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- Mar 19, 2009
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This may end up in the debatable topics - as there are so many pros and cons to public vs private vs homeschool vs other schooling options.
We have close friends who teach in both public and private schools. I grew up in public schools. My wife spent time in both public and private schools. So we are not 'anti-teacher' or 'anti-school'. We simply know we can do a better job teaching our own kids than the public school can. We are fortunate to be in a position to even be able to consider it an option. And both of us are well educated, hardworking, and determined - recipes for success when it comes to homeschooling.
I could go on and rip the public school system. And if this goes into debate, the ammo is in great supply. But I am aware of many success stories because of and even despite public schools. So I'm not saying that homeschooling is best for everyone and in every situation. It is just what we have determined to be best for OUR family.
Homeschooling has really taken off in this country (and around the world). In fact, it is spreading so fast; many countries are aggressively trying to fight against it. In the US, the education system is strongly against it (in some countries, it is already illegal). It takes away $$$ and power and influence. And those are fighting words when it comes to big gov't.
Now there are clearly horror stories of 'homeschooling'. Kids isolated and locked in a basement with no exposure to the world outside their home. Not really educated. No real world experience. Maybe even abused in many ways. And that is exactly the picture the gov't would have you see in your head when you hear "home school".
In the last decade, the internet has made homeschooling a much more practical endeavor. Online classes, online curriculum, and online homeschooling groups who share ideas and offer support and valuable resources are growing each year.
There are also many more resources today in many local communities for homeschoolers. There are various homeschool support groups, curriculum groups, and so forth. In many areas, the public school has teamed up with homeschoolers and offers classes and resources that homeschoolers can take advantage of if they wish (some see this as a sort of “Trojan horse†and won’t use anything offered via the public school system). With all the resources out there, you have many more options for teaching areas you may not want to teach or don’t have the background to teach: music, art, science, and math for example. You can swap subjects with another parent, or have your kids attend one of the community classes, or find one of the many excellent online\computer offerings.
One of the biggest myths regarding homeschooling has to do with the subject of ‘socialization’. This is a hot button topic on both sides. But studies show that homeschooled children are better socialized in many ways. Spend the day at your local public junior high or high school and you’ll see that version of ‘socialization’ at work. And you’ll see a wide spectrum of bad examples and good examples. Many people seem to feel that good socialization is putting their kid on a bus with their peers, sending them off to school for the day where they sit in classes all day with their peers, ride the bus home again with their peers – and basically learn to think and act and value the same things as everyone else. Group think. Sheeple. Institutionalization. I know, that sounds overally dramatic. But that is my opinion and I see the evidence all the time. Remember, we have 2 girls who just finished Jr High and are now in HS. And my oldest was in K-2nd grade, and second oldest in K-1. So we have our own experiences as kids to draw from, as well as current experiences at different levels.
We strive to have our kids out and interacting with all age groups and in various settings. We want our kids to be able to have a conversation with their peers as well as the elderly. We don’t care if they are not obsessed with the latest fads and trends. Or know all the cool new words and phrases. Now, they do tend to pick a lot of that up, but the pressure to adopt all that and embrace it to ‘fit in’ is just not there.
We do soccer, tae kwon do, basketball, and other organized sports and classes where they interact with other kids. We are part of a few homeschool groups that get together for field trips, show and tell, kids giving presentations, kids doing music recitals, and so forth. We are active in our church and community. And, of course the kids often play with the other kids in the neighborhood and at the local parks.
Our general approach is to foster a love for learning, reading, and creativity. And we love to use nature as a big part of that process. “Class†for us is often a day at the local park or zoo. And we have total flexibility and freedom to get a fun idea and just go for it. If we are learning about reptiles, we head to the local reptile zoo (we have an awesome one nearby). There are many museums in the greater Seattle area, tons of great libraries, zoos, aquariums, and parks (including Mt St Helens and Mt Rainier national parks). We are always on the go and always learning. Learning is just a way of life. Even when we watch a movie as a family, we use it to learn and grow and discuss topics we find interesting. We also make sure our home is a learning center. Our little farm, our little zoo, our many books, maps, and so forth are always at our fingertips ready for either a structured or impromptu learning session.
Another advantage we have with our kids vs the public system, is the 1:1 teaching we can do with each kid. We know them each well and know their strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, and what motivates them and turns them off. We know how to challenge, push, and stretch them. We know how to make learning fun for them.
The following is a series of photos that paint a picture of homeschooling from the perspective of my family. Simple. Full of love and a love for life. Happy kids with bright futures.
(pics coming shortly - a sort of photo essay...)
Teaching and learning blend together with big families.
Someone is always reading to someone else, or helping someone with some project. Always interacting, playing, learning:
School is where we are. And we love the parks and being outdoors:
Our favorite zoo:
Late night reading. They can stay late IF they are reading a good book - and then sleep in late as needed. My oldest son is a night owl and will stay up until midnight reading:
Cooking time is also family time. Everyone loves to help. We learn about measuring, math, science, and have fun:
I love taking trips with the kids. Sometimes I just take one for a special dad and son bonding time. We have fun, and learn the whole time. Here is a winter camping trip to Eastern Washington with just my oldest boy and me:
We learned about eclipses (see pic of parial eclipse), and listened to the coyotes and owls and other night time sounds. We spotted satalites and shooting starts in the open skies above us.
Geography, geology, science, and history around ever corning along the road trip:
Dang, now I can't edit all the typos... Posts get added together, and the 30 minute editing window closes, even if you just posted a new one... Stinks to have all those typos up there in a post about homeschooling
These were taken last week:
We have close friends who teach in both public and private schools. I grew up in public schools. My wife spent time in both public and private schools. So we are not 'anti-teacher' or 'anti-school'. We simply know we can do a better job teaching our own kids than the public school can. We are fortunate to be in a position to even be able to consider it an option. And both of us are well educated, hardworking, and determined - recipes for success when it comes to homeschooling.
I could go on and rip the public school system. And if this goes into debate, the ammo is in great supply. But I am aware of many success stories because of and even despite public schools. So I'm not saying that homeschooling is best for everyone and in every situation. It is just what we have determined to be best for OUR family.
Homeschooling has really taken off in this country (and around the world). In fact, it is spreading so fast; many countries are aggressively trying to fight against it. In the US, the education system is strongly against it (in some countries, it is already illegal). It takes away $$$ and power and influence. And those are fighting words when it comes to big gov't.
Now there are clearly horror stories of 'homeschooling'. Kids isolated and locked in a basement with no exposure to the world outside their home. Not really educated. No real world experience. Maybe even abused in many ways. And that is exactly the picture the gov't would have you see in your head when you hear "home school".
In the last decade, the internet has made homeschooling a much more practical endeavor. Online classes, online curriculum, and online homeschooling groups who share ideas and offer support and valuable resources are growing each year.
There are also many more resources today in many local communities for homeschoolers. There are various homeschool support groups, curriculum groups, and so forth. In many areas, the public school has teamed up with homeschoolers and offers classes and resources that homeschoolers can take advantage of if they wish (some see this as a sort of “Trojan horse†and won’t use anything offered via the public school system). With all the resources out there, you have many more options for teaching areas you may not want to teach or don’t have the background to teach: music, art, science, and math for example. You can swap subjects with another parent, or have your kids attend one of the community classes, or find one of the many excellent online\computer offerings.
One of the biggest myths regarding homeschooling has to do with the subject of ‘socialization’. This is a hot button topic on both sides. But studies show that homeschooled children are better socialized in many ways. Spend the day at your local public junior high or high school and you’ll see that version of ‘socialization’ at work. And you’ll see a wide spectrum of bad examples and good examples. Many people seem to feel that good socialization is putting their kid on a bus with their peers, sending them off to school for the day where they sit in classes all day with their peers, ride the bus home again with their peers – and basically learn to think and act and value the same things as everyone else. Group think. Sheeple. Institutionalization. I know, that sounds overally dramatic. But that is my opinion and I see the evidence all the time. Remember, we have 2 girls who just finished Jr High and are now in HS. And my oldest was in K-2nd grade, and second oldest in K-1. So we have our own experiences as kids to draw from, as well as current experiences at different levels.
We strive to have our kids out and interacting with all age groups and in various settings. We want our kids to be able to have a conversation with their peers as well as the elderly. We don’t care if they are not obsessed with the latest fads and trends. Or know all the cool new words and phrases. Now, they do tend to pick a lot of that up, but the pressure to adopt all that and embrace it to ‘fit in’ is just not there.
We do soccer, tae kwon do, basketball, and other organized sports and classes where they interact with other kids. We are part of a few homeschool groups that get together for field trips, show and tell, kids giving presentations, kids doing music recitals, and so forth. We are active in our church and community. And, of course the kids often play with the other kids in the neighborhood and at the local parks.
Our general approach is to foster a love for learning, reading, and creativity. And we love to use nature as a big part of that process. “Class†for us is often a day at the local park or zoo. And we have total flexibility and freedom to get a fun idea and just go for it. If we are learning about reptiles, we head to the local reptile zoo (we have an awesome one nearby). There are many museums in the greater Seattle area, tons of great libraries, zoos, aquariums, and parks (including Mt St Helens and Mt Rainier national parks). We are always on the go and always learning. Learning is just a way of life. Even when we watch a movie as a family, we use it to learn and grow and discuss topics we find interesting. We also make sure our home is a learning center. Our little farm, our little zoo, our many books, maps, and so forth are always at our fingertips ready for either a structured or impromptu learning session.
Another advantage we have with our kids vs the public system, is the 1:1 teaching we can do with each kid. We know them each well and know their strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, and what motivates them and turns them off. We know how to challenge, push, and stretch them. We know how to make learning fun for them.
The following is a series of photos that paint a picture of homeschooling from the perspective of my family. Simple. Full of love and a love for life. Happy kids with bright futures.
(pics coming shortly - a sort of photo essay...)
Teaching and learning blend together with big families.
Someone is always reading to someone else, or helping someone with some project. Always interacting, playing, learning:
School is where we are. And we love the parks and being outdoors:
Our favorite zoo:
Late night reading. They can stay late IF they are reading a good book - and then sleep in late as needed. My oldest son is a night owl and will stay up until midnight reading:
Cooking time is also family time. Everyone loves to help. We learn about measuring, math, science, and have fun:
I love taking trips with the kids. Sometimes I just take one for a special dad and son bonding time. We have fun, and learn the whole time. Here is a winter camping trip to Eastern Washington with just my oldest boy and me:
We learned about eclipses (see pic of parial eclipse), and listened to the coyotes and owls and other night time sounds. We spotted satalites and shooting starts in the open skies above us.
Geography, geology, science, and history around ever corning along the road trip:
Dang, now I can't edit all the typos... Posts get added together, and the 30 minute editing window closes, even if you just posted a new one... Stinks to have all those typos up there in a post about homeschooling
These were taken last week: