California court hates homeschoolers

I strongly disagree with these statements. I have read dozens of books on child development from many different authors, and dozens of educational philosophy books from various "systems" of thought, and yet I have "no credentials." This material is available to all people, not just those enrolled in a college program. My studies have solidified my decision to home educate. Perhaps those being trained for mass teaching are receiving a more limited education in child development and educational methods? Moreover, teaching one or two children at a time is a completely different matter than teaching a classroom. I need no training in classroom management.

Also, I often see my children in a group of peers, and I am completely aware of how they "compare." Do you think I lock them up away from people?

I am aware that my 17 year old acts like a man and not some teen trying desperately to fit in. People are always commenting on how nice he is, how respectful he is, how refreshing he is, how they can actually understand what he says. I know that he reads Stephen Ambrose in his free time and watches countless documentaries when he is not working practically full time and working his way through high school texts like Chemistry and Algebra II Trig (which he finished with A's). He is also currently training to run as a pacer in a 100 mile race. This is a boy who was "diagnosed with ADHD by his teacher" while in third grade public school. He also scores in the top 5 % on the IOWA achievement test.

I know that my children are fascinated with learning, enjoy learning, pursue things "educational" on their own while neighbor children are watching TV, playing video games, and complaining about their parents and about school. My 8 year old listened to 100 audio books in one year, and recently told me that he finished reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh in three days. He enjoys telling me stories about the history of Great Britain during Roman occupation, and right now just showed me a map of our house and lawn, pointing out modifications he plans to make when he lives here alone to provide shelter -- shrubs and food -- grasses for small animals. He asked me if I have any books on grasses and shrubs, since his small animals book tells him what grasses and shrubs each species perfers. He can identify every US state by shape alone. He has literally memorized AA Milne stories and recites them often -- one chapter a night.

My six year old just made up a rhyme using alliteration (consonance to be precise) and has spent the last hour working through a drawing instruction program. He did not speak very much at all until he was nearly three, but I kept an eye on it, read books about it, and kept talking to him, reading to him, loving him. He now speaks perfectly fine and is reading very well. He loves music -- especially the Spirit soundtrack, puzzles, playing with math manipulatives, Sudoku, etc. He scrapbooks with me, makes cards with stamps, does fingerprint drawings, origami, and can make almost anything out of paper, scissors and tape!

Parental denial comes from ignorance and from a lack of interest in his/her children. They care more about their pride than their children's welfare. I am passionately interested in my children -- I give my all every day for them. I happen to love home educating my children. My children are thriving!

1) A strong foundation in child development, what constitutes the normal range for any chronological age, and the dual benefit of knowing when to challenge a child where she needs it and avoid frustrating a child who is not ready.

2) A key tool in diagnosing a problem early is seeing a child in a group of peers. No parent is prepared to know when a child may be in developmental trouble without other children to compare to; name me a parent not in a formal academic track in social sciences or education who can identify developmental problems. I'll point to thousands of others who can't.

One good thing about requiring homeschooling parents to have some minimal formal training is specifically in #2. One of my wife's biggest griefs (masters in Ed., special ed teacher and administrator) is the parent who is in absolute denial of her child's problems. A homeschooling parent who has been exposed (at the least) to child development science is much less likely to do that, and much more likely to get the child the help she needs.

I have a single point to make in terms of home schooling. I understand that many home schooled children excel. For every home schooled student who does well, how many are there who were taken out of the public schools and are not doing well? I am a retired teacher with 31 years in the classroom and from just the schools at which I taught,two middle schools and one high school, there were many students whose parents withdrew them and proceeded to allow their children to do nothing. Many returned to school after their parents tired of babysitting them. These students then experienced extreme difficulty reintegrating and typically found themselves in weaker positions than when they left. It's time we find out what the real story is here. How can we allow this to happen for the benefit of what might be a minority of home schoolers who will do well versus those who will fail? Please understand, I am not a former teacher who was comfortable with the state of our public schools. Politics and administrators are, I think, at the crux of the problem. Yes, there are bad teachers, just as there are bad lawyers, doctors and members of most every other profession. That however, is another discussion.....

I love how people always think their homeschooled kids are socially well-adjusted. The homeschoolers I've known, and I've known a lot, have been either the most socially awkward people I've ever known or depressed and had a drug problem, either while living at home or after they left.

I can spot a homeschooler from a mile away. It's my spiritual gift!