Hedgehog Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I was having a funny conversation with a friend recently, and as a sort of joke I said that if I sent my dc to school the teachers would probably hate me because I'm so opinionated about what I want for my dc - they'd dread the sight of me coming in again. Now it was meant as a joke, but afterwards I got to thinking that actually, it's probably true that I am very opinionated about education. So - are you? Would you say that most homeschoolers are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Well, "opinionated" has a rather negative connotation. Perhaps we are more likely to be "independent thinkers" especially in regard to education? The "normal" way of thinking about education is extremely institutionalised and I find actually that most people are very opinionated about it without realising that they are just regurgitating what they are taught- rather than having thought about it much. Was Gallileo "opinionated"? No, he was right! :) Everyone has opinions. Since ours are different from the majority in the area of education- since we have to be fairly strong characters to take our kids of "the system" in the first place and stand up to relatives and various other people who might see us as bad parents when we are only doing what we reallyl feel is right....I guess we could come across as "opinionated". But heck, I dont shove my "opinion" down other people's throats regarding homeschooling unless they are genuinely interested- yet it seems many people feel quite willing to express their completely unconsidered, uneducated but strong opinions about it to homeschoolers. Most people are sheeple. If you stand up for your child, especially in a system where we are taught to obey and trust authority and keep the peace....we might be labelled. I don't care. And i wont label myself like that- thats how they try to get you to tow the line, to get back in your box, to undermine your self confdence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freerange Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Yes and yes. I suspect there are some teachers who would welcome an involved parent. However, I also suspect that they would think they were the ones in charge. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I know I am! I was in DD's classroom for the afternoon the day she took birthday cupcakes, and couldn't help nitpicking the exercise they did in sorting bats based on appearance and such into mega vs. micro bats. Some of them were rather ambiguous based on the qualities given. At least the teacher agreed with me! DD gets annoyed when I correct anything she brings home from her enrichment program. Like Friday when she came home with her Chinese New Year unit stuff and showed me the pocky they gave out for a snack. "But pocky is Japanese, not Chinese." I pointed out. We did agree they were tasty, though. :tongue_smilie: They have this curriculum room available at her program. I have yet to find anything I'll use with DD, this year at least. I'm too picky! If I LIKED the materials the PS had for math, etc., I'd just put her in school or use a virtual charter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Oh your friend's assertion is one of our myriad of reasons for homeschooling! :) Towards the top of the list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammaofbean Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 i said something similar the other day!! homeschooling is flexibility for us. i don't see what the big deal is about being a little more flexible. wouldn't it be easier for the whole school system if parents were given the option to send in work that would differentiate for their children instead of stretching support people so thin? i would totally be willing to say a certain unit is a waste of time for my kid, let her test out of it and then do something useful with her time like shelving books in the library or sorting forks in the cafeteria. and why wouldn't i be able to pick a kid up and take them to lunch, or take them out early on a day that there is something non-academic scheduled in the afternoon? my ideal schooling out situation would be very flexible. if we decided to go the institutional route i would grill any school on teacher/parent boundaries before opting in, find the situation i could most live with and then try very hard to stick with it. so possibly i wouldn't be the MOST hated parent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I think that it's probably more that those strongly opinionated about education are likely to homeschool :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5KidzRUs Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I think most the HSers that I have met are in some way "control freaks" ... for whatever reasons. I think too that PS teachers are wary of us (when we put our children in PS) - as they would also be with a student whose parent is a PS teacher. On the other hand, I think probably that a majority of the parents are detached from the curricula and classroom activities. There was recently a competition at my boys high school - with BMW officials as judges - I was the ONLY parent to show up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 You have to be stubborn and convicted to pull your kids out of school (where Everybody goes, every day), against everybody's advice and teach them at home. That is the ultimate "going against the herd". We're all Trailblazers...:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I agree with this. I think the egg came before the chicken. Dawn I think that it's probably more that those strongly opinionated about education are likely to homeschool :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I think that it's probably more that those strongly opinionated about education are likely to homeschool :). I agree with this. Also--I have my BS in Ed, and I will say that the assumption is that the teacher is in control of her little universe, um, classroom, and the parents don't know what they are talking about wrt education. Hence the term, "Parent Education." I get that not all parents can tell you the various stages of writing development or how to use every math manipulative--but I believe teachers forget that parents DO know their child best. The fact that it is a priviledge to be someone's teacher is often lost in the arrogance of knowing about learning theory and practice. Homeschoolers learn about things taught in Teacher School very quickly, imo. I'm not even sure teaching should be a BS, except that it is good, again imo, to have a concentrated amt of time to learn about theories and stuff like that--but more often, it's about managing the herd with a sprinkle of theory and not enough hands-on. But that's another thread, I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I agree with this. Also--I have my BS in Ed, and I will say that the assumption is that the teacher is in control of her little universe, um, classroom, and the parents don't know what they are talking about wrt education. Hence the term, "Parent Education." I get that not all parents can tell you the various stages of writing development or how to use every math manipulative--but I believe teachers forget that parents DO know their child best. The fact that it is a priviledge to be someone's teacher is often lost in the arrogance of knowing about learning theory and practice. Homeschoolers learn about things taught in Teacher School very quickly, imo. I'm not even sure teaching should be a BS, except that it is good, again imo, to have a concentrated amt of time to learn about theories and stuff like that--but more often, it's about managing the herd with a sprinkle of theory and not enough hands-on. But that's another thread, I suppose. :iagree:My degree is BSE music ed. For all of the ed classes I took, I learned much more about education by reading Charlotte Mason, Montessori, SWB (:D), and various books written by homeschool moms. There is SO much that is missing in "teacher education"...and maybe that's b/c you can't fit it all in one semester of Phil.of Ed. BUT - this is central to teaching.:confused: ...and you are right, most moms know their kids best and come by much of teaching them quite naturally (no need for a college course). To quote a HS vet I admire: "If you can potty train him, you can teach him to read.":001_smile: And, to the OP... I would be the thorn in a teacher's side b/c I would demand to be in control of my dc's education. It's much easier to just do it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsfamily Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I think that it's probably more that those strongly opinionated about education are likely to homeschool :). :iagree: One of my good friends also hs but because she's called to do it and not because she's interested in education. She does a great job but her school looks a lot different than mine. I've actually become her consultant and researcher which is fun for me. I have a feeling she'd be an advocate for her dc if they were in ps but not a thorn in the teacher's side. Me on the other hand...:001_huh:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma H Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 For sure! I know I would make any teacher crazy and they would me! I could never put my kids in school, it would never be right. We are also free thinkers. My husband and I had to laugh because one year we were in charge of keeping everyone out of the largest auditorium on the first day of the Christian Home Educators of Colorado conference. (they were doing sound checks) People started lining up and lots of people were trying to find a way in. They figured out that if they went through the bathroom they could find a way in. It was just funny to see that we homeschoolers have a different way of thinking. Now I will say that the people who were doing this were at the back of the line in the hallway and I don't think they realized they were not supposed to go in. They just saw a big line and thought, "I gotta get past this big line". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 That was the very title of my (now defunct) blog, so I'd have to go with a rousing "yes." But I agree with others, it's self-selected. The most opinionated homeschoolers I know (and I mean it in a good way!) are the ones who were doing it when its legality was still dubious. It takes a certain level of, shall we say, confidence to say, d*** the culture, popular opinion, and (possibly) the law: this is what my children need and I'm doing it. I take my hat off to the opinionated homeschoolers of the first generation. Sharon in Austin (formerly "The Opinionated Homeschooler") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 You have to be stubborn and convicted to pull your kids out of school (where Everybody goes, every day), against everybody's advice and teach them at home. That is the ultimate "going against the herd". We're all Trailblazers...:D This. The school system is a round hole and we are the square pegs (or, in some cases, we realize that our children are the square pegs). Our choices are to be whittled to fit the round hole or to walk away, and that's going to lead to some strong opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 If by opinionated, you mean pain in the b---, there are homeschool parents would be like this, but there are also parents in private and public school who are like this. I had the experience of opinionate homeschool parents completely destroying a great homeschool program at my local Y--the Y won't even consider offering a homeschool program again becauseo these moms. "It has to be this...it has to be that..." It was in fact just a basic sports program that is similar to things offered after school, but packaged really nicely and they gave the homeschool families a discount on regular membership too. But no more. When you put a child in a traditional school, you can be an involved parent without being a thorn in the teacher's side. I don't believe any school can maximize my dc's education and nor is it there job. You can't tell the teacher she's using the wrong curriculum--she probably doesn't have a choice. Inserting yourself into every minor social situation your dd has is not helpful and showing up every afternoon to question the teacher about it not useful (I know someone who did this for years, her dd is an awful girl and really the center of all the problems). You can pay attention to program of studies and supplement at home with extra reading (video, family field trips) that go along with what the class is covering. You can help shelve books in the school library so the librarian has more time to help your teacher put materials together for use with your dc. While you are shelving books you can good feel about a lot of things going on. There are many other "background" jobs you can do that help teachers a lot and give you a good view of days at school. If your dc is not challenged, you can approach it in a respectful manner or you can be viewed as pushy. When you get pushy people stop listening and they may never see any valid points you have about your dc's progress. Opinionated parents are in all school settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 It's a wonder we get along at all. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Removed by the Author. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaissezFaire Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Yes, but not any more than everyone else on earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Well, "opinionated" has a rather negative connotation. Perhaps we are more likely to be "independent thinkers" especially in regard to education? The "normal" way of thinking about education is extremely institutionalised and I find actually that most people are very opinionated about it without realising that they are just regurgitating what they are taught- rather than having thought about it much. Was Gallileo "opinionated"? No, he was right! :) Everyone has opinions. Since ours are different from the majority in the area of education- since we have to be fairly strong characters to take our kids of "the system" in the first place and stand up to relatives and various other people who might see us as bad parents when we are only doing what we reallyl feel is right....I guess we could come across as "opinionated". But heck, I dont shove my "opinion" down other people's throats regarding homeschooling unless they are genuinely interested- yet it seems many people feel quite willing to express their completely unconsidered, uneducated but strong opinions about it to homeschoolers. Most people are sheeple. If you stand up for your child, especially in a system where we are taught to obey and trust authority and keep the peace....we might be labelled. I don't care. And i wont label myself like that- thats how they try to get you to tow the line, to get back in your box, to undermine your self confdence. :iagree: Well said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I homeschool because I don't delegate well. But by even referring putting them in school as delegating my responsibility for their education, I've already separated myself from many parents. And I don't think that delegation is necessarily bad. I would just have to be very sure that the person/institution etc. that I was delegating it to, would do it as well or better than I would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 On the topic of education, you bet ya.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Ime, it's been possible to have a respectful, working relationship with teachers. It doesn't have to be adversarial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Absolutely! I was prior to homeschooling and my concerns for ds education were the reasons we yanked him from a private school in first grade. Frankly, it would be interesting to see more 'opinionatated' parents interacting with receptive teachers and school systems but that's a long, long way off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I think that it's probably more that those strongly opinionated about education are likely to homeschool :). I didn't become opinionated about education until after we had been homeschooling for a couple of years. We started homeschooling with the idea to put ds back in private school but after our "trial period" I realized I was pretty set on homeschooling. The big perk is not putting up with all the miscellaneous BS in the traditional school setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celticmom Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 One time a waitress in a restuarant commented that she would never have the patience to homeschool to me. I told her that I had more doubts about having sufficient patience to deal with the school. She got a funny look on her face and told me about a relative who had to be homeschooled due to problems with a school's administration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I was having a funny conversation with a friend recently, and as a sort of joke I said that if I sent my dc to school the teachers would probably hate me because I'm so opinionated about what I want for my dc - they'd dread the sight of me coming in again. Now it was meant as a joke, but afterwards I got to thinking that actually, it's probably true that I am very opinionated about education. So - are you? Would you say that most homeschoolers are? Yes, I am. Not just about home schooling either. And personally I don't think it's a bad thing. I'm far more frustrated by people who don't converse and think and develop opinions (that of course might change or grow as a result) and act as though somehow doing so is a personality defect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Me? opinionated? The hell you say. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 But aren't most people homeschooling as a reaction to the alternative, even if only for their children? Whenever you do something unusual, it's usually because you have an opinion, isn't it? Wouldn't you say that most people who put their kids in private school, for which they must pay, have an opinion too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I certainly am! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzyfizzle Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Well, "opinionated" has a rather negative connotation. Perhaps we are more likely to be "independent thinkers" especially in regard to education? The "normal" way of thinking about education is extremely institutionalised and I find actually that most people are very opinionated about it without realising that they are just regurgitating what they are taught- rather than having thought about it much. Was Gallileo "opinionated"? No, he was right! :) Everyone has opinions. Since ours are different from the majority in the area of education- since we have to be fairly strong characters to take our kids of "the system" in the first place and stand up to relatives and various other people who might see us as bad parents when we are only doing what we reallyl feel is right....I guess we could come across as "opinionated". But heck, I dont shove my "opinion" down other people's throats regarding homeschooling unless they are genuinely interested- yet it seems many people feel quite willing to express their completely unconsidered, uneducated but strong opinions about it to homeschoolers. Most people are sheeple. If you stand up for your child, especially in a system where we are taught to obey and trust authority and keep the peace....we might be labelled. I don't care. And i wont label myself like that- thats how they try to get you to tow the line, to get back in your box, to undermine your self confdence. Exactly this! :thumbup1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 If I wasn't opinionated about education in the first place, I wouldn't be hs-ing. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I think you have to be opinionated to homeschool or do anything other than show up at "kindergarten round-up" and sign your kids up. You have to be a bit self assured that you can teach your kids the ABCs as well as you did other things in their past. You also have to be sure of yourself when you enter them back in the system... that something about them ...or you... says that it's time to "delegate your authority" to another person. :) This was hard to accept that whatever I had for my daughter... could be better met... by the awesome writing teacher at the middle school. And, that she would thrive more... under her care :) I went as far as to explain to her teacher that it was because of HER that I'm willing to send my daughter to the school.... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakarimom5 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 All my children's teachers and office workers know me by name. I believe in being an advocate for your children. I can not do my job and back up the teacher if I don't know there is a problem. That being said...I love not having to see the inside of a school once a week. I also love the fact that the school doesn't call me all. the. time. I also love not having to read a bunch of crap books just so I can check for content anymore. So I guess that my answer is yes we are opinionated but only because we care about the education our children are receiving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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