If this home-school trend continues, we'll end up with adults who have learned we are each out for ourselves. If a system is not good enough, then leave it. If the education isn't good enough, don't take an active role to improve it — just quit. How can a home-schooled child have compassion for his community when he isn't part of it? And so, divided we fall.In some ways we are each out for ourselves. I'm sorry I don't believe in socialism. It has never worked for a reason. I don't mean that we shouldn't try to help others or contribute to society but I do think that we are all given different gifts and when we develop those gifts in the way we were each individually created to, we will not all get the same results.
Each person should be focused on developing his or her own gifts. It is a parents responsibility to actively assist their child in fulfilling their God given potential (not the parents own fantasy). If a parent chooses to do this by educating their child at home that is hardly something that could or should be viewed upon as quitting. On the contrary it is taking an active role quite literally. Not all of us are of the personality or inclination to make changes in government or even school systems. I personally am not gifted in that way. My energies are better spent educating my children at home while another parent may be better suited to taking on the PTA and making contributions to the school and community at large. My contributions at home also affect the community. I am raising children who are a part of our community whether or not they attend the same schools as the other community children. To say my child is not a part of the community and can have no compassion for the community because they do not attend a public school is laughable. Where is my child while the public school children are, in many cases, locked into the school building? Out in the community! Does our church not count as the community? Our neighborhood? The local businesses we frequent? The places we visit for field trips throughout the country? Don't misunderstand me. I don't believe homeschooling is the only way. It is a personal choice each parent must make and should have the option of making.
I find it interesting the author would characterize those that homeschool as having well-parented children and then infer that the children in the school system are not well-parented and need the influences of those that are. I certainly think that there are homeschooled children who are not as well parented as some traditionally schooled children and vice versa. My children are out in the world---on a daily basis. I know you see us. It's okay to be friends with the local homeschool Mom, even if your child is enrolled in traditional school.
We all want to protect our children from bad influences, but if we pull all the well-parented children from the schools, then we are making the gap bigger. We are making a mess of their future. Send your well-parented child out into the world as a good influence.
We are not making a mess of the world by instilling values, real world experiences and a focused individualized education on our children. Use our experiences and results to demand change in your school systems if you are unhappy, but don't ask us to deny our children an opportunity to be educated at home simply because you choose not to.
Hands-on parents can still be involved with their child's education as school volunteers. Help your child at home in areas where he needs improvement. Encourage him to help his classmates when they are struggling. Share your passion for education in the classroom, where it's needed most.There is now a segment of our homeschooling community that is doing just this. It's called co-schooling. You already have co-schoolers among you! Embrace them. Recognize that even if you put your kids on the school bus every morning, your job isn't done. You are still personally responsible for their education. Don't leave our underpaid school teachers with the bulk of your parental responsibilities---they have too many students and too few hours to do the job alone.
I submit that the real problem is the fact that we have a growing nation of parents who don't want to parent. They are under the mistaken assumption that since their tax dollars pay for public schooling, they have no further responsibility in this area.
They are wrong.
5 comments:
I think a major area of disconnect is that many people do not understand exactly what home schooling looks like in the modern day. They have an image of parents who keep their children at home and teach them, but do not allow/assist/encourage/help them to experience the world outside of their home. It is unfair for people to judge home schooling as a whole considering the process is carried out in a different manner by EACH family that chooses to do it.
Although it is different than public schooling and affords a different kind of schooling experience blanket statements and harsh judgments do nothing. It is good that you and many other home schooling parents are beginning to have blogs that spread information about what you are going. I would be interested to hear that woman's comments if she followed your blog and saw what your children are doing everyday.
WOW just WOW.
Yeah my homeschooled sons aren't making a positive impact on their community by participating in scouts & community clean up projects? WOW.
Great post.
Thank you so much for addressing this. I believe in such cases as this article, people are either uniformed, misinformed, or selfish in THEIR endeavors by attacking homeschoolers. To say that homeschooling is a selfish act is ridiculous and such the opposite is true. Homeschooling requires much selflessness and enduring of attacks from others.
Unfortunately, if people aren't willing to listen to the reality of how successful homeschooling is, not just for the student, but those he/she comes in contact with, they will continue to remain blind to it.
I pray whoever comes across this post will read it with open eyes and ears and hear what you have to say.
Thanks for sharing this article and your response. My boys were in public school for a short time (one for K, one for 1st/2nd) and we're now homeschooling for the long haul all three boys. I can understand some of her points, public schoolers must feel abandoned when very dedicated moms leave the school system because homeschool moms probably would be a great resource to the kids in the school. I get that. I come across frustrated moms of public school a lot. They must be scrambling for answers and maybe you're right, it's just easy to take it out on homeschoolers.
I volunteered in the public school for whatever I could. I loved the opportunity to serve in that way and be a blessing to many of the kids. But, OUR children are our first priority and they come first. When we left public school life, I definitely thought about those children--whose lives I wouldn't be a part of any longer. It was difficult, but I knew my decision was for my children and that had to be my focus.
Thank you again for your response, I whole heartedly agree!
I commend those of you who homeschool - you are doing an excellent job!
Our children attend an excellent public school and are doing very well, both academically and socially. I don't know where the author of that editorial was looking, but we live in a socio-economically diverse community, and our public school is full of bright, talented, well behaved children with loving, concientious parents who are actively involved in their children's education.
Also, to imply that our well-behaved children should attend a school to teach other children how to behave, or, as some Christians would say, to be "salt and light" and witness to other children, is ridiculous. Our children are too young to shoulder that responsibility (though our family tries to present a Christian example to non-believing families). We send them to their school to learn academics and how to get along with others - the teaching of proper behavior (as well as faith) should be done by the parents.
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