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Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

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Re: Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

#191

Post by Hamuko »

scifibestfi wrote: post #189
ElijahLynn wrote: post #108

Social needs. Children need to learn how to be in relationship with others, it is the most fundamental need we have and is so important for the future of our planet. If I were to homeschool, it isn't about the learning, that is easy, it is about providing an environment where children can learn to co-exist with others. That can still be done with homeschool, but it will need to be intentional with daily activities th…

I went to public school and would argue it's a terrible place to be socialized. You are socialized by kids your age in an environment that's more akin to prison than the real world.

Don't worry, for most people, their workplace will feel like a prison as well.

Re: Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

#192

Post by JJMcJ »

scifibestfi wrote: post #189
ElijahLynn wrote: post #108

Social needs. Children need to learn how to be in relationship with others, it is the most fundamental need we have and is so important for the future of our planet. If I were to homeschool, it isn't about the learning, that is easy, it is about providing an environment where children can learn to co-exist with others. That can still be done with homeschool, but it will need to be intentional with daily activities th…

I went to public school and would argue it's a terrible place to be socialized. You are socialized by kids your age in an environment that's more akin to prison than the real world.

Public school socialization.

Humiliated by teachers.

Bullied by some people.

Small circle of friends.

Adults as the enemy.

All the homeschooled kids I've met seem pleasant, polite, comfortable around other kids and around adults. Of course this is Northern California so elsewhere the story may be different.

Oh, and homeschooling is forbidden in Germany, under a 1938 law.

1938. Get it? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, elbow in the ribs.

Just to see who doesn't like homeschooling.

Re: Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

#193

Post by gnicholas »

juve1996 wrote: post #134
gnicholas wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whatever selection biases there may have been in the past, homeschooling is becoming much more popular now. COVID and remote school pulled back the curtain on the type and amount of learning that is happening in public schools, and parents of all types are opting out of the system. What we are seeing now is a seismic shift that will result in a much more mainstream population of homeschooled kids. I doubt it will be…

Can you provide data to back this claim?

> James Dwyer, a professor at William and Mary Law School and co-author of “Homeschooling: The History and Philosophy of a Controversial Practice,” told me: a growing segment of “the mainstream middle class, well-educated and not on either political extreme, has been very disenchanted with public schools’ response to the pandemic.”

from https://www.latimes.com/california/newsletter/2022-01-24/8-t...

There are many other articles about the growth of homeschooling during the pandemic, and the likely causes. As the author of the LA Times article notes, the data is still being gathered so experts' theories have yet to be validated with certainty.

But I've not seen anyone question the notion that the people who have recently started homeschooling are not demographically the same as those who homeschooled pre-pandemic. If you have seen such claims, I would be interested to see them!

Re: Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

#194

Post by anon291 »

verisimilidude wrote: post #75
Turing_Machine wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because home schooled children never see anyone else at all? I think you'll find that is not actually the case. Also, I would argue that the distorted "society" produced by public schools is more harmful than beneficial.

Tell us where homeschooled kids get their socialization. Church? That's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black when it comes to social distortion. Homeschooled peer groups? There's no way that's a broader population than the school in 99.9% of homeschooling scenarios.

> Church? That's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black when it comes to social distortion.

Can't you say the same thing of parochial schools? Given the general success of parochial schools, I would find it difficult to imagine how one would argue against their model.

Re: Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

#195

Post by troupe »

wussboy wrote: post #159
poulsbohemian wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We probably agree more than we disagree, but I'll just add my own daughters as data points. When they stayed home during covid, the oldest (not a good student) did better academically with the lack of peer / social pressures. My youngest (an exceptional student) did better academically too, which has since allowed her to jump way ahead in her studies and finally be recognized by teachers as an academic prodigy, where…

I think you're confused as to the point of school. We often believe the point of school is the academics, but I would argue it's the social. Studies indicate social skills are more important to future success than academics. A hurriedly-googled link: https://www.tcscholars.org/social-success/ And I would also argue you need excellent social skills to reach your potential academically. So, yes, your kids did better ac…

I would argue that it is a lot easier to give a kid who is doing well academically some social interaction much better than they will get at the average public school than to take a child who is doing poorly at the public school and make them successful academically.

I would agree though that most school districts do not spend money with academics as the priority.

Re: Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

#196

Post by ksplicer »

poulsbohemian wrote: post #181
wussboy wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you're confused as to the point of school. We often believe the point of school is the academics, but I would argue it's the social. Studies indicate social skills are more important to future success than academics. A hurriedly-googled link: https://www.tcscholars.org/social-success/ And I would also argue you need excellent social skills to reach your potential academically. So, yes, your kids did better ac…

>I think you're confused as to the point of school Actually, I think we're both wrong. During the time in my local PTA what stood out to me was the amount of time and money we spent on providing basic social services to kids - think providing meals, clothes, filtering for home and family problems etc. I would argue that in modern America, public schools are there to provide day care for working parents and to provide…

I don't think it's just an American thing that schools aren't that useful. Studies such the one linked below indicate that school choice has little impact on educational outcomes. Education is important, but I don't think anyone is particularly better at providing it in classrooms. Private tutoring and small group studies show much more impact. You could argue that is evidence that homeschooling is better, but I think that would only apply if you have subject matter experts teaching topics. Personally I think parents should focus on sending kids to schools that don't overburden children with homework and instead provide many opportunities for extracurriculars.

https://pricetheory.uchicago.edu/levitt/Papers/schoolchoicel...

Re: Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

#197

Post by Turing_Machine »

verisimilidude wrote: post #75
Turing_Machine wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because home schooled children never see anyone else at all? I think you'll find that is not actually the case. Also, I would argue that the distorted "society" produced by public schools is more harmful than beneficial.

Tell us where homeschooled kids get their socialization. Church? That's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black when it comes to social distortion. Homeschooled peer groups? There's no way that's a broader population than the school in 99.9% of homeschooling scenarios.

> Tell us where homeschooled kids get their socialization.

Out in the real world, as opposed to an artificial environment designed to produce obedient factory workers.

Re: Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

#198

Post by tomohawk »

ElijahLynn wrote: post #108

Social needs. Children need to learn how to be in relationship with others, it is the most fundamental need we have and is so important for the future of our planet. If I were to homeschool, it isn't about the learning, that is easy, it is about providing an environment where children can learn to co-exist with others. That can still be done with homeschool, but it will need to be intentional with daily activities th…

If you're concerned about this, you're not the only one, and the good news is that there are many solutions for this.

It is quite common for home schooled kids to be part of co-ops and other groups, where they may take classes together or have other activities together.

In addition, don't underestimate how important it is for children to socialize with trusted adults. Many children don't get adequate socialization even from their parents.

Re: Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

#199

Post by [deleted] »

colinmhayes wrote: post #160
dyingkneepad wrote: post #30

Socialization. Going to school is not only about absorbing academical knowledge. It's about interacting with a broader group of people, learning how to behave, how to avoid common problems, etc. I would not be able to provide this to my kids. On top of that, the language we speak at home is not the language used by the school, or the rest of the country. There are a million problems that come with this: they would fo…

I would go further. Education is a secondary concern for grade school children. The main point of elementary school is 1. Figuring how to socialize/interact with peers 2. Starting to prepare children for responsibilities/solving problems without parental guidance. Education is important, but it’s mainly a way to give children these skills.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: If you’ve considered homeschooling, what’s stopping you?

#200

Post by anon291 »

sofixa wrote: post #84
mensetmanusman wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It decreases the diversity of thought. If your school system is failing, the government shouldn’t imprison parents who want to do their best to try something else.

There are always private schools you can send your kids to if you really think the public school system is failing.

Private schools often start out as homeschooling coops.
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