"HOMESCHOOL DROPOUTS" means kids who dropped out of homeschooling.?

Question

So my last question didn't explain the total situation, I guess. How can I help two kids who WERE home schooled, but their parents have allowed them to drop out of school completely. (These kids haven't passed a home schooled class in a year now) and have turned 16?

I wasn't referring to kids who have changed from public or private schools to homeschooling, but kids, who have been left to their own devices at home and are not currently doing any homeschooling at all. Their college-educated parents do not oversee their work, and they haven't passed one class in nearly a year. Basically, these kids are now official drop-outs as far as I can tell, and no one seems to care.

Answer 1

Do the kids care? If they don't, nothing you can do.

I'm not sure what you mean about, "They haven't passed one class in nearly a year." That's not homeschooling--are they doing an online program?

Find out if the kids want help and if yes, then ask them if they'd be willing to have you help--occasional tutoring, checking over work, whatever.

ADDED: Just saw your other question. There's nothing for you to do. I'm not sure why you seem to think you have any responsibility in this area. They don't want help, they don't care (like many teens/adults), and when they're frustrated enough with their situation, they'll take the necessary steps to improve their lives. Has nothing to do with you whatsoever.

Answer 2

Depending on where they live, the age when official schooling is no longer mandatory is after the year one turns 16. I am a homeschooling mom to a son who "dropped out" or stopped schooling at 16. I am surprised at the amount of information we still investigate together now that his official schooling has ended.

I really liked the reply by Hannah as well, very true of many families. After the stress of teaching for testing that is popular for formalized education, unschooling is an awesome way for learning to happen without the demands and stress.

Just because a parent is "college-educated" does not mean they are not concerned about their childrens education. Maybe the kids have no interest in schooling. Maybe alot of different things but unless those kids come to you asking for help I say leave it alone you are interferring in areas that do not concern you.

Answer 3

Perhaps they have topped out with what they can learn and prefer to save the rest for when they are actually getting college credit for it?

Perhaps they are "unschooling" which is  very revolutionary way of learning also called "get your nose out of the book and go out and experience life".

I left high school after 9th grade and unschooled until graduation. I went on toa trade school after that and turned that limited degree into my own business.

life does not begin and end with what you find in a book. It's that kind of linear thinking that has slowed our creative and free-thinking, forward-thinking tendencies in this nation. There is more than one path to success.

And I agree with the other poster, it's basically none of your business. These kids are in control of their decisions, as are their parents in control of their suport. Not everyone will fit your boxed ideals of living and learning but last I checked diversity of thought and ideals was a good thing and should be encouraged.

Answer 4

Other than it being none of your business, you should be very careful in case these kids are simply unschooling. That is a valid form of home education in the eyes of the authorities and the law even if not always in the eyes of people who don't understand it or assume that all home educated kids should be doing things like 'classes' and 'assignments' and 'testing' and having their work 'marked' and 'overseen' by others. This is one of the reasons why, in my country, the term 'home schooling' is rarely, if ever, used; people opting to use the term 'home education' instead.

My siblings and I are all home educated and we are unschoolers (or auto-didacts or autocratic learners or whatever else one wants to label it!). We don't do any of the above or any formal or organised learning either. I'm 15 and haven't done a 'home school class' (whatever that is!) in my life, let alone in the past year. Basically if it happens in school, it doesn't happen in our education at home; that hasn't stopped my older siblings making it into top Universities or my 16 yr old brother taking exams meant for 18 year olds when he had just turned 15 and getting one of the top scores in the State though!

It is a myth and a flaw to think that home schooling = doing school at home. For some families it does but for many others (like us), it doesn't. Those families who are simply doing 'school at home' are often engaged in Distance Education and not Home Education - and talk of the kids having previously done 'homeschool classes' makes me think they too were previously engaged in some sort of Distance Education programme.

Are you sure this family haven't simply quit a programme of Distance Education in order to homeschool proper?!

Also many home educating families do start out by worrying about lessons and grades and testing etc but become significantly more relaxed and laissez-faire about their education/their kids' education as time goes on. Luckily for us, our parents were both home educated themselves through primary school so neither they nor us had to adjust from the schooling provided by schools to a far more relaxed programme so often characteristic of home education.

Alternatively, what is the school leaving age? Here it's 15, so they'd be old enough to quit if they lived here anyway.

Finally, where we live there is no obligation on homeschoolers to follow the State's curriculum or learning objectives or to engage in any sort of formal learning if they don't want to.

Maybe the authorities wherever you/they live have similar regulations and therefore maybe these kids and their parents are doing nothing wrong and are simply choosing to do their education differently...and that is why, in your eyes, 'no-one seems to care'.

Perhaps it isn't that no-one cares but that "no-one" has greater knowledge and understanding of what is actually going on inside this family, their lives and their home. Perhaps "no-one" understands that 'home schooling' does not have to mean 'doing school at home' or even 'doing anything that vaguely resembles school' at home.

Answer 5

As they are over 16 now, I think I would approach them to go ahead and get their GED and SAT stuff lined up instead of going back to regular school.  If you approach them, find out why they dropped out.... could be that they have not been supported in their career interests and have given up.  If so, help them formulate a plan for achieving those goals and realize that at this point in time, getting them to get their GED would be a victory (in other words, please please don't push college yet).  If you really want to help them out, offer to assist them financially with the GED classes and tests.  :)

Answer 6

I hate to tell you this but if you are not one of their parents then it is really none of your business.... If you are wanting to help then you need to discuss the issue with their parents. You said they are both educated people then they should have some concern for their kids.... Just goes to show you that being educated does not constitute good parenting.

Answer 7

I know there are a lot of people that flourish with unschooling, but it is not for everyone!  Some people use it as an excuse not to do anything.  But if these kids are TRULY being unschooled, then the other posters are correct- it is none of your business.  How do you KNOW  the parents do not oversee their work?  Are the kids loafing around and getting into trouble?? Or do they keep busy with worthwhile pursuits?  If you are close to the family, like a grandparent, I can understand your concern - maybe you could talk to the parents.  If you're not close to the family, you'd better stay out of it.  Maybe do a little research on unschooling and get some more understanding about it.  Could be that's all there is to it, and you're worried for nothing.