Is home schooling such a good idea?

Recently, I answered a homeschooling question indicating that I thought it had problems. I received 11 negative responses and not one positive one. Don't you think that, in most (but not all) cases, a child is far better off by going to a regular school for the following reasons?

1. Teaching is a difficult skill that takes years to learn. Who's to say that the homeschool teacher (usually mom) knows what she's doing?

2. Isn't it vitally important in a child's development to learn how to socialize with other children? I believe that alot of kids who are home schooled are isolated by their parents, usualy for the reason that they don't want their kid exposed to certain ideas (ie evolution).

3. Doesn't a school setting protect the child by having another set of eyes on them? How many times do you read that a teacher was the one who alerted authorities to abuse?

4. Isn't it important to know how a child is performing as compared to others?

Is home schooling such a good idea?windows vista

i agree with you 100%

1.i am going to school to be a teacher and you do need that special skill in order to become a teacher

2.Kids should not be sheltered and should be allowed to interact with other kids. they need to learn boundaries of other people and also as they get older they do need some time away from their parents and vice versa.

3.most times it is the teacher that suspects abuse, thats usually the only other adult to see the child besides family...why would a family memeber turn in another family member if they sense abuse

4. it seems unfair to compare a child to another child, but that is how you know how they are progressing that way you can give them the help that they need

Is home schooling such a good idea?windows defender internet explorerDid you actually consider others' point of view? Probably not. You're not interested in doing anything but attempting to prove some point, it seems. Oh, I've BEEN through teacher training and there are NO SPECIAL SKILLS TAUGHT. Report It


3 and 4 are valid to a degree 1 and 2 are not necessarily valid.

Many teachers are hacks and all you need is a BA degree. If they didn't teach they'd be a manager at McDonald's or K-Mart with that degree.

It depends on the skill level of your parents and what type of course materials you use.

Penn Foster and the Florida Virtual School are complete packages and you have tests and they were designed by professionals.

Now as for credentials and some people are far better than I am, I was unschooled in visual astrnomy, sound recording, motion picture, still phtography, I was private schooled in electronics, home schooled in typing (at the age of 6, back in the 1950s).

I was first published in Sky and Telescope at the age of 16 and have been published over and over in international magazines. I started a multi-track recording studio, I produced TV commercials by the age of 28. I produced both singles and albums that got international airplay and ASCAP current performance status by the age of 45. I unschooled myself in computer and learned to program in Modula 2, C, some Assembler, BASIC, I worked on Atari ST, AMiga, CP/M, Mac and Windows platforms. I have commercial programs out there that made me money. I used to educate educators on cinema history at a film archive.

So, I can teach a lot and teach it a lot better than ANY teacher in ANY college.

Like I said some people are better than me.

A friend of mine's a chemist who created Renew a furniture polish for this chemical company. He used to help school his kids in Algebra

He showed me how the benizine rings change for various gases like Pentane, Methane, etc.

He was a wiz and a friend of his started a polyurithane company and made millions.

Now these people can teach a lot!

Another friend of mine's father worked for Huges Aircraft as an engineer when they did work for NASA.

He help home school and unschool his youngest in electronics

Like me, this guy was a rennesance man. He had 16mm cameras, enlargers, tanks, all sorts of electronic gear, telescopes.

When we were 15 we'd have a field day in his garage!

My mother was a professional musician and then she got into computers and was an IBM 029 and 028 machine operator at Follettes and she taught me to type, she taught me to use the IBM equipment, she taught me to use the adder and she taught me music theory.

She never went to college, but in High School she took French and Latin, Geometry 1 and 2

As for socilization, my next door neighbors were my major source of socializing. Rarely did I make friends AT school taht I knew outside of school.

Are there no PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, MOVIE THEATERS, MALLS, BOWLING ALLEYS

Let me tell you TWO stories about SCHOOL TEACHERS

One at my Elementary school in Chicago, a Music Teacher

Now remember, my mother was a professional musician who went to a music school, what they call a conservatory.

My elementary school teacher put some music symbols on the board and said what is this.

I raised my hand, she called on me, I said:

G Clef

She said: WRONG!

And went on.

She called it Treble Clef

Now, got look it up in the Dictionary, it is BOTH G CELF and Treble clef

But SHE CALLED ME WRONG for the correct alternative answer in front of the whole class

THAT is the school mentality.

That is how little someone with a 4 year Music education knows.

Do you know what it does to a 10 year old to be told YOU ARE WRONG, when you are are sort of right in front of the whole class!

Story two. At the archive we had obtained some Alice Guy-Blache Solax films from 1910 and were telling all the Cinema History professors about them

MOST wrote her in on the spot and orded up a print.

ONE IVY LEAGUE UNIVERSITY (not Harvard, Not Yale, but probably NEXT ON YUR LIST) said:

I don't have time to change my syllibus.

It took him 2 years to put her into his course.

That's an IVY LEAGUE UNIVERSITy CHARGING $50K a year tuituion

Kids at a next to no cost 2 year community college were getting a more UP TO DATE Cinema History lesson than at that Ivy League school!

Now you know somethng about teachers and schools.
I'll answer your questions in order:

1. I taught many of my classmates how to do physics in my high school class. I was taking the same course at the same time. Your response also implies that we should not allow peer tutoring because that is essentially teaching as well and they have not had years of training to learn how to do it properly.

As an aside, I DO have a teaching degree. Let me tell you, even in the classroom, what I learned about how to teach has at times gotten in the way. Also, the one thing that I learned from all my coursework more than anything is that no one agrees on the right way to teach. Ask 10 different teachers, you'll get 10 different responses.

2. While there may be some parents who do look at it that way, there are also parents in the rest of the school system who do the same. I went to 'normal' school my whole life and I came across all sorts of classmates who were closed-minded to certain ideas, many more who were just plain bigoted even though the teachers tried to go against it. I also knew plenty of kids that didn't have any friends. Being around peers all day does not assure that you will have friends.

3. I can see your point at least partially with that one. I'm not sure that a parent who intended to be abusive would really want to keep the child home all day every day. (Especially since a lot of abuse comes from sheer frustration with the child and not knowing what to do with him/her. In which case, they would rejoice when the child went to school for the day.)

But on the flip side, who protects the child from being bullied by his/her peers? The adults are highly outnumbered in a school setting. They often do not know when bullying is happening. If the child being bullied does not step forward, they might never know. If the child does step forward, what are they supposed to do about it? In short, neither place is completely safe, no matter how much you might wish it to be so.

4. Would school really tell you that? They divide children into groups based on ability at increasingly lower ages. So all you would know was possibly which level of group your child was in and then where your child fell into place in that sub-group. Also, going from one state to another or even one school district to another has the children at completely different levels of competency. You could be the idiot in one school and the genius in another.

Besides, if that is really what you want to know, you are more than welcome to take the standardized tests that are nationwide so you can see how your child measures up against the nation as a whole rather than the subculture of that one school.
I have always stated that home schooling is not for everyone.

It is a life style, not based solely on academics.

Although we do not believe in the conventional school system as it is today, we do believe that everyone should be able to make their own choice as to what form of schooling they want for their children.

Home schooling is just one of those choices available to parents.

However I would like to counter some of the misconceptions that seem to be so prevalent among non home schoolers.

1. Teaching is not as difficult as one has been made to believe.

My husband has a Masters in Education, and non of the courses had anything to do with "how to teach".

It was about classroom management, diversity and so on.

His teaching skills come from a natural ability to teach, being a long time supervisor/trainer, and his skills were sharpened at military instructor school.

Mine come from a true desire to teach, and learn along side my children.

Most home school materials are written in a manner that you need not have any prior experience in the subject; this is the same for teachers because they are not subject experts either.

We all prepare, and use answer keys.

2. The socialization myth is so old I cannot even bring myself to respond to that any more.

Opponents hang onto this lame argument for dear life because home schooling has proved itself to be academically equal too, and most of the time surpasses conventional schools, so this argument is their last ditch effort to discredit home schooling.

3. Abuse? That is a problem in all levels of society, rich, poor, and everyone in between.

Home school families are often reported not because of abuse, but because of uninformed people who do not agree with their choice to educate the children at home.

Abuse is not a home schooling issue, it is a parenting, or rather lack of parenting issue.

4. First of all I do no need to see how my children perform compared to others, since I can see their progress daily.

Where testing is mandatory for home schooled children the results speak for themselves; they score at an average of 20 to 35 points above conventional schooled children.

http://www.nheri.org/
You need to educate yourself about the homeschool movement and perhaps even get to know some homeschool families. Your comments are typical cliches of the sock-puppet caricature of homeschooling and we answer them all the time.

%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;1. Teaching is a difficult skill that takes years to learn. Who's to say that the homeschool teacher (usually mom) knows what she's doing?%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

Perhaps classroom teaching is a skill, but classroom teaching does not occur in the homeschool. Mom does not lecture at a blackboard as in a class, she administers self-guided assignments and grades work with an answer key.

The goal of homeschooling is teach students to become autodidacts (i.e. self-learners.) The highly skilled teachers in the public schools fail miserably in this regard. My son is 13 and is taking Algebra 2 (an 11th grade subject). He will soon be in Calculus. Such stories are ubiquitous.

%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;2. Isn't it vitally important in a child's development to learn how to socialize with other children? I believe that alot of kids who are home schooled are isolated by their parents, usualy for the reason that they don't want their kid exposed to certain ideas (ie evolution).%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

We are teaching our kids the Bible in the homeschool, thereby allaying the ACLU's concerns about such things being taught in the public schools. As for the old old socialization worry, I was told by my teachers in public school that "you're not here to socialize!" Our kids do schoolwork all day and spend most every evening visiting with friends. They are involved in scouts and are popular with other kids, including the school kids in our neighborhood. They are avoiding the "socialization" of my own public school years -- peer pressure for "sex and drugs and rock-n-roll."

Typical homeschool kids have a reputation for being polite and mature, good conversationalists with adults. They are kind and helpful with younger kids and do not see minor age differences as social boundaries as do school kids. It's the public school kids who are rude and who mumble and cannot maintain eye contact that are the social oddballs in my opinion.

%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;3. Doesn't a school setting protect the child by having another set of eyes on them? How many times do you read that a teacher was the one who alerted authorities to abuse?%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

You are presupposing that homeschool kids are abused. You need to cite some statistics for this baseless allegation. We love our kids and are looking out for their best interests. If you find a random incident where homeschoolers are abused, I'd submit that such stories are less common than the stories of "teachers gone wild" that we read of every day in the news.

%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;4. Isn't it important to know how a child is performing as compared to others? %26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

Maybe so, in view of the paradigm of social darwinism of the schools. Since public education "teaches to the test," our homeschool kids are definitely not as well prepared for standardized testing. But in adult life, performance will be measured by success, and we're preparing our homeschool kids to succeed where their public-schooled contemporaries are failing. We know too many public school kids who can't find the USA on a world map, while homeschoolers are winning the geography bee.

ADDITIONAL

%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;Of course, you would need someone qualified to do the teaching. (Some of you really don't give teachers nearly enough credit).%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

Oh yes, but of course! Your unqualified a priori assertion is simply a given, isn't it? My wife and I are both college graduates but that doesnt prove anything one way or other. The teaching profession and it's requirements have been artificially inflated over the years to justify higher salaries for teachers. Notwithstanding, there might be some skill required to manage a classroom of kids versus the one-on-one tutoring style of homeschooling. I have yet to hear one solid example from your side as to what skills and training teachers possess that are so lacking in homeschoolers.

As for giving teachers enough credit, I know many public school teachers and quite a number whose families homeschool. These people are surely dedicated and have hearts in the right place. But any public school teacher will acknowledge that the best students are from families where the parents are involved and hold the kids to a high standard. The teachers are always washing their hands of the kids whose parents don't care and are lagging behind. So if the parents are such a determinant of academic success, what small role do the teachers play anyway?

Years ago, before we homeschooled, there was this bumper sticker that said, "If you can read this, thank a teacher." I found this outrageous. My mom taught me to read before I even started school. Meanwhile, my public school was promoting experimental alternative alphabets that created more harm than good. I had some great, inspiring teachers back in school, to whom I'm still indebted, but I hardly owe them for my own hard work or my family's involvement.
Homeschooling is a great idea, although it is not a new one. Years ago, it was the only form of schooling, and we had a much more literate and educated natioon at that time.

Statistics regarding the academic achievements of homeschooled children speak volumes about the superior education they are receiving. The research also shows that homeschooled children are not socially deprived, know how to learn, and think outside of the box.

Whether a child is better off at a public school, private school, or homeschool depends upon the quality of the said school. Regarding your questions, I will respond to each one:

1) I do not believe that teaching is a difficult skill. Teaching in a school setting is not tailored to the individual child, i.e., my son is largely a kinesthetic (hands on -- touch it, feel it) and auditory (have to hear it) kind of learner. I can teach largely to his learning style. I understand the difference, because I am largely a visual learner (must read it, and see it, and then understand it). I love my son dearly and have a vested interest in whether he learns and his general well being.. Therefore, I read/research on the best way to teach him. Also, I know my own child better than any teacher ever could.

2) Yes, children need to socialize with other children, adults, and people in general. There are many venues for socialization, i.e., community sports, community activities, homeschool coop, homeschool playgroups, homeschool support groups, church, volunteer work, etc. Your belief that homeschooled children are isolated is simply that--a belief. Where are the statistics and demographic data that back up your beliefs? There are homeschooling parents who don't want their children exposed to evolution, but there are also secular, atheist, and other homeschoolers. Homeschoolers are not a monolithic group as many believe. I would suggest that you do some research on homeschooling.

3) Personally, I do not believe that the government should/needs to have their eyes on my child; it is my job to care for, love, and educate my child. Teachers are mandated to report abuse--just as physicians, social workers, nurses, etc. are. Most homeschooled children are not abused, and there is no data showing that they are; you have, perhaps, read about a few or several isolated cases in which the prents pretended they were homeschooling when, in fact, they were abusing their child(ren). However, please do the math; there are many more children who are traditionally schooled that suffer abuse--as most children are not homeschooled.

4) It is important to know how a child is performing--especially if he/she is college bound. Therefore, some states require that homeschooled children take and pass the same standardized tests as traditionally schooled children, be assessed every year, submit a portfolio which demonstrates that the children are progressing at grade level, etc. In the state of Illinois where I live, this is not required. However, I will allow my son to be tested once he reaches third grade--just as the public schooled children are. This is, nonetheless, a matter of choice.

I have responded positively and thoughtfully to your questions. Perhps you received negative responses, because many homeschooling parents feel attacked; others know that the allegations and judgments are made by those who have not done their research and who know few, if any, homeschooking families.

I hope this is helpful.
No going to a public school is NOT better at all

1. Maybe that is true but she can study up and also learn with the kids cause I mean as long as she has a pretty good grasp witch she should She can learn along as long as she is still teaching them!

2. I do not wan to here ANY socilization CRAPhomeschool students get plenty of socilization havent you ever heard of Youth group, Sports,Homeschool groups and No duh the mall!!

3. Dude that one is Jacked up I mean Come ON!!!! How can school protect them when peopl bring guns threaten to bomb ETC!!! COME ON!!!

4. Ok I take achivement test and I find out how well I am doing

And I find out where I am !! P.S. I always Rank in the 99th percentile!
I cannot speak for every homeschooler but I will answer from my own experiences.

Your first question about teaching being a difficult skill to learn, yes, it is. Doesn't mean that a motivated caring parent can't 'learn to teach'. When I first started trying to teach my oldest daughter to read, it was a bumpy road. I definitely did some things wrong, but my daughter is now a reader and her younger sister (at 4 yrs old) wanted to 'do school' like her sister and is well on her way to being a reader. Also, you are sort of implying that 'all teachers' have learned successfully to teach. I think most people will agree that there is everything from crappy to excellent teachers out there and you really get the luck of the draw most times in 'school'.

Your second point of socialization is probably the most common concern from people that don't know about homeschooling. I'm sure there are people who keep their kids separated from the world but believe me, it's not something that just happens while homeschooling. Most homeschooled kids we know are very social and unlike kids in traditional school who sometimes only know how to interact with kids their own age, homeschool kids spend their day with a wide range of ages and are often somewhat more adaptable in different situations and ahead in that respect. Also, homeschooling allows a degree of flexibility you won't get in traditional school and we have time for lots of outside activities.

Your third question about traditional school being a check and balance of sorts for abuse. I think if someone was homeschooling and very abusive that would be a very isolated occurrence. For the most part you have to realize that the parents that make the decision to homeschool are very interested in their Childs success and happiness. So much so that they make the decision to personally take charge of that Childs education. Certainly not something that every dysfunctional, abusive parent is concerned with. The homeschool parent has to be willing to make a big commitment to their child/children.

Point 4, gauging a Childs performance. Each state has different rules regarding testing for homeschool kids but I think generally, homeschool kids, when tested, consistently outscore their peers in traditional school. Also, homeschooling is often tailored to the individual child, hopefully they are being encouraged in their strengths and learning about things that interest them personally (something I know I always wished for, for myself but didn't get in school).

Just some other thoughts on homeschooling.

Something else I hear a lot about in the news are REALLY inappropriate situations occurring in schools because children are not very supervised. (I'm thinking of middle schoolers taking nude photos of themselves/each other with phones, then e-mailing those photos just as one example) With all the metal detectors, lock downs, bomb threats, and shootings, I wouldn't say that school is an especially safe place lately. I also realize that this is not happening to every middle schooler, but the idea of large groups of children sort of governing themselves for 7-8 hours a day doesn't seem like a safe learning environment to me.

Since my kids are young I can't give you some glowing review of my homeschooled kids who became doctors, scientists, high powered business-persons because they just aren't there yet. One of our ballet teachers was homeschooled and is a very intelligent, socialized, lovely individual. She told me that for her, college ended up being disappointing academically. She was amazed at how little was expected of the students and that everything was laid out for them, they didn't have to figure things out on their own. Something she said she had learned at home. Being able to learn independently and having the desire to seek out answers is the biggest gift I hope my kids receive from homeschooling.

Another thing to think about is the constant upheaval in the traditional school system. The educators are constantly under fire from critics and supporters to implement changes. This puts a lot of pressure on the teachers to deliver certain test scores. My mom, sister, and three friends are all public school teachers and I hear often from them the complaints about having to halt their regular teaching to cram for standardized testing (which is not necessarily furthering a Childs real education).

I think it comes down to personal choice. Most parents are going to choose what they sincerely feel is the best thing for their kids. Also, feel free to read up on homeschooling, it's a really wide and interesting subject. I think you'd really be surprised by how much there is involved and how many choices etc.

I hope this helps to somewhat answer your concerns. Thanks for bringing this up, it's a very misunderstood topic.
I'm a former homeschooler, who's going into 8th grade this fall. From my experience, I can from your questions that you don't know very much about homeschooling.

1) Well, who's to say that the mom isn't well educated and experienced with lower level work? My mom has a master's degree and did a great job as my teacher when I was homeschooled. Plus, if there happens to be a topic that the mom doesn't know too much about, they can use the knowledge they have and learn about it with the student.

2) Yes, it's definitely important to socialize with others. But how much socializing you do is affected by your decision to do extracurricular activities or not. I have many homeschooled friends and some of the activites they do are VEX robotics, dance, E3, girl scouts, and meeting with other homeschoolers at the park on a weekly basis. On the other hand, I also have another homeschooled friend who has chosen not to do any outside activities, therefore giving her less social ability than my friends who do activities.

Also, kids will be exposed to ideas such as evolution at a public school, a catholic school, or being homeschooled. Media is everywhere and no one can avoid it. I believe that kids should decide for themselves what ideas parallel with their beliefs, and what ideas don't.

3) Look at public schools: there are bomb threats, kids bring guns to school, and there are fights. These things and traits are far less likely to happen or develop in homeschool kids. Not to say they don't happen, but by being homeschooled they don't have those things as influences.

4) Homeschoolers can take achievement tests too. I didn't when I was homeschooled, but when I came to school last year and took the Terra Nova test I scored in the 99th percentile.
I would like to address each of your concerns one at a time:

1.

All of the research done on this topic has concluded that the academic acheivement of homeschooled students is far better than that of students in public or private schools. These results were the same regardless of the parents level of education.

I have worked in a classroom, and known many classroom teachers. Classroom teaching requires a very different skill set than one on one teaching. Most of what teachers are taught in education programs is theory, which as most experienced teachers will tell you goes out the window once you try to apply it in an actual classroom. The only useful skills learned in teacher education programs have to do with classroom management skills. Classroom management skills are not necessary in a home school situation.

As far as academics go, parents who are teaching their children need to know about the things that they are going to teach. If a parent is new to a subject or they don't know much about it than they can study ahead of their child or find an alternative, such as online programs, or classes at local private schools or community colleges.

2.

Studies have shown that home school graduates have social skills as good as or better than public school graduates.

Home schoolers have lots of opportunities for social interaction. Homeschool groups offer a built in social network and often include sports teams, field trips, graduations and proms. In addition there are volunteer opportunities, scouting, 4-H, community sports teams, church activities, etc.

The social skills learned at public schools tend to be negative in nature. Kids in school learn that fitting in is more important than doing what is right. Those who do not fit in are bullied and/or ostracized.

3.

Home schooling parents are under more scrutiny and more likely to be reported for abuse than parents who send their children to school, because a lot of people suddenly think your family life becomes their business when you stop sending your kids to school. However, if you compare the number of reports that are found to have merit it becomes obvious that the rate of child abuse among homeschoolers is actually much lower than that among public school students.

Serious abusers send their children to school, because they understand that the best way to hide something is to blend in. They teach their children to hide the abuse, and children rarely tell anyone about the abuse. It is much more likely that an accident prone child will get reported to social services than a child who is actually being abused. That's why only 20% of all child abuse reports lead to court action against parents. Most reports to social services are unfounded.

4.

Many states require standardized testing of homeschooled students and many parents have their children tested even if their states don't require it.

There is plent of other evidence that homeschoolers excel. For example, on college entrance exams (SAT/ACT) home schooled students average much higher scores than students who attend public schools. Home schooled students also score higher on college placement tests and employers who have been surveyed note the superior writing and critical thinking abilities of home school graduates.
It's clear that you don't properly understand homeschooling as it is practiced by the sane majority, that is why you got so many thumbs-down.

1. What teachers learn in their years of training is mostly how to manage crowds, a skill specific to a school environment. Then they just follow a curriculum that has it all laid out. There's no special skill required there that isn't specific to the school environment.

2. If I have creationist parents, odds are I'll be a creationist, if I go to school or am homeschooled. If I have Christian parents, I'll probably be a Christian. Conversely, if I have parents who believe in evolution, I'll probably believe in evolution and if I have atheist parents I will probably be an atheist. There is also a difference between sheltering a child from an idea, and sheltering a child from other people. If you are in a small, rural town that's a different story but in my case, all the homeschoolers I know are certainly socialized. Nobody thinks we're weird until they find out we don't go to school, which is apparently when we've suddenly become sheltered. If you homeschooled your kid, wouldn't you make sure that he was properly socialized? Our common humanity ensures that we will all be social. School doesn't have some monopoly on that. And, though I'm sorry to drag up a common refrain, was everyone before 150 years ago unsocialized? Many great political leaders were homeschooled -i.e Lincoln- and I don't think it really hurt their interpersonal skills. Normal homeschoolers don't live in closets. Homeschooling is a terrible name, though, because what it basically says it is, is school, but you're at home all day with your mom instead of in school. We need to change that. It's like calling ourselves 'The Jew-Hating Nazis,' but we're actually Jewish and have no Nazi sentiments.

Also, it seems to me that what my agemates in school are learning is completely useless in real life. They never shut up about, like, ohmygawd, the history teacher, is like, such a *****. All they talk about is how their school ranks compared to everyone else's, how their class ranks, how they rank, their grades. Either that, or they talk about other status symbols. New cell phone. New shoes. It's all about excluding everyone else and trying to assert that you're better. With my homeschooled friends and in all my groups, there's nothing like that. We do have our own status competitions, but it's nowhere near as fierce. There's no parents around for most of them, either, so it's not like we're being little angels for Mommy and Daddy. I've also noticed that homeschoolers seem to be better at relaxing in social situations and always connect to the teacher as a person rather than a despot when in classes. I'm no teacher's pet, but I sometimes stay after class to talk to the teacher about something.

3. Not really, no. When I was still in school -elementary school- there were about six kids who were being abused at home and the teachers did nothing. It was obvious even to seven-year old me that something was wrong; these kids were always coming in with bruises and casts, and were completely mentally broken. They were either downcast and unresponsive, or hyper-aware of danger and constantly on edge. Besides, even the closet-freak homeschoolers go to church, the library, and probably Scouts. Other members of the church have eyes too, and Scout leaders would be able to tell. Again, your argument only stands if homeschoolers live in closets, which they don't.

4. There are a few ways to take that. Yes, and homeschoolers are outperforming school kids academically. That's an overall picture, which to me is the only one that matters. Some people, like me, learn to read when they're 3. Others learn when they're 13, and that's just when they're ready. They aren't any sharper or dumber than anyone else, it's just when the window opens in their brains. If your kid has a major disability, he needs help, but that's actually quite rare. At the Sudbury School, for example, everyone can read by the time they graduate. Some don't learn until they're 16, but they all come out as competent readers and nobody can tell the difference. I strongly believe that the only progress that matters is your own. It doesn't matter if Jimmy learned how to read music faster than Timmy, because Timmy isn't Jimmy.

I believe that to truly be a complete person, you need to have an identity that stands on your own merits, not on how you rank against everyone else. In other words, not an identity formed of, "Well, I'm quieter than most of the kids in homeroom and better at math than Kim," but an identity formed of, "I'm a quiet guy who likes math."

There is a lot of misinformation out there about homeschoolers and the media is only making the problem worse, either by not showing homeschoolers at all or only showing the ones that fit the profile we all love.

I was interviewed by a prominent newspaper, and the reporter and photographer followed me around for two days. I spent two hours in the morning at home, with my mom, doing work and then was out for the rest of the day. Hours at a track meet in the park with my marathon-winning, African-immigrant coach who would tell us stories about running early in the morning and seeing lions in the distance. D%26amp;D with my friends. Play rehearsal. Just hanging out, playing Pokemon with my friends. After all that, they use the one picture of me and my sister in the living room with our mom. Then there's the kid who won the spelling bee. First off, he reminds me of an annoying version of a friend of mine who has autism, I think spelling bee boy has Aspergers or something. Second, when he was interviewed, the anchor wanted to know, "Do you like being homeschooled, or would you rather be in public school?" Then, almost as an afterthought, "With other kids." To me that very clearly and neatly sums up what the public thinks.

What they oppose should be opposed, but it isn't homeschooling as it is practiced.
1. Teaching is a difficult skill that takes years to learn. Who's to say that the homeschool teacher (usually mom) knows what she's doing?

Teaching is not that difficult. Teaching in a classroom setting with 30-35 students with unique learning styles and needs can be difficult. Teaching my own children is not as difficult because the numbers are smaller and I'm very familiar with their needs. Parents teach their children all the time. They are a child's first teachers.

2. Isn't it vitally important in a child's development to learn how to socialize with other children? I believe that alot of kids who are home schooled are isolated by their parents, usualy for the reason that they don't want their kid exposed to certain ideas (ie evolution).

It's vitally important for children to learn to socialize with all ages, not just with other children their own age. Most homeschooled kids participate in a lot of activities and are out and about with their parents at the grocery store, the bank, the library, etc. I can't even count the number of homeschool park days their are currently in our metropolitan area - we could be at the park every day of the week and be with 10-30 other families. My children do get a little less exposure to some of the bad behavior traits of children their age. Most families who homeschool do not isolate their children.

3. Doesn't a school setting protect the child by having another set of eyes on them? How many times do you read that a teacher was the one who alerted authorities to abuse?

Statistically, very few of the overall abuse cases are initiated within the education system. How many times do you read that a teacher: had an inappropriate relationship with a student? Scanning the headlines it seems like this is not a rare occurrence.

4. Isn't it important to know how a child is performing as compared to others?

No. It's important to know that a child is learning the skills needed to turn into a productive, participating member of society. Unfortunately, the educational standards being set at a national level and often the state level are less than solid academically.
I believe home school is best for your children. I do not believe it is best for my child.

I am glad your children are doing well in school. Many children do well in public school. My child did not learn and he is learning at home.

1. Teaching is not a difficult skill. I know teachers. The ones that are the best are the ones that care the most, not the ones with the most degrees or experience.

2. Home school children are not isolated unless they live in isolated part of country. Most of America is populated and we have libraries, malls, museums, YMCA's, community sports, etc.

3. How many times have you heard of a teacher who alerted authorities to abuse and anything could be proved and nothing was done about it?

4. Yes, some kids are motivated by competition. The comparisons are more likely to be a negative influence.

I have a child who gave up in the 3rd grade. He would pretend to be finished with a worksheet because all the others in the class were finished. There were other issues, but that was the one where the compared to others was a problem. It did not encourage him to do better, it discouraged him.

We spent first few weeks of home school getting out of his habit of saying "I'm stupid" or "I can't do that".

Two years later, he knows he is not stupid and that he can learn anything he wants to learn.
I'm a 21 year old college senior who was homeschooled from 3rd grade until 7th grade, and i think i turned out well. i think that being homeschooled during my adolescent years helped me to develop a personality that is my own, and not one that was based on a crowd. i also think that going back to school helped me to gain social skills that some homeschooled kids don't have.

my parents decided to homeschool me because they wanted more religion in our education (i'm a southern baptist preacher's kid) At first we were your typical religious homeschooled family, but we started hanging out with other families like that and my mother realized they were crazy, so our education became less about religion and more about having a really good education.

i feel sorry for those religious kids though, all the ones i knew ended up being really strange (not holding hands until marriage kind of strange). religion didn't really stick on me.

my sister stayed homeschooled until she went to college, and she has the same unique personality as me, but she's not as social as i am. (i've been in a sorority, and am very popular around my college)

as far as our smarts go, we both got full scholarships to several colleges, and we haven't lost them either!
1. Parenting is a difficult skill that can take years to learn. Does that mean parents shouldn't be allowed to raise their children? As for teaching, I'm afraid I don't get your point. If teaching is a difficult skill that takes years for everybody to learn, then that means that no fresh-out-of-college person is going to be a decent teacher. (Frankly, half the time this is true--when you're first starting out teaching, you haven't a clue what you're doing. You are still trusted to be smart enough to figure it out, NOT to have it all down!) It also means that the parent who is teaching their children year after year will be building up those teaching skills.

Having taught, I will say to you that each group of children, each child, is different. You can think you've learned it all and then whoop, a new challenge is put your way. THE TEACHERS WHO DO NOT SURVIVE TEACHING ARE THE ONES WHO ARE NOT ABLE OR WILLING TO LEARN. Successful homeschool parents are willing to learn and change. Are there *some* who aren't? Of course. But it's also the case in schools. There are some horrid teachers out there, being PAID to teach who are worse than even the worst homeschooling parents I've seen. Between the uncredentialed homeschooling parent and some of the credentialed, long-experienced, paid, horrid teachers I've known, I'd entrust my children's education to the worst homeschooling parents I know!

2. Your whole argument here presupposes that school is the only place to interact with others. It also denies the thousands of years of humans living together, having social skills, WITHOUT school. I know many, many, many families who homeschool, online and in person, and NONE of them homeschool because of things like evolution taught in schools (which it isn't even really taught here--it comes up in ONE high school biology class, and that's it). I actually don't know a single parent who homeschools because they are trying to not have their kids exposed to certain ideas. I do know parents who are homeschooling so their kids won't grow up surrounded by certain ideas/behaviours/attitudes on a daily basis. Ideas, behaviours and attitudes are all part of a culture. School has its own culture which, I might say, is dragging society downhill. It's a culture run by kids, not by adults who know what they're doing. If it's not a culture you agree with, then you really wouldn't have your child grow up in it. I mean, if you sent them off to some country for their education where the cultural norm is female circumcision, the chances are pretty good that they'll grow up to believe female circumcision is okay, right?

Btw, my kids do socialize with other children. Quite often. Most homeschooling kids I know do things with others all the time. Quite the way people in the past did. I'd be willing to bet that my kids actually do more with other kids than the Presidents Roosevelt did--they were both tutored at home. And I'd be willing to bet that my kids interact with new people, of varying ages, much more than the average schooled child does.

3. There are RARE cases of abuse being hidden by homeschooling. I don't think that should mean that parents should not have the right to raise their children simply because some parents aren't capable of doing it correctly. There are also many, many cases of abuse that schools do NOT pick up on.

4. No. Education levels were actually better before comparison became so huge, when people were individually tutored or in the one-room schoolhouse model. Actually, even before the whole testing/standards craze came into being, students were allowed to go their pace, especially in the early grades. Comparison does nothing but breed judgment--and I've seen many cases of negative self-judgment because "the other kids always do better than me". How does that help a child? And the kid who's always on top, how does it help him to know that? It doesn't. If you mean for the parents to know, there is sooooooooooo much material out there with specific grade levels on it with which parents can easily tell if their children are able to do it or not. Anybody can look up state standards. Plus, many homeschoolers are required to or choose to undergo standardized testing. They get the comparison.

I'm not sure if I saw your answer in another question, but the clear lack of understanding of homeschooling/teaching and lack of faith in parents that you share in your question is what caused you to get a bunch of thumbs down.

ADDED: "Admit that often homeschooling is not a good thing"? No. I'm willing to admit that SOMETIMES it's not a good thing. Not often.

If you would read through all the answers in the various posts more clearly, you will see that it is THE HOMESCHOOLERS who are the first (and possibly the only) to say that homeschooling is not for everyone, that the decision depends on a number of factors, etc. Your question has come across as though we're a bunch of fanatics bandying around to get everyone to homeschool when it's just not the case.
I have a few questions about your questions, so I hope you'll indulge me a bit, here. My first question is: Do you have kids?

About your first question: Who teaches a child to talk, walk, get dressed, eat using a fork/spoon, etc? Seems to me, these things are harder to teach and require more patience and actual TEACHING than the fact memorization that goes on in schools. Who usually teaches a kid to sew, fix a car, balance a checkbook? UMMM sometimes a teacher, sometimes a neighbor, sometimes a Chilton or Haynes manual, sometimes a relative or friend. Have you ever had a tutor? perhaps an older student or an adult in the community? Have you ever read a book about a subject to learn more about it? Teaching facts isn't hard. It's about drilling, and usually playing games is a good way of doing it. Teachers who care get books about teaching. These books are just as available to a mom or dad. I also HAVE to know - are you a teacher? Why do you feel it is a difficult skill? What part is difficult? Do you simply apply a procedure over and over or is it different for every child? How many children do you suppose slip through the cracks at school because there are 30 kids in a classroom, as opposed to 5 or 10 kids in a homeschool classroom where they get the same teacher all the time, and not only that, but the teacher LOVES them so much she would easily lay down her LIFE for any one of them. Every time her child has a hard time, she works hard to look for answers to the child's questions, and answers to her own questions about how to teach the same information differently!! In the class of 30, the teacher may care, but may not, she may be tired of teaching, even if she LOVES teaching, there are only so many hours in a day. The curriculum is decided for her, so if a curriculum doesn't fit for a student, too bad. Nothing can be done. Visual learner, kinesthetic learner, audio learner. All get one text.

Second point: This seems to be 2 questions in one: Socialization and exposure to ideas. About the first part - socialization: My question is this - Do you usually have to deal with a co-worker stealing your lunch? Do you frequently get beat up because the clothes you wear aren't what others think you should wear? Do you work with people who launch spit balls at meetings? Or do you do these things to others? I don't. In all my years working. I have never been subjected to any of the stuff I was subjected to at school. So, yes, socializing is important. Do we really want to teach people that in order to get out of bad situation you either have to be labeled a "snitch" or punch someone? Do we really need to train more people how to not help the police catch the bad guys? and for goodness sake DON'T ask for help from the authorities. If you would be in a job where you were being treated like that, wouldn't you QUIT and find a new job? I would!!

About the second half of point two: exposure to ideas. So are you of the opinion that children should not be protected from pornography, too? Yes, I "isolate" my children from many ideas that I don't want them to think are true. I don't want my children thinking that lying, stealing, and cheating are appropriate behaviors. I don't want my children to blindly accept anything. I want my children to think critically. I would say that children of homeschool are taught to think more logically than school children because in school, there isn't time. Too busy doing repetitive work. Too busy answering questions from one of the 30. Too busy doing schoolboard approved work. Too busy lining up. Too busy reprimanding some child who is seeking attention. etc. About evolution. Are you sure it's right? Have you read ALL the research, or just your school textbook? Do you know that some of the "evidence" for evolution is made up or at least slanted in presentation? Is a half-truth good enough? Not for me.

Third point. My teachers were too busy dealing with other kids and talking out of turn to notice that I was being sexually harrassed by some boys in my class. Another pair of eyes? only sometimes. How many times do you read about a teacher having an inappropriate relationship with kids?

I actually don't read about many teachers alerting authorities. I read more about the scout leader or teacher being the abuser. How effective can another set of eyes be when they are looking out for 30 kids at once? Usually an abused child would be withdrawn and quiet. So should a teacher report every quiet child in his/her classroom?

Even so. Sometimes yes, USUALLY - NO. Homeschoolers get reported to social services because some people don't understand. If a neighbor sees a kid in grubby clothes and bare feet, they might assume abuse or neglect, when in fact they may be doing a unit study on dirt!!

Point four. Why is it important what others are doing? Why is comparing so important? Wouldn't it be more important that the child learns. Who cares if everyone else in the class gets math better than my kid? Take more time and consider that my kid may be at 4th grade level math, 8th grade level reading, and 12th grade level art, while my other kid may be at 10th grade level math, 6th grade level reading and 1st grade level art. Each person is an individual, grades are a creation for dealing with 30 10year olds at once. Why compare and make them feel negatively about themselves? If you foster learning and growth, couldn't you just help them feel good about themselves and do their best. Have you read Maslow's heirarchy of needs? Learning can't be accomplished if the child feels like an outcast. I felt like an outcast in my school and I bet most kids do, throughout the day. Comparisons are put-downs. You aren't doing as well as Susie. You don't write as neatly as Jimmy. Shane is much better at math. Why?? Why compare?

So to sum up my views: No, No/No or maybe but why not? depending on what idea we're talking about, No/rarely and No. (2 questions in point 2!) (2 questions in point 3, but I suspect the second was rhetorical)
First, I am unclear on something... by 11 negative responses do you mean 11 opposed to homeschooling, or 11 who didn't agree with your position, 11 who were rude in answering, or what? I find it hard to believe no one supported homeschooling in their answers, and equally hard to believe that no one opposed it, so I am not sure what you meant.

1) Teaching isn't that difficult when its one on one. A lot of what teachers learn in their certification courses is about handling large numbers of kids, rather than how to actually teach the material. Anyone who knows the material can teach it as long as they are patient and thorough in their explanations. Also, there are video courses and tutors for courses the parents don't know as well. Personally, I have studied quite a bit myself on my weak subjects in order to teach them, that way my child and I both learn, this also lets me know beforehand if I will need outside help. Any time a parent shows a child how to something that parent is teaching, and we all teach our kids a lot of things, from how to brush their teeth and button their shirt, to table manners, academics aren't so different.

Any deficiencies in the parent's knowledge are easily handled through tutors, research, self study, etc. And are also more than compensated for with the student/teacher ratio.

2) My kids socialize with people of all ages. There are many opportunities for socialization. Volunteering is a big one at our house, along with boys and girls clubs, Sunday School, Youth Group, etc. The volunteering and boys and girls clubs provides opportunities to interact with people who believe differently than we do, since the church activities don't. We volunteer for both Christian and environmental causes, and the environmental ones typically have people who have very different views than us. I don't believe in evolution, but my kids have learned about it as a theory, along with the reasons I don't believe that particular theory. It would be foolish to send them on to college ignorant that the idea exists.

3) I don't like the idea of Big Brother. I experienced abuse as a child and school didn't protect me from it. People have a tendency to think that abuse is more common among homeschoolers because when it does happen the media boldly says something like "Homeschool Mom Locks her Child in a Cage at Night!" When a family with kids in public school does that you never read, "Public schooling family accused of abuse!". The method of schooling only gets reported when it is different from what people perceive as mainstream. Unfortunately, kids will get abused in this sick society, some will be publicly schooled and some homeschooled. Sometimes abuse even occurs at the hands of the public school teacher. But we can't have the government start watching all of us because of the actions of a few. That is just as wrong as assuming someone is a terrorist because they are Muslim, and therefore setting up spy systems to watch every Muslim.

Okay, I know you didn't say all homeschoolers were abusers, but these are just my thoughts on this subject.

4) Most states require homeschooling parents to have their kids take standardized tests periodically. And even in states that don't require that, many parents do it anyway. Homeschooler's SAT, ACT, and AP scores show that academic achievement is not usually a problem. And when it is, who to say it wouldn't be the same in school? Lots of Publicly schooled kids struggle academically too.
I don't think most homeschoolers would be better off in school; maybe some, not most. There are probably more kids in school that would benefit from homeschooling out there than the other way around.

My opinion on your questions:

1. Homeschooling is nothing like teaching in a classroom-- I've done both. I had to shake off my teacher ways to work with my kids at home. In most cases, that parent is fine even if they are not teachers. If a parent knows nothing about a subject, they can learn it with thier child, or find a class, tutor, online course, software tutorial or curriculum to help them.

Remember, many teachers out there don't teach in the subject they got their degree, but they use the curriculum and get through it.

Also remember that peer tutoring has shown remarkable results in studies, because one-on-one attention going at one's own pace seem to outweigh the need for subject-matter expertise.

2. School is not the only, and certainly not the best, socializing situation. I could literally snap off 100 other options in 60 seconds or less, from just playing at the park in the afternoon to clubs and groups and classes and co-ops and sports teams in just about every neighborhood in America.

Honestly, if someone can't think of another way than school to socialize their kids, then they probably were having problems before the kid stepped into kindergarten.

Also, when it comes to socialization, I'm a big believer that quality is better than quantity.

I've seen public school kids grow up alone in a school of 1000.

3. Think about it-- if it is necessary that children have outside observers as a second set of eyes to make sure kids aren't being abused-- why are we waiting until the kids are 5 or 6 before sending them off to school? Why aren't social services coming in to check on infants in everyone's home? A lot of damage could have already been done in 5 years. Abusive parents don't wait until school age to start abusing.

Basically, I think if we are going to trust a child to go home with their parents at birth, and that child was raised by those parents without checking up on them for 5 years, then unless some red flags have already been raised, we have to allow parents to continue on their course.

4. It is important to know how a child is progressing; chidren's progress from birth through adolescence should always be taken into account. But not necessarily comparing them through arbitrary grades on specific tasks.

I think some of the ways of measuring in schools actually do more harm than good to kids who just don't do well in school work, such as late readers or kids who have trouble in math. If they could just continue progressing at their own pace, the progress may be slower, however, but at least it is progress without blasting their confidence and self esteem because they are behind others who happened to pick these things up more easily.

Also, kids who move through academics more quickly can be better challenged by going at their own pace.
No, I do not think that a child is far better off by going to regular school. In fact, I believe that MOST children would be far better off being homeschooled (but not all, of course).

In response to your reason #1:

Go to your local college or university that offers a teaching degree and ask for their course catalog. The required courses for teachers, beyond the basics required of all students at the college or university, have very little to do with subject content and A LOT to do with managing a classroom, identifying abuse, and the likes.

There are NO resources available to teachers, other than the NEA which I would not have any part of anyway, that are not available to homeschooling parents. I have a personal reference library full of materials on the different styles of learning that children have, the different styles of teaching to meet the needs of those various learning methods, and the like. Anything not in my personal library, I can borrow from the public library.

In response to your reason #2:

Yes, socializing is vital to a human's development. Why doy ou believe that a lot of homeschooled kids are isolated? Do you have any facts to support that? Numerous studies have been completed which indicate that homeschoolers actually tend to be more well socialized than their private or public schooled peers.

My children are involved in a variety of activities that allow for them to socialize, including classes and extracurricular activities that they participate in outside of the home. They have a variety of acquaintances, friends and relatives. I believe that they have MORE opportunity to socialize because they are homeschooled.

How does just being in the same room with 29 or so other children born the same year as they were for eight hours a day equal socialization? I was always told I was NOT at school to socialize, myself. And do you really want your child learning such a vital skill from other children, who are also learning?

There are numerous things that my children are exposed to that I wish they did not have to be as of yet. And, thankfully, there are many things that I do not want them to be exposed to yet that we have managed to avoid. That exposure will come from anywhere, however, and all we can do is teach them right from wrong, as we see it, and use it as a learning tool.

I suppose that in some cases the school setting offers another level of protection, but they also offer a variety of dangers that I do not want my children subjected to (bullying, drugs, gangs, violence, peer pressure).

It is a wonderful thing when a teacher can identify abuse, but it does not always happen. I grew up being abused, exhibited all of the signs and not ONE of my teachers ever questioned me about it or alerted authorities. (I did attend public school, by the way). Homeschooled children also go to medical appointments, and doctors are more well trained in what to look for as far as abuse than teachers are. When did teachers become social workers, anyway?

Because SOME children may be abused, does not mean that ALL children should attend school just because a teacher MIGHT identify said abuse.

In response to your reason #4:

Although no, I do not think it is that important-what makes you think that we do not know how our child is performing compared to others?

We have a curriculum, a scope and sequence, a copy of state standards (which is FAR below that of our curriculum, by the way). Our children take tests.

We also see our children use their knowledge and skills with a variety of other children-public and private schooled, not only homeschooled. From what I have seen in such situations, my children are "normal".

What I think is most important, is the ability to know how your child is performing. How they perform compared to others is NOT as important. I have my children's best interest as my number one priority, and since I know them so intimately and there is more at a stake than a paycheck for me I can focus on their strengths (nurturing them) as well as their weaknesses (nurturing them, also).

I know my children's likes and dislikes, their learning style, what times of day they work better or need a break, the signs that something is a struggle for them or they are getting bored. Without having to waste a third of the school year getting to know this information (and that of the other 29 or so students in the class, also), I can better accomodate their education.

Yes, in my opinion homeschooling is a great idea. I would have to question whether public school is such a good idea.
If you ask me( a high school student) i'd say that homeschooling is not a very good idea. learning is not only related to the books. a person learns from everything around them. going to a school allows the child to be able to interact with other students. interaction with different people is very important,it is what makes the person who they are. in homeschooling a child will become more used to to being alone and would not prefer to be around people later on in life and not able to deal with them properly.

not only that but there is no competition and no sense of doing well everytime just to do better than that smarter kid :) and gettin complimented for the hard work.

Being with others outside the house builds in a child self confidence also.

due to the many and varied reasons othe than what i have listed,going to the school is much much better for any child than homeschooling!
No, I don't think that in most cases a child is far better off in a public school. I'll concede that in some cases a child is better off going to public or private school, but in cases where reasonably intelligent, dedicated parents undertake to oversee their child's education, that child is better off.

1. Responsible HS parents educate themselves on a wide range of educational approaches and teaching methods. Much of the education of a professional teacher concerns itself with managing a group rather than an individuals learning process. I've already taught my son to read, and what I've read on that topic confirms that my instincts were correct.

Are there some parents out there who are both not up to the task and lacking the self awareness to recognize that deficiency? no doubt. but setting policy for all based on the weaknesses of a few is unfair and counterproductive.

Also, it's entirely possible for say, a parent who's a poor speller, to improve their own skills in the process of teaching their child. Children homeschooled by parents without a high school diploma are at no disadvantage at all compared to public school students:

http://www.hslda.org/docs/study/comp2001...

2. yes, it is. and an artificial environment which isolates kids most of the day with only those their age is neither the only nor the best way for kids to socialize. I'm an atheist who plans to teach other perspectives than my own. Should I, or a theist with a similar educational philosophy, be restricted based on the limitations of the educational philosophies of others? And what about private religious instruction which is chosen for the reasons you cite? do you propose to disallow that as well?

3. Again, you propose to restrict the rights of many based on the transgressions of the few.

4. I don't see why. Progress is important, yes, but that progress should be measured against one's own previous standard, not external ones. Many great thinkers were poor school performers. Unschooled children are sometimes late, yet quickly prolific and advanced, readers.

No, I won't admit that "often it's not". I will admit that it's possible for it to be a bad thing, and that it is sometimes a bad thing. But I think your "sometimes good/often bad" assertion suggests a ratio which is incorrect.
I see your point. In some cases where the parent(s) are severely under-qualified to teach or don't have the discipline to do so, than it would be best if the child went to public school.

Teaching may be difficult, but you don't need a bachelors degree to do so. Think way back in history when all the teachers needed to do was take a short examination to get a teaching certificate. Obviously most of them were good teachers. They had the will and love for teaching as most of the students did for learning.

Home schoolers are very well socialized, despite popular belief. We don't need to sit in class rooms, most of us finish our work early in the day. This gives us time for after school activities, such as sports, swim meets, home school groups ETC.

Public schools may report abuse, but what about overlooking bullies? That practice is way too common. The public schools also tend to have drugs and heavy peer pressure. Also, look around the Internet for surveys. I'm sure you will find quite a few on sexual activity in high schools. How many said they were active? A lot of these kids have given into peer pressure. Negitive peer pressure isn't something a learning child needs to be faced with and it is not socialization.

Actually, I think it is not right how children are compared in the system. Each individual is different and learns at their own pace and it only adds stress if they think they aren't keeping up with their grade. It lowers their sense of self worth.

The teachers may have high education, but that doesn't amount to a hill of beans if they don't care about the students.

I'm not saying this about all public schools, but it is certainly too many that are like this. Teaching is a two way street. If the teacher wants the student to learn, the student needs to have an open mind for learning. In most public schools kids are just faced with way too much pressure to get a really good education.

I think you are severely under rating home schooling in this question. Teaching isn't hard if you have the will, even if you don't have the best education.

There are teachers handbooks for that. Home schoolers are not isolated from the world. Just from the dangerous things out there that is harmful to a learning mind. You know, drinking , drugs, underage sex, teen pregnancy ETC. How many home schoolers have you seen out in publuc? You probably wouldn't be able to point them out. It's not like we are weird people destined to live in our mothers basement until we're 40. along with our parents have an urge to learn and to succeed.
My step-mother is among the uneducated, undisciplined people who home school. I think home schooling can be wonderful if it's done correctly. My only criticism of home schooling is that there is no accountability for people who do it poorly.