Cup or Cone



[pic] Cup or Cone??? [pic]

by Brandy Howard a 10th Grade Homeschooler

When a family starts thinking about homeschooling, they wonder if it’s the right thing for their kids or if public school would be the better choice. In my research on this topic I found a few articles and websites with some great thoughts on this exact issue. So, I set out to write this article hoping that some of the quotes from those different articles or websites would be an encouragement to current homeschool families, families new to homeschooling, or anyone wondering, “Homeschool or public school?”…or as I like to say, “Cup or cone?”

The Homeschool Advisor at spoke about some of the advantages of homeschooling and said, “For many homeschoolers, one of the greatest benefits of homeschooling is the strengthening of family bonds. Homeschooling families spend lots of time learning and playing together and this naturally creates close ties between brothers and sisters and between children and parents. Homeschoolers also have a great deal of flexibility in how and what they learn, allowing them to learn about the “real world” by being part of it. These advantages allow homeschooled children to receive a superior education that is attuned specifically to their own needs, learning style, personality, and interests.” He also spoke on some of the disadvantages. “According to homeschoolers’ feedback on , the biggest disadvantage facing the homeschooling family is loss of income. Someone must be home, at least part-time, to facilitate the children’s learning. At a time when it can often be difficult to get by on two incomes, it can be a real challenge to get by on just one. Some of the other difficulties facing homeschooling parents include lack of confidence in their own and their children’s abilities, public and/or family criticism, and adjusting career goals and work schedules to accommodate the needs of the family. One last challenge humorously cited by homeschoolers is that of housekeeping. When you use your home full-time for homeschooling (and in some cases even for work), things can get a bit messy. But don’t worry, those books piled high on the coffee table, the science experiment on the table, and the art project in the patio are all signs that your child is learning.”

Some homeschool families may have older children that will be graduating soon and may have this question, “Will my child be able to get into college if they are homeschooled?” Or maybe you are wondering that before you even make the decision to homeschool. Well, the Homeschool Advisor gave an answer to this question that may help. He answered, “Homeschoolers are accepted and recruited by some of the top universities in the country because of their maturity, independent thinking skills, creativity, and strong academic preparation. As previously mentioned, homeschoolers perform above average on the ACT. Success on the ACT test reveals that the courses taken by high school students to prepare for college have been effective. Homeschoolers also placed highest on the SAT college entrance exams in the year 2000. In addition to academic success, homeschoolers have had athletic success in college. Coaches are recruiting homeschooled athletes, and in 2001 the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) declared about 100 homeschooled students eligible for athletics as freshmen at major universities, up from 85 the year before. An article in Time on September 11, 2000, reported that 26 percent of 35 homeschooled applicants had been accepted into Stanford University’s 2000-2001 freshman class. This is nearly double the rate of overall acceptance.”

Another question you might have about homeschool vs. public school may be about your child’s social life. The Homeschool Advisor was asked this same question and says, “…the most commonly asked question is, ‘But what about socialization?’ The assumption is that children will not learn to get along with others and will not develop good social skills unless they go to school. However, several studies have been conducted over the years that show that homeschooled children are more self-confident and less peer dependent than traditionally schooled students. Many people believe that homeschoolers spend all their time around the kitchen table, but that simply is not the case. Since homeschooled students do not spend six hours a day in a classroom sitting behind a desk, they have more time to participate in activities outside the home like music, sports, and Scouts. Also, whereas schoolchildren rarely have the opportunity to interact with children who are not the same age, homeschooled children interact with and learn from people of all ages, genders, and interests.”

And what about being able to handle living in the “real world”? Are homeschooled students too protected against things and situations in the real world? Those may be some other questions you’ve been asking yourself. Again, the Homeschool Advisor has been asked the same question and here’s his answer, “Those exploring homeschooling for the first time sometimes worry that their child will not be able to function in the ‘real world’ if they don’t attend school and have the same social experiences as schooled children. But what do schools really do? They separate kids by age and ability, reinforce class and gender, and limit children’s interactions to short recess periods. Schoolchildren are forced to socialize with children only their own age…in the real world are adults forced to socialize with only someone their own age? Competition, bullying, consumerism, and cruel teasing are often the social values children learn at school. Homeschooled children are more likely to base their decisions on values they learned from their parents instead of feeling compelled to go along with the crowd and accept the behavior of what other children are displaying as the ‘norm’. Because homeschoolers spend so much time out in the real world, they are able to communicate well and get along with both adults and children. They even get along with their siblings, and it is common for homeschooling families to receive positive comments about their children’s strong, warm sibling relationships.”

Another article I read was found at orig3/leclair1.html and was titled “Home Education vs. Public Education.” It was written by Jacki LeClair, a 21-year-old underwriting assistant and college student who was homeschooled from grades K through 12. She also discussed some benefits of homeschooling and said, “…homeschooling has many benefits over public schools; for instance, the ability to control what is being taught to your children. My mother and father are religious people and do not like some of the subjects taught in public school systems such as evolution and sex education. They feel strongly that these topics are best left to the parents to teach their children as they see fit. But…government-funded schools won’t give parents an option. Instead, they prefer to regulate what is being taught to produce a self-serving pro-government viewpoint.” She later spoke about the quality of education provided by both places and said, “Defined by Webster’s Dictionary, to educate means ‘1: to provide with schooling 2: to develop mentally and morally.’ The word carries a simple definition, but…public schools replaced mental development with liberal-agenda brainwashing. As a recipient of homeschooling, my educational training was never compromised by the liberal collective or spoiled by unmotivated teachers, but instead was nurtured by my mother, the one person who had no ulterior motive other than providing a quality education. I was given the opportunity to focus on true academic studies instead of being drawn into the social and political subculture of public school. I was given one-on-one attention that allowed me to fully comprehend the subject at hand. Without the distraction of a crowded classroom, I was able to ask questions about the subjects I studied, and was able to retain and comprehend the lesson taught. Scholastic education aside, what about moral education? Public schools are teaching high schoolers proper condom usage, while staying away from such alternatives as chastity. Pro-homosexuality and anti-gun sentiments are being hurrahed in schools, yet prayer is banned. School nurses tell parents that children are not required to receive permission before obtaining abortion referrals through the school. Any aspect of moral education has been wiped out and replaced with an ‘if it feels good, do it’ mentality. As a result, the rebellious attitude and scholastic disinterest of today’s youth are fostered by a permissive and indulgent educational system.”

Now, there is also the safety issue. Most public schools today have security cops and metal detectors along with other things to try and prevent events like the Columbine tragedy from happening again. But the danger of things like that happening is still very real in all of the schools. Jacki LeClair gave her opinion on this issue as well. “Throughout my years of home education, I never once feared for my safety. From the moment I opened my textbooks until the end of the day, I knew my one purpose: to learn. I didn’t worry about knives in lockers, or guns hidden in waistbands. I never heard threats or taunts; classmates never disrespected me. I received an environment of total and uninterrupted peace where I was allowed to focus on learning and not on whether I’d make it home from school in one piece. Going back to the basics…school should be a place of learning, not a melting pot of violent, misguided youth.”

Everyone knows about the problems of peer pressure! “Peer pressure has long been a negative factor of public education. I realize that peer pressure can be found in many places, not just our public school system. However, school is a place where children spend five days a week, eight hours a day with their peers, making the chances for caving to pressures such as smoking, drinking, sex, and drugs much higher,” says Jacki LeClair. “A member of my family who attends public school has smoked and drank since she was 14. Raised by morally aware but often busy parents, she turns to her friends for companionship and guidance, and often succumbs to the pressures of fitting in amongst the students with whom she spends most of her days. In a homeschool environment, the parents have the ability to be more ‘hands-on’ and reduce some of the pressure children face on a daily basis…I look back at my teen years and acknowledge all the pressures my parents kept me from having to face until I was mature enough to make wise choices. Home education carries into more than just academics, it helps the individual to grow creatively, without the worries of popularity and peer pressure. Due to this, I was able to express myself in many areas without fear of what others would think. I developed a stronger sense of who I was and for what I stood.”

I hope this article has been an encouragement to you and has given you a better understanding of the issue of “homeschool or public school”…OR as I like to think of it, “Cup or cone!!!” --

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