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- Because I pay a couple of hundred dollars in property taxes every year to pay for the local school system.
- To adequately home school and teach a child something requires an ability to pay for and/or access books and resources I'm already paying for through my property taxes for the low, low price of a couple of hundred dollars a year (plus never ending fundraisers.) That Bunsen burner in Tuba Girl's science class is already paid for.
- Because I want my children to walk away from a childhood of education with an accredited diploma. Not a diploma that will require earning a GED and then being forced to start off in a two-year college or a technical college if they wanted to go to a four-year university. I'm sure there are accredited home school programs out there and I'm just as sure I cannot afford them.
- Because my local school system does not integrate home schooled children into their extracurricular activities. Without public school, Tuba Girl simply would not be Tuba Girl. She'd be Stay at the House Girl.
- Because I want my children to meet other little heathen children and learn to socialize outside of their comfort zone.
- Because I want my children to be able to qualify for the HOPE Scholarship their first year in college, not later on down the road.
- I love my children very much, but if they don't get the hell up out of my face for some amount of time, mommy is going to have a nervous breakdown.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Why I public school
Posted by KAR at 10:33 AM
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12 comments:
I love that this popped up next to differing opinion in my google reader :) I'm glad something brought you back to blogging. Merry Christmas!
Bravo.
I homeschooled my oldest when he was sick, but ended up having him go to a tutor for home bound kids. It was too hard, and I'm a teacher!It is much easier to teach someone elses kids than your own. And patience is a very hard learned virtue.
Merry Christmas!
"Because I want my children to walk away from a childhood of education with an accredited diploma. Not a diploma that will require earning a GED and then being forced to start off in a two-year college or a technical college if they wanted to go to a four-year university. I'm sure there are accredited home school programs out there and I'm just as sure I cannot afford them."
Just wanted to point out that my siblings and I were homeschooled our whole lives and both my older brothers got full scholarships to four year universities right out of high school. (I went a different route by choice) Pretty much all colleges nowadays accept high school diplomas from home schools, and GEDs are no longer required. Just wanted to add my 2 cents... Your family seems to be doing well the way you are doing things, so keep up the good work.
Amen, KAR! :) When I taught, I taught only three different classes (taught some more than once per day). I spent 3 hours or more per night preparing.
When you homeschool, you teach every subject to multiple ages/grade levels. How in the world would you have time to adequately prepare lessons on 3 novels, 3 separate science projects, etc?
I admire your restraint in not commenting on that other blog :-)!
I had to refrain, too. Public school is right for my child b/c it's where he can learn to get along with *all different kinds of people*. Because that's what the real world is like. Some of my best friends homeschool their kids and that's what's right for them. It's a good thing that people don't have to really decide what to do with other people's children!
Glad you're back to blogging!
Here's my #1 reason for never considering it: While I consider myself to be pretty darn bright, and good at a fair number of things, I'm not an expert in everything. And when my kid learns chemistry, I'd rather he learn from someone - oh, I don't know - well-versed in chemistry. Maybe even someone with a degree.
But I'm kooky like that.
As always, I enjoy your commentary -- especially in contrast to your sister blog! But I do have to say, as someone who was homeschooled (and not with an accredited system), I had no issue being accepted to a well-known private university... with a full scholarship, no less.
However, there are many, many valid reasons NOT to choose homeschooling. The concern about an accredited diploma is just not one of them.
I have been back and forth on both sides, both homeschooling my kids and having them in public school. Everyone has to do what is right for their family. I think for me, the most important thing was recognizing when what I was doing was no longer working, and finding an alternative. It drives me crazy when people are so dead set that their way is the only way that they fail to do what is right for their kid. That can go for homeschoolers or those who use public school.
School works for you, and it sounds like your kids are doing well with it. I admire the fact that you have posted on my blog and keep an open mind :)
Hi! I found your blog on "under1000permonth".
I see your points about not wanting to homeschool.
I was homeschooled for 9th grade and received my diploma from an accredited high school after 11th grade (having received 2 times the required credits for graduation). If I'm not mistaken, it costs 200 dollars a year. I don't know if public school costs you a cent in your area. In my country, even public schools have book fees, supply fees, class fees, etc... and it ends up costing about 200 dollars a year anyhow...
As for textbooks homeschooling... growing up in the US, in my school district, homeschooled kids had access to public school supplies- we were able to get text books on loan, etc...
In my opinion, the most valid reason is "I need my kids out of my face". Kids only benefit from being homeschooled if their parents actually enjoy having their kids around. If parents resent their kids' constant presence, its definitely not beneficial for them to be homeschooled.
www.PennilessParenting.com
In terms of the accredited school/university issue, I guess I could not be thinking widely enough there. I was only thinking of public universities in this state when I made that comment.
Everything else is dead on for me in my community, though.
Jen, I applaud people who homeschool, especially chicks like you from SM, who put a LOT of work into your efforts and don't go off on unhinged weirdness. It's not something I have the presence of mind or the organizational skills to do between three different children of widely varying ages.
That, and they have to get the hell up out of my face for some part of the day. LMAO
Amen to that. Hell, I have a masters degree in education but there is no way I would want to homeschool my kids. There are days I look at the blogs of the homeschooling mamas and think that looks lovely. That's before my 4 yo wakes up and I remember yeah this is the year she goes to school.
First time visit but funny blog you have here.
Dear KAR - I discovered your blog literally two and a half minutes ago. I just needed you to know that #7 on your list made my day. :o)
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