Barack Obama was homeschooled!

[StephanieZ]

I was thinking about the recent discussions here about how the presidential candidates might feel/act about homeschooling and it suddenly occurred to me that many of you might not realize that Obama *was* (sounds like rigorously) homeschooled (to a large degree) by his mom for several formative years.

 

His mom got him up at 4 AM to school him for several hours before he went off to regular school while she went off to her job teaching english.

 

Having read his autobiography a couple years ago, I've known for a while that he was educated largely by his mom during much of his early childhood (I think from about age 6 to age 10 from my best recollection), but I thought that not everyone may be aware of that and that perhaps it might be of interest to some people here. (It's also clear in his writing that he adored and respected his now deceased mom.)

 

There's plenty of public reporting on his education by his mom, so you can google it for details or here is a link to a washington post profile of him this week that mention it. . .

 

excerpt from the linked article: ". . .His mother taught him history, math, reading and social studies, waking him at 4 each morning to give him special tutoring, pouring her knowledge into his agile brain. . . "

 

Link to article:

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/22/AR2008082201679_pf.html

 

I'll leave the interpretation and reaction to each of you folks, but I thought this nugget of data might be of some value here.

 

Cheers,

Stephanie

[Mom to Aly]

Thanks, Stephanie, I love it! I have the book, and haven't gotten to it yet--now I'm even more anxious to read it!

[JudyJudyJudy]

That's very interesting. My son will never be able to say that I woke him up at 4:00 in the morning for homeschooling, though. :p We're not morning people.

[Pammy]

least as long as the NEA supports him anyway.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Have I missed something? Everything I've read sounds as though he is quite supportive of homeschooling. Just because the NEA supports someone doesn't mean that he can't also support homeschooling. I can fully see why teachers support him (I'm a former teacher), and it has nothing to do with being against homeschooling.

[Pammy]

NEA supports him and with their lobbyists at work, the real issue is going to be the Parental Rights legislation (ongoing in Congress). Basically, what happened to homeschoolers in Ca recently could easily happen on a national level with just a stroke of His pen.

[Pammy]

. .His mother taught him history, math, reading and social studies, waking him at 4 each morning to give him special tutoring, pouring her knowledge into his agile brain. . . "

 

It could be possible that he was, but then again, we don't have all of his records to prove it. Seems a little fishy to me.

[dragons in the flower bed]

least as long as the NEA supports him anyway.

 

I certainly hope he doesn't come out in support of homeschooling! I'd hate to see any federal mandates about it! Leave it up to the states, I say.

 

Anyway, he's never stated he has any intention other than to honor the choices of families in this regard.

[JudyJudyJudy]

NEA supports him and with their lobbyists at work, the real issue is going to be the Parental Rights legislation (ongoing in Congress). Basically, what happened to homeschoolers in Ca recently could easily happen on a national level with just a stroke of His pen.

In your first post you said that he doesn't support homeschooling freedoms. Please show me where you're getting this information and why you fear that he would be a threat to homeschoolers. Just because NEA supports him in no way says that.

 

 

I certainly hope he doesn't come out in support of homeschooling! I'd hate to see any federal mandates about it! Leave it up to the states, I say.

I totally agree.

 

Anyway, he's never stated he has any intention other than to honor the choices of families in this regard.

That has always been my understanding as well.

[Mrs Mungo]

NEA supports him and with their lobbyists at work, the real issue is going to be the Parental Rights legislation (ongoing in Congress). Basically, what happened to homeschoolers in Ca recently could easily happen on a national level with just a stroke of His pen.

 

Laws do not just happen with the stroke of a president's pen. Even your statement points to this.

[StephanieZ]

least as long as the NEA supports him anyway.

 

NEA supports him and with their lobbyists at work, the real issue is going to be the Parental Rights legislation (ongoing in Congress). Basically, what happened to homeschoolers in Ca recently could easily happen on a national level with just a stroke of His pen.

 

Actually, Obama has expressed a clear, supportive, recent opinion about homeschooling. On p. 344 of his 2006 book Audacity of Hope:

 

" . . . Of course, none of these policies need discourage families from deciding to keep a parent at home, regardless of the financial sacrifices. For some families, that may mean doing without certain material comforts. For others, it may mean home schooling or a move to a community where the cost of living is lower. For some families, it may be the father who stays at home -- although for most families it will still be the mother who serves as the primary caregiver.

 

Whatever the case may be, such decisions should be honored. If there is one thing that social conservatives have been right about, it's that our modern culture sometimes fails to fully appreciate the extraordinary emotional and financial contributions -- the sacrafices and just plain hard work -- of the stay-at-home mom. . . . I want my daughters to have a choice as to what's best for them and their families. . ."

[tibbyl]

. .His mother taught him history, math, reading and social studies, waking him at 4 each morning to give him special tutoring, pouring her knowledge into his agile brain. . . "

 

It could be possible that he was, but then again, we don't have all of his records to prove it. Seems a little fishy to me.

 

 

I have homeschooled for seventeen years without records to prove it. The only proof is my word that we did the work and my children's knowledge.

[Kate in Arabia]

It could be possible that he was, but then again, we don't have all of his records to prove it. Seems a little fishy to me.

 

I know many many expats who do something along these lines.. and we have an afterschooling board here, so I don't understand why it seems "fishy". Of all people we should be the most understanding of a mom who wants to make sure his son is challenged academically. Do afterschoolers generally have some kind of "proof" of what they are doing?

 

Kate

(not voting for Obama)

[Snickerdoodle]

I know many many expats who do something along these lines.

 

:iagree:

 

 

Especially those expats who live in non-English speaking areas. IIRC he went to a public (non-English) speaking school because they couldn't afford the International school where they lived.

[Spy Car]

Barack is such a kind, thoughtful, courteous, respectful, and bright person...it's hard to imagine he wasn't home-schooled :D

 

Bill (who wishes he could vote for him twice)

[Karenciavo]

Barack is such a kind, thoughtful, courteous, respectful, and bright person...it's hard to imagine he wasn't home-schooled :D

 

Yes, he does appear to be all that. :D I'd love to be his neighbor. Maybe when he has nothing to do in January he'll move to NJ. :lol:

[Spy Car]

Yes, he does appear to be all that. :D I'd love to be his neighbor. Maybe when he has nothing to do in January he'll move to NJ. :lol:

 

Or...maybe you could move to Washington DC :D

 

Either way no one is going to consuse John McCain for a home-schooled lad, you think?:lol:

[Erica in PA]

I'm not quite sure I'd consider this, as described here, as being "homeschooled." His mom taught him things in the morning before he left for school. Does that make him a homeschooled student? It sounds more to me that his mother was supplementing his traditional education. That's great, and I'm sure it helped him greatly, but I don't think it constitutes homeschooling, per se.

 

Erica

[EKS]

I know what you mean. When I read about the homeschooling thing just now I thought, Aha! Now it all makes perfect sense!

[Danestress]

But even if it's pure fantasy (and I imagine there is at least *some* truth in it, but politicians do always paint a picture that is what they wish to project) I find it really interesting that this is the fantasy he chose. "My mother chose to devote herself to my education, and it made me the man I am today" is what he wants us to believe, and I think that says something good about him.

[LizzyBee]

I'm not quite sure I'd consider this, as described here, as being "homeschooled." His mom taught him things in the morning before he left for school. Does that make him a homeschooled student? It sounds more to me that his mother was supplementing his traditional education. That's great, and I'm sure it helped him greatly, but I don't think it constitutes homeschooling, per se.

 

Erica

 

:iagree:

[dragons in the flower bed]

His mom taught him things in the morning before he left for school. Does that make him a homeschooled student?

 

I wouldn't think so. It sounds to me like he was afterschooled.

[SFP]

He was preschooled.

[Sandy in Indy]

He was preschooled.

 

:iagree: Not "homeschooling" in my book. Admirable, but not homeschooling.

[Tracey in TX]

Um, EVERY parent worth a child's hug teaches their child is some fashion, be in 4am or 4pm. I taught my children history, reading, literature, religion, gymnastics, etc BEFORE we ever homeschooled. Does that make me a candidate for sainthood. Not likely. It does make me a proactive parent.

Joe Blow across the street also educates her children before she sends them off to their respective schools. Sounds like Mr. Obama is placing Momma Obama on a pedestal instead of giving her a big thanks for helping him learn the basics.

Sorry, but I think he's full of hot air and hope he's simply a foot note in poli-sci textbooks next year.

[Marsha]

He went to live with his grandparents when he was 10, so if they did homeschool, before school, it couldn't have been for very long.

A ten year old is in about 4th grade.

[SFP]

So if you only homeschool for four years it doesn't count?

[JenParrish]

It sounds like his mother "tutored" him (maybe he was a struggling student). I have not read the book. What did he do when she went to work? My guess, school.

[Kay in Cal]

Actually, Obama has expressed a clear, supportive, recent opinion about homeschooling. On p. 344 of his 2006 book Audacity of Hope:

 

" . . . Of course, none of these policies need discourage families from deciding to keep a parent at home, regardless of the financial sacrifices. For some families, that may mean doing without certain material comforts. For others, it may mean home schooling or a move to a community where the cost of living is lower. For some families, it may be the father who stays at home -- although for most families it will still be the mother who serves as the primary caregiver.

 

Whatever the case may be, such decisions should be honored. If there is one thing that social conservatives have been right about, it's that our modern culture sometimes fails to fully appreciate the extraordinary emotional and financial contributions -- the sacrafices and just plain hard work -- of the stay-at-home mom. . . . I want my daughters to have a choice as to what's best for them and their families. . ."

 

Thanks so much for posting this! I think that's pretty clear support for homeschooling, certainly clearer than from other candidates in the past. I wonder if those who insist he is against it have read this book? They seem to have skipped right over your post!

[dragons in the flower bed]

So if you only homeschool for four years it doesn't count?

 

Do you mean the years between birth and age four? I know I'm going to get in trouble for this, but if that's what you mean, I say it doesn't count.

 

Homeschooling is an alternative to putting one's children in an educational institution. Since one-year-olds aren't normally put in schools, it's not homeschooling to keep them home; it's not an alternative. Schooling is something you do with school age kids.

 

Doing enriching activities with your children outside of their main educational setting is not homeschooling, it's parenting.

 

We water down both the definition of homeschooling and of parenting when we use the word homeschooling to mean being a devoted, thoughtful, resourceful parent at times when children are not in school.

 

Personally, I'm annoyed by parents who attend homeschool group meetings faithfully until their kids are four, then put them in Pre-K. I go to those meetings to get support from people who are taking on the often terrifying responsibility of being THE educator in charge of their kids schooling experience. It's a whole different ball game from supplementing or enriching.

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it's better. I'm saying it's different.

[Laura Corin]

I'm not quite sure I'd consider this, as described here, as being "homeschooled." His mom taught him things in the morning before he left for school.

 

I would not be at all surprised if she taught him a whole curriculum in English as well. As has been mentioned, this is not unusual in expat situations.

 

If she taught him a full curriculum, but he also went to Indonesian school, does that make him a school student or a home educated student? You know, I'm not sure it matters: he has an understanding of the idea (and possible success) of home education.

 

Laura

[Erica in PA]

I would not be at all surprised if she taught him a whole curriculum in English as well. As has been mentioned, this is not unusual in expat situations.

 

If she taught him a full curriculum, but he also went to Indonesian school, does that make him a school student or a home educated student? You know, I'm not sure it matters: he has an understanding of the idea (and possible success) of home education.

 

Laura

 

We don't know how extensive the schooling was, or in what language he was instructed in school. I just don't think those few sentences in the article referring to Obama's early morning tutoring warrant the headline, "Obama was homeschooled!!!" All we really know from these few lines is that his mother took his education seriously, and that he learned from her for a few hours in the morning before he set off for a full school day. That doesn't not necessarily mean that he was homeschooled, that he identifies himself as having been homeschooled, or that he now approves of homeschooling as a complete alternative to traditional school, which it seems to me implied elsewhere here. I just think it's sort of being overblown, that's all.

 

Erica

[LizzyBee]

Have I missed something? Everything I've read sounds as though he is quite supportive of homeschooling. Just because the NEA supports someone doesn't mean that he can't also support homeschooling. I can fully see why teachers support him (I'm a former teacher), and it has nothing to do with being against homeschooling.

 

There was some discussion about this in another thread. RebeccaC posted about some legislation that Obama wanted to pass in IL that would have made homeschooling difficult.

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50492&highlight=obama+illinois

[Laura Corin]

We don't know how extensive the schooling was, or in what language he was instructed in school.

 

That would mean that his schooling was in Bahasa. His mother was English-speaking, so I think the assumption that she gave him a full education in English in addition is fair. Otherwise, how could he dive straight into middle school in Hawaii?

 

As I said, I'm not hung up on the label, but the experience is useful.

 

Laura

[mommaduck]

It sounds more like his mother did afterschooling aggressively with him (only before school ;) ). I believe much of how he thinks is due to being a TCK though. There are things I very much disagree with him with and won't vote for him because of it. However, I will admit that he has a charisma and like how he comes across. I don't like that he appears to fence-sit in order to not be accused of this or that...we need to know where he stands.

[pqr]

Actually, Obama has expressed a clear, supportive, recent opinion about homeschooling. On p. 344 of his 2006 book Audacity of Hope:

 

" . . . Of course, none of these policies need discourage families from deciding to keep a parent at home, regardless of the financial sacrifices. For some families, that may mean doing without certain material comforts. For others, it may mean home schooling or a move to a community where the cost of living is lower. For some families, it may be the father who stays at home -- although for most families it will still be the mother who serves as the primary caregiver.

 

Whatever the case may be, such decisions should be honored. If there is one thing that social conservatives have been right about, it's that our modern culture sometimes fails to fully appreciate the extraordinary emotional and financial contributions -- the sacrafices and just plain hard work -- of the stay-at-home mom. . . . I want my daughters to have a choice as to what's best for them and their families. . ."

 

We have all heard this quote ad nauseum, I would mention one small point and then ask a question. Let us remember that the title of this self adoring little work was taken from a line in one of ahemm Reverend Wright's sermons, I suppose that was one of the sermons that Obama admits to having listened to. This is the same "spiritual mentor," family friend and man who baptized Obama's children that Obama dropped like a hot stone. This was when Wright held a press conference where he repeated the things he had been saying for 20 years. As Obama has disavowed the man who inspired this book, why would anybody believe that anything in it can be believed? If he abandoned his "mentor" to get elected what else will he abandon?

 

The question: Does anybody actually believe that Obama would stand up to the NEA over the issue of homeschooling and would not (what is the term he uses when he flip flops, oh yes) "refine" his opinion to fall into lock step with his vocal supporters in the NEA? If so please give evidence.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Have I missed something? Everything I've read sounds as though he is quite supportive of homeschooling. Just because the NEA supports someone doesn't mean that he can't also support homeschooling. I can fully see why teachers support him (I'm a former teacher), and it has nothing to do with being against homeschooling.

 

Well I read the 15 or so pages of his education plan on the Obama website and there wasn't anything that made me think he at supported educational choice. There wasn't a "homeschooling is unconstitutional" plank. But neither did I read it to be supportive of private schools, charters or homeschooling.

 

Caveat, I read this back around April/May and it may have changed and my recollection may be less than perfect.

[Erica in PA]

That would mean that his schooling was in Bahasa. His mother was English-speaking, so I think the assumption that she gave him a full education in English in addition is fair. Otherwise, how could he dive straight into middle school in Hawaii?

 

As I said, I'm not hung up on the label, but the experience is useful.

 

Laura

 

I read around a bit online, and you are correct that he attended Indonesian schools during this time, mostly like in Bahasa. I found this quote, "Obama, who describes in his book his mother as "the kindest, most generous spirit I have ever known", recalls her dedication to his education -- he was set a stiff regimen whereby he was woken by her at 4 a.m. for English lessons before school."

 

Teaching your child English a few hours per day so that they will know that language, then sending them every day to a traditional school-- that is a *vastly* different experience than Americans, born and raised in America, choosing to exclusively homeschool their child instead of using any traditional schooling at all...those are truly apples to oranges as far as I'm concerned. Imo, while it's an interesting tidbit about his life, and speaks well of his mother as a concerned parent, this sheds no light at all on Obama's views of today's American homeschooling families.

 

Erica

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

He was preschooled.

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

I'm not quite sure I'd consider this, as described here, as being "homeschooled." His mom taught him things in the morning before he left for school. Does that make him a homeschooled student? It sounds more to me that his mother was supplementing his traditional education. That's great, and I'm sure it helped him greatly, but I don't think it constitutes homeschooling, per se.

 

Erica

 

I homeschooled my son, full Sonlight curriculum, when he attended German school for two years.

 

I did it before school on the days that he went in late, and I did it after school on the days he came home early. We did read-alouds at bedtime.

 

I guess I was an afterschooler (preschooler? [nods to SFP]), but there is nothing I left out of his English education, not even math.

 

Goes back to what one considers a home education. For some, sending to national schools is not "pure" enough to be home school. For some, cyber charters completed at home isn't pure enough. Afterschooling is, of course, afterschooling when it's a supplement.

[mommaduck]

Pam, sounds more like your child Double-Schooled :D A full German education and a full English education!

[astrid]

The question: Does anybody actually believe that Obama would stand up to the NEA over the issue of homeschooling and would not (what is the term he uses when he flip flops, oh yes) "refine" his opinion to fall into lock step with his vocal supporters in the NEA? If so please give evidence.

 

Yes, I believe it. But then I don't labor under the belief that the NEA wants to abolish homeschooling.

 

You asked for proof that I believe it. Hmmm....not sure how to fulfill that request......? Want my dh to submit an affadavit stating that he's heard me muse aloud about it? :D

 

Astrid

[Dayle in Guatemala]

in my opinion, she was more dedicated than I am! I don't know if I would have the will to get up so early to do what she did and then send him to school only to come home after a day of work (wherever that might have been) to homework that he brought home. I say, kudos to her for seeing that he needed more challenge than maybe he was getting. Good for her for sacrificing her time and energy in a way I wouldn't.

 

I would definitely consider him homeschooled or afterschooled or preschooled (whatever) during that time. She laid a foundation for him to love learning and to appreciate education and freedom of choice in education. Isn't that what we try to do?

 

Just my humble opinion as I homeschool from 8:30 am to 2 pm during my day!

 

PS. SpyCar--that doesn't mean I'm voting for him!!!!:D;)

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

this self adoring little work

 

 

 

My greatest praise of his self-adoring little work was that he wrote it all by his own self-adoring little self. Chalk one up to mom for the nice foundation she laid.

 

(Sorry if this is too audacious of a post. :lol::lol::lol:)

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Pam, sounds more like your child Double-Schooled :D A full German education and a full English education!

 

Home schooling just didn't ever take that long for us. And German schools only went for 3-5 hours a day, depending on the day. :001_smile: He was always done earlier than the DOD schools on the installation where we were living.

[LizzyBee]

But then I don't labor under the belief that the NEA wants to abolish homeschooling.

 

 

I used to think that was just hyperbole and rhetoric until I went to the NEA website and found it for myself some years ago. Yes, the NEA would like to abolish homeschooling and make government preschool mandatory. It's not a secret plot; they are open and upfront about it.

[ShelzNH]

Doing enriching activities with your children outside of their main educational setting is not homeschooling, it's parenting.

 

We water down both the definition of homeschooling and of parenting when we use the word homeschooling to mean being a devoted, thoughtful, resourceful parent at times when children are not in school.

 

 

:iagree:

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

. .His mother taught him history, math, reading and social studies, waking him at 4 each morning to give him special tutoring, pouring her knowledge into his agile brain. . . "

 

It could be possible that he was, but then again, we don't have all of his records to prove it. Seems a little fishy to me.

 

We didn't have to get up that early (thank goodness!) to do it, but *I* did that, even with a preschooler and most of the time with a deployed-to-Bosnia spouse.

 

It might sound like a fairy tale, but aside from living near a castle, there wasn't much more than your general workaday home school. Not particularly remarkable, except that ds has an amazingly strong affinity for American history! (We did Sonlight year 3 and year 4.)

[Jenny in Atl]

I used to think that was just hyperbole and rhetoric until I went to the NEA website and found it for myself some years ago. Yes, the NEA would like to abolish homeschooling and make government preschool mandatory. It's not a secret plot; they are open and upfront about it.

 

They are very worried about job security! My brother's gf is a teacher and the stories she tells, the politics. :lol:

[Debbie in OR]

I used to think that was just hyperbole and rhetoric until I went to the NEA website and found it for myself some years ago. Yes, the NEA would like to abolish homeschooling and make government preschool mandatory. It's not a secret plot; they are open and upfront about it.

 

:iagree: I read it as well.