Essay: Homeschooling - 4/22/2008

There’s a romantic tradition about home schooling. Those who support it like to rhapsodize that George Washington was home schooled, for example. Well, yes, he was.

However, he also didn’t need to be computer-literate, owned slaves to do his heavy lifting for him, and died from a throat abscess that one shot of simple antibiotics probably could have cured today.

We live in an increasingly diverse society with an ever-more technologically complex civilization.

Hillsdale College is about as conservative a liberal arts school as exists on the planet. But Hillsdale’s honors program director recently told the Detroit Free Press that the home schooled children he sees are typically badly deficient in science education.  [See Administrator Note Below]

That should be enough to tell you that something is wrong with this picture. Home schooling is a growing fad. If the national average holds for this state, as many as 68,000 Michigan kids may be being home schooled. 

There is now a bill before the legislature that would require people home schooling their kids to report this fact to their local school system. Frankly, I thought that was required already.

It certainly should be. Yet the home schoolers are screaming that this would violate their rights.

That’s nuts. This bill is necessary, and they should know better. For one thing, if we don’t know who is home schooling their kids, how can we know who is teaching their kids at home – and who are simply letting their kids run wild?

Actually, this bill doesn’t go far enough. We need a strong package of bills firmly regulating home schooling. They should prescribe a curriculum and require home schoolers to prove they are qualified to teach. We owe it to our kids and ourselves.

We need to accept the fact that this is no longer the wild frontier, and our kids need higher learning to survive.

If I announced I was going to “home doctor” my family and take my son’s appendix out on the kitchen table, the cops would be there pretty fast. Educational malpractice should be illegal as well.

Schools have facilities and laboratories nearly impossible to duplicate at home. Education also involves hard-to-quantify things like social interaction. You learn from each other, not just from facts and exercises.

Now, there may be rare cases where homeschooling makes sense and a parent is fully qualified. It also has to be said the failures of many of our public schools has made homeschooling much more attractive. But the solution for bad public schools is to fix them.

And yes, homeschooling is necessary. But as a supplement, not a substitute. Mom and Dad need to take part in homeschooling every night. They need to take a vigorous part in their kids’ homework.

They should also get involved with their school. More and more, we are evolving into a place where two kids the same age have wildly different educational experiences.

That’s a prescription for eventually losing our identity as a people and a nation. And if that doesn’t scare you more than internet porn, you clearly need more education.            

ADMINISTRATOR NOTE:  After the publication of this essay, Mr. Lessenberry posted a clarification stating the following:  "First of all, there WAS something I said in my essay that I would like to amend.  I quoted a recent Free Press story as saying that Hillsdale College’s honors program director recently told the Detroit Free Press that the home schooled children he sees are deficient in science education. In fact the man who said that, David Stewart, actually said it in 2002.  I do not think that is ancient history, nor do I think the situation is likely to have radically changed since then. But I would not have used the word “recent” if I had to do it over.  Mr. Stewart is also no longer the honors director, and I apologize for that error. What I actually did was take that statement from another article. Here is what that article said. “David Stewart, director of Hillsdale College’s honors program, told the Detroit Free Press that home schooled children are typically deficient in science education: ’I can generally count on them for having almost no science and virtually no lab science.”"

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Comments

[Joy]

Mr. Lessenberry: As one of the first generations to experience contemporary homeschooling, (my parents took me out of grade school in 1984) I am disturbed by the singular categorization you seem to create for homeschoolers. Many homeschool families are involved in homeschooling groups (which provide social interaction for the children) and demonstrate the diverse collection of educational and religious philosophies that influence parents' choice to homeschool. Yes, there are those who "unschool" (no set curriculum or academic goals), and parents who teach without appropriate educations, but the variety of reasons that influence why parents choose to homeschool also contributes to the diversity of experiences different students have while learning at home.

I agree that local schools should know which children are being homeschooled in their district. But it's too simplistic to say that one solution is for parents to get involved in the local school system. The reason my parents looked into homeschooling in the first place was because the local school system would not let either of them, professional educators, have a voice in my educational experience.

I challenge you to find ten different homeschooling families. Talk to the children and parents. Then tell us if you still think it's more socially deconstructive than internet porn.

[Jill]

Okay Mr. Lessenberry, I tend to agree with you on most issues. But not this time. Based upon your essay, I'm thinking that that you have had personal experience with public schools, and none with homeschooling. I'd suggest that you investigate homeschooling a bit more, instead of simply imagining what goes on in the homes of homeschoolers. (For instance, we are not all a bunch of right-wing wingnuts). I think you'd discover that many homeschooled children are deeply engaged socially, and not simply with their peer groups, which is what public school "socialization" tends to emphasize. My children and I spend time with their peers, but on a weekly basis, they also spend time with the elderly, with toddlers, and with older children. We get out in the world--we aren't holed up at home! In my book, this is a much better model for socialization than public school. How many of us move in the exclusive society of same-age peers, once we've left school?

Our family tried public schools, and found they didn't work for us. I don't think that the problems with public schools are fixable, given Michigan's economy and our current definition of public education. In my opinion, we need smaller class sizes, more personalized attention for the students, and less attention to standarized tests. And how about some more infusion of the joy of learning in the classroom? If that's asking a lot of the public schools, well, maybe more of our children should be homeschooled. Because that's easily possible at home. Even in our well-funded, middle-class rural public school, it was all drill, drill, drill, crowd-management, group discipline, homework, homework, homework. It's no wonder that few--if any--publicly schooled children are enthusiastic about school. My children, on the other hand, are not prejudiced against learning, and they LOVE it. I know (because I've had them tested, by a public school teacher) that my children perform well above grade level in reading, science, and social studies, and a bit about grade level in mathematics.

I don't know if you have children yourself, but I can promise you that the homeschooling parents I know are NOT lazy nor are we shirking our civic responsibilities. If we wanted the easy way out, we would send them to public school for the free childcare. It would be refreshing if you, and our state government, supported those of us parents who are engaged with our children's learning experiences, and embraced a diversity of learning models for Michigan's youth, instead of trying to impose some nineteenth-century, proto-militaristic model of public school learning on every last one of us.

[Chad Boss]

Wow...just...wow. That was probably the most uninformed, one-sided, hack job that I've ever heard on home education. I'd love to hear some of Jack's ideas for "firmly regulating" home schooling. Prescibing a curriculum? That would sort of defeat the purpose, wouldn't it? Let me guess, if the state comes up with a curriculum for me to teach to my children, it's probably going to bear some resemblance to the same curriculum taught in the local public school, right? Why endure the tremendous stress and financial hardship of home schooling if I wanted to feed them the same old stuff that they can get for "free" at school?

And Jack, good luck fixing our broken public schools. I'd argue that they are functioning exactly as designed, as a reaction to the industrial revolution. The demand for "human resources" is what gave rise to the factory model of education, and comments like yours just betray the fact that you've swallowed that philosophy hook, line, and sinker. Common sense tells us that the tutorial model of education is vastly more effective than the factory model. Even when being taught by an uncertified teacher. (Hard to imagine, I know...teacher certification has led to such spectacular results thus far.)

You say,

"More and more, we are evolving into a place where two kids the same age have wildly different educational experiences."

Imagine that! Two kids, the same age, being taught different things! Having different educational experiences. Someone call social services. But seriously, did you read that back to see how it sounded? Maybe, in a follow up essay, you can describe the one "right" education experience.

I'll admit, when I started home schooling my kids, I was just hoping that I wouldn't screw up; that they'd turn out normal, just like other kids. But, the more I learn about home schooling, the more I see that "normal" is the last thing I want for my kids. Normal is so lame. We can do so much better.

I've written too much already, because I know this is falling on deaf ears, but the scary thing is that you will be taken seriously by the majority of your listeners. My advice is to leave home schoolers alone...after all, we'll need creative, independent, morally upstanding leaders to solve the educational crisis in this state/country.

Regards,

[Kelle]

Mr. Lessenberry,

I agree with the thoughtful and well phrased responses to your essay so far. My contemporaries have said much of what I wanted to say. So instead I pose this question:
Why am I considered unqualified? I attended public elementary and high school. I then attended a public state university where I was awarded a bachelor's degree. The state's institutions saw fit to decree me "educated". Why now am I underqualified to teach my own children? Your analogy of home doctoring falls short, since I have not been educated in medicine. But I received 16 years of what the state had to offer in Science, Literature, Grammar, Mathematics and so forth. Was my education not complete enough to then, in turn, pass on my knowledge? If indeed I am unqualified, why would I send my children to the same failing institution?
Of course, we both know none of those things are true. What really is at stake here is conformity vs individuality. I think Mr. Washington would shudder if he knew you have envoked his name to support your arguement. An arguement that claims only well regulated, strictly controlled masses are to be tolerated.

[Jack lessenberry]

Ms Kelle, I did not say you are unqualified. however, you spelled both invoked and argument wrong, and have inadvertently helped prove my point

[Kelle]

May I ask, to which point do you refer ? While I believe my public education was adequate perhaps my dependence on a computer literate society has weakened my ability to use type pad without spell-check.

I would argue that the only point your criticism reveals is that your prefer not to address the content of the question I posed.

What I do appreciate that you have called my attention the tone of this debate. May my humble mistakes remind me, that the well intended have often made mistakes when criticizing something unfamiliar.

[Bob R]

Jack,
In so many cases I completely agree with your thoughts, but I must echo the statements of those above when I say that today's essay was completely one sided and unjust. Have you considered the following: Many people homeschool in order to allow a religious aspect in their education, something which is prohibited in the constitution. Do you wish to stomp on the right of freedom of religion for those who choose this option? Most private religious schools are very expensive, homeschooling is an excellent alternative. Second, a student to teach ratio of 1:1 or maybe 1:4 beats public school any day. We home schooled our children until their freshman year of highschool, and surpased all public school benchmarks with only 3 hours of "lessons" each day. Also, as stated above, socialization is much more rounded out side of school, where interactions include more than just the 25 agemates in your home room.

As an example of the many ways that the vast majority of hometeachers teach, when our oldest reached a point where we were unable to teach science to the appropriate level, we inlisted the help of a college professor, who then tought my 12 year old and a few others using a freshman (college freshman) biology text.

My children are now in an excellent public school and get strait A's. Further, they are leaders in their classes, well liked by fellow students and teachers alike. Further, their educational background upon entering public school was commended by their teachers.

While my spelling may not be perfect (as a product of the public school system and 4 years of college), I at least know enough to do my background research.

I do not see the harm in knowing where the children are. Our local school knew about our kids the whole time. They were, in fact, entitled to take courses and play sports in our local school. However, when has the state done anything better than an individual, unless it concerns the masses?

Jack, you should have at least spoken to some public school teachers, or met some homeschooled kids, before penning your article. I understand you are a commentator, not a reporter, but sloppy work is sloppy work.

[Jack Lessenberry]

I sleep with a public school teacher, every night, and have for 31 years. I remain convinced that, if anything, I was too kind to the homeschoolers.

[Anonymous]

I went to public schools. However, I think homeschooling would definitely be a more efficient use of a student's time. If a person were to break down how much of a day at public school actually involves learning, the material learned could be done much faster at home. Plus, take out summer vacations, and a student could get the learning done YEARS sooner. I would have rather spent my adolescence traveling or starting college earlier.

Bottom line: If you have parents competent to teach and children who are very bright, independent learners, this could be a very viable solution.

Public schools bored me. The pace was too slow. There wasn't enough variety of information taught either. I would have rather studied the basic material 3 hours or so a day and read classic novels the rest of the day.

[Bob R]

Jack, Jack, Jack,

Your wife is a teacher. Well, if you haven't just admitted to a complete and one sided bias, than I guess I've never seen one.

It's a shame when a person you previously believed to be well informed, experienced and wise turns out to be a narrow minded, uninformed public radio version of Rush Linbaugh.

Find an example Jack, one homeschooled child who failed in life or didn't impress others. Now, find examples of failed public schoolers. Let's look at the leaders of Enron, of corrupt politicians, and on and on.

Hold your breath and stomp your feet if you like Jack. In this case, you are wrong.

[Dawn]

[I had a big long post with a point-by-point rebuttal ready to go on this essay on homeschooling by Jack Lessenberry...]

P.S. When making spelling mistakes a focus of a comment it's best to make sure your punctuation and capitalization is correct.

[Thrasher]

For once Jack and I agree!!!! homeschoolers are a bunch of myopic self centered types more often they exhibit a hate for diversity and anything that does not reflect thier conservative propaganda. Most of them are isolationist folks with some religious agenda. Thier kids suffer from thier propaganda...

They often remind of people who were against the civil rights laws of our country, yet they are now screaming for thier rights. Many supported Prop 2 in our state as with most hypocrites now they want rights..

I have zero faith in the quality of this backward approach to education . I have little regard for the the values of those who engaged in this dumbing down of America. In every study I have read about the profile of home school types they are against progressive social ideas and many are down right nuts and I do not mean peanuts..

[Doc]

"a bunch of myopic self centered types more often they exhibit a hate for diversity and anything that does not reflect thier conservative propaganda."

Got ignorance?

[Dawn]

"they exhibit a hate for diversity"

Er, you actually don't agree with Jack. See, one of his claims is that homeschooling is, "a prescription for eventually losing our identity as a people and a nation." He's after a population that's not fundamentally diverse.

If by agreement with Jack you mean unfounded assertions though...Then I think you may have a point.

[Meg]

I agree with pretty much everything the other commenters have said, but I'll add this:

You wrote, "More and more, we are evolving into a place where two kids the same age have wildly different educational experiences."

How is this not true already? Do you really believe that the kid who goes to an overcrowded inner city public school is getting the same education as the kid who went to 12-student-per-class private Montessori school? Even in among middle class, suburban public schools, states have such divergent certification requirements for their teachers that it's completely ridiculous to make any kind of claim about some perceived standard of education that you think we're moving away from.

In your argument against homeschool science you also wrote, "Schools have facilities and laboratories nearly impossible to duplicate at home."

No. My high school, which was pretty decent, didn't have the budget for a lot of science equipment. With the exception of the school-provided ancient microscopes (not that expensive on eBay or wherever), we brought all the materials we needed for labs: glassware, chemicals from the hardware and drug stores, random groceries, rubber gloves, etc. All of the experiments we did in school could have been replicated at home with minimal cost or effort.

You're obviously looking at the issue from a very narrow and privileged perspective.

[Jack Lessenberry]

As I said, many of the public schools need a lot of help, and money, and we should do so.

I went to a rather inferior public school. My parents were poorly educated, and did not have money.

[A homeschool mom]

Shame on you Jack!!
I was very disappointed when I listened to your essay.
May I suggest you read John Holt and John Taylor Gatto to gain some insight about education and children.
There are many reasons why a family decides to home school. I think the main reason is because they feel it is the best thing for their family to do. Everyone should have the right to make their own decision about what is right for their own family without the state breathing down their necks and making them jump through hoops. We do live in America, the home of the free.
Looking at the state of affairs our state and country are in, I really do not trust their judgment to tell me what I should and should not be teaching my children.
Before you judge all home schoolers about how and why they home school it might be a good idea to interview some people who home school and ask them some questions. Gain some knowlwge about a subject that you really know nothing about.
I am a liberal, open minded and secular person. I teach my children not to judge others because they are different. It is people's differences that make this world so interesting. We socialize with many people of all ages. My kids have never been to school yet can read and write. They can tell you where all of the United States are and probably teach you a lot about animals that you did not know. They still have a lot of things to learn but then again don't we all? Learning is life long and hopefully never ending.
Yes Mr Lessenberry, sometimes they do run around wild but isn't that is what a child is supposed to do?

[Summer]

I would suggest Jack actually, I don't, research a topic before writing about it. But then, I guess he's merely doing what he was taught to do in school. Thanks for being a shining example of why I will home school my sons. I intend them to be able to look at all the facts, research what they are learning about, and make an educated decision within reality. Clearly something poor Jack is not able to do.

Perhaps you should read just how ignorant you actually sound. http://docsdomain.net/blog/?p=756

[Doc]

Jack, I'm paying property taxes to pay for public schools. I'm supporting them in exactly the same amounts as my neighbors who send their children to public school, and my neighbors who don't have children. I pay for my children's education in addition to supporting the public school - what more do you want? Should I write them a check too? Be reasonable. Public schools are not designed or managed in such a way as to have a legion of parents in the classroom "helping" - so money is the alternative. Better yet, please give me a logical explanation of how I'm supposed to support my local school district, which by the way, is currently housed in portable trailers with no extra curricular or supplemental classes (including computers) because the buildings themselves were destroyed in a recent flood and there's no money to replace them. Are you convinced that my local schools can or do provide a better education than I do/did at home? Please outline all the ways you support your local school as an example. As for technology and lab supplies, I can give you a list of several suppliers of home lab equipment that would put any classroom to shame. As long as I'm paying for it, my children's education is none of your concern. The public school system is accountable to the PUBLIC for its dismal performance - it isn't the other way around. Throwing more money at a broken system isn't going to fix it. You're sleeping with a public school teacher? Big deal. I used to sleep with an investment broker - it doesn't make me qualified to manage your 401K. Read my blog entry, Jack, since I did the research you failed to do. Homeschooled students out perform their public school counterparts in every single subject, at every single assessment age, and it doesn't matter if those students are in a state with a ton of regulations or in a state like Michigan, that has none.

Google, Jack, it's part of the 21st century - just like diversity.

[Michael Iott]

Mr. Lessenberry,

I am a former teacher, and a home-schooler. You're assessment of homeschooling is uninformed. In Michigan, Home-Schooled children typically out perform public school pupils in most subject areas.

My home schooled son is more adept at using 21st Century Technology than his public school peers...he built his computers. He plays the guitar...he assists in teaching an after school martial arts class at the local middle school.

At twelve years old he is reading at a college level and is engaged a wider variety of educational activities than any of his public school peers. Socially he is able to relate with the same ease and comfort with adults as he does those closer to his own age. He has had much wider exposure to different social groups and more diverse ideas and ideologies than his friends who attend public school.

What he is being deprived of is the herd mentality of the public school "peer group" culture. A culture that penalizes independent thought, and creates an expectation of conformity to arbitrary and often pathological behavioral patterns. I respect public school teachers, but from my own observations and experience I know that teachers and administrators have little influence on "peer groups" in the modern public school environment.

If the goal of education is to create an educated population then home-schooling is proven to be a better option. Not based anecdotal quotes from school administrators and teachers...but from testing data compiled from around the country. If, on the other hand if you believe the goal of education is to manufacture a trained and compliant workforce, who will do what they are told without question, then your criticisms of home-schooling are indeed valid.

Respectfully,

Michael F. Iott
784 Michigan Street
Eaton Rapids, Mi 48827
517-663-7354

[Thrasher]

Homeschool types are like a cult, they have little capacity to respect the opinons of others...

They are on a mission to indoctrinate minors who lacked the protection of the state to secure thier rights..

Homeschoolers are a lethal aggregate of myopic people who according to the data and research reject social and progressive ideas...

They remind me of rednecks during our country's aparthied era/jim crow era they fled from public schools when thier fellow americans of a darker hue sought entry...

The truth about these backward people is that they harm thier children and they create a entire aggregate of more ignorant people that must be reeducated for our country to reach it's ideals..

[Daniel Segura]

Thrasher,

Please pretend to hide your cowardice by posting your name or credentials. As a homeschool father, I would be willing to engage you in a discourse. I doubt, however, that you can muster the courage.

I need not respond to Mr. Lessenberry. His poor work speaks for itself, but he is willing to engage in a critical dialogue (or rather read and belittle critical communication while refusing to address the deficiencies in his work- maybe just a little tired- sort of like dialogue).

Daniel Segura, Michigan (there's only one so you can google it for more info).

[Theresa]

Wow. Must be very freeing to be able to express your opinion without letting those pesky "facts" get in the way.
Sorry, but you don't know "jack" about homeschooling, and should really have done your homework. Oh, that's right! You were publicly schooled. No wonder.

[Proud Homeschooling Mom]

These are just a few people that have been homeschooled throughout history:

* Frank Vandiver, retired president of Texas A&M University
* Thomas Edison, United States, scientist and inventor
* Andrew Wyeth, United States, Artist
* Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, France, physicist
* Charles Evans Hughes, United States, Governor of New York, United States Secretary of State, and Chief Justice of the United States
* Chad Kennedy, United States, publisher and editor-in-chief of Teen Scene Magazine
* Ruth Lawrence, Israel/United Kingdom/United States, mathematician
* Bode Miller, United States, champion skier
* Evelyn De Morgan, United Kingdom, artist
* Clara Muhammad, United States, Nation of Islam leader
* Frankie Muniz, United States, Actor
* Chauntelle, Sherri, Weston, Stacy and Garron DuPree, United States, musicians
* Christopher Paolini, United States, author- And he was only 15 when his first book was written
* Rosa Parks, United States, civil rights activist
* Susan La Flesche Picotte, United States, first American Indian woman physician
* John T. Plecnik, United States, syndicated columnist
* Emerson Spartz, United States, internet entrepreneur
* Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Russia, rocket scientist and pioneer of cosmonautics
* Roman Vishniac, Russia/United States, photographer, biologist, and polyglot
* Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, Poland, author and artist
* Sho Yano, United States, child prodigy
* Woodrow Wilson, United States, the only United States President to hold a Ph.D.
* Albert Einsein, scientist

So if homeschoolers are such a "backwards, redneck cult" what about these people?
Were they backwards? Were they redneck?

And if what you are saying, is that all of our children should be put into an institutionalized school setting so that the government can produce a superior, more educated race, then why hasn't it happened? There have been many many years of opportunity to "fix" the system. It just seems to get worst.
In all of the budget cuts, what comes first??? EDUCATION

So while I do pay taxes that go to my local public school I will carry the extra financial burden to educate my children at home. I know where they are and who they are with. I don't have the concern of them being bullied,molested, abused or plotting to blow up a school. I don't have to worry about them being a victim of a shooting or stabbing because of a classmate. I know that my children know appropriate behavior in public and with other people, because they were taught by responsible adults, not children their age that have just as much clue as they do about socialization.
You see, homeschooling isn't just about education, it is about life lessons, it is about dealing and adapting to the ever changing world. Most homeschoolers spend hours upon hours making sure that their child is well rounded in all areas.
Not to mention, many of us give our children opportunities that most public school children will never have.
My children are able to touch history, they have been to NASA and actually sat in a space shuttle, they have touched history at Williamsburg, they have been to the Smithsonian, the White House,the National Archives and the Library of Congress. They have been to the Aerospace Museum. They have been able to travel along the Trail of Tears that our ancestors had to endure. They have been able see and experience many other great things in this country. All because of the fact that we homeschool. That is just when we travel, that isn't including what they do and are involved with locally here at home.
We are able to study different cultures and religions without the worry about someone else getting offended.
If my children were to go to public school, they would not have these chances. They would be locked in a classroom for 7-8 hours a day learning out of books. There would be no chance for them to be a part of the world.

[Michael Iott]

Thrasher,

You're post illustrates my point. Creating mindless stereotypic caricatures of those you don't understand is the fruit of being formed by a mob mentality. A "peer group".

My son is biracial and I pulled him out of Public School because he was being stereotyped and pigeonholed by folks just like you. He was adopted out of an abusive home so I've been vetted by the State pretty heavily. I run from no one. I hide from no one.

What is the "data and research" to which you refer? They certainly missed me and most of the home school parents I know. Lot's of hyperbole and no real facts...

Not so respectfully,

Michael F. Iott
784 Michigan Street
Eaton Rapids, MI 48827
517 663 7354