Homeschooling

Krista - posted on 11/28/2010

Sharon has a point -- if you put your kid in a public school, and found out that the teacher did not know the difference between "there", "their" and "they're", or if she thought that "suing" was spelled "sewing", or that "paid" was spelled "payed"...would YOU want that teacher teaching your child?

I wouldn't.

Sharon - posted on 11/28/2010

The fact is, most parents are VERY capable of teaching there children from home.

I feel sorry for teachers in there current situation,

Seriously? You never managed to grasp the simple "they are" versus "over there" concept but you're better able to teach your kids how to suceed in this world?

I truely despair for the future. I really do.

Public schools were never meant to be the be all and end all of education. However, the strongly ignorant among us insist that the public school system is failing our kids. In some places I'm sure it is. In others, the schools are hampered by the "not my kid" issue. "MY kid did not mouth off to the teacher." "My kid did not bully that student." "My kid deserves a second chance to turn his homework in because we all know life is like that. You have innumerable chances to make things right in the work place and in college."

LMFAO!!! BAWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! omfg... people just kill me, they really do. There is this twist I get when I read crap like this. People who can't spell, can't use grammar, have ridiculous ideas of what public education is responsible for.....

"I" take my kids to the zoo. "I" take my kids to the botanical gardens. "I" take my kids on nature hikes. "I" spank my kids. "I" give my kids morals. "I" fight for my kids when they need it, until then they fight for themselves.

"YOU" need to wake up and face the facts that until you can grasp the simple things in education, the deeper things will not matter. "smelling the roses" versus being able to write... rotfl....

Amanda - posted on 11/28/2010

Terri- Lee - you hit every major point. Fantastic post.

Amanda - posted on 11/28/2010

I don't think they should have to get an A to pass. Other kids can get a C or D and it's still considered a pass. Also - many schools are FAILING our children. Their "educators" SUCK at teaching. It's an epidemic. I am hoping that this will change so we can provide our children with the best possible education.

Some kids are homeschooled so they can learn more in a particular language. I know people who homeschool because they want their children to learn in French, and the French schools in our area SUCK and got failing grades. Why in the world would you put your child in a school to learn French when the teachers barely even know how to speak it?

homeschooling is not just about avoiding exposure - it's also about doing what is BEST for your child.

Chatty - posted on 11/28/2010

Bwahahaha! Great way to start my Sunday morning. A good chuckle...

Terri-lee - posted on 11/28/2010

oh and where im from, homeschooling IS monitored. every 6 months an assessor comes to test your childs progress. if they are behind they are given time to catch up, if they continue to not be reaching the same standard as regular schooled kids, they have to go to school. but ive met a few assessors, and all of them say they have never once met a child who was behind. infact 80% of them are leaps and bounds ahead of regular schools both socially and intellectually. so they must be doing something right.

Terri-lee - posted on 11/28/2010

You do not have to be an A grade student to homeschool your kids. The fact is, most parents are VERY capable of teaching there children from home. seeing as there are literally thousands upon thousands of available curriculums, activities, homeschool support lines/sites and groups. Along with tutors who only work with homeschooled children. I will be homeschooling my children. i passed year 12 but never went to university but i believe I am more capable of teaching my children keys for life than any teacher is. Firstly. My children will have my undivided attention and will be able to ask any and all questions about all topics. In a school environment, not only does a teacher have at LEAST 20 kids to deal with at once and therefore cannot possibly put in the time and effort into each child, they also are bound by rules and regulations. they can simply tell a child to "sit down and listen" and they could get sewed for discrimination. its ridiculous. I feel sorry for teachers in there current situation, but my pity does not reach as far as destroying my childrens chances of excellence of education. Not only is the one on one aspect brilliant, but children are able to learn more flexibly. instead of being stuck in a classroom reading a book with pictures of flowers on it... they can go with there parent to visit a garden nursery or a park and actually study the flowers in real life, full colour. they can smell and feel them, talk about them and learn far more in a shorter amount of time. it goes for almost any subject in any area of learning. there is alot more practical opportunities for the homeschooled child. In areas where a parent may very well be inadequate, there are, as stated, tutors that can be payed. I myself am absolutely terrible at mathematics. I know I would not be able to teach my children maths past the 4th grade. Therefore, i would pay a tutor to come every week and give adequate lessons. Plus, children also have aunties who can teach foreign languages, uncles who can teach science, grandmas who can teach sewing and so on. You can get others involved in your education if others are willing and still be the main educator.

also, the social aspect of public or even private schooling. Its getting worse and worse. unfortunately, no matter how good a parent you are, there are bad parents out there who dont care for there kids, let there kids do whatever they want, however they want, whenever they want and teach them bad morals, bad manners and bad ways to deal with emotions, and guess what? if your kid is in school, they will spend more time with those kinds of kids than they will with you and your good influence. enter the teen years. no thanks. Its not about "indoctrinating" your children, it is about giving them the greatest quality of life and greatest education possible. if sending them to school is what a parent feels is best, then good on them for knowing what to do and going ahead and doing it. but that gives no right for us to discriminate against homeschoolers who have obviously come to the decision with there childrens best interests at heart.

a note about religion, i am a Christian, and will be raising and teaching my kids on Christian principals, but in saying that, as a homeschooling parent, i will be teaching my kids about religions of the world. thats another great thing about homeschooling. while public schools get virtually ZERO religious education and private schools get exclusively ONE type of religious education. a homeschooler can encourage a child in their preference of religion, but also present other ways of life to the child. this is the same for culture also. knowing about how others live. It actually teaches them more open mindedness and understanding of how everyone is different. its a good thing.

Its not about a kid being exposed to ideas that are different to mine, its about a kid being denied of a FULL education... and where i live, no school i know gives a full education. and its not there fault, there are many factors included. but i am able to give my child a wonderful, adventurous, explorative, vast, detailed education from home, so why on earth not do it?

and for any concerned about a child being socially neglected as a homeschooled kid, it is not a worry for those who make an effort. there are thousands of homeschooling families who get together on a regular basis for children to interact and play and make friends. there are online sites that have activities, dates and times for get togethers, and even classes like surfing, basketball and dancing. so homeschool kids can not only learn these things, but have friends and interaction along the way.

I am 100% supportive of homeschooling parents.
but i dont condemn those who send there kids to normal schools either. some people dont have the option. others dont have the confidence to do homeschooling, others, dont find it the better option for there family and thats fine. But homeschoolers, if there motives are right, deserve the same respect for there decisions.

Tara - posted on 11/28/2010

YES YES YES!!!

Thank you Fiona, the word teaching means so many different things.
I teach differently than a school teacher would but my children still learn.
I also ensure they receive a varied and broad education. That is my job. I am a facilitator. :)

Krista - posted on 11/28/2010

Fiona wins the thread -- everything she just said is 100% perfect.

And it's true -- you can have a large amount of leeway in HOW your child learns, but you do owe it to your child to give them as broad an education as possible. If they learn fractions the "traditional" way, or by helping their grandfather build cabinetry, that's not important, as long as the learning takes place.

Stifler's - posted on 11/28/2010

To be honest, I've only known a few homeschooled kids and they went to high school at a normal school. They WERE great students because their mum was dedicated to home schooling. I believe in Aus you have a curriculum and have to send your work away to be evaluated and stuff.

However, I still don't think everyone should have the right to home school just because they believe their child is exempt from formal education unless they are trained or checked up on by the Dept of Education to make sure the kids are receiving up to date and unbiased education, in every country. We have the right to be educated properly. Your kid WILL have to go into the work force and do what the man says one day. I'm using myself as an example here... I'm not the right person to teach my kid anything. I'm university educated but I did not go to uni and learn to help children learn how to learn. I went to learn about nursing, it's been 15 years or more since I was a primary school child learning my ABCs and times tables and learning all the techniques to help retain the information.

Stifler's - posted on 11/28/2010

Ohh no I am not getting email notifications (damn CoM)... so I have to read through 14 pages to find out what people are arguing about *dies*

Tah - posted on 11/28/2010

wow..what happened since i went to sleep..i almost don't wanna go to work...almost makes me want to take my husband up on being a sahm so i don't miss anything....almost...rotflmboo....happy debating ladies..it's good to be back..

Charlie - posted on 11/27/2010

Fiona said ; I do think it is possible to allow a child to be self-directed in their learning and still provide comprehensive educational opportunities for many if not all subjects. Subjects like maths, physics, chemistry etc and their many basic components do actually have many real life applications in all sorts of ways, it is up to the educator to find the relevance in the situation of interest to their child and then to apply the theories and practical uses of the subjects to that circumstance and create a learning opportunity.


I 1000000 X agree with this !

Fiona - posted on 11/27/2010

Wow! This thread has certainly taken a turn... and gotten quite off track a number of times. Some posts have obviously been deleted and it's getting harder to keep track of.

As for the OP and the following quoted message used to illustrate why this topic was raised: I would not say that woman should not be able to educate her child based simply on the spelling or grammatical errors in her post, but more based on the ideas and attitudes she has expressed within it. It is easy to point out others for making spelling errors or grammatical errors, but then just as easy to post something yourself that also contains spelling and grammatical errors. I can see the relevance here as we are debating one's ability to teach a child these same concepts, but just because someone chooses to have their child educated in the school system and someone else chooses to homeschool, doesn't really entitle the former to make similar errors and yet still judge the latter on their ability to educate based simply on a few quickly typed and hastily posted internet forum posts. I would hope that homeschooling a child would incorporate a lot more preparation and checking than a simple post on COM's.

I don't think that parents should be tested before being allowed to homeschool their children, but it would be ideal if homeschooling was a bit more regulated and required submission of approved curriculums or following of certain approved curriculums (like correspondence or distance education schools offer). Submission of regular assignments and completed units of education to the education board could be required to show proof of the child's learning and continued development. This would ensure that parents are capable of continuing to provide effective education for their children and that the child is exposed to a selection of subjects. Of course if a homeschooled child chooses to continue onto tertiary education, they will be required to prove eligibility for entrance, generally by sitting for standardised testing or equivalency testing. If a homeschool parent has failed their child in this regard by not adequately educating and preparing them for this scenario, that is a real shame for the child, but not much different than if a child from mainstream schooling is unable to achieve sufficient entrance scores or eligibility requirements for a tertiary course.

I don't think that a parent has the right to choose what their child does and doesn't learn (ie: excluding types of maths or science because they don't feel they will be relevant for their child's future) any more than I think that a school has the right to deprive a child of learning opportunities (like cancelling arts, music or drama programs to funnel extra funds into athletics or other departments). I do think it is possible to allow a child to be self-directed in their learning and still provide comprehensive educational opportunities for many if not all subjects. Subjects like maths, physics, chemistry etc and their many basic components do actually have many real life applications in all sorts of ways, it is up to the educator to find the relevance in the situation of interest to their child and then to apply the theories and practical uses of the subjects to that circumstance and create a learning opportunity.

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

This is the first time that accrued actually. I actually enjoyed the debate from the beginning. There were several instances where other people thought i was taking it personal but that was just passion in writing, you can try to depict the feeling behind the words as much as you can. Really the majority of speech is body language and the internet... you can never really tell what people truly feel, imply or hide behind the keyboard.

Jodi - posted on 11/27/2010

Julianne, I only have one thing to say. If you take every comment directed at you personally because you interpret it to be an insult (as you have several times in this thread, not just this instance), you probably shouldn't be in a debating community. You are honestly going to have to grow a thicker skin.

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

the ignorant cannot teach what they do not know.

You can't spell. Can't operate spellcheck

ok...i guess when its put together the way it was typed....

Charlie - posted on 11/27/2010

Ignorant = lacking knowledge or awareness .
Stupid = Lacking intelligence

It actually means two different things , you ( In general ) can most certainly be intelligent AND ignorant .

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

Obviously she needs to learn her language, if i didn't teach this to her she wouldn't get far in life.

Jodi - posted on 11/27/2010

She didn't call you ignorant. She said the ignorant cannot teach what they do not know. You CHOSE to take that personally.

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

i have several friends who are planning on homeschooling as well, our children are all around the same age and we will do it together, where one fails the other makes up.

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

ignorant. meaning stupid...that is not an insulting comment..

Jodi - posted on 11/27/2010

Quoting Julianne
" i am perfectly capable of teaching my child everything she needs to know and then some."

Well, either you DID say you were going to teach her English (because that is something that should be part of the everything she needs to know), or you actually plan on her not learning English at all because you don't think she needs it.

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

that was also, not helpful criticism it was a personal dig.

Charlie - posted on 11/27/2010

I'm sorry I don't see how it was a direct insult or even a indirect insult , it seems to me it was an observation one that you have taken extremely personal , how is it an insult to observe the fact that not being competent in spelling may put your child at a disadvantage , there are many life situations that require sound ability to spell .

No one used your child as "ammo" you are perceiving it to be more than it is .

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

Its called research, statistics and plan.

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

i didnt say that i was going to teach her English actually. i said i would teach her a vast majority of information, but i did not say i personally would teach her english

Sharon - posted on 11/27/2010

ROTFL!! That was hysterical!! Do it again! If you can't take the helpful criticism offered by other here, I'm not sure how you'll dish it out to your child.

You make a lot of unstantiated claims about homeschooling you evidently cannot back up, seeing as your child is an infant.

Trying to compare you're finger chewing mouth breather to my teenaged honor roll student is ludicrous. I'll wait while you go look that up.....

On second thought, forget it, I'm tired and I'm going to bed.

Oh and its THOUGH, not THO, i'm dying at the potato chip crack though, geeze I haven't had a potato chip bag in the house weeks and it sucks. oohhh but I have pummelos....

Jodi - posted on 11/27/2010

I agree with the fact that someone who has poor spelling would be putting their child at a disadvantage if they were to home school.

And yes, I have seen teachers in public schools who are also poor spellers, and that bothers me too.

Jodi - posted on 11/27/2010

Actually, Julianne, I frequently go back and edit my posts for spelling, typos and grammar, but that's me. No-one could give a hoot if you can spell or not here, but the point is, you are arguing FOR homeschooling, and that is why it was brought up.

Charlie - posted on 11/27/2010

So do think it isn't a disadvantage to be home schooled by a person who may not be up to par in spelling ?

I'm not being rude I am asking a sincere question , If I didn't have the ability to add sums properly and tried to home school my child would they be at a disadvantage ? Yes I believe so ( I'm crap at maths so it probably applies )

Charlie - posted on 11/27/2010

I don't see where anyone put down your child especially in the manner you did *shrug*

Also what exactly do you mean by the edited add on : if you want to get technical about who's children are at a disadvantage.. put down the potato chips... , are we now making assumptions about peoples eating habits , WTH happened to this debate , dear jebus it's turned into primary school bickering .

Julianne , your 11 month old daughter sounds delightful just like every other delightful 11 month old and she is right on target developmentally congrats but I hate to say it is a fairly common developmental stage , be proud sure ! but don't be an ass it's not a great attribute certainly not one you would want a child to pick up .

Jodi - posted on 11/27/2010

She didn't put down your child. I don't see a single insult to your child in that post.

Jodi - posted on 11/27/2010

Julieanne, inslulting someone else's children is actually pretty bad form IMO ..... No-one insulted your child, they just pointed out the obvious. That you only have one infant child. What do you know about homeschooling? She really does have a point! And she also pointed out that any number of your posts contain spelling errors, and she is right.

Charlie - posted on 11/27/2010

Interesting you tell people to "grow the fuck up " and then post what can only be described as verbal diarrhea in a shady form of gloating while putting down other peoples children who have nothing to do with this debate , I ask you who really needs to grow up ?

Sharon - posted on 11/27/2010

Julianne - the ignorant cannot teach what they do not know.

You can't spell. Can't operate spellcheck. Your child isn't even school age. Your ONLY infant child is not school age. Good luck with giving your child EVERY advantage from the disadvantaged seats.

Tah - posted on 11/27/2010

i doubt anyone is attacking anyone else on this thread, Becky brought up the fact that some mother she knew was crazy and accusing the goverment of putting something in her water, and then their was talk of people being "bat sh!t crazy...so i am 110% positive that is where the conspiracy theory comments are coming from. Also everyone here has been a member for years, except for a few people who just joined since my couple weeks away from debating moms so i don't think anyone is following anyone since everyone has been a member. No need to be offended here, everyone is entitled to their own views and don't usually carry anything from one thread to another.

Cathy - posted on 11/27/2010

***Moderator Notice***
We are only able to act on content posted within this community.

I'm actually lost as to what is going on ...Please return to debating the topic.

Thank you
Cathy S.

Johnny - posted on 11/27/2010

At this point I've got no idea what is going on and what one thing has to do with the other. I'm not even sure what welfare has to do with homeschooling. Maybe the conversation isn't about homeschooling anymore...?

Isobel - posted on 11/27/2010

I'm still sitting over here trying to figure out how being a conspiracy theorist has anything to do with being on welfare

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

it is not just this community either carol, it started on a different one.

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

i did report it, after i posted that comment. I dont think its fair to me that i should be called a conspiracy theorist and told that my child is going to have a substandard life because of me. Just because i have different opinions,The moderator was involved already so the comments are being made to appear to not be specifically at me but really they are. I'm not being paranoid because i received private messages as well as public ones being called a this. Now the messages still contain the same insults but instead its to "some parents"


I am aware that this is a debating community, and i have been participating and having some very intellectually stimulating debates. I just draw the line when it comes to personal attacks. as would you.

Johnny - posted on 11/27/2010

You are being followed on here just to be insulted?? If that is actually the case, you need to report it to a moderator. But consider that in these threads, people are free to post whenever they choose. If you don't like them posting responses to what you say, then it's probably not the right community for you. People will always take you to task for your statements in this community, and that applies to everyone. It is not personal. This is a debating community, it is not specifically about support.

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

thats not the discussion at all. i know what ei is, you dont have to explain it to me. i CAN NOT fet substidized daycare until my child is a year old IT IS NOT OFFERED! I CAN NOT enroll in the educational programs because i have no daycare....i shouldnt have to explain my circumstances to people. all i was saying is im being followed on here just to be insulted...im in nova scotia btw

Tara - posted on 11/27/2010

What province do you live in Julianne?
Cause that is not the case in Ontario, you can get subsidized child care for an infant over 6 weeks, you can also take an optional maternity leave of up to one year at 55% of your gross income, (if you were working for at least 700 hours prior to taking your leave (and paying into EI).
If you are on assistance, you do not HAVE to look for work until your youngest child is six years old or you are homeschooling. (yes in ontario you can be on assistance and homeschool your children).
But they do NOT tell say you can not be eligible for day care etc. until after a year.
Just saying, not sure where you are from, but here that is NOT the case.

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

sorry, sometimes my wording it not the best when typing out of passion...hehe

Isobel - posted on 11/27/2010

Thank you...that makes a lot more sense.

Julianne - posted on 11/27/2010

I didnt say forcing women to stay on assistance.......they make it hard to get off of when your child is under a year because its in the childs best interest for you to be at home. I'm not eligible for daycare or the educational programs until then Even once i go back to work they will still need to help out with daycare for a bit but i cant do that until im eligible..

Isobel - posted on 11/27/2010

The government of Canada provides a year of optional paid maternity leave THROUGH ei...but that's not the same as forcing women to be on welfare for a year.

Isobel - posted on 11/27/2010

ummm...the Government of Canada does no such thing...perhaps you are thinking of a provincial statute, but I doubt it.