I am a public school teacher.
I understand Eric's point. If teachers had a small number of students in each class, public school would be completely different. Are tax payers willing to fund class sizes under ten?
If all students came to school after a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast, then public schools would be a better place.
------------ Original message from Eric Muhr <[log in to unmask]>: --------------
Hi, my name's Eric, and I was home-schooled. The curriculum was both rigorous and rigid. I was introduced to basic algebra in 3rd grade and encouraged to read and read and read. When I entered the public school system, I tested years ahead in both reading and math and was offered a chance to skip two grades. But it wasn't all good. Grammar instruction involved the memorization of labels and rules. Social studies largely ignored primary documents, focusing instead on a revisionist, fundamentalist-Christian view of the world. Science instruction was non-existent. The value of home-schooling, as far as I can tell, is its dependence on parent-child interactions that strengthen the family and give each student far more adult attention than he would get in the traditional school system. Eric Muhr
On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 8:06 PM, STAHLKE, HERBERT F <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Sticking with the anecdotal, some friends chose to home school their children, at least for a while. The oldest did his last three years of high school at home and went on to attend an excellent private college. The second grades 8-10 at home and then went of to finish high school at the Indiana Academy at Ball State, a two-year residential program for gifted students. The youngest 6-8 at home, and then his parents chose to send him to the local public high school in spite of the fact that it has poor test scores. I know them well, and the youngest is doing very well. Of course, the parents are both well educated and very devoted to their children, and they involve their children in a lot of enrichment programs as well as encouraging their summer reading programs. I don't know if it's home schooling or simply interested, involved parents.
But I should add that the local regional association of home schoolers is a fundamentalist group that opposes the teaching of evolution. Many of the kids do well academically, but they do suffer a deficit in the sciences.
I offered the group some enrichment in linguistics, but after some of the leaders learned that I don't buy the Tower of Babel as an explanation for language diversity we lost contact. I think the adherence to strict traditional grammar and to a phonics-only approach to early reading are all part of a package, a package that can provide a rigorous education but that doesn't always nurture open minds.
Herb
-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of DD Farms
Sent: 2009-08-26 19:54
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Totally OFF TOPIC ATEG
At 11:41 a.m. 26/08/2009, Spruiell, William C wrote re the shining
stars of the education system:
>DD --I haven't seen any large-scale studies . . .My experience with
>home-schooled students attending college
>is that their average performance probably matches that of most of the
>other students . . .
DD: Now consider the cost of attaining the same level. Definitely
cheaper for the tax payer is home over public. Iffy, for private,
depending on lost opportunity cost to the parental teacher.
Depressing, as I said. Any of the paths should stress the teaching of
English Grammar. It seems to be a lost cause in the Public schools
and possibly in the Private. My info is also anecdotal. Home
schoolers tend to stress traditional grammar studies, including
parsing. Very prescriptive, too.
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