Some thoughts from Robert

We've been having a good discussion with a few friends on Facebook about why we homeschool. For those of you who don't have Facebook, I thought I would post some of Robert's thoughts. Especially since we haven't heard his two cents yet! :)

*DISCLAIMER*

We have MANY wonderful friends and family who are teachers and for the most part, we do NOT think that teachers are what is wrong with the public school system. I have NO desire to offend anyone. I am not trying to convert anyone to homeschool-ism. :) We are just trying to show you what we've been up to and what works for our family. Please know that we love and respect all of you and know that you are just like us - trying to do your best to teach your children and help them grow up to be wonderful people. Heaven knows we still have a long way to go in our own family.

Rob's Thoughts

Heres My schooling Experience (all public):
Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st grade - Alpine, CA

2nd grade - Victor Elem school - Torrence, CA
3rd grade - Manzanita Elementary School -Tucson, AZ

4th and 5th Grade - Sunrise Elementary School - Tucson, AZ
6th grade - Hope Elementary - Carlsbad, CA

7th, 8th - Valley Jr High - Carlsbad, CA

First half of 9th -Carlsbad High School - Carlsbad, CA

Second half of 9th - North Beach High - Ocean Shores, WA

10th grade - Weatherwax High - Aberdeen, WA

11th and 12th grade - Grays Harbor College (running start), Aberdeen WA (running start program)

My education experience crosses several states and many more school districts. Here are the pluses and minuses.

2nd grade - No friends that I remember except for family. First day of school I was given a black eye by a total stranger. Demeaned for personality quirks by teachers and schoolmates (I used to twirl my hair!).
3rd grade - Chess club and tournaments (school sponsored). All my friends were friends from church who happened to go to my school.
4th - No friends...except for the younger brother of my older brother's friend. (This is why older brother's pick on little brothers).
5th grade - Several friends... none from church.
6th grade - Only friend was a kid in the neighborhood and his cute little sister. Harassed regularly for being LDS and being a "deacon". Witnessed several fist fights and a lot of social pressure to kiss girls. (People literally pushing you together with a girl you like).
7th Grade - Kids talking about other students who have had sex. School trouble makers at this age are starting to be almost criminal. Punched in the face in PE.
8th Grade - Same as seventh. Hung out with a group of 6 girls at lunch.
9th grade - Second half - stalked by a senior who threatened me every chance he could. He would steal my property and then destroy it. Ostracized by classmates for my religion. Framed by other groups of kids for things I didn't do (I didn't get in trouble).
10th grade - Switched schools. LDS kids were very clickish (and I didn't meet their standard?) so all my school friends were non members. I was a musician so my friends were the kids that hung out in the band room and choir rooms during lunch.
11th and 12th grade - College as a highschool student. I had an LDS girlfriend but otherwise only hung out with 2 people from church.

All in all, I would rate public schools today in the following manner. Out of 10.

Structure = 11
Resources (computers, gym equipment, etc) = 10
Challenge = 4
Inspiration = 0
Socialization (over all)= -3
Positive peer influence = 0
Negative peer influence = -10
Teachers who were nice/smart/cared = 8
Curriculum = 3

I found school to be mostly boring. While some things were challenging, most things were easy. I didn't have to try to get A's. I only ever really felt inspired a couple times. The only one I specifically remember was the second half of my Freshman year. Mrs. Olsen was the school counselor and agreed to privately teach me German, as that is what I'd taken my first year of Highschool and wanted to be consistent.

In one year, we did two years of German curriculum. Read that sentence again. Double the normal amount of work. Now think about the implications. How much time is being wasted in the public school because teachers are required to do "busy work" or worse, crowd control. The only time I really felt inspired by a teacher... and did 2x the curriculum... was when I had one on one tutoring.

So, yeah. If teachers could focus on inspiring (and parents need to do this at HOME!!) then the students could achieve amazing results.

I'm not going to say that Home Schooling is guaranteed to be superior to public school...after all, not everyone can have Kayleen for their wife - a great teacher for our kids. (I promise I did not tell him to write that - and everyone knows I have my faults. I think almost every mom tries to be a great teacher to their kids, regardless of where they are "schooled".)

I should have been in 3 grades ahead for reading, vocabulary, etc.
Science should have actually taught how things really work and practical applications instead of watered down crap that left you curious but unfulfilled.

By Jr High level kids are at the point where they can be learning real hands on skills for fabrication, manufacturing, engineering, etc. The stuff we teach in passing are things that were the greatest discoveries of their times! There are so many amazing things to learn and schools don't leave kids hungering to know more. They leave them uninspired. (How many teenagers do you know that love school for the inspiration and academic side of things? Mostly they love the social, sports, or musical aspect of high school.)

A one size fits all garment can truly be put on anyone... but fits none of them well.

Utah is falling behind the curve in the US and the US is way behind the curve in the modern world. We're now importing our engineers from other countries because our kids aren't doing the math or getting the grades.

It's my philosophy that education isn't about efficiently doing busy work, but being able to figure out solutions to problems. How to do practical things. Expanding a child's interests beyond their immediate surroundings takes work on behalf of the parents. If we inspire and challenge our kids to pursue learning, they will. If we allow them to be mediocre despite their intelligence, they will.

The US is pushing for a nation-wide curriculum. The more we push for one standard, the more its not going to fit! Our brightest will be extinguished while the dimmest will still be unspired...

And some of the stuff they're pushing in schools outside UT is inappropriate for education or government institutions, in my opinion.

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OR

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What works for your family? :)