PUBLIC SCHOOL VS. HOME SCHOOL
Hopefully some of you find this interesting. I need to write this all out, hopefully hear a few thoughts I haven't thought myself and take some more time on it. This is round 3 of my never ending fight to come to a decision about how I feel about home schooling my children (in particular Henry, since he could start kindergarten 10 months from now eep) versus sending them to public school. I've actually wondered about this since I was pregnant with Henry.
First, a few notes:
-When I say public school, read anything outside of the home. I realize that now especially there are many options in public, private and charter schools, but for the sake of where I'm going today, lets just glom all those into one until I get a little further on the path here.
-When I say home school, please try your hardest not to think about that one kid or that one family who home schooled and they were all so weird. One of my friends put it well when she said, "It's true, a lot of weird people are drawn to home schooling, but they would still be weird whether they home schooled or not."
-I was home schooled until I started public school in 5th grade. It may not be true, but I feel this gives me a little better understanding than your average bear on the topic. I had positive experiences in both settings. The only negative I remember from being home schooled was being treated like the weird kid from certain girls at church who when I went to public school were still that way, and gee whiz, I found out they had all kinds of kids to be mean to, not just the home schooled kid. Negatives from public school, too many to recount. Then again, I was a teenager during the time, so it is a bit of an unfair comparison in that respect. Additionally my mom was and is a teacher (she had to go back to work which is why we went to school) and Johann is a school psych. So, I get the good, the bad and the ugly about public education and the kids that are there.
To get an idea of what's been going on in my head, lets do some pros and cons for each:
HOME SCHOOL
CONS
-Stereotyped as the weird kid
-less socialization (between sports and church I never felt this though)
-different curriculum from peers
-(this is kind of a pro and a con) having to create and prepare curriculum (I know you can get some through homeschool programs) and teach the kids every day, esp considering Henry and my personality can butt heads frequently.
PROS
-Freedom of time
-more time together as a family
-tailoring education to fit child's need
-greater ability to influence child's understanding of right and wrong
-able to teach the gospel hand in hand with education
PUBLIC SCHOOL
PROS
-time for me to organize, have more one on one time with whichever child or children are at home
-getting to feel a part of an institution that the majority of your neighbors are a part of
-teachers who have received degrees in the subject(s) taught.
CONS
-time restrictions on family time, vacation time etc
-homework (again, a time issue in the evenings and weekends)
-more highly concentrated time and space for peer pressure
This is just a bare bones beginning but I am tired and need to hit the hay. Any constructive thoughts be appreciated and then probably there will be some more posting from there. Also, did you make a big decision to put your kids in school over home schooling them or was enrolling them, "just what you/everyone do/does"? THANKS, THE INTERNET.
10 comments:
Well My son Mychael was put into public preschool and until now I thought it was a great resource. It basically saved his life when his little brother came home, because Mykie had some adjustment issues and needed something only a big boy could do while mommy spent more time with baby. Recently though, Mykie has been dealing with bullying allready. Some parents do not spend the time with their children to instill good values, or often cast their own prejudices onto their children as well and it leads to bullying and basically jerks being jerks at an even younger age. This is something I was not prepared for yet and another thing to consider. I do still believe that I made the right choice by having him attend public school because he does get more social time than he was getting before and for the most part it is positive and he is doing well. It also opened up a lot of resources to me as a parent on different ways to help my child grow. And there is a great curiculum in place that I as a stay at home mommy get to help with and expand on when he gets home. Education is never just at school so you will still have lots of opportunities to teach Henry and perhaps it will give you a bit of a break to organize a few things. There are also home schooling groups I have heard of where you would meet with a teacher like once a week and they get some socializing and a teacher to help guide you and give you a little organizational time. It is alot to do to plan a curiculum with your children with you all the time. and soon you will be losing nap time, if you haven't allready. Hope it helps and good luck with your decision!!!
McKelle is a social creature. She goes crazy being with just me all the time. She also does not respond well to my attempts at teaching her because I am her mother but does well with others teaching her.
She attends a preschool that is part of the local high school (taught by students learning to do it) and she goes not for any sort of intellectual challenge but for social interaction. She wants a different scene every day and I cannot provide that.
I'm a teacher but homeschooling my kids would make me crazy. If I had to I would, but it's not my first choice. We'd all have each others necks before long I fear!
Great blog!
In the pros of Homeschool, I would put "The option to work with professionals". As a musician, I joined local groups that were led by truly professional conductors. Having an interest in wildlife when I was homeschooled at 12, I got to work directly with local Fish and Game officers as well as with a world-famous Ornithologist. There is no way public school can compare to those experiences.
This, of course, assumes that the student and hers/his parents are predisposed to a more extroverted lifestyle, being deeply involved in the community.
In regards to the "being stereotyped as weird kid" part, I don't really think that is a major issue. I remember growing up there were some kids in my ward that were home-schooled and they were a little bit weird. There were others who were home-schooled who were a lot bit cool/weird. There were also quite a few who were home-schooled and I wouldn't have known because they were just regular kids. So maybe that isn't a factor after all?
When I've thought about what I want to do with my kids when I have them, the biggest issue for me with public school is the lack of freedom, and how it generally squashes children's desire to learn. (Also that school has been at some times compared to prison, and if you look closely, there are actually a lot of parallels).
A big pro for homeschooling is that it doesn't set you up with weird conceptions about a certain age you can socialise with. It's perfectly normal to socialise with people of all ages, and having friends who were only born in the same year you are is really a bit of a weird concept.
You'll need to consider for public school what state AND the school.
Phoenix does not equal sitting bull.
I think each child and families needs are different and would have to be assessed as to what is best. I can see benefits of both home school and public school.
I too have gone back and forth. I actually think there are different pros and cons for each kid. For my oldest he NEEDS to be in public school. I cannot offer all that he can get there as far as resources go and he thrives in a very social environment. He loves school even though it is hard for him. We do a lot of follow up at home and work closely with his teachers and all those involved in his education at school.
I think I could totally home school my middle child. He loves to learn and loves to be at home. He is in preschool through the public system right now to help him socialize and he is doing great. I teach him more academics at home, but at least he is learning to come out of his shell right now.
I would love to home school, but right now I don't think I could pull it off. I wish I could, but I am just not there. I think it is a very personal and even spiritual decision. It has to be what is right for your family. I love your pro list for home school and it has reminded me why I have thought about doing it...what an amazing experience to be so close to your close and to teach "typical" academics right along side of spiritual.
We miss you!! Good luck with your decision!! Wish you lived closer and we could home school together!!!
I've been having this debate with myself for over a year now. Patrick was homeschooled until 6th grade. I really like that at home you can foster a love of learning for learning's sake and explore all kinds of topics that interest the kids. I also like that there might be a better chance of countering the sometimes questionable influence of peers. It seems like a big commitment though. I think it probably comes down to the temperament of the kid, and how much time and effort mom is willing to put into it. Either way, I would only do it to about 5th or 6th grade. I figure it'd be good to do it long enough to get them a good foundation and love of learning, and then turn them over to the specialists and extracurriculars of the public schools.
I just have to say a few things (= I am lucky enough to be the private music teacher of quite a few homeschool families, and I can honestly say that I love all of them! I do not think they are weird, they take cool field trips ALL the time (that has a lot to do with being a part of an active homeschool group) They get to focus on so many other things instead of being away all day, they are close as a family, yet they still have plenty of friends through extra curricular activities, and they are pretty much awesome! So...I don't envy you for the decision you have to make, lol and I'm glad I have a few years to think on it (although, Michael wants public school because of sports) but good luck!
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