As I have mentioned in previous posts my husband and I are trying to start a family. We talk a lot about how we want to raise our children, but we have one major thing that we disagree on. That is school. I am a firm believer in homeschool. At least up until grade five. I have very good reasons for feeling this way.
No teacher was ever really stood out to me. In fact I do not remember liking any of them. Well, maybe one, but for the most part my entire elementary education was done by my father. I am very lucky to have a true genius for a father. This is not me just being proud of him he is truly that intelligent. He stared teaching me to read when I was very young and noticed that I had trouble. It was later determined that I had dyslexia. With his help and much practice I have for the most part overcome it. Though it is a challenge everyday I am proud to say that I LOVE to read because of all my dad did for me. None of my teachers ever seemed to notice this. Although they were quick to think I needed medication when I would daydream a bit. What they thought was me just not paying attention was really me just being bored and thinking up stories in my head.
Getting back to our disagreement about conventional school versus homeschool. My husband does have valid points about socializing and what not, but I believe that we can still do this without them attending elementary school. Now as far as highschool goes I am not sure that I have the level of education needed to teach them science and I would like for the children to have access to music programs.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I do not have much respect for the teaching profession. This is not true. I do have respect for teachers. I just believe that they need to quit complaining about not making enough money, because in my opinion they do make enough money. They also have wonderful benefits that most states do not make them pay for. Also they do not have to worry about working nights, weekends or holidays. Now I do realize that most teachers would say that they do work nights because they spend some of this time correcting papers or doing lesson plans. However, that is not the same as working an overnight shift. When they do these things they are in the comfort of their own home with their family. I have worked many second and third shifts on Christmas and Thanksgiving day. A teacher will never have to do that.
That kind of attitude is what makes me not want my children in school. I can remember teachers complaining among themselves about all of the previously mentioned things. Also I do come from a family that teaches. My mother was a Kindergarten teacher for 10 years. She hated it and quit, but part of the reason why she hated it was due to all of the complaining.
If anyone out there has any advice on homeschool please share with me!! If any teachers happen to read this please know that I do appreciate what you do. I just believe that there are many teachers who should appreciate the jobs that they have more than they do.
I agree with you on homeschooling being the way to go. However not because of the teachers issue, because honestly, I know nothing about that, never having been to public school.
ReplyDeleteWhat I dislike is that I have never truly seen any good come of going to public school.
While the majority of my friends are from our church and don't swear, they would readily admit that they barely even notice when people swear or speak crudely anymore because it's all around them and they hear it all the time. I hate that, I think it's terrible how numbing the public school experience is.
I find it hard to think of any redeeming factors for public school.
I've been homeschooled all my life and I think I'm doing fine. I'm not unsociable at all. :)
My family would get together with other homeschooling families and I made friends from there and from our church.
Also our homeschooling group would give us opportunities to take lessons such as gymnastics and ballet, we also got the opportunity to visit the airport and be taken up in a private plane.
Another thing I like about homeschooling is the lack of drama in my life. I've never been back stabbed by a friend or had rumours spread about me. I should think it would be exhausting to be in that system where such things are commonplace.
So there you have my biased opinion. :) I had one more thing to say but my little brother is watching Superman cartoons and I lost my train of though. Haha.
**Train of thought
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, I didn't realize my post was so long!
as a youth leader, I deal with public and home school kids. The homeschool kids are extremely sociable and get along better with their parents and are smarter academically! It is crazy but wonderful. They have loads of programs where they do lots of group activities with other home school kids and some have co-op groups where they hang out with other kids that are home schooled at least 3 times a week. Also they are more involved with music and sports with other kids too.
ReplyDeleteI plan on homeschooling my sons up through 8th grade only although in a way I fear I can only do through 5th grade, but I'm going to attempt to go through 8th grade. Then I'll ask them to choose between a protestant school or public school.
A lot of misconceptions occur about the social aspect of home schooling. I have about 9 friends that were home schooled and only one of them lacked a social life at all because her mom never bothered trying to get her involved and was a control freak in so many ways that the only way she could get away was when she ran away from home to live in a commune 12 hours from home when she was 23 (so old enough to decide for herself). So yeah. . .other than that one out of MANY home school situation, really I wouldn't worry too much since the parent was the fault there, not the child.
by the way, the families that have kids who are homeschooled are more functional and beautiful with how tight they are and interactive they are. I think I have taught about 20 homeschooled kids or more when some brind their friends with them. It is the reason i chose it for my own boys actually. Granted I know some families that are very close with each other who are public schooled too but hardly any in comparison. It is really sad. I asked so much advice from my friends who graduated from school being homeschooled forever (whom I had met in youth group when I was a kid!) and I asked a few moms I know who homeschool their kids currently (or had done so). It is a LOT of hard work though, for certain.
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