Spunky Homeschool

Are All Parents Are Homeschoolers?

Nov. 10, 2005 at 8:01 AM

Apparently some didn't agree with Harvey Bluedorn's second item in the Seven Undeniable Truths of Homeschooling that I posted yesterday. Daryl commented at my other blog (looks identical)
Spunky, I have to disagree STRONGLY with #2. The g-school at home folks are constantly trying to call what they do "homeschooling," thus jeopardizing our
freedoms. In 1994, when this list was compiled, calling all parents homeschoolers might have been safe. No longer.
I replied in my comment back, I understand what you are saying Daryl. But I also think that what Mr. Bluedorn was saying is also true. In that, all parents are providing some sort of an education. All parents are teaching their children. Some are teaching them to rely on the government. But all parents educate. I don't think he was referring to the disctinctions in the home school community. Taken from that perspective, you are correct. Many who use that term do muddy the waters and make the laws difficult to interpret.

Daryl brings up a good point that I strongly agree with. Our freedoms are in jeopardy if we continue to allow the government to define homeschooling on their terms. Should we be working harder to make a distinction between those who "home educate" without the government and those who adopt the "government school at home" model? I understand that some parents choose this option for a variety of reasons. But should we call it homeschooling? How should we define homeschooling and who has the right to define it?
 
Update: Daryl also referred me to a short post written a while back by Tim that is excellent and worth a read. Here's a quote,
Every family who thinks little Johnny and Jill would simply learn better at home is really taking part in a revolution that fundamentally questions both the competence and the right of the state to determine what and how our children learn.
This is not just a idle blog conversation. I have had conversations with legislatures and their aides that would like to see the government involve itself more with homeschoolers and "help" them in their desire to homeschool. What do you think about all of this?

2 Comments and Trackbacks

posted by Daryl on Nov. 10, 2005 at 8:46 AM

IMO, we need to guard against the use of the terms "homeschooling" or "home education" for anything but non-government-supported "homeschooling." Cyber charters, e-schools, etc. are NOT homeschooling. It's pretty simple. If the kids have to take the NCLB-required state accountability tests, they're not homeschoolers. It doesn't make them bad people. It doesn't mean that we should exclude them from our field trips/activities/support groups. Just don't call them homeschoolers.

State legislators are not necessarily cognizant of the differences. When they see some alleged homeschoolers have to take the tests, they can easily wonder why ALL homeschoolers don't have to. And then pretty soon there is no more real homeschooling.

Here's a terrific essay that Tim Haas posted a while back that summarizes it beautifully.

posted by gottsegnet on Nov. 11, 2005 at 12:17 AM

Ok, again being the pesky anti-social "homeschooler" what if I were to go the opposite way. I could easily argue that these government school at home programs are the true "home schools." The rest of us are home educators. Most of us are not schooling our kids...

tr.v., schooled, school·ing, schools.

1. To educate in or as if in a school.

I am trying to draw a clear distinction between what I do with my children and what they would experience in "school." I call it school because it is easier and not as awkward as an other term I have come up with so far, but technically we are not homeschoolers unless we strive to give them the same education they would receive in school, except at home. So technically, I would agree that government school at home programs are homeschooling in the classic sense of the word.

Oh, and on the comment on the other article while I'm at it : ) I agree that Christians should be salt and light to the world and not separate ourselves from it. I am preparing my daughter to be such...but first she will be prepared and taught...She is not quite ready to be sent forth as a sheep among wolves and is definitely not "wise as [a] serpent, and harmless as [a] dove." What I do wish, however, is for some means of homeschoolers having more of an impact on what is going on in the PS. We do after all pay the same taxes as everyone else...we should have as much say as to what goes on there. My fear is more that as all of the parents who are actively involved with their child's life exit the school system, the children left will be thrown helplessly to the wolves.

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