let me clear the air

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OK I think you'all misunderstood. I am sorry for any hurt feelings. I think it is fair to say that not all schools are bad. Not all teachers are bad either. I admire those of you who undertake homeschooling and have the self disipline to work with your children. I would not, probably not. We would take too many days off...haha Ok to my point. I have taken my career very serious. I have been going to school most of my life, and will continue to do so. I am not a sit at your desk teacher. I love teaching. When I asked about the education level of homeschool parents, I was just wondering about highschool math/algebra/etc. instruction. I teach math and pre-algebra and it is tough for most normal parents. That is all I was saying. Period. I admitt, I did get defensive about the public school system. It is not the whole eveil in this world. I work with so many talented and great people. Most of these people love kids. So, sorry and God's speed in you encounter. Julie

-- julie (jbritt@ceva.net), March 28, 2002

Answers

sorry about the typos....in a rush. Happy Easter.

-- julie (jbritt@ceva.net), March 28, 2002.

Oy vey! I'm lost! What is this about??

-- Ardie/WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), March 28, 2002.

Julie,

I don't think you have much need to apologize. I was going to write and thank you for starting one of the hottest topics we've had in awhile. I think everyone was pretty cordial, considering the strong emotions on each side. I may use some of the sentiments expressed in an article that I have in mind to write. Very good material there!

It's one of the real ironies of life that sometimes the most passionate teachers end up teaching in public school, where they are overloaded with work, and are unable to custom tailor their curriculum to each individual child's needs. In addition, they must put up with overbearing bureaucracy and too much politics, sometimes violent students and apathetic parents, all for very little pay. In many ways, that is very unfortunate. it also may be why many public school teachers are putting their own children in private or home school situations.

Whether your children attend public, private, home, or un-school, education should begin at home, and parents should be the primary educators. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way. I'm glad that there are people who are called to, and passionate about teaching in public schools. Our society would be a mess without most of you. So, if you are one of the good ones, hats off to you!

-- Chuck (woah@mission4me.com), March 28, 2002.


Julie, we homeschool parents do the same thing public school teachers do when teaching a subject that is not our best. We rely on a curriculum complete with text, teacher's manual, test booklets with answer sheets and any other helps that come with it. When we hit rough spots, we slow down and work through it with our kids. Homeschool groups share their strengths, offering tutorial help to families in their weaker areas. When it comes to these weak areas, we teachers learn right along with the students.

A big attraction to homeschooling is the personal choices that we can make with curriculum and teaching methods that are available to us that we can taylor fit to each individual child.

-- Laura S. (LadybugWrangler@somewhere.com), March 30, 2002.


Hello Julie,

I asked my 15 year old daughter how much change would you have left over if you took 87 cents from a dollar. She said 23 cents? Now, this little girl was a gifted student while in private school but, after she entered public school she became dumber. That is enough reason for me to home school the rest of my kids.

Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), March 30, 2002.



Well in all honesty that is your fault too. You need to be involved in then testing and decision making. She probably is gifted in reading, everyone has a weakness. You must also remember that truely gifted students can/are labeled as special ed because they learn differently than the general population.

-- julie (jbritt@ceva.net), March 30, 2002.

tact. NOUN: Acute sensitivity to what is proper and appropriate in dealing with others, including the ability to speak or act without offending.

I am not sure if 'tact' is taught in public schools.

-- paul (primrose@centex.net), March 30, 2002.


You can also see the difference (in an opposite way from what Ernest is talking about) between children who have transferred from private school making B's and C's, to public school, where they are now straight A students and not even working at it--the children themselves have not gotten any smarter, they're just in a different pond.

It is also not unusual to find foreign exchange students who shrug and say, "Yes, I know it will put me a year behind in school back home, but I can get my driver's license here in the States at 16, and therefore have a license back home earlier than all my friends (lots of countries don't give out driver's licenses until you're 18)".

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), March 31, 2002.


I thought it was me, but after this post I realize that what I considered an apology to home schoolers, is being turned into another attack on public schools. I did my part.

-- julie (jbritt@ceva.net), March 31, 2002.

"Well in all honesty that is your fault too. You need to be involved..."

I believe this is what Paul is referring to when he posted the definition of tact. Your next post after your apology is a tactless attack on Ernest.

Let me say again, our disatisfaction with public schools and our choice to homeschool is in no way intended to be a personal attack on you. If it is indeed our fault our kids got dumbed down in public school, we are remedying it by keeping them home. Most of chose to homeschool after realizing we could not provide remedial education after our children spent 9 hours in a zombifying government institution.

-- Laura S. (LadybugWrangler@somewhere.com), March 31, 2002.



Great Day...I am not attcking anyone in a tactless way. Get a grip.I tried to say that anything that involves your kids is your business. Get involved. Im done with this. And you know what? I am very upfront and say what I mean and mean what I say. Didn't mean to hurt Earnest's feelings.

-- julie (jbritt@ceva.net), March 31, 2002.

Easy does it folks. We're all just sharing viewpoints here, remember?! It's okay if we all don't agree.

I am very fortunate in that I have two very gifted children. They are in public school, and I am very involved in their schooling. I volunteer in both classrooms each week. I realize that being able to do this is a great blessing for me, and there are many parents of children in these two classes who cannot do this or will not become involved. I hope my being involved will help not only my own kids, but any of the other kids I work with. It takes a village to raise a child.

-- Sheryl in ME (radams@sacoriver.net), March 31, 2002.


Sorry, I don't want a village to rear my children. Would you want SF, California to rear your children? Not me! The village didn't have these children, the parents did. In this case, the village is the idiot.

-- Mike (uyk7@hotmail.com), March 31, 2002.

Julie I never said all schools/teachers were bad. It's just that 99% gives the rest a bad name. The 1% will not be offended by this post :-)

Rita

-- Rita (rlynchjarss@aol.com), March 31, 2002.


This is a silly thread.

Julie, I am a public school teacher too. We both know that on any given day we are told our jobs are easy, we are underpaid, overworked, the hours are long and the rewards are few. We are asked to do an impossible job and do it under a national microscope. For years we have seen parents, politicians, etc. point the finger at us when a kid goes bad or falls through the cracks. I feel you and know where you are coming from. Anyone who works in a public school is doing it out of sheer love. Period. The pay sucks and there is no glory.

Now, that being said...I have opted to homeschool my kids on a number of occasions. (Financially, it has not always been an option and to be honest, there can be great merit in a child attending school. I am mathmatically retarded. I teach ESL. (shrugs) ) The school I am teaching at now is a joke. The kids consistantly test in the lower 25% in the nation. They arent learning crap for a variety of reasons including instructional, institutional, environmental, and biological. The district is more concerned with PR than quality education. Teachers turn over every year or two years because they are not making enough to live off of. The kids are violent, there is no sense of moral right or wrong (by anyone's standards) and it is a crappy environment for any kid. My kids attend the school I teach at. If I could I would pull them out tomorrow.

Homeschooling has its place. Anyone who homeschools know what hard work it is and obviously values their kids greatly. I applaud them and have even encouraged parents who questioned me about homeschooling to go for it. I havent seen a "bad" homeschool kid yet (not to say they don't exist)but by and large loving concerned parents homeschool. THAT is what helps to make a great kid and awesome student, both in public schools and at home.

The bickering here is about semantics(sp?) We all want the same thing for our kids and students. There is no one clear road and no one will travel their road at the same pace or go the same distance. I am having a hard time understanding what the point of this thread being rehashed over and over is?

-- Najia (najia274@yahoo.com), March 31, 2002.



Thank you Julie! I missed this before or I would have responded sooner.

Folks, let's just agree to disagree and leave this thread here! okay....

-- Novina in ND (homespun@stellarnet.com), April 01, 2002.


Just remember that involvement is a two-way street. It is not at all uncommon for the schools to have both hands out asking for money, volunteers, etc. but turn a deaf ear when parents say "take condoms out of the curriculum" or "I don't want my child exposed to (name your favorite offensive (or incorrectly taught history lesson) issue here)".

It has to be a quid pro quo situation. I think many parents have honestly tried to go the involvement route in schools, only to be thwarted at every turn, and at that point there is nothing left but to homeschool. And there probably is a wide variance in how much a parent will tolerate before homeschooling, depending upon the area.

As to the "village" comment, some rural environments are no better educationally for your child--it depends on you and the people you choose to surround your children with.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), April 01, 2002.


Julie, tact and honesty are not mutually exclusive. Remember, when you say, "I'm a public school teacher" you at that point represent public schools to us. Tact and maturity would go a long way toward casting a positive light on whatever point you are trying to get across.

Frankly Julie, I have a hard time believing that you are even an adult, let alone an effective educator. Most educators hold themselves to a higher standard of tolerance, conduct and vocabulary than the general populations. You come across, with your attitudes, spelling and vocabulary, not as an adult or educator, but as an immature adolescent latchkey kid who is acting out some serious family problems. Just like that adolescent, everything you say starts an argument or further fans the flames of current arguments.

Thank you, Najia, for reckognizing we DO have the same goals for our children. It is easy teaching a few kids you love with your choice of materials. As I could never spend more than 5 minutes in a public classroom with 30 kids, 15 of which never experienced disciplne or learned self control, I would NEVER assume you job is as easy as mine.

-- Laura S. (LadybugWrangler@somewhere.com), April 01, 2002.


Thanks, Laura. :) I do not know for how much longer I am willing to do this job. My husband (a teacher as well) recently was accused of "looking" at a female student. The implication was "leer" and he is basically being accused of sexual harassment. It is alot of BS and is being brought up by a student he has almost no contact with outside of 1 class a day. This is the kind of cr*p that makes you not want to teach. Frankly, the job is not worth it.

-- Najia (najia274@yahoo.com), April 02, 2002.

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