Better education - Page 3

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by almama 

Any answer worth its salt is going to make sure that you understand that one size does not fit all, and that size may change!  So homeschooling may be right for some, experiential based education right for others, Waldorf right for a third, public school great for a fourth - ETC ETC.

You really need to weigh what you think your family and your child would benefit from either situation.  There are some ideal cases out there, but really, there are lots of compromises.

While I agree with you absolutely, I think it's worth pointing out that the OP only asked about "your child" and thus seemed to be seeking specific responses about individuals, not generalized philosophies.  I presumed that she already recognizes that one size doesn't fit all and is curious about the different sizes and shapes that exist out there. 

Originally Posted by jeteaa 

If your dc attend school.....

and If you were able to hs them AND you hypothetically:

have enough $ to buy any supplies, pay for classes, hire tutors

have enough patience to be with your dc most all of the day

have a educational enriching home environment

could drive to many educational places

have  hs support groups in your area

partner is supportive of hsing

relatives are supportive of hsing

you don't mind not working

ETC...

Do you think your dc would receive a BETTER education than they receive at school?

[pregnant@40]

I don't feel there is a mystique to public school, and in fact was terrified at the idea of sending my child into the public system. I heavily considered private school, but decided to give public a chance due to the cost (almost free -- we pay $200/month for K in my city). But now that he's actually in public school, it has far exceeded my expectations. It's not just about learning math/reading, but also the classroom social dynamic, exposure to new concepts/skills, and making friends w/ children from diverse backgrounds. I've volunteered multiple times just to observe the classroom at work. There really is something created there that I cannot duplicate at home. Also, the teacher is amazing & has cultivated a really supportive environment for the kids. My son loves going (and I think loves having a place away from home that is all his, akin to our workplaces). I compare his experience with that of his homeschooled best friend, and feel that the public system in my town offers more than the local homeschooling communities. My son may learn certain math and reading concepts faster w/ 1:1 attention at home at the K level, if homeschooled, but the group dynamic in school spurs him to learn in other ways that are better accomplished in school (ie. creativity, social skills, public speaking, attention and behavior, teambuilding, learning how to not always being the "best" or "first"). I place value in all of these types of learning. Additionally, our K-8 school has a science specialist that forms curriculum for all the grades, and much of the middle school curriculum is taught by teachers w/ advanced degrees; I like that they really understand the material at a deeper level than myself, for they can offer stronger teaching in these areas than just me and a workbook. And in his future HS career, he will have IB and AP options, all free. Finally, I like being just the parent, where our activites are fun first, educational second.

Obviously people come to different conclusions for their own children, hence the many types of education. I echo what has been stated on this thread multiple times, that it's great families have choices!
 

Originally Posted by Lisa1970 

Most people who home school have very little of this, very little money, yet still do a better job than public schools. It is not hard to teach 1+1 and you don't need tutors for every little thing. Public school basically has a mystique surrounding it. People think it is doing something that they cannot possibly do at home, something good at that. What they don't realize is that the teachers are just human beings and the books are just books and the kids are still the same kids, and so on, the buildings are made of dry wall and brick and wood and such, etc etc etc. I used to teach and honestly, there is no magic to it. 

You do not need endless money for any number of supplies, you don't need tutors, you don't need any of that.

I think it would be good if you got a really close up look at what really goes on in a school day at school, and in the week and over the course of a year. You might sit back and say "hey wait, I could have done better, and not spent tax payers dollars at the rate of thousands of dollars a child."
 

Edited by pregnant@40 - 12/18/10 at 1:38am

[CatsCradle]

Originally Posted by Lisa1970 

I think that even without all those conditions met that a child would get a better education at home, especially in the K-8 grades.

Based on my own experience, I needed to be away from my mother.  I would not have learned well under my mother.  My father?  That's arguable.  Public school was the best thing that could have happened to me.  I think learning also depends largely on the relationship and dynamic of the family.  I excelled and grew outside the family unit.  I love my parents but I needed exposure beyond them and their various foibles.  Not saying that all families operate like mine, but I think it is a broad generalization to say that children will get a better education at home.  That only occurs if all the circumstances at home are ripe for education and learning.  

I think the thing that was valuable to me learning outside the home was that I could think freely when I was away from parents, without the guilt of thinking freely.  There was the "party line" at home and that really threw a wrench in things.  Not that there were not party lines at school, but there was a lot more diversity, the ability to stand alone or to join other like-minded individuals. To me, that is just as important as learning 1+1.  I needed to grow as an individual as well as learn.  Of course none of this probably applies to the people at MDC, since most tout self-expression anyway.  But, to the general population, I honestly don't know a lot of kids who would do better at home.  Perhaps the kids within DD's own group would do great at home, simply because their parents value education to start with.  A lot of people  don't value "learning" (which I think is more than just learning math and language).    I need a lot of evidence before I change my mind.  Sorry.

Edited by CatsCradle - 12/19/10 at 4:45pm

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle 

I have noticed that many of the above have children in private or alternative type schools - which makes me wonder if your answers would be the same if your only options were your local public school.  Of course, if you are wealthy in first place - your local public school may not be that bad.

My kids have homeschooled, attended public school, and currently attend a wonderful private school.  I was careful in my post to state only thing that were true of their public school experience.

Their public school wasn't wealthy but rather was very economically diverse. The elementary was a Title One school. It was a wonderful school because the staff was amazing and the parents were involved, but not because the families were wealthy.

The private school my kids attend is also financially diverse.  Some families live in small apartments but education is more important to them that having a big house. We have a scholarship program.There are also some families with lots of money. It's a mix. A far bigger mix that I would have guessed before I got there. One mom is a single mom who supports her kids by cleaning houses and running the after school program. One dad drops his kids off in his mercedes on his way to work. 

[Petie1104]

Depends on the school system.  The one we just moved from, my kids were better off being homeschooled.  But here, no they are better off in school.  It all depends on where we are.

[pregnant@40]

Originally Posted by Petie1104 

Depends on the school system.  The one we just moved from, my kids were better off being homeschooled.  But here, no they are better off in school.  It all depends on where we are.

This is so true. Additionally, it depends on the kid and the parent's abilities/motivation.