Do you find this to be true?

[Runningmom80]

I'm very new to the HS scene, we only just decided in June to definitely homeschool. In this short period of time, I've come in contact with 4 ps teachers. (3 are friends) all of them have been the most supportive of anyone so far when they hear we will be homeschooling.

 

 

It's definitely reaffirming, but at the same time, what does it say about public schools? It was definitely surprising, I expected to get some not so supportive comments, especially from one in particular, who tends to wear his heart on his sleeve. :)

 

 

I'm curious as to others' experience. I know some of you are former or current ps teachers, and obviously you are supportive of HS in some capacity or you would not be here. :D

 

 

In general, do you find PS teachers to be supportive of homeschooling?

Edited August 25, 2011 by someonestolemyname

[jujsky]

Yes -- at least the ones I know. My mom works at a high school and all the teachers she works with are very positive when she talks about how we homeschool the grandkids. They're so disgusted with the turn for the worse education has taken (NCLB, parents running the schools and lax administration) that they are supportive.

[Impish]

Meh.

 

Some of the staunchest hs'ers I know were ps teachers, or have spouses that still are.

 

At the same time, some of the nastiest comments I've gotten are from ps teachers.

 

Like any other segment of the population, its made up of individuals whose opinions vary wildly.

[SailorMom]

No - I have yet to meet a PS teacher here that I did not have to know for YEARS before they accepted that I wasn't ruining my kids (I have some good friends who teach here). Even now - after DS 14 is excelling, they still make comments that come off to mean that they think he is excelling in spite of his homeschooling.

Anyway - I had to stop discussing it with them a long time ago.....

I also know a few teachers in CA. They are about 50/50 - some believe it is a valid choice, and others still don't get it.

I CONSTANTLY get the comment that, "Well - the way you do it seems fine, but all those other families are ruining their kids."

:tongue_smilie:

[DawnM]

As a former ps teacher, I resemble both of those remarks! I will admit that before kids I was against homeschooling. The ones I met were a bit crazy! :lol:

 

Then I had kids. I did fully intend to put them in school, although we were looking at private schools at the time.

 

Now I am a crazy homeschooler, although I don't have a denim jumper and I do wear make up and watch TV (shhh.....don't tell.)

 

Dawn

 

Meh.

 

Some of the staunchest hs'ers I know were ps teachers, or have spouses that still are.

 

At the same time, some of the nastiest comments I've gotten are from ps teachers.

 

Like any other segment of the population, its made up of individuals whose opinions vary wildly.

[Veritaserum]

Most interactions I've had with PS teachers have been positive. My MIL is a teacher and she looks through my homeschool stuff to get ideas. It has been awhile since I've gotten a negative comment about homeschooling.

 

ETA: I have gotten compliments about how I homeschool with warnings about the bad jobs done by others.

Edited August 25, 2011 by Veritaserum

[....]

Yeah, I've had some really bad comments from ps teachers. I walked my daughter into our old ps for some girl scout event and the lady in the office yelled (from the office), "You won't let her go to school, but she can do girl scouts?" :glare: Sheesh, what do ya' say to that???

 

I'm glad you have had good experiences. I think a lot of it has to do with where you live...like most of my bad experiences have been in another state (where everybody went to the ps and people actually moved around to get into certain school districts)....whereas in Texas, there are so many people homeschooling, it doesn't seem like a big deal.

[Jen in PA]

We are living in the school district where DH grew up and went to school. He says that all of the PS teachers sent their kids to Catholic school here even 30 years ago -- not much of a vote of confidence in the public schools!

[8circles]

In general, do you find PS teachers to be supportive of homeschooling?

 

In general, yes, because I try to focus on the positive. But it seems to be that most teachers who work in "failing" schools are very negative about homeschooling & most teachers who work in "good" schools are more supportive. That's my experience at least.

[The Girls' Mom]

Most I've talked to have either been supportive or don't have an opinion. The most supportive were the ones that were close friends and actually knew my kids. I had several that I talked to at legnth about how bad the school system was getting, and they would do the same if they could.

 

Then I have the group that like to dissect you...find out how you teach, what your background is, what your kids think about it. Not hostile by any means, but more of a "that's weird, how's that work?" kind of thing.

 

I've had a ONE teacher that was down right hostile, and he was mostly mad because I was taking his best student out of his class.

[twoforjoy]

In general, yes, because I try to focus on the positive. But it seems to be that most teachers who work in "failing" schools are very negative about homeschooling & most teachers who work in "good" schools are more supportive. That's my experience at least.

 

That makes sense to me. Many times, teachers in "failing" schools are dealing with parents who are uninvolved if not downright hostile to their kids' education. After years of dealing with that, I can understand why they'd be a bit skeptical of the ability of most parents to educate their children. Plus, I think there's sometimes a sense of resentment that the smart, dedicated parents are pulling their kids from the schools, because they would have an easier time if there were more of those kids in their classrooms.

 

Teachers from better schools have more positive interactions with parents, and see more parental involvement and support, and so it makes perfect sense to me that they'd be more positive about homeschooling.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

One of my sisters was a special ed teacher and now homeschools her own kids. She first worked in a public school, then a school for kids with severe learning disabilities.

 

My best friend is a high school English/Drama teacher at her local ps. She is extremely supportive of me, especially since she knows my older ds so well. She agrees he would not fare well in ps.

 

Other ps or private school teachers I know casually have not commented either way when I mention homeschooling, other than to ask how it's going.

[melissad2]

IDK, I've me a few that were positive about it but for the most part they seem to take it personally, kwim. I met a first grade teacher at the vet's office yesterday that made me thankful that my kids would not ever be her responsibility. She was downright rude and condescending and boy was she giving that red pen a workout.

[kalanamak]

 

 

In general, do you find PS teachers to be supportive of homeschooling?

 

I only know two, and they are supportive. One says she just wishes she had the time to do the things we do, but with 25 littles to get through division, it is more like herding. She especially laments the lack of science.

[Garga]

I only know one teacher and he was pretty against hsing when we first talked about it. At first his negative comments were so over-the-top that I thought he was joking. It wasn't until the next day, when he appologized for being so rude, that I realized he had been serious.

 

Since then, we just don't talk about it, even though we're dear friends otherwise.

[Alte Veste Academy]

Yes, all the school teachers I know have expressed approval (and sometimes envy) of homeschooling, save one I met when ds8 was in t-ball. She couldn't believe anyone would give up the ability to send their children to school "to get away from the kids and earn money of their own." She was also one who seemed genuinely stunned that I could want a third "on purpose" when I already had a child of each gender. Needless to say, our values did not line up. :tongue_smilie:

[J-rap]

We've met the whole range, some supportive, some unsupportive. However, I have to say... most who were unsupportive at first -- and who have gotten to know our kids and other homeschoolers over the years -- have turned from vocally unsupportive to at least silently supportive.:)

[KungFuPanda]

I find that teachers, in general, are delighted when a parent takes an interest in their child's education no matter what form that interest takes. I've never had negative comments in the 10 years we've homeschooled. I was a teacher, though, so I'm not sure how much that insulates me from the badmouthing.

[Jyniffrec]

The only real negativity I've run into was from a principal who resented the funding we were taking away when we removed the kids. She was/is evil anyway, though.

[roxanne23]

.

Edited January 4, 2023 by roxanne23

[Princess Peach]

Well, my DH is a ps teacher and he is very supportive of hs'ing. :tongue_smilie:

 

But, seriously, yes, I have gotten comments from administrators, other teachers, spec ed teachers, etc, that have been very supportive. His dept head told him just the other day how he thinks it's great that I can stay home and teach the kids. He also acknowledged how much work it must be.

 

However, I do not think it reflects badly on the ps system in our area. Our schools are very good. We are actually contemplating sending our dc to high school here. I think it's just the climate of our area, perhaps. There are lots of hs'ers here and in our city people are celebrated for being a little outside the box.

[lorisuewho]

I was a ps teacher for 10 years before having children. When I told my teacher friends this year that I was thinking about homeschooling, every single one of them encouraged me to do so and have supported me in this journey.

 

When I was a teacher, I was guilty of making statements about homeschoolers with other teachers. Unfortunately, the only contact we as teachers had with homeschoolers were children who were homeschooled but now enrolled in school. Sadly, most of these students were very far behind and we were left wondering, "What did these kids do at home??" We as teachers were not exposed to all the successful homeschoolers who were at home doing a great job. It skewed our view.

[angela in ohio]

I've found that those who are caught up in "the cause," active in the union and so on, are usually the ones who are anti-homeschooling. They usually don't know how the funding works, any of the numbers or statistics, how it all works.... they just know they are supposed to hate homeschooling, charter schools, private schools, the government, the administration, legislation of any kind, etc. :D

 

The ones who are teaching because they love children and care about their futures are often very supportive. They may be concerned and ask how it works, if they get everything they need; but once they understand, they are usually on board. Many have seen the results of positive homeschooling experiences and negative homeschooling outcomes over the years.

 

My sil is a teacher, and I'm sure she doesn't like homeschooling, but she is polite enough not to say much to us. My dh is a public school administrator, and he is obviously supportive. ;) Most of his colleagues don't care one way or the other, a few are homeschoolers, and I would bet a few are against it but just don't say anything.

[misidawnrn]

I just had a patient the other day that was a teacher to teachers. She taught teachers how to teach and she planned on teaching her kids at home (this was her first baby, so she has a while).

We had great conversations.

[LaxMom]

We interact with lots of school types - retired/current administrators & teachers as coworkers, members at work, parents/coaches on sports teams - and the only comments that could be construed as negative, if I were so inclined, would be our neighbor's... He's lobbying for the kids to go to highschool so he can have them in his class. :D (I do not take that as a negative comment in any way)

 

Most -even the current teachers/principals - recognize that a 1 on 1, individualized education is about as good as it can get. (And I recognize that there are some things that are better learned in a group)

[Trish]

I was surprised at the number of parents from our former private school who told me they "wished they could" homeschool.

[NanceXToo]

My aunt was a public school teacher and was the only person in my family who was initially NOT in favor of my decision to homeschool.

 

On the other hand, we went to an Indian presentation thing at the library one time and I got to talking with the guy running the program, and he told me he is REALLY in favor of homeschooling. Then he told me he used to be a high school teacher.

 

So, who knows!

[SailorMom]

Unfortunately, the only contact we as teachers had with homeschoolers were children who were homeschooled but now enrolled in school. Sadly, most of these students were very far behind and we were left wondering, "What did these kids do at home??" We as teachers were not exposed to all the successful homeschoolers who were at home doing a great job. It skewed our view.

 

Sadly, I think this is where the teachers I know get their opinion from. The parents (they have told me) get frustrated either with the behavior of the kids or thier lack of progress - or just realize that they aren't staying ahead -and then put the kids back in school a year or more behind. I personally know a family that fits this bill. So - of course, these are the kids the ps teachers see.

[FrogMom5]

It seems to depend on the person and the homeschoolers they know. One friend I have here knew only people who homeschooled b/c they had large families and it was cheaper than all the ps fees and supplies. At least, that's what she told me.

 

Anyway, she knew we only had 3 kids so she thought they couldn't make it "in real school." I had to bite my tongue pretty hard when she said that to me. After knowing us the past few yrs., I think she may have changed her opinion. She never mentions anything now.

 

Most of the ps teachers I've known have been at least partially supportive. It's hard to disapprove of involved parents.

 

Fwiw, I've recently met anti-homeschooling former homeschoolers. Sigh.

Denise

[TravelingChris]

The only negative comment I ever received about homeschooling from a public school teacher was 17 years ago. Since that time, no other one has said anything else negative. Just met another public school teacher this week and again, nothing negative. He knows how many kids he has in his room and also can figure out that one on one tutoring is more effective.

[Mommee & Baba]

I don't really discuss anything with PS teachers as I don't personally know of any since I don't go to social functions that include the school teachers.

 

However my aunt-in-law use to be an elementary school teacher and is 100% AGAINST our decision to homeschool and we've been doing it for 5 years! Her comment when she found out we were moving back to where she lives was "good thing now the kids will be able to go into school like they need"....and my remark was "I have no intentions of letting go of any of our current decisions just because we move"....

 

The rudest comments I've gotten is from parents of ps kids. They make comments about how it's smothering to mom and kid or that my kids are going to have a tough life is I shelter them all the time....ect.

 

:glare:Meh what do they know about our family to predict what I can't even predict!

[gardenmom5]

I have many public school teachers among friends and acquaintences. Most were at least orginally against. Even a very dear friend leans negative about it. I do know a few whose opinions have changed - but that has only been with exposure to homeschooled kids.

[Runningmom80]

Interesting! I'll have to see how it goes as we meet more teachers that don't know us well.

[gardenmom5]

IThe rudest comments I've gotten is from parents of ps kids. They make comments about how it's smothering to mom and kid or that my kids are going to have a tough life is I shelter them all the time....ect.

 

think those parents are feeling guilty because they don't care enough to figure out a way to homeschool their kids?

 

if they were 100% comfortable in their decision to public school, they wouldn't care either way that you aren't.

 

your decision to homeschool sure pokes at your aunts self-identity and sense of worth as a school teacher.