Wednesday, February 24, 2010

There I said it... (again?)

I should be going to bed right now.
There is something that I just HAVE to write about.
One of my pet peeves is HOMESCHOOLING.
It just bugs me.
Now I know we live in the land of {personal liberty} so saying
something emphatic like, for example, "I think hom3school!ng should
be illegal," would really make people get out their rakes and start
chasing me...or maybe their B!bles.
There are several reasons that homeschooling bugs me:
1. Why would any person think --reasonably--that they can teach their children all that at least 13 different people over the course of 13 years can teach their child?
That is just dumb to me...b/c the answer is THEY CAN'T. pEROID.
2. It seems that one argument for the h0m3schooling crowd is relig!on. Doesn't the B!ble teach Christ!ans to let our light shine? Honey all the people around you might be raised in terrible heathen homes...but doesn't that just give these super-religious people the perfect opportunity to be an example? Should one run and hide?
3. H0m3school people talk about and discuss all these great ideas they have about teaching their children at home..you know what?
TEACHERS DO ALL OF THIS SAME STUFF AT SCHOOL AND THEY DO IT WITH 20 CHILDREN!! NEWSFLASH!!
Oh, and most parents do that stuff with their children..I mean haven't most of us at one time or another talked about sinking and floating at bath time? Or haven't we let our children cook with us? I don't consider that to take the place of school.
Measuring two cups of flour is not the same as --practicing 50 addition problems. Yes, our brains need to practice things that we learn that are new.
4. Children learn how to fit in {or out} at school. They find a place. They observe others. The learn to listen and respect other adults who have other ways of teaching and enforcing.
5. I have seen parents leave school. Then, they have special needs child--and they come back. That is right. There are trained/educated professionals in the schools who know how to work with children who have special needs. MOst of these folks enjoy working with special populations and most of them are good at it.
6. One more... Going out into the world, to school, gives life a rhythm. It gives children discipline. Getting up and getting breakfast and putting on one's clothes and going out to take care of one's duties is, well, purposeful. We need purpose. WE need occupation. Getting up and sitting in pajamas til 10:30, then sorting the colors in the cereal then going to the park with your siblings and then eating at out (social studies), then watching word world--that is called SATURDAY.


In other words...H0m3schooling is no good.
It is a cop-out.
Vamos..this is just MY OPINION. :)
I was educated to be an educator...and I think we do a pretty good job. ;).

5 comments:

shannon said...

My thoughts exactly!

A Beautiful Mess said...

you are a fantastic educator:)

school helps kids navigate the world of that includes people that they are not related or living with! Kids need to learn not only academics but that the world is made up of all different kinds of people that successful people learn how to interact with appropriately.

Oh...and parents need to take their kiddos out of the county every once in awhile!!

Moore, Moore, Moore! said...

AMEN SISTA'!!!! Couldn't agree with you more on this one!!!!!!! Most home school kids end up WEIRD, sorry, probably shouldn't say it but it is the TRUTH!

Laura Smith said...

Tell it Susan! I child I know that is homeschooled told me that the best part is that they only have to work for 2 hours a day---really!

Bethany said...

Oh for the love of everything holy, I never KNEW I was weird!!!! I thought I was fantastically prepared to learn & travel the world and graduate college summa cum laude. HA! :) That part was for my Mom, my aunt & various others who took the time and dedication to teach me at home for the first yrs of my life. We worked 4-6 hrs a day. We scored in the 90th percentile on srequired state tests. That earned me a place ahead of my grade in public high school, which allowed me to be REALLY weird!
Now the mom part of me, the one raising 4 children? Hello school bus, hello structure! ;-)

Spot on!

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