How do protect homeschooling children from educational neglect? Can we discuss with some parameters?

[swellmomma]

 

Swellmomma, it's not hatred for the gov't. That's what you don't "get". No one has said they hate the gov't. And no one has even mentioned guns or anything else that is "spewed as the american way du jour". You keep assigning intent that simply isn't there. You can agree or disagree with anyone's post; however, it's probably best not to assume feelings or motives that aren't there.

 

I'll say it again...many Americans distrust their state BOEs and/or school districts when it comes to regulating homeschoolers AND they have good reason to do so. Personal experience actually dealing with PS officials who are either willfully ignorant of their state regs or know/understand them, but choose to deliberately spread wrong information. THAT is where many of the posts from Americans are coming from. And, by the by, regulation of HSs is a state matter. I don't think there is anything in federal statutes that deals specifically with homeschoolers, except perhaps relating to special education and services PS schools must offer to all students.

I keep doing that eh? funny since other than my post to Sadie I had only replied in this thread describing how it is in Alberta and why more gov't oversight is not the solution.  As for not guns in this thread, no they were not in this thread, I was talking to Sadie about how I and others have been slapped down in the past in other threads for not being American when posting to a particular topic with it ultimately being claimed to be the american way to do things a certain way.  It was not in reference to this thread beyond that world view again being said to be the only one viable to the conversation.

[idnib]

And here I'm wondering what people think of my earlier post saying that I know lots of people who are okay with home visits in CA, at least if they're getting money for their homeschool. I'm not even sure it's a non-starter in the U.S., as is being portrayed. 

[EmseB]

And here I'm wondering what people think of my earlier post saying that I know lots of people who are okay with home visits in CA, at least if they're getting money for their homeschool. I'm not even sure it's a non-starter in the U.S., as is being portrayed.

I think there are plenty of people who don't want the strings of a charter or the home visits, even if it means $$$. Homeschooling under the umbrella of a charter school which follows the money it gives out is comparing apples to oranges when you're talking about mandatory home visits for every home schooler.

[ViC]

no topic

 

[Joanne]

OP, it would have to start with the homeschooling community being accurately self-reflective, transparent , and accountable. The (American) homeschooling community lacks that and lacks insight into the need and has significant defense mechanisms.

[Catwoman]

Friends, Americans, Homeschool Parents, lend me your ears;

I come to expose Government Oversight, not to praise it.

The evil that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interred with their bones;

The noble Government hath told you that Homeschool Parents

are neglectful:

If it is so, it is a grevious fault, and greviously will the Homeschool Parent

answer it.

Here, under leave of the Government and the State,-

for the Government is honorable;

so are all its agencies, all honorable,-

Come I speak in defense of the Homeschool Parent,-

Who loves his child, whose wellfare is his life's creed:

But the Government says he is neglectful;

And the Government is honorable.

The Homeschool Parent has produced many a noble man,

whose knowledge has enriched this blessed land:

Does this seem neglectful of the Homeschool Parent?

When the child falters, the Parent guides him till

the struggle is o'er:

Neglect should be made of sterner stuff:

Yet, the Government says he is neglectful;

And the Government is honorable.

You all see how the Homeschool Parent strives,

and searches for the perfect fit for his child's needs,

the countless nights and days spent in concern and love:

Is this Neglect?

Yet Government says the Homeschool Parent is neglectful;

And, sure, the Government is an honorable institution.

I speak not to argue with the Government,

But here I am to speak what I do know.

You all are Homeschool Parents, not without a cause:

What cause prompts you then to desire Oversight?

O Judgement! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,

And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;

My heart is with the Homeschool Parent,

And I must warn him lest he be deceived.

 

( all credit goes to the Honorable Sir William Shakespeare) :)

Ummm... Welcome back to the forum? :confused:

 

I was wondering how this old thread ended up getting bumped back up to the top of page one.

[laundrycrisis]

.

 

The bottom line is that people need to take this job seriously and show up. Every day.

 

Since the focus of this is how homeschoolers can help prevent educational neglect within homeschooling, I'm not going to speculate on how any government oversight should be set up or not.  That is a different topic.

 

We can't prevent it in any kind of watertight way.  There are a lot of people who are happy to count endless field trips, nature walks, art projects, lego activities, group trips to inflatable jump places, and social outings of every kind as school, and call 20 minutes in grocery store workbooks once a week enough.  They will go online and perhaps even on TV arguing that kids will magically grow their own academic skills when they are ready, and facilitate them playing for years while they wait for that to happen.  These folks will continue to find each other and encourage each other in that mindset.  I don't think anything except government oversight with teeth will change what that subset of people does.  I am really not a fan of government solutions, but I believe they are coming, perhaps very soon.  Every time I see something in the news media about completely unstructured homeschooling, I see it as one step closer to more oversight for all of us.

 

I think what we can do is let new homeschoolers know that endless fun is not the only way to homeschool.  I have been homeschooling for seven years, if I start counting at kindergarten.  Along the way, over and over and over again, I have received advice I didn't ask for, along the lines of relax, have fun, don't make it like school, trust your children, learn from life, let them choose, etc etc etc.  In social situations, I have felt like the party pooper homeschooler because I don't want to give up our school time, because I make ours do work they don't want to do, because I provide consequences when they are not willing to work or try, etc.  I have been told IRL that I am doing it wrong.  I have been attacked online for suggesting to new homeschoolers that the super relaxed path is not the only path.  

 

For years, I have been in situations that are supposed to be a place for homeschoolers to support each other, and I have shared my encouragement with people who asked for it.  I don't even need five fingers to count the number of people I have met IRL who offered me support for doing the hard work of homeschooling  - when it's hard, when it's not fun, when LD issues and life challenges become major obstacles.  I think that a lot of parents in my situation probably give up.  Perhaps they give up because when they go looking for support, they are told to be more relaxed and have more fun, instead of being encouraged to keep working at it.  99% of the support I have found has been online - most of it here at WTM.  I'm grateful for this community. 

 

I think there is a problem within the culture of homeschooling.  My experience has been that a focus on academic skills and time spent at home on school work instead of out doing social things is not valued or encouraged.  I think it may be a reason that so many return to school for the middle and high school years....a family has failed to find their groove for getting this type of work done, and either the parent or the kid or both are ready for more structure.  Personally, I have given up on wanting much contact with other homeschoolers.  We don't need more friends who only want to see us M-F during school hours.  This year, I have set up what I have wanted to do for years - I moved all non-academic activities to after school, with the general population.  This meant giving up one that was a major time suck to make room for the others.  And one kid is going to school for one class, every afternoon, so we are officially not available for social time during the school day.  I'm pretty sure this schedule means we won't be seeing other homeschoolers very often except at co-op classes.  Homeschool groups and homeschoolers in general do not seem supportive of people staying home and doing school work during the day, and socializing later.  I think that might be a way we could help prevent educational neglect and encourage people to work at homeschooling - stop expecting that all homeschooling support and connection activities should happen during school hours.