Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Clarification
I just want to make sure that everyone understands that I am NOT anti public education. I have experience in all 3 arenas (public, private and homeschooling). All 3 have their pros and cons and all 3 have their place. It just irritates me when anyone one type of schooling (public, private or homeschooling) thinks that they have the corner on education and that anyone who doesn't do it their way is wrong. I've met people in all camps that think that their way is the only way. My beef with the NEA is that they are so influential when it comes to public opinion and they feel threatened by anything that isn't public education. It is hard enough to school my kids - having to constantly defend our decision against well meaning but not all knowing educators makes it even harder. I guess I'm more sensitive to this because of my education background and the fact that at least one of my kids has spent time in a public education that just didn't work for him. So, to Donna and all my teaching friends - I so appreciate what you guys do! I know what you do is hard and that it is often a thankless job. Do not for a minute think that I am attacking you or the role that public education has in our society. There may come a day when one or more of our kids attend a public school (it sure won't be until HS though - our MS is awful!). But it just doesn't fit every kid and it gets old having to listen to the old arguments about how we are ruining our kids by schooling them at home. If all 3 camps would listen to the ideas of each other, I think all kids would benefit. I've learned a lot from my public school teacher friends as well as my homeschooling friends. All have a passion for teaching kids. I just don't understand why it has to be a battle between the two.
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4 comments:
Hi! I am a former public school teacher. When I started teaching at a brand new public charter school (middle school), I had many previously home schooled students in my classes - their parents wanted them to have a transition between home school and public high school. I found most of them to be very well adjusted and to be on par academically, and often ahead of my students who had been in public schools for the elementary grades. As far as I am concerned, you are a tax payer and are therefore entitled to take advantage of any public school offerings you choose to - including extracurricular. Your school district needs to get with it and realize that a blended public/home school curriculum can be the best solution for many students that they are being paid with tax dollars to serve! I personally don't think I could home school my children, but I salute those parents who want to and are able to do so successfully. Best wishes, Laura Beth
Melissa,
I like your last statement in what you said of the Clarification post. That right there sums it up!
The question is, WHEN will it actually take place?!?!?!
Kristen
I didn't think you sounded like you were attacking public school education in your first post. You were commenting on the NEA's report that DID attack homeschoolers and quite frankly their report convinced me that one can be well educated & an idiot at the same time. The ones who came up with the comments pertaining to homeschooling on this report have got to be complete idiots! They certainly aren't educated in the area of homeschooling and its favorable results for many and their comments sounded far from having childrens' best educational interests at heart.
Rhonda
When will they wake up and realize the number of parents choosing to homeschool is increasing? You'd think they'd wake up and realize there are a lot of problems in the public education system!!
I don't feel that I can homeschool Kaeli 100% and I'm thankful that there is a solution for our family. Community school allows her to have the social interaction and extracurricular activities. It also allows me to be involved in what she is learning. I wouldn't have it any other way!
Debbie
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