"Oh, ladies (& Bill) I have to comment. Joanie, you know that colleges do not have 'certification' but have experts in their field or experienced professionals teaching. My training in education was not in content, but in classroom management, diversified lesson plans, inclusion, writing, etc. It was not in the content (as it is in perhaps high school where 1/2 the classes are on specific content - I already had those classes). It is no different in home education, where parents are completely passionate about teaching their children - on the child's level (some behind a 'grade' / some above a 'grade' level, & I have both in my house.....that I'm teaching with a curriculum that I CHOOSE. These curricula match the child's learning style.) Wes & I work with them until mastery is obtained - not push them through to the next chapter when they are not ready. As far as public vs. private: I have taught in both scenarios (as a certified teacher, btw). I found that my pubic schooled students had no desire to learn - just wanted "A"s; public schooled kids wanted good grades too but still had no true love for learning / passion for excellence either (Private schools lack resources that the public schools waist). I have also had bullying issues with kids I taught, drugs, & sex. My friend's kid had a classmate masterbating in classroom.... Another girlfriend's daughter had a girl fondle her in the bathroom! (they both home educate now.) Hmmmm, yes I'd like to protect my children from this behavior and give them strategies to deal with this from a biblical perspective - call it sheltering if you want, but all I want to do is preserve their childhood innocence for a bit longer than elementary school (where all the kids know about sex - whether you believe that or not.....) Home schoolers learn about the evils of this world, but also how the Bible says we should live (peculiar - and you all are probably saying that about me right about now: LOL) - I'm not talking makeup or other insignificant gray areas here, either.
And remember, our most talented, top-notch USA kids are only AVERAGE when compared with the other industrialized world. Where does [state] rank in our national academic rankings? Bottom 10! And out of that, where does [OUR] County rank? 48th! So there is more motivation for me to home educate. Stats also say that income, parents' education, or curriculum do not affect test scores of students who are homeschooled - it is parental involvement (as some have so stated) and high expectations from parents that is the #1 indicator to student success. I choose to be 100% involved and have VERY high expectations! Homeschooling is the fastest growing educational choice - there must be a reason?
AND, I doubt anyone (objectively speaking) would think my girls are socially awkward, but the contrary. I substituted a 4th grade in an elementary school and there were girls who had babydolls at their desks pretenting the entire time; I told them this was not the time/place for such things?
Well, sorry for the novella! Check out my website for more info on the home education decision."
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