There are many such essays and entries across the internet. People like to tell you what their individual reasons are for homeschooling their child(ren).
It is really interesting to read all the different thoughts on the subject, especially because they help you to form your own reasons into a more whole thought. I tried to put my thoughts into words today on my other blog, but it was just too forthright to try to pull out bullet points.
So, for your reading pleasure I shall place behind the cut our reasons to homeschool in a more cohesive manner…I hope.
I don’t want to say that we homeschool for religious reasons, because that is not entirely true. Sure we hold our own beliefs and would like to instill them into our son, but we also know that no school out there is going to teach him like we can.
I have seen and felt the plight of our local schools. The system is all a shambles. My father was on our local Board of Education since 1991 and both my parents stayed involved in school since I was 3 years old in summer preschool. They are witnesses to the debased system that we *my sisters and I* have had to endure. It’s only getting worse. The No Child Left Behind Act really messed up a lot of good programs, and then the government keeps taking away funding for programs that are still noteworthy. Music, sports, new gymnasiums, new libraries…all those plans and activities trampled on because there is no funding. The children have old text books that are falling apart. The teachers hate their jobs and take it out on the children.
I have a lot of friends who are teachers in this same school system. They are of the few that love what they do, but agree with the fact that the districts aren’t getting the help they need. The class sizes have grown and the control one teacher had over their class has diminished so much that the teachers hide under the desk when fights break out.
Is that the type of schooling I want my child to endure? Definitely not. I can choose any curriculum I like with truth and new information. I can have him explore beyond the boundaries of any text. He is allowed to use all the resources around him to get a full, well-rounded education.
As far as the behavior of the children in this school system… well, let’s just say that in my area there have been at least four fatal clashes within the last few years. Other incidents have been reported, but they weren’t fatal. I cannot tell you how many schools have implemented metal detectors, security guards, and security cameras on their campuses. It’s like sending your child to prison, not to school.
Another concern of mine is the drug pushing factor. I’m not talking about the kids that sell dope on the corner. I am referring to the teachers and counselors who recommend that children with too much energy be given Ritalin and other drugs that make many children comatose zombies. I have seen first hand what giving Ritalin and Adderall to children who don’t need it will do. Having extra energy and being vibrant seems to be a crime. No teacher wants to take the time to deal with these kids because they are already overwhelmed by class size and other distractions.
I love that my son has freedom to do whatever his imagination dictates. He is only bound by his own creative power. He doesn’t have to answer to anyone because his grades are low. He is able to work to his full potential without pain.
He doesn’t have to struggle like I did. I was in the top ten percent of my class and I skipped a grade when I was younger. I always worked ahead of my levels. I was told NOT to do that. I was reprimanded for excelling. Then when it got to the point where I needed help *like in advanced maths and sciences* I had to stay after school and beg help from tired teachers. I say I struggled because there was adversity at every turn. Peers jeered me because I was young. Teachers told me to slow down. I remember taking advanced classes and having to stay up until 1 AM to do my homework in those classes that I did not excel so easily in…and the teachers didn’t have the time to help me get the concept.
My son won’t have that problem. He can spend as much time as he needs on a problem or concept. He can fully comprehend it without being rushed into something more complicated based on the things he has yet to grasp.
I love the fact that we are so free to do this for him. It’s like giving him the gift of true learning. This is what it is all about. He socializes with all ages and backgrounds of people. He learns more than I could ever teach him because he is inquisitive. I refuse to allow that flame to be extinguished just because a teacher has 40 other kids who are stuck and one who excels.
