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What you're describing is "homeschooling" used as code for "no schooling". Both I and many of my friends were homeschooled. In the circles I was in, most homes

by B-Con 12y ago

What you're describing is "homeschooling" used as code for "no schooling". Both I and many of my friends were homeschooled. In the circles I was in, most homeschool parents were ambitious and committed to their kid's educations. It is indeed a full job for the parent.

n_to_the_flower 12y ago
There's more variance in homeschooling, but it can be more effective than either private or public schooling if it's managed effectively. The major benefit is approaching teaching without as much spoon-feeding (better critical thinking/doing skills) and zapping curioisity with pointless memorization.
- beauzero 12y ago
  There are also programs that let a child (depending upon state) do the curriculum from home. K12.com has a partnership with the state of Georgia. You have online learning, participation in standardized testing, etc. all provided free by the state. We have found this to be a viable alternative for one of our daughters who felt she was being held back in her current middle school. Apparently she was. Not only has she made up the "conversion time"...basically redoing the 2 months worth of online work that she missed while she was in her local middle school at the beginning of the year...she has also improved dramatically. The thing I think that I am most excited about is that she is learning how to teach herself. Her study habits, although good previously, are what I would say I had in my third year of college. If you have a child that is extremely motivated this might be an option for your family. It filled a need for us.
blfr 12y ago
There is a tiny (n=12 for unschooled kids) study[1] I saw linked on SSC[2] that apparently shows children educated in "unstructured homeschool" are only one grade behind their peers. So even serious shirking of responsibility doesn't have catastrophic effects. [1] http://www.researchgate.net/publication/232544669_The_impact_of_schooling_on_academic_achievement_Evidence_from_homeschooled_and_traditionally_schooled_students/file/9c9605228ea23bc4bc.pdf http://www.researchgate.net/publication/232544669_The_impact... [2] http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/05/23/ssc-gives-a-graduation-speech/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/05/23/ssc-gives-a-graduation-...

by B-Con 12y ago

n_to_the_flower 12y ago

There's more variance in homeschooling, but it can be more effective than either private or public schooling if it's managed effectively. The major benefit is approaching teaching without as much spoon-feeding (better critical thinking/doing skills) and zapping curioisity with pointless memorization.

beauzero 12y ago
There are also programs that let a child (depending upon state) do the curriculum from home. K12.com has a partnership with the state of Georgia. You have online learning, participation in standardized testing, etc. all provided free by the state. We have found this to be a viable alternative for one of our daughters who felt she was being held back in her current middle school. Apparently she was. Not only has she made up the "conversion time"...basically redoing the 2 months worth of online work that she missed while she was in her local middle school at the beginning of the year...she has also improved dramatically. The thing I think that I am most excited about is that she is learning how to teach herself. Her study habits, although good previously, are what I would say I had in my third year of college. If you have a child that is extremely motivated this might be an option for your family. It filled a need for us.

blfr 12y ago

There is a tiny (n=12 for unschooled kids) study[1] I saw linked on SSC[2] that apparently shows children educated in "unstructured homeschool" are only one grade behind their peers. So even serious shirking of responsibility doesn't have catastrophic effects. [1] http://www.researchgate.net/publication/232544669_The_impact_of_schooling_on_academic_achievement_Evidence_from_homeschooled_and_traditionally_schooled_students/file/9c9605228ea23bc4bc.pdf http://www.researchgate.net/publication/232544669_The_impact... [2] http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/05/23/ssc-gives-a-graduation-speech/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/05/23/ssc-gives-a-graduation-...