LopLover":47jh8y31 said:
:bunnyhop: after reading all of these posts I feel like if I ever have a kid that it is MY duty to educate them, not the government.
Yay! Good for you!
LopLover":47jh8y31 said:
I can totally related to the idea that not much of the information sticks as it is crammed down our throats.
Yep... someone did a little experiment where they gave students a test on Friday and then gave them the same test the following Monday. There was a dramatic drop in overall scores.
LopLover":47jh8y31 said:
The only reason I am taking this advanced class is because it is required for graduation.
Here in California, those that want to graduate early can take the CHSPE (California High School Proficiency Exam). My son is going to take it in a couple of months so he will have a state issued graduation certificate. The only things they test on are English language skills and math.
I took the same test and "got out" of high school when I was 15.
LopLover":47jh8y31 said:
We have a variety of things thrown at us but they aren't an option to "get your feet wet". You are forced into learning many different paths without any set direction. Thusly, it would be natural that student not do as well in subjects that they have no interest in.
I think students of conventional schooling learn a little about a lot of things, but don't know a LOT about anything in particular. The beauty of homeschooling and unschooling in particular, is that the student is free to explore what interests them the most... therefore they can become experts in their chosen field.
Syberchick70":47jh8y31 said:
Rainey":47jh8y31 said:
I think one of the things i liked about the two-room school and about home-schooling was having less segregation by age and more freedom to pursue interests. Back when we started I had people give me the "real world" lecture, but I didn't see spending every day with same age kids and one adult as a real world setting.
That's a big part of it for me as well
The only place we are segregated by age is in school, which is definitely NOT "real world".
I have to laugh when people ask "But how will they get socialized?" :roll:
Institutionalized is a more accurate description of what they come away with from that setting.
I believe it is actually very detrimental to children to put them with a group of kids all the same age. It is better for them to interact with people of all ages and emotional maturity. Not to mention those with more knowledge than they have.
I am always amazed by the way the homeschooled kids treat other children, especially those that are "different" in some way. There is a level of kindness and tolerance that you just don't see elsewhere.
For example, some friends have an adopted son that was a "drug baby" and was born missing a large portion of his brain. "The doctors" said he would never speak or be able to function in any meaningful way.
Thankfully, they were wrong... but he still functions way below his age level, and has a rather tyrannical personality- imagine Mr. Incredible's boss, right down to the stature, and you will get a good picture.
Anyway- all of the kids up here just accept him into the group and for who he is.
As a matter of fact, my son Colliepup thought that was just the way he was. When I mentioned the fact that he was a drug baby and missing part of his brain, Colliepup said dryly "Well
that is a rather important piece of information to have."