GGIC: You brought up an interesting question about school boredom, unchallenging textbooks, etc. I know that I found history and chemistry boring in high school, and I found philosophy and theology and history boring in college. (I attended a Catholic university and was forced to take 12 hrs of theology and philosophy.) But I suffered through those boring high school and college classes. Why? Because it was a means to an end. Today, in my career, the least attractive job task I have to face each week is the accounting functions of my business. If I could meet with patients all day, I’d consider my job a dream. But at this point, I can’t afford an accountant, and so I do the accounting myself.
So what’s the point? Sometimes I think it’s good for a kid to be bored or inconvenienced just so he’ll be better prepared to deal with setbacks, disappointments or inconveniences later in life. Wasn’t it Emily Dickenson who wrote: ‘Success is counted sweetest….by those who ne’er succeed’?

I have been a public school teacher for the past 15 years and I don’t see a problem with online schools especially in the cases of enrichment and being able to take courses not offered at a particular school (good for rural kids). Where I do see a problem is when we stick lazy unmotivated kids on these computers so they can take a quickie course in order for them earn credits so they can graduate on time or prevent them from dropping out. Many of these kids are just plain lazy and we keep enabling their laziness. I hope that kids who take classes in the virtual school will also be held accountable to passing the end of course standardized tests that are coming soon on the Missouri horizon.

Ryan,

Don’t worry, there is enough boredom,disappointment, and inconvenience to go around.They have chores they don’t like, subjects they don’t like,and social obligations they’d rather skip, like their grandfather’s(my father-in-law) funeral a few months ago.We don’t feel an obligation to see that they are constantly entertained.They are usually more self-sufficient and resilient than a lot of their friends.I happened to like history in school,but not the textbook stuff,unless there were horses involved(my motivator). We use lots of historical biographies and even some historical fiction, as well as the History Channel and DVDs to whet their appetites.My daughter attends monthly book readings/art project sessions at the local Border’s bookstore,where many of the selections have been American Girl books,so she is really getting into those.We were reading about Addy, the slave girl who was liberated during the Civil War, and it had us both in tears.I think it helps if kids can identify in some way, or imagine themselves in the same circumstances.We also use history as a springboard to other subjects,like social studies,science,art, language.I hope to incorporate some philosophy in the future-I’ve never studied it,so it will be new for us all.

Our son was in school for several years and was not happy about our decision to homeschool at that time.He was worried about not seeing his friends.The thing is , we were sending him to school to get an education, not to socialize,but that wasn’t the end result.He sees enough of his friends without being in school anyway.We have DVD courses taught by some of the best teachers in the country for the subjects that I am not as good at, like algebra and chemistry.I have never liked math(I did well, just didn’t like it) ,and didn’t have much math or hard science in high school or college(wasn’t necessary for an equestrian science/business admin. major).Our son has been much harder to get motivated on the subjects he wasn’t interested in,but my husband is more mechanically inclined than academic, so I’m not surprised.I think that is homeschooling’s strength-we have more reason and ability to motivate our kids to learn, and more ability to impose consequences if they don’t.Figuring out why some kids aren’t motivated and changing that would go a long way towards fixing certain problems with education, but I doubt it will happen.You can force them to memorize facts to pass a test, but if they don’t retain what they have “learned”, what’s the point?Some kids are less academically inclined, or just lacking in natural ability(I don’t mean that in a mean way),or from a bad family situation(ever read “A Child Called It”?),so there are many reasons a kid might underperform.Today’s educational system is set up for a on-size-fits-all approach, but with the increasing diversity in our world, that only works for some.A final thought-H. Jackson Browne said”People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness.Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost”.

Bean, I will try to be nice here but I must tell you that it isn’t easy with your negative failure-like attitude, but I understand it because you are a government school product. Your spelling is horrible and your grammar is 2nd grade. Need I say more? Let me not forget that your reading comprehension is miserable too. Home schooling and virtual schools are not for everyone. The whole point of government type schools is to give us this idea that we can’t make it without government. It was Ronald Reagan that said Government is not the solution to to problem, government is the problem.

Why is it that you feel that your life is not complete without governments stamp of approval? So many have done so well without government schools. I will not say that there can be some good from government schools but to say that they are the end all is so sad of you to think and say.

I have more confidence in people than government. I apologize, I am starting to sound like Ronald Reagan. You know, the guy that had more confidence in the American people than the American government. Shame on me!

GGIC:

What I admire most about your decision to home-school is your obvious conviction. Your kids apparently are benefitting from their educational environment, and it could be said that both you and they should be congratulated for the steps you are taking. Do you plan to continue home/virtual-schooling through college and grad school as well? If not, do you have a plan in place to ease their transition into a conventional college classroom? Or do you think this may be unnecessary? I’m sure you’ve given it plenty of thought and are prepared for whatever follows high-school “graduation”. It would be interesting to use your family’s situation as a case-study.

Just couldn’t leave it alone could ya!!!! lmaf

Ryan, most who are home schooled end up going to college with no problems. In fact, many of them score so well that they get full boat scholarships. That is a very common circumstance. In fact, those same kids end up going to college to study instead of party. They usually are more mature and are less prone to pier pressure. I have many friends who went to college and spend most of their time partying are embarrassed to say that they wasted so much time and learned so little.

As I have stated earlier home school is not for everyone. I will however say that many are afraid of home schooling thinking they cannot handle it but have found it to actually be easier than they ever expected. The propaganda put out by the educational system that “they” are the only ones that can teach our children is absurd.

There is no one size fits all. I do however believe that if more people tried home schooling that they would be pleasantly surprised at the results in education and behavior.

Ryan,

Thank you. No, we’ll finish with high school, then they can decide where their interests lie.My job pays for their college, so they will have more options than most.My son has mentioned business or auto mechanics, but I’m not sure where exactly he plans to go with it.My older daughter is very interested in natural history and animal/environmental science, so, who knows, maybe vet school will be in her future.She is A LOT less likely to be grossed out than I was at her age,especially with dead things(we had weasel problems with our chickens around the time grandpa died).Did you know that many colleges actively recruit homeschoolers these days because they are believed to have better time management skills than average students, in addition to the test scores? Washington University accepts homeschoolers,although I doubt that my son will choose to go there.I don’t really expect any transition problems -my kids are usually able to adapt quite well(I know, they’re extraordinary,LOL),and who knows what the situation will be by then, especially for my four-year-old.There are so many more options now than when I was in school, I kind of envy them that.

I know many people shy away from homeschooling due to the perceived time commitment.While it can be substantial, when you subtract how much time is wasted with early dimissals, parent conferences,fund raising(or panhandling,as I came to think of it,LOL),excessive homework,too many extra-curricular activities(commuting to and from),dealing with problems,it starts to sound much more feasible.With so many schools charging book fees per semester,the costs start to sound affordable, too.I get tired of hearing people complain about the problems without doing something to fix the problems.I have seen mothers on the news lamenting about “what can I do about it,my kids need an education” after their daughters had been assaulted at school.I think was East St. Louis in the last few years,but it happens elsewhere,too.Not too conducive too learning.If I had been in that position,I would have been livid ,but I would have made sure ALL options had been completely exhausted before whining. Parents have more control than they realize, they just need to accept responsibility for the choices.Doing nothing is a choice, albeit a default choice.Our kids are too important for that, in my opinion.

So can I send my kids to your homes?

Ryan,
It all sounds a little self-serving to me. Whatcha think?