Stupid American People?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04f2UJOPJfQ

That's what our government schools are producing. That's what they want. Ignorant people are easier to control.

The last bit is best - I kept on thinking of Uraguay.

You guys should move your kids out here to this super small town school. It's like being in private school. Which means public schools suck because of the people who run them and the inactivity of the parents. The state curriculum is the same. And it freaking rocks out here

Is it any wonder that there is a growing trend in home schooling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1kNULeNpXA&feature=re lated

That's what our government schools are producing. That's what they want. Ignorant people are easier to control. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

True that's why the repuks want to cut funding to the educational system.You loose the best administrators and teachers,the kids suffer,and you end up with a illiterate populaces who is easier to control

Despite the many benefits of educating one's children at home, there are some disadvantages to home schooling. The most significant disadvantage is the amount of sacrifice it takes, physically, emotionally, and financially. Time is needed to prepare and teach lessons, organize outside activities and field trips, and schedule opportunities for the home schooled child to nurture his friendships and develop his interests. Home schooling parents do not have the luxury of having time for themselves while their children are at school. This almost-constant time together can at times seem suffocating, and may not work for some families.

Another disadvantage of home schooling is the cost. Parents who choose to home school, as opposed to free public schooling, are primarily responsible for purchasing the curriculum needed, which can cost, on average, approximately $400 per child each year. This includes costs for field trips, computer software, and materials for projects, as well as the many other resources available to parents. The cost is even higher for those families in which one parent has given up his or her full-time job to home school. For those families who had previously relied on two incomes, this can be a serious disadvantage.

In addition to the additional financial burden of home schooling, another disadvantage of home schooling involves the development of social skills. Most home schooling parents are glad to get their children out of the not-so-positive social environment of age-segregated classrooms, but this means that they are now responsible for the social development of their children. Social skills are learned through everyday interactions, such as trips to the supermarket, libraries, malls, parks, church, field trips, and visiting with neighbors. These ways alone are not completely sufficient for teaching a child proper social skills. All children need to learn how to have relationships with their peers, and home schoolers are sometimes at a disadvantage in this area because they do not have as many opportunities for forming friendships. This is not necessarily a problem for most families, but it takes more effort for home schooling parents to be diligent in making sure their children have ample opportunities to be with other children. Most communities today offer home school support groups within driving distance for almost all home schoolers; these groups usually schedule times weekly or monthly to get together for "park days," home school skate groups, and even gymnastics or swimming classes designed especially for home schoolers.

Many communities also offer co-ops for home schoolers, giving children the opportunity to learn from a variety of adults in addition to their parents. Sunday School, dance classes, 4-H clubs, sports teams, Scouts, and other organized activities like these offer children the time to learn side-by-side and socialize with other children. A disadvantage to this, however, is that some of these groups can be costly.

Because the majority of children attend public or private school, home schooled children might have the desire to start attending school. They may wonder what they are missing out on, especially if their parents don't take the time to make sure they are involved in outside activities. This is difficult for parents who are committed to home schooling and are convinced that this is God's plan for their family.

The most important factor in deciding whether or not to educate one's children at home is trusting in God's leading. Most home schooling parents find that the disadvantages of home schooling are somewhat insignificant in comparison to the benefits of raising and educating their own children.

And lets face it some people just don't have the ability to teach because they are not teachers.. being a parent does not make you a good teacher.

http://www.allaboutparenting.org/dis...ooling-faq.htm

It seems only people who are financially well off could really pull off the homeschooling. Since so many don't have the means then this just doesn't work. Especially if both parents have to work to make ends meat.

And here is another article that points out a lot of the disadvantages of homeschooling:

http://www.educationnews.org/article...chooling-.html

Parents must consider disadvantages before home schooling


For many, home schooling is a poor choice because the parents fail to provide an atmosphere that is truly conducive to learning. Parents do not take into consideration the irreversible injustice they can place upon their children. There are significant disadvantages to home schooling which outweigh the benefits. After having direct contact with five people who have been home schooled, I have been able to identify some serious disadvantages to home schooling.
And, after consulting with employers, public and private school teachers, college instructors, church leaders and a host of other professionals, I found that my findings are not uncommon.
According to the professionals I interviewed, it is easy to identify those individuals who have been in a home school environment.
Some of the most significant disadvantages to home schooling are cost, time, parents’ inability to instruct, lack of contact with other children (learning how to socialize), interpersonal skills, communication skills and being overprotected from the real world.
One disadvantage is the financial burden or hardship it can impose upon a family. It is the responsibility of the parents to purchase the curriculum needed for home schooling where the public school provides it at no charge.
This means parents must purchase books, materials, computer software and other resources in order to teach the lessons. Parents must fund all field trips, outings or special activities. Often, one of the parents must give up his or her job to home school. The loss of a second income in a two-income household can be detrimental. This can be a significant disadvantage and it can disrupt the harmony of the home.
Another disadvantage to home schooling is the amount of time it drains from parents who perform the task.
Many parents don’t realize the time constraints involved with teaching. Teaching can be emotionally and physically draining.
A parent must be motivated and exercise laser focus when instructing. It can be very challenging to create a schedule that the children as well as the parent can follow. It becomes even more challenging when parents try to balance everyday chores with home schooling.
Just like teachers, parents need time to prepare lessons, plan activities, organize and keep the children on task. They must also learn how to balance their time while still being able to maintain the home. It’s not easy.
It has been my finding that a large number of parents are not equipped to be home school instructors. Many parents don’t have any formal training, lack discipline, or lack organization skills. Without structure and consistency, children can be easily distracted.
Children should have an area in the home specifically dedicated to schooling. Most of the time, there is not a set routine. In public school, children must report to school at a certain time and their day is mapped out. They are held accountable for their actions.
The lack of a counselor, guide or mentor can be a serious disadvantage. Sometimes, children have issues or concerns that they don’t feel comfortable talking to their parents about. In public schools, they provide qualified counselors as a resource for students. Children also have their teachers to talk to and provide support. It is important for children to have someone safe they can confide in when necessary.
The biggest disadvantage to home schooling is the child’s lack of socialization which does not provide them the opportunity to interact with other children. For some children, especially children in early years, this can affect their development of social skills. It can also hamper interpersonal and communication skills. This will result in children feeling isolated, passive, lethargic and alone or ill-equipped to handle situations where interaction is required.

True that's why the repuks want to cut funding to the educational system._You loose the best administrators and teachers,_the kids suffer,_and you end up with ailliterate populaceswhoiseasier to control. Originally Posted by ekim008

What happened to your imaginary "independent" status, Ekim the Inbred? (BTW, you are not setting a good example for public education.)

Here is one mother who talks about her attempt to homeschool her child. Which turned out to be not so great after all;

Why homeschooling didn't work for us

Most homeschoolers do a great job, and around here they tend to win quite a few awards. Don't bother discussing facts. We want the government to train kids to be part of a workforce, not thinkers.

Cog a majority of parents do not have the money or the time or even the educational background to "home school" their kids. Some parents are not cutout to home school their children. Most people are just not qualified to teach.

Home schooling does not produce angels. Home schooling is not free and the government does not provide home school vouchers. The cost varies with each program.

You may know some people who did a great job home schooling their kids but they are few and far between and its rare. In fact most who do well usually are in homes where both parents have college degrees and are fairing financially well.

Where does this leave the poor kids and their families or those parents who don't have college degrees?

Why do you think teachers are required to go to college and get degrees in teaching? They have to understand child development and growth and have a very good understanding of how to teach a child and motivate them. I have seen too many mothers and fathers who have to both work and barely have time for themselves to be around their own children. Home schooling is a 24/7 deal.

This whole thing about home schooled children doing better than kids in public schools is also a myth.

Then you have the problem of College and a child who is home schooled with no diploma only a GED.

I have family of which my cousin home schooled her kids. Trust me they did not do very well as compared to my kids who are in college. Her kids struggled and one eventually gave up on college and married young. Her daughter actually scored lower on the ACT and SAT's than my kids who went to the public school.

What happened to your imaginary "independent" status, Ekim the Inbred? (BTW, you are not setting a good example for public education.) Originally Posted by I B Hankering

I B you are one of the Bush children left behind.Have you seen any Democrats or independents wanting to cut funding for education?