Home Schooling

by WTWizard 35 Replies latest jw friends

  • WTWizard
    WTWizard

    It seems that there are a lot of witlesses that opt to home school their children. I had a family in my former congregation that did that, because the kids did not want to be around worldly people (sounds familiar?). It also seems that they are speeding things up, so the children can get out there and pioneer that much sooner.

    Now, there are sometimes good reasons to home school. The most obvious is if the child is a special need child, perhaps with a physical disability that stops them from going to a public school. Other good reasons might include a curriculum that is not doing a decent job, too much crime in public schools, or a child that absolutely refuses for whatever reason to go to school. But, it does come with a cost. You, as the parent, are still subject to the rules that the administration puts out. You cannot, for instance, teach your child in a fully integrated manner if the school board dictates a disjointed approach (that doesn't stop a parent from supplementing the disjointed material with full integration, however). You also incur time costs and cost of materials.

    There are other problems with home schooling. Parents might be able to teach the basics, but probably will not be able to properly teach the children to fit in with society. Children are often left out of class trips, holiday parties, and many of the teaching aids that are found only in the classroom. (However, these days the Internet is closing some of that gap.) Parents must also be objective in schoolwork, not giving grades that the children do not deserve (either higher or lower ones), And, if both parents have to work, that is going to create major difficulty.

    Of course, the witlesses add other problems. Witless children that are home schooled are usually taught out of the littera-trash. The Creation book is a prime example of a science book you do not want. Articles in the Asleep! are very poorly written, and almost always lack proper references when discussing something that is going to affect your life (and they dissuade you from using independent sources like your search engine to find out more or back up what the magazine says). People taught like that are going to have serious problems in writing things like job applications and resumes, and they are going to be deficient in science and math (from some of the blatant math errors found in the littera-trash, it sounds like the Tower wants people to be mathematically illiterate).

    To home school is a decision only a parent can make. However, one must objectively make sure the total cost is going to be less than the total benefit of doing so. And, do you really want your child to grow up to be a window washer?

  • AuroraB
    AuroraB

    Just curious, why would home schooling lead to a future in window-washing?

  • lonelysheep
    lonelysheep

    From the women I knew, it certainly did seem as though ALL of them home schooled their kids. It sucked because unlike the JW women I knew, I had to work fulltime to support my kids.

    In order to be permitted to home school in New Jersey, one must have a college degree (Bachelor's) AND teaching certificate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    This was especially ironic considering 20+ of us got together to watch the "Don't Go To College-PIONEER Instead" DVD made by the WT themselves. Who needs a track scholarship when you can bother people for a living?!

  • RollerDave
    RollerDave

    I homeschooled my daughter from the third grade up for many of the reasons you list.

    I always got heck from people using the old canard 'socialization' and I would shut them down straightaway by saying "If I wanted my daughter to be a socialist, I'd let THEM socialize her!"

    But seriously, there is nothing helpful or healthful in giving kids the notion that their peer group consists solely of other members of their age group by artificially socially stratifying them based on age. In the old one-room school houses all of the ages learned together with the older ones helping thw younger, and nothing sets info in your mind like trying to teach it! We used to be an educated nation, now we are a dumbed-down nation of Sheeple.

    We did 'class trips' to all sorts of interesting locales in conjunction with other homescolling families and other kids, she had lots of fun, and got her diploma through our district.

    She went on to shool as a Piano Technician, but that's slow to get going.

    All in all, my Angie has one hell of a work ethic, can get along with anyone, and I thank the fact that I home schooled her for the way she turned out.

    This is not to say that homeschooling is the ONLY way, so snuff those half-written flames people...

    Me and Beck plan to start our family rather soon and education was one of the many things we discussed. We decided that our kids would go to the same Lutheral private school she attended, but that doesn't mean I can't still spend tons of time with them discussing history, social dynamics, physics, and doing all sorts of great experiments and building stuff.

    Home, public, or private school, a kid can't HELP but turn out pretty good where the parent is willing to give of themself.

    RD

  • Just as I am
    Just as I am

    I have to disagree with your position that home schooled children miss out on many of the things government schooled children get to experience. Being a home school family, we have a little more insight on this than you seem to have.

    That being said, I do want to mention that I think it is extremely dangerous for a JW family to home school. Oh my goodness, JW kids are already insulated from quite a bit when they do attend government school, but keep them home 24/7 and you have a recipe for disaster. I just shudder to think of the kids being at home, learning from God-knows-what resources, going out only to attend meetings, door knocking, or a fast food restaurant, or possibly getting together with another JW friend if they're lucky. I just want to cry.

    Being born and raised a JW, my only salvation from a strict home life was being at school and seeing how other people functioned. I hated being a JW and wanted to escape at a young age but only managed to do it at the age of 18, of course losing the support and contact of family and friends. I relied on strangers for help and support. Nice, huh?

    Anyway, back to the topic at hand: many people do not have a clue as to the rich educational and social opportunities home schoolers have available to them, or how colleges and universities actively search out home schoolers because they are well rounded.

    Yes, there are the occasional stories of neglect, but the vast majority of parents that educate their children at home have their best interests at heart and do everything in their power to provide what their children need, including finding ways to get help for subjects that may be beyond them (think calculus, trig, sciences, etc.--which can be done at community college during high school years). Thank God for local home school support groups and state networks!

    Just

  • Crumpet
    Crumpet

    I was homeschooled from the age of 10 to nearly 14.

    Educationally it was better than the schools I could have attended. But my parents mainly did it to keep me away from boys. But I missed out very much on the science side of things since that wasn't something they were able to teach. It has left me able to motivate myself quite well though.

    The major factor is - if you home school MAKE SURE YOUR KIDS SEE OTHER KIDS REGULARLY. I barely saw anyone. Hence am social retard/hermit.

  • happehanna
    happehanna

    I have to agree with Just as I am Home schooling can and does work.

    It takes dedication from parents of course.

    But the results for some kids are awesome.

  • momzcrazy
    momzcrazy

    I homeschooled our daughter thru 2nd grade. At the time it was a good thing for us. Their dad was on tour alot and we were able to travel all across the US. We had a room in our home specifically for school, but we were also able to carry the work when we traveled. She also took several dance classes and attended a good playgroup. But when I started to need to study to teach her 2nd grade math, I knew it was time to move on. She was pretested before beginning school and scored high on everything. But she was socially retarded. She didn't know how to cope with the drama of school girls and had trouble completing her work at school. She felt more comfortable doing it at home with me. She's in 7th grade now and on the honor roll. She also writes for the newspaper.

    I agree some people should NOT homeschool. Too many kids are isolated and subjected to their parents' neurosis. When they are forced into the real world they aren't prepared. But I don't think blanket pro or con attitudes apply. Every family is different.

    momz

  • MissingLink
    MissingLink

    There are 3 familes here that home-schooled that I know.

    1) The elder is a window washer. The pioneer mom didn't talk (not even at the doors, although she was a pioneer). The girls got "home schooled" which was basically just code for "pioneer". They leanred NOTHING. They're both adults now (pioneers and window washers). The one girl is ok, just a bit clueless. The other is the dumbest girl I've ever met. We tried playing a trivia game with her, but it was pathetic. She had never heard that the USA was once British colonies! She wouldn't believe us. This was one example, but no matter what the subject was, she had never heard of it. (they weren't allowed to watch the news either). In the end we just had to give up playing because the girl was so dumb. They did manage to move a LOT of magazines during their teen years, so it's not a complete waste.

    2) Pioneer Elder (also window washer) and pioneer wife have the kids home to protect from worldly influences. They are doing a good job with the education stuff, although with a distinct spiritual angle to everything.

    3) MS husband and wife home school because they like to vacation alot and the school gives them a hard time about the kids missing too many days. These kids are probably getting 3 hours of instructions 3 days a week. They're smart now from being at normal school for years, but I feel sorry for them, because I know they're not going to be getting a good education now. The schools around here are 2 room schools, and it would be so good for these kids to be back at school with their peers instead of isolated with mom and dad constantly.

    It is possible to have a good home-school education. But the parents have to be committed, and not using it as an excuse to get the kids pioneering at age 6.

  • momzcrazy
    momzcrazy

    Why all the negativity for window washers? It doesn't matter what line of work you, as long as you do it. Actually work and provide for yourself and family. Whether you are a doctor or window washer it doesn't matter.

    momz

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit