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Wife and I were both home-schooled, as were significant chunks of our social groups. Not saying it never makes sense, but I will do a LOT to avoid that being t

Wife and I were both home-schooled, as were significant chunks of our social groups. Not saying it never makes sense, but I will do a LOT to avoid that being the best option for my kids.

js2 10y ago
We're not zealots. And not that it matters, but our decision to homeschool has nothing to do with religion. Both kids went to Montessori and my daughter started first grade public school, where she went from loving school to starting to lose her joy of learning. My wife decided she could do a better job, and she has. I can't speak to anyone else's experience, but for our family it was the right decision, and I'd place my kids' education and socialization against anyone's.
- JoeAltmaier 10y ago
  If a parent has the time, home-schooling can be a real boon to a child's education. Consider: I can't teach a class of 30 as well as a trained teacher. Perhaps I can't tutor one-on=one as well as a trained teacher. But I can tutor my one child, better than a trained teacher can teach them in a class of 30. That's the real comparison. In a 5-hour elementary school day, if the teacher did nothing but tutor students serially they'd each get 10 minutes. I can beat that in the first half-hour of a home-schooled day. Its no wonder that home-schooled kids often outstrip their public-school mates. My buddy's 14-year-old was ready for college (admitted to State college) because of this. It wasn't just that he was very smart and motivated. Its about the attention and monitoring that can be accomplished. A century ago there was another name for home-schooling: it was called 'schooling'. Until public education got invented, it was pretty much the only way.
  - js2 10y ago
    Yes, I agree with this. And still it doesn't work for all parent/child combinations. We know a few folks who home schooled for a few years but then the kids went back to public school. Sometimes the parent and child didn't have good chemistry. Or one kid wanted to run track and there weren't good opportunities outside school. Or the parent dedided they weren't suited for it. We've been lucky. We don't need two incomes. My wife as it turns out is a good teacher and she enjoys it. Our kids are good students and enjoy home schooling. We live in a community with tons of educational resources available outside the home.

Wife and I were both home-schooled, as were significant chunks of our social groups. Not saying it never makes sense, but I will do a LOT to avoid that being the best option for my kids.

js2 10y ago

We're not zealots. And not that it matters, but our decision to homeschool has nothing to do with religion. Both kids went to Montessori and my daughter started first grade public school, where she went from loving school to starting to lose her joy of learning. My wife decided she could do a better job, and she has. I can't speak to anyone else's experience, but for our family it was the right decision, and I'd place my kids' education and socialization against anyone's.

JoeAltmaier 10y ago
If a parent has the time, home-schooling can be a real boon to a child's education. Consider: I can't teach a class of 30 as well as a trained teacher. Perhaps I can't tutor one-on=one as well as a trained teacher. But I can tutor my one child, better than a trained teacher can teach them in a class of 30. That's the real comparison. In a 5-hour elementary school day, if the teacher did nothing but tutor students serially they'd each get 10 minutes. I can beat that in the first half-hour of a home-schooled day. Its no wonder that home-schooled kids often outstrip their public-school mates. My buddy's 14-year-old was ready for college (admitted to State college) because of this. It wasn't just that he was very smart and motivated. Its about the attention and monitoring that can be accomplished. A century ago there was another name for home-schooling: it was called 'schooling'. Until public education got invented, it was pretty much the only way.
- js2 10y ago
  Yes, I agree with this. And still it doesn't work for all parent/child combinations. We know a few folks who home schooled for a few years but then the kids went back to public school. Sometimes the parent and child didn't have good chemistry. Or one kid wanted to run track and there weren't good opportunities outside school. Or the parent dedided they weren't suited for it. We've been lucky. We don't need two incomes. My wife as it turns out is a good teacher and she enjoys it. Our kids are good students and enjoy home schooling. We live in a community with tons of educational resources available outside the home.