Reasons why a public school teacher has her own child in private school or homeschools them?

Question

Like the question asks? I found out the other day that my son's pre-school teacher has her own child in private school...not the public school system. I've also heard of several teachers that homeschool their own children. Outside of a disability reason, I'm having trouble imagining a teacher in the public system not having their own child in school. Some schools even support disabilities if not all of them.

My wife and I have been thinking of homeschooling for various reasons. Knowing that my son's teacher doesn't have her own child in public school is solidifying my position. Has the system reached that level of "bad" that even the teachers don't want their children in public school? This is a decision my wife and I are working on BEFORE it goes too far. We hope to decide by the time he gets to kindergarten.

Answer 1

the public school system SUCKS. home school would be good for your kid

Answer 2

I'm a former public school teacher and my husband currently teaches in a public Catholic school. We chose to homeschool our children due to the social atmosphere at schools. Yes, we do feel it's that bad in our schools here. In some way, I'm kind of grateful that they're bad, because we have discovered a lot of other positives (academic, more family time, flexibility, etc.) about homeschooling and probably never would have thought of it had it not been for the social climate at school.

My husband loves teaching, loves working with the kids. Plenty have said he should go into administration, but he loves teaching the kids. It's still not where he wants his own kids to be. It's one thing in the classroom, a totally different thing while they socialize in the hallways and outside school...

I met  a new homeschooling mom this summer who started homeschooling because her own sister, a teacher who LOVES teaching, told her, "You don't want your kids in that."

To sum up, the reason why a public school teacher would choose an alternative is: experience.

Answer 3

My mother is a public School teacher; pre school actually- and my brother and I went to public for pre-school. ever since since kindergarden, we have been in Catholic. I am now in 10tth grade. She did it because:

a) it is closer to our house

b) it offers sports and after school activities

c) we are catholic and my mom's 2 older siblings went to Catholic school and she and her other 2 siblings went to public and she feels she missed out on great opporunities.

d) looks somewhat better on colloge and job applications.

e) you know the teachers aren't in it for the money- public school teachers are not paid well but catholic teachers are paid worse.

f) she sees things that she doesn't want us to see, like a 4yr old boy came in showing other kids gang related stuff and she had to alert the parents; better crowd in privite schools.

I guess it matters on were you live. In Chicago (where I live) some public schools are better than others. In the suburbs, there are great schools that are on the same range as some of the privite ones.

Good Luck and kudos on noticing that!

:)

Answer 4

I am a former private school teacher. I chose to take my daughter out of public school because of numerous issues including bullying, lack of eucation, no replies or correspondence from teacher, things being hidden from my husband and I, children in 2nd grade dying their hair and wearing hip-huggers pant, a 2nd grader wearing a pot leaf necklace, and the list goes on.

I decided to work in the private school so I could afford to put my children there as well. Until then I had been a preschool teacher at a private church preschool with my son. I now homeschool and this is our 2nd year and we have had wonderful results.

I will NEVER put either of my children back into the public school system. It almost ruined my daughter!

Most teachers, if being completely honest, will tell how they are underpaid and do not really "enjoy" what they do any longer. They will tell you how their hands are tied and disobedience goes on unnoticed and unpunished because the authorities refuse to do anything. They will tell you how there are just too  many kids in 1 classroom to teach productively and help each child on their level. They will also tell you how many kids fall through the cracks because there are not enough resources, teachers or funding. I worked in the schools, my best friend worked in the schools and the private school principal (I worked for)worked in public school for many years, was even my teacher when I was in highschool and she herself will tell you this is why she left.

Homeschooling allows you to meet your childs needs and make learning fun. Besides, who do you think loves your child best and knows exactly what he/she needs? The answer of course is you!

Answer 5

I think that you should let him go to a normal school and interact with other people. That is the best soution that as I have read, I know that you want. When I was little I had a friend whose mother was a teacher and I saw no problem with it. Everybody actully thought that it was really cool. Think about it, you are shure to have many great times. AND you won't have to waste money on gas to go to school.

Answer 6

she would know the school system better than anyone since she is a part of it, and it obviously doesn't meet her expectations for her own child. i think that is enough information for you to judge the quality of the institution.

Answer 7

We've been homeschooling for 6 years, and I think most people would be shocked to learn how many homeschooling families either have a parent who's a teacher, or have a parent that used to be a teacher.  And probably 90% of the ones I've met have had children with no disabilities.  

Most of them have told me that parents have absolutely no idea what really goes on in public schools - even if they are active volunteers.  And many of these people taught at schools in wealthy districts.  Each of them said they got into teaching to "make a difference" but quickly learned that the system is set up in a way to make it nearly impossible.  Several of them said that the restrictions of the No Child Left Behind rules basically squelched what little le-way there had been to really teach the children anything.  The few dads that I know who are teachers have said that every day at work makes them more thankful that they're kids are being homeschooled.

Fortunately there's homeschooling and some really great private schools.

Answer 8

Because they see the school system close up.  The largest statistical group of homeschoolers is teachers. Didn't you know that?  I can count person after person who taught that refuses to subject their own children to that environment. I have tutored kids and homeschooled kids since my teens (I was homeschooled for a while), and I promise you most homeschoolers are teachers.

Answer 9

Many children learn better in small groups and with individual attention.  Private schools tend to have smaller class sizes.  Homeschools have individual attention.

Children in public school can get this attention, but it means they are brought out of the classroom and miss out on whatever is being taught while they are in special class.  It also causes a stigma.  Kids are taken out of class and they are labeled by other kids as 'the dumb ones'.  

I don't think the school system is 'bad', it is just outdated.  If it were a private business, there would be improvements.  As it is, many people think it is the only way.  It is not.  Public school teachers realize this and find the best way for their children.

I work in public school as classified employee.  I homeschool my son.

Answer 10

My son's 4th grade teacher, after finding out we were going to pull the kids and homeschool, said that if she didn't have to work for the $ she would be homeschooling her own kids.

Maybe they want to hs their own kids because they'd enjoy being with their own kids.   Or, yes  they know what the system is like and that may affect their decision.

There are many, many reasons to homeschool.   If you are going to do it you need to figure out your own reasons.  Wheather it be the flexibility, the freedom to pick curriculum to suit your child rather then fit your child to the curriculum, how bad your system is, religious reasons, whatever.

Answer 11

There are several reasons. Some parents home school their children for religious reasons-they don't believe in evolution, they think they pick up profanity, etc. Some home school their kids because they don't like that school system that he's in.  I knew a teacher who sent her children to a private school for her religious group and then home schooled her children because she didn't like the elementary school they would have attended. She said that if they had lived in the district for our elementary school that she would not have home schooled. How is your school system ranked? If it's in Florida, then they're pretty bad. Up in the northeast, it depends upon the town. i know someone who home schooled her kids, and I felt they were naive and did not know how to deal with other kids. Her son got hospitalized from a severe beating when he went off to college, the first time he interacted with kids other than at church activities. I send my kids to private school because the school is a much more difficult curriculum than the regular high schools down here in Florida. My children are gifted and need the challenge. I did not home school them because there are a lot of social skills you do not get when you are home schooled, even though it would have been cheaper than private school.

Answer 12

yes. even the teachers know how bad the school system is. That's why she homeschools or sends her kids to private school. You were right to think that.

Answer 13

A lot depends on the private school.  When I went to one I learned Spanish in the 5th grade (at the public school that didn't happen until 9th grade) and they learned French in the 4th grade.

By and large Secularism's affinity for poltical correctness and compromise, along with billingaul education has turned the public school system, by and large, into an overripe fruit.

School teachers know this and no nothing can be done about it.

Those who can afford to, send there kids to a selected school where they know the system is better or keep them at home and teach them there.

It's the rank and file American public that is totally ignorant as to just how low grade the schools systems have gotten since they were students.

Answer 14

My mom quit teaching public school to home school my brother and I. We are now both in college and doing" I think" reasonably well.

Answer 15

Why not ask for permission to come and observe what goes on in the public schools in your area?  Parents (hopefully) scrutinize day care centers for the best for their baby, but will allow their children to go to public school without really knowing what it's like.

Answer 16

Recently I read that, in some areas of the US, 1 in 3 homeschooling parents are (or have been) teachers in public schools.

Oh and, despite what Mike said, there are no overall rules and regulations for homeschooling your children. Different countries and different States within the same country have their own expectations - some are fairly rigorous, others are très laissez faire in their approach, have very few, if any, regulations and don't expect you to submit plans for your son's education etc. We don't.

Answer 17

Because she sees what really happens in public school, I support homeschooling.

Answer 18

I doubt any active public school teacher home schools her children simply because it takes so much time to home school.   As for a full or pre-school teacher having a child in private school while working in a public school, the most obvious answer is that many private schools pay very poorly - especially religious one, so to afford to send a kid to private school, if they are a certified teacher they work in public schools.  Wanting a religious education is one of the driving forces for both private school and home schooling which is something definately missing from public schools.  

  On the other hand, knowing that 4 or 5 teachers don't put their kids in the school system in which they teach is hardly a valid way to condemn the schools you might put your kid into.  There are many teachers who teach outside the district their kids attend school in - teachers are not required to live in the school district and some teachers are NOBLE and teach in depressed districts while others are specialty subjects that are not offered in their home's district and others are greedy and take the highest pay they can find.

  Either the school district you live in has good schools (and what have you done to make sure they are, besides voting for taxes - you did to that didn't you?) or not.  Don't look to the personal choices of the teachers to support your attitudes.

  And if you are thinking of home schooling, you had better look at all the rules and guidelines.  You do have to school them and have a plan to prove to the state that you are doing it.  We as citizens of the state don't want to pay for your uneducated kids down the road, we have enough of our own.