What exactly is wrong with American education system?

[momto4kings]

I'm writing an argumentation paper. My end goal is to show that homeschooling is a solution to the problems with the education system. To get there, I need to develop several propositions--how does homeschool solve the problems in education?

 

Please share your opinions and also any internet links or books that support your opinion.

 

Thanks.

 

UPDATE:

Thank you all for the thoughtful replies!

 

Let's start over.

 

I've decided that my target audience are parents who have concerns about the public schools, but have not considered homeschooling as an option. I'd like to prove that homeschooling is a viable alternative to public and private school for most families. What questions can I ask myself in order to develop several propositions?

 

Thank you again!

Edited July 8, 2011 by momto4kings

[wapiti]

I'd start by identifying the problems with the education system that you think hs-ing solves. Only then can you begin to explain how homeschooling addresses them.

 

However, I don't think I'd put it quite that way. I'd probably say something to the effect that homeschooling is an alternative to the education "system" (or one of many alternatives within the education system) rather than a solution to system problems. HS-ing may be a solution for my particular child at this particular time, but there are always going to be large percentages of students for whom hs-ing would not be a viable solution.

[Mrs Mungo]

It doesn't solve the problems in the education system. In fact, I would argue that it probably does the opposite. Homeschooling removes parents who would probably be very involved volunteers. Homeschooling removes *our own* children from the equation. It helps our children. It doesn't help the system. Is everyone capable of homeschooling? No. Therefore, it isn't an answer to fixing the system.

 

Now, if you want to research books that talk about problems with our system? Read John Taylor Gatto, Jonathan Kozol, Diane Ravitch, John Holt, Grace Llewellyn, Alfie Kohn, people like that.

[ma23peas]

I'm writing an argumentation paper. My end goal is to show that homeschooling is a solution to the problems with the education system. To get there, I need to develop several propositions--how does homeschool solve the problems in education?

 

Please share your opinions and also any internet links or books that support your opinion.

 

Thanks.

 

Too many hands in the pot...NEA, unions, too many 'interests' being catered to....not focus on the basics...administrative tsunamis that are impossible to navigate.

 

Discipline....took tools away from educators...threat of lawsuits that school boards do not have the money to defend if they expel students/fire underperforming teachers/etc.

 

That would be my start.

[Mama Geek]

The problem with the public schools is that the government is involved. By homeschooling that goes away.

[Aelwydd]

It doesn't solve the problems in the education system. In fact, I would argue that it probably does the opposite. Homeschooling removes parents who would probably be very involved volunteers. Homeschooling removes *our own* children from the equation. It helps our children. It doesn't help the system. Is everyone capable of homeschooling? No. Therefore, it isn't an answer to fixing the system.

 

Now, if you want to research books that talk about problems with our system? Read John Taylor Gatto, Jonathan Kozol, Diane Ravitch, John Holt, Grace Llewellyn, Alfie Kohn, people like that.

 

 

:iagree::iagree:

[JudyJudyJudy]

It doesn't solve the problems in the education system. In fact, I would argue that it probably does the opposite. Homeschooling removes parents who would probably be very involved volunteers. Homeschooling removes *our own* children from the equation. It helps our children. It doesn't help the system. Is everyone capable of homeschooling? No. Therefore, it isn't an answer to fixing the system.

 

 

:iagree:

 

 

unions

Since states with unions outperform states without unions, I think you'd have a difficult time proving that one.

Edited July 7, 2011 by JudyJudyJudy

[Wildiris]

I don't know if it will support your assertion, and I do agree with the points made by Wapiti and Mrs Mungo, but Diane Ravitch did some major back-peddling this last year concerning standardize testing and NCLB. You would do well to look her up. She has been on the education scene for more than 20 years.

[momto4kings]

The paper needs to be 3-5 pages long and my propositions need to be narrow enough that each one of them offers a clear cut "solution".

 

I know that homeschooling isn't an option for everyone, but it is for many who haven't even considered it. These parents are my target audience. I'm having a hard time narrowing down my ideas to workable propositions. I need to submit 3-4 proposition and then write the paper.

 

Please HELP!

[Photo Ninja]

I think it is too broad of a problem to adequately discuss in a short (2-3 page) paper. You could narrow it down to just a few issues that are solved by hsing and touch on them: group lesson but grouped by age instead of skill level, group instruction/curriculum is not able to address individual needs and interests, cost of education, wasted time in the classroom.

 

I don't think these are necessarily the primary problems with the public school system, but these are problems that hsing can solve.

[Mrs Mungo]

I don't know if it will support your assertion, and I do agree with the points made by Wapiti and Mrs Mungo, but Diane Ravitch did some major back-peddling this last year concerning standardize testing and NCLB. You would do well to look her up. She has been on the education scene for more than 20 years.

 

Ravitch wrote an article on recent documentaries (like The Lottery and Waiting for Superman) on charter schools for the New York Review of Books. I will warn you that when you get into debates about the school system, it *is* very political. I won't link it because of that, but you should be able to google it.

[Murmer]

The fact that education is 100% political and that your child's education each year is based on the political actions of the nation, state, school board, superintendent, principal and finally teacher. That means when times are good and money is good and things are good then the education is good...but in times like now when money is lean the class sizes are increasing the teachers are more burned out, the school districts are looking at ways to cut money including teachers, aids and supplies, and states are doing things to encourage districts to cut money. Education is tied to high stakes testing determined by a federal government although education is a states issue...by homeschooling you avoid MOST of the political issues that come yearly and get to fight for the issues that directly effect you. Google CA and class size increase, also look at VT governors comments from about 2 years ago about cutting the schools budget to encourage consolidating schools and class sizes, he has since realized he was an idiot

[chepyl]

I would agree that you should stick to the individualized instruction, benefits of grouping by ability rather than age, and cost to educate.

 

*ETC: A friend of mine used to teach kindergarten in the town we lived in. Each year they did kindergarten screenings. Each child was ranked below average, above average, or average based on the knowledge they had coming in. I assumed they divided them into classes by ability...no...they made 6 piles of the evaluations (dividing each group into boys and girls). The teachers walked around the table and took one child's sheet from each pile until all the children were placed in classes. They did this to be "fair to the teachers" so that no teacher was stuck with all the kids who needed more work. It also meant that those kids who already knew how to read had to learn the letter sounds with all the other kids! That is when I knew we would homeschool.

Edited July 7, 2011 by chepyl
Added

[Homeschooling Again]

What a cool project! Do you have a list of propositions about which perhaps we could direct you to more resources? What are you doing this for?

[justamouse]

It doesn't solve the problems in the education system. In fact, I would argue that it probably does the opposite. Homeschooling removes parents who would probably be very involved volunteers. Homeschooling removes *our own* children from the equation. It helps our children. It doesn't help the system. Is everyone capable of homeschooling? No. Therefore, it isn't an answer to fixing the system.

 

Now, if you want to research books that talk about problems with our system? Read John Taylor Gatto, Jonathan Kozol, Diane Ravitch, John Holt, Grace Llewellyn, Alfie Kohn, people like that.

:iagree:

[Spy Car]

It doesn't solve the problems in the education system. In fact, I would argue that it probably does the opposite. Homeschooling removes parents who would probably be very involved volunteers. Homeschooling removes *our own* children from the equation. It helps our children. It doesn't help the system. Is everyone capable of homeschooling? No. Therefore, it isn't an answer to fixing the system.

 

 

:iagree:

 

Bill

[Bang!Zoom!]

I'm a parent who *always* has the threat of a sudden move hanging over the family; and it's only due to employment issues.

 

Consider families that fall under this umbrella of moving all the time. Homeschooling is a solution for these families who have to move all the time.

 

A few off the top of my head:

 

Military families, Migrant Families or any other families that may have to move without warning due for employment reasons.

[jelbe5]

I agree with Mrs. Mungo that homeschooling does not solve the overall educational system. It is highly effective because of the low student-pupil ratio. My son has autism and studies have consistently shown that children with special needs, especially those with autism, do best in an environment with a low teacher-pupil ratio. This is because children with autism do not generally imitate others as most other children do. They have to learn how to imitate and that cannot be done easily in a large classroom setting where there are distractions, etc.

 

You may be able to find some studies done by Dr. Catherine Lord of the University of Michigan. I was able to attend a workshop given by her some years ago when my children were much younger. As she talked about her studies which pointed towards smaller classrooms I thought "Huh! My little classroom with my special needs son has a great teacher-pupil ratio!" Many educators may not agree that children of special needs children should be homeschooled but motivated and invested parents are certainly able to do a good job, especially if they have some coaching from helpful professionals! :001_smile:

[momto4kings]

What a cool project! Do you have a list of propositions about which perhaps we could direct you to more resources? What are you doing this for?

 

This is for a college communications class. The topic was my choice, but so far I have no clear propositions--everything is rather muddled in my head.

 

I have to turn in my propositions and sources I plan to use tomorrow...

[Tullia]

Perhaps you might clarify your goals somewhat. For example, are you arguing for a general set of solutions to a systemic problem designed to fix something that's broken? Some of the responses indicate that folks are interpreting your post in that way. For this response you might outline 3-5 problems with the system and how each might be improved.

 

Or, as your followup indicates, are you trying to convince a particular set of parents that the problems endemic to the system are cause for parents to consider leaving the system? In that case you need to address the particular circumstances with which the audience for your paper are most concerned. You could list 3-5 problems (it could be the same as those you'd identify for the first scenario) but your focus would be on convincing your audience why the existence (and likely persistence) of these issues makes withdrawing from the system a good individual choice.

 

Remember that homeschooling is often decried by educrats because it takes money away from the classroom and lessens the participation of interested parents. However, when pressed, they will often admit that home schooling functions as a much needed pressure relief valve that they privately welcome. Why? Because they know that private schools or home education will never be feasible for the majority and many people who actually do bail out of the system and homeschool were general pains in the school's collective backside before leaving. BTDT;)

 

To focus more narrowly, you need to decide if your goal is to write a "here's how to fix the system" paper or a paper designed to explore why "people should homeschool because of the problems in the system" paper. I agree that homeschooling in and of itself cannot change the system.

Edited July 7, 2011 by Martha in NM
clarity

[stripe]

I think you should focus on how homeschooling can address issues for certain children and solve their problems, rather than suggesting that homeschooling would fix public education, which is contradictory.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Homeschooling is focused on the children. Public education is focused on the unions/teachers.

 

Everything from the number of days of school to the teacher certification and requirements to the courses that are taught is determined by what will work for the teachers. The administrators are much more closely linked to the unions than they are to the communities they are supposed to be serving--the families with children and the businesses who will be hiring those children in not so many years.

These are huge generalizations that couldn't possibly apply in some areas.

[Crimson Wife]

The key problem with institutional education is that everyone has a different idea of what the proper goals of schooling should be. Is it trying to remake society to reduce inequality? Is it career and/or college readiness? Is it religious and character formation first and foremost? Is it about facilitating the child's natural love of learning? Is it introducing the student to the best of our culture? I could go on and on but you get my point.

 

If the funding followed the student and he/she was permitted to use it at any school of the family's choice, then it wouldn't matter so much. Religious families could use the funding at a religious school, "child-led" advocates could use it at a Sudbury school, academically-oriented folks could use it at highly rigorous prep schools, etc. But when we as a society restrict the use of funding to only one particular government-run school, then it becomes highly problematic.

 

Homeschooling is a way for parents to "vote with their feet" when their local school does not align with the family's educational goals, but I don't see it as being "the solution".

[LibraryLover]

Hsing doesn't fix public education, and I don't see that you could prove such a thesis.

 

You might argue that hsing benefits a certain type of child/ family. That seems doable.

[SonshineLearner]

The problem with the public schools is that the government is involved. By homeschooling that goes away.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

Local control would fix many of the issues:D

[suzf242]

I haven't read any of your replies, but the book, "Deliberate Dumbing Down of America" helped me to commit to homeschooling as the best educational option for our children. Here is a free download:

 

http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/pages/order.htm

 

Take care,

Suzanne

[stripe]

Homeschooling is focused on the children. Public education is focused on the unions/teachers.

 

Everything from the number of days of school to the teacher certification and requirements to the courses that are taught is determined by what will work for the teachers.

 

Well, there are 'homeschooling parents' who don't do much with their kids because they don't care, and the content is convenient to them (they don't like math, so let's not, and girls don't need at stuff anyhow). It's not fair to compare the best hs parent to the laziest ps teacher. There are some awesome ps teachers.

[treestarfae]

People have entitlement issues when they don't actually pay into public school. All the behavioral issues and leeches of the system can drag it down. Public attitude towards hand outs like public ed is scary. The problem could be that too many people in this country expect something for nothing.

[JudyJudyJudy]

People have entitlement issues when they don't actually pay into public school. All the behavioral issues and leeches of the system can drag it down. Public attitude towards hand outs like public ed is scary. The problem could be that too many people in this country expect something for nothing.

Who doesn't pay into public schools?

[Bang!Zoom!]

I happened to view this TED talk today by Sir Ken Robinson. I think it speaks to your directly to your post.

 

http://art4kid.blogspot.com/2011/07/art-advocacy.html

 

Might be food for thought for you in there.

[angela in ohio]

Because one of the major problems is that children have poor home lives, I don't think homeschooling is the answer. In fact, in some areas, schools that keep students longer each day and through the summer are having wonderful results.

 

Now, as to what is wrong with the education system. It's partly a problem of what students bring with them, partly a problem of teacher's unions, partly a problem of teacher colleges who have people (many of whom have never taught a day in their life) training teachers in untested (or disproven) theories of education, and partly a problem of priorities (the priority of the PS system is not to turn out well-educated, thinking individuals.) There are some other minor issues (mis-managed money, a lack of challenge for gifted students, etc.,) but those are the biggies.

[cathmom]

Who doesn't pay into public schools?

 

Well, not that I'm defending this point of view (calling people leeches?), but probably the poster means renters who don't pay property taxes. Although their rent is paying the owners' property taxes, so indirectly they are paying property taxes. Or possibly the poster means undocumented workers.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Well, not that I'm defending this point of view (calling people leeches?), but probably the poster means renters who don't pay property taxes. Although their rent is paying the owners' property taxes, so indirectly they are paying property taxes. Or possibly the poster means undocumented workers.

I thought she was probably talking about renters and/or undocumented workers. You can bet that the property taxes are included in their rent, so, yeah, they're paying the taxes even if they don't get credit for them when it comes to filing income taxes.

[EKS]

One of the problems with education in this country is that it is easier to make it easier. When most kids don't need instruction to succeed, teachers can focus on the ones who do. That's one of the reasons that the "harder" subjects like math, grammar, and writing have gone by the wayside.

[momto4kings]

I happened to view this TED talk today by Sir Ken Robinson. I think it speaks to your directly to your post.

 

http://art4kid.blogspot.com/2011/07/art-advocacy.html

 

Might be food for thought for you in there.

 

Loved it!

[Aelwydd]

Yes, there are some awesome PS teachers. And some terrible homeschoolers. The difference is that the terrible homeschooler affects one or five kids. The terrible public school teacher? Hundreds.

 

The flip side of this though, is that the crappy hs'er has his or her children for most or the entirety of their education. So, for those poor children, that's over 10 years of poor instruction. The terrible public school teacher has at most, a year, to do his or her worst. And a lot of times, kids can get switched out of classes if the parents complain enough.

 

But what recourse do the children with a bad hs'ing parent have? Especially, if that parent refuses them any other educational options?

 

I'd put my bet on the "Bad-teacher-for-a-year" ps'ers than the former situation as coming out with the better deal in the end.

 

Hs'ing: when it's good, it's an unparalleled educational opportunity for kids. When it's bad...it's reeeeally bad.

[Aelwydd]

And the processes are not in place to weed out the terrible ones. The teachers themselves resist this. They vote down "teacher competence" testing; my own cousin is a teacher and said that she could not pass a grammar test. And furthermore, that it was ridiculous that she should have to pass a competency test: "As long as I can figure out what the kid means, the spelling or grammar isn't important. It's not important that I know grammar to figure out what kids mean when they write." She SAID this. I SAW this in districtS that I taught in. The teachers overwhelmingly vote down standardized testing for themselves.

Oh, also I forgot to mention my thoughts on this: if public school teacher unions are resistant to accountability, it's nothing compared to the resistance of the hs'ing community.

 

I never see threads on here supporting the efforts to "weed out" lazy and inept hs'ing parents. Because, they do exist. In probably greater numbers than anyone here would like to admit.

 

And all the threads calling for competency tests for hs'ing parents? Never see them either. I do see an awful lot of grammatical errors and so-so writing evidenced by hs'ers here and elsewhere.

 

You get my point? I think that it's a nasty double-standard for hs'ers to continually lambast public schools for their resistance to accountability and change, when hs'ers in many states, such as mine, aren't even required to teach entire subjects. At all.

 

In Texas, I'm not required to teach my son science. Ever.

 

I just find it hard to castigate the ps in light of this and other shocking facts about the lack of oversight in much of hs'ing.

Edited July 8, 2011 by Aelwydd

[JudyJudyJudy]

How "not possibly?"

Was this directed to me? If so, for starters, many states do not have teachers unions, so the sweeping generalizations don't apply. Oddly enough, though, as I mentioned earlier, the states with unions rate higher than the ones without unions.

 

Yes, there are some awesome PS teachers. And some terrible homeschoolers. The difference is that the terrible homeschooler affects one or five kids. The terrible public school teacher? Hundreds.

I agree with Aelwydd in regards to this.

 

And the processes are not in place to weed out the terrible ones. The teachers themselves resist this. They vote down "teacher competence" testing; my own cousin is a teacher and said that she could not pass a grammar test. And furthermore, that it was ridiculous that she should have to pass a competency test: "As long as I can figure out what the kid means, the spelling or grammar isn't important. It's not important that I know grammar to figure out what kids mean when they write." She SAID this. I SAW this in districtS that I taught in. The teachers overwhelmingly vote down standardized testing for themselves.

Again, sweeping generations. You're speaking for the entire country based on your particular area. I certainly can't speak for other states, but in my state, teachers indeed have to pass tests in order to teach. Even within my state, however, I can tell you that the schools vary greatly, so I won't even try to speak for all schools in my state.

[angel marie]

uh, the problem is among many is that they basically have one way of doing things and if your child doesn't fit into that way, you are out of luck. they will work with you to an extent, but the masterplan is educating a large group of people the same basic way with little resources, little money, and not enough good teachers with good salaries to go around.

angel

[JudyJudyJudy]

Oh, also I forgot to mention my thoughts on this: if public school teacher unions are resistant to accountability, it's nothing compared to the resistance of the hs'ing community.

 

I never see threads on here supporting the efforts to "weed out" lazy and inept hs'ing parents. Because, they do exist. In probably greater numbers than anyone here would like to admit.

Absolutely! Sadly, until my family joined the homeschool group of which we're now a part, I knew more bad homeschoolers than good. One of my cousins pulled her kids out of school to "homeschool" them because her husband, who is a pastor, essentially demanded it. She had no desire to homeschool her kids, and the reality is that the kids played video games all day and then bragged about it.