topic Re: HOME SCHOOLING in Community Chat

HOME SCHOOLING

furbabylover — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:12:36 GMT

My daughter home schooled my two grandchildren for the first 18 years of their lives. They then went to private colleges. They are now leaders in their respective fields and have a grasp of knowledge that few have today. I just wanted to let you know of a phenomenon that is taking hold across the nation. Since the teacher's unions have decided not to go back into the classroom, many families are hiring teachers privately to teach small groups of children in their homes. In Texas now the standard appears to be groups of about 6-8 children being taught from approved curricula in neighborhood homes. This is not a political post. It is simply an alternative solution for the documented problems arising from kids being kept in isolation, and falling seriously behind in their education.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

Still Stylish Lady — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:24:03 GMT

Our 2 oldest Granddaughters were also home schooled. One has her BS and the other gets hers this May. They did well as far as I can tell.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

suzyQ3 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 22:57:25 GMT

I'm not sure I see the connection between preferring to home school children and the current pod situation. I think the latter is less a preference and more a matter of innovation during this crisis.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

Kachina624 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:27:31 GMT

On the other hand, I have a couple of neighbors that have always home school their children for religious reasons. Both of the moms are marginally educated and don't seem to have much of a grasp on what's going on in the world. Makes me wonder what kind of quality education they're getting. They seem to spend a lot of time outside playing during school days.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

Foxxee — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:25:03 GMT

A phenomenon I strongly support.

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Janey2 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:26:47 GMT

It is happening all over the country. There is nothing like small group instruction. There are so many studies that show children are learning better in small groups. I so respect anyone that home schools. The only downfall to small group instruction is that you have to be able to pay for it. I think one outcome of this pandemic is that there will be many alternatives to traditional schools.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

proudlyfromNJ — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:28:12 GMT

Our schools have been on split days, some in classroom and some at home. Should be back to school full time in about a month. Catholic schools here have never shut down.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

patbz — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:55:48 GMT

@Kachina624 : I concur completely with your pov. If the teacher doesn't have the knowledge, how can they teach? If someone is a college grad ( no matter the subject) they more likely than not can teach if they are sufficiently motivated to put in the homework necessary. I have many friends on FB, from other places/ careers in my life, who have a very narrow world view; thankfully, these people ( obviously not all my friends), have the good sense to have others educate their kids.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

San Antonio Gal — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:35:15 GMT

@furbabylover wrote:
My daughter home schooled my two grandchildren for the first 18 years of their lives. They then went to private colleges. They are now leaders in their respective fields and have a grasp of knowledge that few have today. I just wanted to let you know of a phenomenon that is taking hold across the nation. Since the teacher's unions have decided not to go back into the classroom, many families are hiring teachers privately to teach small groups of children in their homes. In Texas now the standard appears to be groups of about 6-8 children being taught from approved curricula in neighborhood homes. This is not a political post. It is simply an alternative solution for the documented problems arising from kids being kept in isolation, and falling seriously behind in their education.

While your grandchildren fared well being home schooled, I don't know if all children are in the situation. I've seen the opposite - as @Kachina624 described in her post.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

FancyPhillyshopper — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:46:03 GMT

You seem to be contradicting yourself. On one side you point out how valuable homeschooling was to your grandchildren, and on the other side you criticize unions protecting their staff and say parents should hire private teachers (?!).

First, I completely support anybody who feels unsafe being in public, especially teachers. We are in a pandemic and nothing is completely known. Being a member of a union gives teachers strength to make group decisions and not be subject to unhealthy choices. Everybody is suffering in this quarantine experience---teachers, students and parents, but nobody is at fault nor should be blamed.

Second, I support homeschooling for those parents who have the time, funds, and knowledge to offer those programs. Homeschooling allows for creativity and flexibility. However, most adults cannot teach diverse content matter past the eighth grade, and therefore have to access online support systems which will offer advanced classes, so it is really an online "village" educating the "homeschooled" children.

In our state there are many fulltime online public school options for children, including charter schools, so students can be at home and interact with fulltime teachers and classmates all day in a public school experience. That is what is happening right now for many schools, and it is just a temporary experience, but a lot of people truly miss the personal and social interactions.

FInally, I feel a bit sad for those teachers working in homes. They are probably underpaid, are receiving no strong benefits or retirement services, and are at the whim of parents. Yet, I know they may need the money or the experience, so I wish them safe health.

If a child is falling seriously behind in his/her education, it is mainly the responsibility of the parents to find a solution, just as they would if their local school was a bad fit, or if the homeschooling experience was also making the child feel socially isolated.

However, in this case getting everyone vaccinated will be the the real solution we all need.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

proudlyfromNJ — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:44:26 GMT

Kids around here are out and about. No one in this area is in isolation.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

San Antonio Gal — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:49:34 GMT

Very well said @FancyPhillyshopper .

I feel sorry for teachers having to teach a small group of students and getting measley pay from parents. Yes, the solution is for things to return to normal.....in time.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

furbabylover — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 02:55:32 GMT

@patbz First, You have to make the assumption that our teachers are qualified to teach. I don't. In reviewing the testing requirements to earn your teaching certificate, it is clear that our standards are at this point in time, weak. According to the Program for International Student Assessment, the gold standard for testing, America's world education ranking is 36!! And I am not suggesting that mom and pop necessarily do the home schooling, I am suggesting that certified teachers come into homes and teach. My daughter was a college professor when she retired to have babies, and based on her observations of the intelligence of her peers, she felt better taking on the task of teaching her kids herself.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

patbz — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 03:03:42 GMT

@furbabylover : You make a valid point! I have worked and lived with many women who chose teaching as a profession; some are well suited to it and many are not. When my son was in school I found that it was necessary to stay involved with his education ( both as an advocate and a volunteer). If a child falls into " the average student" range they go through the system OK but if they are above or below the mean ( or a non traditional learner ) they'd better have an advocate or woe to them.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

furbabylover — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 03:08:10 GMT

@FancyPhillyshopper First, I am not criticizing teacher's unions. I in no way made a judgement call on their choice. My concern is children. Maybe you haven't been following the statistics on pre-teen suicide, mental health crises and aberrant behavior over the last year, but its horrendous. Humans are designed to be in close proximity to one another, and the pandemic has stopped that. The fallout is becoming apparent to most parents and they are desperate to help their kids. If a qualified teacher can come into a home and educate a small group of children, then why not?

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

furbabylover — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 03:11:26 GMT

@San Antonio Gal As a matter of fact, these teachers going into homes are getting on average HIGHER pay than their standard jobs, at least according to statistics in Texas.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

suzyQ3 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 03:19:09 GMT

@FancyPhillyshopper wrote:

You seem to be contradicting yourself. On one side you point out how valuable homeschooling was to your grandchildren, and on the other side you criticize unions protecting their staff and say parents should hire private teachers (?!).

First, I completely support anybody who feels unsafe being in public, especially teachers. We are in a pandemic and nothing is completely known. Being a member of a union gives teachers strength to make group decisions and not be subject to unhealthy choices. Everybody is suffering in this quarantine experience---teachers, students and parents, but nobody is at fault nor should be blamed.

Second, I support homeschooling for those parents who have the time, funds, and knowledge to offer those programs. Homeschooling allows for creativity and flexibility. However, most adults cannot teach diverse content matter past the eighth grade, and therefore have to access online support systems which will offer advanced classes, so it is really an online "village" educating the "homeschooled" children.

In our state there are many fulltime online public school options for children, including charter schools, so students can be at home and interact with fulltime teachers and classmates all day in a public school experience. That is what is happening right now for many schools, and it is just a temporary experience, but a lot of people truly miss the personal and social interactions.

FInally, I feel a bit sad for those teachers working in homes. They are probably underpaid, are receiving no strong benefits or retirement services, and are at the whim of parents. Yet, I know they may need the money or the experience, so I wish them safe health.

If a child is falling seriously behind in his/her education, it is mainly the responsibility of the parents to find a solution, just as they would if their local school was a bad fit, or if the homeschooling experience was also making the child feel socially isolated.

However, in this case getting everyone vaccinated will be the the real solution we all need.

An excellent post, @FancyPhillyshopper.

Of course not every teacher is really cut out for the job. I had some here and there that were not fit. But then either are most parents, and maybe some of the professionals that are involved are not so great either. It happens in any line of work.

I am a strong advocate of public education. But I can certainly understand the reasoning at this time for parents whose children's schools are closed to utilize the option of a pod until schools are up and running again -- hopefully very soon. It's those low-income families that suffer the most -- no money for a pod, no decent equipment for online learning, along with not always being able to help navigate the wonderful world of Zoom.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

Pook — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 17:46:30 GMT

While op's grandchildren may have had a great homeschooling education, most who are homeschooled are not well taught and there are no real standards in place to insure that a real curriculum is followed like schools have. Some parents who homeschool do not teach other than maybe basic math, reading, grammar and some fun science things but no real science, math, history, geography, etc and those children have a hard time in the real world. In schools past 7th or 8th grade there are teachers with degrees in the subjects they teach for a reason! These parents do not have the education and knowledge to really teach properly. Even charter schools are not held to the same standards as real schools!!! Real teachers are grossly underpaid considering what is expected of them.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

Johnnyeager — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:54:31 GMT

Home schooling has not and will not work for many. For the affluent and those with conducive life styles, sure.

But in this city, for almost a year, thousands of students still lack adequate internet access and electronic devices. Touting the success of some should be done in conjunction with the tragic failure for many others.

Re: HOME SCHOOLING

Allieoh — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 11:42:15 GMT

Two of my cousins were homeschooled. They both finished college as expected, but they are adamant that their kids will go to school. They feel they missed out on all the social aspects of school.