Why do you Homeschool

The State has no business in education. God outlined the duties of the State in Romans 13. They are to reward good and punish evil. (verses 3 & 4). God gave the FAMILY the responsibility to educate their OWN children. It does NOT take a village! The only reason government schools exist is because of greedy rulers who covet power and greedy citizens who covet "free" education at their neighbour's expense. (We are in the middle of a property tax battle here). It's no wonder we have a generation today that assumes the world owes them a living!

 

You needed an 'all of the above'. I voted other.

Better Academics

Acceptable Behavior at School is not Acceptable

Spend More Time with Kids

I don't want 'god' taught in public schools because I want to choose who is the spiritual leader of my children and grandchildren. God, as creator, is fine, but not theology! Might be assigned to a Calvinist.

 

I voted "other". I did not homeschool, because I am not qualified to homeschool. Perhaps I could homeschool in basic language arts or history; however, I could not begin to homeschool in math or science, especially upper level classes. I work as a high school secretary and consider myself to be of average intelligence, but certainly could not homeschool in upper level classes like physics, calculus or college-prep chemistry.

The public school teachers I work with are dedicated professionals and do an excellent job of educating our children. If there is a problem with public education, it is because there are problems at home (failure of parents to discipline their children and model respectful, appropriate behavior). There is an old saying, "The apple does not fall far from the tree." This certainly holds true with children; they model the behavior they are taught at home.

 

For those who think the state has no business in education should read about how great education was before compulsory education. During the time of the NT about 2 percent of the people could read. Imagine that only two percent of the believers could even read? If anyone studies OT history they would know that it was the rabbis who taught the boys and the girls were taught at home.

I still have yet to find any who homeschool their children who teach them about the basics of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is in use all over the world and in many products we buy.

I wonder how many who homeschool teach their children calculus, physics, biology, physical science and chemistry?

 

If one lives in an area where it takes at least 100,000 dollars a year to live you won't find those kind of people much.

 

It's quite obvious you're not familiar with the home school support groups all over the U.S. where students can take the more difficult courses at a church or community center with like minded teens. These classes are taught by retired teachers or teachers who have chosen to home school their own families.

Our home school band is headed up and taught by a young woman who doesn't want to enter the public school sector. Here's a portion of her note to me.

We have Science Teachers for those middle schoolers who have moms that cannot imagine dissecting frogs, etc. I happen to prefer www.frogguts.com Nick is only 10, tho.

 

As for nanotechnology, have you ever seen the computer games by Edmark? The 'Thinking Science' series includes Nick's favorite, called 'ZAP!'

http://www.synapseadaptive.com/edmark/edmark_software_products.htm

 

I see them after you are done with them. I have not met one in the field of study I am in yet.

Some retired teachers can teach certain subjects well and others were way behind before they retired. That would depend on the area of study. In my area one needs to be doing research on a continual basis just to keep up.

Most of the public schools have labs and facilites that others cannot afford. The university spends millions on databases that you do not have access to for library research. It is much more than the local library has. It would be highly unlikely for me to get a job in a Christian school in my field even if I wanted to, because they do not have the facilites and/or the money for those programs.

 

Advanced students, home schooled or not, can take courses at the local colleges. Of course, I'm sure our local colleges cannot compare to those attended by GB.

Now, GB, none of us could EVER do whatever it is that you do! First you were a preacher who quit because of all the problems within the church and then you said your job was 'secretive' and something about the families who need you to protect their info and now you're into electronics! Hey? Do you sell those burglar alarms door to door?

Golly Gee, I'm wunderin if I kin figure out how to turn on my stove to fix us up some vittles! We dun got them rakes to work today tho and purt near cleaned up ourn front yawrd.

Just FYI

 

I feel sorry for you that you would have to resort to personal attacks and gossip that is not true.

You do not know what I do so how do you know whether or not you could do what I do? It was not that my job was secretive it was more who I was doing work for at the time.

You are quite a libelist to make such a bogus claim that I am in electronics. I have never been in electronics. I know little about electronics. It is people like you who cast such lies and gossip that makes one wonder about some of the folks in the church.

 

In our state, Juniors and Seniors can take college classes (in place of HS classes) at any university that they can get into. Many students go to community college, but many more go to the University or private college. Most homeschooled high schoolers do this.

 

Well said

God Bless You.

 

I'm a public school employee and think my school system does a fine job.
It is one of the best in the state, and I have yet
to hear about any training whatsoever in nanotechnology.
I graduated from public school and did not take calculus or physics. They were not offered. However, I did fine in college.

Yet many homeschoolers do teach their kids all the subjects you mentioned and do a wonderful job of it. Some do it personally, because they are well-qualified; some hire professionals. There are many ways to home-school. It is an umbrella term for self-directed.
Some of the classes you mention were not offered in my son's school. He took them by correspondence from the Univ. of OK high school program, fully accredited. We hired some exceptionally competent tutors to assist him.
He is doing extremely well in a highly-ranked college in chemistry, calculus, et al.

I have training and ability in math, and I have spent quite a bit of time coaching my youngest in math. He recently scored in the 95th percentile for math, of all 8th graders in the nation who took the ACT preliminary test.

One of my oldest's college friends is a math major who won state contests in math in high school. She was home-schooled all the way.

GB, you do come across as not really being up-to-date on home education trends. There are lots of ways to do it, and lots of helps out there.

Karen

 

GB- A am a certified public school teacher and I think homeschooling is a wonderful alternative. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to HS this year. As for everyone else, there is a lot of injustice in this world and unfortunately just because a girl has a baby doesn't mean she is trained. HSing takes training and more training just like being a good wife and mother does. Stick around, these ladies read and research and give themselves to the Lord and their families! There is a lot you can learn and I hope if you work in the PS that you have many opportunities to share God's love and gift of salvation with the students and fellow teachers.

 

Come to Georgia and I'll introduce you to numerous families who do. In fact, one of those families would be ours. My husband tooks chemistry, physics, trig, calculus, and Lord knows what else when he was in high school. Once he began college he continued with the maths as he is in the computer sciences field. He is a very smart man.

On the other hand, I only had one science course in high school, biology (that was all that was required). I had four years of math, pre-algebra, algebra I and II, and geometry. I was not a confident student at the time and did not think I would fare well with more science and math classes. However, my strong points are more in English, literature, writing, and creative arts.

The Lord put together a man and a woman with different but complementary strengths in order that they might raise five well-rounded children.

There are many things we might try to cram into a child's mind, but how helpful are they in the grand scheme of things? Will they be helpful and necessary for the calling the Lord has for the life of that child? Wouldn't that child be better served by equipping them according to God's will for his or her life?

Though I do teach my children most of the subjects you mentioned above, I am more concerned with their character, their work ethic (which all five seem to have grasped well), but overall I am more concerned with their salvation and dedication in serving the Lord.

There is more to life than what you learn from a book.

Julia

 

Exactly my point.

My parents had a dairy farm. So I know.

I believe we must teach our children attitudes and habits that have eternal value. Our children must be equipped to face the real world and know how to make right decisions. They must be ready to face anyone when they ask questions or discuss issues. I take the position of Prov. 28:1, "The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, But the righteous are bold as a lion."

The one thing that challenged me years ago was when I heard a pastor speak who had been in prison in Romania during communism. He told of how it was the Christian kids who were the best students. They were living in a godless world and stood strong. If they could so can we and so can our children. I think sometimes we are so afraid that our children will fall that we overprotect them. We must give our children reasons for making wise decisions and a foundation on which to base them. But there is a time when they will leave. I think some things can be easily seen when we see people who come from Christian homes who do not share their faith and others who come from non-Christian homes who do and stand strong. I think there is a critical difference that we should take a look at. It has been found that children who grow up in overly strict homes do just as poorly as those who have no structure at all. When I was teaching in the public school I had a few pastors kids in class. Some did well and some fit into the world. Some were great examples and were strong. Others were not.

Often, if one looks at children very often he will find many times they are just like their parents. If the parents share their faith so do the kids. If the parents avoid it so do the children. If the Christian life is normal so will the kids accept that. If it’s a Sunday thing then the kids will see it that way too.

If we want our children to be different then we must train them in such a way so they are different. We have a rule around our home. You can discuss anything you want or disagree with anybody as long as you do it with respect.

If Christianity can only be lived in the midst of other believers with a lot of intellectual support then we would find that the Christian children who attended communist schools would be very weak. But the fact is that we find quite the opposite.

 

I believe that God ordained the family not the public school system! God has given us the responsibility to train up our children, which means that we are responsible for everything our children learn, and don't learn.

We made the decision to homeschool our children when my wife was pregnant with our first son. We believe that homeschooling is part of life, that we all learn something new every day, and as parents it is our job to guide our children in all of the new things they will learn every day.

One of the biggest problems with the government schools and even many private schools is that they believe the purpose of education is simply to teach someone to get a good job.

From Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EDUCA'TION, n. [L. educatio.] The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.