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Ask Slashdot: Pros and Cons of Homeschooling?
VorpalRodent writes: I went to a private school for about 6 years, then completed my education at the local public school, going on to get a couple undergraduate degrees and a postgraduate degree. My wife dropped out of high school and got her equivalency many years later. Now, she wants to homeschool our son.
There is a significant body of literature which indicates that homeschoolers outperform their traditionally schooled counterparts academically, regardless of the level of education of the parent, and she certainly cares more now that she's older. I don't like anecdotes, but I certainly haven't seen the research borne out in any of the people that I know who were homeschooled. More importantly, it seems like the only reason my wife wants to homeschool is because she doesn't want to let go.
Our son would be going into Kindergarten this coming year. I'm interested in some rational discussion on this, since it seems like the only viewpoints I've ever seen on the matter are "Better academics" vs. "Social interaction," both of which are gross oversimplifications. It doesn't help that I can't find any statistical information on post-schooling outcomes.
There is a significant body of literature which indicates that homeschoolers outperform their traditionally schooled counterparts academically, regardless of the level of education of the parent, and she certainly cares more now that she's older. I don't like anecdotes, but I certainly haven't seen the research borne out in any of the people that I know who were homeschooled. More importantly, it seems like the only reason my wife wants to homeschool is because she doesn't want to let go.
Our son would be going into Kindergarten this coming year. I'm interested in some rational discussion on this, since it seems like the only viewpoints I've ever seen on the matter are "Better academics" vs. "Social interaction," both of which are gross oversimplifications. It doesn't help that I can't find any statistical information on post-schooling outcomes.
and No Liberals.
The man specifically excluded the academic vs. social argument, so you provide a nice seguey into my point.
Dear Sir, you are not a Vulcan. Please don't trivialize decisions parents need to make. I know your wife fears casting the fruit of her womb into a liberal system that glorifies homosexuality, ne'r do wells, divorce, abortion and a host of other atrocities that are disgusting to the core.
But you are married and have a son. Go wherever your hearts lead you Whatever you do don't take advice from thes losers. It's time for you to make a decision. Find your balls and tell your wife the way it's going to be. Once she sees you take a leadership role in the most important thing in your life, she will love you forever. She might even let you try out that thing you saw on video.
One thing is sure... we are all counting on you to presrve our culture
[[Citation Needed]]
Because, seriously, the accomplishments you list aren't all that impressive and certainly aren't notably better than kids I've known who went to public schools. So either, a) you're not aware that your children are painfully average, b) all four suffer from some learning disability that public schools failed to address, or c) you resided in the country's absolute worst school district or suffered from some other severe disadvantage.
Ahm, I think you just reinforced the stereotype by backing it up by listing a bunch of delusions the proponents tell themselves to try to claim they are not religiously motivated.