Dispelling myths about homeschooling

[leonie]

I have to say that as a Catholic mom with kids in Catholic school I am probably more freaky than these “myths” that homeschool mom’s are… I am one of those parents who has my nose in the situation at all times and wants to know what is on the book shelves at school… I must know at the beginning of the school year what classes will be taught and I opted my children out of “sex ed” which in our parish was just about when girls get their time of the month and when boys start to get hair under their arms, need to shower…etc… I find that my hubby has handled that situation so much easier with our sons and my daughter was more comfortable talking to me about her “time of the month” than having that talked about in school… my daughter said she would be horrified to talk about that in school

I’m sure that each time I show up at school or call they are rolling their eyes over my requests or questions… but they have always answered my questions and let me know in advance what movies will be showed in school, books read out loud to kids, etc. so I have the option in advance to opt my child out… I’m not kidding… I can be a real “crazy” but I think that is where parents can play a very important part in their childs education and parents need to “stick their noses in” these are my kids and I have the right to know everything that pertains to them and the school has never been anything but great with us… but I can just imagine what they think each time they see me coming down the hallway

Good for you!!! And, by the way, my dad used to say when he was teaching that he was more attentive to the kids whose parents kept in contact with him. I noticed that I did the same thing with the students I had when I was teaching.

 

[kamz]

Good for you!!! And, by the way, my dad used to say when he was teaching that he was more attentive to the kids whose parents kept in contact with him. I noticed that I did the same thing with the students I had when I was teaching.

thank you… sometimes I feel a little sheepish… when I have called for how many times in a day or stopped at the school how many times… I feel butterflies in my stomach but I just march in and say what I gotta say

 

[sunnyday]

This is not the truth at all. I am a teacher and attended a teacher training program which I found very valuable. Although there are courses on classroom management, in addition there are a variety of courses on curriculum and instruction (taught by professors who have doctorates in that field). I learned theory, teaching techniques, and curriculum which made me a more competent teacher.

My sister also has to attend such programs as she is a teacher also, interesting.

 

[leonie]

My sister also has to attend such programs as she is a teacher also, interesting.

I’m not trying to criticise teaching programs. Of course, they are geared to teaching groups–that’s what teachers do. In fact, it takes a lot of skill to manage a classroom. You have to try to adapt your technique to various learning styles, assess students as to knowledge, motivate kids who are in different places, communicate with parents and administration, record keep, etc. This is all in addtion to discipline issues that arise in group settings.

It’s really different teaching one on one than teaching groups. I believe that teacher training is very important for classroom teaching.

It is not necessary for homeschooling–which is one on one–tutoring.

That’s what I was trying to communicate.

 

[leonie]

I was viewing this video about a homeschool program we want to do this Fall. I thought it was a good intro to homeschooling

narhs.org/node/view/190

 

[gardenswithkids]

Myth: Parents don’t have any training.

Truth: Parents have lots of training. Training begins in their childhood, through their own family life and education. It intensifies into on-the-job training once their first child is born. They participate in their child’s learning to walk, talk and use the bathroom. By the time a child reaches 5 or 6, most parents are specialist of their particular child.

Parents interested in home education usually design their own research project into it. This research involves reading books and on-line forums ( greetings). It may involve personal interviews with homeschoolers and attending homeschooling conferences. Many send their child/children to formal schools, where they assist with projects and schoolwork under the direction of a classroom teacher for several years before they decide to home educate. Homework can help prepare parents for the rigors of home education.

If they begin homeschooling, parents usually take many more hours of “continuing education” through co-ops, books, articles, conferences, and on-line discussions of homeschooling. They usually find a network of other experienced homeschoolers to assist them in their work. They research and evaluate curriculum to fit their needs rather than having to settle for a “one-size-fits-all” education. They often receive additional, highly specialized training from other experts whom they consult with from time-to-time.

Rather than training how to educate *all *children, homeschooling parents train to educate their own children. Many good teachers go into the teaching profession because they love working with children. Parents don’t just love children in general; they love their children in particular. Homeschooling parents don’t need training to educate all children; they only need training to educate their own children–and they can aquire that training simply by being good parents.

 

[Vanessa]

but there are days where she will fight for hours on end and I just can’t allow her to “win” with me backing off. .

I’ve noticed that when my child really fights me about something, it’s because he doesn’t understand and he’d rather look disobedient than stupid. Since discovering it, I’ve noticed it with other children too.

So when your child is fighting you, consider that it might not be simple disobedience but severe emotional distress. Then the hard part begins because these children are experts at hiding their difficulty. Might I suggest looking at the one skill that you’re sure it is not.

And just because they managed to get the work done doesn’t mean that it didn’t take them 20 times the energy of most kids. It could be an eye problem, or a reading problem, or the work is too advanced (so the satellite school can brag about how advanced their work is), a food allergy that causes irritation or pain, etc. It takes a lot of energy to fight you, so the alternative - getting their work done - must be pretty bad.
My philosophy is it’s better to wait for the appropriate age and learn something in 15 minutes, than to spend a whole year spoon feeding, pushing and reinforcing. There’s always challenging material to stretch their brains, why make easy things hard on purpose?

 

[Vanessa]

Myth: Homeschooling is so easy anyone can do it.
Truth: It takes alot of prayer because if not, you can fail at it easily.

I disagree with this one. If your child has a learning disability, there’s a lot more work, but average kids learn pretty easily. Now kids taken out of school take a while to adjust, many recommend a decompression time of doing no formal schooling for maybe a year or more…

A friend, who is a hsing pioneer, recounts a mom who did nothing (from what she could tell) but great field trips with her kids. She worried that CPS would question her about this mom and what she would say. Luckily, they never did. But, after a few years, the mom decides to put her children in a private school. The schools’ placement tests ranked the kids a couple years above their age grade.

I have countless friends who knew their kids were failing, that they were a failure, and just felt awful. Then they tested their kids and found out they were way above average. :extrahappy: We’re pretty tough on ourselves when it comes to the welfare of our children.

But prayer is certainly needed at all times.

 

[drawnhome]

And just because they managed to get the work done doesn’t mean that it didn’t take them 20 times the energy of most kids. It could be an eye problem, or a reading problem, or the work is too advanced (so the satellite school can brag about how advanced their work is), a food allergy that causes irritation or pain, etc. It takes a lot of energy to fight you, so the alternative - getting their work done - must be pretty bad.
My philosophy is it’s better to wait for the appropriate age and learn something in 15 minutes, than to spend a whole year spoon feeding, pushing and reinforcing. There’s always challenging material to stretch their brains, why make easy things hard on purpose?

These are some great points, Vanessa. We were having struggles with the advanced curriculum, and once we relaxed the schedule, and then chose only certain aspects of the curriculum, things started going so much better. Interestingly, even at the high school level, the curriculum providers (Kolbe in our case) are very willing to help you change the program to suit your child’s strengths.

 

[leonie]

Myth: it’s expensive to homeschool

Truth: you can spend as little or as much as you choose

It is possible to homeschool with very little outlay. I have a friend who spends $200 total for her four school age kids. I spend more like $1000 for my four kids. I could see how you could very easily get by with a Math textbook and the library. In fact, I bet it would be a better education than using alot of workbooks.

Angelicum has a reading list on their website. Most of those books are available from the library.

angelicum.net/the_good_books_list.html

But, you can spend a lot, esp. if you do online classes or community college. We don’t do music lessons because of the cost, but a lot of homeschoolers do. We also don’t do many fieldtrips that cost money. There are a lot of them out there!

The internet also has lots of educational material available.

 

[gardenswithkids]

Myth: it’s expensive to homeschool

Truth: you can spend as little or as much as you choose.

Good point. Lots of people might also factor in the loss of a second salary, but even that doesn’t always “cost” as much as many think. Factoring in all the various expenses associated with a second income (higher tax bracket, afterschool care and summer day care being the highest, but all the price of work clothes, car costs and usual higher use of convenience foods, etc. should also be included.) Unless the second income is significantly above the average salary, it usually doesn’t add as much to the family’s “bottom line” as most people think. Those who do earn significantly above average usually also spend above average on their lifestyle choices.

People may still come to the conclusion that they want or need the second job and its income, but even there it doesn’t have to prohibit homeschooling. Some parents manage to homeschool while also holding paying jobs. If parents really want to homeschool but also want/need a paying job, they probably just need to think “outside the box” to make it happen.

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And about those music lessons: that was something we never managed to afford when we sent our children to private school. Now we can. I justify all kinds of expenses because when compared to the cost of private school, we still save money by homeschooling.

 

[CatholicSam]

Evidently it doesn’t take much to give your kids a better standard of education than they’d receive in state school!

I guess not! I’m glad to hear they’re reasonable about it, though! I’ve heard of states/countries requiring commercial fire sprinklers and safety exit signs in homes where homeschooling was going on–because it had to have the “same standards” as the public schools I don’t think the US has laws like that anymore, thank goodness!