public schools

No, I'm talking less extreme, but very legalistic and abusive. Many of these are Pentacostal/holiness and independent Baptist. I've been around many, many horribly self-righteous and judgmental homeschoolers that, to be honest, are more worried about what people are thinking than actually living true to the gospel.

You're right that it's not as common as it used to be, but it is still the stereotypical homeschooler.

 

There are some horrible private schools. However, there are a few that are outstanding. I think it depends on the schools in your area. With one school, we did struggle with whether we should put our kids in the private school or continue homeschooling. We chose to continue to homeschool, but this was a great school.

 

Sending my children to public school had nothing to do with finances. I prepared my children for what they would face with peer pressure and attacks on their values before they even started school. My priority was to have children that could cope with the world while maintaining their values and making them known. My children talked to me and we strategized together how to deal with the “wolves” and the situations that arose. As a result my children have become unbelievably strong at defending their Christian values and faith and have been a very strong influence on many many others on things ("indoctrinating" others) such as on anti-abortion, purity, including God in their writing assignments, openly speaking of God and Christian values in class discussions and much more.

My daughter, 2 term president of the 2,400 student high school’s choir, said prayers at assemblies and led an entirely Christian song format at “Holiday” celebrations. I’m very proud of my children; and frankly, I can’t imagine any possibility of a homeschooled child being able to fill their shoes. They simply would not have the maturity that comes from their experience, which was closely monitored all along the way through guidance by their parents and the Holy Spirit. My son has been a strong influence about "not" using foul language and although having a great deal of interest from the girls makes his values of purity known to all. They are both very respected and looked up to by their peers, many of whom once persecuted them but now come running to them in times of trouble for advice.

The Bible is full of wisdom on how to deal with the world and the blessings that are promised for those that are persecuted for living in His name. These instructions are there for a reason and we spoke of these often. BTW, the hardest times for them was when they felt that they were standing alone and I think it’s too bad more devout Christians don’t use the armor God has prepared for us instead of secluding themselves. This became very apparent when my pastor’s daughter also starting going there and these two beautiful girls together became quite a force.

 

Having spent my professional career in Public Education, I have a viewpoint a little different than perhaps some of you. There are good public schools and bad public schools. I also thought for years that private schools were wonderful education establishments, until we received students from some of these schools, especially the church run schools. Most of the students from church school were SO far behind academically I was shocked.
As far as homeschooling is concerned, I would seriously look at homeschooling my children in the 6 to 8 grades. The middle school years in public schools are horrible.( The hormones are nuts during this time and can ruin a child, no matter how pious.) You must however put your kid in some sort of school for high school for the math and science part of their education. That is unless you are well versed in these subject areas.
Look, shop around for your school and where you live. I spent the last 17 years of my career in a tiny district that literally was wonderful. It was very much like the 1950s, when I walked into my classroom, I kept looking at the U.S. Flag thinking there was something wrong as we said the "Pledge." Finally, after a few weeks of looking a the flag, I notice it only had 48 stars.
Folks from a teacher point of view, my first 15 years was horrible.
( I have taught from inner city Ft Worth ,to poor rural schools in E. Texas , to a bursting at the seams Valley schools, to elite suburban Houston schools, and the elite suburban schools were worse than the rest.)

 

I'm sold on actually educating children not indoctrinating them whether from a secular or religious point of view. I not only know homeschooling families, I'm related to them.

Your last statement is hilarious. I don't think one is better parent for homeschooling but it's the obvious choice....nothing like being consistent now is there.

 

your right that was insconsistent. I mis-typed. What I meant to say was

"nor do I think one who homeschools is a better parent. But I do think that for a Christian parent, Teaching the kids at home would be the obvious choice.

 

Fine if the parent is able to actually educate. When it drifts into flawed history, science and the arts there is a problem.

 

That may have been true 10 years ago. But today it is absolutely not the case. There are many different options for teaching the higher level math and sciences at home now.

 

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This is what I meant by being in the world but not of it. I'm doing the same thing. My son is only in kindergarten but he already knows lost people act that way. He just was talking to someone about Jesus during recess and the kid said Jesus was dead. He told me that if this kid was right, we would be dead with no hope.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Please don’t take my words out of context.

The shoes I was speaking of are specifically addressing those filled by a person that can cope with persecution by peers on a high level and come out of it with the abilities of strongly influencing others to consider and accept their beliefs and values. This type of socialization can only come through experience, something a home schooled child will not have the daily opportunity to receive.

Other than that, MY daughter’s leadership role was only one small part of the academics advantages she received from public school and I would be willing to bet MY daughter is smarter than YOUR daughter and we can compare other accomplishments any time you wish! :laugh:

 

Just about a month ago, a local homeschooled boy won the competition this year for a very select leadership program, which also earned him some money towards college.
My daughter was right beside him, he was the elected speaker and she was the one helping him (debate at the state Capitol) and I was proud of all those kids and of course wanted my daughter to be the top one, but am still very impressed and think it is cool that the final selection, voted on by their mates in the program, went to someone who is homeschooled.
The opportunities are there. The homeschooling parent just has to find them and make them happen.
BTW, growing kids do not NEED to be exposed to garbage for 7 hours a day, five days a week to learn how to deal with it, just as a banker is taught how to spot fake money simply by being allowed to hold, study, and memorize real money. A child is spiritually immature and doesn't need undue influence placed on him/her if it is avoidable...emphasis on undue, which doesn't mean to hide them in sealed quarters.

 

You are kidding right? Other that the public school system I cannot think of any examples in life where a person spends 8 hours a day with 30 other people exactly the same age as them, who are engaged in every sin under the sun and persecuting them on a high level every day. Homeschool kids on the other hand interact with all ages of people on a daily basis and are encouraged an nurtured and learn that the world is full of all types of people. But because they been taught by people who actually care for them and love them they have a higher chance of growing up and being successful citizens. Do we have to list the many, many famous and successful people in the world that were homeschooled.

 

There is a difference betweeen "learning" the world is full of different types of people and the knowledge that comes from having matured through the experiences which come from coping and dealing with them.

My children were raised by people that loved them while teaching them to be able to cope with the world and I seriously doubt there is any higher chance of a sheltered child to be a more successfully socialized citizen in this area.

 

Taking your logic to its ultimate conclusion, no home-schooled child has the capability to perform like your child, because they don't have the exposure/experience of dealing with large groups of people.

I invite you to research Douglas MacArthur and George Patton; Albert Einstein and Erik Demaine; William F. Buckley and Christopher Paolini; Ray Kroc and Dave Thomas; and, of course, Tim Tebow. I don't believe any of these homeschoolers exemplify your conclusion that "this type of socialization...something a home schooled child will not have the daily opportunity to receive."

I humbly submit to you that biology and environment are equivalent; that one influences development only insofar as the other limits it. I believe your daughter would have had equal achievement regardless of the scale and "amount of socialization," not because of it--and that it was a direct influence of her personality and her home environment, and not the social environment that you give credit to.

Thus, I find your remarks about homeschooling being somehow less than the public school setting to be erroneous.

While I don't necessarily agree with milby, I do have to point out this: You make a general assumption that homeschooled children are "sheltered." You need to explain what you mean by "sheltered."

 

And did you teach them all this in the hour between homework and dinner or the hour between dinner and bedtime?

I'm not sure what sheltered children you are talking about we are all talking about homeschooled children and public schooled children here.

 

Homeschoolers are very well represented at the National Spelling Bee, the Alex Trebek Geography Bee, Mathletes, etc.

A couple of winners:

Youtube—Homeschooled Rebecca Sealfon Spells EUONYM

Youtube—CNN Evan O'Dorney Spelling Champ

 

Stereotypical is not the reality. You need to break those sterotypes jaiger.

I think we need to establish that homeschooled does not equal sheltered. When my kids were homeschooled they were still active in their church youth groups, boy and girl scouts (depending on the kid), they played youth sports at the county rec park, and my daughter participated in our local theater group’s production. I know plenty of public school kids who are more sheltered than my kids were.

My kids were protected and educated, but not sheltered.

One thing that I realized when we started homeschooling was how much time is wasted by schools each school day. Take away the time spent riding the bus, standing in line, and waiting while the teacher deals with the problem children and you only have a couple hours of "real school" if that. When we homeschooled we found we had time for lots more field trips and activity days than they have now.

 

Taking your logic to its ultimate conclusion, it amounts to a strawman.

Anybody can use those types of defensive strategies by looking them up and then naming a few successful homeschool children, although a few on your list would be questionable in their social abilities which rather discounts your point, and none of your continued strawman address the specific point I was making.

Not specific to all areas would she have all things the same, unless your a determinist which I'm not.

My daughter, 19 year old 2nd year college student, would never be able to defend her faith against the opposition she meets in a State University in the way she does not without her experiences of growing up and maturing within public schools. Obviously, she would she be equipped to deal with “these types of people” if she had only read of them in text books and had not prior experiences of debating them.

Thus, I believe your reasoning for finding my remarks erroneous are without merit.

Right after you point out to me what milby means about by “his” kids were raised around people that love them.