Basically, it cites a recent court case which says that homeschooling in California is illegal if the instructor/parent is not a certified teacher. They are subject to fines or more. This legislation will affect 200,000 kids there. Parents who hold certified degrees in education are allowed to homeschool.
So, what do you think?
I have to say -- being a certified teacher -- that I agree. I have often wondered about so many children being homeschooled by parents who are wonderfully well-intentioned and loving, but not up to the challenge that is an inherent part of strong teaching. I worry about the rigor of home programs, I worry about the socialization, I worry about lags that students have shown when they come into my very own classroom after being homeschooled.
I worry about the canned curriculums that are being sold and how they measure up to state standards and if they are meeting so many of the facets of teaching like mulitple intelligences, skill scaffolding, and interdisciplinary approaches...
And, then there is the religious aspect which draws so many into the homeschooling situation. If the Bible (or Torah or Koran or ____) is the only textbook, it doesn't provide a strong avenue for evauating and comparative learning.
So, I'm not a fan of homeschooling because there are just too many elements that can fall through the cracks and put kids at a disadvantage, especially without parents who are trained to be educators...
I'm sure I'll get the now. Remember though, I'm not criticizing anyone here -- I'm speaking of the situation in general from my own experience as a 10 year veteran teacher with 2 masters degrees in education..... I do recognize that not all public schools work for all families in many areas of the country and that should change!!!
I teach in TX, and the state could care less what a child does that his home schooled. I have seen too many kids start our school in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade that have been home schooled, which turns out to be noschool. I think it is a wonderful idea to make the parents be accountable if the kids will earn a diploma at the end of their homeschool journey.
Hi, Sarah: It's pretty quiet around here so you probably won't rock the boat too much. I understand and agree with a lot of what you say because I've had similar experiences. I've never had a home-schooled student transfer in to my class that could perform on the level of the other students and over the years that's been at least a dozen or so. I've also seen lots of issues with self-discipline, time management and socialization. In the last HS I was in we were constantly having parents withdraw their students to home school. When you saw the name on the withdrawal list with that reason you usually knew it was because they were in trouble academically, for behavior or both. Instead of working with the school to get their child in shape the parents would surrender and take them out so they didn't have to deal with it. Many returned when the juvenile court told them to get in school or face other more serious consequences.
Being a teacher I know I couldn't teach my children some subjects. How untrained parents think they can is beyond me. There are a lot of support groups that provide parent training sessions and other activities for home-schooling families, but I couldn't take a crash course in calculus and feel confident that I could explain it to my child.
We had a group of home-schooling parents that wanted their kids to be allowed to attend school for PE, band, art, and foreign language and to be allowed to participate on the athletic teams! I never got that one. The school wasn't good enough but they wanted to be a part of the school??? The board said no so they finally formed an athletic league and a group that shared teaching responsibilities.
As for the canned curriculum, we had a couple of religious schools in the area that also used those. Every child just did workbook pages at their own pace and the teacher checked them. I'd get elementary kids in fourth or fifth grade that couldn't read a fluent sentence.
So, I'm not a fan either. I do believe in some of the success stories I've heard, but I've not seen any first hand. The problem is that the states are so lenient in their policies for home schooling that many unqualified or uninvolved parents can get away with little or no real effort to benefit their children. I believe all we ask is a letter to the DOE declaring that you are establishing a home school. Why can the politicians scream to us about accountability and let so many kids get lost in their stupid system? I think I know the answer but that's another can of worms.
I personally don't agree with home schooling. I feel that actually going to school exposes a child (who is a growing adult) to be faced with adversity and challenges beyond the school books.
But, this is the USA. We have the freedom to the pursuit of happiness. I feel that if a parent wants to homeschool their child then so be it. Their children should have to pass the same tests that "institution school'ed" kids take. They should be held to the same criteria for passing grades and graduation.
It is the parent's responsibility to raise their child.
I have friends who home school and they know how I feel about it, but I don't say anything to them (it's their choice) or their kids. I feel that the children are well loved, but living in an unreal world. I don't feel that they will be prepared to work in our society as successful citizens of our country.
But then I could be wrong.
I think that, for our society, that homeschooling parents be able to show the powers that be that they are capable of homeschooling, but a certification process may be going over board.
I am late coming to this discussion, but I have some thoughts on this. First off, I do agree that homeschoolers should be qualified, but jumping through the hoops of state certification may be a bit much (I personally have taken a lot of classes that I don't see as worthwhile at all, but I HAD to take them.) I would say that several university credits in each subject should do it...more than one class each, mind you.
I think home school may be appropriate in a few specific instances. I grew up with Asperger syndrome...before it had a name. I did fine academically, but the other students tortured me. The world, and especially K-12 school, is a place where it is not OK to be different. Teachers often condone the behavior of such aggressive students (which, in some cases, can be most of the class.) Sure, you could say I needed school to teach me necessary social skills, but I fail to see how being shark-attacked day after day promotes learning. This environment did not teach me social skills, what it taught me was to be afraid of anyone I met.
Is that the lesson we want the "different" kids to learn?
My mom, a certified chemistry teacher with many university credits in many subjects, talked about home schooling me, though she never did. If I had been in one of the small structured social groups that homeschoolers have, I think I would have come to find the social world not so threatening. I know I'm only speculating here, but it is something to think about.
but here I go anyway!!! 
now. Remember though, I'm not criticizing anyone here -- I'm speaking of the situation in general from my own experience as a 10 year veteran teacher with 2 masters degrees in education..... 
