Home Schooling Declared Illegal in CA!

[macallan25]

Every home schooled kid I have ever met was weird and socially inept.

[SWTXBelle]

You've obviously not met all that many - or at least, I would say not a representative sample. Most (not all, of course) of the ones I've known have been more socially mature (less social pressure from peers, more interaction with adults).

[33girl]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

You've obviously not met all that many - or at least, I would say not a representative sample. Most (not all, of course) of the ones I've known have been more socially mature (less social pressure from peers, more interaction with adults).

What an adult finds pleasing and what an adolescent finds pleasing as far as social interaction are two very different things. Trust me, I've been there.

[honeychile]

I have to respectfully disagree with the "socially inept" part of home schooling. My godson & his brother & sister were all home schooled (in California), up until last year. This was done after the parents made the decision that their children's education was more important than having some of the "extras" of life - in other words, the parents did this sacrificially.

The father became ill (a story unto itself) and so the children were able to be with him up until he passed away - something they would have missed, had they been in a "real school" five days a week. Obviously, once he died, the mother had to go to work, so the kids started attending a private school on scholarship in the fall.

Within the first month of starting school for the first time, Erin was nominated for Homecoming Queen. Another three weeks later, she was a Homecoming Princess, coming in second. Her one brother is the star quarterback, and the other brother will start high school next year after winning the school's Talent Show.

I don't know about the world you all live in, but where I sit, Homecoming Princesses & star quarterbacks aren't considered "socially inept".

[GeekyPenguin]

I think home schooling is one of those thing it is really hard to make a blanket statement about. I've gone to school with kids who were home schooled for part of their education and adjusted really well into "normal" school life, but those kids were also the ones whose parents made sure their kids played on local sports teams, joined scout troops, and actually taught them a "standard" curriculum. I've also gone to school with kids who were home schooled and were completely socially inept and a little too busy learning the Bible and not learning how to you know, do math or science or have a normal conversation.

My boyfriend has this relative who was home schooled on the farm by parents who only had a high school education - he then went to a correspondence college and correspondence law school. He now is a farmer with more student loan debt than I have. I'm not sure what the point of that was.

[ForeverRoses]

[QUOTE=GeekyPenguin;1621005]I think home schooling is one of those thing it is really hard to make a blanket statement about. I've gone to school with kids who were home schooled for part of their education and adjusted really well into "normal" school life, but those kids were also the ones whose parents made sure their kids played on local sports teams, joined scout troops, and actually taught them a "standard" curriculum. I've also gone to school with kids who were home schooled and were completely socially inept and a little too busy learning the Bible and not learning how to you know, do math or science or have a normal conversation.

QUOTE]

I think you hit the nail on the head-- it all depends on how the child is taught. Do I think the Duggar children that are home schooled are getting the same level of education as SWTXBelle's kids? No. But those differences could be there with schools as well.

[honeychile]

You said it better than I - it really should be looked at on a case-to-case basis. These kids were encouraged to be in EVERYTHING so that they would be well socialized, same with some of the other homeschoolers I know. Only one of their parents went to college, but they both did take the home schooling classes.

I'm truthfully not sure that I would homeschool - but I would fight as hard as I could for the right to do so.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

My boyfriend has this relative who was home schooled on the farm by parents who only had a high school education - he then went to a correspondence college and correspondence law school. He now is a farmer with more student loan debt than I have. I'm not sure what the point of that was.

CORRESPONDENCE LAW SCHOOL?!

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

CORRESPONDENCE LAW SCHOOL?!

For real. We were kind of fascinated by it. Neither of us went to superhoity schools, but at least they're freaking ABA accredited. He was in school the same time as the Conservinator and apparently they had some amusing conversations over school breaks about how Wisconsin was teaching the Conservinator false laws.

The CORRESPONDENCE LAW SCHOOL (which should probably always be capitalized) is CA-accredited so the dude could move to CA and try and take that bar, but he doesn't want to leave the family farm.

[UGAalum94]

My experience is that kids who enter high school after being home-schooled do well with adults and with kids. (as well or better socially as they would probably have done had they attended public schools; well ahead academically and intellectually.)

I think that being home-schooled through middle school might be one of the best things that could happen to a girl, especially. The socialization that goes on 6-9th is pretty subhuman really, despite middle school teachers' best efforts.

I'm not being critical of parents who send their kids to schools, of course, but a lot of what people believe about home schooled kids has not in any way been reflected in my experience.

Now, kids whose parents pull them out during high school after the kids get in trouble and who then say they being "home schooled" are a totally different and dysfuctional group.

[shinerbock]

The home-schooled kids I knew were pretty much the same as their other-schooled equivalents. If a guy who was homeschooled was athletic and funny, he was fine socially. If he was a nerd who was homeschooled, he likely wasn't any better off than you're average nerdy guy in a public school.

I haven't come across any home schooled folks where I thought "wow, they'd be pretty socially capable if not for their home schooling."

[SWTXBelle]

And here's the thing - the same factors that might contribute to a home-schooled student being socially inept might also be the ones that make a public school student the same. No one is arguing that public schooled students are all socially "ept" (it's a joke, it's a joke) - there are many things ranging from parental involvement to shyness to autism( I have a nephew is autistic, but is high functioning enough that people think he is "socially inept"), etc.,etc. that contribute to being socially immature. Sometimes it is just a matter of time passing -we all know people who were awkward in high school who bloomed when they became older. Thank God, the social skills required in middle and high school are not the same as the ones required of adults. I was an awkward drama nerd in high school - and I went to public school. I like to think I grew out of it . . .
As far as qualifications - again, until the "qualified" teachers of the public education system can produce students who out perform home schooled students on a consistent basis (you can google the research, if you wish) there should be no talk of making parents meet the same requirements as a public school teacher. Most states have basic requirements, and I think it is the states who should dictate what those are.
I don't think standardized tests are in public students' best interests, and I sure don't think trying to hold home schooled students to the same flawed standards is. Too many teachers have to ditch teaching students what they need to know in order to prepare them for tests which will determine funding, job advancement, and the like. I'd hate to see the same thing happen to home schools.
Yes, my daughter did very well on the ACT - but the only prep she did was some sample tests. She did as well as she did because she had a solid foundation, is well-read, and can write.
FYI - my husband once taught a class for the University of Phoenix - it is a giant scam. Surely everyone knows that U of P and Walden University are diploma mills, right? He even wrote an expose' for a national magazine. Stay far, far away from the U of P. Having said that, many well-established universities have great on-line programs.