Homeschooling vs traditional schooling

[JDishnell]

Per the authority, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards:

You can find the webinar link here: https://nbpts.zoom.us/rec/play/7Jwq...f7bc0ca2960591e2c63a79d8a8fd&_x_zm_rhtaid=387 (relevant slide is at 21:07)

This supports what I've heard anecdotally, but these are the experts.

 

[TheReelEss]

My daughter goes to public high school and my wife is a teacher. My daughter gets through with her schoolwork in 4 hours max, when she actually has any. But she's a very self-motivated, studious kid. She got so caught up, she hasn't had any work this week. Their next assignments don't come out for a while. It shows how much of the regular school day is spent on non-educational or nonessential tasks.

 

[2013 SS]

We (well my wife) homeschooled my daughter for 12 years. We did it for the scheduling aspects as she was acting at 5 years of age. The acting thing never moved forward so we bailed on it around the 4th grade. It's just too much of a commitment , etc etc. Well we kept on with it right on through High School graduation. She's a freshman in college now and is able to work full time as a musician and maintains a respectable 3.5 gpa. No regrets homescholing although some homeschool families are complete nutjobs.....

 

[BobbyFoosball]

I think a lot of parents are going to figure out that it really wasn't "just that teacher".

 

[Rollerdude123]

My wife is a teacher too.

homeschooling is completely different, especially in this crises now. I’m working at home. My wife is working at home, my 3 children all have various school things going on. It’s hectic.

Yes, in this mess now school work should be kept down to allow the times mentioned in the chart above.

my wife is consistently getting 30-60 emails and texts a day now from her students because their 3-4 hours of work is at various times of the day. Some of her students get up and knock it out. Some start on their work in the middle of the afternoon. She has to be available for all of it.

But thankfully public school is much more than just the academic work. There are so many other activities to participate in and enjoy.

 

[Fearless Gamecock]

We (well my wife) homeschooled my daughter for 12 years. We did it for the scheduling aspects as she was acting at 5 years of age. The acting thing never moved forward so we bailed on it around the 4th grade. It's just too much of a commitment , etc etc. Well we kept on with it right on through High School graduation. She's a freshman in college now and is able to work full time as a musician and maintains a respectable 3.5 gpa. No regrets homescholing although some homeschool families are complete nutjobs.....

I was actually home-schooled from like the second grade through most of high-school. I took some classes at a local high-school as well during the summer. Honestly, academically speaking I was ahead of everyone, except for maybe in the more advanced mathematical concepts. I also did really well at USC, and I am almost finished with my masters degree at Texas A&M. That said, at least from my point of view, where you really lose out is social interaction and athletics. Sure, I had friends, but it wasn't the same. Many homeschoolers come out of that experience not understanding how to interact with the world; luckily I didn't have that issue (some of my friends did though). I also really loved to play baseball, and played in a rec league until I was 16 or 17. I was okay, but I think I would have had more of a chance to develop that ability at a school.

With anything though, it has its drawbacks. I do not think I will homeschool my kids, but I do not blame my parents for doing it. I was originally taken out of school, because I was in the second grade and could barely read. Some of the schools in SC are failing their kids horribly, which usually isn't the fault of the teacher. Funding is a major problem IMO.

What is funny now, is that we are all homeschoolers lol. Texas A&M has gone completely online for the rest of the semester. It's been interesting for sure.

 

[Gamecockben1979]

As a teacher I am trying to keep my e learning assignments at a minimum.

My logic:
1. Kids may be providing child care now
2. Parents may be facing unemployment
3. Someone at home may get coronavirus
4. Parents that are still working outside the home are working more than ever.

However I am limited by what the people above me “decide” should be the proper e learning material.

75% of this year was in the books anyway. Reality is most teachers with common sense knew what their students were going to be at this point.

 

[JDishnell]

I was actually home-schooled from like the second grade through most of high-school. I took some classes at a local high-school as well during the summer. Honestly, academically speaking I was ahead of everyone, except for maybe the more advanced mathematical concepts. I also did really well at USC, and I am almost finished with my masters degree at Texas A&M. That said, at least from my point of view, where you really lose out is social interaction and athletics. Sure, I had friends, but it wasn't the same. Many homeschoolers come out of that experience not understanding how to interact with the world; luckily I didn't have that issue (some of my friends did though).

With anything it has its drawbacks. I do not think I will homeschool my kids, but I do not blame my parents for doing it. I was originally taken out of school, because I was in the second grade and could barely read. Some of the schools in SC are failing their kids horribly, which usually isn't the fault of the teacher. Funding is a major problem IMO.

I can attest that home school kids are often advanced academically compared to their public school counterparts. Like anything, it's a matter of how well it's done. You can have a great homeschool or a crappy one. You can have a great public school or a crappy one. But homeschool kids typically outperform public school kids on standardized testing.

As you mention, the social interaction is a key factor though. Homeschool co-ops have addressed this somewhat. Also, some private schools I know of allow homeschool kids to participate on their sports teams. Certain public school districts allow this as well. Also, if the family attends church, there is opportunity for social interaction there as well. It takes a bit more effort than just dumping your kids off on the government for 8 hours a day, but it can be done.

Yeah, there are some parents who have no business homeschooling and you have some weirdos in homeschool. But you also have a boat load of public school teachers who have no business teaching and public schools are overflowing with weirdos.

 

[Gamecockben1979]

I can attest that home school kids are often advanced academically compared to their public school counterparts. Like anything, it's a matter of how well it's done. You can have a great homeschool or a crappy one. You can have a great public school or a crappy one. But homeschool kids typically outperform public school kids on standardized testing.

As you mention, the social interaction is a key factor though. Homeschool co-ops have addressed this somewhat. Also, some private schools I know of allow homeschool kids to participate on their sports teams. Certain public school districts allow this as well. Also, if the family attends church, there is opportunity for social interaction there as well. It takes a bit more effort than just dumping your kids off on the government for 8 hours a day, but it can be done.

Yeah, there are some parents who have no business homeschooling and you have some weirdos in homeschool. But you also have a boat load of public school teachers who have no business teaching and public schools are overflowing with weirdos.

#1 factor in either case is the parent. Show me a great homeschool kid and I’ll show you a great teacher at home. Show me a great public school kid and I’ll also show you great parenting at home.

 

[uscg1984]

Yeah, there are some parents who have no business homeschooling and you have some weirdos in homeschool. But you also have a boat load of public school teachers who have no business teaching and public schools are overflowing with weirdos.

I think this is the key. There is no one size fits all. What works for some doesn't work for others. I do believe that regardless of where your child goes to school, the parents, more than anybody else, will determine how well a child does in school. The best school in the world is no substitute for parents who take an interest in making sure their kids learn and develop. (and "learn and develop" is not limited purely to test scores)

 

[JDishnell]

#1 factor in either case is the parent. Show me a great homeschool kid and I’ll show you a great teacher at home. Show me a great public school kid and I’ll also show you great parenting at home.

I think this is the key. There is no one size fits all. What works for some doesn't work for others. I do believe that regardless of where your child goes to school, the parents, more than anybody else, will determine how well a child does in school. The best school in the world is no substitute for parents who take an interest in making sure their kids learn and develop. (and "learn and develop" is not limited purely to test scores)

I would generally agree, but you do have examples of kids who came out of some pretty crappy home environments and excelled academically due to the influence of a particularly great/caring teacher. Overall, though, yes, parents are key.

Reminds me of this story from a few years ago. A liberal professor from England argued that parents who read to their kids should feel guilty for giving their kids an advantage over kids whose parents don't read to them, or who just have crappy parents.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2015...fairly-disadvantaging-others-katherine-timpf/

 

[Gamecockben1979]

I would generally agree, but you do have examples of kids who came out of some pretty crappy home environments and excelled academically due to the influence of a particularly great/caring teacher.

This phrase right here is exactly why I teach. I rose from absolutely nothing to upper middle class. It was because of my education. I try to pound that point home to my students. Some could care less, others get it.

Education doesn’t guarantee success, but it’s a whole lot easier to navigate life with it than without it.

 

[uscg1984]

I would generally agree, but you do have examples of kids who came out of some pretty crappy home environments and excelled academically due to the influence of a particularly great/caring teacher. Overall, though, yes, parents are key.

Sure, there are always exceptions, but I'm approaching the discussion of home-schooling vs public/private schooling as a parent. For those kids from the crappy home environments you speak of, I assume this topic is never debated. But for those parents who thoughtfully debate this topic for their children, I'm guessing most of their kids will probably do well in either environment simply by virtue of having parents who care so much about their education.

 

[uscg1984]

This phrase right here is exactly why I teach. I rose from absolutely nothing to upper middle class. It was because of my education. I try to pound that point home to my students. Some could care less, others get it.

I am blessed to have had parents who took my education and personal development very seriously _and_ some inspiring/caring public school teachers along the way. I am very thankful for both.

Unfortunately, I do remember some teachers who were just going through the motions, but they were outnumbered by the good ones.

 

[2013 SS]

No issue with social interaction at all. She did some co-op classes and Tech School classes as well. She's not some straight-A scholar but is able to maintain her scholarships while having become somewhat of a local celebrity. I guess performing in public so much (aided by being homeschooled) helped her tremendously. Our case is probably a bit different but by doing it she was able to realize what she was capable of doing in LIFE, not on tests and exams. I mean since 2017 the kid has steadily been able to make $800-1000 a week playing music. Every week. Do the math. Wouldn't have been possible going to public school.

Just a different angle on the topic.

 

[winloseortie]

No happy hour public school