Gryphon is Right

This article seems to support Gryphon's position on home schooling. This kid that is homeschool just won the spelling bee.

http://www.loudountimes.com/news/2008/mar/06/spelling-bee/

 

Be careful Lee, history shows Gryphon will adamantly defend that he is Left when you suggest he is truly Right.

 

right for his kid, right for THIS kid, not right for every kid. if i tried to homeschool The Boy it would end at 4th grade math!

 

I agree. Plus, in this day and age, spelling is over rated. How many of us use spellcheck and will just try and get a word close enough.

The only thing that was proven by this kid winning this spelling bee is that he was the best during it. I take my hat off to him for that, but that's about it.

 

Thanks, Lee. I had not seen this article. Unfortunately, so many people think that home-schooled kids can't compete academically. This article should, at least, open some eyes and show that home-schooling is a good option to both public and private schooling. I am very glad that our family is blessed enough to have the resources to make it work.

 

Based on what I have seen, I believe home schooled kids can compete academically. For me that has never really been the issue and I certainly hope that no one would try and make the case for homeschooling based on kids winning a spelling bee.

 

"Send the Twins"

 

My two cents:

I recently read a book called "What the Rest of Us Can Learn from Homeschooling: How A+ Parents Can Give Their Traditionally Schooled Kids the Academic Edge" by Linda Dobson and thought it was interesting. It seems that a big part of the homeschooling issue is the attitude toward learning and learning from everyday things. Treat life as an educational opportunity. Encourage learning and discovery at home and make it fun. For example, if your public school child is learning about the civil war, take them to visit Gettysburg to experience part of history. Enhance the teacher's curriculum with activities of your own at home.

It wasn't so much that the homeschooling parents know everything it was more that they encourage the children to learn and experience things.

I read it because I want to ensure that my child gets an excellent education, wherever it comes from.

 

We had neighobors who home schooled. If they couldn't teach a subject they belonged to a large group of HS so they were able to go to another's homne for that lessson. Colleges were eager to accept them,

 

I know of people in homeschool co-ops that work well for them. I think maybe some people hear "homeschool" and imagine women in country dresses and aprons teaching children how to read in the barn.

The kids go to museums, art galleries, government buildings, zoos, farms, and wherever and learn about things through doing stuff. The do science experiments, learn music, learn about nature, etc. It could end up being a broader education that the public schools offer since many important things are not included on standardized tests.

 

It's been on there for a long time! Did you just notice it?

 

Education begins and ends at home. Regardless of how good or bad your public schools are, the value and emphasis on education that the children receive at home will determine how successful they are.

This is why it irritates me to no end to hear Hatrick state "if you want good schools you have to pay for it."

 

And that is why the title of the book attracted me. How to make sure I give my child the best opportunities to learn to LOVE learning. She already does and I don't want to screw it up!

 

Villager,

All very true. Thanks for sharing. At the very least, the article is making some people question old stereotypes about homeschooling. It will never be for every family, especially those where both parents work. However, it is a great option for those forunate enough.

 

i don't think anyone can doubt that properly homeschooled kids can compete with public and private education. it's some of our (not THIS area) public schools that can't seem to do more than pass kids thru...

 

I graduated from a big city public high school and don't feel I was ripped off, but I certainly didn't learn a lot of things that would have been useful. The best class I ever had was called "Math of Consumer Economics" and it taught things like how to balance a checkbook, cost of electricity for household items, and things like that. We referred to it as math for stupid people but really it taught a lot of useful information that you wouldn't get in school otherwise.

The kids in a homeschool co-op I know were interested in learning how to play the guitar so the parents found someone to teach guitar classes. They could have leaders in the community, business people, scientists, etc. come speak to the kids and help them put real life experience into what they were learning in books. How does a flower grow? Let's plant one and see. Learning about the founding fathers? Go see the constitution. Keepin' it real!

 

I think that's a great idea. I guess that's why I went on so many field trips when I was little.

 

Did you support sending Chelsea when President Clinton initiated military action and nation building with the support of Congress? Yeah, didn't think so.

When did you add the Hillary! sticker? It used to just be Obama! Oh well, you probably won't read this because you have anyone who disagrees with you on ignore

 

i gotta ask- what do you consider "fortunate enough"? having the patience, having the education, having the ability to stay home, having the money not to have both parents work... i am interested in your definition.

 

my issue has never been that kids can't compete academically---it's not all about the academics. There's a social aspect to going to school that kids need to learn. They need to learn that there's a big bad world out there and experience all parts of it. bullies, meanies, kickball, dodgeball... i hadn't heard of the co-ops before--that's a great idea, and guess it'll work "for those fortunate enough". Unfortunately for my daughter---i'm not going to pretend i can teach her better than a professional teacher w/ credentials and experience. i'll teach her how to change an oil filter and setup up windows clustering. Although...one thing at a time--we just taught her to climb down the steps backwards so she wouldn't nose-dive her way to the foyer