Homeschool Parents & Students: Do you hate public school teachers as this answerer contends?

Question

In this Q&A

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqyS4OMrFiWZRmbKXdrOMP3AxQt.;_ylv=3?qid=20080105082944AAM4cWZ

the 13th answerer says:

"Of course they do. I just hope they intend to home-church, home-employ, and home-medicate their fragile little darlins.

Frankly as one of those "hated" public school teacher [sic], good riddance."

To give some real insight into how I think many people (not just homeschoolers) feel about public school teachers I invite you to read the following article.

http://yourstudentnews.com/hcchs/article.php?id=79

With such an (at least what I believe to be) outrageous statement, I thought some might want to address this.

I know I do. I have great respect for good teachers who work hard to make a difference in the lives of their students and I think that public school teachers are as much the victim of a broken system as are students. Teaching is a tough job. Teachers are overworked, underpaid and often under-appreciated.

Answer 1

mr_r_bow...

I would love to see that tax $ that I'm taking away from the government.  I only see it getting taken away from my husband's paycheck same as you.  If the governmental system is flawed in how it disperses its money by attendance on one day of the year, take issue with them.  And if only those taxes covered what I spend on materials for my children.

Answer 2

Of course we don't hate public school teachers as people. As representatives of a failing and unConstitutional system that's taking our money (so we have to pay twice to educate our children), of course they'll be the targets of general rants and ire.

And to say they're not political - no, I'm sorry, that's c**p. They foist all sorts of crazy socialist ideas onto unsuspecting children.

For the record: We're Libertarians. We don't feel that the public school system is able to educate our child to the standards we feel are minimally acceptable. We feel the public school system as it currently stands is unConstitutional and we're willing to put our own money - on top of the taxes we won't see - where our ideals are, and educate our own child ourselves.

Answer 3

I don't hate public school teachers.  My brother has been teaching 8th grade for 20 plus years.  He is a great teacher.  I work in public school and we have many wonderful teachers.

It is only online that we hear of 'teachers' who think homeschooling is wrong.  I have never met one public school teacher in 'real life' that would spout off the silly prejudiced ideas that we hear from the people who bash us online.

Answer 4

I don't.  My parents are public school teachers, I grew up around public school teachers.  My son makes and delivers gift baskets for the teachers at the schools near us and thanks them for working hard to help his friends.  I know how hard their job is, and how thankless, and I really respect the ones who keep at it and truly do what they can to teach their students.

I think the person who wrote this response has serious issues...and honestly, I don't know that I'd let him within 20 feet of my child.  Someone who professes to be a teacher but can't handle people making choices other than theirs has some serious thinking to do.  Teaching doesn't mean making children turn out just like you - it means preparing them to be who they're supposed to be.

Edit: mr_r_bow... you don't get "neg'd" because you disagree with us.  You get "neg'd" because you're rude and condescending.  We don't have a problem with you not agreeing with homeschooling, that's your prerogative.  However, if you can't state it in a respectful, adult way, why bother?

By the way, is that how you address your students?  Or how you allow them to express themselves in your class?  Yet another reason not to allow you access to young minds.

And just to let you know...homeschoolers can't be pigeonholed as you've tried to do.  Not all homeschoolers are Republican, Christian, or conservative - and many homeschool students and parents on this board would be happy to tell you so.  Homeschooled kids aren't "sheltered" from different points of view, they're sheltered from metal detectors at school, police officers having to walk the hall, and, well, people like you.  They're allowed to learn and grow in an atmosphere that allows them to be challenged while learning skills at their own pace.  Are you telling me that you wouldn't do that for your students if it were logistically possible?  Wow.

Answer 5

I know that this is not the reason that a lot of homeschooling parents give, but there are a few that get mad at the school and decide to pull their kids out. Fine, that their choice. But, then a year or so later they bring the child back and then expect the child to be on grade level when they didn't teach them anything at home.

Answer 6

Its good to jhave freedom of choice.Irespect my daughters teachers.She was terrific aand helped us to get through a bad year.The majority of teachers do a wondeful job under stress with kids that misbehave. Leave  public school teachers alone.

Answer 7

I think many of the teachers are good, the system is broke.  The "no child left behind" act is the worst thing that ever happened to education.  Instead of helping the students who need extra help, it lowers the standards for all the students.

Answer 8

oh pleasse!  If you wish to ask me a question, then do so.  I am an open book.  Shall I expand on my outrageous answer?  Happily!!!

I think, imho, that many of the home-school pop are Republican, and/or far-right in ideology.  The US education system has been under assault from these groups for decades.  There are too many instances to list, I'll leave you with only one thought - Reagan.  The home-schooling movement is an outcome of this political assault.  Being politically motivated is NOT a worthy basis for being an educator.  In fact I believe this is called dogma.

We are supposed to be in a country that values freedom, yet homeschooling doesn't exactly provide an environment for freedom of thought.. just watch how many will neg me down on this post!

I am a most ardent believer in the seperation of church and state.  I NEVER propose a political agenda in my classroom.  I fear that this is not the case for any homeschooled kid.  

I have other problems with home-schooling, tax $, etc....  But it'd be like a Christian in the lion's pit bemoaning Caesar.  Have a nice day, goodbye!

*update: LOL!  BITTER?!, RUDE, oh jeez, .. you do prove my point, your poor kids.. I bet GWB was homeschooled.  Have a wonderful, if sheltered existence.  I hope you successfully indoctrinate your loyal subjects!  Go find some sand and hide now... buh bye!!!

Answer 9

I don't care for PS as a SYSTEM but I have nothing against teachers who try to do a good job despite it.

Many of my dearest friends are PS teachers.  Heck, even they don't believe in the PS system!  

I do not like the NEA's official position against homeschooling, however.  Its views are biased, and because of that, some teachers who subscribe to any and everything espoused by the NEA don't bother to think the facts through for themselves.

Answer 10

Well, I wrote "A Desire to Learn" on yourstudentnews... So if you read the article linked to this question you already know where I stand. I hold deep respect, and even sympathy for the many public school teachers who want to make a difference... I don't hate them.

ADDED*** That teacher makes me sad. I wonder if he might be feeling as though his carreer (or its value) is being threatened by the homeschool movement?  Or that he is personally offended by any parent's decision to homeschool instead of having someone like him teach their kids... He doesn't give any real explanation of his answer or what leads him to believe such things... I thought one key to expository writing was good, strong details to support your main idea... but oh well. No time for an English lesson.

Answer 11

Too bad he's taking so personally the discussion against public schools, that he can't see the problems we *do* have against it. As you said, teachers are as much the victim, they come out with the ideals that they can change the world, and the bureaucracy works against them. The sheer amount of kids work against them. The poor budgeting of the district works against them (yeah, I'll say that again, something's wrong when a superintendent gets paid $2 million, is sitting in an office worth $8 million and the kids don't even have air conditioning yet, much less history books that go past Clinton's presidency)

It's not the people,it's the program. My kids are more prepared for the real world, than those kids who are stuck in a brick-n-morter eight hours a day learning trivial factoids outside of relevance. He obviously has a very skewed perception of who homeschoolers really are, which also makes me sad. Primarily because he has such a skewed perception, that it shows me how he would teach, from only one point of view (ironic since one of the arguments is that homeschoolers cannot teach multiple points of view)

Answer 12

Many of my friends in college wanted to be teachers. All but one left teaching after only a few years. The problem? They liked kids and were passionate about the subjects the sought to teach. The one who lasted, was passionate about teaching and loved the kids. It is a calling, not a job. When you love the subjects you will get discouraged, the system and inattentive students will grind away at you until you burn out or move on. When you have passion for the repetition, the stubborn students, the problem kids, the special needs and the process itself, the system and the daily grind cannot get a grip on you so easily. I respect the good teachers. I wish they could all be great, but just like not everyone with a voice is the next American Idol, not everyone with a teaching degree is a great teacher. Some are pretty dismal. But we all know (if you've had a kid in PS) that there are certain teachers that parents want to see teach their kids. We beg, bribe and weasel our kids into those classes. They are the ones who end up teaching three generations of a family and are still begged not to retire. Some of these great teachers are strong supporters of homeschool. A great teacher knows that one school does not fit all. I am inspired by Albert Cullum, a public school teacher. His theories on teaching really helped motivate me to homeschool, dispite my fear of doing something different.

Answer 13

My husband is a public school teacher. I'm a former public school teacher. My brother-in-law is a public school teacher. His wife was a public school teacher. My in-laws were public school teachers. My grandfather was a public school teacher. No. I don't hate public school teachers. :)

There are some individual teachers who are hated, and for good reason. One woman I know had the same teacher 2 years in a row who spent his time telling the students they were the stupidest bunch he'd ever had and they'd never amount to anything. A couple of students complained to administration, only to be looked at as though they were making it up. One girl I know had a teacher throw a book at her--because she was correct and he wasn't. She had another teacher who, instead of actually teaching her, sent her to the office to do work she wasn't able to do because the teacher figured the girl wasn't paying attention in class. Of course, there are also teachers who've just got attitudes and think they're all that which causes problems because of how they try to approach problems with the students. And, on the flip side, there are parents who are too busy glorifying their kids to listen to what a teacher is saying and think the teacher's being awful when it really boils down to how spoiled rotten the kid has been. But I digress...

Is this representative of most teachers? By no means. But one rotten apple spoils the barrel... She remembers far more those teachers than the ones who supported her and were good to her. This will be the same for many.

Answer 14

In the teacher's section here, today, was a post from a Biology and History teacher who was complaing about having to review and grade the essays SHE required of the students.

I told it was her job and more importantly that this was an opporunity to coorelate with the English department on those students with poor grammar, spelling and punctuation.

The ONLY way you are going to educate students is to evaluate their work, make criticisms and put them in for corrective measure when they are sadly lacking in skills.

Instead this teacher was complaing about having to grade the papers she assigned and asked if other teachers felt the same way.

Here's the link, check it out.  THIS is what SCHOOL teachers think and say!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Personally I think this should be used on posters to advocate homeschooling!

Answer 15

As I stated many of us, or our spouses are teachers, and most of us were educated in some sort of conventional school system, but when you decide to take a unconventional approach the critics take it personally; well let them.

There is a big difference between a broken down system, and those who are trying to do the best job they can, in spite of the system.

There are many great, and wonderful teachers; many of whom I know will not work in the public school system.

The teachers that cannot separate themselves from the system; are unwilling to look at what they can do to improve it, or are simply content with the status quo, are part of the problem, and will always look down on, or criticize those who step outside the system, and say there is another way, and I am going to take it.

Thank God for freedom of choice, and in this case educational choice.

Answer 16

I can't figure out how teachers manage day in and day out.  I could not teach 25 kids - I'd go crazy!!   My best friend is a teacher.   She spends hours at night at home during the week getting ready for the next day's classes and she only teaches grade 1.  

I love teaching my 3 but I could not, in any way, shape or form, do the job teachers do.   Hats off to them all.    

The problem comes in when teachers have to try to teach all 25 at the same time and they all have different learning styles and you have disabilities in the classroom as well.     It's impossible to cover all those needs.   But it's NOT the teacher's fault.

Answer 17

Of course not.

I respect them.

Answer 18

"Of course they do. I just hope they intend to home-church, home-employ, and home-medicate their fragile little darlins.

Frankly as one of those "hated" public school teacher [sic], good riddance."

Hmmm-- bitter, much? Sounds like a person with a bad attitude who probably feels "under-appreciated" because people don't appreciate a bad, nasty attitude.

Of course I don't hate public school teachers-- I used to be one. Lots of retired PS teachers teach classes to homeschoolers now in our co-op, they enjoy working with homeschoolers and the homeschoolers enjoy working with them.  Why would we work with them if we hated public school teachers?

Why is it people think you must hate teachers, or hate public school, or have some horror stories of when you or your kids went to school, or want to be protecting your child from the big bad world?

Doesn't it ever occur to people that we might choose homeschooling or stay homeschooling because we simply like it and it's working for us?