What are your thoughts about kids/young teenagers that are homeschooled?

Question

Im writing a persuasive speech and im againest homewschooling and I want to survey your opinions!!

*WRITE ME WHATEVER COMES TO YOUR MIND ABOUT THIS ISSUE! SOMEONE WHO CAN GIVE ME A GREAT ANSWER GETS 10 BEST ANSWER POINTS!

Answer 1

As a homeschooler I don't believe this is a black or white answer....

I (Personally) think homeschooling is not the best thing for most kids, but I don't think that's the only answer....

I think it mainly depends on the situation, and frankly the luck, or what some people would even call "Blessed" on their homeschooling experience....I see that many people are happy with being homeschooled, and I feel can in fact give the person being homeschooled more of a better education, and some can have good, if not better social lives being homeschooled....

However as a homeschooler, who has not been lucky enough to have a good homeschooling experience (Not in my eyes), I will tell you I feel that there are many good things about being homeschooled, but I feel that whether or not children, or parents realize it, I feel that it is detrimental to our very being....And I feel that it hurts deep down to the core of looking at life, and looking at friends, people going to school, ect....And it gets you to saying the few things we all think at one point in our life "What could have been?" And "I wish I could have/do that."

But again, this isn't a black or white answer, every homeschooler has a different view of homeschooling, and life in general....And I realized that, frankly I'm not only alone in life, but rather also alone in my view of homeschooling, which I would consider to be down right hatred and disgust....

But each and every one of us has our own situations....

So, life is what it is....Mine just happens to be wasting away with misery and loneliness, but hey! I'll have a great education though! Lot's of good things that will bring me! Pssssh! Things (Meaning knowledge) are nothing without having someone to share it with....

=/

Answer 2

To me, the overall big thing about public schools is NOT the content, the curricula, the books. Those you can easily read at home - and if you´re bright, organized and interested, you might even be able to do it quicker/better on your own at home. I think we´ve all experienced situations like that.

School is about dealing with people your age, teachers, school staff and a wide variety of issues. If there´s a bully in your class, you need to straighten up and find a way to deal with that. If there is this one teacher you don´t like (and maybe you feel he doesn´t like you), you need to goddamn pull yourself together and/or stand up and speak your mind. It is not only the social interaction of teenagers roughly the same age in public schools - most of all, it is about yourself. You need to develop your individual personality, you need to learn to appreciate the good things that come with life and you need to deal with slightly more negative sides to every story that simply exist.

As has been very rightly pointed out, homeschooling is mostly about trying to suit individual needs. For some kids, and there are quite some, homeschooling is the best thing to do, there can be no doubt about that. However, for the vast majority, dealing with all the ups and downs of daily public school life (that simply cannot be replaced by your mother, the neighbour or one private tutor teaching you) are really what counts.

And on the topic / curricula level: yes, homeschooling allows you to choose topics you´re interested in. So, what other place to better learn that there are simply things that need to be done, whether you´re interested or not, than school? Yes, forcing you can be done at home, too - but at home, it is about YOURSELF. You are a social being, and giving in when other pupils are interested in a topic even though you are not; and be "forced" to still invest time and effort are a worthy thing to take with you.

Overall, it is the challenges you overcome that make you grow. :)

Answer 3

first of all to the 'firebird' person? are you serious!? she has against homeschooling, of course she has the better end of the argument. i'm 15, live in australia just so u know where the opinions coming from. (oh and i go to a normal co-ed private school, and have been to 2 different high schools btw).... anyway

school isnt just about ACADEMIC education, its for the most part THE place where you grow into an adult. well not into an adult but you mature  and learn how to communicate. it's about EDUCATION about math, english, bio etc etc ASWELL as how to talk to not only kids your age, but adults/teachers too.. its about learning in general not just academically and i think homeschooling is stupid and unfair. i only vaguely know these two brothers that are homeschooled and i dunno they seem normal, one of them has the most amazing personality.

i'm not sure if this is relevant but

i went to school1 the first year grade 8 and back then i was an ignorant person. then i changed schools (because i was scarec that my friend and i were moving into a group and i wasnt gonna fit in or somethiing like that) and then over the next year at school2 i grew so much i matured and i'm not ignorant anymore. and now i go to school1 again cause i followed my heart and yea thats where it said to go. so yeah, everyone grows up through different experiences or just over time,, mine was thru school. i'm not sure if thats completely relevant anyway

good luck

(:

Answer 4

well i don't because i used to be home-schooled so i can't sayy:[??

Answer 5

I was home-schooled until I was 10 years old. Ever since then I've been the head of my class. I suppose the only problem with homeschoolers is that we don't get the same indoctrination that the people in the public training camps get so we don't fit in as well with the 1984 style brainwashed masses.

:)

Answer 6

I think homeschoolers are very blessed to have parents that care enough about them to make sure they have the best education available.  I feel sorry for kids in public school.

Answer 7

Sorry to hear you pulled the loosing side of the argument, but in a way that's good, it makes it more of a challenge. You'll have a hard time finding any research to back your side, because there isn't any.

So you'll have to fight dirty, twist the facts, quote people who are anti-HS but highlight their qualifications and ignore the vested interests. You should be able to find lots of quotes from teaching union reps and similar saying how only qualified teachers can possibly teach.

Cast a few aspersions on the wacky religious and the new age hippies who choose to HS and how their values are messed up.  Then suggest kids who can't cope with school are mentally ill and need professional help and you should have a speech.

Just put your morals aside and try to think like a politician!

Answer 8

Well, my son (10) is homeschooled, as are hundreds of his friends.  He actually thinks that the homeschooled kids he knows are more socially aware and accepting of others than the public schooled kids he knows.  That's his experience, anyway.

I think that it's great, if the child has a learning style that is geared toward homeschooling and parents that are able/willing to put the time and commitment into it.  Not every child is wired to homeschool - some need the competition and structure of a classroom - just like not every child is wired to be in a classroom.  For my son, a classroom would be 6-8 hours of pure h**l; for the kid down the street, it might be just what they need.

Homeschooling is really only detrimental if the parents aren't willing to put the time and effort into it; out of the hundreds of homeschool families that I personally know, only one or two fit that description.  Their kids are now back in school and doing pretty well.

Otherwise, homeschooling can be fantastic, both for the child and the parent.  I love getting to teach my son and learn alongside him, to find him resources that fit his needs and interests rather than having to follow the state guidelines to a tee.  Many of my friends feel the same.  You really won't find anything other than stereotypes and myths as far as wide-reaching homeschool "cons" go...there just aren't any.  The only ones that exist are in the individual families themselves.

Edit - MG - why do you assume that homeschooled kids are only educated at home, or that they aren't made to do things that go against their strong interests?  They take group classes in various subjects, just like anyone else; many of them start college around 15 or 16.  And almost every one of them has to take subjects that they wouldn't choose to do on their own - it's the law in every state that they have to take core courses, and we as parents make them do so as well.  The difference is, they get to choose the individual curriculum *for those subjects* that makes the most sense to them.  We as homeschool parents don't pamper our kids, the vast majority of us challenge them to their full potential.  I can't speak for the schools in your area, but the schools in mine are so busy trying to keep their funding that they're unable to even come close to that.

Answer 9

i am home schooled and i love it! their is no reason to be against it... you shouldn't jug. i have bunches of friends that i see at least once a week and talk to every day on my computer. i love being home schooled! any Qs for me?

Answer 10

I know a number of kids/teens who are homeschooled. I enjoy being with them, they tend to be fairly comfortable dealing with a variety of people, not so focused on being trendy, don't mind so much being different, tend to accept those who are different, don't care that much about how old other people are... The majority are great kids.

Are there homeschooled kids who are weird, anti-social, don't fit in, etc.? Of course. But there are also public schooled kids like that, so you can't really blame homeschooling. Furthermore, I know a few homeschooled kids who are with public schooled kids regularly and they complain about the public schooled kids' incessant focus on impressing others, talking about parties, getting involved in school drama... Seems to me that if homeschooled kids don't fit in with public schooled kids, it's because they haven't grown up believing that the typical social nonsense is how things are and are supposed to be. This is a good thing.

I realize this doesn't help your against side. Did you choose the against side or is that what you were assigned? If you chose it, can you change it? You won't be able to properly defend it if you are going to base your arguments on nothing more than opinions. For a persuasive essay, you have to have some sort of reliable fact or examples that are truly reflective of what you are arguing for. Opinions don't count for much if you can't defend them properly.

Answer 11

Well, I guess it's different for everybody. I'm not too fond of public schools, especially for younger elementary age kids, but I also think that being around other kids is important to development. Waldorf schools are the way to go, look em up.

Answer 12

I believe it takes away a good amount of social interaction with kids their own age. all the home-schooled kids I always knew were very sheltered, religious and out of touch with the real world. It's the parents' decision, but I think it's better to learn things first hand than just be told about something and never get to experience it yourself. school is where kids make friends, get an education, and really learn how to function and be good people.

Answer 13

Im home-schooled

16 and almost done

I can't really say anything bad against it.

well wait up I can

I was home-schooled with Christian stuff at once

I HATED IT

now i'm with Penn foster, its simply the best thing

better than public school by far.

I have many friends etc etc

Im a normal teenager

Go out on the weekends and what not

I have more freedom not being in public school.

so its kinda great

Answer 14

Homeschoolers are weird.

I'm homeschooled. I have been my whole life.

But i have a million trillion public school friends that are seniors (I'm a freshman)

It's definately true that homeschoolers can be very anti-social.

But not all of us are like that.

Answer 15

Well if you're against it, the only thing I can come up with is the students who were home schooled tend to be on the antisocial side.  Not all of them.  I count more pros than I do cons in the end.

Answer 16

i went to public schooled am home schooled for the moment but am going back to skool soon cos i cant stand another frickin minute in here! i have been home skooled 4 a couple of months 2 see what it woz like n to see if i would do better at my work but i do worse!!! its hard to conentrate its BORING!! no freiends here n i get really lonely even tho i go out on nites n that its still fun to talk to yr frends throught he day n if i knew i woz stayin at home for another second i would go crazy! i mean it works for lots of ppl n its easy for them but i need ppl 2 talk 2 and fun n intrestin imes not at home its soooooooooooo boring cant wait to go too skool!!! but thats just my opion other ppl may be diffrent as my learning skill is interpersonal so i do better around other ppl but some ppl are intrapersonal which means they do better on thyere own.

Answer 17

Why are you against homeschooling?

My thoughts about children who are homeschooled (up to and including high school) are that they are receving a superior, personalized education that meets the needs of that specific child.  They are allowed to learn in the manner which fits them best and at their own pace.  There is no cookie cutter mold that they have to fit into.

Because they are homeschooled, they have the freedom to study topics that interest them more in depth.  Some children that attend traditional schools do not have the time because they are overloaded with homework (even after spending 7+ hours at school).  Instead of reading about something in a book, they can go out and experience it.

Because they are homeschooled, they have a much better schedule for socializing.  We do not have the morning rush to be up, fed and dressed and out the door in time to be on a bus or the evening rush to be fed, bathed and in bed early so we can do it all over again the next day.  Since our "school" does not have 30+ children in a class that requires a lot of wasted time, we finish our school lessons around lunch, on average.  Our afternoons are free for play (which includes physical activity), visits to the library, field trips, etc.  Because we are not so rushed, my children enjoy being involved in many more activities than they would be if they attended school-baseball, Scouts, church, etc.

Because they can work at their own pace and not follow the mold, they are working ahead of schedule.  My daughter would be in fourth grade in the public school but works several years ahead.  My son also works ahead, though not as far as his sister.  My daughter aspires to be a veterinarian, and will take college courses in high school for dual credit, and will probably have completed her bachelor's and doctorate before most will have been able to complete the bachelor's alone.

We take vacations when we want, which means when the prices are better and the crowds are less.

We do not have to worry about getting behind if someone is ill-we complete our work at home and what we do not get done that day, we make up the next.  Unfortunately, life does not always limit you to ten sick days a year as the public school does.

So, what information do you have that makes you against homeschooling?

Answer 18

I couldn't say that I am specifically against homeschooling, I don't know enough about it to properly comment as I was not homeschooled, and I'm pretty bloody glad I wasn't too! In saying so, I don't mean any disrespect to those who do homeschool their children, because I'm sure they are acting in the interests of the child, but for me personally, public school (well, comprehensive) was the best way to go. It GREATLY built my confidence, well, really it forced me to build my confidence, taught me to interact on a daily basis with people that I might not necessarily like and taught me not to take myself so seriously. Now, I'm not saying that all homeschooled children don't learn these skills, I'm just saying that I am sure I would not have developed them had I been homeschooled.

It also gave me a lot of opportunities that I would not have gained otherwise - trips abroad (Berlin, Ypres, Paris, Bolougne!), to hear guest speakers (politicians, scientists, religious leaders) and for me personally, as an aspiring poet, I have received ample support from teachers who have helped me to find competitions I can enter, and have been able to give me impatial advice etc. I loved my secondary school/6th form years and I wouldn't have traded them for homeschooling for anything! I have received a wonderfully rich, unbiased, thoughtful education around a diverse group of people, and I'm very lucky.

I cannot speak against homeschooling, though. It's down to the parent's decision. If I have children, I, personally, am not going to homeschool them, but I have nothing against those that do. I am certain that the majority of parents that homeschool are NOT insane religious fundamentalists!

I'm not sure if that will help you, personally I think you'll get further by highlighting the benefits of being educated publically, and avoid bashing homeschooling.

Answer 19

The grammar in your question confirms that I made the correct choice to home school. Spell check buttons work great as well.

I second firebird, there is not a shred of evidence that homeschooling done correctly is detrimental. I suppose that a few bad  examples could be exploited (people who claim to homeschool, but really don't), but then again, the opposing side could probably find a lot more bad examples in the public school system (abusive teachers, violence, bullies, failing schools, ect).

You may want to do some real research before you stand to firm on a disproved opinion.

Answer 20

I was a homeschooled teen just a few years ago and I thank my lucky stars I was never sent to school!  My parents allowed my to homeschooled K-12 and and I plan on giving my children the same option.  

Most of my friends, my friend's friends, amd my parent's friend's kids homeschool, so I know more homeschoolers than I could ever have time to count.  In my experience, both being a teenage homeschooler and knowing teen homeschoolers, I have found that they are more socially adapted to the world around them.  The are comfortable talking to adults and younger/older kids, they are interested in the world around them (especially politics), they have great self-dicipline, and they move easily into the college/career world.  There are exceptions for everything.  There are shy, depressed, anti-social homeschoolers out there.  But for the most part, homeschoolers are more content with their lives.  They realize that they have been saved from going through the artificial socialization of the public school system.  I say artificial because where else in your life will you be forced to socialize with the same age group, in the same rooms, at the same times, with the same clicks, everyday.  What kind of lame experience is that?  Well, besides a nursing home.   I would have gone insane if I had gone to public school.  I would have been bored out of my mind!

I know from personal experience that homeschoolers are generally more mature than public schoolers, and sometimes people mistake this for shyness, depression, whatever.  For me it just meant that I knew how to behave like an adult when the time called for it.  And trust me, I could be just as loud, obnoxious, and immature as any other teen out there.  I just didn't act that way all the time.

Answer 21

i am 17 and  have been homeschooled for several years now and i like it i get a whole lot more one on one help with school unlike public were most of the teachers attention goes strait to the class clowns and not to the students who need the most help and i still get to go on little educational field trips with friends who are homeschooled i am not saying that homeschooling is right for everyone some need the atmosphere of public school and the parents may not be able to put their kids into homeschool but i think public and homeschooling is about the same in the price range depending on what you usually spend i am currently enrolled in the american school through lansing illinois

hope this helps you out

Answer 22

I homeschooled my daughter for the most part of the yr..its something that takes alot of thought but she and I loved it. She is now in public school because I didnt realize the dedication it would take and since Im a single mom I just couldnt give her the attention she needed. I think the whole experience was great and would recommend it to anyone!...by the way she was not only on the same level as the other kids in public school but was advanced in most subjects.

Answer 23

ok listen i am a home-schooled kid and i love it! people keep saying that were antisocial well pardon me but that's just rude you can't say someone's antisocial if you've never met them! That's crazy well at least I'M not going to public school and shooting everyone  or blowing them up!!!!!!!!!

Answer 24

If home school children benefit from one on one attention from an undistracted parent as they go through their lessons for the day I am all for it.

What I am against is people who pull their kids out of school because they are too lazy to get up in the morning and help them get ready for school. People who get the books and set them in front of their kids and offer no help. If a child is struggling with a subject and they don't have a parent who cares then they will never understand the subject. Parents who don't keep a consistent schedule so months go by without the children having any lessons at all.

Some of the most atrocious readers and spellers I have encountered were home schooled. Some of the teens most unprepared for the challenges of adulthood were home schooled.

My children are not home schooled but have friends who were.

Answer 25

I'm home-schooled I'm 15 & im studying for my GCSE's i hated my seconary school & homeschooling was deffinately a great option to choose much better than being at normal school

Answer 26

Wow!  as a former HR person, some of the worst spellers I encountered came out of the public school arena.

I have homeschooled for almost 20 years, and I can tell you that homeschoolers in general are better students, and better employees.  Primarily, because they know how to work individually, and are self motivated.  

I am not going to try and convince anyone that homeschooling is better, because it sounds like the naysayers are very close minded to the issue.