Homeschooling for Philosophical Reasons

[momma2three]

I'm drawing a blank here.  I mean no snark in this, but can you help me understand in what way is that not fair to apply to men?

 

Because there isn't the same historical and cultural context that "proper ladies are well-behaved, quiet, and know their place."  It's usually misappropriated to various important female historical figures (usually Eleanor Roosevelt), but was really an offhand comment by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich writing about how hard it is to find historical documents about regular women in history if they evaded the law (whereas there were church, tax, and town or social group meeting records about plenty of men from all classes).

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

The WTM intro pretty much sums it all up:

 

If you’re fortunate, you live near and elementary school filled with excellent teachers who are dedicated to developing your child’s skills in reading, writing, arithmetic, history, and science.  These teachers have small classes - no more than ten students - and can give each student plenty of attention.  The elementary school sits next to a  middle school that is safe (no drugs, guns, knives).  This school also has small classes; the teachers train their students in logic, critical thinking, and advanced writing.  Plenty of one-on-one instruction is offered, especially in writing.  And in the distance (not too far away) is a high school that will take older students through world history, the classics of literature, the techniques of advanced writing, high-level mathematics, and science, debate, art history, and music appreciation (not to mention vocational and technical training, resume preparation, and job-hunting skills)

This book is for the rest of us.

 

I would add a sentence or two about having a school not driven by testing, that has a deeply-engaged and active parent base, and that aligns with the physical needs of a changing student population (e.g. later start in high school, plenty of recess, etc.) -- maybe gender-segregated classes too.

 

I'd put that all on a bumper sticker, but the teeeeeeeeeny text would be useless.

[HS Mom in NC]

Yes.

 

I believe that it's categorically true that children do best when they're in an academic environment that can customize and education to meet their individual needs immediately and consistently. Not every child needs the same thing at the same time, presented or practiced in the same way.  I'm religiously and philosophically opposed to busywork of any kind, so again, customization is essential when we're prioritizing what is best over what's just fine.

 

I think even the best institutional school can only provide an inferior social setting to a homeschooling situation.   Normalizing the amount of peer group influence that every institutional setting has creates the wrong set of values and erodes individualism in the worst possible ways. It also distorts reality by teaching children that peers should consist of people from your neighborhood (and very likely the same demographics when it comes to socioeconomic status)  born the same year you were.  In real life adults interact with wide varieties of people who are different ages, have different interests, and the like.

 

Do I think every parent should homeschool?  Absolutely not.  Whether they don't homeschool because of a lack of willingness, ability, or opportunity,  most children will become perfectly normal, well adjusted, productive people if they go to an institutional setting.  So, philosophically I think homeschooling is the best option but I don't think it's so much better that kids getting an institutional education are inferior or bad or damaged or deficient or anything like that.

[momacacia]

I voted Yes, to the extent that I think it's tough to compete with private tutoring and conventional schooling doesn't provide for that.

[shawthorne44]

I am against B&M public schools in the younger years.  There just seems something so unnatural about institutionalizing young kids and making them sit in desks for hours and hours.  Although, for kids with bad parents who largely ignore their kids it is probably the best option. 

We plan on HS'ing all the way through, but I think the reasons will shift from philosophical to avoiding the crappy local public schools.