Has the phrase "home school" become a generic term for ...?

Question

... any form of education that has "home" as the primary location?

For example: the word "google" has become more or less a generic word used to mean Internet search. "Google it!"

I have seen the following refer to themselves as homeschoolers:

The homebound (forced to be at home rather than physically present in the public school building )

Online public & private schoolers

Has the term homeschool / homeschooling become a generic term for any type of education that takes place primarily from a person's home?

Answer 1

That's the reason that we should come up with a new word for education that is directed by the parents for the individual child for their individual gifts, aptitude, and goals.

I was wrong in a previous post when I said that school at home (distance programs) were better than public school but not as good as 'home school'.    I read in our recent "Greenhouse Report" (our homeschool newsletter) that scholastic scores of distance programs were lower than public school and the home school scores were highest.   The anti-homeschool folks would group those scores in with the homeschool students which would bring it down to public school level.

I don't think scholastics are everything but it is a measure that the public school uses to gauge success.

Answer 2

Yes, in that context it is, henceforth we are constantly explaining what home schooling is NOT.

Academically home schooling is definitively not generic, that term applies more accurately to the conventional schools, and the methods of education used therein.

Answer 3

Yes, it has. :)

Answer 4

"Has the term homeschool / homeschooling become a generic term for any type of education that takes place primarily from a person's home?"

yes I think it has.  My dd is enrolled in cyber school, but she still works from home.  I know that technically this isnt hsing, and I commend the parents that undertake such wonderful measures for their children.

While I havent chosen her curriculum, nor purchased her text books, in a way I still see this as homeschooling.  We have specifically enrolled her there to stay away from all the negative things that are happening in public (and some private) schools these days, as well as to give her a flexible schedule to allow her to train for her sport.

I know there are several posters out there that think hsers are just religious zealots, but we, and many others, are hsing for other reasons, and not even including religious education in her studies.

I tend to call myself a hser for several reasons:

1) alot of ppl have no clue about cyber schools, and when you mention it, think its something else(...not related to school lol--ie "cybering")

2) I am still much more invested in my childs education than any typical public student's parents are.  I can see my childs grades on a daily basis, I can call and chat with her counselor any day as well.

Answer 5

It's the generic term for people who receive their education at home, yes. It's pretty literal.

For many, the term "home schooled" has come to have baggage. It may mean a conservative religion-based education, or an inadequate liberal-hippie education, depending on where you live and which parents there tend to home school.

Answer 6

Technically, home-schooling is a course of education administered by the student's parent or guardian.  It does not have to happen in the home, and the best home-schoolers usually take full advantage of rich community resources--public libraries, cultural events, science museums.  In fact, since public schools are doing fewer and fewer field trips (thanks to stingy funding, rising costs, and liability woes), that's one of the big strengths of home schooling.  Many homeschoolers also join together to arrange social or athletic opportunities for their students.

If the program of education is administered by a non-guardian somewhere and delivered online, then that's online or web-based education.  In many places, those courses are operated under the auspices of a charter school.

A child educated by tutors in the home is homeschooled only if the parent or guardian is directing the program of education.  If it's a case of a homebound student being served by the local school district, that's public ed.

That is how I would make the definitions.

Answer 7

Yes, "home school" has become a generic term for any form of education that has "home" as the primary location.

Before I began homeschooling in November 2006, I used an online "public school at home."  I really thought this was an alternative form of homeschooling.  However, I researched a bit more and read about the history of homeschooling, the freedom of homeschooling, the many choices of curriculum for homeschoolers, etc.  After about 7 weeks of the virtual public school, I realized that I could homeschool on my own and didn't need a fancy K12, Inc. curriculum, which the online public school provided, to do it.

The term "home school" has become very generic, and in many cases is a misnomer for schooling methods that are not "authentic" homeschooling.

Answer 8

Yes it has... and sometimes that bothers me.

Answer 9

I dont' know if it has become a generic term, but legally homeschool is NOT the same as  homebound, cyber school, virtual school, charter school, etc  

And can not be considered as such.

Answer 10

It has become a very generic term. Which makes it very hard at times to actually help those who are looking into it here because what they have in mind isn't necessarily what others are thinking.

Even regionally, there can be different nuances for homeschooling or home education. I've read one thing that had home education encompass all forms of education at home, yet where I live, in legal terms, it's what most homeschoolers call homeschooling--there are other terms for other forms of at-home schooling programs.