Interesting that teaching a child basic reading, writing and arithmetic takes "special skill". No one is talking about homeschooling their child to be a Dr., lawyer or specialized professional anyway.
Laura Ingalls Wilder was eligible to be a teacher at age 15 BEFORE she had even graduated from high school. I understand that was 100 years ago - but she probably had a better grasp of the English language than most current teachers. How many reports have we heard about current public school teachers with this "special skill" (a.k.a. a college diploma) that can't even master the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic? And then you have the whole teacher's union/can't fire them problems that take up more administrators time than education of the child anyway.
Now my degree is not in any way connected to education - but I consider myself a pretty good self-learner/teacher. Why am I not able to teach myself via teacher's editions and other resources how to teach my kids? Why do I have to sit through 4 years of boring lectures to have someone tell me their opinion? Every child is different - so often the same teaching method doesn't even work within the same family.
Regardless of the moral implications of public school - how about knowledge only. I am currently homeschooling my 6 yo and 4 1/2 yo. No one cares more about my children learning than my husband and I do. I don't care how well-trained, or how brilliant the teacher, NO ONE cares that much. Even in the best Christian school staffed by the best & brightest - in a room full of children - they CAN'T show favoritism to my child or else the whole thing breaks down. I would say this is the attitude that typifies most homeschoolers (I admit there are exceptions and I have seen them). My 6 year old if in the public school bureaucracy would be finishing up K5 right now because of her December birthday. She is finishing up 1st grade right now. I as a parent can adjust the teaching to meet her needs - not make her conform the the herd mentality of the public school. They have a very one size fits all mentality. Which would you prefer - a custom tailored suit - or one of the rack?
I think there are good teachers both at home and at school, and there are bad and awful teachers both at home and at school. If there were so many bad homeschoolers - why don't the test scores show it? SAT scores amongst homeschoolers tend to be better than public school.
Homeschooling is HARD work. When my child misbehaves - I don't have a principles office to send them to (although dh fills that role sometimes). Sending my kids off to school each day would be MUCH easier. I could go to work and actually have adult conversation all day - but I'm committed: that as long as it is profitable for the entire family - I'm going to pursue teaching them myself.
Dawn
