Homeschooling: misnomer?

[laohaire]

Just a couple of random thoughts.

1) It seems like a good amount, I would even say a majority, of the threads here that discuss problems with homeschooling are about dealing with other people's negative reactions to homeschooling. If other people's negative reactions are the biggest problems (and not, you know, actually homeschooling), well, that's interesting. And of course most of those negative reactions are either very vague or centered on nonissues.

Which brings me to:

2) Would it be better to use a term other than "homeschooling," which implies the schooling is all done at home? And of course implies that kids are shut in, isolated from other kids and so on? Perhaps parent-schooling or something? Well, I'm not going to try to suggest a specific name; I'm aware that any word has the potential to exclude or offend someone (parent-schooling might put off those who emphasize child-led learning, for example).

Anyway, it's just a thought. If the very word "homeschooling" carries the implications that form the basis of the primary complaints about homeschooling, and if those complaints comprise a significant (or even majority) share of the "problems" of homeschooling, maybe it would make sense to change that.

On the other hand, I guess it all sounds so overly PC - changing terms that everyone knows to suit a political agenda. Would calling something parent-schooling (or whatever) really overcome the objections that anti-homeschoolers have? Probably not...

[theretohere]

I don't know that a name change would help the issue, nor I do I think it's really achievable.
And some families DO spend the bulk of their time at home, so it's not always inaccurate.

[SagMom]

"Homeschooling" doesn't capture what we do, so I don't like the term, but otoh, it doesn't matter to me so much that I'm willing to put in the effort to try and introduce a new term.

We're often not at home, and we don't replicate school here when we are, so it doesn't describe what we do so much as it lets others know what we DON'T do, which is send our kids to school. That's enough for most people, I've found.

I don't think people who have a negative view of hsing are going to change their minds if we simply start calling it something else, yk?

[chaoticzenmom]

hmm, good point. I don't like "homeschooling" either. Let's take out "schooling" and put in "Educating." Home educating.

Then, there's the fact that we outsource a lot of our kids education, so it's not really done at home. Reading, writing and math is at home, but other things are outsourced or found in museums, etc.

So, yeah, we're not "home" or "schooling." hmmm.

[kathymuggle]

Originally Posted by SagMom

"Homeschooling" doesn't capture what we do, so I don't like the term, but otoh, it doesn't matter to me so much that I'm willing to put in the effort to try and introduce a new term.

We're often not at home, and we don't replicate school here when we are, so it doesn't describe what we do so much as it lets others know what we DON'T do, which is send our kids to school. That's enough for most people, I've found.

I don't think people who have a negative view of hsing are going to change their minds if we simply start calling it something else, yk?

This is us to a "T".

[jeteaa]

I can't express how much of a weight as lifted off my shoulders when we signed up with the Parent Partnership Program with a local school district. The students can be 100% hsed and get a nice stipend, or they can take 1 to 6 1hr classes "on campus" 2 days a week. We are doing 1 class and the rest of the time on our own/out in the community. So when people ask "what school do you go to" my kids can say Meridian PPP. Not that I am ashamed of hsing..... its just nice not to have to use that term.

[lach]

Originally Posted by laohaire

Just a couple of random thoughts.

1) It seems like a good amount, I would even say a majority, of the threads here that discuss problems with homeschooling are about dealing with other people's negative reactions to homeschooling. If other people's negative reactions are the biggest problems (and not, you know, actually homeschooling), well, that's interesting. And of course most of those negative reactions are either very vague or centered on nonissues.

I think that there were two or three in the past day or so, but I don't think I would say "a good amount" and I definitely wouldn't say that the majority of posts are about this. Yes, it does come up, but I don't think all that often.

2) Would it be better to use a term other than "homeschooling," which implies the schooling is all done at home? And of course implies that kids are shut in, isolated from other kids and so on? Perhaps parent-schooling or something? Well, I'm not going to try to suggest a specific name; I'm aware that any word has the potential to exclude or offend someone (parent-schooling might put off those who emphasize child-led learning, for example).

Anyway, it's just a thought. If the very word "homeschooling" carries the implications that form the basis of the primary complaints about homeschooling, and if those complaints comprise a significant (or even majority) share of the "problems" of homeschooling, maybe it would make sense to change that.

On the other hand, I guess it all sounds so overly PC - changing terms that everyone knows to suit a political agenda. Would calling something parent-schooling (or whatever) really overcome the objections that anti-homeschoolers have? Probably not...

There was a really interesting thread recently where people posted what they did not like about homeschooling. I don't think that anything mentioned on that thread would have been solved by just changing the name.

I do agree that many people have wonky perceptions of homeschooling, but I think that is naturally changing as more and more people do it. I think a better idea would be to just show people that homeschoolers can be normal and aren't necessarily anti-social, denim-jumper-wearing, freaks of nature.

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by chaoticzenmom

hmm, good point. I don't like "homeschooling" either. Let's take out "schooling" and put in "Educating." Home educating.

The ironic thing about that is that people who use that term are usually those who do more of a school-at-home form than those who call it "homeschooling." Lillian

[CariOfOz]

Originally Posted by chaoticzenmom

hmm, good point. I don't like "homeschooling" either. Let's take out "schooling" and put in "Educating." Home educating.

Then, there's the fact that we outsource a lot of our kids education, so it's not really done at home. Reading, writing and math is at home, but other things are outsourced or found in museums, etc.

So, yeah, we're not "home" or "schooling." hmmm.

That's the typical term Aussies use, Home educating I had a checkout lady the other day (at the supermarket) ask 'shouldn't they be in school' and I smiled and told her they ARE in school, we home ed.... although as you can see we aren't always at home lol. This was as we were off to our Monday art & gymnastics class

[hotmamacita]

I do not hear people say "My kids are public schooled." "we public school" Or "My kids are private schooled."

I use the expression homeschooling only because when we are out there are people who seem to need a quick answer so they can put us in a category.

How would "educated outside of the box" or "educated outside of school" do? Or just 'educated"?


Funny, and sad, that this is such an issue.

[ollyoxenfree]

I've found many homeschoolers are quite protective of the homeschooling label. We have homeschooled at times, but my dc have also combined learning at public and private schools with "learning at home and beyond". I've never quite found the right label for our approach to learning, which is to look for knowledge acquisition without boundaries and discover and learn in all kinds of situations. I prefer to emphasize the learning, since I think that is what's important, not the place it happens nor the "schooling" aspect. So we are some kind of "learners" - life learners, experiential learners, holistic learners...there has to be some catchy title but I haven't found it yet.

On occasion I've referred to "homeschooling" my dc and I've had homeschoolers become upset and quite adamant about what that label means. I'm now happy to leave the label to people who only learn outside of places of formal education. Since it seems to be a very important, precious label to many, to be protected and defended, I suspect it would be quite hard to gain widespread acceptance of a new term. If you can introduce a new title though, it may be a positive thing.

[CParker]

I believe someone in the Unschooling forum suggested the term "world schooling", although they travel a lot.

[mom2ponygirl]

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree

We have homeschooled at times, but my dc have also combined learning at public and private schools with "learning at home and beyond". I've never quite found the right label for our approach to learning, which is to look for knowledge acquisition without boundaries and discover and learn in all kinds of situations. I prefer to emphasize the learning, since I think that is what's important, not the place it happens nor the "schooling" aspect. So we are some kind of "learners" - life learners, experiential learners, holistic learners...there has to be some catchy title but I haven't found it yet.

This is what we do as well. We have primarily homeschooled but have also thrown in some private and public school, online classes, co-ops, 4H based projects, community service, etc.

I've begun to refer to our 'style' as the educational cafeteria plan. We're taking what we like and leaving the rest!

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by mom2ponygirl

I've begun to refer to our 'style' as the educational cafeteria plan. We're taking what we like and leaving the rest!

Ohhh, I like it ! Mind if I use it? Or maybe I'll say we use a Learning Smorgasbord, lol!

[dannic]

Because I don't want my kids in school, it's the "school" part of homeschool that has always bugged me. We are relaxed learners, a mix of classical and unschooling, perhaps? I like the pp mention of learners...we don't "school" at home.
But this is how I introduce us because like someone mentioned, they just want a category, not an explanation (usually).

[fruitfulmomma]

Another momma who doesn't like the 'school' part. I use homeschool because most people understand that, but I prefer home-based education. Kinda like our home is our base camp rather than our only place of operation.

[yitlan]

I have a friend who started answering the "oh, why aren't you all in school?" questions with "They are privately tutored." She feels that got quite a different response. That is, no one questioned the benefits and advantages of a private tutor. I thought that was interesting.

[lach]

Originally Posted by yitlan

I have a friend who started answering the "oh, why aren't you all in school?" questions with "They are privately tutored." She feels that got quite a different response. That is, no one questioned the benefits and advantages of a private tutor. I thought that was interesting.

LOL, I love that! It sounds so important. I'm totally going to use that.