Report: Homeschooling Growing Seven Times Faster than Public School Enrollment

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
I see stories like this and I have real mixed feelings. To those parents who have the intelligence, patience and natural God given talent to teach? I applaud them and hope more of them do take their kids out of public school.

It's the other kind who just THINK they have those traits who I think do far more harm to their kids than any positive thing gained. Those parents who think the TV or, these days, internet are perfectly good and wholesome babysitters, They scare me on this.

So Home Schooling is growing at a very high rate? Well, the half which have the good and loving parents make me feel real good about that. The losers who never should have been parents really make me wish there were ways to prevent this. In those latter cases, home schooling is an excuse to perpetuate ignorance and stunt their kid's growth in social skills outside the family itself.

Mixed feelings..indeed.

I agree with all of this. I am all for home schooling if the parents are ready to do it the right way. But some parents don't home school for the benefit of their children, but for their own benefit.

I've experienced two cases of parents doing it the wrong way. One was my aunt and uncle who decided to home school my cousin. Their reason for doing it was so she could babysit her baby brother and they wouldn't have to hire someone. She never did any work and often times her parents would just take her tests for her. After about 3-4 years of wasted education they threw her back in school. She didn't even graduate.

The second was my previous boss. She home schooled for religious purposes only. She didn't want her kids exposed to bad influences. That is all good and well except she never did the home schooling. She bought some books and they sat on a table unused because she said she didn't have the time to mess with it. She hired someone else to teach them but after not paying her for a month straight the woman quit. I was in my second year of college for elementary education so she decided to pay me to do it. She wanted me to come for two days a week for one hour at a time and teach 3 kids aged 4, 9, and 12. While that is hardly enough time to begin with, often times she would have them skip that day so they could go pick weeds from her garden or some random chore. She didn't value their education whatsoever. The 9 year old could just barely make out sight words. I ended up leaving after not begin paid for 2 months straight. I only stayed that long because I wanted to help the kids.

So, yes there are parents out there that have good intentions for home schooling and they do an excellent job. It is a great way for kids to get an education because it can be so customized to the child's needs. However, there are also so many parents out there doing it the WRONG way.

god i hate the school system the preach the lefty liberal ideas , my son used to come home with some crap the teachers rammed down his throut but lucky he listened & realized it didnt match up with real life so i taught him well yes the way to straighten out this country is one home schooled child @ a time

reply to post by smyleegrl


Yes! Sounds like the same kind of structure as a small business. Go to LegalZoom for licensing info.

Time to get back to the one-room school house again!

We're home schooling my son.

There were several reasons for this, mainly in that neither I nor his mother agreed with a lot of policies and rules that the schools have.

There are several levels of home schooling. The level that we are using is a virtual school that is online. My job as the parent is to make sure that our son is doing the work assigned to him, and to help him with it and make sure he understands the material.

At the same time, he is in a hassle free environment: no bullies, no teachers simply telling him to sit down when he complains that someone has done something to him, lunches are longer than 10 minutes, he receives one on one help.

However, it takes up a lot of your time, and if you are not willing to give your child or children that time, you should not even think about homeschooling.

Originally posted by eriktheawful


However, it takes up a lot of your time, and if you are not willing to give your child or children that time, you should not even think about homeschooling.

If someone is not willing to give their children that kind of time, they shouldn't be having children anyway.

I was homeschooling our youngest until recently when we chose a return to school as the best approach to taking GCSEs the UK age 16 exams. I am beginning to think that we made a mistake. Our child appears to have lost her creativity within a few weeks and said that she felt her 'brain had been removed' by going to school. The home education inspector commented that the problem with school is that it is so regimented that there is no real room for creativity and if we choose to we have 'permission' for another year of home schooling till the next inspection. Return to school proved that she was up to the standard she should be at for her age, but she was excelling way beyond her years at creative subjects such as art, writing etc. I am afraid that going to school may make her mediocre at everything instead of excelling at some things and I have made a mistake. I don't believe that exam passes are necessary as it is possible to take Open University courses from age 16 in the UK but did we do the right thing...........may haunt us for a while yet even though we can change our minds at any time. School is a dry and difficult environment to learn in with many bad influences as well as good.

Well this will finish off the USA as a superpower. You're going to get more and more badly-educated kids realising that being homeschooled has left them pathetically unable to compete in the real world that lies outside their parents misconceptions.

reply to post by AngryCymraeg

Sadly, it appears that State schools in the US and the UK are falling and failing at a worrying rate way behind what were once third world countries. The curriculums of both countries are less than second rate with half truths passing as education and critical thinking discouraged. Some of us remember what education was and fear for what it has become and what passes for education these days.

Originally posted by AngryCymraeg
Well this will finish off the USA as a superpower. You're going to get more and more badly-educated kids realising that being homeschooled has left them pathetically unable to compete in the real world that lies outside their parents misconceptions.

Are you in a teachers union? or do you work for the dept of education? The FACTS do not bear out your statement. The FACTS show just the opposite. Home-schooled kids are generally much better educated than their institutionalized brethren. Keep up your talking points though. If you lie often enough and big enough, maybe the sheeple will continue to believe you.

Sure, with current media reports leaking out, personal experiences with the school "system" itself, on top of a lack of jobs -- people (parents) have time on their hands.

Now they have the time (and in some cases make time) to be there for their children, and teach them like a responsible parent would.

In today's world, the government is teaching a lesson to parents: "teach your kids well, because we won't"

Originally posted by AngryCymraeg
Well this will finish off the USA as a superpower. You're going to get more and more badly-educated kids realising that being homeschooled has left them pathetically unable to compete in the real world that lies outside their parents misconceptions.

Yeah! And how in the hell are we going to indoctrinate the youth into being good users and drones if they are getting a better education away from the institutions that government has designed!

reply to post by smyleegrl


My niece does the home schooling thing. She once told me that it was the job that she most loved to hate. Or was that, the job she most hated to love. I'm sure you get the drift. She has eight to ten kids at any given time.

I know the paperwork to start out was a pain, but I also know she does love it overall.

I agree with Beezzer, maybe it is time to head back to the one-room classroom. They can all be Charter schools, with different curriculum as the student gets older.

Just my opinion, but I think we need more shop classes and FFA in school. One period of learning the trades is not that difficult.

Some Guidelines for home schooling.

Below are some examples which, while illustrative, are not intended as legal advice. Florida offers three legal approaches to homeschooling. The first approach allows the parent to establish and operate a home school with no specific attendance, subjects, or qualifications required. The primary requirements have to do with notification of the local superintendent, maintaining records, and a portfolio, and annual assessment by acceptable method or professionals. A second approach is to participate in a private homeschool corporation otherwise known as a cover school. These students are required to be in school for 180 days but do not have any of the other requirements of listed above. The third approach allows for the parents to hire a private tutor, where attendance of 180 days is required. Texas provides only one option: the family must establish a homeschool as a private school. Texas‟ other mandate is that the subjects of reading, spelling, grammar, math, and good citizenship must be taught. There is no testing, record keeping, notice, or other qualifications required. In California, the state funds charter schools. If you enroll in a “homeschool charter school” there is an advisor with money to assist homeschoolers in getting their materials and resources. The other alternative in California is for a family (or group of families) to set themselves up as a private school which is relatively simple. New York has strict guidelines including state administered testing and a specific list of subject matter to be taught.
To find out about your state requirements, you should first read the laws. Then, you need to find out about the interpretations of the laws. Be aware that many sources of “information” can be out of date or otherwise inaccurate. Also, in some states, there are different rules or interpretations by district. It‟s important to speak with local homeschoolers who can explain how it actually works. You might be interested to read how some of our members read and interpret the homeschooling laws for your particular state.
link1

The reasons for parents choosing to home school their children are wide ranging. They
include deeply held religious, political and philosophical convictions, dissatisfaction with the
school programme, concern over academic standards, avoiding peer pressure and
geographical isolation, amongst others. Research evidence from home schoolers in
Britain, has revealed the following reasons:

H over half related to school, such as ‘unhappy with current school education’, class
sizes too large’ and ‘bullying’.
H almost a third of reasons listed were child-centred; e.g. ‘we wanted to stimulate our
child’s learning’, ‘its the child’s choice’, ‘it meets our child’s needs
H one in five parents describe their motivation in terms of their beliefs, referring to their
‘ideology’, ‘lifestyle’, their faith and ‘the lack of morality in society’.
H some families adopted a more philosophical approach, often believing that the
present education system needed reform.
H close family relationship and being together and learning together
H freedom and flexibility to do what we want, when we want
H letting the children learn in their own style and develop naturally.
link2

One reason parents may choose to bring home a student starting high school is that the parents don’t feel their local school is safe. With the possibility of being introduced to drugs and alcohol, parents may choose to keep their children from those influences. They may also bring their child home because of the threat of violence on campus. These and other issues may cause a parent to pull their high school student out of school to homeschool.
If unhealthy influences aren’t an issue, some parents decide that high school is the right time to homeschool because of opportunities that arise. Some high school students are already in advanced classes, however if they homeschool, they may be able to attend some beginning college courses while still in high school.
Another possible reason for bringing a child home while they’re in high school is so they can participate in a work-study program. Whether they are interested in a work-study program, or an apprenticeship, public high school students may not be able to work these programs into their schedule. As a homeschool student, however, they have the ability to work ahead and therefore may be finished with high school courses which will free them to pursue an apprenticeship position.
link3

Originally posted by smyleegrl
reply to post by DarthMuerte

 

Okay, I'm seriously looking into this now. NC requires you to open a " non conventional school" if there's going to be more than two families involved. Here's a link to the requirements, in case anyone is interested. Looks like you have to get approved through home inspection, sanitation, etc. that's not a problem.

I need to crunch some numbers and see what's really feasible. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, so if anyone has some suggestions I'd love to hear them.

I am so tired of teaching in the public system. The incompetence, the government red tape, the apathy of some parents...I'm getting to the point that the bad outweighs the good. I've been considering a career change...maybe this would be the way to go.

Imagine....teaching kids in a small group setting. I could cover every subject, including art and music, within five and a half hours easy. This would be a dream come true.

Help me out, ATS...would you pay for a master's degree teacher to homeschool your kids?

Whoot!!!

Smyleegrl, here's what you do (I am SO glad to be able to contribute to this!)

My daughter* was homeschooled through a group called "Clonlara" at clonlara.org. It's an internet based K-12 system available to all 50 states and several foreign countries. I HIGHLY recommend them. They gave me all the help I needed without ever bothering me. You (the parents) pay them a certain amount of money every year to handle the interactions with your state Ed department, paperwork, etc, they send you educational lists, books to read, study materials, etc. You the parent grades the kids (give them good grades, it can mean scholarships later on. I'm not saying cheating, I'm saying make sure they know their basic materials). Clonara keeps the paperwork and sends out the credentialling material if there's ever an inquiry from colleges, jobs, etc.

Smyleegrl, you could get together a core group of kids in your neighborhood and help administer the Clonlara material along with everything available on line (every library in the world, free university courses! See Khan Academy for more of that...). You would also be providing supervision during parent working hours. $100 a week for this would be a bargain. Twenty bucks a day!!! You might get all preschoolers, Kindergarten students, it would vary. Make sure you and the parents agree on any 'touchy' subjects like politics, religion, sex ed, etc... your primary announcement material can refer to this so you find like minds.

Things you'd have time for in addition to 'R'R and 'rithmetic: teaching the children gardening (aquaponics!), letting them take home fresh veggies and fruit they've grown themselves, maybe other crafts; pottery, archery, animal care.. there's so much potential here.

If you're lacking space for this at your house, find out if there's a church nearby where you could make use of their facilities. Most churches have school rooms...

*My daughter had no trouble whatsoever entering college (I don't think they even realized 'Clonlara' wasn't a regular brick school) and she passed all the entrance exams with flying colors. She now has an Associates degree in Computer Animation, her first love, and a (slightly more practical) Bachelor's in Echocardiography. Good job with a future.

My main concern about home schooling is with the religious fundamentalists that are embracing this. Teaching your children that Jesus and dinosaurs were good buddies doesn't exactly prepare your kid for real life. And I can predict culture wars when those same kids eventually get on the internet and see the big wide world.

I understand that the US school system is an abomination on so many levels, I myself was raised and went to school in Germany.

I am a strong OPPONENT of home-schooling, since, from my own experiences and point of view, I learned LOTS when I went to school.

I would never, in a million years, want to miss the time basically from when I started with Kindergarten up to when I left school - I cannot image my childhood without all the friends and experiences I had growing up where (at least in Europe) school plays an important role.

I learned socializing, my first crushes in school, making friends and foes etc.

The school system I went through In Europe is very "Elite" compared to other countries, and I was more or less forced to struggle for many, many years with classes such as Latin - which I entirely hated and never understood why I needed it. But in hindsight, I am very thankful having learned so many things because I see it today how that knowledge still helps me today and as it seems makes me appear "smart" as I often get told by other people.

We also had, on occasion, very strict teachers...some of them were feared, others were cool and progressive etc...I have many memories TODAY still and I *know* that those teachers with their various and often unique/new views really helped shaping me in a positive way...also helping to get exposed to ideas/fields or spurring an interest in subjects where you didn't even know they existed.

People grow by interacting and learning with others. People grow by learning new ideas and different viewpoints on things.

A home school kid can NEVER grow in such a way because it is basically "locked away" from society, I am sorry but this is psychopaths in the making.

The other issue is that general education is already lacking, particular in the US. Short: I am sorry to say it, but people get more and more stupid with frightening pace. I don't think that homeschooling will help anything, in fact it will just contribute to that people get even more stupid than they already are.

I UNDERSTAND that the US school system CAN BE...horrible. As someone raised going to school somewhere else I see this. I would not want to be an "underprivileged" kid going to school in a major US city like NYC etc..let alone a "minority" who would be forced going to school with gang-bangers, drug dealers etc. in some areas. I was lucky not being raised like that.

Education is extremely, extremely important. Education is where everything else starts.

Education broadens your horizon. Because you learn to see things DIFFERENTLY than what "your mama" tells you

reply to post by DarthMuerte

Recent studies laud homeschoolers' academic success, noting their significantly higher ACT-Composite scores as high schoolers and higher grade point averages as college students. Yet surprisingly, the average expenditure for the education of a homeschooled child, per year, is $500 to $600, compared to an average expenditure of $10,000 per child, per year, for public school students.

Got any sources for these recent studies? Sounds interesting.

reply to post by flexy123


Many home schooled kids in the US go to both a community school AND are home schooled as well. There are benifits to both. I agree that the parents ego is a factor. I know one and the child is a box of rocks, and arrogent as well. (But so is her Mother)

Doing both will help the child learn both academic and social skills.

I think the key is for a parent to know when to be the teacher-parent and when to be the parent-teacher. It's a fine line.

I tried one year to home school my kids. I wasn't disciplined enough, and thought I could do my own curriculum, and sorta unschool/ loosely do the Charlotte Mason method... It didn't work out so well. Thankfully an affordable private school opened in my area the next year... but my kids still ask to homeschool all the time.
Ron Paul has a new homeschooling curriculum available this year. If I hadn't failed so miserably before , I would consider it. www.ronpaulcurriculum.com...
It is student led all online, so parents that work can still homeschool.

Originally posted by Phage
reply to post by DarthMuerte

 

Recent studies laud homeschoolers' academic success, noting their significantly higher ACT-Composite scores as high schoolers and higher grade point averages as college students. Yet surprisingly, the average expenditure for the education of a homeschooled child, per year, is $500 to $600, compared to an average expenditure of $10,000 per child, per year, for public school students.

Got any sources for these recent studies? Sounds interesting.

edit on 6/8/2013 by Phage because: (no reason given)

I'm curious as well, since most of us have to pay school taxes whether we have a kid in school or not. Maybe it's based upon a school populace.

Because if I had a choice, I would rather pay $500-$600 annually, than $10,000.00. That's just common sense.

reply to post by flexy123

That's not too nice claiming that home schooled children are 'psycopaths in the making'. Where do you get your evidence for such an outlandish claim?
My homeschooled child on returning to school is and was very social and after the first few weeks settling in has many friends and works hard but is missing home schooling very much. There are universities that prefer the HS child because of their better critical and independent thinking skills. A child at school is spoon fed thoughts and ideas and does not learn to self educate. Did you know that Albert Einstein never went to school and neither did many great explorers and adventurers? Look up famous home educated children. Agatha Christie never went to school.
Rather rude to claim these people could have had psycopathic tendencies.

Personally I too went to school and did very well. However, home schooling has taught me that I could have done better. All our other children are well schooled but I wish i had home schooled them at least for a period of time. I do 'teach' them and make them think by introducing them to new concepts and ideas and philosophy so that they do not know that I'm playing catch up with them.

But you are quite wrong about the negative aspects of home schooling. i think you'll find most of your 'crazies' go to state schools and not home school!