted when in school and separated from good parents. From an early time, children will follow both their own inner necessity and will act as those they are around. Public schools extinguish a child's inner necessity.
2.As children progress into the 2-5th grades, their limbs and concentration develops. Bullies begin to show their qualities at this age in a more flagrant fashion. Without saying their are no good children in any particular public school, the proportion of bad outweighs the good by far. Children who act well because of loving parents begin to become stunted in spirit, begin to develop a dependence on society.
3.From grades 6-12, children begin to form gangs, with a very few continuing to try to avoid the gangs, study, and be neutral. Those who attempt to remain 'neutral' are constantly bullied, beaten, and harassed.
It is extremely important to understand that in the context of school gangs there is no 'neutral'. Unless one wants to be constantly hazed, one is either a member of the gang or one fights the gang. Once a fight is begun, it MUST be finished, completely, totally, absolutely. This generally involves the police, who may or may not be supportive of your efforts (what is a policeman supposed to think when you tell him that you pulled a knife/gun on someone because they were going to attack you?).
4.During and after high school children assume the identities they will possess for the rest of their life, assuming they do not at some later time make an active effort to change their attitudes. Even if they do attempt to change their attitudes, by this time they will probably have lost 10-20 years. Via experience
Children who are homeschooled are seen to generally be polite, discerning individuals. They are not often heard about because they do nothing of interest to the media, i.e., murder, robbery, drug abuse, etc. A common argument to homeschooling is the concept that lack of early socialization renders a child who is incapable of dealing with the world as an adult. Socialization means dealing with both good and bad, NOT with just good. Therefore, this argument is saying that a child should be exposed to both good and bad when young to 'learn how to deal with it', or, 'be a Man's. To illustrate the un-truth of this argument, consider a young child as a small pine tree seedling, barely a foot tall. If you were to come along barefoot and kick the seedling, you would break the seedling or at best mutilate it so it would grow into a crippled tree. Similarly, if you were to bluster a child with evil, you will damage the child. Back to the seedling; if he seedling is carefully protected, and brought up carefully, it will grow to a vigorous tree 2-3 feet in girth and able to stand up to the strongest winds. If you new come along barefoot and kick the tree you would break a toe. Similarly with a child.
2. Why do people choose to educate their children at home?
There are probably four major reasons why people choose to keep their children out of school:
1. Religious reasons -- people feel that schools do not address the spiritual issues and values that they want to convey to their children. In addition, schools do teach other ideas (e.g. evolution) that are at odds with their religious beliefs. There is also the fact that many faiths are look on with fear and those that hold those faith to their hearts are often the subject of abuse, by other students and in some cases the teachers and other adults as well.
2. Schools are bad for kids -- These people also want to shield their children from the harmful effects of school, but not necessarily due to their spiritual values. Often their children have tried school and have had bad experiences there. These parents have seen their children come home from school depressed, angry, feeling stupid. In earlier years, these same children used to be curious, energetic, and happy. Other times, parents don't even wait for school to have such deleterious effects. They never send their kids to school in the first place, knowing full well what will be in store for them.
3. Political beliefs -- Some people choose to homeschool because of their political beliefs, which tend toward libertarian or anarchist leanings. These people try to disengage themselves as far as they can from institutions of all kinds that encroach on their freedom. These families practice an ethic of self-reliance. They are frequently rural, back-to-the-land types, and frown not only upon schools, but also upon hospitals, prisons, the military, large corporations, and in general, most of the systems and institutions of industrial society.
4. Close Family -- Some people homeschool simply because they like their children too much to send them away on the school bus each weekday morning. They enjoy the company of their children and wouldn't dream of surrendering them over to some impersonal agency and deprive them of what they feel in a close, loving, nurturing atmosphere.
Note well, however, that these group are by no means distinct. There is considerable overlap among all four groups. There are also, to be sure, some major differences."
3. What is the difference between homeschooling and unschooling?
1. As I understand the way the Growing Without Schooling crowd uses the terms, unschooling refers more to the process of removing your child from school and overcoming the negative effects of the compulsory education process; homeschooling is the more general term referring to home-based learning. I'd love to come up with a better term than homeschooling, due to the implication that the child is spending all their time at home (see my comments on "socialization" below); but it's the best I've seen so far.
2. Unschooling requires a lot of faith in your child, that they will learn the things that are important for them to know despite not being ``forced'' to, that their seemingly patternless play is experimentation that will pay off in insight, and that they will stick to a subject through the ``hard parts''. Again, reflecting on one's own experience can help solidify this faith, as can reflecting on the behavior of one's own children.
4. What are the regulations for homeschooling in my state? How many days/hours are you required to teach? At what age is my child required to attend school?
The regulations differ from state to state. Contacting your Board of Education is the first place to begin There is no required or set number of hours required, however, enough that the child may pass any testing the state required in order to be considered "learining". In most states, the age is 5 as with any school child, some however, leave the decision up to the parent as long as the child "keeps up" with those of her age and grade level. Then of course you may use the following webpages to assist you as well.
http://www.home-ed-press.com/AHA/aha.html - American Home Schooling Association: A free service which provides information on Homeschooling.
http://www.nheri.org/ - National Home Education Research Institute: Provides statistics and research information on homeschooling
http://frontpage.inet-images.com/hsconnection/homeschoollaws.htm - Homeschool Laws: Lists requirements for all 50 states and international law as well.
http://www.worldvillage.com/ideabox/index.html - Early Child Education & Activity Resources: Ideas, articles and projects for homeschooling children.
http://www.midnightbeach.com/hs/ - Jon's Homeschooling Resource Page:
5. Where can I get textbooks for a relatively low cost?
The first place to go should always be your local, county, state or university library.
6. What about "socialization?"
I also usually mention that the socialization I think my child would get at school is not the kind I would choose for her myself. I don't mean that there are not any good children at public school. Of course that's not true. However, if your child is home then you can better control the outside influences on that child, particularly as a very young person-before their values can withstand peer pressure.
By their very nature, home schools do not provide for regular formal classroom contact with children other than siblings. Be- cause of this obvious difference, parents, educators, legisla- tors and courts have questioned whether children schooled at home are as socially well-adjusted as their age matters in traditional programs. Investigation of this possible difference was the focus of this study.
The results of this study imply that children between the ages of 8 and 10 (sample universe for the study) have similar beliefs about themselves regardless of how they are schooled. All age groups in both research populations had self-concept scores higher than the average national average as measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale.
The results of this study further indicate that children from both schooling environments participating in this study achieved scores on the Children's Assertive Behavior Scale revealing slightly passive understanding of social situations.
According to the results of this study, children between the ages of 8 and 10 who had been educated entirely in a home school had significantly fewer problem behaviors, as measured by the Direct Observation form of the "Child Behavior Checklist", than children of the same age from traditional schools. Children of this age in this study, who had been educated entirely in traditional schools, revealed problem behaviors above the normal range for national populations of the same age.
It can be concluded from the results of this study that appropriate social skills can develop apart from the formal contact with children other than siblings. This supports the belief held by homeschool proponents.
7. Do public schools have to help us in any way?
As I understand it, some homeschoolers are allowed to use new textbooks [from the public schools] if they are available, but they must leave a deposit on what the books are worth. I don't know how this will work with workbooks.
Also the superintendent of each school district is responsible for overseeing the education of children, whether in school or at home. In some towns (such as Detroit), this means that the superintendent will make many school services available to parents educating their own children. It could conceivably mean that some superintendents could give you trouble, though I haven't heard of any cases.
8. How will I know what my child is expected to accomplish for any given grade?
In each state there are scheduled testing time based on the circulium you turned in. With the laws changing to impose stricter limits on homeschooling, look to see liturature from your state contact. There will always be basics that your child MUST learn, then again there are ways of teaching these things, and then there are WAYS.
9. What is the first step in educating our children at home?
I would say the first step is to get to know your child. Though we see them everyday, sometimes we are not really aware of the person inside that little body and how things look to them. Learn HOW your child learns best. Then to read, read, read and see just what would fit into your life.
Then Write to your state to gather information on the law governing homeschooling. Requirements and testing as well.
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