ExKiwilass

Ha! exactly my point.

scrubbedexpat074

...and let's face it, whatever your criteria of success is and it's different for everyone, if you do give your kids what you hope will make them a success you haven't done your most important job.

Novocastrian

I had to read that four times before I could make any sense out of it.

You appear to be saying that parents' most important job is to prepare kids to "succeed" at becoming whatever it is you want (or wanted) for yourself?

ExKiwilass

okay, I'm not the only one

scrubbedexpat074

Whoops, I meant "if you don't give your kids" whatever... It was late...

Novocastrian

I assumed that the "do" was a typo for "don't", but it still only makes any sense at all in the way I tried to paraphrase it.

If that is what you meant, I'm afraid I find it exceedingly narrow minded.

Butch Cassidy

Ah BUT Mr Novo, having read your posts I will make these assumptions about you.
1) You are both an educator and facilitator
2) You are NOT a right wing religous bigot
3) You have a big picture world view
4) You are well travelled
5) You have achieved a 'status' that materially and professionally is above that of your parents.
6) Your social circle extends beyond people of a similar socio-economic and professional background.

All of the above both widens the mind and allows you 'the benefit of being able to allow' your children to pursue their own goals and happiness.

lousid

I totally agree. All the kids I have met who have been homeschooled are very sheltered and lacking something. School is a social experiment and it gives kids qualities that we as parents cannot. I say that as a public school teacher and a mother.

lousid

Excellent post!

Butch Cassidy

LOL,

Personally I'm hoping that Schools have now evolved beyond the whole social experimentation stage.

Oink

Which bit?

Education is not simply formal schooling, it is only one element in a myriad of configurations that contribute to a person's experience. In fact, unless its properly defined and operationalized, the term 'education' is far too wooly to be of much use.

lousid

I would love to enforce a law against home schooling. Men and women have died for the right of every child to be educated by people who have the ability to teach. What gives homeschooling parents the audacity to assume that they know as much as a qualified teacher???? It drives me nuts on so many levels. I think the effects that I see on children that have been home schooled is very scary. These kids are polite, well mannered and sweet but they have a lack of social skills and not able to converse properly with other kids and adults. I am going to say something very controversial but It's how I feel. Homeschooling at its best is producing a sheltered kid and at its worst, it's abusive.
I could go on and on about this. Parents home school because they are scared of others influencing their children. God help these kids who go to University. They will fall apart at the seams as their parents are not there to direct their every decision. We all want to protect our children but we cannot be there all the time for them. Our job is to give our kids roots and wings. It's the wings that are missing with these home schooled kids. Shame on you parents who home school.

rae

tell it like it is mate why don't you. touchpaper lit.

look at it this way though, knowing how to chop up a sheep, make a wicker basket and weave a rug may just come in handy one day.

ExKiwilass

Eh, I wouldn't go that far. I think homeschooling is on a continuum, from parents who are actually perfectly capable of teaching, providing emotional support and experience to parents who are hopeless and doing it for some woolly ideological reasons or vague fears about what's going to happen to Precious at school. And then there's unschooling, which I personally think is nuts, but hey...

I feel sorry for kids in dysfunctional families - I know of one home-schooling family like this - who can't escape the toxic dynamics between the parents, the inconsistency, drama etc. I can't believe that doesn't have a negative effect on learning. At least at school they'd get a break from it. I believe there is research showing h/s kids have a more blinkered view of the world - not really surprising if they're only exposed to what the parents want them to be.

Novocastrian

While being very slightly pleased with most of your observations (5, ironically, is not accurate), I don't follow the course to your conclusion.

The wisdom of allowing the kids to pursue their own goals was an extremely hard learned lesson.